Eurydice woke up at sunrise. Rays of orange-gold light peaked out from behind purple clouds and shone in through the windows. She felt like she had just come out of a trance. It took her a moment to recall where she was and how she had got there. Sitting up, she noticed that there were spots of blood on the mattress where she had lain.
It had felt like a piercing pain which shot through her entire body. She had cried out a little bit; the feeling had been too much for her to handle.
Orpheus was curled up like a puppy by her side. He even made the little snuffle-whistle sounds that a puppy makes when it snores. She reached over to stroke his wild mop of curls.
He had a smug, self-satisfied look on his face as he slept; she was not sure if she wanted to kiss him or slap him.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty," Eurydice said, gently shaking his shoulder.
"Wwhuh," he groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"I'm hungry and someone promised to buy breakfast."
"Alright, alright."
They both picked up their clothes off of the floor and got dressed. She put back on her white bra and underpants with pink lace trim.
"Eurydice," he asked her, "Will you marry me?"
She kissed his forehead.
"Guess I have to now. When are you going to give me a ring?"
"When I find a pirate's treasure at the bottom of the sea."
"Be serious!"
"I'll swim down to the bottom of the ocean and find a ring for you."
"Let's say you do find a pirate's treasure and you do get a ring for me, what will we do for our wedding reception?"
"Raid every fruit and nut tree in New Orleans. They'll eat mountains of peaches and pecans."
"I love peaches and I love pecans but where will we sleep?"
"Underneath a sky full of stars and fireflies on a bed of thistledown and feathers. And if it rains, the trees will bend their branches over us."
"It all sounds like a fairytale."
"We're blessed, Eurydice. The gods will always provide for us."
"Does that include the breakfast you promised?"
"Dang girl, all you think about is your stomach."
They had beignets and mimosa at Miss Hestia's cafe to celebrate their engagement.
"I better return home," Eurydice said when they had finished breakfast, "Marie is probably wondering where I am."
"I'll walk you home," Orpheus replied, "Let her know you're safe."
"No! She'll kill the both of us."
She kissed him goodbye and walked to Marie's apartment.
The parlor of Marie's apartment was where she made a living by telling fortunes and conducting seances. There was a round mahogany table in the center of the room with several chairs. The walls were covered in shelves which contained ingredients to make gris-grises. Sunlight was kept out by thick velvet curtains.
"Where have you been?" Marie demanded when Eurydice pushed back the beaded curtains which hung in the door way, "Out with you some boy?"
Eurydice shook her head yes.
"Stupid girl. I guess you'll have to learn the hard way."