Activated Pt. 19

"A lot of changes, I will get back to you."

"Good enough. Sandy did you mention the new project?"

"Actually, I didn't get the chance yet." I turn around and look at our friends. "Our dear Calliope has received a commission to paint something for the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian. This one is going to be epic; we need ideas."

I see them all dive into thought except Jen, "Lincoln at Richmond, there is even a really great legend that leads from there to the contents of his pockets when he was killed. Calliope, I can email you the details. Your paintings really hits people emotionally, I think this would be good."

"Wow, ok, if anyone else comes up with something let me know. I miss you all, I need to get going now that I have something to research. Please call again soon, or maybe I'll figure out how to call you."

The call disconnects. Darn, I am starting to miss her already.

"Ok, while we're all here I wanted to discuss an apartment warming party, how about Friday?"

A little discussion but no objection. "Okay, same as Jen's party, I'll cover the pizza and deserts. I'm going to invite our Carrol 5 friends. Mike, is Greg back and think he'll want to come?"

"I can count on it, he and Jo are still going strong, wouldn't surprise me if he thanks you for introducing them."

"You know I didn't really."

"If offered, take the credit. Remember he's still worried you will puncture him if he gets out of line."

"Good, I am worried I do not strike fear in enough people these days."

"Sneak up on them in a darkened house."

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We made a simple dinner with the new groceries, I made sure to text Poppy that we actually used her kitchen for cooking, the response was a few emojis.

I talked Mike into sleeping over tonight, I may have been kissing him at the time. We settled into the room, "I need to talk to you about a few things. We have your birthday coming up, any chance you can give me a few ideas?"

"I don't know, my life is pretty good right now. Last year I might have wished for a girlfriend but I seem to have checked that off nicely."

"I have a few ideas but I was wondering if there was anything special you wanted? Gane console, clothes, threesome, a new watch..."

"Wait what?? What was that 3rd one?"

"I was mostly kidding but I can set something up if you want."

"Sandy, you know the only one I have been with is you, and honestly you are a handful. I am fine if you are the only one for me."

"Awww, one sec, need to text a few people." I pause, "I'm kidding!"

"If I think of anything, I will let you know but this is the best time in my life, hard to think of something I need to make it better."

"Okay, next subject. You are over in the dorms, I'm going to be over here, this could cause a problem is one of us really needs their boyfriend for cuddling."

"I can see how that would be a problem."

"Would it be insulting if I sent you a big Uber gift card to help with that?"

"'big'?"

"Well, this could come up frequently."

"So my super-hot girlfriend may want me to visit suddenly and is making sure I can call an Uber to get here?"

"You think I'm super-hot?"

He shakes his head and kisses me, we kind of stop talking at that point. I now have my own room, can have Mike over anytime I want. Thank you Poppy, this is the best.

The next morning Mike was introduced to the fact I have a running buddy now. Rebecca who has been even more excited to run than me woke us up at 6. I was awake but not moving yet and she knocked and came in, my having a boy over is new. "Sandy, ready to run- Oh I'm sorry to wake you Michael."

I've been very good at not waking up Mike before a run, Becca isn't quiet so he wakes up, he'll probably fall back asleep.

He rolls over and probably does fall asleep while I get dressed. I never thought I'd have someone to run with in the mornings, I really enjoy it. We usually just run in silence or listening to tunes, rarely do we talk about the day.

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Classes have started, everything starts off slow but I have a number of challenging classes I am planning on crushing. I'm in one class with Mike and I'm worried I'll be distracted, I have a plan though, I'm going to try and get a better grade than Mike, I'm going to use my competitiveness to my advantage.

Jen is all excited about student teaching this year, she has been getting messages from her internship employer with discussions of returning. Apparently, she is critical to overthrowing several governments. I'm kidding, I hope.

Then there is Becca, she was bouncing off the walls when she got back after the first few days of class. Apparently, the super-model beautiful new student in the engineering classes got a little attention, go figure. It would not surprise me if she told me she was asked out for a date in the next few days. I worry about her, I don't want someone to hurt her, it could go badly so many ways.

Friday I got a text from Calliope, we are getting a present today. I was actually home for the delivery along with Becca. Three pictures of the sort you would hang on a bedroom door to tell you who's room it is. Jen's is a picture of her in the dress she was proposed in, Becca's is a smaller picture of her as an angel and mine is me in my ninja outfit, no mask with my red hair flying behind me, a sword in hand. Jen's and mine are extrapolations, we never posed for those although both are not far off from the poses she did capture, it is amazing what she can do. We hung them up and took pictures to send back to her with our thanks. I offer to bet Becca that Jen will start crying when she sees it, she knows enough not to take that bet.

Sure enough around 5 Jen and Alex came home, I would have lost my bet if Alex wasn't there, she got weepy but stopped from crying by smothering Alex with affection. We started to setup for the party, it is going to be very good to see all the old friends. Around 6pm Mike, Greg and Jo arrived to help us setup, I resisted the urge to discuss certain items in my room with Mike. I am happy to see that Greg and Jo are still together, they seem happy.

As it got toward 7pm the rest of the our friends arrived. It was so much fun to see all of them as we start our senior year. Only complaint came from Rebecca, "Where are the single boys?" I am going to have to keep an eye on her.

I'm talking to Jo and Greg when someone taps me on the shoulder. I spin around into a hug "BETSY!"

"Sandy it is good to see you, please don't crush me."

"Everyone, this is my sister Betsy who is a freshman at Duke. Betsy this is the gang."

Becca comes up to give Betsy a hug, they did hang out a lot before we all headed to school. In some ways Becca directly connects to Betsy since she is the age Becca was when she joined the IDF.

It was a really good party, lots of catching up about events over the summer. Mike told the story how I visited him in CT starting off on the porch. They all enjoyed that one for some reason.

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Well, Mike's birthday was not a fancy party. He actually didn't want anything like a party and I couldn't convince him otherwise. We had a quiet dinner at a nice place in town followed by bringing him back to the apartment to give him his gift and of course fuck his brains out. I ended up talking the easy route, so much going on I couldn't come up with something creative, I settled on getting him a PS5 and a few games. I was actually extra lazy, I was buying a few PS5s for processing power and just added one to the total.

Calliope PoV

I close the email from Jen after taking it in, I replied to her that I doubt anyone can top that idea and since Sandy is on CC we can call off the search for an idea. So how am I going to do it? Well the picture actually seems easy enough but the legend around it really hit me, maybe I will write it up in calligraphy to be placed beneath the picture. Yes, that can work.

I stand behind the canvas and use the tablet to bring up pictures of Abraham Lincoln. I study them, I'm going to need to really focus to make this one as I pick up the brushes.

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I come out of my focused state and look at the canvas, the picture is exactly as I imagined it

"Calliope, you were focused for two hours and 38 minutes, Michael Card arrived in the main house 18 minutes ago. Lock-down is disengaged." the house announced in the synthesized voice of Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, Sandy you geek, when did you sneak that in there?? Two and a half hours? No wonder I feel stiff.

I trigger the intercom, "Michael, I'm done painting, I'll be right over."

I find him in the kitchen, "I do not feel like cooking anything, want to order something?" I grab a water from the fridge.

"Oh sure. Tough one?" He pulls out his phone and starts ordering dinner.

"Jen's idea for the Smithsonian was tough but prefect. I have some work to do on it but I got the main picture done."

He comes over to rub my shoulders, "Can I see it yet?"

"Let me wait till it is finished." I pause, "Your sister is a geek."

"I could tell you stories. I assume there is a new example on your mind."

"Apparently when I go super-focused it announces how long and if anyone came over in the voice of the star trek computer."

"Oh I found out about the voice when I came over, the workshop was locked down and the house told me. It seems that I can override because I'm an administrator. I didn't know I was an administrator."

"Yes, Sandy, you and I are administrators. There is a manual on the stuff you can do, seems like every week she's adding to it. I'm torn between telling her it is amazing, perfect, to relax and my curiosity at what we'll get next."

"I ordered some Chinese food, are you going to finish the painting after we eat?"

"Maybe, or maybe I'll drag you off to the bedroom, I'm on the fence."

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I ended up returning to the workshop after dinner, I wanted to get this project out of my system before I worked on getting my boyfriend into my system. Oh don't say that one out loud, that's really bad.

I took another look at the painting and feel it, I go to my drafting board and start to craft the story to go with it.

"Calliope, you were focused for 46 minutes. Michael Card is in the living room of the main house." Well, she's looking out for me.

I look down and see the story, it pairs perfectly with the picture.

Pulling out my phone, "Mr. Kline, remember that commission for the Smithsonian? Can you call me about it? I might be done."

The phone started ringing, "Good evening Miss Bard."

"Mr. Kline, I didn't mean you should drop everything to call me."

"Posh, you are interrupting me working on scheduling for the gallery, believe me, I would much rather talk to you. You have something?"

"Yes, with a little help my my friend Jennifer I was inspired, I have a picture and a document to explain the picture."

"You are truly an once in a generation artist, I am so blessed to work with you."

"So where do we go from here?"

"Well, this is going to be a first time for me as well. I will send a courier over tomorrow if that is fine, then we'll setup a private closed showing for the sponsor and the Smithsonian."

"Can the artist be there? Can I have a few guests? Can we do it on a Saturday so I can get everyone there?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way. I will set it up for Saturday two weeks from today."

"This is amazing. I have to go, this really wore me out. Have the courier text me when they are heading over.

"Please relax my dear, we will be in touch."

I pause for a few minutes and then call Sandy.

"Hey there red, how are things going?"

"Poppy, what's happening?"

"How do I video call you? I have big news."

"Oh my, give me a moment and I'll set it up and call you. I haven't got it setup to receive on my end yet."

"I'm in the workshop, I'll put you on the big screen."

I hang up and then call Michael over to the workshop. He ends up coming in just as the phone rings.

"Hey gang, I have big news."

"Say it, we're waiting."

"Remember how we talked about visiting, I have an excuse for it. Two weeks from now they are going to have a private showing of the painting I did for the Smithsonian and I want you all there with me." Stunned silence, I don't even see them moving. "Did I lose the connection?"

"Poppy, we're just absorbing it."

"I'm going to charter a Jet to get you back and forth. I have room for you in Mount Parnassus. Sandy and Jen, can you set it up on that end? Sandy, Jen, Becca, Alex, Michael, Betsy, the plane holds 10 so we have a little room."

"We will be there, this is going to be something else. Can we see the picture or are you waiting for the grand reveal?"

"I think we'll wait. I want to see everyone's reaction."

"Sounds fair, get some rest, you look a little tired."

"Yeah, a busy day. Apparently my house keeps track of when I get focused."

Sandy replies, "I am still tweaking that part. Night."

"Night everyone, looking forward to seeing you in 2 weeks." I push the disconnect button and slump into my chair.

My phone goes off, a text from Sandy, "I lost $10 to Jen, I bet you and Mike were engaged." I hold up the phone to Mike.

"Not a suggestion, I know that, if it happens, will be down the road. Right now I just want you to take me to bed."

He nods, "Think you can make it? I'd carry you but I'm worried I'll bump your head or trip over the cats."

"Let me rest a little. Can you call your parents, let them know what is up? I want them there for it too."

"Anyone else we want there?"

"Let me think about it... tomorrow."

I snapped a few pictures off and sent them to Jen on the condition she shows nobody.

20 minutes later I got a response, "I'm biased and will always think 'The proposal' is your best work but the picture you just sent made me all emotional."

I read that and smile as I head into the bedroom where Michael is waiting.

"My energy seems to be coming back, come here my dear." I practically rip off his clothes, I think he figured this was coming. I get excited about certain things and it explodes into affection for Michael.

We're naked shortly and I am kissing him with a frenzy. "Michael remember what we save for special occasions?"

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yes, we missed out for the housewarming, we fell asleep. No way I'm falling asleep early tonight."

He gets the lube out of the night stand and applies a considerable amount, I get up on my hands and knees as he lines up. I had a mini-orgasm as he pushed into me and let out a really loud moan, I made sure to follow it with a equally loud "Yes!" so he'd know I was loving every second of this. I am very happy that it is just us in the house, I don't think any soundproofing would be enough. With every thrust he was getting closer and I was getting louder until it hit. My left arm gave out and I slid down on the bed, I must have looked like something there.

"Wow, are you okay Cali?"

"Best! Day! Ever!" I slowly and carefully get up to wash up, I don't want to get anything on my bed after all. Michael joins me in the bathroom to clean up himself. I see him stealing glances at me, the expression on his face makes my heart melt. He loves me and I love him, the sex is a bonus, a really big bonus. I grab a sexy nightgown and climb into bed. Michael finishes up and joins me wearing boxers, "Parnassus, lights at 30%", he calls out as he pulls me in. "I want to look into your beautiful eyes." Oh wow, I might have to fuck him after that line. What ended up happening was we kissed and he held me in his arms as we fell asleep, I woke up at some point and killed the lights. He must have woken up a little because he squeezed me tight for a moment, I started to quietly cry tears of joy as I fall back asleep.

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Chartering a jet is something new but I bet it was a lot tougher in the past, now I put all the details into a form and pay for it with a credit card.

"Challenger 601 reserved, even going to have some snacks on board for the flight - no funyons or juice boxes!"

"Spoilsport. Can I call shotgun now?"

"Do you know how to fly a plane?"

"Not yet, I'm putting off those lessons for next year. Maybe I'll stay in the back this trip. Just googled that plane, looks fancy."

"Did you invite anyone else?"

"What do you think about Jo and Greg, he's Mike's roommate and Jo was my next door neighbor in the dorm?"

"I remember them from Jen's party, see if they can come. We have room. I still can't believe this is happening, I want you all here with me."

"Are you going to fly us over when they put you in the Louve? It is going to happen eventually you know."

"We'll cross that ocean when it comes to it." My mind can't wrap around that.

"This is going to be a weekend to remember, are you sure I can't get a peek at the painting? Jen says it is amazing."

"Her idea, so I let her in on it early. Don't worry, you will see it soon enough."

*emoji sticking out it's tongue*

Before I put down my phone I notice another text came in, oh it is from Mr. Kline.

"Miss Bard we received the picture and I am at a loss for words. We are taking care of it and it will be ready for the Saturday showing."

"I am bringing some of my friends up from Raliegh, and some more from this area. Maybe 20, is that fine?"

"I do not anticipate any issues. It will not be like a open showing, might be some rough edges, but we will be fine. I was wondering if we could have you read the story behind the picture as we present it? Maybe a little dedication."

I just stare at the phone.

"Let me take that in before I say yes."

"Fair enough. One last thing, your reporter friend got wind of this project, not sure how. We haven't responded."

More pausing, this isn't so easy.

"Let me contact him directly, he did fine with his interview, I want to make sure he is good continuing the privacy protections. If so, maybe we invite him."

"I will be in touch as we get closer, the staff is very excited for you."

"Thank you. I will be here."

I put down the phone, and it starts to wirelessly charge. Sandy Penelope Card you are a witch, how did you figure out where I put my phone and every place seems to be setup for it?

I take a few deep breaths, I guess I will get this over with and I pick up my phone.

"Mr. Carson, I hope this day finds you well."

"Miss. Bard, how good to hear from you. I want to thank you again for that interview, it was very popular. My wife has the picture you drew on her desk."

"You heard about the Smithsonian?"

"I did, people talk."

"Mr. Carson, on the 4th we're going to have a closed showing of my picture at Spitfire, I was wondering if you would like to attend? An exclusive I guess."

"I would be a fool to pass that up."

"I will have Mr. Kline pass on the details, I'm not actually sure when on the 4th it will happen, I think around noon but I don't have that info. There is a condition, same privacy concerns again."

"I don't see any potential issues with that. I am looking forward to seeing you there. By the way, will the intense Miss. Card be there also?"

"Yes, she is my best friend and self-appointed bodyguard."

"Thank you again, I will see you both then I guess."

I put down the phone and exhale, it is going to be a heck of a day.

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I call up Heidi, "Good afternoon, how are things down south?"

"Calliope, how wonderful to hear from you. I hope nothing like last time."

"No, no, I wanted to see if you were interested in something."

"Oh?"

"Two weeks from now I am having a closed showing of a painting going to the Smithsonian, I was hoping the Senator and you could be there, the girls too."

"Oh!"

"Maybe bring the girls by on Sunday and I can paint you three in my workshop, you would get to see it 90% setup. My security consultant keeps adding to it."