Ava walked slowly behind Marie, following her inside to retrieve the other bottles. Marie had said she, Ava, had left them there. But she’d been outside the whole time!
They entered the Madam’s room, and, sure enough, six more colored bottles littered the floor. The room was bright despite the darkening evening outside, and Madame did not notice them at first. She lay in her bed, staring listlessly past the golden curtains and into the night.
"Listen--Marie, is it?” Ava began. “I’m sorry about how I acted before. I was just...upset. Please--would you mind if I took a minute alone with Madame?”
Marie made a ‘tsk’ sound and shook her head -- “If you think I’m going to leave you alone with this precious woman for one second--”
“I’ll stay, Marie,” Cece interjected as she walked in. Marie hesitated, and glanced between the two of them. “Don’t worry,” Cece added with a smile, and the nurse finally heaved a sigh and nodded.
"Don’t excite her, do you hear me?” she clucked. They nodded.
“Of course!”
"I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Cece,” she said over her shoulder as she left. “But you’ve certainly made some strange friends."