Going Out For Some Air [Adina]

[Marguerite Jules Giry]

Clouds arrived early that morning and it covered the morning sun. Meg was still sound asleep in her bed in the Manor and she said nothing for sometime. Finally the clouds moved and sun poured into Meg's bedroom in the manor. Groaning she curled up and covered her head and said nothing. She didn't want to go anywhere, but sleep that day after that night of watching over Gustave. Sighing she heard birds chirping and she pushed the covers away from her.

The blonde finally decided to get up and brush her hair. Leaving it down, Meg got changed and decided to go out and discover the little village that wasn't too far away from the manor. That was the one thing that she liked about this place. She was able to come and go as she pleased. Meg walked around in her boots and she looked about her surroundings.

It was very warm in the morning sunlight as she walked around. A few people had stopped her and she talked to them. Upon arriving to the nearest cafe she smiled and entered in. There was a woman in there that looked awfully like her friend she met at the manor. Was this Adina? Meg wasn't too sure. It gave her a frightful pause due to the fact that she was a spirit but she didn't know she could leave the manor. "A-Adina?" she asked hesitantly as she walked over to her. "You...you look different... " she muttered her eyes still widened as she walked over to the booth and place her hand on the wood and she watched her and studied her.

The cafe was crowded and full of people. Studying Adina she smiled and she sat down across from her fixing her blonde hair and her white shirt. Meg looked at her still and placed her hands on the table. "So, uhm. How are things with you since we last spoke?" she asked moments later and keeping her eyes on her for sometime. A waitress came by and asked her what she wanted. "Oh, just some water please" she said smiling up at the waitress and she walked off and she looked back at Adina and waited for her answer.

[Adina Gillespie]

Adina had woken up that morning and decided that today would be a perfect day to go outside and spend some time in the village. She went to the washroom and a bath before dressing in her usual attire. She allowed her hair to be down since she was not working that day. She paused and then looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror… Her reflection. How she had taken such little things for granted; she would never take such simple moments like remembering her own reflection again.

She wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders and hurried back to her room. Gently knocking upon the floorboards, she lifted one of them up to take out a small box that she kept hidden. In it was a large collection of coins she had saved long before she died. She took a few of them and put them in a small coin purse she had made for herself a few months ago. Finally, she was ready to have that time for herself.

The young woman went into the village and looked through a lot of the shops Some of them were very fascinating to her and others not so much. She went into a cigar store and quickly left after inhaling that toxic smell; who knew smoke could smell- and even taste!- so terrible? Then she found a small confectionary store and went inside. She had never seen so much candy and sweets in her life! Perhaps she could buy a few sweets and even bring some to Lenoir when she overheard someone speaking of an inn with a cafe. A cafe! How perfect. She had not had breakfast yet and perhaps she should treat herself just this once.

The small room was rather intimate and had a very comforting feel. Adina took a seat at a small booth and ordered herself a small mocha. She had never tasted liquid chocolate before, or coffee. There was a coffee maker at the manor but she had no idea how to use it. So instead she took to this restaurant for that very purpose. She thanked the waiter for the drink and was just about to pick up the drink when she heard someone call her name. She paused and looked up to see none other than Meg! A bright smile crossed her face as she stood to hug her friend. "Sacre bleu!" She exclaimed happily, delighted that she could actually hug her friend. "Can you believe it? I-…. I am human again. Is it not wonderful?"

She gestured to her friend to come and sit opposite her. She was so pleased to now be spending the morning in such wonderful company. "I am very well, Meg. Merci." She was so happy now, much happier than she had just previously been. "I have meet quite a few lovely people. M. Lenoir, Christine Svenna, M. Cristofersen. Oh, I am just so happy that I cannot properly think!" She giggled and then remembered the bag of sweets she had just purchased. She held it out to Meg and smiled happily. "Would you care for a marshmallow? I saw these lovely little treats at the confectionary store; they are very pretty. I have never seen or heard of a marshmallow, so I needed to try them."

[Marguerite Jules Giry]

A smile had grew upon Meg's face as she heard upon Adina's words. "You look wonderful Adina, You truly do!" she said giggling softly along with her. Once she hugged her she was in shock but then she hugged her back. Meg said nothing else and she just hugged her tightly again. "It is wonderful!" she said softly and saying nothing else. Sliding into the booth she ordered herself something to drink whilst they were in the cafe and she looked upon Adina and continued smiling. The smile never left Meg's face and she giggled along with her once again. Calming down she brushed some of her blonde hair out of her face and she looked across from her. Studying her features. Adina looked much differently and she couldn't be anymore happier for her than she already was.

The blonde tilted her head as she spoke to her. "Oh have you?" she asked moments later. "Ah, Monsieur Lenoir! I remember him, He was the one that I first met when I arrived to the manor" she explained to Adina. "The others sound very interesting though. There are so many of us in the Manor" she said chuckling. The waiter came back and delivered Meg's drink. "Merci Monsieur" she said smiling. Then she looked at Adina again. "A what?" she asked curiously. "Marshmallow?" she asked. "What are those exactly... hmm, I think I'll try one" she said holding her tiny hand out for her to accept one from her friend. "So... Adina" she began again. "How are you liking your new....form or life or both things?" she asked wondering how to start the conversation. "Do you feel different at all?" she asked looking upon her bubbly friend.

[Adina Gillespie]

She smiled at Meg and blushed a little. "Oh, oui! I am so happy to be alive again. All the smells, the tastes, even touch are exquisite." She sighed happily and took a sip of her cafe mocha. It was so wonderful to see a familiar face again, a familiar and friendly one. She giggled when Meg hugged her a second time before taking her seat in the booth. Her smile faded and she tilted her head to the side. It seemed that her friend was staring at her for a prolonged period of time. "Is there something on my face?" She asked, a bit curious as to what Meg was staring at so intensely.

"Oui! Monsieur Lenoir has been so helpful to me. He even said that he might teach me to sing." She sipped her drink again and showed Meg the bag of marshmallows she had purchased. "I'm not quite sure what they are… They looked like little pillows. I hope that they are good. I want to surprise Lenoir with an afternoon tea and I want to plate these marshmallows perfectly…. Are they alright?" She knew that Meg would be honest with her, she really was a true friend just like Christine Svenna was. Then Meg asked her how she was liking her new body and life. "Where do I start?" She giggled into her hand out of modesty. "I do feel different. More like my old self again. It took some getting used to when I first woke up. Lights bothered my eyes and I had a difficult time standing on my own two feet. But then I began to grow accustomed to actually walking again and things became much easier after I became more used to living once more. I really am very happy to be alive again, Meg."

[Marguerite Jules Giry]

Sitting across from Adina she studied her friend in her new human form. Well she was human when she met her but she was a spirit and she could run her fingers through her at that point. "I bet you are, I'm still wondering how that even happened. When I met you, you were a ghost.. and now? Your alive again..." she said softly looking upon her. "I'm still curious upon all that" she explained softly. "Oh, Merci" she said looking up at the person who brought her, her drink. When Adina asked if there was anything upon her face, she shook her head. "Nothing is on your face Adina, I promise" she said smiling.

Upon hearing her words she chuckled softly. "I am sure that Monsieur Lenoir would love those, though you would have to describe them to him. He may not know what they are" she said giving her a small smile. The blonde blinked for a moment and she listened to her words again. "He's going to teach you to sing?" she asked softly as she stared upon her. "I didn't know you could sing" she smirked. "However, I'm curious bout something" she started to say. "H-How did you die? I know this may be personal and not my place to speak, but I just wanted to know. I wanted to aks when we were in the manor, but it I wasn't sure upon how to question it without offending you Adina" she said looking into her eyes. "You don't have to answer if you don't want, I completely understand" she said smiling.

"Yes, Monsieur Lenoir is a very nice man. He helped me through a lot of things and showed me my room and everything when I first arrived here" she said smiling upon her. She giggled when Adina spoke of the marshmallows again. "Indeed they do don't they?" she said smiling. "They don't sell these in Paris, I may have to purchase some for whenever we can go home" she said. "Mother will go insane upon hearing my love for these little treats" she said to her giggling. Once Adina showed her, her hand she reached out and touched it. "Its warm" she whispered. "If you ever need help, Adina. I'm always two doors down from your room in the manor. I would be more than happy to help you walk on your feet again" she said nodding her head.

Meg gave a reassuring squeeze upon Adina's hand and smiled then pulled away. It was one of the first few friends Meg was able to make here within the manor and she smiled. Along with the thousand Christine's that lived there as well, but Adina was an interesting one, and she loved her company. "I'm so happy for you Adina, truly I am" she said smiling. Meg said nothing else and took a sip of her water and she looked around then back at Adina. Meg then spoke again; "I think these would be a perfect gift for Monsieur Lenoir, though like I said your going to have to describe them to him upon what they are" she said smiling.

[Adina Gillespie]

"I am afraid I still do not understand it myself," She said with a slight smile. But that was a lie. How could she tell one of her dearest friends that she had been brought to life by the Devil himself without frightening her? So she decided that it would be best to keep that secret only between herself, Lenoir, and Destler…. But then she began to wonder. She had no seen Destler around for what felt like ages. She had often heard his music quite frequently; she knew it was his by the intense emotions she felt when he played the keys. What had become of that poor, tortured soul?

She looked back up at Meg and smiled. "I do hope that he does enjoy them. They seem to taste like a soft cloud, if that is what a cloud tasted like." She felt silly for saying something like that and it made her blush. But then Meg seemed intrigued when Adina told her that Erik would soon be teaching her to sing. "Well, perhaps something simple in French." She was just about to take another sip of her drink when Meg asked how she had died… This gave her pause and she looked down at the cup, its muddy contents almost taunting her. She blinked a moment and kept staring for what felt to her to be an eternity. The still vivid memory of the stout chef's wicked face sneering down at her made her hand shake a little as the cup rattled softly on the table.

"Can I get you two anything else?" Came the voice of the waitress. Luckily, that oddly perky voice quickly snapped Adina out of her reminiscence. She looked up at the woman and smiled.
"Emm," She looked at her cup again then back to their server. "N-Nothing for me, merci. Would you like something, Meg?" She knew that her friend would still ask what had happened because now Adina felt as though she were dodging the question. She waited for the waitress to leave before trying once more to tell Meg.

"I was…. drowned," She finally said, her voice now somber as she seemed to grow lost in her coffee cup again. "I was told that I had to check on the kitchen for the master since he had been hunting pheasant for the evening's supper. I found the bird still feathered and I was furious at the cook for not beginning preparations straight away. I reprimanded him and said that if he did not get a better grasp of his duties, I would see that the master had him thrown out and would never find work anywhere else again…. This was what had angered him so…."

She took a pause to collect herself for she feared that she would surly break down into tears in she did not stop a moment. She inhaled deeply then exhaled before continuing. "I had just turned my back on him to go down to the washroom… When I had just picked up some drapery to be scrubbed, I felt the large hands of the cook grab me and turn me around as he forced my head under the water. I tried to break the surface to cry out for help but I knew that no one would hear me. I only felt the sting of the lye and clay wash in my eyes and throat… I-I began to s-s-suffocate as the water rushed into m-m-my lungs. I t-tried to kick and push his arms off of me. My chest and throat were burning as the water choked off my air. But…. Shortly after….. I felt at peace, almost floating. I was dead. But then everything faded to darkness. I didn't wake up for many years when I found myself to be a ghost in this present time."

After that story, Adina was glad that Meg spoke about the marshmallows again with her. The discussion of the strange little sweets made her smile; that was exactly what she needed after telling her story. She was so glad to have Meg as a friend, especially one so nice to her. Then Meg touched he maid's hand and told her that she lived only a few rooms down from her. "Help me walk on my feet?" She asked, visibly perplexed by the words. "But I am sitting down with you, is there something wrong with this seat?" (NOTE: Thought it would be cute if Adina still doesn't understand modern idioms, no matter how hard she tries)

"Then I shall," She nodded and finished her drink before setting it aside to bring out a small clasp-bag. She had tried to sew it herself, but it was still unfinished and several French coins fell out. "Merde," She hissed under her breath and hastily picked up the coins before setting out two Francs and then a third for the waitress when the bill arrived. "Well then," She started with a smile before standing up. "Would you care to accompany me back to the manor or do you have a previous engagement to attend to?"

[Marguerite Jules Giry]

When the waitress came back she smiled and looked up at her friend for a second. Then she looked over at the waitress. "Oh, No. I'm perfectly fine, Merci" she said smiling. Taking a little sip of her drink she looked over at Adina again as she began to speak about her death. Meg suddenly regretted on asking this question towards her friend but she really wanted to know how she died. There were so many ghosts within the manor and she looked at her still as she began to speak her tale.

The tale upon how she died was tragic. "I'm sorry you had to die that way Adina. And I'm even more sorry for asking upon your death" she whispered to her friend. Reaching over she clutched her friends warm hand and she looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry; You should have never had gone through that...its no right to do so" she said frowning. "But i'm just glad your here again with me. I will do what I can to help you Adina" she said softly looking in her eyes. "And that is a promise" she said smiling.

As she continued on her story Meg looked at her and she frowned hearing her. Meg said nothing else for sometime and she continued to hear her story. She kept a good hold upon her hand and squeezed it gently. "Easy Adina" she whispered. Knowing she was getting worked up about it. "I should have never have asked" she said frowning at her. "I'm sorry about that.... " she said sighing. Looking down at the table then back up at her friend. "Forgive me for asking" she asked looking into her friends eyes.

The young blonde looked upon her friend and she giggled. "No no there's nothing wrong with this seat Adina" she said laughing. Meg looked upon her friend once more and she giggled a little. "What I mean is; I will help you get used to being around Lenoir and everything" she said smiling. ((Ooooh, I like that! <3 ))

Looking around once more, the young blonde took her fingers and ran them through her blonde hair and she looked over at her. Standing she said nothing for a moment and looked at her. "Oh yes I would like that" she said smiling. "I would like to know what you've been up to these last couple of days" she said told her taking her arm a little and walking out of the tavern.

[Adina Gillespie]

She hated this. Hated telling her story, but somehow it seemed to get a bit easier to tell. It still made her cry, though. It was her own death, after all, and it was something so had to live with (ironically). It seems she had finally gotten used to living with the reality of her death. She sighed deeply and looked down at the table before shaking away the thoughts in her mind, smiling at Meg again.

She had finished drying her eyes again and looked up to see Meg comfortingly taking the maid's hands in her own and squeezing softly. She felt the warmth of her friend's hand and smiled… "It is warm," She said, obviously still getting used to sensations and her human form. It had been so long since she had felt warmth, tasted sweets, and other long forgotten earthly delights. "Please, do not be sorry. There was nothing you could have done… But I think you nonetheless, my friend."

"Oh, no, please don't be sorry that I died in that way. There was nothing you could have done. But your words are so nice, Meg, and I am moved by them. You did not know about how I…. I met my death." She sniffled and wiped her eyes upon her apron. She frowned when she looked upon her clothing; she had made that nice dress for the Christmas party, but she had no other clothing besides that dress, her working attire, and her nightgown. Her bloodshot eyes looked back to Meg as she forced a smile.

She blinked when her friend laughed… She didn't understand what was going on. Things were so strange for her and slightly overwhelming. It was difficult for her to understand this new era and all the unusual things and attire people wore. She waited for their host to leave before listening to Meg explain what she meant to say. Now Adina understood. "You mean that? Thank-you, Meg. I am so grateful to have met you. You are a true friend; anyone would be lucky to know you."

Adina smiled and rose from her seat, taking up her small bag of sweets she had purchased before feeling Meg hold onto her arm. She looked at Meg a moment before giggling happily. It was so nice to be speaking and sharing such a nice moment with her very first friend. "Well, the last time we spoke was when I was in the ballroom and you were teaching me to dance, oui? I remember being pulled away as if by some hand. The next thing I knew, I was alive again… As for what I have been up to, not too much. I, of course, met M. Lenoir; he even asked if I could sew some curtains for his box in the Opera House. But I have not done much since then… If you would like, I could prepare some lunch for you at noon-time." She smiled, happy that she was spending time with a friend and possibly even cooking again! This was turning out to be such a lovely day in her new life.

[Marguerite Jules Giry]

As Meg sat there she kept where she was and she said nothing. Her story was very tragic and she frowned a little. Then her eyes darted from hers and she looked down at the table in front of her. A small sigh escaped her. She knew it was painful for Aidna to even explain her own death. Meg was just so curious upon everything and she wanted to know how such a kind soul had to die so young. Looking back at Aidina she said nothing only smiled a little once the story was finished.

Meg never had much friends aside from Christine and that was basically it. Oh, and a few of her ballet rat friends as Carlotta liked to call them. Sighing she looked at her for a moment. "I just... I was curious.." she said softly pausing in her words saying nothing for a moment. "I still feel like I shouldn't have asked you because I already heard in your voice it was too much for you to say about how you died... I needed to know for some reason. I don't know why" she said closing her eyes and she breathed. "Thank you for telling me your tale though Aidna" she said softly nodding her head.

Noticing the tears within Aidina's eyes she frowned even more. Then she walked over towards her and she sat beside her. Wrapping her arms around her friend and stroking her hair that she could see. "I understand." she said softly. "Shh. Its over now. Your fine, and your back to being alive" she explained a little. Meg sighed and she rubbed her arm. Trying to calm her friend and she said nothing for sometime. Keeping where she was and she wasn't going to leave her friend until she got the okay upon she was fine.

"Of course I mean that Adina" she said smiling looking over at her and smiling a little more. "I will be more than happy to assist you in anything you need help in knowing what objects are" she said nodding her head. "Trust me, I'm getting the hang of making my own breakfast at times at the manor. Its so strange though really" she said laughing. "Interesting items, I'll teach you" she said softly. Nudging her shoulder playfully. Soon, she looked around then back at her and she tilted her head. "I don't have many friends. I only have three. My best friend Christine Daaé whom I've not run into yet in the manor....and you!" she said grinning.

Moving out of the booth she noticed her friend rising and she smiled a little. Soon she linked her arm with her friend. Meg always did this with her friends back at the Opera. "Yes.. that's right" she said smiling as they began to walk back to the manor. "He's a wonderful person isn't he. He was one of the very first people I've met here within the manor" she said nodding her head. "He is full of information and very nice..." she said softly. "So helpful" she muttered and she exited out of the cafe and she looked around then back at her. Meg kept silent for sometime as they walked wondering what else to talk about.