"Oh."

The sound could not have been smaller considering the magnitude of what they all believed to be Adele's recollection. And, yet, this was the only word she expressed before a gasp followed from her open mouth…then nothing.

Darius was the first to reach her, slapping her cheek gently. "Adele. Wake up." When there was no response, he began chest compressions. "I need help here."

Erik jumped from his chair, removed his mask and pressed his mouth against hers. Breathing in, pulling back, then breathing again.

Christine rose to sit on the arm of Nadir's chair, draping an arm over his shoulder, holding his hand as they watched the two men work to save Adele.

They continued for what seemed an eternity but was perhaps two minutes at most.

Darius would be the first to stop, touching Erik on the shoulder.

Slumping down into the space where he knelt, Erik pressed his cheek against Adele's chest, swallowing hard to hold back the tears threatening to overwhelm him.

Turning to face his adopted father, Darius said. "I am sorry."

"I think you will find this room comfortable," Christine says, moving to the window to open the drapes. "There is a view of the garden and you have your own lavatory."

Nadir looks around the bright room at the back of the house, once belonging Helen and Julia, when they were housekeepers here. "Thank you for situating me on the ground floor," he says, noting his valises set in front of the armoire, his leather chair and ottoman set in one corner. The divan set into the small bay window. Most surprisingly, the round table of beaten metal and tasseled pillows nestled into another corner. "My things, how did you get my things?"

The wake went well," Nadir said, looking around at the now empty pedestal where Adele's coffin resided for the Phantasma family to pay their last regards, now being transported in the hearse to the cemetery.

"As far as wakes go, I suppose, I only just came to chauffer you to the cemetery," Gregory said, "Unless you are you riding with her?"

Nadir shook his head. "I thought I was going with Erik and Christine. I shall be making my final exit from this house as well. Gustave was kind enough to pack my clothes. I suppose I shall make some sort of inventory before selling the place, but this is my home no more."

"I asked to be able to drive with you," the former master of ceremonies said. "I shall visit Meg's grave then we can go home together."

"Ah, that is right, my brain has been so muddled, I quite forgot you were also living at the Saint-Rien boarding house," Nadir snorts. "Erik would be so upset if he knew I referred to his home in such a way but would be hard pressed to think of who has not lived in the Bay Ridge house."

"Our safe place."

"When I first knew him in Persia, I would never have thought he could develop such compassion for others."

"Was it difficult for him?" Gregory asked. "I know you both worked for the Shah – he built the palace…"

"Erik will have to be the one to tell you about his past…what I will say is he was treated as both genius and slave. I doubt even your vivid imagination would be able to conjure up what that must have been like for him."

"If it is anything like what he experienced once we arrived here, I suspect he would rather forget the abuses." Clearing his throat, the red-haired man toys with the brim of his brown felt fedora. "I want to express my condolences for your loss."

"You are not angry?"

"At you?" Gregory replied. "I am not sure I was even angry with Adele."

"I got the sense you blamed me for not stopping her. Believe me, had I known, Meg would still be with us."

"Both Adele and Meg were difficult women and yet we loved them. You loved Adele and hated Meg. I loved Meg and…not hated, but never could understand what Adele did. I was at my wits end with Meg. It could have been so easy for me to kill her myself when I found out she was drugging LuLu."

"But?"

"I am a doctor and whatever faith I still had in God told me to save her…heal her physical wounds and pray she might find the will to change."

"Adele obviously did not believe Meg was capable of that sort of redemption."

"I suppose. Did she ever reveal why?"

"I am still not certain she actually knew what she did, much less why. I am only speaking hypothetically. That is between her and her god now."

"Yes. Well." Turning to the door, he says, "It is getting late. We best go."

"Margaret and Gustave wanted to decorate this room for you as a surprise," Erik says. "When you thought he was getting your clothes, he, Margaret and Henry borrowed a lorry from the park and dismantled your den as well – at least taking what they felt would fit in this room."

"The three of them agreed this room as it had been furnished was too frou-frou for a gentleman such as yourself," Christine chuckles. "I will admit, I did not think there would be space for your special pieces, but they figured it out."

"Impressive and, very kind," Nadir says, rubbing a hand against his eyes.

"They…we love you," Christine says.

"I am considering putting in an elevator, in the event this gets too busy," Erik comments. "It is hard to believe I used to climb the rafters at the Palais Garnier."

"Neither of you are old," Christine chuffs. "I do not want anyone talking about being old. I hope you do not think we are pushing you into this. We understand you are a private person and this is the most private place in the house. You have your own door to the outside and everything."

"Calm down, Christine," Nadir laughs. "Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated – and the children…I could easily have stayed in my own house."

"Absolutely not – that place is too big for one person – we should have brought you and Adele here sooner."

"My dear girl, you cannot have every person with some personal issues move into your house – I do not care how large it may be."

"Except you are not just anybody," Erik says. "Why were you not more forthcoming about what you were dealing with with Adele?"

"Pride – what other reason would there be," Nadir says. "You of all people should know about that."

"We might have been able to help more."

"She was not your problem – despite her intimations you caused many of them."

"I miss her," Erik says. "Despite all the conflicts between us – she was so much a part of my life."

"Papa. Maman. May I come in?" Emilie says, poking her head in the door.

"I do not know, sweetheart," Christine says, looking at Nadir. "Uncle Nadir is not even settled yet."

"It is alright," he says, "come in, Emilie. How is my favorite student?"

Rolling her eyes, she enters the room, closing the door behind her. "I am your only student, so that really is not much of a compliment."

"Emilie!" Erik exclaims. "Must you be rude?"

"She is being honest, Erik. Like you. Leave her be," Nadir says, laughing lightly. "Looks like we are going to be housemates for a while."

"That is what I wanted to talk to you about," the girl replies. "Are we still going to have our lessons?"

"I would say yes, if that is agreeable to you."

"Do the others have to be present?"

"Meaning your brothers and sisters?"

"Yes."

"Emilie." Christine cautions.

"From what I understand from your father, Gloria teaches the basic classes."

She nods.

"And special tutoring is given, in one way or another at Phantasma – Henry and Margaret go to work with your Papa – and then Henry helps Joshie."

"Yes – Goose teaches Henry how to draw buildings. Margaret learns how to sew her designs from the seamstress and helps paint scenery."

"Well, I cannot see a reason why you should not have private tutoring for your writing," Nadir says. "You can ride in with them and, while I still have to go to work myself, accommodations can be made. Perhaps you might find something else to interest you on that day."

"Why can I not go with you – now that you are living here?"

"Your papa and I maintain different schedules…"

"Emilie, be grateful Uncle Nadir is willing to spend a part of his day with you," Christine says.

"Alright, that sounds fine," she says, walking to the door. "I just wanted to be sure I would still have special lessons."

"No thank you?" Christine asks. "Just come in here, express your will and then leave?"

Sighing deeply, Emilie turns and says, "I am sorry. Thank you, Uncle Nadir."

"You are welcome, Emilie," he says, covering his smile. "Once I am settled we can set up a schedule."

Eying her parents, she runs to Nadir and throws her arms around his neck and kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you." Not waiting for any comments, she disengages and runs from the room.

"Well, perhaps there is hope for her after all. Maybe you can teach her some social graces while you are at it," Christine says. "I am sorry. The last thing you need is a petulant child annoying you."

"Well, I am devastated," Erik says, a smirk tilting his lips. "I fear I have lost my daughter's heart to you."

"She may be exactly what I need," he replies. "I rather miss my petulant wife, truth be told. I have become rather used to having a bossy woman in my life. Emilie might well fill the bill." Shoulders sag with those word, turning his back on Erik and Christine he walks to the window. "Adele hated our garden – she much preferred her office or the theater."

"Everything is out of control – the weeds, the bugs, the roses refuse to remain buds, but open and the petals fall away."

"That is nature – birth, death – all a cycle."

"The stage is better. You rehearse. You learn the lines and the steps. The notes. You know what will happen next. What the temperature will be – no rain, snow, wind to disrupt things."

"But that is not life," he laughed. "The reason for living is dealing with the odd occurrences – meeting new people, growing."

"No. Life is painful. People hurt you."

"Not all people," he said, stroking the long dark hair, released from the ever-present braids. "Who hurt you, my love?"

"No one…everyone."

"Everyone? Even me?"

"No, not you."

"Everyone at the theater admires and respects you."

"They are afraid of me."

"And that hurts."

"I do not know how else to be – hard. Since I was a child, softness meant death."

"Yes, I can understand how you might feel that way."

"Hmm, I never quite thought of the theater in that way," Erik says, sitting on the leather hassock. "She was certainly always in control."

"I remember when LuLu was born," Christine says. "I believe that was the first time I saw beneath the shell. Early on, back in Paris, weakness was easily preyed upon. To achieve the place she held took strength."

"That staff of hers put fear in the hearts of those foolish managers and everyone within earshot," Erik laughs. "I have to believe she took pleasure in the power she held."

Nadir's shoulders begin to shake as his sobs overtake him – mixed with his own laughter. "Damned fools, she called them. Afraid of a ghost and a woman with a walking stick."

Christine joins him at the window, encouraging him to sit next to her on the divan. Handing him a handkerchief from her pocket, she says, "She worked us so hard, but I think the corps de ballet knew it meant the difference between work and money and the street. Veronique would tell us tales about when Adele was prima ballerina, when she did not have to be strict with others…only herself. When she could just dance."

"What happened with Meg?" Nadir asks, wiping his eyes. "I am sorry, but I could never forgive her for harming Gustave, it was a bone of contention with us…frankly, I was not all that bothered when she died. But Adele loved her, I know she did. I could never really tell."

"Unfortunately, most of us felt that way," Erik says.

Another knock on the door.

"Who is it now?" Erik says, getting up from the hassock to open the door.

Emilie beams up at him before wrapping her arms around his waist. "I forgot to give you a hug, Papa."

"Well, then I am glad you came back. I quite like your hugs."

Removing her arms from his waist, she walks over to Christine and kisses her on the cheek. "I know you are all sad about Auntie Adele. I am sorry if I was rude." Giving Nadir another hug, she waves at Erik as he holds the door open for her.

"Forgive me, I realize this is not appropriate, but I simply want to laugh," Christine says and snorts.

"And I," Nadir says as he joins her.

"Do you suppose Emilie is now hosting the jinn?" Erik says. "You would know better than I about their power."

"Jinn?" Christine frowns. "Like possession?"

"Yazmine became upset when she found Meg and the thought occurred that Meg was somehow gave control of her spirit to another power – of course that was the alcohol and medication," Erik explains.

"I do not understand what that has to do with Adele…or Emilie."

"The belief is in some circles that if a jinn possesses someone and that person dies, the spirit will inhabit another person close by. Adele had no memory of killing Meg and, well, with a moderately superstitious nature, the idea was the jinn…genie…spiritual being left Meg and controlled Adele," Nadir says.

"You thought that? Truly?"

"No."

"Then why say Emilie is hosting the jinn?"

"Perhaps Adele's death affected her more deeply than we suspected – she was with her just before she died," Nadir said. "Maybe on some level, in her child's mind she feels responsible. That would be a question for Darius."

"So this jinn may be creating the more positive behavior we just experienced?" Christine asks. "Out of a sense of guilt."

Erik laughs. "I seriously doubt Emilie suffers from guilt. I love my daughter, but…"

"Who knows?" Nadir says. "I say we encourage her loving behavior whatever the reason."

"And foster our own – these past months have been filled with enough suffering," Christine says. "I will certainly welcome her smiles."

"All our smiles will return…in time," Erik concludes.