NICCOLÒ

4. Greenhouse Blues

"Miss Fiero? May I have permission to enter?" Knock knock. No reply. "Miss Fiero?" Flo stood in front of the guest bedroom, her tray growing heavier in her arms with every second; she glanced up at the ceiling impatiently before knocking again, carefully balancing the breakfast on one arm.

She watched as the door finally opened, just a crack. Cee's eyes darted around behind Flo, checking the corridor was empty before letting her in; she noticed immediately something was wrong.

"Come in, Flo." Flo saw the pale, nervous look on her face.

"Are you ill, Miss?" she asked immediately, frowning. "I can bring you medicine- "

"No, no, Flo, I'm okay. Thank you." Cee smiled at Flo. "Just a little...flustered." Flo set down the tray of food by the window seat and turned, wiping her hands on her apron. Working for Miss Fiero was easier work than most; she was politer, nicer, than most of Mr Romano's other guests. Miss Fiero was small, soft - breakable - she didn't belong in the Romano House.

"I heard you had a meeting," Flo said carefully, "Are the negotiations not going in your favour?" Cee looked up, her mouth open. Then she closed it, unable to speak.

"Miss Fiero," Flo tried again, "was he cruel to you?" Cee nodded once, sharply. Then shook her head. "Oh, I don't know, Flo, I'm just so scared of him. I want to go home." To Flo's horror, tears were welling up in Cee's eyes.

"Oh no, Miss, please don't cry, please," she pleaded, rushing to take Cee's arm, "please, Miss, quiet now, if Mr Romano hears about this, he'll kill me." At that, Cee felt tears run down her face. "No, no, Miss, not literally - Miss, he rarely hits women - oh gosh -"

Cee sank to the floor, silently letting the tears roll down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she breathed to Flo, "I can't stop." Flo pulled tissues out of her apron pockets, dabbing hurriedly at Miss Fiero's cheeks, like an older sister would. Cee leant into Flo's shoulder, feeling the girl wrap her arms around her shaking frame. "Miss Cee."

Cee was usually a loud crier; god forbid anyone that saw her watching The Notebook, but now, she just didn't have the energy. The girl that she saw in the vanity each morning was paler, thinner, more dull than the girl she had been the day before. Her neatly trimmed nails, ready for medical practicals or dissections, were growing out, chipping unevenly. Even her hair didn't have the same soft wave to it anymore.

"Now, come on," Flo said softly, when the tears had mostly dried up. "Let's get you into bed, and I'll get you a mug of hot chocolate." Cee nodded meekly, her cheeks flushed, lashes wet. Usually she would care about letting some stranger see her cry - but god knows Flo was the closest thing she had to a friend. She'd got Luca hurt already.

Perhaps he wouldn't want to see her when she was allowed out of her room again.

"Bless you, Flo," she whispered guiltily, flinging her arms around Flo's neck, "I don't know if I'd survive it here without you."

"You're strong," Flo mumbled, helping the poor girl into the child's bed. "You don't need me, but I'm here anyway." Flo hesitated for just a second. "If you ever wake up in the night, in a state, just head to the kitchen. Ask for me. I'll always get up, Miss. You seem awfully lonely."

"I'm scared." Cee hesitated. She didn't like feeling weak, but she just wasn't the same as the rest of her family; she couldn't be this strong, badass woman who enjoyed violence and thrived on neglect. She was soft. "I'm scared for my family, for Luca, for my sister. Loneliness is manageable. I'm just...scared." Flo was kind to her. Flo would understand. "I only came to protect my little sister. I'm not part of this business." Flo gave her a soft smile.