Madam Burnesca walked out of the main stage room and into the parlor. She sighed deeply before grabbing her crimson and black jacket. She stepped out into the bitter cold, she needed to purchase groceries, as she provides food and boarding for her girls. It was freezing, but she acted like it didn’t bother her, even though it chilled her to the bone. She walked into the store and purchased her items, carrying food home for eleven girls wasn’t easy for one woman, unless you were Madam Burnesca.
“Need some help with that?” A man who must’ve considered himself charming, with his honey colored skin and dark eyes, stretched a helping hand out to Madam Burnesca.
“No,” she said, walking past him.
He matched her speed and stepped in front of her. She was irritated by his insolence.
“Hey now, maybe you didn’t get what I’m saying. I was thinkin’ you, me, and some other sweet thing could go somewhere and-”
“I only like men with pale skin.” She sped up, getting angrier by the second.
He followed her, finding it a bit difficult to keep up with her. “Don’t be like that, doll face,” he pleaded.
She dropped her bags and cane in the snow, turning around with a demon expression of rage twisting her face. “DON’T FUCKING CALL ME THAT YOU VIAL PIECE OF SCUM!”
He looked at her in fear before running away, down the ice covered road, slipping, but getting back up to run again. As she knelt down to gather what she had dropped, she heard footsteps in the shadowed over alley.
“I’d like to help you, but I can’t walk out into the sunlight.” Victor said sincerely.
“I don’t want your kind of help anyways, the last time you helped me, I ended up ruining my life,” she said, standing up.
“You’re a very successful, very beautiful, and even more intelligent of a woman then I have ever laid eyes on; I don’t think your life is ruined, only different than what you had expected.”
“I don’t care what you think. I can’t believe a word you say. This time, stay out of my life, for good,” she said, walking away, knowing he couldn’t follow in the sunlight.
~~~~~~~~~
At around three o’clock in the morning, Victor snuck inside through Madam Burnesca’s window. He silently walked over to her bed to find her curled up, atop the crimson sheets. He stroked her face with the back of his hand and felt a small bit of dampness.
“You’ve been crying.”
He looked up to see the painting Madam Burnesca had never bothered to put away. He looked at the crying bride and recognized her to be Madam Burnesca, age eighteen, on the day of their would-have-been wedding.
Victor’s fists clenched at his sides. “Dammit!” He hissed under his breath.
He heard Madam Burnesca sigh inwardly in her sleep, filling her lungs with air. He sat down next to her on the bed and put one arm over top of her sleeping frame.
“Brigitte, what sort of hell were you forced to endure because of me? I wish I could turn back time, I really do; but I can’t, so I guess it’s my turn to be the one who’s left in the cold, hated by you, when all the while I never really stopped loving you.”
Victor felt weak fingers tighten slightly on his pant leg, by his knee. “Please…stay in my life,” she mumbled softly in her sleep.
He cupped her face gently in his hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll never be out of your life again. Mo matter how much you demand such,” he whispered softly.
