Past the peak of the door stood Hadewig, toiling around something. Familar girl pushes in a morsel closer. She makes it out. A boy. 

"Hey, kid," Hadewig grunts through her teeth. "Don't...you don't have to swallow the mouth wash you know?"

"Affirmative."

"Affirm—Oh, God, that's precious."

The familiar girl doesn't know if she should smile or cry. She decides to give Hadewig some talk.

"Faize?"

"MOTHER?!" Hadewig snaps her neck and stands up immediately. "Mary?"

"Oh, my apologies to you, Miss Hadewig, I was...just passing by!"

"Why did you...you," She shakes her head, returning to groom the boy. "Never mind. Hey, Mary. What's up?"

"Nothing at all, nothing at all! I just wanted to check in on you, that's really it!"

The noise of running water is replaced with scratching. Mary, the familiar girl, jerks her head in all directions to find a clearer image of this new boy. Hadewig's back and the dim lighting of the room and hall thwart her.

Realizing that Hadewig wasn't talking, Mary chirps,

"I'm aware that I'd be given glares if I said this in front of the other girls, but I truly do miss her."

The scratching breaks. "Those idiots." The noise comes back again, but in meeker volume. "You know she wasn't perfect, but she was the best."

"...Yes, yes. And she was a riot."

"I love her like my own daughter, you know? I get it, I'm a bit... biased because I knew her since she was...sixteenish, but she really was different from them all. That's why I just let her go. I feel bad for keeping her in here this long."

"Ma'am...? You...you referred her?"

Hadewig's head bows. "Yeah," The answer sounds damp, but she compensates with a cackle. "Those girls confuse me! They tell you about my...my miscarriages, how I lost both arms, all of that, but they won't tell you that?"

Mary uses her chance to answer to find out where the scratching is coming from.

"Mary, don't tell anyone I said this, alright?"

Mary thrusts herself upright.

"All of those girls...except for you and Ouberon and a few other saints...they deserve to be here."

"But...Miss Hadewig, I know I can be a little... a bit of a cretin, but I really can be of use—"

"You proved my point, girl."

The words clog in Mary's throat before they spill, "...I'm so, so, profusely... sorry!" 

"Mary, that is not what I mean!"

"Oh, I keep on forgetting! Silly me! I mean, I'm not really silly..."

It's silent again. Hadewig sighs. "Just step inside and close the door behind you." 

She leaves the boy and kicks the lights on. An amber ray flushed a small fraction of the room, revealing not only more of the boy, but the chamber's width. Mary's neck stiffens as Hadewig comes back to sit on her bucket.

"You don't have to act coy," Hadewig began. "Do you know why you're here?" 

"...No, Ma'am."

"They take all the kids...all of the problem children, easily forgotten children, crack babies, whatever...and they put them in cute little divisions."

As if to widen the wound, the boy looks up at Hadewig and then looks at Mary. Taking his cue, Hadewig does too. 

"You and Ouberon. You two are somebodies. You should go, Mary."

"Miss, where would I go?"

She turns back to the boy. "I don't know, wherever you'd wanna go. Maybe if I were any more crazy than I am now, I'd ask you to go find Ouberon."

"...I'm sorry, Ma'am."

"Look at me, falling back into old habits again. I'm sorry for even bringing it up. I should be ashamed of myself."

Drained of any form of optimism, Mary turns to leave, but not before,

"Hey. Can I ask you one more selfish thing?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Would you consider being apart of my pity family here? They sent me a... this Vaghan over here to keep me company."

Hadewig signals for the Vaghan to stand up, and in five feet and an inch, he does. In a struggle, Hadewig joins him.

"See, this is Ezra. My son." She nudges the Vaghan. "Go ahead! Say hi to hypothetical sister, Ezra!"

"Hello, hypothetical sister Mary."

Mary's agitation was more than apparent. Hadewig sighs and lets her go. 

On her way out Mary, drags her feet against the sand, drawing nearer to her quinate of friends.

"That doesn't look good." One says.

Another concurs. "I've never seen her walk like that... ever."

Mary stands in front of them, eyes rooted to the ground, extending her hand, opening and closing it. One of them scrambles and digs into their pockets.

"So, Mary? What's the verdict, she alright?"

She's handed a cigarette and a light. She takes an all consuming drag out if and starts hacking and coughing.

"Don't have us sit and wait for your answer. Just spit it—"

"Well, Miss Hedewig, she had asked of me," Mary labors, interrupted by her own croaking. "She asked me to be apart of her 'pity family.'"

Eyebrows furrow, some turn away, and there's even an "Oh Christ" from the audience.

Mary adds, "Her words, not mine, by the way, just wanted to let y'all know."

"Yeah, we figured."

"This doesn't really mean anything yet, we all know how Hadewig changes. She'll get over it."

"Did she tell you anything else, Mary?"

Mary's eyes drag down to the ground again and she says, "No, actually that's really all she had asked me..."