"STEP-FATHER" "I was working as a piano player... in a posh, international- style restaurant... high up in one of those high-rise hotels... with a superlative view of Paris." "It could've been in Montreal or Zurich or anyplace." "There'd have been the same Americans, Japanese, Saudis... with the same eyes, tired from counting dollars." "I could play them anything..." "Gershwin, Chopin, Art Tatum..." "they didn't listen." "All they wanted was something not too noisy... a bit of atmosphere, muted, velvety... to go with their St Emilion, shrimp cocktails and T-bones." "So I played for myself." "Old Bud Powell tunes... trying to get the phrasing right... and never making it... because I never made it at anything." "I'd given myself till age 30 to be a success in life... and I was 29 and a half." "I had 6 months left." "Meanwhile, I got 250 francs a night, and a meal... plus all I could drink." "I was happy." "The only problem was I'd just been hired... and the bastards had refused to give me an advance." "I could hardly wait for the end of the week, and my bread... and the end of the night, and my bed." "Around midnight, the place would start to empty out." "Usually I'd be left with an amorous couple... love's loiterers... whom I had to lead safely to port... with my magic keyboard." "Who knows what's in a piano player's head... as he fingers the keys... while you sip champagne." "Maybe he's in love, too... or sad... because his wife is waiting... or is no longer waiting." "Because she just left him... or is going to leave him." "Where are you going?" "I have an appointment." "Who with?" "A photographer." "What photographer?" "Always seeing photographers and never any pictures." "We don't all have your talent." "Took you 8 years to find out my music was crappy?" "It's hard enough putting makeup on." "Who'll hire me looking like this?" "I know my music's not great..." "So what?" "That can change." "It bores people now." "One day it may thrill them." "Things evolve." "For example, I used to turn you on... and now I don't..." "What if it were vice versa?" "Totally unforeseeable." "Who knew things would end between us?" "Was that foreseeable?" "When everyone envied us?" "What if you stayed with me?" "What for?" "To be together." "We're never together." "When I get home at night you're asleep." "When you get up in the morning, I'm asleep." "When I wake up, you're off to see photographers." "I barely have time to watch you dress." "I never see you undress." "Martine..." "I get paid at the end of the week." "I need pocket-money, Remi!" "A woman needs things:" "a skirt, shoes... otherwise she loses her sparkle." "She dries up!" "They're not hiring you any more!" "So why persist?" "This time it might work." "How come?" "It's a partial shot." "Of what?" "A bra." "You're doing lingerie now?" "You?" "Got anything better?" "Got a concert?" "So I do body shots..." "They don't want my face!" "They want younger ones!" "Any gas left in the car?" "I doubt it." "Do you have any money?" "ls that all?" "And you?" "What will you do?" "Were you in second?" "Why not stay home with me?" "The car's on my side." "It won't take you." "Will you please push?" "Battery's dead!" "Everything's dead!" "I just want a push!" "I liked her face a lot." "Photographers are creeps!" "She was much too good for them." "For me, too, in fact." "Shit!" "Mom's not here?" "ls she working?" "Will she be late?" "Probably." "The cafeteria lunch was awful!" "I didn't eat!" "You look weird, are you okay?" "Depressed?" "You were fighting again." "Well, I have a mountain of homework." "You're not sick?" "No, really..." "everything's fine!" "You don't look it." "What are you doing?" "A composition." "Hard?" "Why?" "Just asking." "Why don't you put on some music?" "What would you like to hear?" "Whatever you want." "One of my oldies?" "If you want." "Lend me a piece of paper." "What kind?" "Any old scrap." "My little Marion..." "I have bad news for you." "Since I don't have the courage to say it out loud..." "I'll put it in writing." "It's the only solution." "Listen..." "You'll find out that in life... sometimes things are just too rotten." "But what I want you to know... is you mustn't give in to despair." "Don't let yourself fall apart." "You'll have me to lean on." "You know I'm here with you... to help you get over your pain." "You know you're my little girl." "Your mother has had an accident..." "I'm going to the grocery store." "Got any money?" "Think it will work?" "It'll have to." "There's a letter for you..." "on the table." "If it's a joke, it's not funny." "It's not a joke." "I have no mother any more?" "There's your father..." "Yes... there's my father..." "Oh Remi, I can't take it in." "Neither can I!" "I don't want to go back to my father." "I want to stay with you." "You promise?" "Yes, all right." "What do you want?" "I have to talk to you." "What about?" "Different things." "I'm listening." "It's about Martine." "What does she want, money?" "She's dead." "ls that all you have to say?" "A car accident." "Don't give me that stuff!" "I'm saying that Martine is dead!" "ls that clear?" "And you tell me just like that." "How do you want me to tell you?" "Should I draw you a picture?" "How'd it happen?" "An intersection... a truck... a wrong reflex." "Marion knows?" "Poor kid." "See where that "young prodigy" stuff got you?" "You couldn't even take care of her." "I know." "So why'd you steal her from me?" "What do we do about Marion?" "How do you mean?" "Who'll she live with?" "I hadn't thought about that." "I'd say it's fairly important." "You bet!" "Forgive me..." "I've been drinking a lot lately." "Forget it." "She can stay with me if that suits you." "Who's that?" "Why would that suit me?" "I don't know." "ln case... you're shacking up with someone... to make things easier for you." "I'm not shacking up." "I live alone." "Me, too." "So be it." "I don't understand the problem." "Which of us has the authority to decide?" "All right... if that's how you take it..." "We might think about the person most concerned..." "Marion!" "We might try finding out what she wants." "I don't think she wants to change her life." "We could wait a while before uprooting her." "She has her routine... her home... her school, her friends..." "Listen to me... it's time to cut the bullshit." "You've done enough damage." "Now you can leave us alone!" "Marion is my daughter, right?" "So do me a favor." "Get her things ready... and I'll pick her up tomorrow." "Hungry?" "Want an omelet?" "I couldn't swallow it." "I like this apartment." "I don't want to live anywhere else." "Don't worry." "Come on... we'll take a sleeping pill." "Got anything to drink?" "Not much in the alcohol line." "Pernod is all I can offer." "So offer it." "How will you look after her?" "How do you mean?" "I don't know... meals, shopping, laundry..." "Relax..." "I'm getting organized." "You have a cleaning woman?" "Off and on." "You should have someone every day." "Maybe." "We'll see..." "You have to!" "You can't cook for her!" "Or take her to the club every night!" "No, of course not." "She shouldn't go there very often." "Do you have TV?" "Watch out!" "..." "She's used to going to bed early." "So she'll go to bed early." "You won't know." "You won't be home!" "Each to his own thing, okay?" "You have to be reasonable." "You can't count on anyone." "Right." "Let's go..." "Charlie... the little blue suitcase... her medical record is in there." "Read the prescriptions." "She has pills to take, and her polio shot is coming due." "Lucky thing I'm in good shape." "He spent his afternoons in the store... reading newspapers, comic books, anything... until we closed." "He let himself go completely." "He didn't even look for work." "From time to time, not too often..." "I slipped him some cash to keep him going." "Why haven't I heard from her?" "It's been nearly a week!" "I raised her for 8 years, I refuse to chase her!" "He ate his suppers with us." "We tried to cheer him up." "We made conversation..." "It was like carrying a dead weight." "I played with her for days on end." "When she had chicken pox, measles... when Martine was working..." "And now she ignores me." "She figures you abandoned her." "Maybe she'll get over it." "I think the only thing that kept him going... was when Nicolas would get up after supper" "It's me..." "Remi..." "Do you hear me?" "Marion, it's me!" "Do you hear me?" "You're not alone?" "Say something!" "What is this?" "Won't you talk to me?" "It's been 2 weeks, I want to know how you are!" "Are you all right?" "I'm not a bastard, in spite of how it looks..." "I did what any step-father would do." "I had to!" "Are you still there?" "I haven't become a stranger, I hope?" "I'm all alone." "You're the only person I can call up at night." "You like your new school?" "All right... you won't speak to me." "Fine!" "At least listen while I say something!" "I miss you!" "Well?" "You're not playing?" "I'm not playing." "May I ask why?" "I'm sad." "So what?" "You play sad music, anyway." "Sometimes too much is too much." "Do you realize you're about to lose a good job?" "You can't even be miserable in peace." "What are those suitcases?" "My things." "What things?" "Are you moving?" "I'm moving back in with you." "And your father?" "I left him a note..." "We can expect a visit!" "Oh, shit." "If it bugs you, I can leave." "I'll go back, tear up the note, and we'll forget it." "Are you crazy?" "What will we tell him?" "We have to tough it out..." "fight back." "All right?" "He'll raise hell." "Are you game?" "Where's Marion?" "She's asleep." "Get her!" "No way!" "She's made her choice!" "Get dressed, we're going!" "I'm staying." "This is my house!" "You can drag me away if you want... but before you know it, I'll be back here." "Or lock me up, it's the only way... otherwise I'll always run away." "This is something beyond us... you and I can't do a thing." "She's 14 years old..." "She decides, not us." "Never mind." "She'll come back to you eventually, you'll see." "You'll take good care of her?" "Don't worry... it's as if she were my own daughter." "Keep an eye on who she hangs out with." "The boys are starting to sniff around." "You can sleep soundly, I'll be on guard." "So we won." "Why did you come back?" "I kept thinking about you." "What are we going to do?" "We'll try and be happy." "You know I lost my job?" "Well, I did." "Doesn't matter." "It does!" "I have no money and no hope of getting any!" "We'll get along." "How?" "I'll baby-sit. 15 francs an hour adds up!" "And you can give piano lessons." "Who to?" "Anybody..." "Put a notice in all the stores!" "Bad idea?" "How do you like our partnership?" "She baby-sat every other night... taking her schoolbooks with her... in our building or a neighboring one." "I made 100 francs." "Come sit down." "What's wrong?" "You have to slow down on the baby-sitting." "Why?" "It's 3 AM and your alarm will ring at 7." "You can't keep up this pace." "What's more... lack of sleep is affecting your schoolwork." "I hate to say it, but your grades are going downhill fast." "lsn't that so?" "What're you thinking?" "Nothing." "Unhappy?" "Go to bed now." "Sleep well." "Sleep an extra 15 minutes." "I'll make breakfast." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "Aren't you sleepy?" "So go to bed!" "I'm going." "Come tell me about it." "Tell Remi..." "What's wrong?" "ls it serious?" "That depends..." "On what?" "On you." "Then I'm sure we can work it out... if you give me a little more information." "You know..." "I just thought of it recently, but..." "But what?" "I wonder if... lf what?" "if I'm not a bit attracted to you." "To me?" "ln what way?" "Physically." "What makes you think that?" "I don't know, I have..." "desires... strange feelings... and I think about you all the time!" "Maybe you simply like me." "I don't think constantly about people I simply like!" "I can't concentrate in class." "I think: "What's he doing?" "He's alone, waiting for me..."" "I keep looking at my watch." "That's why my grades are bad." "It's not the baby-sitting." "I got zero in history because of you!" "Me?" "Right!" "The teacher called on me." "I not only didn't know the answer..." "I hadn't heard the question!" "I was somewhere else..." "with you!" "I was thinking of you." "What do you think of that?" "I think you're fooling yourself." "I think you're a little girl who's had a big shock... and it's normal to feel strange." "Anyone would in your place." "At your age, it's normal every now and then... during a boring History class, for instance... to get weird ideas in your head." "It happens in Math and English, too." "Listen, Marion... we're like two people who have come through a storm." "We have to recover." "We'll soon be back in calm water." "Aren't you physically attracted to me?" "Not at all?" "Not at all." "I'm homely." "No, you're very cute." "If you don't like my bangs, say so." "The bangs can go..." "Look, no more bangs!" "It's not your hair!" "Then what is it?" "Your age!" "I'm not quite old enough to go for little girls." "I'm not a little girl any more!" "I'm a woman!" "It's fairly recent, but I am one now!" "I've thought a lot since yesterday." "There's absolutely no doubt." "It is a physical attraction!" "There are signs which don't lie." "What signs?" "Well, when I'm next to you like last night... really close... my heartbeat speeds up." "My breathing-rate is faster." "My throat gets dry." "There's like a heat wave inside me." "I feel all weak." "It's a killer." "The real killer is that you're 14 and I'm nearly 30." "So what?" "Okay, I'll sleep in the living-room." "One question, Remi..." "just one question!" "What exactly am I lacking that would make me a woman?" "You don't really think you and I are going to make love?" "Not necessarily." "So what do you want?" "I don't know." "A man and a woman have 2 choices:" "they make love or they don't!" "So I am a woman!" "I'll admit you're a woman... maybe!" "But I have no intention of making love to you!" "Anyway, not now." "Then when?" "How do I know?" "Never!" "Probably never!" "Just because all at once you're a woman, it doesn't mean..." "I have to make love to you!" "There are lots of women I never made love to!" "I'm in no hurry, we have plenty of time." "So why are you in my bed, naked?" "I just want to sleep next to you... feel your body against me... snuggle up to you." "It's all I think about." "Are you coming?" "What if I lose control?" "Do I get to you?" "I don't know." "Can't you sleep with a little girl in your arms?" "I honestly don't know." "Watch what you say..." "it does things to my heart." "Think about this seriously." "You have to help me... this kind of stuff is all new to me." "If you did feel the way I do... it'd be cruel not to tell me." "Listen to me... even if I wanted you... which I don't..." "I could never touch you." "You're too young... too vulnerable." "And I keep feeling someone is watching us." "You see who I mean?" "What would she say?" "Saying foolish things for one thing." "I want us to say foolish things." "But we mustn't do them." "We dream of lots of things we never do." "You're getting foolish ideas." "So am I." "We both are... the same ideas." "But we won't do it." "Understand?" "What if it isn't foolish?" "Just pay no attention." "You read your paper, I'll read Dickens." "If you want to turn off the light, go ahead." "Or ignore me, go ahead." "Or take me in your arms, go ahead." "I don't ask anything, I'm just here... available." "The classic woman-as-object." "15 minutes, then it's back to your room!" "Stop treating me like a kid." "That era is over!" "I'm a 14-year-old woman in perfect working order... all systems go." "If you had any curiosity at all... you'd notice I have breasts... which despite their small size, react when touched." "You'd also notice other things which might interest you." "Why?" "First:" "I'm in love with you." "Second:" "I want to be broken in... by someone who knows the score." "You're an expert..." "I know that." "How do you know?" "Hearing Mom at night." "She was pretty eloquent." "Eavesdropping?" "Not really." "But the walls are thin." "Her sighs were a lullaby to me." "That's why I hurried to grow up..." "Kiss me, Remi." "A real kiss." "Why not?" "Your 15 minutes is up." "To hell with that, I want the night!" "All night, with all of you!" "Will you please get up and go to your room!" "I know you want to make love to me." "Why lie?" "Go!" "You're a bastard!" "I'm alone, you're all I have." "You reject me..." "it'll kill me." "I've been watching you for some time." "You never mix with your schoolmates... you're always alone." "ln class, you seem weighted down with problems." "ln the cafeteria, you barely touch your food." "We're here to help you." "What's troubling you?" "You aren't ill?" "I'd say she's slightly anemic, nothing worse." "Has she been on a diet?" "Girls her age often imagine they're enormous... and go on crash diets." "Does she eat normally?" "She eats..." "She eats." "Which of you two is..." "the father?" "I am." "And I'm the mother." "Very well." "We'll start by treating this iron deficiency." "The ideal thing would be a change of air." "You couldn't, for example..." "take her to the mountains?" "Yes..." "It would do wonders for her." "Then she'll go." "Who with?" "If your father says you're going, you're going...period!" "I'm going to Courchevel, to open a new club." "Let me settle in, then send her by train." "Absolutely!" "It's so dumb!" "I'd love to take a sleeper with you." "Get yourself nice and healthy and come back feeling great." "I want to ask you something." "This time you can't refuse." "Mr. Bachelier, my wife and I... especially my wife, we think you're very nice." "We've never been demanding landlords." "I'd even say we've been" "I hope you agree-- very accommodating!" "That very evening, I moved out on the sly." "The time had come to fall back on my friends." "Simone fixed up a bed for me in the kids' room." "Lay off the vodka, Remi..." "I have reasons for drinking..." "serious reasons!" "We know them!" "I doubt it... not all of them!" "Hello." "How are you?" "Merry Christmas to you too." "Yes, he's here." "It's me." "Are you all right?" "I just wanted to kiss you for Christmas!" "Yes... that's sweet." "And you?" "Are you all right?" "Plenty of snow?" "Are you having fun?" "No." "Naturally... without me, it's not the same as with me..." "Remi, I love you." "Me, too..." "I miss you terribly." "Don't tease me, please." "I'm saying I love you..." "and I'll prove it to you." "How?" "You'll see." "I have a hunch:" "Remi's going to borrow our car." "Let's find a cafe." "Shouldn't we find a hotel room instead?" "What for?" "To make love." "Sorry you came?" "Well, this room depresses me." "Why?" "It's just a room." "What's the difference?" "You scratch!" "I was in a hurry." "I didn't take anything." "Here." "You can buy a razor." "It's at least 1000 francs!" "I have to go back to my hotel." "To be there when my father gets up... for breakfast." "He has a Christmas tree in his room." "I'll be back as soon as I can." "Most afternoons, he plays poker with his pals." "I'll stay here till dinnertime." "Try to sleep." "You look tired." "I'll try." "See you later." "You want me with bangs or without?" "Any way you want." "What am I going to do about her...?" "What would Martine think if she saw us?" "She'd think her daughter was very lucky." "You think so?" "Listen, Martine..." "I have to tell you." "I just made love to Marion." "I tried to avoid it, but then unfortunately... you know me." "I've never been heroic." "It never should've happened... but it happened just the same." "But you needn't be too upset, because..." "I was very gentle with her." "Very gentle." "She seemed so happy." "Why did you leave us?" "Martine... what's going to become of us now?" "I thought you'd forgotten me." "Here I am." "You scared me." "Why are you looking at me like that?" "What's wrong?" "You won't kiss me?" "That's all?" "Yes." "You coming?" "We'll try to find a taxi." "This is it." "We've got 6 months before the bulldozers come." "The kitchen!" "Which can also serve as a living-room... dining-room or bathroom, as need dictates." "The stairway... spiral." "Watch your step, some stairs are ready to cave in." "My room... rather, the place where I sleep." "You like it?" "Why not?" "Have to live somewhere..." "I'll show you your room." "I don't need one." "I'll show you anyway." "ln other words, you're making me sleep here." "You never thought that maybe I'd like to sleep with you?" "You don't want to?" "Listen to me and don't interrupt..." "All right?" "Because what I have to say..." "is difficult to say." "Believe me, I'm just as uncomfortable as you are." "I'm listening." "First we'll say that nothing special happened between us..." "Just a caress." "Quite a caress!" "A caress that got out of hand a bit!" "We won't make a mountain of it." "All right..." "All I ask is to stay with you." "I won't bother you, I promise." "But as I recall, it worked pretty well with us." "It was Christmas." "You make love only on holidays?" "I know what I mean!" "I know, too..." "The gentleman had the blues." "So I have to wait till the next time... you need someone to hold you in her arms." "I hope it'll be me." "It'll be you, and you know it." "Why not right now?" "Because I've pulled enough boners in my life!" "I feel responsible for you." "I'd like to see you live normally." "How?" "For example, you could have friends, change your ideas!" "Go out... date boys your own age." "Boys my own age will want to make out." "So what?" "I was making another stab at playing piano... in a Right-bank tearoom with high price tags... superlative view of aging hags, double chins and tummy-sags... on cream-puff orgies and macaroon jags... money stuffed in designer bags... rings and minks from fashion mags." "And, to continue the rhyming gag..." "I felt like a de-antlered stag." "But it let me fill the grocery bags... run the house without too many snags... and buy my Marion a few glad rags." "You want a drink?" "No, thanks." "Bunch of creeps!" "lsn't it about bedtime?" "Not saying goodnight?" "Happy with your evening?" "Have to kill time." "And did you kill it pleasantly?" "The usual routine, groping and pawing." "Don't let them, if you don't like it!" "You told me to look for a substitute..." "So I'm looking!" "Are you finding?" "With good music and my eyes shut, I can pretend." "I hope the pretense doesn't go too far." "You're almost as uptight as a real father!" "Look... you see these blue-jeans?" "Solidly fastened with a belt!" "That belt never opens..." "Everything below that belt is private territory." "The exclusive owner of that territory... is you." "We await your visit." "It won't be tonight!" "You don't look so good." "Nothing dramatic." "I brought you a little want ad... to stick up in the usual place." "You didn't lose your job?" "I'm sorry about the brutal interruption." "They're just kids." "All the same..." "they have no respect." "You can't really blame them." "Would you like a nice slice of roast lamb?" "Thank you, you're very kind, but..." "I think I'd better go home." "So soon?" "Alas, yes..." "I have an early recording session tomorrow." "I'll see you to the door." "You'll find an envelope in your coat pocket." "It was a modest performance." "Oh, no..." "Personally, I was charmed." "I find you have..." "a magic touch." "Leaving already?" "Won't you stay?" "No." "I'd rather just go home." "Go and dance." "Have fun." "You have a lovely step-daughter." "You think so?" "I count on you to see she doesn't get home too late." "Midnight?" "For example." "Midnight wasn't possible... one o'clock was worse." "So I figured:" "He can't punish me more than... he already has!" "What have I got to lose?" "And the hours went by." "Later I said to myself..." "My alarm's due to ring soon" "And I kept on dancing." "why bother going to bed?" "Mad at me?" "Shall I make coffee?" "If you want." "What if your alarm forgot to ring today?" "Anything's possible." "What classes do you have?" "Nothing important..." "Math, French and English." "I have to tell you something..." "I'm tired of being a hero." "You surrender?" "Love me?" "Make love to me?" "For a long time?" "Often?" "Constantly." "I'll make love to you, too." "I'll make you forget the blues... all your troubles." "What's happening?" "The doorbell." "Shall I go see?" "Don't you move!" "I'm back in Paris, with springtime in my luggage!" "ls Marion here?" "What time is it?" "I don't know... noon." "She eats in the cafeteria." "I wanted to give her a kiss." "It's all I thought of on the road." "Come back around 5 o'clock." "The problem is..." "I'll probably be asleep." "I left at dawn... after the club closed, so I'm pretty tired." "Come back when you want." "Can't I come in for 5 minutes?" "Of course." "Smells of mildew." "Yes, the place is pretty damp." "Got anything to drink?" "The same bottle of Pernod." "You're on!" "Not drinking?" "You're right." "Oh, it's you!" "Not at the cafeteria?" "The cafeteria?" "No kiss for your old father?" "You look pale..." "Still feeling tired?" "Some days." "Do you always run around like that?" "I just woke up." "You sleep late around here." "You're not at school?" "The French teacher is sick." "Nothing serious, I hope." "The flu." "French teachers are delicate." "Maybe you just forgot to hear your alarm." "No, honest!" "You two have neglected me." "I wrote 3 letters." "Right..." "I carry them with me, I re-read them often." "Your writing is improving." "She's making a lot of progress." "And in other subjects?" "Some good, some less good." "You know what we'd do if we were smart?" "We'd live together... all three of us." "Unite forces..." "What do you say?" "I don't know." "You'd have two papas, it'd be great." "And maybe I'd stop hitting the bottle." "What do you think?" "Why not?" "We don't fight any more." "You could play piano in my club." "I see you're thrilled by the idea." "Well, I'm about to fall on my face." "I better go home to bed." "We won't lose touch?" "No, of course not." "Hold me, hold me tight." "I just had a weird thought." "What?" "You wouldn't be sleeping together?" "Are you sick, or what?" "What do you take me for?" "Sorry..." "Sometimes I don't know what I'm saying." "I really ought to stop drinking." "It's starting to get to me." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, sweetheart." "I'm scared." "Of what?" "I don't know, I'm just scared." "I feel as if something is following us." "Remi!" "Quick!" "What's the matter?" "The kid is sick!" "What kid?" "My baby-sitting job!" "Get dressed!" "The parents?" "Just the mother, divorced." "She's with friends." "Phone number?" "It doesn't answer." "You can rest easy, it's not serious." "No sign of meningitis." "It's just the flu... nasty, but not dangerous." "I'll prescribe something to bring down the fever." "Keep her warm for a few days." "She'll recover quickly." "What do we owe you?" "150 francs." "What's going on?" "Nothing serious." "Nathalie's a bit sick." "We called a doctor." "It's just the flu." "My poor baby, are you sick?" "A drugstore's open at the Porte de St-Cloud." "Oh, it's you..." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Can you lend me 50 francs?" "It's for medicine." "I only have 15 francs, it's not enough." "ls Marion sick?" "It's not for her..." "I'll explain later." "Sorry to barge in like this..." "Nicolas isn't here?" "Where is he?" "That's right, you don't know." "He's taken a night job unloading trucks... in a suburban shopping center." "Oh, shit..." "I came at a bad time." "Not at all... forget it." "That won't make or break our luxury cruise." "Now I'm kicking you out." "I need my sleep." "Simone..." "What is it?" "I want to tell you something..." "Tell me another time." "This is very nice of you..." "I'm embarrassed." "It was nothing..." "The prescription is inside." "I put your car back where it was." "Tell me what I owe you." "Well, it wasn't very much..." "Mommy will give you a suppository." "I don't like them!" "You have to be very brave." "Will it hurt?" "Take a deep breath... there!" "Now you're going nighty-night." "How old is she?" "She's five." "She goes to school?" "Sometimes..." "When she's well..." "It's overheated." "They catch cold easily." "She's going to sleep." "Poor Marion..." "all this excitement." "Where did I put my purse?" "I owe you for last time, remember?" "Neither of us had change." "I think it was 25 francs." "Maybe..." "What time did you come tonight?" "Eight o'clock." "It's 12:30... that's 4 and a half hours times 15... 4 times 15 is 60, plus half of 15... call it 70 to round it off, plus the 25..." "Here's 100 francs." "She's nice, isn't she?" "What's her name?" "Charlotte." "It's a pretty name." "Her daughter is Nathalie." "That's a pretty name, too." "ls she a musician?" "Yes... funny, isn't it?" "Why?" "I don't know." "What are you thinking?" "Nothing." "Feel something's following you?" "Like what?" "Your step-father image." "Come now!" "Don't put a jinx on me!" "I bet as soon as I turn my back tomorrow... you'll go ask how the little patient is." "Of course not, don't be absurd!" "I wouldn't think of it." "Well, if you change your mind... don't forget to return her umbrella." "What is this, are you making fun of me?" "Marion..." "Sweetheart..." "Angel..." "Why so unhappy?" "I came to find out how Nathalie is." "She's much better." "Her fever's down." "Come in." "Actually, I meant to return your umbrella... but I forgot it." "I must say!" "I'm sorry..." "I'm disturbing you." "I was practicing, but it's not important." "I'll leave you to it." "Sorry..." "I was just passing by." "Anyway, it was nice of you to come." "I'm very touched." "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate..." "I think things are fine now." "A cup of tea?" "When you rang, I was just thinking about having some tea." "And you?" "What do you do?" "Nothing very exciting." "But what?" "I'm temporarily laid off." "I was working in a little record shop." "A nice place... specializing in jazz." "But it couldn't make ends meet." "So we're both in music?" "ln a way..." "Do you play an instrument?" "Alas, no!" "I would've liked to... but I wasn't very talented... and no one encouraged me." "Are you interested in jazz?" "Of course..." "I even play it sometimes." "What, for example?" "I don't know, I improvise..." "as things come to me." "Modern?" "No, not especially." "The old tunes... lf you knew how I love you!" "What do you see in that Charlotte?" "I don't know..." "You must see something, to drink all that tea with her... from 3 PM to 8 PM!" "I felt sheltered." "ls her apartment the attraction?" "Maybe... that and other things." "Did you kiss her?" "Why not?" "I didn't dare." "My poor love... you sure do make yourself miserable." "Hold me back..." "Don't let me leave." "Why not?" "I'll be so unhappy when I've lost you." "Know what I thought lately... as you made love to me... and as it got more wonderful each time?" "I thought..." ""soon I'll be fifteen..."" ""then sixteen..."" ""and one day I'll be an acceptable young lady."" ""He can take me out and not be ashamed."" "I even thought..." ""Maybe one day I can give him a baby."" ""He can't be a step-father all his life..."" ""always raising other people's children."" "That's what I thought!" "I was going to tell you..." "I was going to make a date with you... not too far in the future." "Unfortunately..." "Oh, Remi... you've taught me so much!" "I have to tell you something." "What?" "I've decided to give up music for good." "Furthermore... let's let my sad career as a pianist... stay a secret between you and me." "I don't want Charlotte to know about it." "On one condition." "What's that?" "You're starting a new life with a new woman... okay." "I'm looking for successors to take your place... okay." "But to always be without you, cut off from you... that I can't handle." "I'll have to see you now and then... feel your arms around me now and then." "Just say the word..." "I'll come to you anywhere, anytime... whenever you want me." "Do you swear it?" "I swear it." "Then I'll take off." "You don't need me to congratulate the soloist." "Tell her I ran into friends in the lobby... and left with them." "What're you doing here?" "I don't know..." "You're all alone?" "Want something to drink?" "I wouldn't mind, but..." "I have a taxi waiting." "Why?" "Not enough money to pay him?" "It's not that... my suitcases are in it." "Suitcases!" "Where are you going?" "I don't know." "What is all this?" "You're coming back?" "If you want me... yes." "Sweetheart..." "My little girl..." "I'll cure you, you'll see..." "I'll cure you."