"Another sensible choice." She takes the tea and wipes at her eyes. "You seem to make a number of those."

"I try, Miss Laurent. Please, can you get me that mask? It may be the most important thing you do in your life."

"I can certainly try.

...and thank you."

"You're welcome. --I would very much prefer you not be in danger. Shall I have my driver take you home?"

When she smiles back it's the real one, not the dazzling one. "Yes, please."

He escorts her to the door. "You make quite sensible decisions yourself."

"I do try."

When she returns home, Ana is practicing her scales in the living room.

Lucas is in his room with the door locked.

She doesn't interrupt Ana-- contemplates knocking on the door-- sits down in the living room and waits for Ana to be done.

Lucas remains, silent, in his room, for as long as Simone waits.

When Ana's done, Simone pulls her aside and says "Is it just me, or has Lucas been... kind of weird lately."

"He hasn't spoken to me all day? I thought maybe he was mad at me. Maybe I did something wrong at the party."

God. "No, he's been weird to me too, I don't think it was you at all.

--also you sounded really good just now."

She blushes. "Thank you! I think the secret ingredient is that I didn't know you were there. --What do you think is wrong with Lucas? Is his father after him about the law firm again?"

"No idea," she says, lyingly. "Could be? Anyway, thank you for confirming it isn't just me, I should probably go try talking to him."

"That sounds good! You're way better at talking to him than I am."

That's mostly because Simone is better at talking in full generality than Ana is (and because Lucas actually respects Ana which means he gets tongue-tied around her) but she's not going to say that. She smiles at Ana and then turns and knocks on Lucas's door.

"I'm busy!"

"With what?"

"Helping Ana!"

Ana looks terrified at this prospect.

"Well, let me in so I can help you help Ana."

"I'm handling it!"

"Last time you said you had a plan that you were definitely handling and I wasn't allowed to know what the plan was, it ended with a car being driven into the Hudson River. Let me in."