[Meredith].
I quickly ended the recording and slipped my phone inside my bag just as the door opened again.
The caregiver returned with a clean plate and carefully served the pastries, arranging them neatly on the table. She was still smiling pleasantly. I noted it quietly.
The teas had done their work. Whether out of gratitude or simple satisfaction, her mood had noticeably lifted.
I reached for one of the pastries and split it in half, offering a piece to Rosalie. She accepted it without a word, slipping seamlessly back into her quiet, distant act.
To anyone watching, she was once again the harmless, confused woman they all believed her to be.
The caregiver poured a glass of water and set it between us. I studied it briefly to make sure it was clean with no additives, then I drank it.
When I was done, I placed the glass back on the table and turned to the caregiver. "Don't water the flowers," I said calmly. "I will return in three days with fresh ones."
