"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you like him. Really like him." Avery says down the phone to me. 

I pause looking at myself in the car visor mirror, hopelessly trying to smooth down my hair and look a little better. Realising I am actually making an effort for a guy who called me an angry penguin, I stop. "I really want to punch you in the tit for that."

"I'm saying it as I see it." 

"Well you are seeing it wrong. I'm just saying that he managed to ruin a really good afternoon by plotting the whole entire time. I got to admit, he played a blinder.." I answer with a slight sigh.

"Maybe it's all an act? You said he gave you back the rosary.."

"Which I am taking back today. I think I've crossed a line with him and him with me. Perhaps it's time I got another cleaning gig?"

"Do you really want that?" Avery asks making me glance up Zak's drive and to his house. 

Did I want that? For the majority of last night I had convinced myself that moving on to another client and allowing a colleague to take over Zak's home, is the best solution. But now faced with the home and the possibility of it, a part of me isn't ready to let go.

"I don't know Ave. I just think that things have got murky. I'm suppose to be his cleaner, but now it feels... It feels like something else." I tell her.

"Could it be a friendship or an interest?"

We discuss it a little more before I wrap up the call with a promise to call her later. I hear both of the twins shouting bye as Avery hangs up. 

Looking over to the passenger seat of the van, I see their pictures and spend a few minutes looking at the heavy scribbles and thin lines. Each showing a different picture and moment but there is always three little girls in the pictures. The twins both said it was their friend Lizzy.
As I stare at the photo a little more, I have the idea of asking Avery if we should set up a play-date with Lizzy's mom, perhaps some playtime out of school will settle the girls some more? Especially with the house move.

Glancing at Zak's house once more, I sigh and set down the pictures, preparing myself for another fun filled day.

***

When I open the door to Zak's home, I am met with silence, there's not a peep from Gracie who usually runs to meet me at the door and from that moment, I suspect that I am alone and head to the kitchen.

Setting the caddy down, I pull out the black box containing the rosary and take one last look at it before putting it down on the kitchen island. Deciding that it is done, I turn and head off towards the utility room to start the laundry.

You sort the lights from the darks, the towels from the clothes, the delicates from the denim and the beddi-...

My mind pauses as I see Gracie in the garden, soaking wet looking into the pool. Her eyes are trained on something in the water but I can't see what it is until she jumps and re-emerges with it in her mouth.

A tennis ball. 

She then swims to the edge before getting back out. Her white coat is like snow, reflecting the sun as she shakes the water, making her ears flap side to side before she stops and walks to the other side of the pool, drops her ball in, waits and jumps again. All while her tail is wagging back and forth with enjoyment. It's only then, after watching her, that I realise Zak must be home if she is in the garden, with the Vegas sun threatening to reach 120 degrees, there is no way he would have left her outside and gone to work. Would he?

I get my answer when I walk into the kitchen with an armful of clothes and find Zak stood at there, foregoing a top. Not that I'm complaining, but it makes it a little hard to concentrate when there's a lot of skin and muscle going on.

He has the black box in his hands, looking annoyed that it's back in his house. It's like a really bad game of pass the parcel. Looking at me, he drops it back down on the kitchen island. 

"If you don't want it. Bin it, sell it. I don't give a shit. But I don't want it back." He says before walking to the fridge and pulling it open. 

"Good Morning to you too." I answer setting up the ironing board in the corner and grabbing the iron from the cupboard nearest to his Utility room. 

He doesn't reply and goes about making himself breakfast whilst I begin ironing his clothes. I'm used to the silence from clients, some like to ignore us and believe that their homes are always clean. Not that a cleaning fairy has been in and got rid of nearly all the filth in their home. However it annoys me that Zak has now decided to take this approach, it's then that I have to question why I want him to speak to me.

Yet again, I have no real answer.

When I get to his shirts, I have to bite the bullet, be an adult and speak to him. "Do you want your shirts on hangers?"

He looks over his shoulder, causing his back muscles to shift slightly and his tattoo that I have tried to avoid staring at, twist "You'll have to fold them, I have company and can't have you waltzing into my room like you own the place."

I don't believe I've ever waltzed in my life, but I ignore that jibe and go with. "You got someone here?" 

"You sound surprised." He says chopping up some fruit. "But like I said, you don't have to worry about who is keeping me company."

I don't take offence or rise to his quip and simply reply "I can hang your shirts on the back of the chair, if you prefer?"

"Then do that. Why ask me if you're going to do something different?" 

I roll my eyes and place the iron shirt on the back of the chair and grab up the next item. The next few seconds are filled with the steam from the iron, hissing out into the air.

"And you were late this morning." He adds.

I frown "Was I? How long by?"

"It doesn't matter how long, it's the principle of lateness. Don't do it again." Zak bites. 

"Sorry if I was late." I reply, knowing I couldn't have been later than a few minutes, if that.

"If you were? You were. I'm not paying you to stay on any extra. So I suggest stepping it up a gear and stop slacking."

I can take a lot and I am used to people getting on their high horses and speaking down to me. But I won't accept being judged on my work when I know I do a damn good job.

"Such an asshole." I mutter quietly to myself.

Avery has always said my quiet isn't as quiet as I like to think, and I know Zak has heard when he tosses the knife down and turns to glare at me.

"If you've got a problem then feel free to leave. You-" He stops as we both notice movement from the kitchen door, a woman has appeared and looks between us sheepishly. She steps into the kitchen and a small part of my soul instantly hates her. 

The long, glossy hair, flawless make up, perfect waist, long legs and slim build makes me envy every step she takes. I realise I am scrutinizing her hard, but I can't decide if it's because I have self image issues, or because she is everything I ever wanted to be. I know I'm jealous, I sound jealous and I even narrow my eyes when Zak's attention falls off me and all to her.

"I'm gonna go." She smiles before crossing the kitchen, kissing him on the cheek and leaving with a smile. He doesn't move an inch and only says bye as she disappears from view.

"What a touching goodbye."

"Shut up and do what you are paid for." He demands making me put down the iron. 

"You know what. I'm paid to clean, not to be a verbal punch bag because you're having a shitty day-"

"Well you know where the door is!" 

"You're right. I do!" I snap leaving everything and grabbing the cleaning caddy. "You'll have a new cleaner here within the hour."

"Don't bother."

"Fine! Then I won't. Have a great day being a complete ass!" I finish giving him a sarcastic smile and a thumbs up before leaving.

I take my frustrations out on slamming the van doors as I get in. Knowing I've just lost a pretty big client for Rachel, I push my hands into my hair and grip it tightly before screaming with anger.

I'll be the first employee at Clean Approach to lose a client and it sucks!

****

I'm still annoyed when I get to the office. In fact, I am positively fucking fuming as I storm into the air conditioned building and head straight for Rachel's office. As soon as I open the door, she sighs "What's happened?"

I close it to save the ears of the other members of staff before going into a rant about Zak. I'm throwing my hands up and pacing the room, all whilst she sits behind her desk with her fingers folded, letting me get it all out. Once I'm done, I turn to her, waiting for some repercussions.

"So you walked out." She says.

"Because he was being an asshole to me! Did you miss that part?!"

Her brow quirks "I didn't. I heard everything. I'm just confused at one bit."

I grip the seat in front of me and look at her. "At what part?"

"At the part of when you let it get to you. Grantley has been rustling behind his newspaper ever since you went there. It's creeped you out but never got you this riled up. You exchange a few words with one man and you've came in here like a ticking time bomb. The same man who gave you a glowing feedback form not to long ago."

I push off the seat and pace the office again "Yeah well, things change and they change fast."

"They do."

"He is going to need another cleaner.. He says he doesn't want one but I think someone needs to be sent over there before he finds another cleaning company."

"I agree." Rachel says picking up her pen and opening the diary. She hums as she goes down the list before placing her pen down. "Well, we got nobody else."

I pause my feet and turn to look at her. "We must have someone."

"We do... You."

"I am not going back." I fume folding my arms defensively.

"When he got into contact, he specifically asked for you to pick up that extra day. Not have someone else accessing his home." She points out.

"That's just safety prot-"

"You've gained his trust in his home. It's a big thing for a professional cleaner such as yourself and whilst I don't agree with clients buying presents, I can't see the harm in a rosary. Especially in his line of work."

I huff a sigh "Company procee-"

"I know what the company procedures are, I wrote them. Calm yourself down Riley and take the rest of the day off." Rachel says. My lips part to speak but she lifts her hand up. "You're not fired. But I also haven't got another job to place you on today. Take the day and I'll call Zak later."

"Are you sure?" I ask. 

"Go."

Seeing an opportunity of not getting myself fired for my actions, I leave the office and drive the van home. I'm pushing the key into Avery's front door when it opens revealing her. 

"What have you done now?" She asks instantly. 

"Why do you assume it's me?" I ask her offended.

"Because I know you. Have you been fired?" She asks pulling me inside.

I'm just about to reply when two small hurricanes collide with my legs. "Hello girlies!"

"Auntie Riley! We are watching The Lion King! Come and watch it with us!"

"Of course!"

"She will, after we have a word in the kitchen. Go get comfy girls. We will be in, in a few minutes." Avery beams. 

The twins run off, leaving us in the hallway of her home. "Kitchen. Now." She demands, giving me a stern look. Like a child, I follow obediently behind, the smell of bleach hits my nose, meaning one thing... She is stressed.

"What's happened?" I ask her. 

"No. You're not asking me anything right now. I'm asking you, what has happened?"

I give her my version of events as I make us both a cup of tea. "So basically, it's not my fault."

"You walked out, technically it is."

I pull a face in response before turning back to her "Are the twins sick? They are home again."

Avery sets down her tea before looking at her nails "No, they are okay."

"So...."

"It's nothing."

"How many bottles of bleach have you used? Don't get me wrong, I love the smell but it's a little chemically."

"I have the windows open." She points out. 

"I see that. Talk to me. They are in there watching The Lion King.. Has Mufasa been killed yet? Shit that has traumatised me. I'll watch it after that part.. But I can't see it again."

"He has..."

Glancing away, I pick up a drawing that has been left on the table. There's a rainbow, the sun, green grass and three girls. Which reminds me... 

"I was thinking, perhaps we should organise a playdate with Lizzy's mom? Have her come over for dinner? Maybe that will help settle the girls? What do you think?" I ask Avery setting the picture back down. 

"Might be a bit hard."

"Why is that? Have they fallen out now?"

Avery shakes her head. "Not quiet."

"Then what is it?" I frown.

"Lizzy isn't real, Riley. She's an imaginary friend."

I pause taking on that little chestnut of information. It's hard to take in, especially when both girls have talked about Lizzy in detail before now. She has seemed so real...

"Are you sure?" I ask her. 

"Oh yeah. I asked the teacher about Lizzy because like you, I wanted to invite her over. Play dates, dinner, sleep overs etc. Only problem is, she doesn't exists."

"Right.. But that is normal right? Kids have imaginary friends all the time."

Avery scoffs "Yeah, I thought so too. Until I went online and asked a few other moms about it. I've also looked into imaginary friends, like how to deal with it. They both seem taken with this girl and she's not real. It's concerning."

"Stay offline, you've scared yourself now, haven't you?" 

Avery looks over at me. "I found out that children can have imaginary friends, like you said, completely normal. But what isn't normal is a set of twins having the same imaginary friend. In fact, from what I can see, it's unheard of."

"What are you trying to say, Avery?" I ask her. 

"I'm concerned. Either they both have this imaginary friend that they can see, speak and play with. Or I have something in this house."

"You mean-"

"A damn ghost, Riley." She hisses before shooting a glare at the door.

 She looks back at me, as I sit there open mouthed. "Yeah, my reaction too when I realised it's a possibility. So you better get that Ghost boy Zak back on the same page as you, because there is no freakin' way I am living with Casper the friendly ghost."