"And Rapunzel and the prince lived happily ever after.." I conclude closing the book on my knees.

Silence hangs in the air as I grin up to Avery who has been stood against the door jab. But she smirks, because she knows what is coming.... 

"Why didn't Rapunzel cut off her hair and save herself?" Grace asks.

Now that is my girl!

"Um.." I trail off as a chorus of questions come at me.

"Did they live in his castle?"

"Yeah if he is a prince, he has a castle. How big is it?"

"Does it have a dragon?"

"Does it have two dragons?!"

Avery simply cocks her head to the side with an 'I told you so' look before taking control of the room. "Okay girls, you've had your story-"

"We had two stories." Grace corrects her before shooting me a grin.

"Two stories.. Which means it is way past your bedtime. Come on." 

I take it as my cue and pull myself off the beanbag which has been placed between their beds. Avery said it's so they can both see the book. I think its so they can jump from one bed to the other. At least that is what we used to do as children.

"But-"

"No buts, say good night to Auntie Riley."

"Night Auntie Riley!" They both sing before giggling. 

"Sleep tight girls."

Escaping the room, I head downstairs and into the kitchen where I pour both myself and Avery a glass of wine before taking it into the lounge where the child monitor is sat on the table. Avery's soft voice comes through as she says her good nights before making her way down stairs too.
Looking fresh faced and relaxed after her bath, she falls into the couch. "What a day." 

"Long one?"

"With no sleep? You betcha. Now... Hit me with it." She says sitting up to grab her glass. 

"How do you know I have any gossip or information?"

She cocks a brow. "I know you. You bought enough food to sink a battleship. Now, what is going on?"

There is no lie to her statement. I was so consumed in the gifts left at my door that I over ordered, because I couldn't remember what I had chosen. 

"You've got plenty of noodles now though." I point out.

"The girls love noodles, but I think we will have to draw the line somewhere... Stop changing the subject."

I pull a face before getting off the couch and retrieving my bag, when I return I produce the small black box and hand it to her.

"What is it?"

"Open it." I tell her sinking back into the armchair I had commandeered.

Placing her glass down, she opens the box and like expected, her eyes widen. "Oh my God. It's beautiful."

"I know."

"What stone is it?" She asks taking it out of the box and holding it into the air.

"Rose Quartz. No, actually its Madagascar Rose Quartz. Mavis was there when I opened it. She knows all about stones." I tell her.

"Madagascar.. So it's worth something?"

"Guess so."

She watches it spin in the light, as do I, the stones ripple in the light whilst the silver illuminates. "When did you buy it?"

"I didn't... It was left on my doorstep." I tell her causing her eyes to turn to me for the first time since opening the box.

"On your doorstep? Are you sure it's yours? Or meant for you?"

"It was in the bag, along with my purse that I had left at Zak's house. I don't know how, perhaps it fell out my caddy, I don't know." 

"He bought it?" She asks astonished.

"I think so... Now I need your advice."

"Quartz. That's a birthstone right?" She asks. 

"October. My birthst- forget about that a second. Avery I need you to tell me how I give this back."

Hearing me, she gasps and brings it to her chest "You can't give it back! It is gorgeous and clearly it is suppose to be yours with it being your birthstone. It's a gift."

"An expensive one." I add on. That I have no doubt about, considering he owns a fleet of cars that could make grown men weep. 

"Yeah, I guess it is. But you can't give it back. That is rude." She says pulling it away from her body to look at it again.

"Well what can I do? I can't keep it? Rachel will throw a fit-"

"Don't tell her." She interrupts before shrugging. "I wouldn't. From what I've heard of her, she seems like a jealous woman already. If you go telling her that you are receiving gifts..."

"Then I'm getting pulled out of that house."

"Uh-huh.. Whether she loses a client or not. You know she has to feel important." Avery answers before setting it back down neatly in it's case. "What is with the card?" 

It's my turn to shrug as she plucks it out and reads it out before flipping it over. 

"What does he want you to believe in?"

I throw up my hands before snagging up my wine glass "Not a clue!"

Avery pushes her mouth to the side. "Believe in things you cannot.. It sounds like a poem or maybe a quote from the wording."

"I thought he was trying to be mysterious. I think he was parked outside my apartment the other night whilst Joel was there." I tell her as she sets the case down and picks up her tablet. 

She types it in a search engine before looking up at me. "Dracula. It's from Bram Stokers Dracula. Have you had a conversation about vampires?"

"No." I answer as I try to think hard about what we have discussed. 

"Do you believe in Vampires?" 

"I don't know Avery. I haven't really given it much thought and I'm pretty sure we haven't had a conversation on them. It's a pretty weird on to throw out there too. By the way, do you like blood sucking humans?!"

"True.. Things you cannot. It's something you don't believe in but he does. Something supernatural, perhaps considering he has quote Dracula."

"Ghosts. The paranormal.... Holy shit I called him a phony to his face!" I exclaim, slapping a hand over my mouth. 

"You didn't." She laughs. 

"I told him that paranormal investigators are all phony! Oh God!" I cry with embarrassment.

Avery, the ever supportive sister laughs, whilst I groan and cover my eyes. "W-Well that will be it!"

"Well why does he want me to believe in that? For crying out loud of all the things."

"Because it is his job. Paranormal investigating has got him to where he is today. He has dedicated a lot of his life to it." She answers whilst placing the card back into the case and closing it carefully. 

"How embarrassing. I owe him an apology now, don't I?"

"Meh- Maybe. It depends how you look at it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. He believes, you don't. It's not the end of the world. Maybe you've said something that has made him intrigued and now he wants to convince you that there is more to this life?"

"But I'm happy with not believing it. God what if he turns out to be one of those people who push religion on you?" I ask. 

"I doubt it. From his past 'alleged' actions, no God is going to welcome him with open arms. He is gonna have to repent or some God is gonna need a whole load of forgiveness." She says before taking a sip from her glass. 

"Hmm. But it still doesn't answer my question of how I am going to give this back."

Avery shakes her head "It depends on how you word it, I guess. You don't want to accept it, but you also don't want to throw it back in his face."

"Maybe I should ask why he was sat outside my apartment first?"

"Yeah that is a little weird. Didn't Joe do that to Beck?"

"Is that when he was-"

"Masturbating in the hedge. Yup."

I roll my eyes " Thank you for that imagine.. I hope that is not why Zak was there... I swear that is the last time you are allowed on Netflix."

She winks "You love it. Maybe he was there to drop off your purse? Saw it was a bad time and left?"

"Plausible."

"I think you are looking for problems where there are none. I wouldn't try and give this back. But I know you will. If I was you, I'd thank him for his kindness on returning your purse, thank him for his generosity but you can't accept it." She says making me nod in agreement. 

"Good idea." I'm about to change subject when the child monitor crackles in front of us and seconds later the whimpering begins. 

"Here we go.." Avery sighs placing her glass on the table, preparing herself to dart upstairs.

"Wait. See if she settles." I say, we both wait and within 5 seconds, the whimpers turn into cries. "Go, I'll clear up here."

Avery shoots me a grateful look and zooms up the staircase to deal with them. Whilst I clear away the rubbish and the empty wine glasses knowing I will have to sink a coffee or two before I drive home, if not, them I am sleeping on the couch.

As promised, I clean the kitchen and do the dishes before tidying the lounge, all before Avery comes back down looking exhausted.

"Oh thank you." She says seeing the house has been set straight again. 

"Not a problem. Nightmares?"

"No. She said there was a monster under the bed. You know how kids are.."

I nod "I still like to scare myself sometimes, by saying stupid things like 'I have to keep my feet in the bed otherwise the bogeyman will have them.'"

Avery laughs "So do I. Never in front of the girls though and they never see me run up the stairs because I've turned the light off."

"Maybe it was the talk of dragons before bed?"

"Could be... Oh! The girls drew some pictures, I know you have a scrapbook each for them, so if I give you a few, could you keep them?"

I nod "Absolutely."

Avery disappears into the play room before coming back with a small handful "These are just a handful. I haven't had time to look through them, but you can pick which ones and give the rest back or keep some."

"I'll keep a few." I promise, because every year, I turn the pictures I have collected into a calendar for the following year and sometimes get a duplicate made for Avery as a present from the girls for Christmas. 

It's the little things... 

"Now, enough about the girls, Zak, although he is becoming my favourite subject... Tell me all about Grantley and his creepy ways. I haven't had a good creep out in a while." Avery says sitting up. 

"Weren't we just talking about scaring ourselves?" I laugh. 

"Exactly. I can scare myself into thinking that one day he might kidnap you and force you to be his fulltime cleaner and caretaker."

I shoot her a glare "Not funny."

"It was a little. Come on." She encourages. "Tell me all and then we can go back to Zak."

"Or we could just not." I deadpan.

"For that answer, we totally are. Now hit me with the creepy stuff!"

Have I mentioned that my sister is just as weird as me?