I know.

Thirty Three

"YOU'RE TAKING TOO LONG AUGUST."

"PISS OFF ZOE." August flipped her the middle finger, Moira rolling her eyes as she sipped on her wine glass.

"I'm banning Monopoly in this house. I'll make you play dominoes next."

"You know they'll argue over that too." Zoe and August were the 2 most competitive people I knew. It made for a lot of laughs on sports day, watching both their classes compete whilst they tried to remain polite with each other was the highlight of my year. Every single June I would take the day off to go up to the field where the school played their games. I think most of the town did in all honesty. It was a full event. Food stalls, picnics. Solid family time. The best. The argument about whoever won would last all of summer though. Every time Gus and Zoe saw each other, the winner would rub it in the other's face and the loser would find a reason to claim they cheated.

I laughed as Zoe grabbed the lid of the box, hitting it over Gus' head.

"ALRIGHT, NO PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ZOE." Moira was fighting back her own laugh, confiscating anything around the 2 that could cause even more injury. Gus rubbed his head, scowling as he made his move finally, allowing me to go immediately after. I wasn't taking the end of Zoe's attacks today. I was too tired, physically and emotionally.

Gus had taken me home this morning, told me to get into something comfortable and then drove me over here in my car. He'd dragged me into the house, forced me to sit on the sofa and made several trips as he filled the room with a range of snacks and drinks, turning on my comfort show and nestling in under a blanket. As much as me and Gus bickered like crazy, he did know how to help me through all this. Always prepared, always a conversation starter away from putting my attention onto whatever else he possibly could. I swear, he saved these up. Wrote them down and brought them out today especially.

My phone sounded out from my pocket and I looked up at the clock with a sigh.

"I need to take this."

"For God's sake Rory. What about your go?"

"Moira will play for me." She rolled her eyes, smiling as she sat forward on her seat. I stood up, pulling my phone from my pocket and heading into the kitchen, closing the door behind me. "Hey."

"Hey Shortcake." He narrowed his eyes a little. "Are you at my mums?"

"Yeah. Hold on a sec." I pushed around in my pockets, untangling my earphones and connecting them up, pushing them into my ears. "Okay, I can hear you now."

"Why are you at my mums? I thought Monday was movie night with Zoe?"

"It is but Gus dragged me here and I just ended up staying, Zoe's currently beating him with the monopoly box. Your mum's confiscating the game and down grading them to dominoes and puzzles." He laughed. "You look tired."

"I am. I'm exhausted. I could barely sleep last night."

"Me neither."

"Why didn't you text?"

"Didn't want to wake you up." I sat down in my usual spot at the table as Griffin sighed.

"Ror. Text me if you can't sleep babe. If I'm asleep, I won't wake up. I was on my phone most of the night last night. I'd have called you."

"You should have been sleeping."

"So should you." I breathed. "How was your day? Bakery busy?"

"The usual." I shrugged. "Nothing to report really."

"What did you do? Make anything interesting?"

"Not really."

"Hm." He nodded. "So, you were in the bakery and the picture of the sign saying you were closed today was old?" I'm sorry what? "I asked Chris to pop over and check on you."