Piper Torres
The others in Giselle's flat were more inclined to ignore the strange sound. Piper was plenty happy to push the sound to the back of her mind, she guessed it was probably just someone dropping plates next door or, as Giselle had suggested, someone moving furniture.
She turned her attention fully onto the other three and, immediately had to turn back around. A grin split across her face and she forced herself not to laugh, although she was sure that the odd giggle escaped and she had to hug herself to stop her shoulders from shaking. Mathew's face was a stunning art work of bright pinks and purple, Hope's small make-up bag spilled open as she played her game with him. The man obviously possessed a hell of a lot of patience, after-all not everyone would let a little girl play dress-up on them.
Composing herself Piper turned back to the three, her grin only a small smile now. Giselle, taking pity on Mathew put a stop to the play and began to pick up the make-up. A moment later a knock on the apartment door and Giselle straightened and headed to open it. It appeared that it was Hope's mother, judging by Giselle's shout from the door and Hope's excited cry of "Mummy!" .
Left alone with Mathew in the lounge Piper didn't know where to look. Piper, trying not to make eye contact with Mathew in case she began to laugh in his face - a very real problem at the moment, followed the sounds coming from the door. She heard Giselle's footsteps as she left the entrance and went into the kitchen. She came into the lounge for long enough to say to Piper,
"It's getting late Piper, you should get home, and thanks for cleaning up, your a life savor... oh and don't forget about the meeting." . Then she was gone again, leaving Piper with the distinct feeling that she was being kicked out and avoided. Piper frowned momentarily, she had wanted to get her aunt alone to question her about her behaviour at dinner, but it appeared that she wouldn't have a chance tonight.
With a sigh Piper turned towards Mathew. Any danger of her laughing at his makeup was lost in her worry about her aunt.
"I'll see you... around." Piper fare-welled him, unsure how formal or friendly to be since really, they hadn't talked much before today. She walked through the corridor and to the apartment door. There Giselle, Hope and Charity were gathered, Giselle handing over the left-over takeaways.
Piper nodded a greeting at Charity, she didn't know the woman that well but had no reason not to be friendly. Smiling at Hope Piper gave her a little wave,
"It's been nice seeing you Charity." She told the girl before turning to her aunt. "I'd best leave now, but I'll come around before the meeting tomorrow." Piper didn't pose it as a question, she would come and visit her aunt. She was determined to get her alone and find out what was wrong with her.
With a final wave she squeezed through the door and into the corridor. It was most likely the change of atmosphere but suddenly Piper felt a wave of fatigue wash over her. A late night of assignments and early morning had finally caught up with her. Fighting back a yawn she wondered back to her apartment, pushing her keys into the lock as she reached her door. A buzzing in her pocket indicated that someone had sent her a text. As she opened the door, pushing against it with her back, she pulled the phone out of her pocket and unlocked it with a swipe of her thumb.
- -Goodnight Piper hope to see you tomorrow morning! -
A smile lit her face as she read the text from Severin. She hadn't seen him all day, a mixture of him being busy with work and she being forced to spend hours in the university library finishing her assignment.
- Night! xx - She sent back, hoping she wouldn't wake him with her text. As always when she thought of Severin a tickling of guilt pricked her consciousness. She was getting better at ignoring it but she doubted that it would ever completely leave.