I knew it was too late to change my mind. Lily walked into the room and shortly afterwards I heard a gasp. I was standing with my back facing the rest...of the room and Lily. I started laughing.“Very funny” She said sharply. “What me?” I asked and acted innocent. “Oh this you mean. I hope it’s not too distracting” I said and referred to my attire, or the lag there of. “Two can play this game” I heard her mumble. She walked up close to me and whispered in my ear.“I imagined you completely naked”. ‘It’s gonna be different this year, Lara.’ ‘You said that last year…and the year before that. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up to have them shot down again.’ ‘I’m trying stuff I never have before, though. New gifts, new lingerie. Get this,’ I straightened myself to look into my best friend’s eyes, ‘the theme for this year is ‘red’.’ ‘Red?’ ‘Yeah. Red symbolizes so many things I want to bring back into the relationship, sensuality, heat, passion…’ ‘Red also reminds me of periods, pain,. Come on, drive!’ Brian said enthusiastically. The drive was quick, it turned out that Leigh didn’t live that far from the office. When they got there they noticed two cars in the driveway. ********* The knock on the door didn’t wake Leigh who was lying on the sofa, resting peacefully thanks to sedatives Lucy insisted she take. ‘Who is it?’ Lucy asked warily, not wanting to open the door. ‘ Detective Howard and Crook from Internal Affairs, San Francisco Police Department .’ Brian said a bit. He can't see me so he doesn't know what I look like. If he could? Would he want me?"Princess Eleanor stood up and turned around. Rapunzel winced involuntarily. Eleanor's face was disfigured by scar tissue. The end of her nose was missing with the nostrils enlarged and almost flat to her face."He likes my turned-up nose. Do you? Who are you? Who?" I'm Rapunzel, Euryale's daughter." Rapunzel!" Princess Eleanor almost shrieked and then started hysterical laughter. It took Eleanor a couple of.