047

Trina, Taylor and I gathered in the kitchen as Sidney took his dad out front to look at the Jag. "So how are you doing Avery? Everything going good?" Trina asked me as I handed her a cup of coffee. "Things are getting there. I'm pretty sure I know who broke into the house back in November, but I don't know what's going on with that. The police are suppose to be investigating it, but I haven't heard anything," I explained to her before taking a sip of my coffee. "Yeah Mario told us everything, that must be so stressful on you," she looked at me with such understanding eyes it made me feel better about the whole situation. "Other than that things are good?" she asked. "Yeah, things are great beside that. Work is good, love is good, health is good. Couldn't ask for anything more," I smiled. Then it looked as if she was looking straight through me, like she knew something else was going on that I wasn't bringing up. I didn't know what it could possibly be though. I brought my hand up and itched my forehead awkwardly, this was weird. Did Sidney tell her something else?

We all gathered in the living room and Trina brought out a few wrapped gifts for Sidney. He pulled out a few new beanies, touques, whatever, a few sweaters and then his mom handed him a smaller wrapped box. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked him mom. She only smiled with a very slight nod of her head. He unwrapped the gift and opened the box leaning away from me so I wouldn't see it. He got up from the couch and pulled his mom into a hug. "Thanks mom, this means a lot to me," he smiled. "What is it?" I asked now becoming very curious. "It's actually for you," he smiled sitting down next to me handing me the box. I looked around and everyone was smiling at me, even Troy. I lifted the lid to see a beautiful diamond bracelet. "This was my grandmothers, she left me a few pieces of jewelry to give to the woman I was to fall in love with," Sidney smiled before kissing me. I went to say something to Sidney but we were interrupted with a knock on the door. I got up and answered it, "Scott?!" "We need to talk," he said very firmly pushing me aside to walk into the house. "Hey mom, Taylor lets go look at my car," Sidney said standing up. He's leaving me in here alone? I saw Sidney whisper something into his dad ear then him, Trina and Taylor went out front. I hope he's calling the cops out there! I followed Scott into the kitchen. "Where is it Avery?" "Where is what Scott I don't know what you are looking for!!" He looked out into the family room to see Troy looking through a book. "The diamond from South Africa," he whispered so Troy wouldn't hear. I looked at him completely confused. "What diamond?" "I stashed a ten carat rough diamond in one of your shoe boxes, I couldn't bring it with me, now I need it." I looked around the kitchen trying to remember if we had talked about this before. Wait did he just say TEN CARATS? As I went to say something Sidney walked back into the house with two police officers. "What the fuck Avery?" Scott yelled at me as the cops grabbed hold of him. "You put Sid in the hospital and then beat the crap out of my friend, all over something I don't know about! What the hell is wrong with you?" "A lot of people are after what you have Avery, I'm only trying to protect you, you need to find it and bring it to me!" he yelled as the cops dragged him outside.

Just as the cops pulled away, Mario came speeding down the street. "What does he want?" Sidney asked me as we all gathered in the front yard. "He said he stashed a ten carat rough diamond in one of my shoe boxes and a lot of people want it, and he's trying to protect me by getting it," I said not looking at anyone in particular, I was so confused. "Let's go inside and discuss this," Mario stated as we noticed the neighbor across the street had come outside to see what was going on. "I had no idea he even had a diamond, let alone a ten-carat diamond," I said as I plopped down on the couch. "Is there anyone you can call and maybe find out what's going on?" Mario asked. I looked down at my watch and figured it was about 7PM down in Cape Town. I went into my kitchen and pulled out my phone book. There was only one person I could call and that was Michael, who was Scott's best friend. It rang twice and he picked up. "Michael it's Avery," I answered. "Avery, oh Avery, we've been trying to get ahold of you for months," he said into the phone with relief. What the hell is going on? "You know about the diamond?" "Yes I know about the diamond and if Scott doesn't get it, they're going to kill him." "WHAT?!" Sidney wrapped his arm around my waist trying to calm me down but I just pushed him aside. "He stole the diamond, why do you think he moved back to the states? Then that Russian bitch seduced him and took him to Russia thinking he had the diamond but I guess he left it with you. I hate to say it Avery, but if you have it, you're not safe either." I dropped my phone on the ground, this was all sounding ridiculous. This is some Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio bullshit is what it is!

"Avery you need to tell me what's going on," Sidney shouted as I began to tear my closet apart, pulling out every shoe box I had. "He stole a rough ten-carat diamond, and whoever it belongs to is one pissed off son of a bitch and either wants the diamond or wants Scott dead. Michael told me if it's true that I have it, I'm not safe either." "That sounds ridiculous," Sidney said as he pulled me up off the ground. "I know that's what I thought at first too, but you've never been to South Africa, you don't know what it's like down there. Sure it sounds stupid, but diamonds from South Africa that are stolen are pretty much a death wish to whoever steals them." I started to cry, I didn't know why this was happening to me, I always thought Scott was a normal guy. Obviously I was WAY wrong. "That diamond, wherever it is, is worth a lot of money and I can understand why someone wants it back. We have to find it Sid." He pulled me into his arms and I was terrified. Wait! The shoeboxes! I slipped out of Sidney's grip and ran to the garage. I pulled the latter out and climbed up into the attic. I went through my shoeboxes and finally came upon a purple velvet bag. I opened it up and dumped a rough diamond into my hand. "Oh my god!!"

"Miss Winters, I think it might be best to lay low for awhile until we get all of this taken care of, and you might want to consider moving into a new house," the police officer explained to me after I had taken the diamond down to the station. I walked out of the station with Sidney and we drove to Mario's house. "I think we need to consider what he said, and move. I don't feel safe leaving you alone in that house," Sidney said squeezing my hand. "Okay, yeah okay." I was still in shock. "This kind of stuff just doesn't happen, why is it happening to me?" I asked Sidney before I started crying again. "It's alright babe, you didn't know. You had no idea, but we're going to get through this together. I'm right here," he squeezed my hand once more and we pulled into Mario's driveway. We walked into the house and Trina pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry, this isn't exactly the welcome I wanted to give you guys this morning," I cried into her shoulder. "It's okay Avery. Troy, Mario and I were talking and I think it might be a smart idea if you guys moved," she explained and Mario chirped in, "please stay here until you find a place." We both nodded our head and sat down in the kitchen. "I'm sorry I pushed you away earlier," I whispered into Sidney's ear. "Hey, don't be sorry. I love you." He smiled and pulled me in for a kiss. I feel safe like this.