#bergen_county

Then Gladiola looks over at Sally Mae "I don't appreciate you taking advantage of me OR trying to with my liege"

"It was your liege who was going to have ultimate say, so I don't see how I played you at all" Sally mae shakes her head "It's all part of the challenge, and more than that, I would be doing a disservice not just to myself and Caesar if I hadn't tried, but to the many Kithain and Kinaian Caesar realty helps. Every nickel I squeeze out of a well to do noble helps save a quarter for the costs middle class and working class changelings and their families have to pay. Make a noble pay top dollar for a mansion so I can help folks who could never own a house get their own spot in a community neighborhood without starving them? Dame Gladiola, you serve an Ailiil. And Daireann value Hearth. Think what you will of me, but I have my own duties and honor, and I would have shamed mine not to try."

"...can you imagine have 700 grand, in cash?"

"I mean, you need, like a hundred grand just for a down payment on a kinda shitty house in River Vale."

"Prices are harsh here" Sally mae nods

"Yeah, blows my mind" Gwen says

"Hopefully, commercial real estate for offices will finally pop forcing a transition to further residental zones and perhaps, PERHAPS mind you, deflate those prices as well." Sally Mae ponders. For her this isn't boring or banal. It's a challenge "Of course some office buildings will be costly to convert, but that's the nature of the beast"

She shrugs. "Caesar bought our building, so things have been better there."

"And part of the reason he can lower rent for your family is that we try to squeeze what we can out of the very rich" Sally Mae reinstates "In this case though, I underestimated the Baron. He's very good at this."

"He's the best" Gwen says, jaw jutting out

"Mayhaps so" the Kinain troll says "Mayhaps so. Now, about the furniture..."

(Close to selections and suggestions and so on regarding furniture)

He wakes, catching himself from swinging in ap anic. He wouldn't want to hurt his ladies. He's pale, shaking. He.. he needs a hot shower

Luckily, this time he finds Piper on the couch, she fell asleep watching music videos.

Siv stirs nearby 'mmm?"

"All's good" He lies "Just...go back to sleep"

"Mmkay" Siv drifts

He thinks he sees scorched hoofprints glowing in the floorboards! A blink though, and they are gone.

Unsure what is wrong with him lately, he goes to take that shower

*********

And somewhere, May finds her own dreams free of nightmares despite no pills. How weird is that?

*********

Later, Piper approaches Siv when Jonas is not in the room. "Hey, darl?"

Leaning on the larger troll's broad shoulder.

"mm?" She perks up again "Sorry, you're pregnant and I'm the one sleeping in" A snuggle

"Have you noticed that Jonas seems a little distant lately?" Her brow wrinkles a little in concern.

She had not, but her mind is full of learning the espionage Rivervale was pulled into, "I think I missed it. He has seemed quieter, even for him, but if it's the baby I don't understand. He smiles whenver he looks at your belly"

"Yeah, but he looks worried. His brow is all lined up. You..." She bits her lip. "You don't think he's having second thoughts, do you?"

She presses a hand to her stomach lightly, where the slightest of bulges is just starting to be visible. Not much, more like a "I just went to Chipotle" belly, but it's there.

"Nay," She puts her hand over Piper's hand over the belly gently "We've tested our man though we did not mean it, and he is an ardent suitor of old, my bashful beloved. "

"But he looks so worried. I thought things would be better now that we're getting a bigger place. You don't think he's upset about Rikki being our benefactor?"

"mmmf , most of the grumbling about that is from me" Siv admits "But we can ask."

She sighs. "He hasn't been sleeping well. And I -tried- wearing him out extra good too."

"Not that he'd ever complain about anything." Rolling her eyes heavenward.

"Wait, he... you know the night I caught him up at 2 in the morning" A frown "Not like him"

Siv kisses her "I'm going to ask"

And she starts to rise up and head to ambush him by the shower

Piper goes to make coffee. She might burn water, but she can push the button on the machine like a pro!

Jonas comes out , and Siv fuses over him sweetly

"Hope I didn't wake you?" He says

"We're not the ones who need sleep" Siv says leading him towards the coffee

"Wait, we're not? I mean you..." he blinks and yawns. His sleep has been rough

She has a few mugs from the K-cup machine ready.

He takes one "What's this about?" He asks

"What's eatin' you, babe?"

A brow lift from him "That sounds like low hanging fruit for smart assery" He sips

"Cute." Siv pokes him lightly "You've got us both worried. You're not sleeping well. You're distancing. "

"I.. didn't mean to distance, I assure you" Jonas looks troubled