Emma's POV

"This is my special spot," Charlotte says proudly. "I come here all the time to chill out and think."

I can totally see why. The conservatory is so peaceful and calm, like a little oasis in the middle of everything. I take a deep breath, inhaling the earthy smell of the soil and the sweet scent of the flowers.

"Wow, Charlotte, this place is awesome," I say, feeling a big smile spread across my face.

Charlotte grins back at me. "I'm glad you like it, Emma. So, how about we play hide and seek?"

My heart skips a beat at the idea. Hide and seek? I haven't played that in forever. But seeing how excited Charlotte is, I can't help but feel pumped up too.

"Heck yeah, let's do it!" I say, my voice full of enthusiasm.

And so, we spend the rest of the afternoon running around the garden, laughing and having a blast. For a few hours, all the stress and worry just melt away, and I feel like a kid again.

The sun starts to set and the sky turns pink and orange as Charlotte and I wander through the garden, she suddenly stops and plucks some flowers from a nearby bush. Before I know it, she's weaving them into a flower crown and placing it gently on my head.

"Ta-da! You look so pretty, Emma!" she exclaims, her eyes sparkling with delight.

I can't help but grin as I admire the crown in the reflection of a nearby pond. "Thanks, Charlotte! You're good at this."

Inspired by her gesture, I gather some flowers of my own and fashion a crown for Charlotte. She giggles as I place it on her head, and soon we're both giggling like little girls, twirling around in our flower crowns.

But as I spin around, a pang of sadness hits me. Memories of playing with Ava when we were kids flood my mind, and for a moment, I feel a lump forming in my throat. She was gone now, and all I had left were memories.

Charlotte must sense my change in mood because she takes my hand, bringing me back to the present. "Come on, Emma. Let's head back to the pack house," she says gently.

As we approach the pack house, I'm surprised to find Matthew waiting for us. His expression is one of genuine surprise as he takes in our flower crowns.

"Hey, what's with the flower crowns?" he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Charlotte beams up at him. "Don't they look good, Matthew?"

Matthew's eyes soften as he looks at us. "They look beautiful," he says sincerely.

I feel my cheeks flush at his compliment, and I instinctively reach up to touch my flower crown. But before I can remove it, Matthew insists that I keep it on.

"No, Emma, you should keep it. It suits you," he says, his tone gentle but firm.

I feel a flutter of butterflies in my stomach as I meet his gaze, and I can't help but smile. Maybe wearing a flower crown isn't so bad after all.

As the evening settles in and the soft glow of twilight fills the room, I step into Charlotte's bedroom with my flower crown perched on my head. Charlotte is already in her cute pink bunny pajamas, a wide grin on her face as she sits up in bed.

"Hey, Emma! Come sit with me," she says, patting the space beside her.

I settle onto the bed beside her, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. There's just something about hanging out with Charlotte that makes everything feel good.

Charlotte snuggles under her blankets, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Tell me another story, Emma! Your voice makes me sleepy."

I can't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Sure thing. What story are you in the mood for tonight?"

Before she can answer, I spot Matthew strolling into the room. Unlike last time, when he seemed all tense and on edge around me, tonight he looks way more relaxed. He takes a seat by the window, the evening lights casting cool shadows on his face and making him look kinda mysterious.

I shoot him a quick look before turning back to Charlotte. "Alright, how about I tell you the story of Rapunzel?"

Charlotte's eyes light up with excitement. "Yes, please!"

So I dive into the tale of Rapunzel. Charlotte's totally captivated, and Matthew stays silent, allowing me to freely take his sister into another magical world with my worlds. Not that I am a good storyteller, but I try my best.

When I finish the story, Charlotte lets out a dreamy sigh. "I wish I had hair like Rapunzel too."

I give her a playful nudge. "Who needs Rapunzel hair when you're rocking that adorable flower crown?" I tease, tapping the crown on her head.

Charlotte giggles and reaches up to give the flowers a little poke. "You're right, Emma. I love this flower crown."

She suddenly points to my hair and says, "You know, Emma, you'd totally rock long hair like Rapunzel. Your hair is so pretty!"

I can feel my cheeks flushing at the compliment. "Aw, thanks, Charlotte. But I kinda like it short."

Charlotte turns to Matthew, who's chilling in the corner, and asks, "Don't you think Emma would look awesome with long hair?"

I feel a little self-conscious as Matthew's gaze shifts to me, like he's really analyzing my hair or something. After a moment, he finally says, "Yeah, she wouldn't look bad with it."

Charlotte's eyes light up with excitement. "See, Emma? You'd look amazing! And think about it, you could use your long hair to climb the high walls of the pack house."

I can't help but laugh at her suggestion. "Yeah, but then shampooing it would be a nightmare."

Charlotte turns to Matthew with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Matthew, you could shampoo Emma's long hair for her!"

Matthew, who was casually sipping water from a bottle, nearly chokes at the suggestion. He coughs and splutters, water spraying everywhere.