At the meeting of their eyes, Betty let her clenched fists relax and her face soften. Michael could tell she’d made her point. She’d done her damage, and she knew it was time for the police to do their job. As droves of people came through the door he watched as Betty stepped back, flattened the wrinkles out of her dress, and then shook the ache out of her hand.
He moved over to her and pulled her in for a tight hug. “You’ve been everything I’ve ever needed. Every time.”
“I just decked your mother, Michael, don’t make me sound like a saint,” Betty laughed, but it only made Michael squeeze her tighter.
“You might not be conventional, but you’re perfect. I wish everyone in the world had a Betty.”
“It would certainly make for lots more good food.”
“There would be lots more good everything.”
“Mr. Cooper?” one of the officers asked as he pulled a small notebook from his pocket. “We’re taking your mother, the nanny, and your sister into custody. I know you are a lawyer. Will you be representing any of them?”
“My sister? Why is Josephine being arrested? I’ll certainly do what I can for her. I think as the story unfolds it will become clear my mother was the source of the criminal activity.”
“She’s been implicated in the conspiracy regarding your father’s death. The medical examiner who was paid to falsify his report states that, upon Josephine’s request, he added there was a head injury. Your father died of a heart attack. There was no head injury. She’ll be facing charges of conspiracy and obstruction to say the least.”
“Josephine,” Michael gasped as he saw his sister being led from the house in handcuffs. “I don’t understand. Why did you say you threw something at him?”
“I needed you to think I was in trouble. You were always a sucker for bailing people out. I figured if you thought I’d go to jail for murder you’d do what mother wanted. But instead you ruined everything.” With a fiery resolve she fought against the handcuffs and it took a second officer to pull her from the house.
“She was in on it,” Michael said in disbelief. “Why would she do that?”
“Because you become the person who raises you,” Betty said, clutching his shoulder. “Unless you are smart enough to get the hell out like you did. Just remember that when you’re raising Frankie; she is what you help make her. So make her something good.” Betty stepped out the front of the house and Michael stared blankly for moment.
“I can’t believe this is what I was born into. How did I end up with these people as my family?” he asked as he followed her outside in a daze in search of fresh air.
“You didn’t,” Piper replied with a smile as she looked out across the long driveway and saw Betty joining Jules, Frankie, and Bobby who were leaning against a waiting car. “You ended up with those people as your family. And luckily so did I.”
“What are they doing here?”
“Bobby was trying to catch Jules before she got here but he couldn’t. Once they saw the commotion they weren’t going to leave you here. They wanted to be here for you.”
Michael put his arm around Piper and amidst all the chaos and police presence walked with his head held high toward the people who’d had his back since the day he’d met them and he was sure they’d be there with him until the end.
The End
Epilogue
Five Years Later
It had become a running joke that Clay and Betty would have the longest engagement in history. Every time they considered getting married something else would come up and, in true selfless fashion, they’d postpone. It had become kind of laughable.
They’d sit on the porch and tell everyone they were happy and didn’t need some fancy party to enjoy their lives together. But everyone felt they deserved the party, nonetheless. It had to be something special and unique. Something completely Betty and Clay. Something inclusive of the people and things they loved. Piper glanced around the room and knew they had nailed it.
“It’s kind of funny to see what you can accomplish when you’re really rich,” Piper said, nudging Jules in the ribs.
“We were plenty rich before the money,” Jules nudged back. “But yeah, this is pretty nice.”
“I’m glad everything is finally out of probate and the money and assets from Michael’s family can actually go to good use.” Piper took a glass of champagne off the tray as it passed by.
“The majority of the money has been donated. Michael wanted to make sure all the people and charities who should have benefited from it did. But I’m glad there was enough left over for a day like today.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” Michael laughed as he looked around the room and joined them, Bobby right behind him.
“It’s like a hoedown crossed with a sophisticated culinary event. My brain doesn’t know what to make of this. Maybe it’s the jet lag.”
“Well we are in one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world. Clay and Betty are going to get their own private class after the ceremony. Plus, there is no more romantic place in the world than Paris,” Jules argued.
“Yes,” Michael said, kissing his wife, “I just don’t think the L’acadamie de Cuisson would have agreed if they knew how many handkerchiefs and hay bales would be involved in the decorating of their great hall. I doubt they have any idea what half this stuff is.”
“Look over at Betty,” Piper said as she pointed to the front of the room where Betty, looking beautiful in a simple, white cotton dress, was hugging everyone in sight. “It’s perfect.”
“It was important that we did it far away from home for that reason right there,” Jules reminded them. “Betty wanted Chris, Sydney, and their kids to be with them on such a special day and here they are, getting their hugs. Plus, look at Willow and Josh. They never got a honeymoon either and now they’re here in Paris to celebrate. Rumor even has it that Jedda might propose to Crystal under the Eiffel Tower, but you didn’t hear that from me.” Jules had a look of sheer joy on her face and it made Piper want to hug her. This wedding was quirky and eccentric just like all of the guests in attendance, but Jules was right. It was so perfectly Clay and Betty.
“I think we might be in some trouble with all these kids.” Bobby laughed as a gaggle of children chased a runaway balloon across the room. Frankie was the ringleader, constantly reminding the others she was the oldest and the tallest. CJ, Chris’s boy, didn’t count, Frankie would remind them, because he was pretty much a grown-up now.
But Bobby and Piper’s son, Logan, wasn’t far behind Frankie in inches, even if he was a year younger. Adopting him and his twin sister, Sky, had been the wildest adventure Bobby and Piper had ever been on and that was saying something, considering what they’d been through over the years. Chris and Sydney’s daughter, Hope, was trotting along, chasing the balloon. Somewhere along the way they’d all taken to calling each other cousins, and it seemed to suit them perfectly.
“Do you think they’ll be the next generation of troublemakers like we were? Will they chase down right and wrong and think they can save the world?” Piper asked, watching the kids move wildly through the hall.
“I hope not,” Bobby decided, pulling his wife in toward him. “I hope their lives are perfectly boring and uneventful. I hope they work at the Wise Owl restaurant for Betty and Clay and keep their noses out of trouble.”
Sydney and Chris came up, exchanging hugs and handshakes and clearly excited to share in this day. “Another move planned for you guys I heard,” Bobby said, looking somber about that news.
“That’s what happens when you’re in witness protection, unfortunately,” Chris said with a shrug. “But we’re thinking of something a little farther away this time. Sydney has only been here for eighteen hours, and she’s fallen in love with Paris.”
“Please move here,” Jules squealed, “because I want to visit!”
“Look, there’s Clay,” Michael said, pointing to the door in the corner of the ro
om. “It looks like he’s ready.”
They all gathered in the front of the room as Clay came forward and took Betty’s hand in his. There would be no walking down the aisle or observing other traditions. They had said they just wanted to exchange vows in front of those they loved in a place that felt like they belonged.
The minister walked up in front of them and addressed the small group with a prayer, then asked Betty and Clay to profess their love to each other.
“Clay,” Betty started, and the small group fell silent, even the children. “You put lard in your biscuits rather than butter, and I still love you. I think that’s saying a lot.” The small group erupted in laughter. “We are different. Wildly different in many ways. We cook different, we pray different, we clean different, and by different I mean you don’t clean and I do.” The laughter rose up again. “But we do one thing very much the same. We love the same. It’s easy to say the word unconditional, but it’s hard to live it. In you I’ve found someone who loves my quirks and my faults. Today as we come together in marriage, finally, I vow to never be dumb enough to screw this up.”
“Betty,” Clay started, trying to compose himself against the laughter. “Until the day I met you, I’d never met anyone like you. And no one since can compare to you. You’ve given me so many things over the years. A purpose, a business partnership, love—but there is one thing you’ve given me that I will spend the rest of my life thinking about.”
“Food poisoning?” Betty asked. “Because I’m telling you that wasn’t from my grits, you had the flu.”
“No,” Clay shouted, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. “You’ve given me all these people.” He gestured toward the group. “I’m a grandpa because of you. I’ve never had the ability to connect with people in any way other than food. My whole life I hid behind aprons and recipes. Then one day a woman burst into my fancy restaurant kitchen, strong-armed me for a recipe, and then stole my heart.” He leaned in and kissed her as the group let out an audible teasing groan.
“Oh stop it, y’all. Did everyone do their homework?” Betty asked, pointing her finger at each of them. “I told you all to think of something southern that describes what love really is. I want to hear them. That’s your gift to us, and I want some real profound stuff here.”
“I’ll go first,” Chris said, stepping forward and lifting his daughter into his arms. “Love is like wildflowers. It springs up where you’d least expect it and often at times when you didn’t know it was coming. But then when it’s there you wonder how you ever lived without something so beautiful.” Sydney leaned in for a kiss and then blew a kiss over to Betty.
“Love is like a thunderstorm. It’s the collision of differences to create something so awe-inspiring you have to stop and watch its power.” Sydney smiled.
“Oh my goodness, you fools are going to have a hard time topping that. They really thought it through.” Betty laughed with tears in her eyes.
Jedda and Crystal stepped up next. “We worked on ours together. Love is spring. Everything is new and full of life. When you feel like you can’t take another day of winter, spring comes to rescue you.”
“Can I go on record to say this is weird?” Willow groaned and rolled her eyes. “We didn’t make you guys do this stuff at our wedding.”
Piper shot out above the voices of the crowd. “You didn’t invite any of us. You eloped.”
“You’re welcome for that.” Willow shrugged back. “But fine, I have one. I wasn’t in the South very long, but to me love is like a butterfly. It has the capacity to change if you give it time. It needs patience and quiet but then something amazing can be born out of it.”
“Born, like a baby?” Betty asked, peeking through the crowd to see Willow’s belly to check for any signs of a bump.
“So much for keeping a secret,” Josh said, throwing up his hands and laughing. The group paused for a moment to shower Willow and Josh with their celebratory congratulations before Betty called them back to the task at hand.
“That doesn’t get you out of having to answer, Josh. Something southern that shows us what love is; get on with it,” she urged.
“To me love is like a field. It’s wide open, endless space and potential, and you get to choose what you do with it, how you care for it, and what you build on it.” Josh placed a hand on Willow’s stomach and they leaned their foreheads together as they smiled.
“Michael and Jules?” Betty said, gesturing over to them.
“For me,” Michael started, “love is like a mountain. You’re forever scaling it and there is no end in sight.”
“That’s depressing,” Jules said with a slap to his shoulder.
“No, because I love mountain climbing. I never want it to end. The important thing is every now and then you look over and make sure your partner is beside you. It’s easy to leave them behind sometimes. You’ve got to go back, help them find their footing, and keep climbing together.”
“I guess that’s okay then,” Jules said as she slid her hand into his. “To me love is like snow in the South. It’s special and unexpected, and when it happens you feel like you’re looking at something wondrous and magical. It doesn’t come along often, but when it does you stop what you’re doing to make sure you take it all in.”
“That just leaves you two,” Betty said, peering over at Bobby and Piper.
“Mine is easy,” Bobby began. “Love is a porch swing. It’s quiet talks while we listen to the crickets. It’s watching the sunset, and occasionally still being there to see it rise. It’s comfort and safety and finally having peace.”
The whole room waited silently as Piper turned her chin up and tried to think of just the right words. She was the girl who couldn’t love and was never loved before. That’s why every eye in the room was now trained on her; she was the one who climbed out of the deepest hole to find happiness. Her answer would be more impactful because it would be rooted in her journey from empty to full. “Love is a wagon wheel,” she said, biting at her lip to hold back tears. “It’s round and infinite if it’s done the right way. Its spokes are made up of more than just the two people pledging themselves to each other; they include all the people who help them get there and help them stay there. You are all our spokes, holding us together, keeping us strong, and we hope we do the same for you. I like that our stories don’t have one hero all the time. I like that when one of us is down, we’ve created a village to raise us back up. Eight years ago I accepted an invitation to dinner at Betty’s house. That was the day my life truly started, because that was the first day I felt love.”
No one spoke for a moment as they all seemed to be taken back by the power of Piper’s words. Love had come late to her. Life had been hard on her. But now, looking at her, you’d never know. Every label she’d ever had was now washed away and replaced. Now she went by mommy, auntie, daughter, wife, and friend. Everyone circled around her, and even the kids took part wrapping their arms around her tightly. “Love is a wagon wheel,” Betty said, nudging her way closer to Piper, making sure she got a good squeeze in.
Piper closed her eyes and felt the sensation of every arm embracing her. With support like this, she knew she’d never truly fall down again. Love would always hold her up.
Books By Danielle Stewart
Piper Anderson Series:
Book 1: Chasing Justice
Book 2: Cutting Ties
Book 3: Changing Fate
Book 4: Finding Freedom
Book 5: Settling Scores
Book 6: Battling Destiny
Piper Anderson Extras:
Choosing Christmas - Holiday Novella - Chris & Sydney's Story
Betty's Journal - Bonus Material(suggested to be read after Book 4 to avoid spoilers)
Saving Love – A Piper Anderson Series Novella
The Clover Series:
Hearts of Clover - Novella & Book 2: (Half My Heart & Change My Heart)
Book 3: All My Heart
Book 4: Facing Home
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Battling Destiny (The Piper Anderson Series Book 6) Page 18