“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I got up and grabbed my helmet and phone and headed out of her for a stop in the bathroom for a quick wash before I set off for the shop. As I was leaving, I glimpsed that prick, Jorge, sitting in the living room. I could just imagine his attack on her for getting mixed up with a man like me.
“Hey, man. I’m sorry for last night. I was a complete asshole,” Jorge said.
I gave him a curt nod and left the house. Knowing he’d be the first taking that apology back the second he found out about Piper’s pregnancy. I pressed my knuckles hard into the front door. Not again. Why couldn’t I be a part of the decision making? My decision would be to keep our baby. However, I couldn’t force her. I couldn’t do what I’d done with Mia. I wouldn’t put myself in her way. However, if she didn’t keep our baby, I honestly wasn’t sure I could recover enough to for us to be together afterward. No matter what we decided, we were losing.
My eyes stung as I secured the helmet on my head and headed off to find a place to recharge my phone. I drove without rhyme or reason for a half hour, seeking to clear my head to get myself prepared for the conversation we would need to have once I got back. Once I focused on where I was again, it didn’t take me too long to find a strip mall that had my phone company’s logo displayed on its signage.
It only took stepping inside for one of the salespersons to ask to help me out, going as far as placing my phone on charge while offering to sell me just about everything under the sun. I stood there and endured, as I needed the distraction and the time to get some power back in my phone. After twenty minutes I had a new charger and a stupid case for my phone and a half charged phone that was lighting up like the Vegas strip with messages once I had it back and on in my hands. Seren. Doc. Doc. Doc. My pulse raced on as I played the last one.
“Are you on your way? The call is in, to Cole’s contacts wherever he is, to come back now. You need to be here.”
I fixated on the anguish and urgency in his voice and fumbled with my phone to play his earlier messages.
“Seren is doing fine. I’m taking her for a ride out on my bike. She’s missed biking. Tell Piper I said hello, and me and Fiona are thinking about her.”
“Brody. I’m at the hospital. Seren has had a seizure. I did everything I could…she’s in the hospital.”
I last press play on Seren’s message.
“Hey, Boss—”
I stopped the message. My heart shattered in my chest as gloom yanked me under. Doc didn’t give me a reason to believe she was gone. He got her to the hospital. The only thing I needed to do was get back and to the hospital now. I jumped on my bike and was halfway to the airport before I realized I’d need to get rid of the bike. I’d need to drive back down to New York City and leave it. Fuck. I couldn’t leave it at Piper’s house. Piper. No. This wasn’t happening right now. I had to focus.
I pulled over. I couldn’t just leave without telling her something. She didn’t deserve me disappearing. Should I tell her what happened? No. She was weeks away from leaving for her trip. Seren would be fine, and we’d end up further messing around with her life. And with that on my mind, I took a breath and called her. Her phone went straight into voicemail. I left the message:
“Something came up, and I have to go back to Colorado Springs….I understand you may need to make decisions that may be hard for me. But know I want you to go for your dreams. You have to come first. I love you. Always.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Piper
A KNOCK ON my door had me turning over in my bed and clutching my sheets to cover myself. “Yes?”
“It’s me, Jorge. Can I come in?” I wiped my eyes and peered around the bedroom. Brody had left to go and get his phone charged. The sunshine behind the blinds let me know it was a while later as it was practically daybreak when he left. I hadn’t planned to sleep all day and was wondering what might have delayed him.
“Just a minute.” And I sat up and grabbed my dress and straightened the bed. “Come in.”
“Hey,” he said. “You look like hell.”
I pursed my lips. “Thanks.”
“Hey. I’m sorry about last night,” he said stopping by the bed. “I’ve accepted your relationship with Brody—”
“No, you haven’t,” I said cutting him off. I went to the dresser and got my clothes. “I just won’t tolerate any more of your bullshit. Nora is a pretty amazing, understanding woman.”
“I know,” he said. “It was just you had worked so hard and were doing so well in your classes, but you still were so caught up in his life that you know better than me doesn’t fit with you. If last night showed you anything, it showed you that.”
“What last night showed me, is that my friends think they know what’s better for me than I do. Excluding Nora, I’d say my friends are selfish and snobbish. They represent everything I don’t want in my life. Brody has shown, over and again, he is willing to do whatever it took to help me,” I said.
“By doing what? Selling your father’s ride? I’m sure he gets a percentage from that,” Jorge said.
I cursed. “He sold his own bike to make sure I could be here this semester. I’m not proud of taking his money, and from the sale of the bike, he will have it back, and I’ll pay him whatever he needs for his selflessness.” If I can sell that bike. “He didn’t stop me from leaving, and when he came back, he wasn’t quick to push me away from my program.”
“So have I,” Jorge said. “I’ve helped you too.”
“And I have helped you too, Jorge. We have helped each other; that’s what friendship is all about. Helping is not something be held over my head to make me to do what you want. I don’t do that to you,” I folded my arms. “I’m tired of fighting with you. I wasn’t kidding when I said our friendship was on its last leg.”
“I came in here to make up with you. Fine. He’s not a complete scumbag. I apologized to him this morning,” he said.
“I’m going to take a shower,” I said walking past him.
“Breakfast?” he asked.
“I’ll just wait for Brody,” I said curtly.
I went into the bathroom and cleaned up then went back into my room to put everything away. When I was done, I finally looked at the clock. 2:00 p.m. I went over to pick up my phone and checked my messages. One message from Brody, and an old one from an unknown number. All I could think about was Brody’s message for me. I played it twice, three times. My mind was racing over all the possibilities of his abrupt departure. I didn’t know what to make of it. Although I could hardly blame him for leaving, after the way things went last night. Jorge and Matt treated him poorly. He probably thought because they don’t approve he should leave.
Did something happen with Seren? No. He would never have come out to visit if he thought she wasn’t well. Doc and Fiona were there with her and would have called me. Did he break up with me? No. He wouldn’t do that again or by phone. He loved me. All that I could accept; but the part of his message about my coming first was confusing me. What about our love first? I let out a sob. Had anything I ever done proved how much he meant to me? He didn’t need to leave. I was his, and he was here for me.
“Piper.” Jorge was back in my room. I curled on my side away from him.
“What’s wrong?” I felt the bed dip down with his weight on it. “Tell me. What happened?”
“Brody left. He came here, and I couldn’t show him how good things could’ve been with me here,” I sobbed.
He touched my back. “It’s going to be okay.”
I moved away. “No, it’s not.”
Nora came in the room. “What’s wrong with Piper?”
“Brody left,” Jorge said.
“Because of you,” she spat. “You were horrible to him, and now she’s hurt. I want you to leave now.”
“Uhm…wait,” Jorge said.
“You heard me. Get out, Jorge. I’m not playing second anymore. If I’m not good enough then find some
one that you want to be first,” she said.
“She’s my best friend. She needs me,” he said.
“She needed a best friend last night. I needed the man I love to be my boyfriend, and you weren’t willing to do that either. So leave,” she said. “Last time I ask.”
“Nora is right. I want you to leave,” I said between clenched teeth. We glared at each other for a moment before he turned away and walked over to Nora.
“I do care about you, and like I said, I apologize. I’m sorry for hurting you both,” he said and left.
Nora flopped down on the bed. “I can’t believe Jorge. I’m sorry Brody left…how about we go and eat something sugary and bad mouth our men?”
I wiped my eyes and nodded at Nora, and that was what we did before we went back to our coursework. I went over my presentation for Monday numerous times. When I was about to put my things away, I heard the doorbell sound.
“What are you doing here? You are no longer allowed to just stop by, Matt,” Nora’s voice shrilled.
Oh yeah, Matt. The other man I wanted to speak with about last night. I stomped into the living room and found him standing by the door with a smug grin on his face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I said coarsely.
His grin wilted. “Oh. I just wanted to see how you were getting on with your presentation.”
“You’ll see in class. You are no longer welcome to stop by anytime you feel like it after the stunt you pulled last night in front of Brody. In fact, any communication you need with me can be done in class.”
“We have to work together for the rest of the year. We’re partnering in South America in a few weeks. You still need to work with me,” he said.
“I don’t have to work with you in my home. We can work in class or the library.” I moved past him and opened the front door wider. “Now leave.”
“Nora lives here too,” he said.
“I agree with Piper. We want you to leave.”
He frowned at her then shifted his gaze to me. “Wait, Piper, don’t kick me out. I get you’re mad right now, but you must understand that we’ve been a perfect team these last few weeks. You spent all your free time with me—”
“Doing work for class,” I interrupted him. “Not what you implied to Brody. If I had a choice, I would have been with him. I’m sick and tired of you trying to make something happen between us. I had hoped we could be friends—”
“We are friends, but don’t play dumb. You knew, all this time, I liked you. I get that you’re mad at me right now, but I’m sure you’re not surprised I’m jealous.”
I pursed my lips. “I’m not, but it doesn’t make it right, and it doesn’t change anything except make me dislike you again.”
His nostrils flared. “You’re mad; I get that. Fine. I’ll go and let you cool off. Be sure you’re ready for the presentation on Monday and have your forms in for the trip.”
“I’m ready. The forms will be turned in. Don’t drop by again.” I slammed the door behind him.
“I wish I could say that’ll be the last of him, but he has a habit of forgetting,” Nora said.
“Duly noted. Thanks, Nora,” I said and returned to my room. I sat at my desk and worked ahead on my studies until I was exhausted. I was about to go to bed when my phone chimed. Brody? I was ready to let it go into voicemail when I saw it was Aunt Luna. I admittedly didn’t want to hear about how happy she was with Miles, but I decided to answer it anyway.
“Hello?”
“Why are you not in Colorado Springs?” she asked.
“Why would I be?” I asked. “Brody said he had to go, but we had a bad visit here.”
“Seren is in the hospital. It’s serious,” she said.
I touched the center of my chest. “What happened?”
“I called Seren to tell her about an alternative cancer treatment, and Fiona answered her phone and told me she was in the hospital. I asked her where you were she said you weren’t there. I didn’t know about you and Brody, but this is Seren.”
My eyes filled with tears. My soul sister. I had been so upset about his leaving I didn’t even try to call or see what was going on. I looked around the room and noticed his small bag was in the closet. Why didn’t he call to tell me? I wiped my eyes. He didn’t because I wasn’t supposed to leave. He didn’t want to stand in the way of my dream, not even for Seren. He’s wrong.
“I’m going. I’m going now,” I spluttered.
“I’ll get you a ticket. I’ll come out too. Miles and I are getting a hotel,” she said. “We’ll get a room with a spare bed.”
“Thanks for the offer. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’ll have to get things in order here, but I’ll be there,” I said.
“Good. I knew you would do the right thing,” she said. “Seren loves you so much. She needs all the love and energy we have to come back.”
My heart ripped apart at her words. “I’ll text you. I must go.” I packed quickly and told Nora my plan. I had found a flight that left in a few hours. She was ready to drive me to the airport, but before I went, I needed to do something completely out of my comfort zone. I needed to speak with Professor Gilmore. We all had his information and address, but showing up in the middle of the night wasn’t on the list of permissions. Nora drove me over to Amherst and to his house, which was, of course, as remarkable in architecture as the man. But I didn’t have time to linger or marvel over its modern beauty. I rang his front doorbell a couple of times. Yikes. The lights came on, and Professor Gilmore appeared at the door in a robe.
“Ms. Rowe. Showing up unannounced in the middle of the night at my house would be a dick move. Since you don’t have one and have never taken such a demented action before it must be important. Come in.”
“Who is it?” I heard a woman call from the stairs.
“One of my ten,” he called out, and I followed him to sit on a bench in his foyer.
“One of the biker babes, Seren, is in the hospital. I need to go to her,” I said.
“Serendipity. The one you wrote so passionately and fondly about. Yes. I remember. Did something happen?”
I swallowed hard. “The cancer came back, and she’s seriously ill,” I said in a hushed tone.
“And you came here for permission?” he said and gave me a wistful smile. “If I don’t give it, will you go?”
“Yes. I will,” I said without hesitation.
“Now, that’s the Piper Rowe I’ve come to know.” He grinned at me. “As I believe it is important that you go, I’m willing to give you my permission in the way of supporting, documenting, and writing. I want to know every part of your time there.”
“I don’t want to use that time to further my career. Seren is a sister to me. I came to get the rest of the semester work to take with me,” I said.
“You’re not using them, but their story is important. The story is what I want from you, and that’s what I’m interested in, and that’s your assignment,” he said. “That’s the good news I have for you. The bad is—”
“I won’t be one of the ten,” I said sadly.
“Yes. I know it seems unfair given the circumstances. However, we, as global journalists have to make the hard decisions. The story is our lives, and our lives are going after the story. The program requires you give everything. And as Aerosmith puts it, “don’t miss a thing.”
I was sure the song was a love song, but he was trying to lighten the load of the reality that was before me. Then again, he’d taught us that love was the heart of journalism. Matt had that heart and was now without a partner. I thought to ask about him about that.
“I’ll reassign Matt a partner, so don’t worry about him,” he said. “I’ll also let the registrar office know.”
“I guess I’ll be transferring to broadcasting,” I stammered.
“Yeah, but we know you can do better. In fact, I know you’re more than that. As I always told you, you don’t need this degree to do this work, and I will stay as yo
ur advisor. You were number one in my class. I could do that for you.”
“Thank you,” I said and stood.
“Seizing your life and these people and experience has transformed your life. Now it is in your hands to live it as it is played out for you,” he said. I surprised him by hugging him.
“Thank you, Professor Gilmore.”
“Russ! You are hugging me, and I’m only wearing a robe. You can call me Russ. I expect a report.”
I turned to go.
“Piper. I’m still intrigued by you.”
I bit my lip and nodded, then walked out of his house and got into the car with Nora. Even though I was heading away from my first dream, I would see Seren, and I would face Brody. Because Professor Gilmore was right about me, I was on my way to seize the reality of the life I had with the people I loved. I would be there. Because they mattered. Because I put them first. Because I was ready.
PART THREE THE CONCLUSION COMING SOON
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Acknowledgments
Thank you to Alan, my husband, best friend and partner. I love you.
Thank you to wonderful group of people that helped me with Piper Dreams Series. I greatly appreciate all your help.
Thank you to Silvia Curry. of Silvia’s Reading Corner for beta reading services
Piper Dreams: Make It Happen (Dream Series Book 2) Page 22