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"Piper," I say, my voice hoarse. "Hi."
"Hi," she says back, her voice soft. "Thanks for coming."
"Of course," I say, trying to keep my cool. "How was the bus ride?"
"It was okay," she says with a shrug. "Long, but okay. I'm just glad to be here."
I nod, not knowing what else to say. We stand there in silence for a moment, neither of us sure what to do next. Finally, Piper speaks up.
"Can we go somewhere and talk?" she asks.
"Yeah, sure," I say, nodding towards my car. "My car's just over there."
We make our way over to the car Piper following behind me. I open the door for her and she climbs in the passenger side as I sling her stuff into the trunk. I get in the driver's seat, finding Piper reaching out to mess with the St. Christopher's medal hanging from the rearview.
"I didn't know you were religious," she says.
"I'm not," I tell her. "Or...I wasn't. But your mom getting sick has a way of making you search for help wherever you can find it."
"Is she doing okay?"
I nod. "Funny enough, she just finished chemo this morning."
I pull out of the station and we drive down the streets aimlessly. I'm not quite ready to bring her back home--not when I know I'll have to explain what's going on to my mom. I left her with Eli, but she already has questions...
...and I'll have to explain all of this to my whole family.
Sadie and my mom, who know all about how horrible Piper was to Caleb.
And Caleb and Reagan, with their brand new baby...
"You don't have to bring me back to Fern Hollow," Piper says like she's reading my mind. "I know your family doesn't like me, and I understand why--"
I cut her off, unable to let her finish that sentence. "It's not that they don't like you, Piper. It's just that...they know about everything that happened between you and Caleb. They're protective of me, that's all."
"I know," she says, her voice small.
We drive on in silence for a little while longer, the tension between us palpable. It's like we're both waiting for the other shoe to drop, for one of us to say or do something that will break the fragile peace that's settled between us.
But it doesn't happen.
Instead, we just...talk. About what, I'm not even sure. Nothing.
And it's nice.
Really nice.
So nice, in fact, that I almost forget why I'm here in the first place. But then Piper reaches out and touches my elbow.
"I'm starving, if you want a little while longer to catch up and figure out how to...orif...you're taking me home," she says.
I glance over at her. "Okay," I say. "But I'm definitely taking you home."
Piper smiles at me, a weight seeming to lift from her shoulders. "Thank you," she says.
We drive around aimlessly for a bit longer until we find a little diner nestled in a quiet corner of the city. We park the car and head inside, taking a booth near the window.
And over burgers and fries, we finally catch up on the hell our lives have been without each other for the past six months.
