Dream Catcher

7

Chapter 7: Photographs

Two been days since talking with Piper at the library, and everything is still trying to sink in, but I'm getting through. I hope. When I told Sean what happened, he felt really bad for her. Who would do this? He'd ask. No one knows. He admitted it was a good idea to tell Piper our secret, agreed that it was for the best. Maybe she can even help us catch him.

Today, Vivian decided to treat me to dinner, taking me to The Smokehouse Grille, and later the little candy shop down the street.

"So what's the occasion?" I ask, sitting down at one end of the table.

"What?"

"Why are you taking me out today?"

Vi laughs, "What, a girl can't take her best friend out to dinner?"

"No, she can," I smirk at her, "But you've only done this for me on my birthdays...and mine isn't for another month."

She sighs, giving up, "After everything you're going through, I feel bad that I doubted what you were feeling. I feel terrible, and there's nothing I can do to help."

I smile, taking her hand and squeezing it, "What you're doing now, being here for me, is fantastic."

She squeezes my hand back in thanks, "Okay, enough of this sappy business. Let's eat."

About an hour into our dinner, I start to zone in and out of Vi's story of the horrific time she wrestled a dog while dog-sitting. By the way she described it, it might as well have been an alligator attacking her instead of a little chihuahua.

"Don't get me wrong, dogs are the cutest. But damn, you should have seen it's teeth! It's like the owners needed to saw parts of it off or something."

I laugh and smile, trying to listen. I love our time together, but when she talks, her stories take forever. I'm gazing around the restaurant, admiring the farmhouse style layout when I notice a familiar looking face come through the door.

By my look of shock, Vi turns around to see who I'm gaping at when she spots Piper, too. It's only been two days and in this small town, it's easy to bump into the same person frequently, but I don't think I'm ready to face all of the pressure right at the moment. Vi taking me here was to get my mind off of everything.

My eyes follow Piper who's following a hostess leading her and her mom a few tables over. Her eyes roam the place, skipping over me for a second before they flip back to where I'm sitting, widened in surprise.

Swallowing, I give her a small nod, trying to tell her that we're okay. We are going through this together.

Piper get's my drift, nodding back with a small smile before sitting down in the booth.

"She looks so much better than when I saw her on TV. Not as thin or pale." Vi turns back in her seat. "I hope she's okay. We really need to catch this SOB."

"Yeah.."

"But... there's this look in her eyes I've never seen before. When I babysat her, she was always bright and playful. Calm. Now, she looks more scared... defiant, but scared." She pauses, assessing me. "Just like you."

I look down at my hands. "I'm scared as hell, Vi. I'm not brave and defiant. I just want to be left alone."

"Oh, Jen hun. I know you do. But look, if you weren't brave, you'd be crying and locking yourself up in your room. You'd shut everyone out. But no, you aren't crying and you share everything with Sean and Brayden and me. And recently Piper. You're helping her find a man who doesn't deserve to live for what he's done or what he might do to you," Tears threaten to fall, "You are brave. You're going to get through this, happy and whole."