The Secrets We Keep

Burry

The knock at the door made Piper get up off the couch and go to the door. She oped it seeing her Aunt Annie her cousin Dylan, his friend Casey her boyfriend Wyatt, and their son AJ, as well as Gina and Casey's surprise sister story. They're always around for family parties and since Piper hung around Dylan since he's only a year older than her she grew to love his friends. But their life had gotten complicated and when she could she called him hearing all about it. But seeing familiar faces and family she smiled for the first time in a long time. "Aunt Annie," Annie stepped forward wrapping her hands around her niece. She hid the sadness in her voice and tried to stay strong for her. "I thought you guys weren't coming until tomorrow."

"I couldn't wait and everyone wanted to see you." Everyone walked in as Piper stayed next to Annie seeing her mother in her. "How are you?"

"I'm okay as I can be. Honestly, it's thanks to Dante'" Gina sat down on the couch taking baby AJ from Casey to set up a place to lay the baby. "I forced him to go back to school though."

"He seems nice, are you friends?" Piper walked into the kitchen going to the teapot and make some green tea for herself.

"Not really sure, We're together but not. It's complicated." Piper could always talk to her aunt. Annie was always more understanding when it came to the subject of sex. She gave them all the talk when they were twelve giving them as much information as possible to be safe. She accepted that the kids knew what they wanted to do with their bodies. She was there to answer any and all questions and help if asked. Casey, Wyatt, and Gina all prime examples. "But I've packed up all of my things.." Piper looked around. "I don't know what I'm going to do with Mom's stuff." Piper had taken the time between phone calls and bank calls to take care of everything.

Annie saw so much in her niece. Piper taking care of her own mother and taking care of the home she saw a different side of her. But she saw many warning signs. Having a house full of troubled past teens she's expanded her knowledge and passions. Taking college classes for psychology to better help not only her child but the others she considered hers."I can get a storage room...We're here for a week, all of us, to take care of the rest of this with you then we'll go home. The house has been a bit quiet since Casey, Wyatt, and the baby left anyway and I would love to spend more time with my niece."

"Actually...I wanted to talk to you about that-" The door opened making Piper walked to where she could see who it was. She saw Dante with a fresh bag of clothes. "Dante', School?"

"Short day, didn't I tell you?" He asked.

"Practice?"

"Cancelled." He wrapped his arms around her then finally noticed everyone around.

"You must be Dante." Annie put her hand out and he shook it introducing himself. He did the same with everyone else and they welcomed him. Sitting around drinking their tea Annie found herself unable to take her eyes off her niece wondering how she could help her. Helping her when she needed she tried. Sending her money and gifts or even things to help with the house. But Hazel and Piper where always so independent she wondered if after all this time taking care of herself Piper wanted to be taken care of.

"How about we go out." Casey suggested.

"Sounds good." Dylan said.

"Sure." Piper agreed. Taking two cars Dylan went with Piper and Dante in Piper's car and the rest went in Annies. They went to a steak house and sat down at a large table. Piper felt wiped out and sickly. She stuck to her salad and didn't get anything else but took care of the looked Dante threw her mouth that she was okay. Of course the apartment too small Piper extended family went to a hotel as Dante and Piper returned to the apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked as he pulled on his clean pajamas.

"Yeah, I just...Don't feel too good." Piper walked over putting her hand on his face. "Other than that...I'm fine."

"Okay, then have you talked to Annie? You could just stay with her go back to school and get your diploma instead of keeping that GED."

"No...I want to be on my own. Get a smaller place and start the college programs this summer. Besides Horndean is five hours away, I'm not sure I want to be that far away from everyone. Especially Diana is like family to me. Then there's you." She reminded him. She saw him get flustered as he grabbed her hand dragging her to the bed. She knew the day ahead of them was long and not one she wanted to live but she knew she had to. But with Dante by her side, she knew she could do anything.

Piper watched as the casket was lowered into the ground. The rain falling around them made Piper feel conflicted. Her mother always loved the rain it seemed appropriate to have rain as she was buried. Piper stood in front and watched as everyone walked up throwing a rose down. More people passed until it was just her and Dante. He grabbed his rose and threw it down and Piper made her way to grab the last rose."Give me a moment?" Dante nodded and walked away as she looked down at the casket. She took a deep breath and remembered everything growing up.

The days they spent together. Reading in the apartment as it rained outside. Playing in the park together. If Piper was sick, her mother right there by her side. She loved that it was them against the world. "Please be by my side. Please don't leave me."She asked. She let the flower drop down as she met Dante again going to the car. Piper sat passenger as They drove to the place they rented for the reception. Food and the time for everyone to tell Piper, Her aunt, and grandparents their condolences. It was a nice little lake house her mom would have wanter.

Piper walked around taking care of everyone during the reception and eventually went back to the kitchen to fill the food platers. "Piper." Dylan said as he walked in."What are you doing?"

"Filling the trays again, someone has too."

"Wyatt and I can do that," He rounded the island but she put her hand out.

"I've got it." She stopped putting the bacon-wrapped food on the tray when a wave of nausea hit her. Covering her mouth she took a second to breathe.

"You okay?" He asked. Piper looked up an annoyed face clear.

"There you are," Casey walked in AJ on her hip. "You're grandparents were wondering where you went?"

"Food trays," Piper responded and a moment later it hit again. She had to fight for it not to take over her.

"Woah...You don't look so hot...You kind of look like me when-"Casey shut her mouth, not finishing her sentence as she looked at Piper. Piper just turned back to her.

"What?"

"Well...When I found out I was pregnant. When was your last period?"

"You think everyone is pregnant," Dylan said.

"Shut up." Casey and Piper said as Piper pulled out her phone. So busy with work or school she could never really keep track of her period mentally. Pulling the app open on her phone she took a deep breath seeing she was two weeks late. She might have never been able to remember when she had it but she was pretty regular. Missing two weeks practically confirmed Casey's thoughts. "Piper?" Piper didn't respond. She just walked out of the kitchen looking around for Dante finding him nowhere. She finally stepped out to the deck that wrapped around the whole house.

"Are you kidding me!" She heard Dante's voice. She stepped slowly and quietly in the direction she heard him careful to not make her presence known. "You're seriously not having this conversation here, right now."

"Dante, you've missed school, practices...This is becoming too much of a distraction."

"My grades are perfect. Piper needs me right, Dad I love her."

"You're seventeen you don't know what love it."Piper heard a female voice say. "She's a hardworking girl and that's very admirable but Dante you need to think about your future. If you don't this thing you have with her will ruin your life." Piper felt the pain in her chest. "You need to let this girl go." Piper waited. But he didn't speak up."Let this girl go or you lose everything." She waited again hearing nothing. She couldn't take it anymore and run off. She didn't go through the house she went around the other side of the house to her car. She pulled her keys out ignoring her Aunt calling her name as she drove away.