Page 34 of Somewhere Along The Line
“You mean another day when I’m on the spot but this time in front of a room full of people with a trained lawyer asking questions with the expressed purpose of poking holes in my story and getting me to say something I don’t mean?”
She brings her hands to her face, the tips of her fingers pressing near her hairline as she continues. “Not to mention these folks think we’re married because we let them believe we are to cover our asses. I could play along for a morning at the station, James, but I don’t think I could handle being on the stand. I’d probably break down and confess this whole ruse when they’re asking me my name and age or something stupid.”
Piper is spiraling quickly as she considers the possibility that she may be subpoenaed, that she could be called to testify whether she wants to or not. I slow down my breathing, taking obnoxiously loud inhales and releasing obnoxiously loud exhales in the hope she’ll follow.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, P. I didn’t mean to make you anxious.” I hope I look as sheepish as I feel. “I was actually trying to keep this part of the trip light, if you can believe it. I didn’t realize the officers hadn’t talked to you about next steps.”
“You had no way of knowing becausewehadn’t talked about it. That’s not your fault, and it’s also not your fault I’m incapable of keeping my shit together when I’m under pressure.”
She sighs, sounding defeated, as though whatever confidence she gained from Monday’s success has gone straight out with her breath.
“How about this,” I offer, trying to right the ship after being the one who capsized it. “We can do a practice run. Even if we don’t know whether you’ll have to testify, we can practice, and you can work out your nerves. Maybe it would make you feel better while we wait to find out if we’ll be called?”
It sounds like a good idea coming out of my mouth until I remember I’m not a lawyer and have absolutely no idea what happens in a hearing. I’ll need to figure that out.
“It doesn’t have to be a big deal,” I continue, using the same phrase that taunts me every time I say it, stepping further down this road I won’t be able to come back from. “I’ll ask you questions and you can answer. You’ll realize you do know what to say, and it’ll give you some peace of mind. We could do it before the gala or after, whatever feels better to you.”
I’m not ignorant of the fact that we keep proposing reasons to see each other even though we don’t needto. We were convincing enough at the station that no one suspected our ruse, and we could be as convincing during a trial.
But I want to keep seeing Piper, and it’s easier to suggest this is part of our game than to admit I’m starting to really fucking like her.
She mulls it over, her fingers still massaging her temples as she processes the idea and decides what to do. “How about Monday evening?” she asks. “We could get it out of the way so it’s not hanging over my head during the event next weekend. Is that doable?”
“Of course.” I try to think through my calendar, but the fact is I’ll make Monday work regardless. “Given that you live with Sami and this isn’t something you’d want to do in public—because the idea of testifying in front of people is what’s making you nervous—it likely makes sense to practice at my place.”
The suggestion soundssuggestiveand I don’t mean it to be. Well, I don’t NOT mean it to be, but my house is objectively the most practical space for this sort of thing. I want this practice run to feel helpful because I want to be helpful for her… even if I also want to have her in my space.
One doesn’t negate the other.
Her breathing settles back into a normal rhythm which tells me it’s time for the last step in the Comforting-Piper-Pipeline. First touch, then encouragement, and then humor. There’s not much about her that fits my tendency to find and claim A+B=C patterns, but this one certainly does.
“If it helps, I can promise Sami I won’t murder you. She’s welcome to stake out the bushes if it would make you more comfortable. I can set out a chair and some coffee, and she can make a night of it. Though you both should know that I’m not interested in committing a crime… while trying to hide a crime… as a victim of a crime.”
Now that’s a series of words I could’ve never imagined myself saying. Frankly, a lot is happening lately I wouldn’t have imagined.
“Okay fine,” Piper says, a hint of amusement in her eyes showing I’ve been successful in my effort to lift her spirits. “But I’m not showing up to some random address in the dark. Can I meet you at your office? We could take the train together.”
“You know I would never miss an opportunity to take the train with you.” It’s sarcasm, on the surface, but it's also the truth. “I’ll text you the address; just let me know at some point when you think you’ll come by.”
She nods with a soft smile and some of the tension releases from my chest.
I’m going to see Piper again, and not just on the train.
The last few minutes of the drive are comfortable. My hand lingers on her knee as we pull onto her street and slow to a stop in front of her house. The question of how we wrap up the morning lingers between us—it no longer feels like our usual waves are appropriate.
“Well, you were right, Piper Paulson,” I turn to face her.
“I’m always right!” she blurts before I can finish my thought.
I shush her with a grin and continue, “I don’t regret being your errand boy for the day.”
She bites at the corner of her lip, and I wish it were my teeth there instead of hers. My car is off but neither one of us makes a move to leave. Her eyes glance to mine.
“That’s great to hear because I don’t regret having you. In fact, I may ask you to help again sometime. You set the bar too high, Mr. Newhouse. Made yourself invaluable. Laid your own trap if you will. Had you been insufferable it would’ve been easy to leave you alone the next time I need something.”
Piper offers a coy smile, rubbing her hands down her thighs like she does when she’s nervous. It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It would be wise to end our time here, to say thank you and goodbye and “I’ll see you on the train.”
But my curiosity turns bold, a surprising need to find out what could happen if I leaninto the feeling pulsing in my heart instead of out.
