The Hidden Page
Sisterly Advice
Chapter 19
Piper and Paige were in the kitchen making the final preparations for dinner. Phoebe had excused herself a few minutes earlier. Piper was glad that the tension between the three of them was easing. She couldn't help but think, however, that while tonight was okay it couldn't compare to last night. As difficult a day as yesterday had been, the night had turned out to be one of the most comforting she could remember. The only thing missing she thought had been Prue. For the millionth time since Prue's death, Piper felt the sharp pain of loss.
Trying to remember that she was the eldest now with responsibilities to her younger sisters, she turned to Paige: "So do you want to talk about this ex-boyfriend, what did you say his name was Tommy?" "No, not really. I just want to try and set my mind free from the whole mess. I know I will probably be called to testify against him but for right now I want to continue to live in denial." "Okay, I won't push," Piper assured her. "Just know that I'm here if you need to talk. And so is Phoebe, that is if she ever comes down from upstairs."
"Maybe I should go check on her," Paige volunteered. While Piper didn't want Paige to feel left out, she also had a sisterly sense that she should be the one doing the checking. "That's okay missy, you just sit down, pour yourself a nice glass of wine and relax. I'll go see what our tardy sister is up to."
Luckily Paige didn't seem to mind. She kicked off her heels and settled in at the table. Piper turned and went off to retrieve Phoebe. Once she was on the second floor, Piper could her sniffles coming from Phoebe's room. She'd been afraid of this.
Knocking on the door, she called out softly, "hey honey, can I come in?" Piper wasn't precisely sure but she thought she heard a muffled yes. When she entered the room she saw Phoebe curled up in the fetal position on the bed. Piper moved to the other side of the bed and climbed up on it. She wrapped comforting arms around her sister.
"Okay talk to me," she ordered. "I hate my hair," Phoebe sobbed. "But I thought you said you loved it. That it made you look sophisticated," Piper reminded her. "That's because I didn't want to hurt Paige's feelings. After all she insisted on taking us to the Spa to make up for yesterday, and she made that special appointment with the hairdresser, and suggested the style. I can't very well tell her, that I think it makes me look like a French poodle." "Oh I wouldn't worry about it, we will just have to change your name to FiFi," Piper teased hoping a little levity would lighten the moment. It backfired big time. Phoebe just started crying harder and Piper noticed her sister's hands clutching desperately onto something.
It was then Piper had suspicions she hadn't even voiced yet confirmed. "So is that all you're upset about?" she asked. "Yes," Phoebe said in a tone that reminded Piper of when they were younger. It was the same one the baby of the family always used when she was about to tell a major fib. "So the fact that you're bawling your eyes out into Cole's favorite sweater, isn't significant at all?"
"No, yes, damn it; Piper what I said to him was so mean. I made it sound like spending time with him was an intrusion on family time. Nothing could be farther from how I really feel. He is my family too. I was just feeling guilty because sometimes I get so caught up in him, that I loose all track of what is going on around me. I was feeling like Paige got hurt because of that but I never meant to hurt Cole either. Oh Piper what if he is so angry and hurt that he never comes back?"
"Phoebe, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I maybe the elder married lady here but I'm pretty much still in the head over heals stage with Leo too. It's only natural that you and Cole are so absorbed with one another. We just have to do a better job of explaining to Paige that it doesn't mean we don't love and care about her too. And as for Cole not coming back, that will never happen. He's literally risked life and limb to come back to you time and time again; do you really think he's going to let a little argument keep him away permanently? And that's all it was, a minor argument. For heaven's sake if your relationship survived your finding out that half of him was Belthazor, it can survive anything."
"Piper, I know you are probably right but you didn't see the pain in his eyes. I can't stand that I put it there. I mean you did ask Leo to give us time with Paige too, but you managed to do it without stabbing his heart in the process. I knew I was going to suck at this wife thing and I was right. Look at me I'm not even married yet, and I'm already screwing up."
"Honey listen to me. Leo and I have been together longer than you and Cole. Therefore, I have just a bit more experience in how to handle these types of situations. Believe me I've made my share of mistakes and will no doubt make a lot more. It's just like everything else in life, however, you have to learn from them and go on. And besides it's going to go easier for you because I your older and much wiser sister, am here to share the benefit of my vast knowledge," she teased.
There was a few more sniffles and then Phoebe turned and hugged Piper. Piper felt relief wash through her. "Okay mighty wise one, so what do I do next?" Phoebe asked. "You call him. That is why God invented cell phones. You tell him how sorry you are, how much you love and miss him, and how cold and lonely you'll be in your bed unless he comes home to share it with you. That gets to them every time. So what are you doing just sitting there? Get to the phone and let your fingers do the walking girl. I'll cover for you with Paige while you're making the call."
"Thanks Piper, you're the greatest," Phoebe said giving her sister a kiss on the cheek. "I know," Piper responded dramatically. "You're going to have to give me sometime to think about how we are going to handle the whole hair thing though." "You got it!" Phoebe said as she touched her hair then shook her head in disgust. "Cole's going to hate this hairdo I know."
As Piper was making her way downstairs she heard Phoebe making her call. From the clear disappointment in her tone, and the one sided conversation, Piper knew she was recording a voice mail message. Cole must not be answering. Piper just hoped she had been right earlier and that he wasn't going to disappear permanently. She didn't think Phoebe would be able to handle another abandonment. Their father's had been hard enough. Cole's would most likely drive her over the edge.
Sisterly Advice
Chapter 19
Piper and Paige were in the kitchen making the final preparations for dinner. Phoebe had excused herself a few minutes earlier. Piper was glad that the tension between the three of them was easing. She couldn't help but think, however, that while tonight was okay it couldn't compare to last night. As difficult a day as yesterday had been, the night had turned out to be one of the most comforting she could remember. The only thing missing she thought had been Prue. For the millionth time since Prue's death, Piper felt the sharp pain of loss.
Trying to remember that she was the eldest now with responsibilities to her younger sisters, she turned to Paige: "So do you want to talk about this ex-boyfriend, what did you say his name was Tommy?" "No, not really. I just want to try and set my mind free from the whole mess. I know I will probably be called to testify against him but for right now I want to continue to live in denial." "Okay, I won't push," Piper assured her. "Just know that I'm here if you need to talk. And so is Phoebe, that is if she ever comes down from upstairs."
"Maybe I should go check on her," Paige volunteered. While Piper didn't want Paige to feel left out, she also had a sisterly sense that she should be the one doing the checking. "That's okay missy, you just sit down, pour yourself a nice glass of wine and relax. I'll go see what our tardy sister is up to."
Luckily Paige didn't seem to mind. She kicked off her heels and settled in at the table. Piper turned and went off to retrieve Phoebe. Once she was on the second floor, Piper could her sniffles coming from Phoebe's room. She'd been afraid of this.
Knocking on the door, she called out softly, "hey honey, can I come in?" Piper wasn't precisely sure but she thought she heard a muffled yes. When she entered the room she saw Phoebe curled up in the fetal position on the bed. Piper moved to the other side of the bed and climbed up on it. She wrapped comforting arms around her sister.
"Okay talk to me," she ordered. "I hate my hair," Phoebe sobbed. "But I thought you said you loved it. That it made you look sophisticated," Piper reminded her. "That's because I didn't want to hurt Paige's feelings. After all she insisted on taking us to the Spa to make up for yesterday, and she made that special appointment with the hairdresser, and suggested the style. I can't very well tell her, that I think it makes me look like a French poodle." "Oh I wouldn't worry about it, we will just have to change your name to FiFi," Piper teased hoping a little levity would lighten the moment. It backfired big time. Phoebe just started crying harder and Piper noticed her sister's hands clutching desperately onto something.
It was then Piper had suspicions she hadn't even voiced yet confirmed. "So is that all you're upset about?" she asked. "Yes," Phoebe said in a tone that reminded Piper of when they were younger. It was the same one the baby of the family always used when she was about to tell a major fib. "So the fact that you're bawling your eyes out into Cole's favorite sweater, isn't significant at all?"
"No, yes, damn it; Piper what I said to him was so mean. I made it sound like spending time with him was an intrusion on family time. Nothing could be farther from how I really feel. He is my family too. I was just feeling guilty because sometimes I get so caught up in him, that I loose all track of what is going on around me. I was feeling like Paige got hurt because of that but I never meant to hurt Cole either. Oh Piper what if he is so angry and hurt that he never comes back?"
"Phoebe, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I maybe the elder married lady here but I'm pretty much still in the head over heals stage with Leo too. It's only natural that you and Cole are so absorbed with one another. We just have to do a better job of explaining to Paige that it doesn't mean we don't love and care about her too. And as for Cole not coming back, that will never happen. He's literally risked life and limb to come back to you time and time again; do you really think he's going to let a little argument keep him away permanently? And that's all it was, a minor argument. For heaven's sake if your relationship survived your finding out that half of him was Belthazor, it can survive anything."
"Piper, I know you are probably right but you didn't see the pain in his eyes. I can't stand that I put it there. I mean you did ask Leo to give us time with Paige too, but you managed to do it without stabbing his heart in the process. I knew I was going to suck at this wife thing and I was right. Look at me I'm not even married yet, and I'm already screwing up."
"Honey listen to me. Leo and I have been together longer than you and Cole. Therefore, I have just a bit more experience in how to handle these types of situations. Believe me I've made my share of mistakes and will no doubt make a lot more. It's just like everything else in life, however, you have to learn from them and go on. And besides it's going to go easier for you because I your older and much wiser sister, am here to share the benefit of my vast knowledge," she teased.
There was a few more sniffles and then Phoebe turned and hugged Piper. Piper felt relief wash through her. "Okay mighty wise one, so what do I do next?" Phoebe asked. "You call him. That is why God invented cell phones. You tell him how sorry you are, how much you love and miss him, and how cold and lonely you'll be in your bed unless he comes home to share it with you. That gets to them every time. So what are you doing just sitting there? Get to the phone and let your fingers do the walking girl. I'll cover for you with Paige while you're making the call."
"Thanks Piper, you're the greatest," Phoebe said giving her sister a kiss on the cheek. "I know," Piper responded dramatically. "You're going to have to give me sometime to think about how we are going to handle the whole hair thing though." "You got it!" Phoebe said as she touched her hair then shook her head in disgust. "Cole's going to hate this hairdo I know."
As Piper was making her way downstairs she heard Phoebe making her call. From the clear disappointment in her tone, and the one sided conversation, Piper knew she was recording a voice mail message. Cole must not be answering. Piper just hoped she had been right earlier and that he wasn't going to disappear permanently. She didn't think Phoebe would be able to handle another abandonment. Their father's had been hard enough. Cole's would most likely drive her over the edge.