Paige drove for a couple of hours, then finally got off the highway. Driving through the small town, she spotted a small grocery store. She parked and fished a five-dollar bill out of the glove compartment. She entered the store and looked around. It had that look to it. So did the town. The "Everyone knows everything about everyone" look. All right, a bit freaky, but I can deal with it. She said to herself. Grabbing a coke, a bag of chips, and a couple of packs of gum, she headed towards the checkout line.
"Hello. Welcome to Lakeview convenient and grocery store." The clerk looked up at Paige. He looked about the same age as Paige. He opened his mouth to say something else, but it didn't come out. After a couple of seconds, he regained composure and started to ring up her items.
"Are you new to Lakeview, or just passing through?" He asked, shaking his light brown hair out of his flashing green eyes.
"What makes you think that I haven't lived here my whole life?" She asked, letting a smile escape. He saw her smile and flashed one back at her.
"Trust me. I know everyone here. Lived here my whole life. You, Miss…?"He asked, waiting for her to fill in the blank.
"Matthews. But you can call me Paige." She responded as she loaded her items into the little grocery bags that had the Lakeview logo on them.
"Well Paige, you must have just drove through here. Or are you intending on staying?" He voice was filled with hope that she would remain in this one horse town.
"I just might stay." She replied, causing him to smile even more. He lifted the grocery bag out of her hands and signaled to another worker, a young boy, to cover his register.
"I just don't know where to stay." Paige said.
They were outside now. He pointed across the street. Paige turned around, expecting to see a hotel. But she didn't. It was a house with a sign out front. The huge wooden sign said: "REAL ESTATE."
Paige laughed. Then she looked at him. "Why are you carrying that?" She asked. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it, but she was curious why he was doing it.
"Company policy. But I'd do it for you anyway." He replied.
They had reached her car. "Thanks for the help. By the way, I didn't catch your name."
"I didn't tell you." He responded, flashing her another smile. God, that's such a cute smile she thought.
Suddenly, he asked her a question. "Not dating are you?" She was startled.
"No. How did you…" She was amazed, and her face showed it.
He laughed at her expression and then explained himself.
"No guy with half a brain would let you walk into a grocery store alone. Either he'd do it, or he'd come with you. It's a guy thing. Us men think we have to protect our women." As he said this last part, he flexed his muscles, causing her to laugh out loud. He pretended to look hurt.
"So. Tell me about this place." She said, as she jumped up and sat on the hood of her car. "What's it like?"
"It can't be much different from your town." He said. Paige shook her head.
"I lived in San Francisco." She said as his mouth dropped open in amazement.
"As in San Francisco California?" He asked dumbfounded.
"Yea." She said in reply.
Then he went on to explain the whole place. As people walked by, he told her what he knew. About an hour later, a young girl came running out of the store.
"Hey loser!" She yelled loudly, running in the direction of Paige. The girl, who looked no older than 18 hit her companion in the back of the head. He immediately turned around.
"Kait." He protested.
"Oh man. Dad's going to kill you." Kait said. That got his attention.
"Why?" Suddenly, he looked like a little boy who broke his mom's favorite vase. Paige held in a laugh.
"No one could find you." Kait said. Finally she noticed Paige. "Oh. I'm sorry. My name's Kait, but you probably knew that already. My brother must like you though."
He turned red, but Paige asked the question that both of them were going to ask. "Why do you think that?" She asked slyly.
"Duh. It's obvious. Will would never leave his job for an hour. He must really like you." Kait replied as Will's hand shot out and tapped her lightly across the back of the head. She chuckled at his lame attempt.
"William Tucker Hastings!" A loud voice boomed from the entrance of the grocery store. A man with a white settan hat was stalking out of the store accompanied by a pretty woman. Both of them looked like Will and Kait. The man stood in front of Will and stared him down.
"Where have you been?" He asked threateningly.
"Right here. I was helping Paige with her grocery's." Will answered. It seemed to Paige like it would fly as an excuse, but then the man, obviously Will's father, noticed Paige's bag on the hood of the car. The contents were eaten and the empty soda bottle was clutched in Will's hand.
"Oh really. How long ago was that?" Will's dad asked.
Paige stepped in. "I'm sorry Mr. Hastings. It was all my fault."
Mr. Hastings turned to face Paige and his expression softened. "And what's your name?" He asked chuckling slightly.
"Paige Matthews sir." She replied courageously.
"Well Miss. Paige. I cannot blame you for my son's lack of responsibility."
"Really sir. It was my fault. I just arrived in town and I was thinking of staying and I was just asking about the town." Paige explained.
"Well in that case," Mr. Hastings said. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Tucker Andrew Hastings. Everyone call me Tuck though. I own Lakeview convenient and grocery store. This is my wife Amanda." He said making reference to himself and the woman hanging onto his arm. He continued. "You say you're staying in Lakeview?"
Paige nodded her head. "Yes sir."
Tuck chuckled. "Cut the sir crap. Are you staying anywhere tonight?" He asked her.
"No sir. I mean, no. I haven't found anywhere yet." She replied, slightly embarrassed. Tuck threw his arm around her shoulder.
"Well Miss. Paige, you can stay with us." Paige started to protest but her interrupted her. "I won't take 'No' for an answer. What else are you going to do? It's almost dinner time, and the only thing you have to sleep in is this car." He looked at her lime green buggy. "Frankly, I don't know how you could sit in that thing." Paige laughed. Tuck wasn't fat; in fact he was very skinny. But he was a giant. Paige pictured him trying to fold his body to fit in the small car, and she had to stifle a laugh.
"Let's go gang." Tuck yelled as the last streetlight flicked on. A closed sign hung on the front door of the store, and Tuck opened it, holding it for everyone. First Amanda went, followed by Kait. Tuck noticed that Will and Paige had held back, so he went inside, giving them privacy.
"Well, it looks like you're staying with us." Will said. He couldn't think of anything else to say. Paige went to open her mouth when her cell phone rang. She looked at it and recognized the number. She let it ring.
"Are you going to get that?" Will asked.
Paige shook her head. "Nope." Then she though about it. "Will you answer it?"
Will looked at her funny, but reluctantly took the phone and flipped it open.
"Hello?" He asked.
He held it away from his ear. Paige laughed. She realized that Will had probably never used a cellphone before and it was loud.
"Hello? Who is this?" Piper's voice seeped through the speaker.
"Um Will. Who's this?" Will asked.
"Piper. Is Paige… Why the hell are you on her cell phone?" Piper barked.
"Because. Why are you calling her?" Will retaliated.
"Because. Is she there?" Piper asked, impatience straining in her voice.
Will looked up at Paige. Paige shook her, trying to say that she wasn't around. Thankfully, Will got the message.
"Sorry. Can I take a message?" Will asked.
Piper sighed. "Just tell her…Tell her it's her sister Piper. Phoebe and I want her to come home. We miss her and we love her. Just let her know that we…" Piper's voice choked, as if she was crying. "…We love her so much. Whatever we did wrong, we'll work on it. I promise. We just miss her. I miss her. Tell her that I know I haven't been the best sister on the planet, but I'm working on it. I love her, just tell her that."
Paige was holding the phone, and now tears started to form in her eyes. She thought Piper hated her, but she was…wrong.
"Piper?" Paige whispered into the phone. Piper heard it.
"Paige? Are you there?" Piper asked excitedly.
"I'm sorry Piper." And Paige hung up the phone.
Will looked at her quizzically. "Want to tell me what that was about?"
"Maybe over dinner…If your lucky." Paige replied over her shoulder as she raced inside the store. Rain had started to fall and Will just stood there. Man is that girl amazing he thought as he chased after her.