Different Paths Part 35:
A special ring... to a special event

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Months later:
Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige where all together sitting in a café in the city of San Francisco
"ahhh... getting out once more is wonderful"
Paige announced, stretching in her chair
"yeah... shopping with sisters always was, is and will be the best shopping"
Phoebe added. Prue laughed
"I don't think Piper's your guys' mind"
she told her younger sisters
"yeah... I'm just... worried... Leo never was all alone with Chris..."
"He's not all alone"
Paige corrected
"yeah... Andy's with him and he knows what to do... he was already a lot all alone with the girls..."
Phoebe added again
"you two don't understand this... a mother will always worry... even though they know, the kids are in good hands... I'm still somewhat nervous too"
"you two are simply too overprotective"
Phoebe judged
"riiight... we'll see about that as soon as your first kid is there, Pheebs"
Piper told her. Phoebe didn't answer. She just looked away while playing under the table with a ring on her finger
"wow... it almost seems like Piper hit a nerve there"
Prue said, reading her sister
"what? You're..."
"What am I? Oh goodness... no! Never! I don't even know if I want kids with Cole... I mean... little half demons running around the house... what a fun... and I guess that's also that nerve you were talking about... you and piper look so happy with your children... with your little angels... while I'm not even sure... if I want those little demons"
"oh Pheebs don't exaggerate"
Piper told her
"yeah... you probably never heard Anna when she has her five minutes... and Mags... can be very annoying and moody as well..."
"and Chris is a crying kid... as stupid as it sounds... but... there are nights I barely get sleep, cause he's not stopping to cry... god... and I just leave Leo alone with him"
Piper said
"whoa... could you three stop there? We agreed on having a sister day... not a ... my child is worse than yours day... or... our poor husbands, boyfriends whatever day"
Paige told them
"okay... then tell us, sis... what's wrong with you?"
"With me? Nothing's wrong... what should be wrong with me?"
"Well... we didn't see Alex in a while now"
Piper said carefully
"that's cause... I broke up with him..."
"You did? Why? He seemed nice"
Prue said
"seems is the right word... he has a wife..."
"Oh my goodness"
Piper exclaimed. Phoebe again looked down. This secret was eating her up. She hated having secrets from her sisters and it was now almost two months she has been hiding. But she couldn't tell them now. She wanted to tell them with Cole being there. The waiter returned to their table and brought their drinks. Paige started to flirt with him right away and as he left again, checked out his butt.
"You just checked his butt!"
Prue told her
"so? This is a free land"
Paige declared, causing the sisters to laugh. Phoebe didn't. She still starred at the card and the sugar spender in the middle of the table. She then unconsciously grabbed for her mug. Without even thinking she extended her left hand. One sister after the other of slowly stopped laughing, seeing this little something on Phoebe's ring finger. Phoebe awoke from her trance as she noticed her sister starring at her. She followed their gazes and saw her left hand revealed free, as it was wrapped around the mug. Phoebe fast passed the mug onto her right hand and hid the left again. She took a sip of the mug and then looked up at her sisters
"Phoebe... is that ring new?"
Prue was the first one to ask
"umm"
Phoebe took a big breath. She didn't know what to say.
"Yes... Cole... gave it to me... a while ago"
"when?"
Paige asked
"umm... just... a while ago..."
Phoebe stammered
"you're engaged and didn't tell us?"
Piper questioned. Phoebe swallowed hard. They had somewhat caught her. But she could still keep the secret or could she? Phoebe then laughed
"no... No! Cole just... gave me a ring... as surprise... to a special date... nothing more..."
Prue had a weird feeling in her stomach
"what special date"
she asked. Phoebe couldn't help but bite her lip. She couldn't lie to her sisters while looking them into the eyes
"our... wedding day"
she finally answered and then closed her eyes tightly. Phoebe awaited the storm of evil words and stuff like that, but there was nothing. She opened her eyes slowly again
"you... you married... without... "
"... without us?"
Paige finished for Piper
"look... guys... everything... was so messed up lately... you guys were permanently busy... we were engaged already... a few days before Chris was born... and we wanted to tell you... at the barbecue... all together... but... then Piper got Chris... and... afterwards... we never were all together... and... then... Cole and I... I don't know... I was... so desperate and sad...that you guys wouldn't care about me... I mean... you didn't notice for months I'm with any ring... and... Cole... said... he'd be always there for me and... and then we... we ended up in Vegas... and before I could think again... we were married..."
Phoebe told them...
"I'm sorry"
she added lowly, looking down again. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms around her. She looked up to find it was Prue. She was surprised. She thought her oldest sister was the least happy about this, as she never had liked Cole.
"You shouldn't be sorry... you married the man you love... that's what counts... plus... we should be sorry... too busy to notice you and Cole wearing rings... I mean... c'mon"
Prue said and pulled away again
"congratulations"
she said smiling proudly. The other two followed
"okay... we... then should make a party for you and Cole... I mean... when we're already not able to be there at the wedding... you should have a party... you deserve one..."
Paige told her
"yeah... I'll set p3"
Piper added as Phoebe's smile grew and grew with every minute.
"Well... then we shouldn't stay sitting here... we need party dresses, ladies"
Prue said smirking
"yeah and Pheebs needs a cool sweet white one..."
Paige added
"all cliché" Piper threw in as well. Phoebe couldn't help but laugh
"okay... if you guys say so"
she told them as they chatted on...