A Little Piece of Me
"You missed a lot," I told her, pulling her into a firm hug. I was fighting back tears of joy that my sister was awake and ok.
"You had us really worried," Phoebe breathed, joining in on the hug.
"Did you get the demon?" she asked, her tone lowering in volume so the doctor couldn't hear.
"Yeah...Grams helped since we needed the Power of Three," Phoebe informed her.
"I wasn't sure it would work but it did and that's all that matters," I sighed. She seemed relieved to know we'd vanquished the thing that had put her here in the first place. We ll lapsed into silence, just relishing in the fact that we were all ok. I was the first to notice Grams standing in the doorway, just watching. She was smiling and looked happy for the first time in a long time. Piper finally looked up and let out a squeal.
"Grams!" she exclaimed, jumping up and wrapping her arms around Grams' neck.
"Hello my darling. How are you feeling?" Grams greeted.
"Fine...a little groggy still but otherwise, alright. I'm hungry," Piper answered. Just then the doctor stuck his head in.
"Miss Halliwell, you can sign the release papers in a day or two. We want to keep Piper here just to make sure everything is ok," he said.
"But I want to go home today," Piper protested.
"Dear, you'd best listen to the doctor. We want you health," Grams reminded her. She sighed but just nodded in agreement, slinking back to the bed. I looked at my two sisters. I should tell them the truth. But I didn't want to freak Piper out and force her to stay in the hospital longer than she really had to.
"We'll see you in a day or tow. Come on, girls. It's time to go home," Grams ordered.
"See you soon," I said, giving Piper another hug before we left. That night I was sitting in the kitchen, contemplating a glass of water when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Grams.
"You can't keep hiding this," she said simply.
"I know. I'll tell him...in a few days. I want Phoebe and Piper to know first. But I don't' want to scare Piper and force her to have to stay in the hospital longer than she has to," I explained.
"Why do you feel you have to tell them before Andy?" she asked me.
"I don't know...because they're family...because they're my sisters," I answered with a shrug. What did it matter who I told and in what order?
"Because maybe I want to show them that you have to be careful," I added. I knew she would take it to mean using protection. But that's not what I meant by that.
"Ok. You know, you need to see a doctor to make sure you're ok," she said after a minute of silence.
"Sure," I sighed, taking a sip of water.
"I hope that all of this works out in your favor, Prue. I really do," Grams murmured. I opened my mouth to answer but couldn't find any words to speak.
"Should I tale that as support?" I finally asked. I caught her nod out of the corner of my eye before she left the room.
The next day passed slowly, my thoughts caught up with when Piper would be released from the hospital. Grams had told me to stop by and get her missed work for the two weeks she' een out. I felt sort of uncomfortable answering the techer's questions. I knew Grams had lied to the school about why Piper was out.
"Here's her assignments," her math teacher said, handing them over.
"Uh...thanks," I muttered, taking them and starting for the door.
"I was wondering if you could tell me what exactly Piper had that caused her to miss so much school? It's just not like her," he asked.
"She just got really sick. She should be back on Monday," I muttered. It was a lie and I knew it. But then again I was getting pretty good at lying lately...or at least omitting the truth. He nodded, seeming to believe me.
I got home to see Grams' car not in the driveway. It was odd but I tried not to worry about it. She was probably just out at the store or something. I walked in to find balloons and things hung up all over the first floor of the house. What the hell was Grams doing? Just then Phoebe walked out of the kitchen.
"Where's Grams?" I asked.
"Picking up Piper at the hospital. We're having a party for her," Phoebe answered.
"Nice decorating job, Grams," I snickered, picking my bag up and putting it on the stairs out of the way.
"When are they getting here?" I asked and Phoebe shrugged. I headed for the living room, peering through the front window to see Grams' car pulling in.
"I guess the answer is now," I muttered, ducking out of view. Phoebe and I hid in the sun room, waiting for the front door to open.
"Easy Piper, don't go too fast,"Grams was cautioning.
"Grams I can walk fine," she snapped, heading for the living room. Just as she sat down Phoebe and I burst in.
"Welcome home!" we shouted, diving onto the couch on either side of her.
"Thanks, guys," she said, smiling broadly. I could tell she was happy to be home again. This seemed like as good a time as any to spill the news to she and Phoebe.
"Piper, would you like some cake?" Grams offered and she nodded. Grams smiled and returned with three pieces of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. I let Piper enjoy some of her cake before I started to speak.
"Guys, there is something I have to tell you," I began. I noticed Grams standing in the doorway, just listening. Both of my sisters' eyes were now on me.
"I um...I'm almost a month pregnant," I told them. Piper's eyes bulged at the news and Phoebe dropped her cake. Luckily Piper was still coherent enough to freeze it. I plucked it from the air and set it on the table.
"Is that some sort of welcome home joke? Because it's definitely not funny," Piper managed to get out.
"No...no joke, Piper. I'm really having a baby. I wanted you guys to know before I tell Andy. I just want you to know that...I know you guys look up to me...and I don't want you to make this kind of mistake," I rambled.
"So you really were sleeping together," Piper breathed. I nodded. I was starting to believe my lies now. I was really starting to believe that Andy was the father of this child.
"So he doesn't know?" Phoebe finally interjected.
"No...not yet. I wanted to tell you first. You're family and I guess that means something," I muttered.
"I'm glad you told us," Piper murmured, giving me a hug.
"It has to be really scary going through it alone," she continued.
"Yeah...but I'm not alone anymore...I have you guys," I sighed, motioning for Phoebe to join the hug. She did so reluctantly. She was probably scared she'd squish the baby.
"I don't want to hurt you," she whispered in my ear, hugging me as lightly as she could.
"You can't hurt me, Pheebs. The baby is really small still," I explained. She hadn't had sex education yet. Well if she lived in this family long enough, she was going to get a crash course.
"Are you sure?" she asked and I nodded. That seemd to reassure her because her grip tightened. None of us seemed to notice the phone ringing.
"Prue, you have a phone call," Grams shouted. I attempted to disentangle myself from my sisters so I could answer the phone. I gave her a look, asking who it was. She didn't tell me.
"Hello," I spoke tentatively.
"Hey Prue," Andy said from the other end.
"Andy...uh..what's up?" I asked, caught off guard.
"I saw Piper came home. How's she doing?" he asked.
"She's good. Uh...do you want to come over for some cake?" I offered. There was no way I was spilling the news to him over the phone.
"Sure. Be there in a minute," Andy replied and we hung up. I licked my lips as I hung up the phone.
"I have to tell him," I said, more to myself than anyone else.
"It gets easier each time," Grams murmured, squeezing my shoulder. I couldn't help but smile.
"Thanks Grams," I said as the front door opened and Andy walked in. He headed for the living room. I grabbed a piece of cake and headed back that way.
"Glad do you have back," Andy was saying to Piper.
"Thanks," she said.
"Cake?" I said, shoving it into his hands.
"Thanks," he said smiling, leaning over to give me a kiss.
"I think you should sit down," I began. He looked at me strangely but Phoebe moved over so he could sit.
"What's wrong?" he interrupted before I could say anything more.
"I'm pregnant," I said. It really was easier the third time around. He stared at me in shock, the cake falling to the floor before Piper could freeze it.
"Andy...say something," I begged after what felt like an interminable silence.
"I'm going to be a father?" he rasped finally.