The Untitled Piper Watson Project

Aftermath

Mack's POV~

After Piper stormed off, I looked at everyone in bewilderment. But let's just be honest, this dinner was going downhill from the beginning. Everyone stood up, and Anne was arguing with Mark. "I want to go talk to her," said Anne. "She needs her mother." Mom shook her head. "What she needs is to sort out her own personal issues before trying to get into a serious relationship." Dad glared at her. "What you said set her off, Daph. You have no one else to blame but yourself." I turned to Anne and Mark. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, but maybe it would be better if you left." Anne looked at Mark sadly and nodded. "Take care of Piper, Mack." She kissed my cheek and Mom's mouth was wide open. I led our "guests" to the door and Mom was still trying to pick a fight with Piper's parents. "You know, when she first met me, she called me a cunt. And then she got into that car accident. Karma's interesting, isn't it, Anne?" Anne was shooting daggers at her. "I didn't teach my daughter to be pushed around by anyone. If karma is going to make it's way to any one, it's going to be you." (OH SNAP, SHITS GETTING REAL -Iz)

I opened the front door and ushered Piper's parents out. I gave my mom a look, and she walked out without saying a word. Dad gave me an apologetic glance, and left. I cautiously crept up the stairs, extremely nervous that I would find Piper like I did a year ago, attempting to drown herself in the bathtub. Once I was up the stairs, I could more clearly hear her sobs coming from the bedroom. I gently pushed open the door and found her on the floor with her knees to her chest, sobbing. I knelt next to her. "Piper..." Her head fell into my lap and I stroked her hair. She groaned. "Where did I go wrong?" "You didn't." I assured her. "My mom did." "I'm so sorry, Mack." her voice was muffled. "I could've at least tried to get along with your mom." I helped Piper to her feet. "What happened tonight, it wasn't your fault. I'm just sorry that nothing good came from this." She said nothing. Maybe our lives would've been easier if we managed to get rid of the tension that hung in the air between our parents. But I knew no matter what, nothing would get rid of the hole in my mother's heart.

***

I scanned the newspaper, looking for more "Help Wanted" ads. The Boston Globe probably wasn't the most reliable place, considering all of the jobs available were right in the middle of the city, which I hated, and they all required a college degree. Fuck. "Don't worry, babe." Piper said, her eyes glued to her laptop. I sighed. "At this rate, I'll never get a job. You know anyone who's hiring?" Piper shrugged. "My cousin David owns like, this accounting firm, and I think he's hiring." "Have you spoken to David?" I asked. I didn't know much about Piper's cousin David, but I did know that when Sam died, he called her a bunch of times but she never answered. She nodded. "We spoke yesterday. He says congratulations on the engagement." "Hmm." I continued to flip through the newspaper, the only sounds being the sipping of our coffee and the typing of Piper's computer. "Oh, yeah," I just remembered. "Did Mr. Anderson ever meet with you after you called him last year?" Piper turned pale. "I met with him the day you proposed. I didn't want to ruin our anniversary..." "What?" "He wants me to change my story." Piper turned herself to look at me and I didn't know what to say. What am I supposed to say?

"What are you gonna do?" He asked. She sighed. "I don't know. He gave me some time to think about it, but...I just don't know." She went back to working, and I stopped asking questions. What Piper decided to do wasn't really my business. I couldn't help but feel awful for her. All she wanted was to make amends with what she'd done, and now it was as if that choice was being taken away from her. What else can she do? "Oh." Piper said softly. "What is it?" She chuckled. "I still haven't told my friends that we're engaged. Is that weird?" I blinked. "I...haven't told my friends either." "That's strange." She said. "We told our families, but no one else. I still haven't updated my Facebook status." I laughed. "Well that's something we can do while planning our wedding." Piper smiled sadly. "I don't even know if anyone's actually gonna show up to our wedding." Mack shrugged. "We can keep it small. All that matters is us, right?" She got up and kissed me, and joined me at the kitchen table, with her coffee mug gripped firmly in her hand.

"We can have a small party," she decided. "with our family and a few of our closest friends." "And a band could play," I added. "And your sister will be the maid of honor—-" "Obviously." "—-and she'd make everyone cry when she reads her speech." "And just imagine all the wedding gifts." "Oh god." "$10,000 checks and Lush gift boxes." "I can imagine that." Piper sighed. "We're going to need some help planning this." "Yeah we are." Piper pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Who are you calling?" "Shh!" She pressed her finger to her lips. She waited. "Jen!" she exclaimed after several seconds of waiting. "You said Rose was a wedding planner right?" she beamed. "Great! Can you guys come over later to talk? I think I could use her help..." While Piper was setting up arrangements with Jen, I pulled out my phone and shot a quick text to Isaac and Eddie, asking them to meet me tonight at the bar (a different bar than last time) and went into the other room to make a call.

He picked up on the third ring. "Hello?" "Dad?" There was a pause. "How ya doing, son?" I scratched my head. "Alright. Why are you whispering?" "Um...your mother's angry with me right now, I don't think it's wise to be too loud." "Dad?" "Yes, Mack?" I hesitated. "Are you and Mom gonna get a divorce?" He didn't say anything for awhile. Eventually he replied: "No. We've been through too much together to let it all go to shit now." I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Listen, the reason I'm calling is because I wanna meet up tonight. Isaac and Eddie will be there too. There are some things I need to talk to all you guys about." "Okay." Dad agreed. "I'll see you then." I figured that if I couldn't fix things between me and my mom, I could at least try to work things out with my dad. These things: the single words and glances that have been exchanged throughout the course of these last 24 hours, have been the aftermath of the storm that was brewing for too long.