Chance Upon A Tempest

Chapter 41

Wednesday 5:29 PM

Piper has been crying and pacing her office, alternating with feeling acrid rage and wanting to scream at the top of her lungs for the past several hours. She wasn't able to get any more work done since finding out about Jimin and you, from her colleagues. She has been picturing the two of you galivanting about the city, having the time of your lives, while she has been going through hell. Piper briefly considers leaving work early and trying to figure out what to do about all of this. But she tells herself that she isn't going to leave her work until she had a solid plan as to what she will do next.

When Piper heard the devastating news from Delores earlier today, she felt numb. She had assumed that the woman Jimin was with was Veronica. But when Cristina came to her office to tell her about what she had seen on Saturday afternoon, Piper was humiliated, anxious, and hurt beyond repair. Piper had ruled you out as a possibility a long time ago and now feels foolish for not seeing it sooner. Now, humiliation, anxiety and hurt are no longer the dominant feelings. They have been swiftly replaced by feelings of  pure hate and unadulterated rage.

She still can't seem to figure out how Veronica fits into all of this. "He is either fucking them both like he used to when I first met him, or he is with one of them, and seeing the other one on the side." Piper decides that without additional information, she is just going to have to trust her gut and make a decision as to which of the two scenarios is reality. Piper concludes that if he was playing the field like he had been when they had met, he most likely would not have broken up with her. "I told him, if he wanted to sample what else was out there, that I would be here waiting for him to do just that." Piper considers the fact that Jimin broke things off with her even after her offer and concludes that it can only mean that he was aiming to be with someone else. Deciding to go with the latter scenario, she asks herself, "But then which one? Did he leave me to be with Veronica and is already cheating on her with his new associate? Or is it the other way around?"

In that moment, Piper decides that Veronica, who is the out-of-towner, is his side piece and that he had left her for you. Then she thinks, "I am going to go and confront his new associate. I am going to make sure that she feels the kind of pain I am feeling. But how? How am I going to inflict that kind of injury? What can I do or say to her that will devastate her?"

Then out of nowhere, a perfect plan is born, springing from her own head, like Athena bursting through Zeus's head, fully formed. With a clear plan in mind, she grabs her car keys and belongings and storms out of her office.

Wednesday 5:35 PM

Owen opens the door to see his date for the evening standing there, with a bouquet of yellow roses in her arms with a beautiful smile on her gorgeous lips. Owen asks, "Did... someone give you those flowers? Don't tell me I have competition."

"Owen, whatever competition there may be, you blew them out of the water, and you are the only man left standing. Now, quit being silly. These are for you. I couldn't come to pick up my date without bringing him some flowers."

"Wait... you... brought me flowers?"

"Yes. Why?"

Owen looks confused as he replies, "I have never received flowers from a woman before. Outside of my mother at my graduation. And definitely never for a date."

Moira's smile deepens and she shoves the bouquet towards Owen, then she says, "Well, first time for everything. Are you going to ask me in, or shall I just wait for you out here?"

Taking the armful of yellow roses from Moira, Owen stares at her with awe and affection and says, "Shit! Sorry. No, please come in. Make yourself at home. I'm sorry. I'm just...." Practically giggling, Owen continues, "I think I know why girls love getting flowers. Thank you, Sweetheart. You really didn't have to."