Okay This story contains sexual acts between two females if this offends you then don't read it. If you are not 18 or whatever the age maybe where your from, don't read it. If you just don't like the idea of love between two ladies, go somewhere else. Don't read it. The characters are not real. Any similarities are just that.
First I want to thank everyone who has stayed with the story this far. Secondly, I would like to thank those who have written me telling me how much they have enjoyed it. You all are the reason I continue to write. For those who haven't written yet. Please do so. I could always use that much more encouragement and I love talking to new people. I have meet some interesting people along the way and hope to talk to many more.
As always, enjoy.
Amanda
upside_umop_insideout
Chapter 19
Anger and Betrayal
"Baby sis, you okay?" Brant asked twenty minutes later as Piper shakily stood up.
"Nerves." Piper explained as she opened the door.
"You going to make it?" Brant said, passing over Piper's bag. Piper took a deep breath, her heart was racing, her palms sweating. She knew she was on edge but she had came this far and wasn't about to turn back now. Yet again, Piper squared her shoulders and nodded.
"She knows we are coming in today?" Brant asked as they made their way into the terminal.
"From what Rachel told me yes. I have a picture." Piper dug through her messenger bag and came out with a glossy photo of a smiling couple.
"Have you... looked at this?" Brant said as they made their way through the busy airport.
Piper shrugged as she man handled her bag as it tried to flip over. "Not... really." Piper grunted. "It was in the packet of stuff that Rachel gave me. I saw it was there but that was about it." Piper looked over at Brant who stared back wide eyed.
"Damn it kid, watch where you are going!" A gentleman in a business suit yelled at him as he rammed into him. Brant looked around trying to figure out who he'd run into but with the multitude of people that filed around them, there was no telling which one it was.
"Piper?" A woman's voice called from right behind them. Piper turned and looked into the mirror image of her face. Sarah's hair was lighter than her's as was her pale skin, but Piper was staring into her own face. She had the same brown eyes, same curve of her nose. "It is you." The woman's voice was so quiet that she could barely be heard over the noise of O'Hare airport. People complained as they passed by the two women.
"You must be Sarah." Brant said, leaning in to shake her hand. Both women stared at him for a moment, both coming out of their trance.
"Brant, my god. I would have never recognized you." Sarah said as she placed her hand inside Brant's. "I need to call your uncle and tell him I found you. Do you know where you are supposed to go for baggage claim?" Sarah asked as she pulled her cell out of her jean pocket.
Brant and Piper shook their heads as she started to dial. "Oh well, we'll figure it out as we go." Piper turned and followed the woman who was truly her aunt through the busy terminal, her mind running a thousand miles an hour. There was no denying that this woman was her blood. The similarities in their looks went beyond just coincidental. Brant looked over at Piper and gave her a reassuring smile.
"Brant, Piper, I would like you to meet Collin. Collin..." Sarah tugged on her husbands arm as he waited at the carousel for their luggage.
"Piper, Brant." Collin nodded ti the. "Let's find your bags and get out of this god forsaken place. Why couldn't you have had them fly into one of the smaller airports?" Collin complained, with a small smile and a twinkle in his eye. Piper felt some of her anxiety slip away as he winked at her and gave his wife a kiss. Before she knew it they were sitting in the back of her aunt and uncle's SUV on their way to a hotel.
"We have everything set up for you. I hope that you two don't mind sharing a suite." Sarah rambled on in the front seat. Piper looked at her blankly. She had only caught bits and pieces of the conversation as she had stared out the window at the city that flew past.
"Huh, uh, that's fine. You didn't have to do that. We would have paid for it ourselves." Piper said, looking over at Brant who nodded quietly.
"Nonsense. If it wasn't for... well you wouldn't have had to travel all this way if..." Sarah hesitated, not knowing what to say. This wasn't the time or the place to get into it all yet. She knew that the time was rapidly approaching. They all deserved the truth but it wouldn't make it any easier to say.
Piper nodded, understanding her aunts hesitation. "Yeah, but hey at least we get to get out of town for a few days. It's nice to get a way for a while."
"I really can't believe that Emily allowed you to come. I thought that the tickets would end up sitting there until you were both over the age of twenty one."
Piper nodded and looked at Brant who shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands as if to say 'whatever.' The motion wasn't lost of Sarah, who turned in her seat and stared Piper down. Piper coward in her seat. Just from the look that Sarah gave her she wanted to wilt into the seat, disappear until Sarah was calmed down. Piper looked up at her aunt sheepishly.
"Your mother doesn't know that you are here." She said, more of a statement than a question.
"Well, one of them does." Piper said with an impish grin.
"Wait, you know about Alexis and your mother?!?" Sarah gasped. Piper grabbed the door as she felt the car swerve. Apparently this came as a shock to both the driver and the passenger that rode up front.
"Well, yes. We've all known for a while, but they finally sat us down a few weeks ago and told us the entire story." Brant said from his side of the car. Sarah looked at him as if he had grown spots on his face that where now talking to her.
"They... told you? Everything?" Sarah turned in her seat and breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart and get her breathing under control. Piper watched as Collin silently grabbed Sarah's hand for support.
"They told us about the beginning. About Mark leaving. About your family, then you, turning your back on them." Piper couldn't help but keep the anger out of her voice, try as she might.
"I never turned my back on them. We, no, I... I made a lot of mistakes. There are a lot of things that I wish that I could go back and change but I can't." Sarah said softly from the front seat. "I wish to God that I could." Piper saw the tears that silently streaked down Sarah's face and cursed herself. She had came her to find out the truth, to try to repair the relationship between her mother and the rest of their family and yet... all it seemed like she was doing was making things worse.
"My mom knows that we are out of town." Piper stated as she looked out of the window.
"But she doesn't know that you two have came to see me." Sarah knew the truth without a word from her niece or nephew. She knew that her sister would never have allowed her children to come if she knew the truth. "You said one of your mothers knows. How is Alexis?"
"She's been better. I think the stress and the lack of sleep has been getting to her. She looks like she has aged ten years in the last few months."
"Is she having nightmares again?" Sarah asked, her eyes never leaving the road in front of them.
"Not her. Mom." Brant spoke up. Sarah nodded. She wanted to know more but her mind was reeling from all of the stress. She needed a drink. She needed to lie down. She needed for the truth to finally be told.
"Are you guys hungry?" Collin asked, breaking the silence. Brant looked up and smiled.
"Teenage boys." Piper said with a small smile as she shook her head. "Brant is always hungry." Piper's stomach growled at the thought of food. "I guess he isn't the only one."
"Well, there is a lot to talk about. Why don't we settle on getting some food in our stomachs before we do so? Maybe you two could tell us a little about yourselves while we eat." Collin said as they pulled into the parking lot of Wendy's. Piper couldn't remember the last time she had had fast food. Everyone always ate at her mom's cafe. She smiled. This might actually be fun.
Piper found out that Sarah and Collin where actually good people as they sat and talked, eating their burgers and fries. They found out about the day to day lives of their relatives and told them about themselves. Piper had Collin and Sarah laughing as she told them of the antics of their little brother. Sora was always one that could make you smile.
"I can't get over how grown the two of you are. I can't wait to meet your brother. He was so small when we left." Sarah said, her voice distant for a moment before she turned her radiant smile on them. "You two have two cousin's to meet while you are here. Granted they are much younger than you, but I am sure that they would love to meet you." Sarah said as she smiled over at Collin. Piper noticed the look that was passed between the two of them. A silent language. She could tell that Collin was pushing her aunt and Sarah was fighting against it.
Brant looked over at Piper. It was apparent that he had noticed too as he arched his eyebrow questioningly. Piper gave a half shrugged and sat back. "So you know about us now. We know about you. I think it's time we heard your side of the story." Piper said pointedly.
"You haven't changed. Still straight to the point." Collin said with a chuckle. "I guess some things never change. And let me guess, you are still a princess who always gets her way."
Brant choked on his soda as Piper glared at him. "I will always be a princess."
"Who always gets her way." Brant laughed as he wiped the slobber from his chin. Sarah laughed and Piper found that her laughter was contagious and soon the four sat around laughing.
"Okay, princess, why don't we get you two to the hotel. We can talk there. Is that alright with you?" Collin asked as her took his glasses off and wiped the tears from his eyes.
Piper shrugged. "Works for me." Piper said as she began to stand up as a thought occurred to her. "You said that your kids were quite a bit younger than us?"
Sarah looked up and nodded. "Yes, why?"
"Who is watching them?"
Collin looked at Sarah and shook his head. Sarah's eyes never left Collin's as she answered. "Your grandmother."
Piper and Brant rode in silence as they headed to their hotel. Not a word was spoken after Sarah's revelation other than Collin speaking to the lady at the desk as he checked them in. Piper would have been impressed by the room if her head wasn't filled with anger. She silently cursed herself for making this trip. She sat on the sofa that filled the main room and looked around. A big bay window covered one wall and Piper was sure there was a view of the city behind it's curtains. Two sets of French doors led off of the main room, leading to what she was sure was what would be her and her brother's rooms. A flat screen TV hung from the golden walls. Piper shook her head at the extravagance of it all. Piper stood silently and took her bag out of her aunt's hand and headed to off to the room she laid claims to.
She was busy unpacking when she heard a soft knock at the door. "It's open." Piper said harshly. She kept her back turned but knew that her aunt was joining her in the room.
"May I sit?" Sarah asked hesitantly. Piper shrugged. "Help yourself. Your money paid for this room."
"Piper, please. I'm sorry. For everything, but can you... will you please, please, give me a chance to explain."
Piper slammed the door to the dresser shut an stared into the mirror above it. She could see the anger in her eyes. She looked past her own reflection to the woman who resembled her in so many ways. "Do you have any idea what you did to her when you left?" Piper said, shifting gears so fast that Sarah was caught off guard.
"I never meant to hurt your mom." Sarah said as she looked at her hands that she had folded in her lap.
"You didn't just hurt her, Sarah." Piper said bluntly. "You hurt all of us. After all she'd been through, what excuse could you possibly have for turning your back on your only sister? You were all that she had left."
Sarah sat up a little straighter and looked her niece in the eyes. "No. She had you. She had Brant and Sora. She had Alexis. She didn't need me."
"The FUCK she didn't!" Piper yelled. "Then to come here and find out that you are having a fucking wonderful life with the mother that couldn't even stand up for her daughter? That turned her back on her own flesh and blood!" Piper's nostril's flared in anger and her breath came out like hot daggers burning her throat.
"Piper, that's enough." Brant said from the door way. She had no clue how long her brother and her uncle had been standing there. "You need to calm down and back off." Brant's voice was calming and soothing, but Piper wasn't ready to let go of her anger.
"Fuck that, Brant. You know how bad mom is hurting, even after all these years. She needed them and they left. No explanation. A shitty note dropped in the mail on the way out of town. How does that make up for anything?" Piper asked, throwing her hands around as she spoke. Sarah smiled sadly. She was so much like her mother. The same passion filled them.
Brant stepped towards his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders. "They invited us here, didn't they? Rachel told you that it was Sarah's idea. Can't you look at her and see that mom isn't the only one who is hurting." Piper looked over at her aunt and cussed under her breath. Why couldn't she hold on to her anger? Piper swung out of Brant's grasped and turned around. She didn't want to see the tears that streamed down her aunts face.
"Damn it." Piper said as she kicked the dresser in front of her.
"I'm going to take them down to the bar in the lobby to get a drink. When you've calmed down, I expect you to join us." Brant said, and he nodded to Sarah and Collin. Collin helped his wife to her feet and led her out of the room.
Piper stood there, anger and confusion pumping through every vein in her body.
"Lexie..." Piper sighed into the phone as she heard the only woman that she had ever truly known as her aunt answer the phone.
"Piper, what is it? Is everything okay?"
"I'm just so confused. I needed to talk to you." Piper let her frustration show in her voice as she leaned her back against the dresser. She let gravity carry her down to the floor.
"Okay? What happened? Did you talk to them already? Do you know what happened?" Alexis asked, trying to keep her voice steady and calm.
"Yes and no. I know that they have kids and that our grandmother is in the picture. I know that I hate Sarah and I wish that I had never made this trip."
"Piper, has she told you anything? I mean, have you sat down and actually talked to them?'
"We started to talk when she pissed me off. She said that mom didn't need her. I mean, is she fucking stupid?"
Alexis nodded. It was just as she had figured. Piper's anger was notorious. "Piper, you need to give Sarah a chance. You need to give her time. I don't know if I could ever forgive her for what she put your mother through, but I know Sarah. If she left, there was a good reason."
"What reason could you have for turning your back on your family?" Piper asked defiantly. She knew that Lex was right, even if every fiber in her being hated to admit it.
"Sweetie, that's one question you are going to have to ask her. I can't answer that one for you. Just... give her a chance. You have come this far. I don't think I could have. I love you. Go do what you need to do. And in the end, if you decide that you can't forgive her, that's your choice too." Piper nodded and sighed. "I'll be here no matter what you decide." Alexis said softly.
"I know." Piper whispered.
"Call me when ever you need to." Piper promised she would and hung up the phone. She looked around the room and hung her head. She knew that Lexie was right. She had come to far to let her anger get in the way of the truth. She stood up and stomped to the door, throwing it open.
"Damn it!" Piper yelled as she ran into a solid body and fell backwards on to her rear end.
"I am so sorry ma'am. I was told to bring fresh towels up. I was just getting ready to knock when you opened the door." Piper looked up at the girl who she had run into and felt all the anger of being knocked to her ass leave her body. In front of her stood a very embarrassed hostess, the pink that colored her ivory skin set out the freckles that speckled her cheeks and made her red hair look even redder.
"Miss?" Piper watched the beauty's lips move, lips she longed to kiss. "Miss? Are you okay?"
"I, uh, yeah. I'm great." Piper said, smiling her half smile. "Wanna help me up?" Piper reached her hand up to the girl who quickly took her hand.
The young lady quickly pulled Piper to her feet. Neither made a move to let go of the other's hands as they stood mere inches from each other. Piper couldn't help but stare into her beautiful green eyes. "I am really sorry." The girl whispered as her mouth moved closer to Piper's.
"It's not a problem." Piper said as she pressed her lips against her new beau's.
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"Is she that upset?" Sarah asked as she stirred her drink.
"I don't know. I didn't think so. I mean... I've seen her way more pissed off." Brant shook his head trying to figure it out.
Collin looked towards the door way and then down at his watch. "I hate to say this but I think we are going to have to rain check this talk. Our... baby sitter... probably needs to get home."
Brant looked to the door one more time and silently cursed his sister. What the fuck was taking her so long to come down? He knew full and well it wasn't just her anger. Silently he hoped that she was okay. "That sounds fine. We are in town for a few days. We don't need to rush it." Brant took a long swig of his soda and stood up. "It's been a long day. I think I am just going to turn in." Collin stood and shook Brant's hand, promising to call them in the morning to set up something. Sarah looked over the young man one more time.
"I still can't believe you are the little boy who used to light up a room every time you walk in it. You might never believe me, but I have missed you guys so much. I wish I could have been there to watch you grow into the respectable young man you are today." Sarah said as she held both of Brant's hands in her own.
"You and me both." Brant said sadly before giving his aunt a reassuring smile and nodded when she motioned for a hug. It felt strange, yet comforting, holding the small older woman in his arms.
"We will see you tomorrow. Sleep well and tell your sister that we send our love." Sarah told her nephew as she grabbed her bag.
"I will, ma'am. I promise. Until tomorrow then." Brant said, turning and walking out of the dimly lit bar.
Brant silently prayed that his sister was safe in their room as he took the elevator to their floor. "I shouldn't have left her alone. She's just a kid." He silently scolded himself for his stupidity. Brant used his key card to open the door. "What the..." Brant muttered as he pushed against the door. As he pried it open he noticed a pile of towels holding it shut. "Okay that's just strange." Brant noticed more things out of place the farther he walked into the room. The curtains had been opened to show the sparkling lights of the city beyond it. The TV blared Piper's alternative music noise. Brant stooped down and picked up what looked to be a pair of pants. "What the hell happened in here?" Brant said softly. "Piper? You in here?" Brant yelled over the music, tripping over misc pieces of clothing as he made his way to the TV to shut it off. It was just as the room fell quiet that he heard it.
Brant's heart dropped as he heard his sister cry out, obviously in pain. "PIPER?!?" Brant called out again, trying to pin point where the yell had come from. Brant threw open the doors to his room only to find it dark and empty. As he turned he noticed white light seeping from under Piper's door and quickly ran to it. He threw the doors opened and stopped in his tracks. There in bed was his sister laying on her back, her arms wrapped around a pretty red head. They were both naked.
"Piper! God damn it! What the hell are you doing?!?" Brant bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Holy shit!" Piper gasped, pulling the covers tighter around her and her new love.
"You didn't tell me your brother was so cute. I guess it's a family thing." The red head laughed as she rolled off of Piper.
"What are you doing? Did you forget that you were supposed to meet us down stairs? Did you forget in the few hours that we've been here, that you have a girlfriend at home that loves you? What the hell were you thinking? And who the hell is this?" Brant asked harshly, his voice still raised in anger.
"This... is none of your business. I didn't forget anything but how to lock a door. Now get the hell out of my room!'
"This is not over." Brant said as he turned and slammed the door.
Piper rolled over on to her stomach and growled into her pillow. "Your brother is a joy kill." The girl next to her said. Piper rolled over and propped her self up on her elbow, annoyed.
"No, he is being what a good big brother should." Piper snapped.
"Whoa! Chill. I wasn't trying to come down on either one of you." The cute redhead explained.
"Listen, I think this was a mistake. It's time for you to go." Piper said, rolling back on to her stomach.
"Oh, hell no. You make a play on me and then kick me out? You are what sixteen?" The girl exclaimed sitting up straight, letting the sheets fall off of her. Piper looked over at her naked breast and sighed.
"Fifteen. And I am pretty sure I asked you to leave. I'm sorry. Brant's right. I have a girl at home and a lot on my plate right now. I don't know what the hell I was thinking but this right here is as far as it goes." Piper turned her head and buried her face into her pillow. Sometime between her words and the time the sobbing started her bed companion made her leave. What was she thinking?
Piper woke the next morning to the sun streaming in her window. Her pillow was still damp with her tears as she started to move. Slowly, she peeled herself out of bed, wondering how she would face her brother, let alone her new found family. Piper walked to the spacious bathroom and sighed heavily as she noticed the whirlpool tub. The reflection in the mirror should have shocked her but yet, she knew it was how she would look. The little bit of mascara she had worn the day before was streaked down her cheeks, her hair was a frazzled mess, dark circles laid under each eye. She looked almost as if she had been through a hurricane and live to tell about it and her body felt that way too. Every muscle in her ached for the warm relaxation of the tub. Piper took a longing look at the door, wondering what her brother was up to. "I guess I should make myself look human again before I talk to him or anyone else for that matter." Piper said to her reflection. She slowly ambled over to the tub and started the water.
An hour later, Piper was refreshed and dressed and ready to take on a new day no matter what happened. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders and opened her bedroom door with every intent on apologizing to Brant and figuring out a way to make it up to her Rachel. She took two steps into the room and stopped.
"Collin took Brant out to do some running around. I thought that you and I could use sometime together." Sarah said softly from where she sat on the deep red couch in the middle of the room.
"Did you think that I might not want to?" Piper asked defensively.
"I did. I was hoping that some how I could convince you otherwise." Sarah said, a smile tugging at her lips.
Piper couldn't help but smile. She could tell from the same impish grin that had covered her face more than once that her aunt was up to something and she was dying to know what it was. "Okay, I'll bite. How were you planning on convincing me otherwise?"
"Oh, I don't know. A little girl talk, a day out on the town," Sarah hesitated to see if she had Piper's attention yet. "Maybe a little shopping."
The first two sounded inviting enough, but Piper was sold with that one little word. "Well... seeing as I would like to see the sites while I am here..." Piper hesitated just long enough to grin from ear to ear. "I would love to. I think... I think because of me we started off on the wrong foot. I would like to change that. I mean, after all you are my only aunt."