Post by StoryGirl83 on Nov 10, 2011 0:52:05 GMT -5
Chapter Twenty-Seven – Plan to Relax
Piper squeezed Prue in a hug. When she let go, she turned to Paige and gave her a hug, too. “Don’t be strangers. Tell Andy and Henry that we are having a family dinner sometime in the next week.”
“That’s pretty optimistic,” Paige teased.
Piper looked at her surprised. “Optimistic?”
“To think we can all coordinate our schedules enough to gather for one night next week,” she explained with a mischievous laugh.
“Not at all,” Piper shook her head. “Are you telling me that you are busy every night next week?”
Paige made a face. “No, we’re free.”
Piper looked at her surprised. “As in every night?”
Paige wrinkled her nose and nodded. “I’d prefer to avoid school nights seeing as I do have three high school students who have home work and finals quickly approaching, but yes, we’re free every night.”
Piper looked at Prue.
Prue shrugged. “I have a day job. Andy doesn’t have one yet, and the girls aren’t old enough yet, so other than the school factor, we’re free, too.”
“Don’t forget my offer,” Piper commented.
Prue smiled. “I won’t. I’ll discuss it with Andy tonight. We aren’t doing anything until schools out. It’s hard enough to start them in the middle of the school year without changing, again, after only two months.”
“I’ll talk to Ladybug, see if the three of them can join us,” Piper commented, bringing a sad look to the faces of all three sisters as the thought of their missing sister. “I’ll even invite my daughter if anyone can find her.” She paused and looked at her sisters. “Do either of you know where she is?”
Paige shook her head. “She’s called a couple times, but she’s never mentioned where she was. And I can’t sense her, so that won’t help any either.”
Prue sighed. “She’s been very secretive whenever she’s called. Pat thinks she’s hitchhiking across the country, but none of us has any idea where she was.”
Piper frowned. “Sounds about accurate. She hasn’t told me anything specific.”
“She was in Chicago two days ago,” Leo announced as he entered the room. When three sets of eyes turned to him, he told them, “She told me that she was helping Helena Morris prepare for a baby shower Helena is putting together for her sister-in-law.”
“She knows Darryl?” Piper asked surprised. “No, wait. Darryl knows her.”
Leo chuckled and shook his head. “Actually, I don’t think they’ve met. I’m not even sure she knew Darryl’s connection to us until I mentioned it. She met Helena when Mike and Helena where visiting New York two months ago.”
“She was in New York?” Piper asked surprised.
“For almost a week,” Leo confirmed. “She went there after she left St. Augustine.”
“She tells you where she is?” Piper commented, sounding a little hurt.
“Sometimes,” he shrugged. “It just comes up in conversation.”
“Do you have a number to reach her then?” Piper wanted to know.
“She was staying with Mike and Helena,” Leo informed her. “The number is on the fridge. She’ll call if she gets a new number. She wouldn’t accept a cell, so I made her agree to keep me informed of how to reach her. I told you that.”
Piper frowned. “You did?”
He nodded. “And every time she has given me a new number I have changed the one on the fridge.”
Piper looked a bit embarrassed. “I must have missed that.” She looked at her sisters. “I guess I’ll be able to contact Melinda myself.” She gave both of her sisters another hug and let them leave. Once she closed the door behind them, she headed back into the living room. “How was your day before it was hijacked by demons?”
Leo sat down on the couch and sighed. “It started out well. The little girl I was helping seems to be taking her mother’s death well.”
“But?” Piper pressed. “I hear a ‘but’.” When Leo didn’t answer after several seconds she considered the plans his letter had mentioned. “The college?”
Leo nodded. “They wanted some things I should have thought about.”
“Like what?” Piper asked. College admission wasn’t exactly a fond memory.
“Such as school records,” he replied with a sigh. “And even though I went to school, those records will do me no good.” He looked at her sadly. “It doesn’t look like I will get into medical school after all.”
“Did you tell her you didn’t have the records?” Piper asked, sitting down next to him.
He shook his head. “I told her, I’d get back to her, but I won’t. I have nothing to show her.”
“Maybe there’s another way,” Piper suggested, doubtfully.
He sighed. “Maybe.” It sure didn’t look that way.