Page 57 of On My Side (Quiblings #3)

Ren

Playlist: Never Let Me Go | Florence + The Machine

Audrey’s been gone less than forty-eight hours, and I'm already dead inside.

I’m pathetic.

“You think you’re in love with her, then?” Will asks, cursing as he’s hit with a blue shell.

I know he’s talking to me in an attempt to distract me from the race. He always does, and usually I’m better at ignoring him and not giving him what he wants.

But he isn’t usually asking about Audrey.

“I love her,” I say, like it’s the most simple, straightforward thing in the world. And in a way, it is. “She’s it for me.”

“But are you ready to be a stepdad… fuck .” Unlike me, Will can’t multitask, and slips on a banana peel. I smirk as his chosen character, Donkey Kong, flails in distress, watching Mario, Waluigi, and Daisy speed past.

“Sucker,” I snicker. “But, I mean. I’m not marrying her tomorrow.” Though I would . “And Piper and I have a good relationship…”

“You piece of shit,” Will interrupts, shaking his head in disgust as I cross the finish line, securing first place.

“I parent you and Leo more than I’d have to parent her,” I joke, picking up my phone. “Speak of the devil, she just texted me.”

Piper

i’m outside your apartment building

let me in

Ren

new phone who dis

Piper

what if it was an emergency? what if i was dying and you made jokes and ignored your girlfriend’s only child?

newsflash, renny boy

she’s picking ME

I bark out a laugh as Will crosses the finish line, finishing in a respectable eleventh place. He looks at me questioningly and I show him the phone.

“This is the kid?” he asks, eyeing the screen like it has cooties.

“Piper,” I affirm as my phone starts ringing. I smirk to myself before answering. “Are you dying?”

“Yes,” Piper answers without even a hint of a beat. “I’m dying of Leia withdrawal. Let me in.”

“The lock is broken on the front door, and I’m in apartment 3A. You can take her to Annika’s for the night if it’s okay with her parents,” I sigh, knowing exactly what she wants.

The door squeaks as she pulls it open. “Wow, if I were a serial killer, you’d be dead,” she says, sounding way too pleased by the idea.

“Well you’re not, so—” I roll my eyes when I realize she already hung up on me. She’s banging on the door less than twenty seconds later.

“We have a custody agreement! Don’t make me call my lawyer!” Piper shouts between knocks.

“Door’s unlocked,” I call, and she pokes her head in, brow furrowed.

“I’m a little concerned about your mental health, if we’re being honest,” Piper says, helmet under her arm. “The lack of locked doors is worrisome. Do you have a death wish—who the fuck are you?”

“Will.” He responds in a tone that shows he’s staking his claim and right to be losing pathetically to Mario Kart in my home.

“Ren’s never mentioned you,” Piper fires back, crossing her arms over her chest.

This is untrue, but I’m unable to remind her of this before they’re bickering again.

“He talks about your mom more than you,” Will snaps back.

“I’m a minor , loser. That’s a really fucking good thing.”

“Piper, do you want to borrow Leia for the night? Also, you met at Sunday dinner, stop being weird.” I raise my voice so she can hear me over the dying car noises coming from Will’s mouth.

“Yes. Thank you,” Piper responds, walking to the couch with her arms outstretched, all thoughts of her roasting a grown-ass man evaporated. Then she freezes, eyes widening. “Ren. What is that?”

I look behind me at where she’s staring. “Oh. Uh, my guitar?”

“You’re cheating on the piano with a guitar ?” She truly looks like I’ve done something unforgivable.

I shrug. “I play both, and usually, I really only play the guitar at school…”

“It can’t be that important to you,” she interrupts. “Because like that guy over there, you’ve never mentioned it.”

“I don’t like you. You’re mean,” Will grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest.

I sigh. “Are you going to take Leia or are you going to continue berating me for playing multiple instruments?”

“Multiple?!” she gasps. “There are more ?”

I hold Leia out to her, hoping to distract her from her distress at my infidelity. “Look how cute Leia is, Pipe.”

It works, and Piper grins before collecting Leia and putting the harness and leash she bought for her on.

“I don’t like her,” Will says as soon as Piper closes the door behind her.

“She’s a literal child,” I remind him, eyeing him. “Please don’t beef with a child.”

“A mean child,” he mutters.

After I beat him in six more races, and let him win the last one, Will leaves. It’s a pretty routine Sunday; chores, recording, editing, and dinner at my parents.

“Where’s Kat?” I ask as we sit for dinner. My mom glances around the table, brow furrowing when she realizes my eldest sister isn’t present.

“Probably sulking over her latest Spoons loss,” Nic says smugly. According to an excited text from Nic in the group chat, she “pummeled” Kat in Spoons on New Year’s Eve. Josh eyes her with an expression that is somehow both admiring and nervous. He knows my sister perfectly.

I notice another empty seat. “Mom, Piper’s not coming this week.”

“I know, she texted me earlier,” Mom says easily, serving Dad salad. I almost knock over my Guinness at the revelation that my mother and Piper text each other. “Josh’s friend, Brandon, is coming this week.”

“He’s also our accountant,” Hunter adds. “Josh hooked us up, and now… well. Jo’s in love with him.” Hunter sighs dreamily, resting her chin on her open palm and batting her eyelashes at her girlfriend.

“He makes taxes and bookkeeping so easy!” Jo whines.

“You’re a lesbian,” Izzy reminds her.

“Me not having to worry about taxes is not in contradiction with my sexuality,” Jo bites back.

“Ren, did you hear I beat Kat in the annual Spoons tournament?” Nic says.

“What kind of salad dressing is there?” Hunter wonders.

“Do you people ever communicate by not talking over each other?” Poppy asks, talking over everyone else.

“Emilia, is something wrong with the salad?” My mom asks over Izzy and Leo bickering over something asinine. The doorbell rings and Josh and Jo both jump to answer it.

“I… um, I’m not feeling great,” Millie stammers, wiping her hand across her forehead.

“Where the fuck is she?” The room falls silent again at the echoing voice. Steve stampedes into the room, eyes wild, and a piece of paper clenched in his hand.

“Steve’s here,” Josh says awkwardly from the doorway. “Also, this is Brandon.”

Brandon is a white man an inch or two shorter than my pretty-much-brother-in-law, with dark hair that’s graying at the temples. He smiles politely, and Hunter pretends to swoon while Jo sits back down. “I think I met most of you at the launch party…”

“Where is she?” Steve yells again, at a volume that makes Mom startle in her chair. Dad and I are both on our feet, Josh next to us.

“Let’s talk about this outside instead of yelling, okay?” I say in my best teacher voice, putting my hand on my brother-in-law’s back to guide him away from the dining room.

He violently pulls away from me, stumbling into Josh, who’s a little less gentle when he clasps Steve’s shoulders. “Outside. Now,” he says through clenched teeth, shoving Steve towards my dad, who’s holding open the front door.

Leo’s scrambling towards us. “Can I take a swing at him?” he asks excitedly, the argument with his twin forgotten.

“Wait. Millie?” Brandon is staring at my sister, who’s staring back, eyes wide and face sheet-white. “What are you—”

He doesn’t get to finish his question, as Millie promptly vomits on her untouched salad.

“ Ew !”

“Millie!”

Instead of shoving Leo back towards the chaos like I’d initially planned, I grab him by the collar and pull him out the door with me.

“You need to calm down or leave,” Josh is telling Steve. My sister’s boyfriend is a big guy, but I’ve never seen him use his size to intimidate… until today. He’s towering over my brother-in-law, shoulders squared, and honestly, if Nic doesn’t marry the guy, I might.

“I’m not talking to you,” Steve spits, shouldering Josh. Except it doesn’t do anything, and Josh doesn’t budge.

“We don’t know where she is,” my dad says, voice calm. “Why don’t you and I take a walk and you can tell me what’s going…”

“Sean, Leo filmed him refusing to leave. He can be arrested for trespassing.” I turn, and sure enough, Will and Leo stand side by side, Leo’s phone capturing the interaction.

Steve points menacingly. I’m sure he thinks it’s menacing, at least. It looks like one of my students is tattling on another student, in my opinion. “I’ll find out where she is,” he tells Josh, like Josh might suddenly pull Kat out of his pocket. “She’s my wife .”

Josh shakes his head in disgust as Steve stomps towards his BMW, slamming the door shut as he starts it. “It’s way hotter when a grumpy guy stuck in a marriage of convenience says ‘my wife,’” Josh grumbles.

“Indeed,” I agree, remembering the scene from the contemporary marriage of convenience Audrey and I read the other night.

“If anyone knows where Kat is, I think it’s best you keep it to yourself.” Everyone’s eyes are on Dad’s, whose brow is furrowed as Steve runs the stop sign at the end of the street.

I pull my phone out of my pocket to call Kat and ask her what the fuck is going on when I notice I have almost a dozen missed calls, and four missed texts, all from Audrey.

Audrey

ren call me

its an emergency

please pick up your phone

ren please

My heart is in my throat, the hustle and bustle surrounding me muting into a buzz as I call her back.

“Ren?” Audrey sobs when she answers the phone. “Ren, it’s Piper.”

My bloodstream freezes, and I’m filled with ice. “What happened?”

She doesn’t answer at first, just sobs quietly, and I’ve never hated myself more than I do for missing her calls. “She was in an accident. She’s at the hospital.”

“Which hospital?” I ask, and it feels like I’m pleading. Begging. Not Piper.

“Bridgeport. I’m taking a cab to Grand Central, but she’s alone and…”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m going.”

Her thank you is barely audible before she hangs up. I turn back to my family and Will who are all silently staring at me. I open my mouth to say something when Leo’s running out of the house, and pressing my keys into my hand.

Dad squeezes my shoulder. “ Go . We’ve got this.” Josh, Will, and Leo nod seriously in agreement. They can’t possibly know how much them taking the weight right now so I can be with Piper means to me.

I nod once, throat too scratchy to form a proper thanks before walking to the Corolla.

I make the twenty minute drive to Bridgeport Hospital in thirteen minutes. I can’t help but speed; all I can think about is Piper alone in a hospital bed.

Audrey sends a text letting me know Piper was in the pediatric emergency room, and when I get to the front desk, I’m out of breath from running.

“Piper… wheeze … Hinton… wheeze .”

“And what’s your relationship to the patient?” the nurse at the desk asks, eyes unmoving from the monitor in front of her.

Shit . How do I answer this? Her mom’s boyfriend? Piano teacher? Hopefully future stepfather?

“Mr. Quinn?” I turn to see a short, Eastern Asian doctor with a hijab and soft smile addressing me.

“Yes,” I respond, still panting.

“Piper told us her dad was coming. You can follow me.” My stomach is doing somersaults in my belly as I follow her further into the emergency department.

After a few minutes of twisting hallways, the doctor pulls back a curtain to reveal Piper reclined on a hospital bed, a black boot on her right foot and a yellow cast on her left arm. She’s trying to feed herself chocolate pudding, but her spoonful ends up on her chin when she sees me.

“Dad!” Piper exclaims, giving me a look that very obviously means she expects me to show my acting chops.

“Hello… offspring,” I reply.

You know what? I tried.

“Her MRI is clear, but make sure you keep an eye on her for any sign of head trauma. I’ll be back in a few minutes with the discharge paperwork,” the doctor says, a kind smile on her face. She closes the curtain around us, and I pull the guest chair to Piper’s bed.

“So,” I say, sitting and clasping my hands in my lap. “You scared the shit out of me.”

She grimaces. “Sorry. I was in the MRI tunnel of hell when they called Mom and I wasn’t able to talk to her until I got out, and by that point, she’d already called you. In an absolute panic, I’m sure.”

“What was the MRI for?” I ask.

“My helmet broke when I fell, so they want to make sure my brain is okay or whatever. I swear to god, if it’s not, I’m suing the helmet manufacturer for all they’re worth.” Truthfully, I expect nothing less from this kid.

“And the casts?” I ask, motioning to her arm with my head.

“Arm and foot broke when I fell. I think I hit a patch of black ice, it was nasty. Phone broke too. Luckily, someone saw it happen out their window and called 911…” She trails off, fidgeting with the blanket with her non-broken arm.

“Ren… Leia was in my basket when I fell, and she ran away. I tried to chase after her, but my foot hurt…”

My heart sinks, and I’m immediately filled with anxiety. I’ve had Leia since she was a tiny, rage-filled kitten.

But right now, Piper is staring at me, eyes filled with tears, and I know I can’t let myself feel what I want to, because Piper’s already feeling it.

I force a smile, and move to sit on the edge of the bed. “Hey, I’m just glad you’re okay,” I say, meaning every word. While I’m absolutely devastated at the possibility of Leia being gone, I don’t know if I could survive if something worse had happened to Piper.

Piper’s lip trembles, and the movement causes the chocolate pudding to drop from her chin to her lap. I take a napkin and dab the remaining pudding off her face. “Do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you,” I promise. “Piper, when your mom called… I was terrified. You’re so important to me, and the idea of you alone, and not knowing if you were okay…” I clear my throat, frantically blinking away the tears filling my eyes. “It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life.”

“I’m sorry I told them you were my dad,” she whispers. “I was scared they wouldn’t let you in otherwise.”

“God, Pipe. I would have caused a scene if they didn’t. Full on Karen, throwing papers and demanding a manager.”

This at least gets a small smile out of her.

“That sounds like what a dad would do,” she says cautiously.

“Even if you’re not biologically my dad.

But Luke would do that for Rory if she needed it.

I’ve never had one, so maybe I’m wrong, but sometimes it feels like you’re my dad.

It didn’t feel like I was being dishonest.”

It takes everything in me to not dissolve into sobs. Instead, I smile tearily at her. “You’re right. That does sound like something a dad would do.”