Page 58 of On My Side (Quiblings #3)

Audrey

Playlist: Happy Accidents | Saint Motel

Ren

i got her, sweetheart. I’m with her. We’re waiting on discharge papers, and then i’ll take her home.

Audrey

she’s gonna be okay?

Ren

she’s gonna be okay.

My heart is breaking, and it’s lying in Bridgeport Hospital while I’m desperately trying to get back to it. To her.

I can’t even find it in me to care that I'm leaving the conference early. While I had a wonderful weekend and don’t regret going, my family will always come first. That’s where my heart is.

I trust Ren, but he’s never had to deal with a crisis like this on his own.

When Piper got her period, I was able to get there quickly, but this time, I had no choice but to trust he’d take care of my girl until I could.

I know he’s a teacher and he’s responsible for groups of children on a daily basis, and I’ve been trusting him with Piper during lessons.

But for so long, I kept Piper and myself hidden because I didn’t trust anyone not to hurt us. I’ve never not been there for her during an emergency. But part of trusting Ren with my heart means trusting him with the daughter who owns so much of it.

After an Uber ride from the train station, I’m quietly unlocking the door to the cottage, in case Piper’s sleeping.

“We should be looking for Leia,” Piper says from the living room. I freeze and, like a terrible mom, listen into their conversation.

“I told you. I’m not going anywhere,” Ren responds. Even in one of the worst moments of my life, his voice is a balm. “And you’re certainly not going anywhere, either.”

“But we have to look for her! It’s all my fault that she ran away! If I hadn’t fallen, she wouldn’t be missing. I’m scared , Ren.”

My stomach sinks as the pieces come together. Leia must have been with Piper when she crashed, and got away. Poor Ren, he loves that damn cat.

“I’m going to be honest with you,” Ren says, and the couch springs squeak as he adjusts himself.

“I’m scared, too. I love Leia as much as you do, and I’m scared something happened to her.

She has a microchip, and my family and Will are putting signs up around town, but besides that, there’s not much I can do.

What I can do, however, is remind you to take your meds at the right time and elevate your foot.

Leia matters to me, Pipe. But you do, too. ”

“Would you still be here if you weren’t embarrassingly in love with my mom?” Piper asks, and I bite back a smile.

“Yes,” Ren responds, not missing a beat, unlike my heart, which has missed several in the last few seconds. “Because I love you, too. And one of the reasons I’m embarrassingly in love with your mom is because you’re a part of her.

“So much of her heart belongs to you. Her love for you and your love of her helped make her the woman I have the honor of being in love with. She’s her because you’re you, and because you’re hers. And it feels like… you’re mine too.”

The tears are plentiful as I eavesdrop, every fear I felt on the way home washing away and being replaced with gratitude. Hope. Joy. Love for this little family we accidentally became.

I wipe at my eyes before clearing my throat and continuing into the living room. “Hi, birdie,” I say, still teary as both Ren and Piper’s eyes light up when they glance over their shoulders. “Next time, wait to crash your bike until I’m in the state.”

“Mom!” Piper exclaims, scrambling like she’s going to stand.

“No!” Ren and I both yell and he throws his arm in front of her, keeping her safely off her feet.

“I’m coming to you,” I promise, dropping my bags to the floor and walking around the couch. Ren stands, and I smile in gratitude before taking the vacated seat and pull Piper into my arms.

“I broke my phone,” Piper mumbles, voice muffled by my shoulder. “And my helmet. Also a few bones. Also my heart.”

“We’ll figure it out,” I promise, rubbing circles on her back. “I’m just glad you’re going to be okay.”

“I won’t be able to play piano until my arm heals. It will probably be a few months and it’s going to be a lot of hard work to get back to where I am now,” she says, voice drenched with grief. “I’ve worked so hard, Mom. And I lost Leia.”

I meet Ren’s eyes, remembering how he responded to her. How he’d put his own fear and grief on the back burner to hold space for and validate Piper’s. “That sucks,” I tell her, because what else do I say? It does supremely suck. “But I know you can do it, birdie.”

Piper pulls away, and I kiss her forehead. It isn’t until then I finally notice what she and Ren were watching on TV.

Gilmore Girls .

“Ew, stop crying,” Piper says, disgusted by my sudden heaving sobs.

“I love you so much,” I wheeze between sobs.

“I love you, too, but at least try to keep it together.”

“Hey,” Ren says, gently placing his hand on my shoulder. “Be nice to your mom. She’s had a long day.”

Piper groans and slumps against the back of the couch. “Traitor. I should have known you’d take her side.”

I place my hand over Ren’s and gently squeeze. “It’s nice to have someone on my side.” He smiles, and my heart melts. “Are you hungry?” I ask Piper.

“Can I have ice cream for dinner?” she asks hopefully, turning her head and clasping her hands under her chin as she bats her eyelashes.

I wearily examine her, bandages on her face and casts on her lanky limbs. “You’re using your injuries to your advantage, aren’t you?”

She sticks out her lower lip. “This is the only positive I’ll get from them.”

I sigh and stand up. “Fine. I’ll go grab you a bowl of Moose Tracks.”

“I’ll come, too,” Ren says, squeezing my shoulder as I get to my feet.

When we’re in the kitchen, I can’t hold myself back anymore.

I spin to face him, throw my arms around his neck and pull him down, pressing my mouth to his.

He seems taken aback by this, freezing for a moment until his body softens against mine and his arms are around my waist, pulling me closer into him.

“Thank you,” I murmur against his mouth, heart so full it could burst. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” he responds, pulling away slightly and pressing soft pecks across my face. On the corner of my mouth, my chin, my forehead, the bridge and tip of my nose. “Thank you for trusting me with her.”

“I’m sorry about Leia,” I whisper as he presses his forehead to mine, both of our breaths heated and frantic. “I’ll help you look for her. I’ll do everything I can…”

“She’s chipped, and posters are hung all over town. If anyone finds her and brings her in, they’ll call me. I’m devastated, but it was an accident. They happen.”

“They do,” I whisper, thinking about how Ren accidentally stumbled into my life, into my heart.

If Piper had chosen another instrument as her special interest, or if Ren had refused to do private lessons last summer like he intended, this man wouldn’t be holding me in the kitchen.

Piper, too, was a happy accident. The two people I love most are in my life by accident. Accidents happen.

Thank god they do.