26. Piper
Piper
P iper squeezed Hunter's hand during the whole bus ride to the penitentiary. Of all the times she'd come to visit Jed, even when she was sneaking behind her sister’s back to do it, she never felt as nervous as she did this time.
Hunter was patting her hand soothingly, telling her over and over again, "I know it's hard and you want what's best for the boys, but this is the best thing. You're doing the right thing, Pipes."
In her free hand, Piper clutched a packet of papers that Kiera’s father helped her prepare.
It had been two months since the afternoon when she walked into her house to find a pair of police officers standing in her living room, and Piper was about to start her job at the teen center.
She wanted to make everything right before she began, and that meant serving Jed with divorce papers.
If she didn’t sever all her legal ties to him once and for all, she’d never be free from him.
She carried that sentiment with her into the prison, clutching her papers tightly until she had to leave them with the guard who would pass them across to the other side of the glass divider.
"You'll make sure he gets them after we talk, right?" Piper asked nervously.
“Yes we will,” the guard said, his tone flat and business-like.
Hunter was standing beside Piper, her arms outstretched as they passed through the metal detector, and she nodded reassuringly at Piper. You’re doing the right thing.
That didn’t mean it would be an easy thing to do. She could barely remember a time when Jed hadn’t been in her life, and even though she hated who she became when he was around, it was scary to think he wouldn’t be there anymore.
But she had Hunter, and a new job, and even Kiera had taken steps toward forgiving her.
Piper and Hunter went into the visitation room and there was only one other visitor there. Piper headed for her customary spot at the end of the aisle, stopping halfway across the room to ask Hunter, “Can you hang back? I think I need to do this on my own."
Hunter squeezed her hand and said, "I'm right here if you need me."
Piper nodded, then released her hand and marched down the end of the row. For once, Jed was waiting for her instead of the other way around. He looked a lot smaller sitting in that little plastic chair than he ever did when he stood and towered above her.
Piper decided to remain standing. She picked up the phone receiver and Jed did the same, leaning forward to look down the row at Hunter. He asked, “What's she doing here?"
"Don't worry about her," Piper said. "She's here for moral support."
"Moral support for what?" Jed asked, incredulous.
Piper swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat. She reminded herself why she was here - to protect her boys - and then she said, "I can't do this anymore. This is the last time I’m coming to visit you, and I’ve left divorce papers with the guard. Please sign them.”
For the first time in his life, Jed was speechless. Piper watched as his jaw dropped open slightly, then he regained his composure and asked, "Is she forcing you into this? Did she say something to you?"
He looked again at Hunter, snarling at her.
"This decision was my own," Piper said. "You are the father of my children and you helped my sister and me when we were in trouble as kids. I owe you for that, but for all the times you took advantage of me and manipulated me, my debt has been paid."
She started to return the receiver to its cradle, ready to walk away because she wasn't sure how much more of this moment she could be strong for, but Jed looked pathetically at her and asked, “What about the boys?"
Piper had removed the receiver from her ear by then so she only saw him mouth the words, his voice muffled by the glass, but she could figure it out.
She put the phone back to her ear and said, "I don't want them to see their father in prison, and they don’t deserve a man like you as a role model. When you get out of prison, you can work on proving to me that you’ve changed and you're a man worthy to be in his sons’ lives."
Then she hung up the phone before she had a chance to break, glancing over at Hunter, who looked proud.
Jed threw the phone and it bounced off the Plexiglas between them.
Piper flinched but the guard near the door was beside Jed in an instant, pinning his arms behind his back.
Jed was yelling at her through the glass.
She felt grateful for the muffling quality of the glass because she knew none of those words were flattering.
Another guard rushed in and the two of them dragged Jed toward the door. He lunged when he came even with Hunter, snarling and shifting his anger to her.
She stepped up to the glass, staring him down as she said, "I have been waiting for this moment for years. You’re through with my sister, Wolfe.”
Then she went over and looped her arm in Piper’s and they both watched Jed be dragged out of the visitation room.
Hunter asked gently, “Are you okay?"
"I will be," Piper said.