Hostage of the Heart

Worked With Sleeping Beauty (Sixteen)

Desiree entered the living room, looking toward the woman seated on the floor in front of the roaring fireplace. Having left the bathroom wet and naked, Piper was now dry and dressed in a pair of blue cotton sweatpants and a black T-shirt. Legs bent, she had her arms wrapped around them, chin resting on one of her knees while she blankly stared into the fire.

Desiree, dressed in a nightshirt with a picture of her favorite animated bird printed on the front, cleared her throat to get the other woman's attention. Piper glanced up at her but did not say anything. Heading in her direction, Desiree occupied the space on her left. For the next couple of minutes she wordlessly joined Piper in looking at the dancing flames.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she finally asked.

"About what?"

"About your father. About growing up with a man who..." Unwilling to finish that sentence, Desiree trailed off.

Piper shook her head. "The last thing I wanna do is talk about that bastard. Despite what your opinion of what I did, I'm relieved he's dead."

Desiree fell momentarily silent. "Then how about we talk about your mother? Where is she? Does she still live in San Francisco?"

Piper's eyes began to fill with tears. "She died," she whispered.

Sympathy clouding her features, Desiree also felt like crying. So much, too much wretchedness for one person to contend with. She yearned to wrap her arms around Piper, and never let go. "What happened?"

"She killed herself a few months into my sentence." Piper took a deep breath. "She put my--that bastard's handgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger. Left a note saying that she couldn't live with herself any longer, and that it was her fault that I was put in prison because she didn't have the courage to leave my father early on in their marriage. It was her fault that I turned to violence just like he did on a regular basis."

"Oh, Piper, that's horrible. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." Desiree hesitantly put a hand on Piper's back and began to rub in a circular motion. "Do you have any other family?"

"My mother has a couple of sisters but I don't know them well. Haven't seen them since I was eight years old."

A few minutes passed in non-verbal fashion as Desiree continued stroking her back. "I'm sorry about what I said in the bathroom. That was cruel and inconsiderate."

Piper offered her a small smile. "That's okay. I don't blame you." She stared at Desiree for a moment before she leaned in to place a light kiss on her lips. Raising a hand, she caressed a cheek, fingers steadily moving back and forth. "I don't know how you feel, but it's good to have you here. I'm glad to say that I have met you and I'm sorry for this mess. Wow...mess?" She chuckled without any humor. "Not quite accurate enough." After a thoughtful pause she added, "I'm sorry for this convoluted boatload of bullshit that I've tugged you into."

"Same goes for me. Not the being tugged into a boatload of bullshit part, but the glad I met you part." That earned Desiree a flash of a grin that she promptly returned. "Piper, I know deep down in my heart that you didn't do those things. Although my own brother said that you tried to kill him, there must be some explanation. You could never do such a thing. My belief is in you."

A tear escaped an eye. She swiped at it quickly, hoping that the other woman hadn't noticed. "You are simply amazing, Desi."

"I just believe in you. I know I'm right. You're innocent and that's all there is to it." Having a request in mind, Desiree mulled it over before making up her mind to inquire. "May I have a hug?" She knew that Piper needed one as badly if not more so than she did.