Lost & Found Page 8

  “You’re right.” Karen’s voice was equally quiet.

  Derek cleared his throat. “Would you mind letting them spend the night? I don’t think it’s good for Piper to drive this tired. Maybe you can call their foster mother, too.”

  “I was thinking the same thing, Derek. It won’t be a problem.”

  Piper wanted to sit up, insist she was fine to drive, but their voices just seemed further and further away...

  *****

  Selma woke in the middle of the night. She paused for a moment, not sure what had pulled her from sleep. Hearing nothing, she decided to step out and check on Ben, just to be sure.

  A short time later she was gently pulling the door to Ben's room open, and peering over to his bed. He was still and silent, save his usual light snores. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a soft groan on the opposite side of the room.

  Though both Tates had fallen asleep downstairs, Derek had been happy to help Selma get Mark up to the spare bed in Ben’s room.

  Selma frowned over at him; his sleep seemed to be anything but restful as his limbs twitched and shifted under the covers. Her maternal instincts in full force, she headed to Mark without hesitation.

  Even in the low light cast by Ben’s dog-shaped nightlight, it was clear Mark was having a nightmare. Selma sat next to him and gently began rubbing his back. Out of habit, she began to sing “A la Puerta del Cielo“, the song she sang to Ben whenever he had trouble sleeping. She wasn’t sure if it was her voice or the contact, but thankfully Mark stilled as the song wound down.

  The anxiety in Selma's chest eased. She smoothed the tousled hair on Mark's head and waited a few moments longer. As he remained still, she decided it was safe to leave.

  A little more awake than she'd like, she made her way downstairs for a glass of milk. Passing through the open hallway, she was startled to see a figure seated at the breakfast bar. Selma hurriedly flicked the light on.

  Piper blinked rapidly, her eyes obviously adjusting to the sudden light.

  Selma quirked her head to the side, her heart still racing. “Why are you sitting in the dark at,” she glanced at the clock, “two in the morning?”

  Piper shrugged. “I woke up a little while ago. Your couch is comfortable but still different than I’m used to.” She frowned. “Why are you up this late?”

  “One of the boys was having a nightmare. Mommy senses, I guess.” She shrugged and crossed her arms, her pulse finally returning to normal.

  “Oh. Was it Mark?” Piper’s brow was furrowed with concern.

  Selma nodded. “Yes, but a little back rub and a song eased him back into hopefully happier dreams.”

  Piper sighed, her shoulders drooping as she rubbed her face. “Good. I'm glad you heard him.”

  It took Selma a few beats to remember why she was in the kitchen. She cleared her throat, not looking directly at Piper. “Look, I was going to get myself a glass of milk and watch a little TV. Would you like to join me?”

  At first, Piper didn’t respond. Then, after a prolonged glance at Selma, she stood and stretched. “Sure. Beats sitting in the dark.”

  Selma tucked some hair behind her ear and nodded, pouring two glasses of milk and then leading the way back to the living room. She let Piper take a seat first, hesitating when Piper sat on the far side of the couch. She shook herself and set the glasses down on the coffee table.

  Sitting in the middle was practical. There was only one throw hanging off the back, after all.

  Supporting her decision, she tugged it free from the back of the couch and settled it over her bare legs. She leaned forward to retrieve their glasses, offering one to Piper. “You're welcome to share the blanket if you get cold.”

  She froze as Piper’s hand bumped hers, the blue eyes inadvertently glancing at her chest before focusing back on the milk. “Thanks,” Piper said as she took a hurried gulp of milk.

  Selma’s face heated up as she looked down and realized she was colder than she’d realized. She awkwardly tugged the blanket up to her chest and cleared her throat. “So. Netflix?”

  Piper looked like she was about to say something, only to snap her mouth shut. She swallowed. “Yeah, sure.”

  Eyeing her askance, Selma mentally shrugged and retrieved the remote from the end cushion. “You have any preferences?” she asked as she called the app up.

  “I’ll watch anything this late,” Piper unhelpfully responded.

  Selma pursed her lips and selected a random animal documentary. It was interesting, but as she finished her milk and the minutes kept passing, paying attention became more and more difficult.

  “This couch is sinfully comfortable,” Piper groaned.

  A yawn escaped Selma before she could suppress it. “I know. That’s why I bought it.” She blinked sluggishly. “I should show you to the guest room and get back to bed.”

  But moving seemed an enormous feat; something impossible, even.

  Her head slumped and landed on something soft and warm, and a moment later she could feel the remote gently being tugged from her hand. The low burr of the TV in the background was suddenly gone.

  “G’night, Selma,” was the last thing she heard.

  Chapter 6

  The creeping light of dawn caused Selma to wake. Warm and comfortable, it took her a while to slowly open her eyes. As they finally did, embarrassment made her cheeks heat up. Not only had she fallen asleep on the couch with Piper but, at some point, they’d both stretched out. Namely, she was spread out on top of Piper.

  It was an odd sensation, being pressed up so intimately against another woman. She couldn’t remember the last occasion she’d felt anything like it, time having slipped by too quickly since her one relationship as an undergrad. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably.

  She carefully began to extricate herself, determined not to wake her unexpected companion. It proved to be difficult.

  She shifted her weight slowly, before determining that she'd have to sling one leg over for balance if she didn't want to put too much weight on Piper. She mentally braced herself.

  Piper groaned, paralysing a shocked Selma. When nothing else happened, she took a breath and swiftly swung her right leg over and across Piper’s legs so that her toes were resting on the ground. She pushed herself up, nearly straddling the form beneath her.

  She froze again when she encountered a pair of drowsy green eyes.

  “Selma,” came the lone word. Piper’s voice was hoarse and still full of sleep.

  Selma panicked, shifting all her weight to her left hand and using her right to lightly brush through Piper's blonde locks. “Shhh, sweetie. Go back to sleep, it's still early.”

  Piper sleepily blinked at her once more and closed her eyes. “Mmkay,” she mumbled.

  Selma’s relief was tangible. She pushed up and off the couch and released a long sigh. That was almost completely awkward. She wiped the light sheen of perspiration from her brow and turned toward the hallway, only to find an amused Mark standing there.

  Her cheeks grew warm at the goofy look on his face.

  “Why were you both sleeping on the couch?” Mark was smart enough to whisper, though he was clearly amused.

  She grasped his shoulder with a sigh and gestured toward the kitchen. Once they arrived, she began to speak. “We were both having trouble sleeping last night, so we decided to watch some television. I'm afraid we fell asleep.” She didn't divulge that she’d woken up because of the sound of his nightmare.

  Mark looked thoughtful. “Oh, that makes sense.” He looked around the kitchen. “Hm, what's for breakfast?”

  Saying a silent thank you for the attention span of children, Selma considered her options. A draft made her shiver, a reminder that she was standing in her kitchen in nothing but a camisole and a pair of very brief matching shorts. She tucked her arms around herself. “Well if you give me a few minutes to go get dressed, I'll come back and get started. Would you like some juice while you wait?”

  He nodde
d eagerly. “Do you have apple?”

  Selma nodded. “Of course, let me pour you a nice big glass.” It only took her a moment to serve him, and then she quickly escaped up to her bedroom.

  *****

  Piper slowly regained consciousness, yawning and stretching as awareness seeped in. She blinked rapidly in an effort to feel more awake. A survey of the room confirmed she’d fallen asleep on the couch—again.

  Her mind abruptly flashed to an image of Selma straddling her in just a satin camisole and she blushed. She felt like a perv for having a dream like that, especially in Selma’s home.

  As she lambasted herself for her inability to control herself, the smell of buttery pastries wafted through the living room. Her mouth started to water. Used to rolling out of bed and finding her way to food, she debated tidying herself up like an adult or appeasing her stomach.

  With a sigh, she opted to be an adult. She was in Selma’s house and she wanted to leave a good impression.

  Piper's long legs made short work of the stairs, and she made her way into the guest bath she’d recalled using the before dinner. Her jeans and shirt were wrinkled from the previous day, and there wasn’t much she could do about it. She hadn’t planned on spending the night.

  The still-packaged toothbrushes were just where she remembered them being. She knew Selma wouldn’t mind if she used one—they were for guests, or so Selma had said. After splashing some water on her face and patting it dry, she did her best to neaten her clothes. It proved to be a lost cause. She made a face and pulled her hair up into a neat bun instead, glad she always kept a spare elastic around her wrist.

  She eyed herself in the mirror, deciding she looked as presentable as she could get. Taking a breath, she took one last glance at herself and then followed her nose back to the kitchen.

  Her step faltered when discovered not just Selma and the boys, but Derek and Karen as well.

  Derek and Karen were already seated at the kitchen bar on stools, mugs of what was probably coffee in their hands. Mark and Ben were at a small, square table playing with a mix of Ben’s toys.

  Selma was a force to be reckoned with as she maneuvered around the oven and kitchen island in dark leggings and a soft blue blouse. She looked adorable in her simple white apron, hair tucked behind an ear as she overlooked various pans and checked on the oven.

  Derek noticed Piper first and gave her a big grin. “Coffee, milk, juice?”

  She blinked at him, distracted by the smell of eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns. “Uh, coffee would be nice. My sleep was weird last night.”

  “Sure thing, Piper.” His smile was as genuine as always, and she wondered if her birth father ever stopped smiling.

  The well-built man was obviously familiar with Selma's kitchen and had a dark mug filled for Piper in no time. He set the mug down at an empty spot at the counter, putting out some cream and sugar, and a small metal spoon to stir with.

  Piper slid onto the stool in front of the mug of coffee and nodded her head in thanks as she added a healthy amount of both cream and sugar to the mug before stirring.

  Selma spoke up from her position in front of the oven. “Just another few moments on the croissants. Karen, Derek, would you mind taking the other dishes to the dining table? I've already put some trivets out for the hot ones.”

  The Berings were quick to comply, efficiently retrieving some oven mitts and taking the hot pans to be set out.

  Piper sat straighter when she noticed she had Selma’s attention. Was the memory of her dream written on her face?

  “Piper, would you mind taking the bowl of fresh fruit and also help set the table?” Selma's voice was a little hesitant, but Piper nodded and gladly took the opportunity to leave the room.

  Between the three adults, all the serving dishes were put out and the oblong table set at record speed. Selma arrived just in time with a basket full of fresh, homemade croissants. The boys trailed after her, eager to eat.

  There was an awkward moment where they all simply looked at one another, but the kids broke the ice by claiming their spots from the night before. The adults were promptly followed. Derek and Karen ended up across from the boys—Mark had volunteered to help Ben again—and Selma ended up just opposite of Piper.

  Piper eyed the feast and sent her a grin. “Geez Selma, you pulled out all the stops. Dottie will be happy to know you helped fill a bit of Mark's hollow legs.”

  Selma looked pleased, back straight and lips pursed just slightly. “Growing boys need to have a good meal in the morning.”

  “Piper,” Mark almost-whined. His cheeks were pink as he glared at her.

  Piper rolled her eyes and just managed not to stick out her tongue. She was being an adult today, dammit. And, well, she could almost feel Selma looking at her.

  “I used to eat half a dozen eggs every morning when I was in high school,” Derek declared as he leaned slightly in Mark’s direction.

  Karen scoffed. “Used to? There’s a little bit of extra fluff around your belly that would disagree.”

  For an instant, Piper found herself actually grateful to have them around. So, maybe they tried a little too hard… but maybe that wasn’t the worst thing.

  Distracted, she looked up. Selma’s cheek was resting on her raised palm, looking relaxed and content as she observed Mark’s interactions with the Berings.

  Piper’s heart pounded when, as if sensing her focus, Selma looked back toward her. Their gazes met.

  The glance seemed to last a small eternity, her skin tingling with awareness for every second Selma’s attention was on her.

  Then Selma smiled and the moment was over. Piper went about filling up her plate and ignored the rapid thudding in her chest.

  *****

  “Thank you so much for doing this,” Karen said just after Piper and Mark had finally left to start their return trip home.

  Selma accepted a warm hug, a small smile playing on her lips. “Of course, Karen.”

  “Do you think we came on too strong?” Derek asked with a worried twist to his lips. “I felt like maybe we came on too strong.”

  Her heart ached as she observed the sudden shift to anxiety. Derek was one of the most confident people she knew, it’s part of what made him so successful.

  “Maybe a little,” Selma said carefully, “but I think Piper understood.”

  “She is a good girl, isn’t she?” Karen’s hand was pressed over her lips, her green eyes shining with emotion.

  Selma nodded and reached out to rub Karen’s arms. “She is a fine young woman, Karen.”

  Derek stepped up behind his wife, hands cupping her shoulders in support. “Why don’t we go home, honey? I know Selma loves us, but she probably has things to do.”

  About to protest, Selma closed her mouth as Karen’s hand squeezed hers.

  “No, Selma. You’re an adult and I’m sure we're keeping you from your routine. We’ll be fine.” Karen smiled.

  Selma nodded and dropped her arms. Derek and Karen probably needed some privacy, too.

  They hugged and kissed Ben goodbye, and then Selma tugged him off toward the playroom. She smiled to herself; after breakfast, everyone had chipped in to help clean up. Mark and Piper had ended up in a soap bubble fight while doing dishes. Ben had desperately wanted to join in, but it was as if his request to do so reminded Piper that she and Mark weren't alone.

  Selma hummed and allowed herself to be pulled over to a toy chest. She and Ben played with building blocks for a while, until Ben rose and decided he wanted to watch a movie.

  Some minutes later they cuddled up on the couch to watch Coco, Selma did her best not to think of the last time she’d been on the couch. She bit the inside of her cheek. The thing with Piper could be a problem. It hadn’t just been the couch, but the way their eyes had met, over and over, during breakfast.

  Those looks made her anxious. Piper wasn’t someone to develop feelings for, at least not those. The situation was already complicated enough, not to mention all t
he million reasons more why anything happening between them would be… not good.

  “Mommy! Mommy, sing the song!” Ben squirmed against her side, his eyes big as he stared up at her. She didn’t have the best singing voice but, for whatever reason, he loved it when she sang along.

  Selma chuckled. “De acuerdo, hijo.” The slip made her freeze, her chest tight. Speaking Spanish was normally a conscious choice, and so catching herself unawares brought up old anxieties. She forcefully shook off the feeling, determined to enjoy the movie with her son. “You make me un poco loco,” she sang as she tickled Ben’s sides.