Blended Ch 44

Riley arrives first, some hesitance and color in her face betraying her mental state.

“Chocolate chip pancakes. What’s the occasion?” she asks as she washes her hands.

“I do it all for the people.”

“Thanks, Piper. Or should I say mommy?”

Piper clears her throat. Riley’s body is perfection; her interpersonal skills aren’t quite there yet. “Please don’t,” she says, handing her a mug of coffee.

“OK.” Blushing, Riley goes to the table and sits. Piper can feel Riley’s eyes on her. She glimpses Riley’s reflection in the door of the microwave, and she doesn’t like what she sees. Riley’s supposed to be happy. Confident. That, or awkward and uncomfortable, which would be equally valid, and no problem to deal with. She is neither. The look on her face is something more like worship.

Piper’s heart sinks. It’s not as though she’s never miscalculated before, but it’s rare for things to happen that she does not foresee. It looks as though she may have messed up. Before she can start figuring out how she’s going to get out of this one, the stairs creak.

Bella arrives in the kitchen, and she understands the assignment. The way that her eyes drop and her little smile give her away, but she plays it cool like a champ. It’s obvious to Piper, but Riley probably wouldn’t notice anything even if she weren’t staring at Piper’s boobs like they’re winning lottery tickets.

“Pancakes. Nice,” Bella says, pouring coffee. “Where’s Kayla?”

“I would guess that she and Flynn are sleeping in,” Piper says, placing Bella’s plate. She positions a pat of butter on the top pancake, then pours syrup.

Bella and Riley eat. Piper doesn’t join them; she busies herself with cleaning up. “So, what do you guys have today?”

“I have to go to work. Uh…” Riley clears her throat. “Flynn’s going to be there. He’s gonna work on the bathroom. I have to be in there at ten to let him in.”

“I’m going to CCL,” Bella says, keeping her eyes on her food.

“If you actually join up, are you moving in there?” Riley asks.

“Maybe. I don’t know. I guess I have more space, more privacy here, and they probably don’t cook as well as Piper. But I don’t like being a freeloader for your mom.”

“Mom likes having you here.”

“So does my mom, for whatever that’s worth,” Piper adds. In fact, moving out will be good for Bella. She’s starting to discover that she likes it out there, but she has to keep the momentum up if she’s going to change her lifelong habit of isolating. Moving into CCL House will be tough, but she’ll have no choice but to adapt. Piper hasn’t decided if she’s going to give her a push. Contrary to what certain people say, she does not get off on trying to run everyone’s lives for them.

It's quiet. Too quiet. Piper finishes drying the griddle top, then turns to see Bella looking at her phone. Something’s wrong.