Lost & Found

by Raquel De Leon

  Selma nodded, her smile becoming a grim line. “Yes, I understand. The media has mercilessly decided to pursue you and I'm sorry for that.” The timbre of her voice was low and steady, and once again Piper found herself relaxing. “I'm Selma Flores. You can call me Selma.” She reached out a delicate hand for Piper to shake, who did so hesitantly. Selma’s hand was incredibly soft. “I'm here on behalf of your biological parents.”

  The ease Piper had been feeling evaporated, the blood feeling like it had drained from her face as she jerked back her hand.

  Selma took a step forward, a hand poised to steady Piper. “Miss Tate? Are you alright?”

  Piper took a few deep breaths. “Yeah, I'm fine.” She cleared her throat. “Why don't you go ahead and come on in?” She followed the invitation by pushing the door open wider, eyes darting past the unexpected guest.

  Selma stepped in, automatically moving to take her coat off in the warmth of the cottage. Piper waited, accepting the coat and hanging it up on a small unoccupied hook to the side of the door. She gestured toward the living room.

  “This way. I think we should sit down.” Piper tucked her hands into her jeans, only to untuck them again as she guided the way. Selma was wearing incredibly expensive clothes like she'd originally thought. Even without knowing the designers, the red shirt looked like silk and was tucked into a high-waisted black pencil skirt that was fitted too well to be off a rack.

  Piper tugged at her plain cotton shirt as she sat on the opposite end of the couch from her guest. This close, she could smell vanilla and a hint of something spicy. Even Selma’s perfume was perfect.

  Selma turned Piper and crossed her shapely legs at the ankle, her back ramrod straight. “Miss Tate,” she began.

  “Piper, please call me Piper,” she interrupted with a raised hand.

  Selma continued on, unfettered. “Piper. As I said before I'm Selma Flores and I am here on behalf of your biological parents Karen and Derek Bering.” She paused as if to gauge Piper’s response. Piper did her best to keep her expression neutral.

  “I'm actually their family attorney but, more than that, I'm their friend.”

  Piper made a noncommittal noise in her throat, trying to let the words sink in.

  “Your parents and I only just confirmed yesterday that, based on the hair sent in by your foster brother, you are biologically their child.” Selma’s nostrils flared, making Piper notice the first physical flaw—if it could be called that—Selma possessed in the faint white scar the width of a fingertip crisscrossing the tanned bridge of her nose.

  “We'd intended to contact you privately to discuss your feelings on the matter, and ask if you felt that you might potentially like to meet and get to know Karen and Derek. Somehow, the information leaked. I suspect someone from The Unforgotten had contacts in the lab we used to test the DNA. Regardless, how you've been treated today is truly regrettable, and I assure you that steps have been taken to secure you a modicum of privacy.”

  Selma paused again, her eyes attempting to search out something in Piper’s. “I understand you're probably feeling blindsided, but I'm willing to answer any questions you might have.”

  Piper's mind was blank. It was just… too much. She couldn't think if her life depended on it.

  As if on cue, a freshly showered and dressed Shelly came stomping down the stairs. “Hey Pipes, I—” Whatever she was about to say seemed forgotten as she spotted the stranger.

  Selma immediately stood and walked over to the newcomer, extending a friendly hand.

  “Hello, I'm Selma Flores. I work for the Bering family. You must be Piper's foster sister?” Selma sounded confident and congenial.

  Shelly accepted the hand, staring at Selma as if trying to understand another language. “Uh, yeah. I'm Shelly.”

  The handshake ended and Selma stepped back to a respectable distance. She glanced over at Piper. “Look, I can see that you’re clearly having trouble processing all of this. Is there a place in town I can stay?”

  Finally recuperating from her stupor, Piper cleared her throat. “Ah, yeah. There's a motel right at the edge of town if you follow the main street.” Seeing Selma’s nose almost imperceptibly crinkle, she tentatively continued. “Or, if you prefer it, Dottie operates a cozy bed and breakfast near the town center. It's right across from Dottie's Diner. There should still be vacancies.”

  “Right, yeah,” Shelly added with a nod as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  Selma smiled. “Yes, that sounds perfect. Thank you for the suggestion.” She took a breath and sat next to Piper. “Now, Piper. I'm giving you my business card,” she said as she extended a glossy white card, “and I've taken the liberty of giving you my personal number as well.” She flipped the card so Piper could see the handwritten digits on the back.

  Her handwriting was as perfect as her appearance, smooth and pretty, Piper noted as she accepted the card.

  “I want you to know you can call me anytime if you have any questions. I'll be staying in town tonight, and if you're still not ready to speak by tomorrow I can stay an additional night.” Selma paused, as if trying to find the right words. “I also want you to know that your biological parents never stopped looking for you. They love you. No matter what has happened, or how long it's been, they love you.”

  The certainty in her voice left no doubt in Piper's mind that Selma believed what she said; a lump formed in Piper's throat.

  The world seemed to spin around her. Something must have shown on her face because then Selma’s warm hand was resting just above the bend in her elbow.

  Her eyes met Selma’s, whose were steady and kind. “Everything will be alright Piper, no matter what you decide.”

  With a last pat to Piper's arm, Selma rose and made her way over to the front hallway. She had her coat on in no time, and with a last smile and wave at the both Piper and Shelly, the powerhouse known as Selma Flores was gone.

  Shelly blew out a breath. “Wow.”

  Piper swallowed, still in a daze. “Yeah. Wow.”

  *****

  The bed and breakfast turned out to be a series of cottages just opposite of Dottie’s Diner, each of which were split into two rooms each. The room Selma had been given was spacious and comfortable, decorated in warm earth tones. Besides the queen sized bed, there was a maple wardrobe and matching desk set. She'd only brought a couple of spare items in a hanging garment bag and her laptop case, so settling in didn’t take long at all.

  After doing so, she took a seat at the desk, pleased at how comfortable the overstuffed cushion was.

  She pulled out her cell phone and slowly inhaled. She needed to talk to her baby and touch base with Karen. She waited patiently as the call initiated.

  “Hello? Selma?” Karen was a little breathless.

  “Hey, Karen,” Selma's tone was cautious. “I've spoken with Piper, but I'm afraid she’s a little overwhelmed at present.”

  There was only the sound of soft breathing for over the phone, just barely audible. Karen cleared her throat. “Were you able to help her with the media?”

  Selma clicked her tongue. “Somewhat. I called the police department and got them to clear off the property, though you know how persistent those carrion feeders can be.” Selma grimaced and was glad Karen couldn't see it.

  Soft laughter reached her from the other end of the phone. “Thank you for that. She must be so confused.” Karen's voice cracked a little on the last word, and Selma knew she was trying not to cry.

  “Don't worry, Karen. The hardest part is over. Now we just have to wait a little bit longer.” Selma shifted in her seat, wishing she could do more to comfort Karen.

  “Of course.” Karen's voice was still shaky. “Would you like to speak to Ben now?” Karen didn't wait for a response, and Selma could hear her calling for Ben in the background.

  Selma smiled as she clearly heard the stomping of little feet getting closer to the phone. There was a rustling sound, followed by a loud “Mommy!” She wince
d at the volume, but she was grinning.

  “Mi corazón, are you having fun with Aunt Karen and Uncle Derek?”

  “Yes! Unca Derek got me a din-saur!” he all but screamed.

  Selma gasped dramatically, and then intentionally injected excitement into her voice. “A whole dinosaur? How did he fit that in the house?”

  Giggling came over the line. “No Mommy, it's a toy din-saur! Mommy is silly!”

  Selma enjoyed chatting with him for a few moments before finally asking to speak to Karen again. “Hey, are you going to be okay?” she asked tentatively.

  The deep breath Karen took seemed pulled from the very depths of her soul. “Yes. I'll be fine.” She paused, her voice finally steady. “Thank you for bringing Ben to stay with us.”

  Selma smiled. “He loves his aunt and uncle. Will you call me before he goes to bed so I can say good night?”

  “I'm sure he'd demand it, anyway.” Soft laughter could be heard, both Karen’s and Ben’s. “Talk to you later.”

  Selma murmured her goodbye and hung up. She eyed the clock and decided to work on her laptop until dinnertime.

  *****

  As the sun began to set, Piper found herself lounging on the couch with Mark, watching cartoons. Shelly had left a while ago to head to work and had luckily managed to dodge the few reporters lingering on the street.

  In a way Piper was upset she couldn't go to work; Saturdays tended to be busy days at the diner and she was sure that Dottie and Shelly could have used the help. She knew that there were other people Dot could call in to cover her shift, but she still didn't like the idea of letting her family down.

  Piper didn't love working at the diner, but she did love her family.

  The diner and B&B did a brisk business, and no matter the season the family was usually at least financially comfortable. The town had been steadily growing over the years, and so had Dot's customer base.

  It helped that she was an amazing cook, and had a demeanor that put everyone at ease. She was gruff but charming, and people liked the idea of a grandmother-esque figure in the kitchen waiting to fill their bellies with warm, comforting food.

  Piper shook her head as her thoughts derailed and she decided further distraction was in order. “So, Mark. You ready to go back to school tomorrow?”

  Next to her, Mark groaned.

  She had to fight a smile. He was making this too easy. “Not even though it means seeing Miss Houston again?”

  Almost immediately, Mark jumped in his seat. The lazy slouch was gone as his back went ramrod straight. His cheeks flushed. “No. Why would it? I told you Jason is the one that thinks she’s pretty.”

  “Really? I could swear it was you that was going on and on about how pretty her hair was, how pretty her eyes—“

  Her teasing was interrupted by the sound of keys turning in the lock. Her eyes shot to the time on the television screen in surprise. It was barely five and no one usually came home this early.

  Dottie stepped in, quickly removing her coat and scarf and neatly hanging them. Her flower print skirt flowed against her legs, her pink sweater complementing the color in her cheeks. Blue eyes twinkled at Piper and Mark.

  She brought her hands to her hips. “You two been sitting there all day?”

  Piper shook her head no at the same time that Mark vigorously nodded yes.

  “Traitor,” Piper muttered as she sent Mark a playful glare.

  Dottie clicked her tongue and moved to join them on the couch. She turned to Mark. “Mark, would you do me a favor and give me and Piper a few minutes alone? Maybe you can go pick something out for dinner in the kitchen.”

  Mark smiled bashfully and nodded, promptly doing as requested as he wandered to the kitchen.

  Dottie scooted closer to Piper and gently patted her knee.

  “So spill, girl.” Dorothy Tate didn't like to beat around the bush.

  A burst of laughter escaped Piper, followed by a deep breath. All that she'd told Dottie earlier was that Mark had done something and there were reporters obnoxiously hanging out around the cottage.

  “Mark found my biological parents, and uh, it turns out they're some super-rich, powerful people or something.” Piper's voice was small and a little shaky.

  Dorothy blinked. “Oh, is that all? I thought maybe he'd taken some weird yubetube video of you or something and posted it on the internet.”

  Bemused, Piper awkwardly smiled.

  Dottie continued, “I understand you must be very confused right now, but first things first...” She cleared her throat. “No matter what, you've got a home here. You're family.”

  Piper bit her lip. She loved that Dot was always so straightforward.

  “So, what you gonna do now, kiddo?” Dorothy asked in a steady voice.

  The nickname, one that Dot had used since Piper had first shown up on Dottie’s front stoop, put her at ease. “Well, their lawyer was here earlier. I think she got rid of most of the reporters. She also said that she was their friend and I could call her with any questions. I think she's staying at the B&B, actually.”

  “You gonna talk to her?” Dottie’s blue eyes were steady, her expression giving nothing away.

  “Yeah, I don't think I could stop myself if I tried. There are just… so many questions. Questions I need answers to. I didn't know if I'd ever get answers to them, but now that I can—well, yeah.” She shrugged as she finished speaking, knowing that Dottie probably understood.

  Dorothy's brow furrowed as she mulled something over. “Well, I'm going to make dinner. You can invite the lawyer if you want.” Unspoken was the idea that Dottie would be there as a buffer if things got too uncomfortable.

  Piper made a noncommittal sound. “I'll think about it a few minutes. Thanks, Dot.”

  Dottie shot her a wink and ambled toward the kitchen, no doubt to see what Mark had decided for dinner.

  Piper turned her attention to the business card that had been sitting on the coffee table like a small beacon. She took a breath and picked it up.

  *****

  Selma mentally braced herself as she stood in front of the familiar white cottage door. She brushed some loose hair back behind an ear before knocking. It was always difficult being away from Ben, but she couldn’t imagine how Karen and Derek must be feeling after twenty years of separation. She shook her head and straightened her posture.

  The door opened, revealing Piper, hands tucked in her front pockets and shoulders hunched defensively. “Hey.”

  Selma quirked her lips up into a small smile. “Hello.”

  Piper gestured her in, opening the door wider, and closing it behind Selma as she stepped in.

  Selma quickly removed her coat and hung it up. She turned back to discover Piper standing in the same spot, obviously uncomfortable.

  In an attempt to ease the tension, Piper cleared her throat. “Dottie is in the kitchen with Mark putting the last touches on dinner.” She paused. “I hope you like spaghetti.”

  “Yes, that sounds lovely.” Selma made a point to offer Piper a polite smile.

  As if suddenly remembering her manners, Piper gestured toward the hallway. “Why don't we sit and talk for a few minutes in the living room 'til everything is ready?”

  Selma nodded and followed Piper to the next room. The couch was in a soft red fabric, overstuffed and inviting with its plushness. Piper let her sit first and then settled about half a cushion away.

  Wanting to let Piper control the situation, Selma crossed her legs at the ankle and folded her hands neatly in her lap.

  “Why didn't they come themselves?” was the first question Piper blurted out.

  Selma gave her a soft look, hearing the quiet ache in her voice. “They wanted to. However, if they’d come you’d have had even more strangers on your doorstep.” She chose her words carefully. “They didn’t want to overwhelm you. Plus,” she bit her lip, “I believe they were a bit frightened that you wouldn't want to meet them.”

  Shock made Piper’s face go s
lack. Selma waited, feeling warm as Piper’s expression shifted to reflect something like cautious optimism.

  “To be honest, I don't think I'm ready to meet them. But, I think that I will be soon. It's just… kind of a lot to wrap my head around. When I woke up this morning, I was still just Piper Tate. Just another random girl living her life in a quiet town. Now, it's just—I don't know.”

  Selma reached out to rest a hand on Piper's arm in silent comfort.

  Piper's voice became quieter. “I was with Mark the night he watched the episode of that show that was, as it turns out, about me. So, I kinda know what happened. It's just a shock, you know?”