chapter thirty

                                    

                                          
After the 'bomb' had been dropped, the rest of the ride home was quiet. Eddies entire mood had shifted. He didn't crack jokes or even speak for that matter. There was no radio, no tapping on the steering wheel, no humming.. 
                          
The noise was deafening and even though Piper felt better now that he knew, she couldn't help but feel guilty as she watched him stare ahead at the road.
                          
He was trying his hardest to focus on driving, maybe on the yellow reflectors zooming under the car, the way the steering wheel felt under his hand, the heat on his face.. But nothing was working and all he could do was think back to before he left where he searched for any warning signs he should've noticed.. After all, he should know the signs, he's been in Pops exact worn out leather shoes more times than he cared to count.. But he couldn't find any. Pops seemed happier than he had in awhile, ecstatic that the boys were getting the attention they deserved.. But now that Eddie knew what was really going on, he felt selfish.. Sick to his stomach that he didn't realize. 
                          
It didn't take too much effort to figure out that he saw Pops as a father figure. After moving away from the rest of his family, especially after leaving behind that abusive fuck of a step dad, finding the older man was a much needed breath of fresh air. It was like connecting with something he had been missing out on his entire life.. And their introduction was just pure luck.
                          
Through the various people he had met within the first few days in town, Eddie had heard mention of this record store that apparently had the best of the best. Bootlegs, out of print, hard to find type of shit. He was skeptical but was itching to dive into all things music and spent the better half of one afternoon walking around the city, leading him to the market as he tried to find this elusive store but the only thing that looked remotely interesting was a small, dusty bookstore. 
                          
Eddie took a chance and walked inside, only to ask for directions or if this record store even existed, and came out with a new lifelong friend and a replacement for the Otis Redding vinyl that broke during his move. After that moment, Pops became probably the closest thing he's had to a 'father' in a long time. 
                          
Just like the chance encounter with Piper, it was fate, destiny, the universe, whatever you wanted to fucking call it, that had brought them together.. So it's easy to see why being kept in the dark stung, but what hurt the most was the thought of losing yet another important figure in his life..
                          
It was almost unimaginable.
                          
-
                          
What should've been a simple 40 minute drive turned into what felt like an eternity but finally, they were parked out in front of Pipers townhouse, the car idling quietly and all she wanted was to break the silence but what was there to say? Before she could find the correct words, Eddie switched the engine off, furthering the quiet, and held out the keys for her to take. 
                          
"Go ahead in and get yourself situated.."
                          
"You're not coming in? What're you gonna do out here?" Piper hesitantly grabbed the keys and cradled them into her hands, wishing instead that it were his hand and he were coming in with her. 
                          
Eddie sighed and slouched farther down in his seat, almost as if he were shrinking himself away. "I am.. I just.. You remember that solitude we talked about?" He smiled up weakly, causing her heart to ache. Every sigh and grimace he made, it made her feel worse and worse. It was bad enough her mind was clouded but now, so was his.. If not even more than it already were thanks to the previous night.
                          
Piper reached across the car and thumbed his cheek, causing him to lean into her touch ever so slightly before he kissed her palm twice.
                          
"I'll be up in a few minutes, okay? Don't worry. And I'll grab your bags too.." He kept kissing her palm, like he were reassuring her but it wasn't helping to get her out of the car any faster. Not only because his kisses were nice.. But because she didn't want to be alone. She didn't want him to be alone either but if that's how he deals with things, how could she blame him?