Happy Place

Miranda:

I stand in my office and stare out the window in defeat. I clench my jaw. I have never felt this way before. Never. Not when my parents disowned me, not when my husband divorced me, and not even when Sam looked me in the face and said she wanted to break-up.

However, when I had to look Piper in the face and tell her she couldn't stay I was over-whelmed with defeat. I bawl my fist and shake away my negative thoughts. I turn around and take in the empty office. Austin and the others decided to leave hours ago. I knew for a fact that Austin was worried about my emotions.

I turn away and begin to make a few calls. I was going to do everything in my power to get Piper into my home as quick as possible. After two conversations with insignificant men who couldn't count to ten I was getting a call myself.

"Yes." I answer my patience very short.

"Miranda Grayson?" I recognize the voice immediately. "This is Maddie from the Piper's foster home..."

"Yes." I say impatiently. "I know who you are Maddie."

I can hear shifting nervously on the other end of the phone. "I'm calling to inform you that Piper is missing? Is there any chance that you may have her..."?

Everything around me stand still. I hurry to my feet and pace the office hoping that I heard wrong. "What did you just say to me?"

"Is there any chance that Piper may be with...."

I cut her off. "Your ignorance is making my blood boil. Where is my daughter?" I hiss.

"Um." Maddie replies. "We do not know. We were hoping that she was with you."

"Hoping..." I sneer. "You lost a child in this big city and you were hoping she was with me..."

"Miranda..."

I hang up the phone. My heart is pounding so hard that it hurts. I hurry out the office everything passing me in a blur. I get into my car and speed off. I arrive to the foster home and walk inside. Maddie squeaks in fear when she sees me.

I storm my way towards the head office but someone hand stops me. "Remove your hand or I will cut it off." I threaten.

"I'm sorry ma'am but you cannot go into the office. There is an important meeting with the policemen inside regarding a missing child." The man explains.

"That child is mine." I scowl. He steps back in fear and hurry to open the door. "Where is Piper?" I question walking deeper into the office. The policemen stop their chattering and look my way.

"Miranda." The woman in the corner is the first to speak. "We are currently doing all we can to find Piper whereabouts..."

I turn away. They were all useless. A waste. I pace the front lawn and dial Sam number. It doesn't take long before she is answering. I can hear Austin and Rose in the background. I tell Sam immediately that Piper is missing and the more I explain the more I can feel the panic within my bones.

We need to find her.

I don't know how long I am pacing back and forth on the front lawn but Sam and the others soon arrive. Sam find me first and pull me into a deep embrace. "We need to find Piper." I tell her.

"We will." Sam reply. She pulls her hair up into a high ponytail. She is wearing her running gear. I would appreciate the view if I wasn't in such a dreadful mood. Sam walk into the foster home and someone tries to stop her. She removes his hand nicely and continue inside. I look at him with murder in my eyes and he look away.

Sam approaches Maddie and the young girl squeaks. "How long has she been missing?" Sam questions the young girl.

Maddie chews on her fingers nervously before answering, "Last night."

"Last night." I spat. "Why did you not call me last night?"

"We didn't notice until early this morning..."

"Worthless." I hiss. "You all are fucking worthless."

Maddie shifts and Sam place her hand on my shoulder lightly. I immediately calm down. Maddie look away in shame. "Did she leave a note? Can I go into her room?" Sam ask.

"There wasn't any note." Maddie explains. "But, yes. Follow me."

We follow Maddie up the stairs and down a long hall. She opens the door on the right and there is two sets of bunkbeds and I immediately notice which bunk is Piper's. She has our picture on the wall and several of her artwork surrounding the top half of the wall.

Sam begin to look around and I watch her sigh in defeat. There was no note or any indication of running away. "Did someone take her?" I say out loud.

Sam shake her head. "I don't know, Miranda." I ignore her and turn around and notice our audience. I furrow my eyebrows and open my mouth to scream for them to go away and let us think but Sam stops me.

"Do you guys know anything?" Sam question.

"No." The tall one speaks first. He's wearing battered jeans and a old white shirt. His hair is raffled wildly on the top of his head.

Sam look to him and then the others who look away in fear. "If you know something this is the time to speak up..."

"We said we didn't know anything." The tall one spats.

Sam step forward and he cower in fear slightly. Sam face meant business. "Do you speak for everyone?" Sam ask with aggression behind every word. "There is a child missing and if something happens to her. You all will be responsible if no one speaks up now."

"She's lying..." The tall one start.

"You will go to jail." Sam cuts him off. "Talk. Now."

One of the smaller kids nudges the tall one. "We didn't do anything." He squeaks.

"Just tell me where she is." Sam ask softly. "Please."

"I told you we don't know." He screams. "I just told her the truth. I didn't think she'll run away."

"What did you tell her?" I scowl.

"The truth!" He shouts. "You're only using her. We all know you're lying to her. That's why you keep bringing her back. I told her if she left that it wouldn't be long before everyone forgot about her. She told me that wasn't true. Start crying and shit. I didn't think she'll actually leave."

"Why would you tell a little girl that." I ask. "She's out there lost and alone."

The boy clenches his jaw. "It's the truth. You don't see them working hard to find her. Do you?"

Sam smacks her forehead. "You're jealous of a little girl. You scared her into running away because you didn't want to see her happy. That's sick! I know this is hard and I cannot come to understand what this is like, but we love Piper and I know you guys think this is it for you but it's not!" Sam grabs the boy shirt and say, "Now come on. You're going to help us find her and you're going to apologize."

[][]

We drive around for hours as the boy direct us to places Piper could possibly be. Small parks, hotels, skate parks, and a few homeless shelters. I'm close to defeat when we arrive to another place. Sam speaks to everyone and show pictures of Piper. They all say they haven't seen her. The boy clenches his jaw and walk out to punch the brick wall.

"Hey, hey!" Sam stops him. "Chill out. We're going to find her."

"This is all my fault!" He shouts. "I'm so stupid. I should just end this."

I bend down and force him to look at me, "This is your fault." I tell him. "But, you can continue to be this way, or you can change. Decide now."

He clenches his jaw.

"You will choose to be weak or strong. It's that simple." I tell him.

"Miranda..." Sam tries. "He's a kid."

"Not anymore." I cut her off and keep my eyes on him. "You're eighteen and soon you'll be put on the streets. So, decide right now. What will you choose?"

The boy wipes his eyes and stand, "I know where she is."

We follow him down this long dark road. The moon shining brightly in the sky. We follow close behind him as we pass a few other homeless people. We then squeeze through a gate and walk across a field of grass and dirt. Finally, we approach this old and run-down water park. I can hear someone crying in the distant. We all begin to run toward the noise. "Piper." I scream. "Piper."

We round a water slide and there she is sitting bawl up inside the tunnel. I hurry and hop over the ledge and crawl inside. I pull her into my arms and her face is dirty and her knees all battered up. "Piper baby." I squeeze her so tightly and she cries into my neck. We rock together slowly.

Soon, when Piper stops crying we crawl out of the tunnel and Sam help the both of us down. "I can carry her." Sam offers but I shake my head. I keep Piper in my arms. We make our way back toward the street.

The boy leans against the wall in defeat. "I'm sorry Piper."

Piper look up and say, "It's okay Jacob."

Jacob cries again before turning and walking away. However, I stop him. "Did you make a choice?"

Jacob nod his head and wipe his face. "I won't be weak. I promise you that."

[][]

I place Piper in the car and ask, "Are you hurt anywhere? Did anyone hurt you?"

Piper shake her head no. "It got dark and I couldn't find my way back." She cries. "I tried but there were so many people everywhere and I didn't know where to go. So, I hide. Jacob told me that I'm a little girl, so I must know how to hide from the monsters. The nasty people. He showed me the amusement park a long time ago. Said, no one would ever find me there. It was my safe place."

I kiss Piper forehead. "Never run away again. Promise me you'll never do that again."

"I promise." Piper says. "I just wanted to be with you. Jacob said if I was gone long enough the foster home would forget about me and then I could be with you forever."

I kiss Piper forehead again. "You let mommy worry about that. You never do this again." I tell her sternly.

"Okay." Piper says.

"You're coming home with me." I tell her. "I promise."

Within two weeks, after harsh and nasty court battles. Piper is finally mine. Officially. I sign all the documents and walk out the building with Piper at my side.

She carries her small bag and the other children look at her and wave her goodbye. She pauses for a second before turning around and hugging Jacob tightly. "See you around." She smirks.

"Bye shorty." He pushes her.

She smiles mischievously and pushes him back onto the hard ground. He looks up at her in shock. He then chuckles, "I'll miss you chump."

[][]

The next morning, I get Piper up and make her eat breakfast. She is bouncing with excitement that it is difficult for her to sit still and eat her morning meal. "Piper." I say sternly. "Eat your food."

Piper pouts but listen and hurry and stuff the food down her throat. Soon, someone is knocking on the door. Piper jump off the stool and run to the door. "We do not open the door for strangers." I tell her.

"I know." She smiles. "I'm waiting for you to open the door."

I smile, "Okay. Smarty pants." I open the door to reveal Sam. My eyes light up in excitement at seeing her. She's wearing boyfriend jeans with a signature shirt. Her hair is falling around her shoulders in waves. "Come in." I tell her. "We are almost ready."

Sam walks in and Piper run around her and tell her how excited she is. Sam steals a piece of her bacon and Piper tries to pry it out of her fingers. I roll my eyes playfully. "Stop both of you. Come on or we will be late."

Piper grins and rushes to grab her bookbag. We ride towards the school together and Piper is bouncing happily in her seat. We walk into the school building together and I sign all the documents for registration. Piper stick close to me and look around.

"No need to be nervous." I tell her.

Piper is not hearing it. She buries her face into my leg. We walk slowly to the classroom and the teacher open the door to show colorful pictures on the wall and other small students on the floor. The teacher pries Piper away from me softly and say, "Kids. We have a new student. Piper Grayson."

Piper waves shyly and make her way to the floor next to the other kids. I wave at her and she pouts but wave back. "She will be fine." The teacher says.

"This is my office number." I tell her. "My personal number, Sam number, Nathalie number, and if all fails Rose number."

The teacher takes the paper full of contacts. "This is my personal assistant number. He doesn't miss a call. You only use this for emergencies."

The teacher smiles widely, "I understand Ms. Grayson. I can promise you that Piper is in the best care. I will see you at three."

"Are you sure she is fine?" I ask. "She doesn't do well when it comes to an unfamiliar environment. She's shy and so small." I pause. "Maybe this wasn't a promising idea." I try to open the classroom door, but the teacher stops me.

Sam squeeze my hand and my heart settles. "I'm sorry." I chuckle. "I'm panicking."

The teacher gives me a soft smile. "It's completely normal to feel this way. All parents do. Piper is in the best hands."

The teacher then disappears back into the classroom. My heart sinks as we make our way back to the car. Sam chooses to drive, and we do not head to my office like I thought we would, but she takes me outside the city. I don't question anything but lean my head against the cool window in exhaustion.

We pull in towards a lake house and when I get out the car I look at her in confusion.

"Scream." She tells me.

"Are you nuts?" I question her.

She shakes her head before releasing a loud shout. I cover my ears to protect them from the sudden noise. She screams over and over again and when she is done I look at her like she is insane. "Your turn." She tells me.

I chew on my bottom lip and release a loud scream. I stop and look at Sam. She only nods her head. I scream again. Over and over again until it's impossible to continue. I inhale the clean air and Sam pull me into her arms.

I bury my face into her chest and close my eyes as tears leak out my eyes.

This was my happy place.