Piper LeVine, A Gypsy's Truth

Preface

I was in the kitchen when someone pounded on the front door. It scared me. It was just after two in the morning. Though it wasn’t uncommon for my father, Harold LeVine, a Senator for the State of California, to receive calls and even unannounced visitors at strange hours they’d never knocked like that.

The whole house was asleep, and I was too freaked out to go and open the door. I was relieved when after another forceful beating on the door; my father appeared at the top of the stairs with my mother looking on behind him. He stopped to fix his hair in the hallway mirror, and despite the unrelenting pounding on the door, he halted again to clear his throat and adjust his robe.

Look through the peephole first, my mother, Katrine told him.

Dad looked through the peephole. His body went rigid. He looked back over at my mother. Go to bed, I’ll handle this. She didn’t move and neither did I from my hiding place behind the chair next to the kitchen door.

Dad didn’t open the door very wide, and I couldn’t see the person who stood on the other side of the door. What are you doing here? My father spat the question with such loathing. I hadn’t ever heard his voice do that.

The time has come and gone. A promise was made, and you must keep it. You tell her or we will. The answering voice was just as harsh sounding and very deep.

Get off of my property. Don’t ever come back. The door slammed shut before even I got a glimpse of who had come. I wanted to ask who it was. Technically, I was grounded and had been sent to bed without dinner, which was why I’d been in the kitchen at such a late hour to begin with.

I hoped they would go to their bedroom and give me a chance at sneaking back to my room, but my mom came down the stairs. Her delicate arms hugged her tiny waist, and her blond hair wrapped up in rollers bounced as she rushed down each step. When my mom’s lips were that thin from being pressed together she was angry. She cleared the last step and the tiny line that was left of her lips all but disappeared.

Dad held his hand up at her, but she spoke anyway. I told you this was going to come back to haunt us one day. I knew it. I knew it.

So we’ll tell her.

Tell her? Tell her what? That you were off screwing around with some whore and knocked her up? Oh, I know, we’ll tell Piper that we bought her from that nasty bimbo and paid her mother off to keep quiet. I’m sure she’ll understand since it was all for the good of your glorious political career.

About this time I was trying to swallow the panic and bile that burned my insides because the things they were saying were about me. I am Piper LeVine. I was the baby bought and sold for the sake of silence.

Tell her. Make sure she knows that if she breathes a word about this to anyone, I’m cutting her off. I didn’t come this far to have my name ruined. I’ve given that child a respectable upbringing. She’s gone to the best schools. Now that she’s going to turn seventeen, and all the hard work is done, I’m supposed to sacrifice my dreams?

I’m not going to threaten her.

My dad got in the face of the woman I’d known as my mother. It’s not a threat. It’s a fact. She squeals and there’s no college, no car, no more Grandma Sidney.

Don’t be ridiculous! You can’t stop her from seeing your mother.

My donations keep that animal sanctuary running. She’ll cut off Piper.

I wasn’t shocked to hear how fiercely my dad would protect himself and his career. My little sister Trina and I had learned long ago that Dad was in love with himself. We were just the props for pictures.

Katrine went over to the window in the front room. They’re still here, Harold. There was fear in her voice, and I couldn’t help but wonder who they were.

We’ll send her to Grandma Sidney’s.

She’s going through a phase right now. At least, I hope it’s a phase. Do you think she’s turning out like her mother? Can that kind of thing be genetic? She backed away from the window. Do you think she’ll keep quiet about this? She’s seventeen. She’ll tell that boyfriend of hers or that other girl.

Hearing my mom join in sent a twisting pain through my stomach. I’d never thought she would turn on me like that. The things she said about my birth mother began to sink in, and I stood up. Dad glared at me, and Mom gasped. I could see her mentally going over all the horrible things she’d just said.

I’d thought I was going to say something terrible to them, but when I saw the fear I was feeling reflected in their eyes I couldn’t. Instead, I walked past them and stopped at the stairs. I’ll go pack.

Chapter One

It hurt to breathe around the huge aching lump in my throat. My bags were packed and had already been added to the car. My parents made me wait until dark before they’d let me leave.

My father met me at the waiting car. His black and speckled white hair was combed to perfection. The expression on his face was the same as always. He was not smiling, but still presented a pleasant yet businesslike demeanor.

He looked around again, checking our surroundings. I wasn’t sure if he was looking for paparazzi or the mysterious ‘they.’ Both Dad and my mother said, it wasn’t worth my worrying over.

Your grandmother is expecting you. At last, his cool gaze met mine. No need to include her in this. Again, I tried to swallow the lump. I expect you to behave in such a way that you will not cause any embarrassment. There will be no talk of last night.

Why didn’t you-

None. He squeezed my shoulder painfully. Do as I ask and nothing will change. His fingers were biting into my skin, but his sharp words hurt more. I pushed his hand away, got in the car and closed the door. The tinted glass divider rose up separating me from the driver.

Finally alone, hot, stinging tears coated my cheeks and I hugged my knees to my chest and buried my face. Katrine had come to my room and tried to talk to me while I’d been packing and things only got worse.

We fought about my hair and my boyfriend and in the end, we hadn’t left things on decent terms. I was never on good terms with Harold, but this time knowing what I knew it was painfully different this time.

I was different.

It was well into the blackness of the night when the driver told me that we would be reaching Grandma Sidney’s house in a half hour. I grabbed my makeup bag and opened up the handheld mirror. The tears had taken away all of my eye makeup, and my green eyes were crimson and puffy. My fair skin blotchy and my golden blond hair, with its blatant and unwelcome scarlet stripe down the right side, was in tangles.

The stripe had shown up a few days ago and it had upset my mother immeasurably. I didn’t understand the real reason why at the time. I’d only been upset that she hadn’t believed me when I had explained that I hadn’t dyed the red stripe in. It showed up out of nowhere. I had tried to bleach it to match the rest of my hair, but it didn’t take.

Foundation helped, but there was no changing the swollen skin around my eyes. I shoved my arms through the sleeves of my black leather jacket and zipped it up. I wound my golden tangles into a bun and secured them with bobby pins. The red burgundy stripe was impossible to hide, but I did try. Pink lipstick covered up the purple shade of my lips.

When the car pulled onto the steep, winding street, I took a few deep breaths. I wanted back the ignorance I had yesterday. It would not be returning, and despite my father’s promises I knew that nothing was ever going to be the same.

Humane Animal Shelter and rescue signs reflected in the glow of the headlights as the car rounded the last corner. Grandma Sidney ran the animal shelter, and was outside of the one-story entranceway waiting for me. Her shoulder-length hair was a deep black and was pulled back into a low ponytail.

I promised myself that I would not tell her what had happened. This was the only place I had felt completely safe, and I refused to let that change. I smiled as brightly as I could while explaining that I just missed her too much to stay away. I had never lied to her before, and I don’t know how convincing I was. She didn’t push me, though I thought she might the way she was studying me.

Are you hungry?

I shook my head. No, just tired.

Johnny with his long brown ponytail came in first, carrying my luggage. Tony was right behind Johnny with the rest of my things. Tony’s hair was almost as dark as Grandma Sidney’s, though most of it was buzzed off. He reminded me of one of those tough faced older generals you see in war movies. Tony worked for my grandma for many years and was considered a family friend.

I’ll go unpack. I started to follow my luggage to my room, but I stopped walking when I heard Sidney sigh.

The new guy grandma had mentioned, whom I hadn’t met yet, gave a nod when she dismissed him, but did not turn back towards the door. Something else? My grandma asked him, but he was looking past her and right at me. I didn’t want to meet anyone at the moment, so I turned back down the hallway.

That’s my granddaughter Piper. She’s much too young for you so don’t get any ideas, Ivan. I stopped again when I heard the challenge in my grandma’s voice and turned back to peek around the corner.

His tanned face flushed, and she stepped toe to toe with the young man. No, none at all, Ivan answered.

Good, because she’s off limits. You understand that, don’t you, Ivan?

Yes-

Because if you don’t, you’ll be a lot worse off than just out of a job.

Tony passed me in the hallway, smiling, but didn’t rat me out for eavesdropping. Trouble?

She continued to look hard at Ivan. I don’t think so, just clearing things up. Grandma Sidney turned toward Tony. Thank you for your help with the luggage. Would you please see to feeding the animals, and get that horse unloaded, bathed and fed.

Of course. Tony opened the front door and stared Ivan down as he walked through it. Johnny was chuckling as he followed the other two out. When the door closed Sidney went straight to her room. Based on previous experience I knew she was going to call my father.

I picked up the corded land line that Sidney liked to keep and covered up the mouthpiece. She dialed, and my dad picked up on the second ring. Good evening, Mom. How are you?

What is wrong with Piper? You said she was just missing me. What happened?

She and Katrine are bumping heads and she always does better with you.

I could hear my grandma stomping around in her room as she spoke. Don’t lie to me.

I have no reason to lie to you.

She’s seventeen years old Harold. It’s time she-

My dad cut in, Maybe she misses that boy she’s seeing. He’s probably the one who convinced her to put that stripe of red in her hair. She looks like a hoodlum.

Rick is a very nice young man, and I told you Piper didn’t dye that stripe into her hair. Her hair just stopped accepting the bleach in that spot.

There was a muffled voice in the background on his end. I have a lot to do, Mom. If there’s something I can do to help Piper let me know.

Sidney hissed out a frustrated breath into the mouthpiece. It’s too late for that, don’t you think?

Goodbye. He hung up on both of us. The hurt sound Sidney made brought back the stinging tears to my eyes, and I blinked them away. I waited until she hung up before I did.

The last thing I wanted was to be left to my own thoughts, so I unpacked and was texting my best friend, Nina Goodwell, when the lights started flickering. I hadn’t realized how late it was. Fatigue started catching up with me. There was thunder outside, and the rain was welcome as it soothed my nerves.

Grandma Sidney knocked only once before opening the door and seemed disappointed when she found me texting on my phone. Talking to your boyfriend?

No, just texting Nina, I answered, sounding a little shaky, at least I didn’t cry.

Grandma walked over to the bed where I was sitting and took the spot next to me. What’s wrong, Piper? I get the feeling this is over more than just some boy. You’ve only seen him a handful of times.

I decided to stick as close to the truth as I could. I’m mad at my parents. I shrugged and set the phone down next to me. I’m glad that you insisted on my growing up here while Dad was busy with his campaigning. This is home to me now. I don’t want to go back. Technically, my home was with my parents by my heart was with Grandma Sidney. The times I got to stay with her I always treasured.

That bad, huh?

I’ve only got one year left before I go off to college, and I’d really like to spend it with you, Grandma Sidney. I was here almost all of last year. Hiding from my parents might have been an immature reaction, but after hearing what I had and knowing what I did, I was sure they weren’t going to want me to return anytime soon anyway.

You know it’s fine with me. Grandma Sidney hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. You’ll have to continue to pitch in. You know how I feel about idle hands.

I don’t mind helping out. I made sure I was smiling, but she was looking at me as though I was a stranger.

Did she know?

She stood up and tussled my messier bun. Goodnight, sweet angel.

Goodnight. When she closed my door, I plugged in my cell phone and turned off my light. Then I buried my face in my pillow and sobbed until the numbness set in. It was better than the tears that kept coming. My mind was flooded with questions.

How did this all happen? How could they keep this from me all these years? Who am I? Do I look like her? Have I ever met her? Does she know me? How could she give me up? Who else knows? Who came to our door in the middle of the night, and why?

When I went to sleep, I was sure I would dream about the faceless, nameless woman who had hurt Katrine and hadn’t cared if she’d ruined a marriage when she’d had an affair with Harold. Instead, I dreamt of black trees bursting up out of the ground and spooky, shadowy figures lurking in the darkness.

Chapter Two

The thunder was so loud it shook the house and woke me up. At that moment, lightning flashed outside and gave a perfect silhouette of a man standing outside my window. I sat up. The wood floor stung my barefeet with its coolness.

Was I dreaming? Had the people my parents were afraid of followed me here?

I marched across the floor and pulled aside the blinds. My heart stopped beating the moment I saw his eyes. A scream lodged in my throat, but did not come out. He was wearing a black hood that hid most of his features in shadow, but I could see in his eyes that he was smiling at me.

Scream Piper.

His pasty white hand reached toward the glass separating us, but froze midair. The ferocious feral sound was loud enough to be heard over the thunder, and we both looked in the direction of the noise. It came from a huge, black dog with long, white sharp teeth that was coming toward him. The shining wet black hair on its back stood on end as another ferocious sound shook the windowpane.

I grabbed my phone off the desk as the man took off running and dialed 911. When I looked out the window all I could see was the black dog, but it was no longer chasing the masked man. It had stopped and was looking right at me. That was no dog, it was a wolf.

The police searched the grounds for any signs, but with the rain there was nothing to find. A basic trespassing statement was given. I watched them talking to Grandma Sidney at their cars. I had already read the skepticism in the way they asked their questions. They probably thought I was just another rich girl looking for attention from the parents who ignored me.

Tony was standing with her and looking in through the front windows at me. I could not tell if he believed what had happened or not, but I was glad he was with Grandma Sidney. Johnny and the new guy were busy working with the animals, and I decided to get dressed. Last night was probably a fluke. Some random thief came walking onto the wrong property.

No way had the they my parents referred to followed me here. Obviously, they had known where I was all seventeen years of my life. If they wanted to come for me, they would have. Maybe my birth mother had just wanted me to know of her existence and now that I did she would leave me alone.

I dressed in a hurry and hoped that I would be able to bury my fears in my dirty laundry basket along with my discarded pajamas.

Where are you going? Sidney caught me by the shoulder when I rounded the corner from the hallway toward the front door.

Don’t want idle hands right now. It was true, but sounded lame.

I hugged Grandma Sidney and headed out the front door. The air smelled like rain, and the ground was still muddy. Tony put me to work right away feeding the dogs.

The sun was at its zenith, and sweat had long ago begun to pool at the small of my back. Tony dropped my straw cowgirl-style hat with its black velvet ribbon on my head. He kept it hanging in the first barn and always remembered to make me wear it.

I was listening to my iPod while I brushed down one of the horses when the guy my grandma warned the night before, stopped in front of me. He was smiling slightly and gave me a head nod once he spotted the earphones.

I gave the cord a tug, and they popped out. Yeah?

I’m Ivan Crawford, you’re Piper? His hair touched the tops of his shoulders and fell into his face when he leaned forward as he was doing. He had a well-trimmed mustache and goatee that was the same dark brown as his hair and eyes. I kept brushing the horse. Tony said I should help you with the horses. I had no desire to participate in a conversation with him, so I didn’t answer. That didn’t stop him.

This is my first time working with animals. I bet you’re a pro. Have any pointers for me?

Tony is the one with the pointers. I put the earphones back in my ears and gave Ivan my back. After Sidney’s warning last night it was clear this fool was dense. The next song was a quiet starter, and I heard him talking under his breath and with my curiosity piqued I hit pause and kept brushing.

-keep giving me your back all day. I’m lovin’ the view, little sweet thang. My face was burning with embarrassment immediately, and I turned around to tell him where he could go when I caught a movement in the brush.

Dark black fur. It was the wolf. I dropped the brush and walked slowly towards the bushes and pines.

Hey, where you going? I stopped when I saw its eyes. They were brown and yellow and alive like a jungle. I had not been able to see their color in the dark last night, nor the unique focus they seemed to have. My heart pounded in my chest, and my breathing was coming faster. I pulled off my hat and knelt down.

Come here, boy. A low growl vibrated, and my heartbeat doubled its pace. I’m not afraid of you. Come here. I began to raise my hand palm down toward the brush.

It’s just a dog.

Babe, what are you doing? I almost threw up because Rick scared me so bad. He grabbed my shoulders and set me on my feet. The wolf was gone when I looked back. You’re looking beautiful as always. Miss me? I felt like hitting him, but stifled the urge.

Yes, of course. He kissed me and brushed off my soiled knees. What were you doing?

I thought I spotted a stray. I searched again for any sign of the black wolf with its hypnotic gaze.

Oh. Want to go out tonight? His dirty-blond hair was looking lighter, and his skin was much tanner than when I’d last seen him. I’ve got enough to take you some place really nice. Ivan was watching us. Someone was always watching, and I was tired of the constant stressing over what they would say. He was watching to see if he could tell his buddies that the Senator’s daughter was a tease.

I shifted my weight and then bent over to pick up my hat. I was grounded, but I was also mad at the people who grounded me, specifically from Rick. Okay.

How come I had to hear from Nina that my best girl is back in town? Why didn’t you call me?

A nervous smile curved my lips. I got in late.

You okay? He grabbed my chin with his thumb and pointer finger. You look like you’re mad.

I laughed, No, I’m not mad.

Is that code for, yes, I’m mad you idiot who did something stupid? He gave me a sheepish look, and his blue eyes sparkled at me.

No, I laughed. Rick grabbed my waist and pulled me in for another kiss. His hands squeezed my bottom, and I broke the kiss. Ivan was smiling and shaking his head in an, I knew it kind of way. There are people all around, Rick.

What? Good ole Harry wants you to break up with me? Should I call him up or go to his house?

We’ll talk about this later. I nodded toward Ivan, who was openly watching and listening. He’s new. Rick was glaring in Ivan’s direction. Well, let’s go. You don’t have to work.

The last thing I wanted at the moment was to leave the sanctuary. My sanctuary. But I want to. My voice came out harsher than I had intended.

I’ll pick you up at seven. Sorry to have interrupted. He raised his hands up and let them fall as he stomped away.

Piper? It was Sidney’s voice. Your mother’s on the phone. I pretended not to hear and did not look back in the direction of the house. My lips pressed tightly together and without my bidding, my eyes filled with tears, again. I needed to get away, somewhere away from Ivan and his staring problems.

I grabbed the reins and lead the horse I’d been brushing toward the field used to run the horses. It was surrounded by trees, and it gave me the feeling of seclusion. A big breath of air I had been holding rushed out, and I continued walking in the huge oval shape of the field. Two laps around and I was already lost in my own internal interrogation of my feelings.

Then the horse jerked from my hold, and I turned and tried to calm the horse. What’s the matter? The horse reared up and slammed its foot into my chest. Pain exploded inside of me, and I landed several feet away. The horse rose up again, and I rolled out of the way as a ferocious growl sounded near my left ear.

The black wolf was right next to me.

The horse turned and ran back toward the sanctuary. The wolf laid himself down in the grass next to me. I was watching him and not believing what I was seeing. This had to be a dog. There was no way a wolf would just come and lay down so close to a human. My curiosity was screaming at me. This might be my only chance to touch him. My hand shook as I raised it. I offered it to him, and he inhaled the scent of me. He licked my hand and rolled onto his back.

He was longer than me all laid out like he was. I stroked his stomach, but he quickly rolled back. He laid his head in my hand, and I lost the rest of my hesitation. He was a giant teddy bear. You’re so sweet. I started scratching behind his ear. You saved me last night didn’t you?

Piper, are you okay? Tony came jogging up with Ivan in tow. The horse came back without you. Tony slowed when he saw the black dog. Hold onto him. Tony tossed me a leash, and it was not easy to get it on the dog. Tony laughed uncharacteristically at me the entire time.

Once I got it around his neck, his body went stiff. From his earlier reaction, I knew he liked it when I scratched behind his ears so I did, and he relaxed. The black fur was so silky, nothing like I would expect a strays’ hair to feel. The texture was so different from any of the other dogs.

Come on, Pipey. I stood up and led him back towards the sanctuary. He rubbed up against my leg, and I laughed and stopped to pet him again.

How could I ever have been afraid of you?

I did not want to cage him, and I knew that Grandma Sidney would not let me set him free. I would have to convince her to let me keep him. When I straightened to a standing position, I felt Ivan’s breath on the back of my neck and quickly turned around. So that was your boyfriend?

Obviously. I hated that my heart was racing again.

He smirked at me. Kind of young isn’t he?

He’s older than I am.

No way, the body I’m looking at is all woman. Bile stung the bottom of my throat.

My Giant started growling and showing his teeth. Ivan took a step back. Good boy. I scratched behind his ear again.

Looks like you’ve got a new friend, Johnny said, pushing Ivan another step back. We’d better have a look at him. He