As we drove towards the restaurant I could easily see Piper's nerves. She was wringing her hands and digging her teeth into her lower lip.

I reached over and took her hand in mine. I kissed it tenderly. "It's going to be okay."

She looked over and nodded nervously at me.

I pulled up to the restaurant and quickly made my way around to the passenger's side of the car. I opened the door for her and watched as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. She pointed in the window of the restaurant.

"There they are."

I followed the direction of her finger. Jakub looked so different in his button up plaid shirt than he did in the usual hospital gown I had seen him in for months. Michael sat beside him and laughing at something that was said. As I looked I noticed more similar features to Piper, like his long face and cleft chin.

There was also a woman with dark hair tied in a slightly disheveled ponytail, but her back was to us. Regardless, I knew it had to be her mom. Amber.

We walked into the restaurant and joined her family. I watched as Piper cheerily gave both her grandfather and dad a quick kiss on the cheek, but only a small smile to her mother.

"Well, Dziadzia and Dad probably remember him, but Mom, this is Reed my...." She stumbled as if she was nervous to say the words I had used in the hospital.

"Boyfriend," I repeated our agreed upon terms. 

Piper smiled proudly, although I knew I was the lucky one. She picked me, and that felt more incredible than I could express.

Amber stood up and gave me a quick hug. I could instantly smell the alcohol coming through her pores.

"It's nice to meet you, Amber," I said as she released my from her embrace. I pulled out a chair for Piper next to her father. "And of course to see you again Jakub and Michael."

I unbuttoned my sports jacket as I took my place next to Piper. Her leg was tapping rapidly beside me. I pressed my hand into her thigh and gave her a small smile.

"It's definitely nice seeing you in a restaurant setting." Jakub smiled over at me.

"Likewise." I met his eyes. "How has life outside the hospital been treating you?"

"Great!" Jakob exclaimed. "I've missed my son's cooking."

Michael chuckled. "It's really only a step up from hospital food." I let out a small laugh of my own.

"Oh, Daddy." Piper ran her arm along the back of Michael's chair.

"You're quite handsome." All our attention turned to Amber who suddenly interjected herself into the conversation, slightly slurring her words.

"Thank you," I replied.

"And a doctor!" she continued. "Impressive."

"It's hard work, but I find it rewarding." I smiled at her.

Just then I saw my parents coming through the restaurant door. I stood up as they approached the table giving my mom a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Mom." I held her hands and smiled at her before looking over at my dad. "Dad."

He gave me a nod.

I looked around the table. "Well, I'm sure you remember Piper."

"Of course! Hi, sweetie." My mom smiled at her.

"Piper," My dad said gruffly.

"Everybody else - Michael, Piper's dad, Jakub, her grandfather, and her mom Amber." I made my way around the table.

"Handsome runs in the family." Amber winked at my dad.

I could see Piper react slightly to the comment so I quickly jumped in, "And these are my parents, Barrett and Christine. Why don't you two take your seats." I gestured to the two empty chairs next to Amber.

I could tell by my dad's subtle change in expression he could smell the booze coming off Piper's mom. He sat between the two women, but he didn't seem too impressed.

The server came over just as my dad placed his napkin in his lap. "Can I get you anything to drink tonight?"

"Three fingers of whiskey." Amber turned to Michael. "You're paying right?"

"Not for your drinks." He ran his finger along the spine of his fork uncomfortably.

I looked over at Piper who kept her eyes trained on her menu.

"Eh, what use are you?" Amber flicked a dismissive hand. "I'll still get that drink though."

The server shifted on his feet slightly. The rest of us placed our drink order.

"I need to pee," Amber announced as she threw her napkin down on the table. She then pointed to all of us. "Don't even think of taking a sip of my whiskey if it comes while I'm gone."

We all looked between ourselves when she vanished.

"I apologize for my ex-wife." Michael rubbed the back of his neck. "She had an addiction."

Both my parents nodded, but my dad had a look of repugnance.

I leaned over to Piper. "Is it okay that I ordered a drink?" I knew about alcoholism from a medical perspective. Some of my patients suffered from the disease. I knew how to treat them, craft a comprehensive treatment plan, but it dawned on me that I had never socially spent time with an alcoholic.

"The trick to spending time with an alcoholic is to realize you can't control the alcoholic. Only yourself." She gave me a small smile, but I could see it was clouded with pain.

I squeezed her leg.

"So what do you do for work, Barrett?" Michael broke the awkward air that had been left hanging from Amber's departure.

"I'm a surgeon," he answered as if it were ridiculous that Michael didn't know who he was. I was grateful the server chose that moment to show up with our drinks.

"Were you the surgeon who did my surgery?" Jakub inquired.

"No, I'm not a neurosurgeon." my dad answered as he took a drink of the whiskey he ordered.

I felt my blood boil. Jakub's question was a fair one.

"And you, Christine?" Michael turned his attention to my mom who daintily placed her martini down on the table.

"I was a stay at home mom for my boys." She smiled over at me. "But I do lots of volunteering now too."

"Your daughter tells us that you work for the postal office," my dad informed hers, like he wasn't aware of what he did for a living or that it was any less noble than what my dad did.

Michael nodded. "Yes for far too many years now."

"And you helped raise Piper?" Mom asked Jakub.

He smiled proudly. "I did. I also worked evenings at a convenience store to help out. My wife worked at a fabric store mending things." He looked down at Piper. "We were quite a team weren't we moja mała miłość?"

She nodded. "Unstoppable."

"I also have another daughter, Bryana." Michael informed them. "She lives in Ohio with her husband."

Both my parents nodded.

"That's not three fingers!" We turned to see Amber had returned to the table. She was sizing up the glass placing her fingers against it.

"Mom, that's plenty," Piper commented calmly, but her body language read agitated. 

"No, I'm getting the waiter. If I'm paying for this, I'm getting the amount I ordered." She looked around the room. "Oi!" She yelled loudly and began to stomp off in the direction of the poor kid who had the bad luck to pull a shift this evening.

Piper rubbed her temples and I did the same to her leg. Without words I was trying to communicate that it wasn't that bad, but who was I to tell her that? I knew what it was like to have a parent who did infuriating things, but I had no clue what it was like to have once who struggled with addiction.

Things eventually calmed down and Amber returned with a glass that looked more like four fingers full. We ordered our food, and the conversation over the meal stayed relatively tame. Luckily, my dad was on his best behavior, which was impressive considering the number of drinks Amber ordered correlated with an increase in erratic behavior. She barely touched her food in favor of the brown liquid they brought her.

As we picked at our desserts Amber attempted to flag down the server.

"Mom." Piper looked at Amber. "I think you've had enough."

"I know when I've had enough." I could barely make out the sentence. Her words were beyond sloppy at this point.

Instead of the young man who had been serving us coming over, it was an older gentleman.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

I looked over and could see the server standing at the bar looking over his shoulder. The space around the table grew tense.

"I need another of these." She smiled at the man. "Please... and thank you!" Her thank you was nearly a yell. She started to laugh uncontrollably.

My mother dotted the sides of her mouth with her napkin and kept her eyes looking at the chocolate cake she had ordered.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we simply can't serve you anything more," the man informed her.

Amber's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you can't serve me anymore? I'm a paying fucking customer!"

"I mean exactly what I said," he held his ground.

Amber's eyes narrowed further and her face began to grow red.

"M-mom. Let's go for a walk." Piper began to stand up.

"No." Amber also stood up although I wasn't sure how long she'd be able to. She wobbled and swayed, but somehow managed to look intimidating.

I also stood instinctively in case I needed to step between Amber and the manager whose resolve seemed to be starting to falter, or worse, administer some kind of care to Amber. His head twitched slightly as if he was trying to keep from saying or doing something.

"I want the drink I ordered!" she demanded.

"Amber," Michael's tone was even.

"Oh shut up, Michael!" Amber spat. My dad's arm wrapped around my mom as he watched what was going on. "I want my drink!" Amber demanded. "I WANT MY DRINK!"

At this point the whole restaurant was watching our interaction.

"Okay, Mom. Outside!" Piper moved around the table and linked her arm through her mother's who promptly stumbled and fell.

Both my dad and I rushed to her side. At this point it was like a reflex when I saw someone fall to just go and make sure they were okay.

"This never would've happened with Michelle," my dad hissed as he looked around the room.

Piper's mouth fell open slightly, but she didn't say anything.

"Let's just focus on Amber," my voice had an edge to it.

"You okay?" my dad asked Amber. "Anything hurting?"

"Get away from me!" Amber shoved us away.

She stood up like a newborn deer.

"Come on mom." Piper led her mother out of the restaurant who was still yelling unintelligibly.

The manager looked at the rest of us who remained.

"Uh... why don't you bring the cheque?" my dad said. "One bill is fine."

"Barrett, you don't have to...." Michael began but my father stopped him.

"I think it would be best if we all found our way out of here as quickly and inconspicuously as possible." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his leather wallet.

I walked around the table. "Let's, uh, get out of here." I helped Jakub up and handed him his cane.

"Thank you, Barrett," Jakub said as he walked passed him.

"Are you coming, Mom?" I stopped next to her.

"I'll wait for your dad."

I nodded my head, then took a step. As I did her hand caught my wrist.

"Reed, her family is as lovely as she is."

My mom was a saint. The sweetest woman to walk this earth.

"Thank you, Mom." I leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I'll come up north one evening this week."

"Bring Piper," she instructed as she patted my hand.

I stepped outside to see Jakub and Michael standing talking to one another. I walked over to them.

"Thank you for coming to meet my parents." I offered them the best smile I could considering the circumstances.

"Of course." Michael patted my shoulder. "I'm sorry about Amber. I was hoping she wouldn't come but Piper has a hard time not including her."

I nodded my head. "I understand."

"We cut off contact with her a long time ago," Jakub explained. "Told her to come back when she was sober. Piper just isn't there yet. She feels like she needs to be there for her because... well Amber's burned a lot of bridges."

The two men were looking at me and I could feel their burning question.

"It doesn't change how I feel about Piper," I assured them.

It seemed to satisfy the two men who smiled.

"I should get my dad home," Michael said.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"No, no. You go find Piper." Michael reassured me. "It was nice meeting you Reed."

"Goodnight." I waved to them.

Just as I turned to see if I could find Piper and Amber, my parents stepped out of the restaurant.

"Oh, hey guys." I shoved my hands in my pockets.

"Go on to the car, dear." My dad rubbed between my mom's shoulders.

She nodded. "Good night, Reed."

"Night, Mom."

A slight breeze blew, and I wasn't sure if it was that or my father's steely gaze that sent a chill down my spine.

"That was an interesting dinner." 

I didn't like the way his eyes burrowed into me.

"You knew her mom was an alcoholic," I saif. "You didn't have to come."

"You seem very invested in this woman." He crossed his arms. "How could I not?"

I swallowed. "What are you trying to say Dad? Let's make this quick so I can find my girlfriend and her mother and take them home."

My dad clicked his tongue. "Reed, I don't want us to be associated with that."

"You're a doctor. It's your job to have compassion for everyone."

"Everyone who is on my table. Until they are there I am welcome to state who I do and do not want associated with our name."

I shook my head. "It always comes back to that. Our name."

"And it always will, Reed," his voice was warning. "We are an important part of this city. Have been for generations."

"Rowan--"

"Isn't here. You are the one who will carry on this name," he advised. "Who is by your side when that happens matters, Reed."

I pressed my lips together as I searched my brain for what to say next.

"Choose wisely." 

With those last words he breezed by me.

I let out a sigh and walked up the block. I heard someone retching and I figured I found who I was looking for. I rounded the corner to see Piper standing over her mother whose vomit was splattering all over the concrete.

I quickly walked over. Amber stood back up, wobbling a bit. I grabbed one of her arms while Piper took the other.

"Come on, Amber. Let me take you home."

"Oh, Reed, you don't have to." Piper looked at me wide eyed. "I can get her a cab or... police escort. I'm sure she has some kind of warrant out."

I stopped and looked at her. "Are you serious?"

She giggled. "No."

"Where does she live?" I asked.

"Out in Columbus near me right now," she said as we reached my car. "Staying with what I'm sure might be the last friend willing to let her in their home."

We helped her into the back seat. She instantly flopped over.

"Shit." Piper shook her head.

She reached over and pulled her mom up. "Can you help me?"

I assisted her as we sat the passed out woman up and buckled her in. Piper sighed as I pushed the front seat back into position.

"You don't have to do this Reed." She looked up at me.

I pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "I don't have to. I want to."

"And if she throws up in your beautiful car?" she asked.

I shrugged. "That's what detailers are for." I kissed her gently on the lips. "Come on. Let's get you home."

When we arrived at her mom's house, I helped Piper bring her into her room. I leaned against the door frame and watched as Piper gently removed her mom's shoes and then tucked her in. She moved a garbage basket close to her mom's face which was unflatteringly squished into a pillow. The whole scene was slightly heartbreaking, but somehow also warm.

As I watched Piper lean down and press a kiss to her mother's forehead something became very clear to me.

I was falling completely and irrevocably in love with Piper.