I grab a tissue and hand it to Piper.
"Thanks." She wipes her eyes. "I thought I was indifferent to her, but I guess not."
"Mal never got over it?"
She nods.
"He still held onto that hope that she'd be in his life again."
"Yeah. And Dad too." Piper drops the tissue on the counter. "He's already making plans to go back to research, to finish her work."
"Is that what she would have wanted?"
"Probably."
"Mal… I don't know how much he told you, but I love him. And I want him to be happy. But I can't stay and fall more in love with him if he doesn't want me."
"He does."
"Tell him that."
Piper smiles. "I have. But he's an idiot. So…"
"No. He just… he doesn't realize how much love he has to give. Or how much love he can take." I stare into Piper's eyes. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but Mal worries you and Ethan don't need him anymore."
"He knows we do."
"Neither of you live here. You're both engaged. It's normal. You're growing up. But… let him know you still need him."
Her voice is a whisper. "Okay." She takes a long sip of her coffee. "He really is stupid, isn't he?"
"No. Just not good at asking for help."
Piper wipes away a tear. "Fuck, you're so perfect for him."
"Why?"
"That was the perfect thing to say."
"Just… being honest, I guess."
"Tell me I can convince you to stick around."
"He doesn't want to be with me."
"'Cause he's stupid. Don't you see how different he is with you around? Like he can finally relax. But he's… I don't know what's wrong with him, if he doesn't want to be happy or what, but… promise me something, Lacey."
"Maybe."
"Promise you won't give up on him."
My smile is more of an apology than anything else. "He knows how I feel."
"I thought we agreed he was stupid."
"I don't remember agreeing."
"Work with me here," she teases.