A/N: This is a two-shot epilogue taking place about a year and a half after the end of The Good Life. I had a request for more about Alex and Piper's motherhood with Hailey. I just couldn't put this family to bed without at least one story about them.
Hailey closed the family album which chronicled the time roughly from after her moms had gotten married up to the point when they decided to try to have a child. Memories of vacations, gallery showings, and the sort. "Mama A?" Hailey's voice was sweet, inquisitive.
"Yes baby."
"Can we go on a trip? You, and me, and Mama P?"
Alex pondered for a moment and realized that they had yet to take their daughter on a major trip. She and Piper had discussed it and decided that they would wait until Hailey was older and could appreciate things a little more - not just Alex and Piper pushing a stroller around with an exhausted sun burnt child.
"Where do you want to go monkey? Disney World?" Alex tickled the little girl who squealed with delight. "See Mickey Mouse and the princesses and ride all the rides?"
"No mama. That's for babies." Alex couldn't contain her snort of surprise. Their daughter was nothing if not precocious, wise beyond her years. "I want to visit some of the places you and Mama P visited before you had me. Costa Rica, Thailand, London…"
"Honey some of those places wouldn't be fun for a seven year old." Alex kissed the top of Hailey's head. "And we have to have FUN!"
Her daughter stuck her lower lip out as she crossed her arms in a pout. "I'm seven now. But I'm gonna be eight."
"This is true my child. And eight is quite a special age. Hmmmm when do you turn eight?" Alex scratched her head as she looked up at the ceiling. "I can't remember." Alex's teasing voice brought Hailey out of her sulk.
Hailey got up on her knees and put her hands on Alex's shoulders. "Mama A, you CANT forget my birthday. It's the same day as yours. You always say that I am the best birthday present you ever ever ever got." Hailey's smiled her broad smile, showing the gaps from missing teeth.
Alex slapped her hands on her cheeks. "Oh no monkey." Alex dramatically gasped. "Did you know you are missing not one but two teeth?"
"You are so silly Mama A," Hailey giggled. "I want to go on a trip for my birthday. Pleeeeeeassssse?" Hailey was bouncing up and down on the couch.
"Let me talk to Mama P, and we'll see what we can do, Toothless." Alex leaned forward and gave Hailey a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. God she loved this kid. "Let's surprise Mama A and cook her dinner."
Hailey quickly scrambled off the couch and raced to the kitchen to start pulling out random pots and pans from the cabinets.
Later that night, Alex crawled into bed and snuggled next to Piper, placing her cold feet on her wife's warm legs. "ALEX! I hate it when you do that." Piper swatted Alex over her shoulder with her paperback.
Alex scooted as close as she could get and kissed Piper on the neck while running her hands down Piper's arm. She took a deep whiff of Piper's hair and skin. "Mmm nothing like coming to bed to rosemary and mint...and Piper." Piper dog eared her book page, tossing the paper back on the side table. She rolled over facing Alex, smiling. "Monkey told me what she wanted for her birthday this afternoon."
"And?"
"She wants to go on a "trip"." Alex made air quotes with her fingers. "She named off some of the places we've been, but I told her they weren't fun for little girls." Alex slipped her hands under Piper's night shirt and found her breasts.
"She's getting not-so-little anymore, you know." Piper sucked in a breath. "Damn Alex."
Alex flashed a devilish grin as she continued to talk while massaging Piper's breasts and playing with her nipples. "I know. I suggested Disney World but got a poke in the ribs for my efforts."
Piper gulped as she managed to squeak out words. "Thank god. I don't think I could handle that place. But it's time we start taking her to places, exposing her to culture and building more memories before she starts to hate us."
"Suggestions?" Alex rolled Piper to her back, slightly lifting up her night shirt and began a trail of random kisses across her stomach.
Piper gulped. "Well let's see. What all is she interested in? Science."
"Art." Alex made her way to one of Piper's breasts, gently licking one and then the other.
"History." Piper grabbed hold of Alex's head, holding it encouraging Alex to softly suck her hardened nipple. "God Alex. That feels amazing."
"God. She's going to be a bigger nerd than you Pipes." Alex grinned as she nipped Piper's nipple lightly and ran her hand down Piper's side to her thigh. Piper reached for her night shirt and tried to pull it down to cover her chilled skin. "Hey, I'm not done here." Alex licked back over to lavish attention on the other breast again.
"Mmm you will be if you keep calling me a nerd." Piper pulled Alex on top of her, lifting her knee to press on Alex's center. "Make vacation plans, check. Now quit talking and kiss me."
Four weeks later
Two fancied up ladies and a little towheaded girl dressed in a sparkledy-red dress and shiny black shoes waltzed into the restaurant. The little girl ran forward and spoke to the maître de. "Vause, party of three please. I believe we have reservations." The young man smiled and reached for the menus. "Those won't be necessary sir."
He raised his eyebrows at her and found a serious look as he offered his arm to Hailey. "I believe your table ready ma'am. This way." Hailey reached up to hook her tiny hand in the crook of his elbow. He pulled out Hailey's chair for her and patiently waited for her to settle into her seat before seating her moms.
Hailey looked at the maître de with her colossal blue eyes that were indeed identical to Piper's. "It's my birthday today. I'm eight." She piped. "It's Mama A's birthday, too. We're twins, 'cept she's older." Hailey was proud of her announcement.
"I see," the man said with the utmost serious look on her face. "Then we must ask the owner to visit your table and make tonight extra special for the celebration."
Hailey giggled as she saw Tony approaching. She pointed behind the man. "Look, he's already here." She tumbled out of her chair and ran to give him a hug. "Hi Uncle Tony. I'm eight today!"
Tony swung her up to a ginormous hug. "I see. I bet you'll be eight tomorrow, too. Happy birthday Hailey Diane." Placing Hailey down, he greeted Piper and Alex with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. "Happy birthday Alex."
"Thanks Uncle Tony."
Hailey had scrambled back onto her chair and was sitting on her knees, leaning on her elbows which were propped on the table. A stern look from Piper made her quickly sit on her butt "like a proper young lady".
Tony turned his attention back to Hailey. Placing his hands on his knees, he stooped down to be on her level. "I have a special surprise for you tonight my little Vause. Since you are eight, you get the pleasure of ordering for the table tonight. Pretty big, no?"
Hailey's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at her moms with excitement. She turned back to Tony and somberly nodded. "Very big. You always choose for us."
"Well tonight is your special night Hailey. Do you need a menu?"
Hailey shook her head. She had her favorites and probably had the entire three course meal picked out the moment the words escaped Tony's mouth.
Everyone at the table was stuffed as they picked through the last of the desserts Hailey had chosen, tiramisu to split for her parents "because that was the first dessert they had shared" and a big bowl of gelato for Hailey.
"Dinner was lovely Hailey. You chose very well." Piper reached over to run her hands through her daughter's hair. "Are you excited about your party tomorrow?" Hailey nodded as she tilted her bowl and scraped her spoon along the bottom to get the last of the melting dessert. Piper reached into her bag and withdrew a large envelope with balloon and gift stickers all over it and glanced over at Alex. "I wanted to give you and Mama A your big present tonight. Do you want it?" Alex knew what was in the envelope, but she and Piper had agreed she had to act surprised.
"But presents are tomorrow, at the party." Hailey looked at Alex for reassurance.
"This one is special baby. Plus it's for Alex, too. Please let her open just one tonight?"
"Please?" Alex chimed in.
Hailey pondered for a few moments. "Okay."
Alex scooted her chair back and motioned for Hailey to crawl into her lap. "Ufff. Eight year olds are heavier than seven year olds." Alex teased as the little girl giggled.
Piper looked serious as she slid the envelope over to her two favorite girls. "Alright Hailey. I don't know if you'll like this one, but here you go."
Hailey screwed her face up and she struggled to open the manila envelop without tearing the glued flap. She peeked in and saw a bunch of papers of various sizes. She held the envelope over so Alex could peer in. "What is it Hailey? What did we get?" Alex reached in and pulled out a card that had both their names on the front. "Let's open this. Maybe it's a clue." Alex withdrew the birthday card allowing Hailey to read it to the table out-loud.
After she was done laughing at the silly animals on the card, she read what Piper had printed on the inside. "To my favorite monkeys. To have your present revealed, you must answer a question. What is your favorite subject in school?" Hailey looked over her shoulder at Alex.
"Don't look at me kid! I'm not in school. So what do you like best about school?"
"But," Hailey said with a concerned tone. "I don't have just one favorite subject."
"Okay," Piper said. "Tell us what you like best."
Hailey thought then said, "I like science class and history class and art!" She was proud of her announcement as she began to talk more rapidly. "In science right now, we're learning about planes and how they were invented by the Orville Brothers at Kitty Hawk. And we are studying the presidents and all sorts of cool stuff about them. Oh and Mama A," she looked back at Alex, "Miss Peters asked if you would come for parents' day and talk about yours and mom's studio. I forgot." She looked over at Piper. "You, too, Mama P, but really Mama A." Both Alex and Piper dared not laugh and crush Hailey's spirit. "So what's my present?"
Alex reached into the envelope and pulled out plane tickets. Hailey squinted as she sounded out the words in small print. "Was, wash, wash…ing…ton." She looked up at Piper and squealed, "Washington D.C.? We're going to Washington, D.C.?" She dumped the contents of the envelope on the table as Alex fumbled to keep the brochures from flying off the table. Piper had gathered lots of information about things they could do when they were in D.C.
Piper gave Hailey a few moments of pawing through the material to let things sink in. "So what do you think big girl? Do you like your present?"
Hailey stumbled as she leapt out of Alex's lap and raced over to Piper, throwing her arms around her neck. "Yeah mama. I love it." Hailey looked over at Alex and asked, "Mama A, what do you think? It's your present, too."
Alex looked at her mini-Piper kid and said with all of the gusto she could muster, "I think it's going to be the best trip ever."