May 18th finally rolls around and it's time for the baby shower. Piper and Alex have planned everything out, and it's going to be a lot of fun.
Piper is walking down the hall and drops her rings, which wouldn't usually be a problem, except for she has gotten to the point in her pregnancy the bending down to get something is no easy task.
"Alex!" she calls out
Alex comes down the hall to see Piper with a pouty face pointing at the rings laying on the floor.
"I can't reach them." She says, a little defeated.
"Oh my poor baby" Alex says sarcastically and gets the rings and slips them on Piper's fingers.
"I'm huge and I still have two months left." Piper says, plopping herself on the couch.
Alex sits down next to her, and tucks a blonde strand behind her ear, "You look beautiful, babe. I love your body. Gives me something to grab onto…" she says with a bit of a growl, and grabs Piper's thigh.
"Well we have guests coming so there were be no grabbing or anything for a while."
"Don't worry, I can wait until after they go. Remember the reveal party?" Alex winks at Piper, and Piper smiles and sighs
"Oh, that was such a good night."
"Well let's say tonight is round two…" she shoots Piper a wink.
People start arriving. Nicky, Lorna, Poussey, Taystee, Black Cindy, Polly, and Finn, and some others arrive. People bring in gifts and set them on the dining room table, and sign the book and everything.
"Holy hell, Chapman, any day now it looks like." Nicky says, eyes wide
Alex punches her arm, "Jesus Nick"
"Fuck! What? I didn't say she was fat or anything."
"You might as well have." Alex says, glaring.
"Alex it's fine, she's right. I'm huge." She half smiles
"Aw, Chapman, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. You're growing my niece or nephew in there. Get as big as you want!" She places both of her hands on Piper's stomach and then walks over to Taystee and Poussey.
"Baby, you look beautiful. Nicky is an idiot, you know that. She doesn't know any better."
"It's fine, really, I'm okay." She says giving her a smile and a kiss.
Everyone gathers in the living room and Piper starts opening gifts. A pack of diapers, some blankets, and a cute little stuffed elephant from Nicky. Lorna of course got the cutest unisex clothes she could find. Taystee and Poussey went out and got a mix of toys and hats and some other things. Polly bought a large blanket for the rocking chair in the nursery and a scrapbook for them to fill with first pictures and stuff. Finn drew another picture and gave the baby his stuffed puppy so that "it would like him".
They all sat around laughing, looking at all the gifts, and having a good time. There was a knock at the door and Alex got up to answer it. She really wasn't sure who it could be. She turned the doorknob and she lets out a little gasp.
"Alex, who is it?" Piper asks a little concerned.
Alex backs up and in walks no other than the one and only, Red.
"Red!" Piper and Nicky say in unison. Nicky practically runs over everyone and slams into her, forcing her into a bear hug. Nicky is crying. "Ma, what are you doing here?!"
A thick Russian accent fills the room, "I heard there was a party. Wouldn't miss it." she says, hugging Nicky.
Piper walks over to her, and tears fill her eyes. Red and Piper had gotten close in prison, and formed a strong bond.
"Hey Blondie" Red says, extending her hands, reaching out for Piper. "You look beautiful."
They hug and Red looks down at her stomach, "I'm so happy for you. Both of you." She says, looking at Alex.
"How are you? When did you get out? Wait, how did you know that we would all be here?" Nicky asks all at the same time.
"Woah, okay. I'm good. Glad to be out. They let me out two weeks ago for good behavior. And I've been talking to Lorna. She set this all up." She motions to the small brunette sitting on the couch smiling at Nicky and winks at her.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"
"It was a surprise!" Lorna says as she gets up to hug Red.
"Well it was a damn good one." Nicky says, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I brought you a little gift." Red says, and hands a bag to Piper.
Inside is a card, a hand knitted blanket, and then underneath all of that a picture of Red, Piper, Alex, Nicky, Lorna, and all the other family members in a picture frame that says 'Family' on it.
"Aw, I love it. Thank you, Red." Piper says giving her another hug.
Piper and her mother had never seen eye to eye, and after she agreed to marry Alex, she hadn't heard from her parents. It was sad, but Red was Piper's mother, and she felt that bond. They had written to each other since Piper's release and Piper had been to visit a few times. Red was as much a mother to Piper as she was to Nicky. She loved Red and Red loved her.
"So, I guess I am getting a grandchild." Red says, smiling.
Piper's eyes fill with tears, because until now, their baby didn't really have grandparents. Her parents weren't in the picture and Alex's mom had died years ago. Red may not be blood, but she was going to be a part of this baby's life. "Yes, you are." Piper says to Red, smiling and tears streaming down her face.
"I can't wait." Red says, embracing Piper.