30 Days
Piper came back from her shower and sat on her bunk to dry her hair. She hadn't seen Alex in the shower and was feeling low. She had to be at work then visitation so she wasn't sure she'd be back before count and had to wear her best uniform to work. She always saved one uniform for visitation, it was a bit different, she looked better in it or at least felt better in it. She went to the hook to get it to get dressed and she saw a small note pinned to it.
She opened it carefully, having flashbacks of Pennsatucky's threats. Her face got brighter as she recognized the familiar handwriting of her love.
I thought I'd leave you little notes. It is the most mushy thing I've ever attempted. Bare with me if the natural cynic in me shows through. I'm writing this while your bunkmate watches me warily. I really wish she were uglier and didn't sleep in my bed.
Piper looked over at Stacy and burst out laughing. Her bunkmate perked her eyebrow in inquiry. "Nothing, she said you were watching her. Um I think she may be leaving me notes." Piper whispered low, looking over to the guard room. "It's nothing, but thank you for watching. I know I've been paranoid."
"It's understandable. I read it is like typical when you are short." Stacy said using the vernacular well. Piper hoped she had done enough to get her set up.
"Are you worried about who they will put in here?" Piper asked gently. Stacy gulped and nodded. Piper decided to think on that a bit but to her she said, " she will be a woman who made a mistake, just like us. Just keep to the bunkmate rules ya know, watch out for her like you do me." Piper said with a soft smile. She walked over and put her hand on Stacy's arm. She was gentle and very platonic. Stacy didn't stiffen but she was shocked. Piper remembered what it felt like to have Sophia do her hair and be touched. She was touched all the time by Alex or hugged by friends now.
Stacy put her hand the hand that Piper rested on her arm. " Thank you. You've been very kind and helpful. I wasn't prepared for how much people have helped me. It is at times..overwhelming...plus I see, I see what you are going through. You know people either are intrigued I'm your bunkmate or they feel sorry for me. It seems that...how did Taystee put it, 'you attract drama' but she was more blunt and cursed." Piper laughed and dropped her hand.
"Yeah, I do. We do." Piper replied in a soft voice as she moved to get dressed. Stacy turned around, like she always did when Piper started to disrobe. Before she forgot, Piper put her note in her locker with her box of letters that she was taking with her. She turned around and saw Stacy watching her as she put on her pants. She darted her eyes away. Piper and to stifle a smile.
"I don't get it. I mean I have gay friends, not that I think you're gay. I've seen you with Larry and her. I saw you with him and his friend last week, while I was visiting with my brother." she explained. Piper nodded remembering seeing her in there, but was more focused on Larry and his leg.
"It is confusing. I'd be happy to discuss Polyamor..." Piper began.
"No no..I get it. You love two people, what I don't get it is why that makes you a target to every fuckin' sadist in this place." Stacy said with the most incredulous tone in her voice. Piper sat down to put on her boots and looked up at her. She had never heard Stacy curse before.
"I've asked myself that...a thousand times. Alex has as well. For one thing, you should know, I have this as Larry put it, Foot-In-Mouth-Disease. So some of the stuff that has played out recently..began long ago and I'm at fault. Some of it is, this system...where we aren't people but numbers. Alex and I are real people that love...and not well. It's hard for us but there it is...we are drawn to each other. I tell myself there are good and bad people in each job. I just think this system wears them down, just like us until they become more their base self here." Piper explained. They were looking at one another and when Alex cleared her throat.
"Want to walk together to breakfast?" she offered quietly. Piper looked over and smiled at her. Her face lit up and shone.
"Yes I do. Thank you by the way and I wouldn't believe it was from you if it wasn't somewhat cynical at times. I mean why ruin a schtick you got going." Piper teased as she walked out of her cube. She stopped and turned back. "Are you coming Stace?"she said. Alex stiffened and Piper looked at her.
"I think I make her nervous." Alex drawled. Stacy came out and walked up beside her. Alex peered at her.
"You just don't like me because I get the free skin show from your girlfriend daily. I understand that. I bet Larry hates my guts too." Stacy shrugged and walked on and Piper followed laughing. Alex rolled her eyes and used her long legs to stride her way beside Piper. It was a good walk as no one was patted down. They passed by Healy's empty office and Piper couldn't help but grin. Breakfast had fruit which made Piper happy. Her lunch table welcomed Stacy. She knew Yoga Jones already as she had been attending those classes with Piper. Piper picked at her eggs trying to determine if they were powder. She was about to decide to eat only the fruit when Alex made a face.
"You're the one that still could use to gain a few pounds after your Chicago diet trip." Piper teased. She could now. They could crack some jokes and talk about the horrors. Piper had cried twice at night over some of the things she said, but she didn't tell Alex that. Piper tried to keep her mind off of who will make sure Alex was eating when she left. Stacy said something that made Nicky laugh. Piper smiled and knew that her friends would see Stacy through the rest of her sentence.
They all went to work and it was a very boring day in the electric shack. He wanted them to do inventory. It was tedious and basically meant cleaning the damn hot shop. Piper was in the cage to count tools. She was pissed until she realized he just wanted someone he thought would do it right the first time.
She was happy to be freed from the cage at lunch. She went to the phones right before going in and called Larry to check on him. He was fine and said he wasn't going to use a pain pill that day. He was taking it easy. He had that tone in his voice he gets when he is writing and his mind is in two places. She enjoyed teasing him away from his work. She asked him to take it easy and please eat something green. She was worried with Pete helping out that Larry would eat like a pig. She knew Polly was overrun with Finn so she had planned on calling Cal to help. He wasn't always the best judge of what to eat but he would go to the store and make Larry a salad at least. It was nice worrying about everyday things, it made her think about what she could do when she was there in two months time. She really wished she was there to take care of him like he has always taken care of her.
"I'll see you soon." Piper said. He was quiet a moment and then replied he'd be there next Friday. He didn't elaborate with her or speak about the half way house. He was being kind again. Piper got off the phone and went through the lunch line. She tried to smile at the people on the line but she couldn't. It was a soy burger and fries today. The girls were griping about not ketchup. Piper sat down and waited for Alex. She wondered if she'd ever be able to repay Larry. They'd been together for almost six years now. She was worried about what to tell him. She went back and forth. Should she tell him it is too hard, she has to at least write Alex? She just couldn't help but remember the radio show...the phone calls before Christmas. He was hateful and indifferent. What if he pretended to be okay and then turned her in for probation violation? Her mind told her he wouldn't do that but her heart was afraid.
It wasn't her freedom that she was afraid of losing. It was Alex. If she was put back in, there was no guarantee she'd be put back in Litchfield. It always came down to the fact she could not risk Alex. She was almost convinced Alex would risk a call. One call was all she needed to get her to do it more. Piper knew she could. Alex sat down laughing as Nicky joined her.
"I swear, I found a porn mag, it was one of those sicko speciality things it was like gigantic boobs. I swear. One chick.." Nicky was showing with her hands out like a foot in front of her chest.
"That thing you found while cleaning behind his office shelf?" Piper began. It was very funny. Nicky shoved it up her shirt. She hid it in a box they were going to throw out after lunch. She just knew Nicky would find some way to get those pictures circulated.
"You avoid it...and Piper if you bring it out." Alex was livid. Piper heard her tone and put her hand out to touch her arm.
"Hey hey, really, Pipes and I talked about it. She is walking alone today...actually she may go running after work." Nicky explained. She reached out and put her hand on Alex's and to get her to look her in the eye. "I wont let anything happen." she assured her. Piper felt her stomach twist. She stood quickly and walked her tray to the trash. She dumped it and was out the door in a shot. She went back to the shack early. She walked in on Luschek eating his sandwich.
He wasn't pleased to see her. "Forget something Chapman?"he asked as he put down his food. She stopped.
"Uh, no..I wasn't hungry. I'll sit outside and wait till the hour is up." Piper said turning to walk out. Luschek let her go but once she was sitting outside he came out and sat beside her. He was still eating. She felt odd sitting there with him but she was kinda stuck.
"It's hard getting out from what I've seen. However, you got a good place to go, so I don't think you'll be returning. I can't say I'll hate to see you go...but people get screwy...easy to piss off right before their time is up. So, I think maybe you are going to have to work in the well house for the next few weeks." He said. Piper glared.
"We cleaned out the well house. It is.." Piper reminded him. It had been terrible work. She was hurting from her beating and it had sucked.
"No not that one, the old one." Luschek explained. Piper's eyes got big. That wasn't the old one? Great, now the girls would be pissed at her for getting.
Wait. "You mean by myself?" Piper asked. He shook his head. "No, you will still have to drive bulbs around and stuff. You and Jenkins will work the well house. No rush. It should take you about a month." Piper looked at him. A month, no chance of getting pissed at Nicky or going off on him. "I'll show you where it is after I finish my lunch and Jenkins gets back." He said then he rose and went back inside. Piper didn't know whether to thank him or curse him.
Luschek kept to his word and after they got back she went out with him and Jenkins. Nicky looked worried but didn't say anything. He drove this time, which made Piper uneasy. He looked over and sensed she was tense. He frowned a bit but didn't say anything. Jenkins just sat back relaxed in her chair going wherever the van led her. He pulled out through a gate Piper had never ventured through. She was never sure if it was still Campus so she didn't got that way. They drove for five minutes or so. Piper was amazed at how nothing was around. Then she saw it. A beautiful lake on the back end of the Campus. It was gorgeous and she sat up grinning. She looked at it like it was heaven.
"Jenkins, look look...a lake." she squealed. She looked at Piper like she was insane. Luschek however, laughed with her. He pulled up to an old house. It was run down and Piper knew why it was old...it was the original pump house closer to the lake. He opened it up. It had crap in it but mainly there were rolls of wire stored.
"You can sort this and do inventory. Clean up the building some..um..store this back in here and keep it locked when you aren't working." Piper nodded. She knew wire, especially if it were copper, could be stolen and sold. "You can start tomorrow. If you work through lunch, you can bring the van back at 3 and knock off." He offered. Piper looked at Jenkins and they seemed to be considering it. Lunch was a good social time but having free time from work when others were busy was nice as well. Piper figured they'd talk about it as they ran today. She couldn't believe she was going to get to spend time by a lake. There was a fence up between the shore and the house. She couldn't go swimming. But she could look at it. She was in a much more chipper mood when they came back. He walked in and got them all busy again doing inventory.
After work, she ran with Jenkins. She said they'd break for lunch this week and maybe try an early day or two next week. Piper wanted to make sure they ran each day and Jenkins was up for it. Piper thought maybe she was going to miss her a bit but she knew she'd never say.
"That sure is a pretty lake. I mean I didn't freak like you, but it is pretty. Maybe we will see some ducks." she said with hope. Piper wondered what type of ducks are there that time of year. Jenkins just shook her head and said, " The kind that Quack. Anyways, we're even. I get a month by the lake, working with no Luschek and I know it is because he wants you out of his hair your last month." Piper nodded and grinned. She then tried to speed up, just to get Jenkins to kick it in to that track star gear she has and blow Piper back. Watching her run was like watching wild horses on a plain. She was fluid and a part of the world around her. It was as beautiful as the lake.
She told Alex about the lake and how she would be missing some lunches the next week when she came in from her run. Alex was waiting in her cube for Piper. Alex just nodded her head slowly, amused at her reaction to the lake and not happy that she is skipping meals. "I'll see if I can pack something, like pretzels or boiled eggs. I'm not saying I'll starve. I'll get to knock off early and maybe can even come visit you." she suggested.
This seemed to perk Alex up some. "Not in restricted out of bounds way..we wont take the chance, but I'll deliver some towels." Piper grinned her response. She was sweaty and wanted to shower before last count. She went to get her things and saw Stacy on her bunk, reading a letter. Piper thought for a moment that she had missed mail call. Then she saw it was prison notepad paper. Stacy folded up the letter and looked up at the ceiling perplexed.
"Um..wanna share?" Piper offered as she got her towels and bag.
"I have a secret admirer. Likes Shakespeare apparently and straight girls. Any ideas?" Stacy asked. Piper opened her mouth, then closed it.
"None." she said and she walked out to go take her shower.
That night, Alex read to her and finished the book. They talked about it awhile. Piper wondered what to read next.
"I have an idea. I'll bring it tomorrow. A surprise. Goodnight, kid." she said as she peeked up over the edge of the small wall to see where the guards were. Fischer had her back to her, so she kissed Piper quickly. Piper giggled and pulled her cover up. "Goodnight Stacy, do you want a kiss too?" Alex teased.
Stacy squinted at her. "You wish, Vause." she replied. Piper laughed as Alex left. Lights were out a few minutes later and she turned on her lamp to write.
Today I saw the lake and my first thought was, " I want to show Alex".
It took me nearly two years after we broke up to stop doing that. I don't think I'll ever stop now.
Thank you for reading to me at night. It makes me feel better.
I wonder what you'll read tomorrow.
I heart you.
P