Here's the final chapter. It's possible I'll write an epilogue if it's heavily requested, but I'm satisfied with how this one has ended.
Do let me know what you think!
Despite the fact that she's conversed with Larry well over a handful of times, it doesn't mean it's something Alex looks forward to. When the doorbell rings - indicating that Zac's father is here to pick him up, she lets out a sigh as she hears the sounds of Piper and the little boy still doing a last minute pack of items he demanded he took with him.
Upon opening the door, it's clear that the man standing there wasn't expecting her to open the door - yet neither did she expect Piper's ex-best friend - his girlfriend - to be standing right by his side.
"He's just grabbing his bag," Alex says, not feeling the need to exchange a greeting after the last encounter she had had with the man before her.
She watches Larry deliver a nod - a sign that he at least listened to what she said - while Polly attempts to give a welcoming smile.
"That's fine, we can wait," the smaller brunette says, looking over at Larry before returning her vision over to the taller woman.
Although she isn't the kind of person to find things awkward, Alex feels uncomfortable. Not in an insecure way, but in a way that she is unsure how to navigate a conversation that won't result in an argument or disagreement. She can hear movement on the top of the staircase, yet not enough to indicate someone is walking down the steps. She gathers it's Zac thinking he has everything while Piper grabs his attention to hold up a new item the little boy had forgotten to pack.
"So I hear you two are moving," Alex says, not being able to face the silence any longer. She gathers if she's going to do anything, she's going to be the bigger person. As much as she doesn't like Polly from what Piper's told her, from the only other time she'd met the other woman, it was clear her intentions meant well.
"We are!" Polly smiles widely - clearly glad someone started a conversation. "Just trying to find a buyer for our home before we can start the move."
Although when Larry's move was first mentioned it seemed to be a new source of conflict, it soon came to the fact that he's still remaining somewhat local. If it were her way - as well as Piper's, Larry would move as far away as possible, but she knows that isn't what's best for Zac.
"Have you thought about renting it out?" she asks, trying to keep the conversation going. "It's something I've done in the past and it worked well."
"Well, we-" Polly begins before she's interrupted.
"We get our advice from a professional, not you," Larry says, tilting his head slightly as though it would add to his smug argument.
"Oh, go ahead with your plan for all means. I'm sure you're a very easy client to work with," Alex responds without hesitation, mirroring the head tilt the man opposite her had performed.
She knows she shouldn't stoop to his level, but Alex isn't willing to let him get the last word. She is grateful, however, to hear the sound of Zac coming down the stairs, breaking the tension between herself and Larry.
Turning her head towards the noise, Alex watches the little boy adjust his rucksack onto his back before sitting on the bottom step of the stairs to put on his shoes.
"Got everything, buddy?" she asks, taking a step back from the door so she's now facing the little boy.
Nodding his head quickly, Zac stands from the step and rushes over to Alex's side, hugging her leg.
"Yep," he confirms, looking up at the taller woman. "Even my new jersey," he adds, smiling with excitement.
The act causes Alex too also mirror his smile as she wraps her right arm around his shoulder, returning the hug from where she's standing. They'd been shopping the day prior, and after the little boy's persistent begging, Alex relented and bought Zac a new football jersey (much to Piper's dismay).
Alex watches as Zac converses with his father - somewhat acknowledging Polly as she gives him a welcoming hug.
"What? Do I not get a goodbye?" Piper shouts from where she starts to descend the staircase.
Again turning from where she was looking at their visitors, Alex eyes her girlfriend. She's wearing a white t-shirt with black leggings, and while she notes to herself she looks as beautiful as ever, Alex immediately anticipates what kind of reaction this is going to get.
They were yet to tell Larry about Piper's pregnancy. Not that it was something that concerned him, but he at least deserved to know for Zac's sake. They'd told the young boy after Piper's first ultrasound a few weeks ago, and as thrilled as he was at the notion of being a big brother, they're surprised he didn't break his promise and spill the secret to his father during one of his visits.
Her bump isn't obvious, but to anyone that knows the blonde knows her body was changing for some sort of reason. Piper initially stuck to looser clothing - not wanting to give anything away before they were comfortable with telling people, yet from the tight-fit top she's wearing, Alex gathers her girlfriend decided she no longer cares if Larry knows about her pregnancy.
While watching Piper in awe as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, Alex more so feels rather than sees Zac rush past her to wrap his arms around his mother. It's not something she'll ever grow tired of, and in looking at the smile on Piper's face, she's glad they've all moved to a period where they're all happy about the lives their living.
"Come on, we can't keep your dad waiting," Piper says as she pulls away from her son, walking behind him over to the door where she loops her left hand behind Alex's waist, running her hand into the back pocket of her jeans.
"I forgot!" Zac says, turning on the spot with wide eyes - seemingly alarmed by something. "I didn't say goodbye to baby," he adds, and while Alex gathered the two visitors were wondering based off Piper's clothing, she knows they're both aware given the surprised looks on their faces.
Piper chuckles as Zac comes right up to her stomach and places his hand onto it, saying a temporary goodbye to his unborn sibling.
While Larry's face is one of surprise - maybe even jealousy, Polly, on the other hand, looks heartbroken.
"Piper… are you…?" Polly asks hesitantly, her voice quiet as she looks down at the blonde's stomach and back up to her eyes.
"We're expecting, yes," Piper responds, her free hand coming to briefly rest on her growing bump.
While Piper seems to retain eye contact with Polly for the following few seconds, Alex clenches her jaw as she anticipates any form of snarky comment from Larry. Although one doesn't come, the brunette is brought out of her thoughts when she feels her girlfriend's hand slide from out of her back pocket and run through to land on her waist.
"Wow," Polly eventually voices, sounding genuinely surprised. "I'm happy for you guys," she smiles, looking away from Piper for the first time to flick her vision between the couple.
Given the fact that her girlfriend's ex seems to always have something to say, Alex is surprised when Larry places a hand on Zac's shoulder and voices that it's time for them to leave. He refuses to look them in the eye, and while Zac again says a goodbye to Piper, Larry raises his voice, repeating his previous words.
For Alex, it's pretty clear the other man is jealous. She isn't too sure if it's down to him envisioning that this life with Piper could have been his, or just out of spite that Piper's life is moving in a more positive direction than his own.
In any other situation, she would have said something, but when their visitors eventually descend the porch steps, the brunette feels Piper turn her body into her own, the feel of her stomach resting into her side.
"You know what this means," the blonde whispers into her ear, right hand trailing to grip the front edge of her t-shirt.
"What? Now?" Alex raises her eyebrows, immediately recognising the hint of flirtation behind Piper's tone of voice.
"Yeah," Piper clenches her first to further grip the material of the brunette's t-shirt. "Now."
"You're not gonna let me say no, are you?" Alex smirks, entertained by Piper's mood shift.
"Nope," the blonde leans forward to kiss her girlfriend on the jaw before pulling away and moving back into their home.
"Al," Piper whispers from where they're lying face-to-face, both naked in bed.
It's the more routine thing they tend to do whenever Zac's at Larry's, and throughout the last few days he's been at his father's, the blonde hasn't been able to get enough of her girlfriend.
"Mmm," the brunette hums, smirking at the woman opposite her.
Lifting up her right hand, Piper places it along her girlfriend's cheek, stroking the smooth skin with her thumb.
"Marry me," the blonde says, confidence running through her tone of voice.
She watches as the brunette's eyes widen and her mouth opens.
"Are you asking or demanding?"
Thinking for a few seconds, Piper decides to go with whatever's happening in this current moment. She'd had it all planned out - the ring already in her drawer, but those plans went out the window as soon as the moment felt right. Leaning back so that she can reach her nightstand, she opens the first drawer and reaches to the back for an item. Closing the drawer back over and returning back to her previous position, the blonde lets out a relieving breath.
"Asking," she says, biting her lower lip as she feels a sudden wave of emotion come over her.
Holding out her hand, she shows the simple, gold engagement ring she had purchased a few weeks prior. She had anticipated asking Alex during some time alone when Zac was at his father's, but doing so in this moment rather than a thought-out evening together seemed as more meaningful than anything she could have planned.
"Alex, I…" she pauses, not taking her eyes away from the other woman whose green orbs are staring into her own. "I've been thinking about doing this for quite some time now. You're everything I've ever wanted in a partner," she again momentarily pauses as her voice cracks. "And it's only natural that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So," she fiddles with her fingers, attempting to get a more solid grip around the ring in her now shaking hand.
"Alex, will you marry me?"
Finally saying those words is a relief, but she doesn't let herself relax - not until she hears what the woman opposite her has to say. She watches as Alex blinks several times - her eyes becoming increasingly watery, as she delivers a smile that makes Piper's heart clench.
"Yes. Of course I'll marry you, Piper," the brunette responds after more seconds than Piper thought she could handle.
She feels her whole body relax in happiness, all traces of fear and worry leaving the atmosphere she had created in her mind.
Leaning forward, Piper pushes their lips together, both eventually breaking away from the lip-lock as their teeth move into wide smiles.
"I can't believe you just did that," Alex chuckles while Piper lifts the brunette's left hand and slips the ring onto her finger.
"I didn't exactly plan to ask in bed, but I'm glad I did," the blonde responds, eyeing the new addition to Alex's finger before intertwining their hands together.
"It was unexpected. Another thing I love about you," Alex smiles, raising their hands higher so she can get a better view of the new gold band resting on her ring finger.
"I think you're gonna have to show me one of the things I love about you most," Piper bites her lower lip as she breaks the contact of their hands to pull their bodies closer together.
"Oh yeah?" Alex asks through a smirk as the blonde pulls her into a kiss.
"Yeah," Piper near-pants out as she directs her fiancée's hand towards her centre, ready for a whole new form of celebration.
That brings us to the end of this story!
I could have written more if I wanted to really delve into the further plot of having a new child, but I currently don't have the time to write more chapters at the moment (the vast majority of this was pre-written and planned out). Online learning and (at one point) being stuck in isolation for sure hasn't helped with my want to actually do any writing, so it could be a while if I were to produce anything new.
Thank you for all the support and kind comments. Like always, they're greatly appreciated.