Hey guys! sorry for the cliff-hanger, well I'm not really sorry because I love keeping you on your toes so you could be interested on whats to come.
thank you for the wonderful reviews. such motives me to write more.
Chapter 30: No?
"What..." Piper's world was crumbling down in front of her and Silvia's words were echoing in her mind. Piper lowered her gaze as tears pooled in her eyes but she felt soft hands touch her face so she could look up.
"Pipes baby please don't cry. That came out wrong. I said that because I was planning to propose to you by Christmas time and you beat me to it. Of course, I want to marry you. I love you too." Alex pulled Piper up, brought their lips together, and hugged her tightly.
Now the blonde-haired woman was crying tears of joy.
"Oh my word Al you scared the shit out of me for a second there and then I started to think about what Silvia said…"
"Hold on, Silvia? What does she get to do with this?
"Oh nothing don't worry about it Al. its just that I saw her when I was busy and I couldn't help myself as she was being a piece of shit so I kinds told her about proposing to you just to erase that stupid smirk of hers and she said you wont say yes."
"First of all don't ever listen to anything she says and second of all pipes, you are different and I love you and only you. Don't ever doubt that."
"I won't. I love you too Al."
"Good now give me my ring woman." They both laughed.
"OH, yes how can I forget? Here…" the ring was so beautiful. It was a silver band with small diamonds covering it and it had a big diamond at the back that was also surrounded by small ones.
"Wow, its beautiful Pipes. I love it and I hope you will love the one I have for you." Alex said and pulled Piper into a sweet kiss.
"I am glad you like it and I am sure I will mine too." They finished their food and headed out into another room where Alex was shocked to see her whole family and friends there.
Everyone was anxious to know how it all went down.
"You all knew about this and never said a thing?" Alex asked looking between her girlfriend, fiancée and her family and friends.
"Yeah well it would not have been a surprise if we did tell you now would it? Okay now come on, tell us if you agreed to marry her or not" Nicky answered for everyone.
"She said YES" Piper blurted out. She could not hold it in anymore, she was just over the moon. Cheers erupted as everyone congratulated the couple. They all celebrated until they decided to go back home but Alex and Piper were headed to have a celebration of their own.
Taystee also left to go back home. Piper and Alex went back o the top and got into the chopper that took them to the private airport so they could board the jet and head to their destination.
Piper and Alex reached the private airport to board the jet and heard to their destination.
"Oh, my word I have been wrapped up in this bubble and totally forgot that I had invited Jessica and her daughter to dinner tonight. I didn't know we were going away." Alex sad with a guilty face.
"Yeah that's the whole point of a surprise Al," Piper joked to ease the raven-haired girl's guilt but to no avail
"I'm joking babe, just send her an SMS and let her know that you're not available but everyone else is if she can be comfortable with that." Piper said as she soothed Alex.
"I'll send her a text but I know Nicky would eat her alive in my absence. Although our moms might help out whenever they can." Alex said as she retrieved her phone to send the text quickly.
…...TEXT…...…
Alex: Hey Jessica I am so sorry but I will not be available for dinner tonight. Piper proposed so we are going to celebrate. Please feel free to still go though. I already told my mom you are coming and she is expecting you.
Jessica: Hey Alex! Congratulations on your engagement. I do not think that is a good idea to go, especially when Nicky made it clear that she does not want me there but I do not blame her.
Alex: Thank you. I promise you Nicky will not be a problem. Just go and I want to hear all about it. I hope I will see you and get to meet your daughter when Piper and I are back.
Jessica: Okay thanks once again Alex. Tell Piper congratulations for me.
…...
Piper asked Alex what did Jessica sag and Alex just handed her phone to Piper to read for herself while she excused herself to go to the loo.
"Pipes are you going to keep our destination a secret like always?" Alex asked Piper in a whiny tone and tried to pout and bat her eyelashes.
"Oh no way Al that is my thing. Besides who said, it was a secret. I just have not gotten the chance to tell you but now that I think about it. I think I will keep it as a secret and that shall be our tradition." Piper said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Oh no Pipes I don't think that is fair."
"Just kidding Al. But can I keep this one a secret." Piper gave Alex her bambi eyes that she knew Alex could not refuse.
"Ag, no fair Pipes. Fine but on one condition. That you give me a clue and I don't mean, 'it's one of the places you have always wanted to visit' shit, I mean a real clue." Alex was playing with Piper's blonde locks absentmindedly.
"I might as well just tell you. Anyway, our first trip together. Where we made love for the first time." Piper said and Alex squealed like a kid and this sound was so foreign to her and her lover.
"Oh my word we going to South Africa again. And remember you did promise that we will go back because there days wasn't enough." Alex said happily and pulled Piper into a deep breathtaking kiss.
"Yes I did promise and I am keeping my promise. I am sorry it took a while. But you going to have to choose a destination for our honeymoon." Piper said as she pecked Alex's lips.
"I know just the place. Now I am going to enjoy South Africa, Kruger National Park with my fiancée. I love you fiancée. It feels good to call you my fiancée, fiancée." Alex emphasized the word with a genuine smile. Piper was laughing at Alex's antics.
"Well fiancée, what do you say we get some rest because I know you obviously want to go on the evening game drive when we get there." Piper said as she stood up and held Alex's hand to lead her in the cabin that was converted into a bedroom for longer flights.
"I like how you think," Alex accepted the offered hand and followed Piper without letting go of each other's hands.
They were lying on the bed, with Piper's head on Alex's chest, Alex's hands wrapped around Piper's upper body and randomly drawing patterns on Piper's back and their legs were tangled together. They were in a comfortable silence.
"What are we going to do with our last names? Who take whose name?" Alex asked breaking the silence.
"Well I don't mind being a Vause, in fact I have ways wanted to be a Vause and there is not many Vauses around but then I had been thinking about the magazine too. What do you think?" Piper asked as she turned her head so her chin was lying on her hands that were now rested on Alex's chest facing Alex.
"Well how about we just hyphenate our last names? We couldn't be Vause -Chapman or Chapman-Vause." Alex said with a mini chuckle.
"How about we just think about it and then decide later on? Now let's get some rest." Piper suggested.
"Yes let's sleep over it. And let's agree now that no wedding talk during this trip." Alex said.
"Okay deal."
They talked for a while until Piper fell asleep but Alex had always loved Kruger Park so it was hard for her to sleep. She tried to read but could not concentrate; she had to read the same chapter five times before she gave up and just tried to sleep.
Eventually Alex fell asleep and she do not even know when, only when Piper woke her up because they were about to land.
"How long have you been awake Pipes?" Alex was in the process of stretching her limbs.
"Not long actually, the pilot woke me up. Come on let's go sit that side so we could take in the view." Piper said without moving and Alex chuckled as she got up and offered her hand for Piper to take.
Piper took it and Alex pulled her into her arms and they stayed like that for a while just to enjoy the closeness and body contact.
"I love you Al and thanks for agreeing to marry me." Piper said while nuzzling closer to Alex as if there was ever any space left between them.
"I love you too kid. And I wouldn't marry anyone else." Alex held Piper's face in her hands and brought their lips together in a soft, smooth and almost feather-like kiss that held all the emotions the two were feeling right now.
They went on to sit down and fasten their seatbelts, of course, Alex got the window seat, soon they landed at the airport, and this time around, they did not hire a car. They wanted the full experience of being a tourist. They are going to take the shuttle to the lodge.
The first time they came here, they were dating and now they are engaged so they took the honeymoon suite for their pre-honeymoon trip if you may call it that.
Since it was a honeymoon suite and presumably, for honeymooners, the room was decorated with rose petals everywhere. The was a heart made our if red rose petals, candles were placed all over the chalet with rose petals surrounding them, including the bathroom.
"Wow this is amazing." Piper said the moment she laid an eye inside.
"It really is beautiful. Why didn't we get this one before?" Alex asked teasingly.
"Well it would've been awkward because we were still in the beginning of our relationship and then boom here we are in a honeymoon suite." Piper chuckled at her own statement and Alex joined her.
"Yeah that would've been totally weird. How about we just rest then we will freshen up later for the drive."
The couple took an hour nap before they woke up and took a shower together, nothing happened this time. They had dinner and went on to the game drive. They were both happy and content to spend the time together. They were soon to be married and nothing could take that happiness away from them.
They spent five days at Kruger before they had to go back home to finish up the whole work and college for the year before Christmas and this was going to be their first Christmas together and better yet, as fiancées.
"I can't believe this is our last day here. I really love this place and if it were up to me I would stay here forever and just enjoy nature" Alex said while they were having a lazy morning on the balcony of their chalet.
"I know what you mean; I have grown to love this place too." Piper was swinging on the couch that was tied to the roof like a swing.
"But we have a life back home and our family. So I guess that is enough reason to go back." Alex said as she joined Piper on the couch.
Without their knowledge, they felt their chalet shake a bit and they were a bit scared at first but when they turned around they saw a big Elephant scratching itself on the chalet and they were amazed at how close it was to them. They quickly took pictures without using flashlight and Alex was ecstatic,
Everything throughout the day went on smoothly and they decided to pact their staff in the afternoon before bed and leave it by the door for the potter to take them to the bus tomorrow morning.
Soon they were back in Manhattan, everything was back to normal, and they were preparing for Christmas. Piper was busy and always came home late and went straight to shower then sleep. They have not had much time to spend together and Piper felt bad although Alex understood to a certain point.
…END OF CHAPTER….