Piper was extremely quiet on the forty minute trip to the hospital, there were just silent tears running down her cheeks. Piper is wondering inside her head if this is all her fault, if the bomb she dropped on her family last week about being in a relationship with a woman has caused her father's heart attack. Alex is driving as fast as she legally and safely can to get Piper to the hospital to see her father. The brunette glances at her girlfriend in the passenger seat and her heart breaks to see the anguish on the blonde's face. Alex grabs Piper's hand across the car and whispers, "I'm here for you Pipes, I'm not going anywhere."
Piper turns to look at Alex with a fresh set of tears pooling in her eyes. "Al—if…if…if he dies…he's only fifty-three years old!" Piper stammers.
"Pipes, try to stop thinking the worst. We will be there in a few minutes and then you can find out what exactly his condition is."
Exactly six minutes later, Alex pulls up outside the hospital and Piper jumps out of the Range Rover running into the hospital. Alex quickly hands her keys to the valet and runs after Piper. Piper finds her way to the fourth floor waiting room where Cal texted her that they would be.
"Mom! Cal! What's going on? Where is Dad? Can I see him before his surgery?" Piper shrieks running into the waiting room. Alex follows her, but hangs back giving the family some time.
"Piper! What took you so long? Maybe if you would actually answer your phone, you could have made it in time. He wanted to see you before they took him back, but the surgeon said they couldn't wait any longer," Carol chastises.
"Pipe," Cal jumps up to intercept his sister giving her a hug, "They have already taken him into surgery. He's been in about thirty minutes now. The doctor told us that the bypass surgery will take about four hours."
Piper starts hyperventilating, turns deathly pale, and collapses into a chair.
This is all Alex needs to see. She runs over to Piper and sits down next to her rubbing her back. "Pipes, breathe. Look at me Pipes—take a couple of deep breaths. Piper looks into Alex's eyes and takes a deep breath. "That's good Pipes, a few more, just breathe baby." Piper takes a couple more slow deep breaths never looking away from Alex.
"Piper, for heaven's sake get a hold of yourself. The last thing we need to worry about right now is you!" Carol snaps. For the first time she seems to notice Alex next to Piper. "Piper? Who is this? I think only family should be here right now."
"Mom," Piper replies weakly, "This is Alex, my girlfriend, the one I told you about a week ago."
"Oh that nonsense! You know I wouldn't doubt the added stress from your little announcement caused your father's heart attack…"
"Mom that's not fair and you know it," Cal interrupts.
"Mrs. Chapman my name is Alex. I'm very sorry that we are meeting under these circumstances, but I care about your daughter very much and I am going to be here for her." Alex says reaching out her hand to shake the older woman's hand. Carol just stares at Alex's extended hand before turning around and walking to the restroom.
"Al, I'm sorry, she has no right to treat you this way," Piper murmurs with more tears running down her face.
"Hey, its okay Pipes, I can take it." Alex whispers using her thumb to wipe away the tears on her girlfriend's face and pulling her into a comforting hug. "Right now I just want you to know that I'm here if you need me."
"It's nice to meet you Alex," Cal says stepping forward giving the brunette a hug. "Thank you for being here for Piper—as you can see, our mother is sort of intense," Cal chuckles slightly.
"Sort of?" Alex chortles.
"Pipe, Mom was way out of line earlier when she said Dad was stressed over your…er…relationship. He actually told me that he was okay with you dating a woman if that was what your heart told you to do. He just wants you to be happy."
"Did he really say that Cal? You're not just trying to make me feel better?"
"No way Pipe, Dad supports you. Ask him yourself when he wakes up."
Just then Neri comes running into the waiting room and into Cal's arms as Carol emerges from the bathroom and rushes over to greet her future daughter-in-law.
"Neri dear, thank you for coming," Carol says giving the younger woman a hug while glaring at Piper and Alex.
Piper just shakes her head and reaches out for Alex's hand. Alex simply rubs her thumb comfortingly along the side of Piper's hand. The five of them sit in relative silence for the next hour or so, but Piper never let go of Alex's hand. She so desperately needed some of Alex's strength right now and she hoped it would somehow seep into her.
Carol suddenly stands up, "I need to move. I'm going to take a short walk, I'll be back in fifteen minutes or so. Cal please text me immediately if a doctor or nurse shows up with an update."
"Pipes, I'm going to go to the cafeteria and get some coffee for everyone, I'll be back in a few minutes," Alex says quietly to the blonde. Piper nods her head, "That would be great Al, thank you. Could you get a black coffee for my mom? I don't know if she'll drink it, but…"
"No problem, Cal, Neri—how do you take your coffee?" Alex asks.
Neri jumps up, "I'll go with you Alex, you'll need help carrying them back and I can order for Cal and me."
As soon as Alex and Neri are out of the waiting room Cal smiles knowingly, "Pipe—holy cow, Alex is HOT!"
Piper gives Cal a weak smile, "Cal—number one, you're engaged, number two, she's a lesbian, number three, and most importantly, she's mine."
She's yours huh? Cal teases with a smile.
"Yes, she's mine. She is my girlfriend and I love her more than I've ever loved anybody Cal. It's like she completes me…I know that sounds stupid and cliché, but that is the only way I can think of to describe what we have…I just wish Mom could be as understanding as you."
Cal smile again and gives his older sister a hug, "I'm happy for you Pipe."
"Thanks Cal."
After several more minutes Alex and Neri return from the cafeteria loaded down with not only coffee for everyone, but some sandwiches and chips as well. Alex returns to her seat next to Piper handing her a coffee with lots of cream and lots of sugar just the way the blonde likes it. She also hands Piper a turkey sandwich on wheat with a bag of barbeque potato chips, "Pipes you should really try to eat something, it is almost 6:00 and you haven't eaten anything since breakfast."
Piper takes the sandwich and chips and begins to nibble even though her stomach is tied up in knots because she knows Alex is right. "How about you Cal? I have one more turkey, a roast beef, and two ham sandwiches," Alex asks holding up the bag.
"I'll take the roast beef and Neri will take a ham, thank you Alex."
"It's no problem Cal," Alex relates handing a roast beef and a ham sandwich as well as two small bags of sour cream and onion potato chips to Cal and Neri. Alex opens the other ham sandwich for herself and begins to eat just as Carol returns to the waiting room area.
"Mom, Alex bought you some coffee and a turkey sandwich. You should really try to eat to keep your strength up," Cal pleads with his mother walking toward her with the cup of coffee and the sandwich.
"I guess you're right Cal, I am going to need all my strength when Bill wakes up," Carol answers softly as she looks toward Alex, "Um thank you Alex…" At this Piper perks up a bit, At least Mom is being civil to Alex, I guess it's a start, the blonde thinks to herself.
"You're welcome Mrs. Chapman," Alex smiles at her girlfriend's mom.
Several more hours pass of tense waiting when a doctor finally enters the waiting room. Carol, Piper, and Cal jump up expectantly. "The bypass surgery went very well," the doctor says. "Bill is in stable condition and I am very optimistic, but as with any bypass surgery, the next twenty-four hours are critical and I want to keep in the ICU. He is heavily sedated and will probably be so until very early tomorrow morning."
The Chapmans all breathe a slight sigh of relief at the news from the doctor. "Can we see him doctor?" Carol asks.
"You can see him, but only for a few minutes and one at a time. When he wakes up tomorrow morning, you can have a longer visit with him, but right now the best thing for him is rest. Mrs. Chapman—I can take you to see him first if you want."
"Thank you doctor," Piper quavers as the doctor leads Carol through a set of double doors to the recovery room.
Piper turns around and is relieved to find Alex standing right behind her. The blonde wraps her arms around the brunette and cries softly on her shoulder. Alex holds Piper for several minutes stroking her back and whispering in her ear, "Everything's going to be okay Pipes."
A few minutes later Carol is led back into the waiting room by a nurse. "Pipe you go next," Cal says. Piper glances quickly at Alex, "Go ahead Pipes—I'll be waiting right here for you when you get back." Piper follows the nurse to see her father.
Piper is ushered into recovery room number three where she sucks in her breath roughly. She can't believe how old her father looks. It seems as though he has aged at least ten years since the last time she saw him. She glances at the heart monitor that is beeping softly next to her dad's bed as tears well up in her eyes. Piper walks to his bedside and takes his hand in hers. "Dad, its Piper…I'm here. I'm so sorry I didn't make it before you went in for surgery, but the doctor says that it went well and that you're going to be okay." The nurse pokes her head into the room to let Piper know that her time is just about up. "I love you Dad, I will come visit you tomorrow," Piper whispers giving her dad's hand a squeeze before exiting the room and following the nurse back to the waiting room.
Piper re-enters the waiting room and make her way into Alex's arms again. "Al, he looks so weak and old…"
"Pipes, you have to remember he has been through a lot today. I'm sure he will look much better when he wakes up tomorrow morning…"
"I hope so Alex, I'm just so worried about him, I wish I could talk to him, but I know he won't wake up until very early tomorrow."
Just then Cal emerges from the recovery room and yawns. "Well I guess there's not much we can do until tomorrow, we are in for a long night in this waiting room."
Alex speaks up, "I reserved a room at the Marriott just down the street. Actually I reserved three rooms. I knew that you guys would want to be close to the hospital, but I thought it would be more comfortable than these waiting room chairs. The rooms are reserved under Vause, you can use them or not, it's completely up to you."
"Wow, thank you Alex for thinking of that. I know I could really use a shower and a few hours of sleep in an actual bed. The nurse has all of our cellphone numbers and she said she would call immediately if there is any change in his condition. What do you say Mom?" Cal asks.
Carol takes a deep breath, "I should probably stay here, in case he needs me."
"Mom he has an entire team of doctors and nurses looking after him, go to the hotel and get a couple hours of rest so that you can be there for him tomorrow when he's awake and aware," Piper chimes in.
"Okay…but I'll need a ride, I came in the ambulance with your father." Carol replies weakly.
"That's no problem Mrs. Chapman I've got plenty of room in my SUV."
"Thank you…again Alex, it was very nice of you to do this."
About an hour later, Alex and Piper are in their hotel room lying on the king sized bed with Alex spooning Piper. Piper is clearly exhausted and is just about asleep when she whispers, "Al?"
"Yea Pipes?"
"Thank you."
"Your welcome babe, I love you. Now get some rest you have another long day ahead of you tomorrow."
"I love you to Al," Piper slurs as she falls fast asleep in Alex's arms.
A/N I am officially off for two weeks for the holiday so I hope to update much more regularly. Reviews are always appreciated—they inspire me and make me happy to know what you think. Merry Christmas to all of you!
