40.
Alex is not sure how she ended up at Piper and Braydon's wedding reception, but that is currently where she found herself.
As she entered the hall breathing became an issue as her eyes caught sight of the bride standing there in her Snow White Strapless Sweetheart Pleated Mermaid wedding dress. Her long blonde hair was hanging down in loose curls finished off with a beautiful crystal tiara, necklace and long hanging earrings. Piper was without a doubt the most beautiful bride she has ever seen and she is sure which she will ever see.
The feeling that she might pass out any second suddenly became overwhelming and luckily for her a wedding guest accidentally bumps into her and only then does she realise that she has completely stopped breathing since she caught sight of Piper. The sudden air filling her lungs causes her to break out in a fit of coughs catching the attention of quite a couple of bystanders, including the bride. Alex is bend over with her hands on her knees while the guest who bumped into her is patting her back.
"Excuse me, excuse me" Comes Pipers voice as she makes her way to where Alex is. "Here" Piper says as she reaches Alex placing a hand on her arm pulling her up "Have some water."
Alex accepts the water taking small sips and getting her breathing back under control. She offers the guest a small thankful smile and when the crowd is sure she is going to survive they start dispersing again.
"Hi" She smiles at the gorgeous bride in front of her. Piper obviously shocked and confused to see Alex here doesn't quite find her words but offers a small smile back. "You look….. Wow"
Alex notices Piper turning crimson at the compliment "thank you" she whispers out almost shy. Alex nods and they stand there for a couple of seconds just taking each other in before Piper breaks the silence again. "I didn't know you were coming."
"I wasn't going to, but I thought I will take Cameron for the night so you can enjoy your wedding night then we will just come and pick up his bags in the morning."
"Pick up his bags?" Piper asks obvious confusion crossing her face.
"He needs clothes if he is going to stay with me you know." Alex laughs.
"Stay with you when? I'm sorry Alex you are confusing me. Did you and Braydon have some arrangements I don't know about? All I know is he is going to his grandparents on Wednesday morning before we leave for our honeymoon. Is he staying with you from now till Wednesday?" Piper rambles obviously confused.
And suddenly the realisation hits Alex. Piper knows nothing about the arrangements that Cameron was going to stay with her while they are on honeymoon. "Son of a bitch." She breaths out closing her eyes, throwing her head back.
"Alex, good to see you." Braydon's voice breaks her out of her frustration. They greet each other with the air cheek kissing before he continues. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Apparently nobody knew except for…"
"Alex!" Came Cameron's voice interrupting Alex as he runs up to her and she has a millisecond to respond before he jumps and she has to catch him. He is bigger and heavier than she can remember but she manages just fine as he wraps him arms around her neck burying his head in her shoulder, catching her off guard when she feels his body shaking and hearing sobs escaping from his throat.
"hey, hey, hey." She pulls his eyes up to her. "What's wrong buddy."
Not wanting to talk right now he just puts his head back on her shoulder crying even more. Piper obviously concerned approaches her son rubbing soothing circles on his back she whispers "What's wrong baby." Not getting a response. "Please baby, you are scaring me. You need to talk." Still not getting a response she looks over to her husband for support.
Braydon approaches the two woman and his son. "Come on superman. Tell us what is wrong." He speaks to his son trying to pull him away from Alex.
"No, No, No." He screams tightening his grip even more around Alex neck. "She is going to leave me again." He cries. "Please Alex, please don't leave me again. I will be good. I promise."
Being the softy she is when it comes to her son, before Piper realises she has tears of her own streaming down her face ruining her perfect make up. She runs her fingers through her sons hair placing her lips on his head keeping it there for a while whispering soothing words. Braydon can feel his own throat closing up but he is not about to cry in front of all their friends and family. Noticing they have quite the audience he offers everybody a smile assuring them all is fine and that they should carry on, they will be right back. He offers Alex a tissue when he noticed that she has tears running down her face and cant wipe them away with her hand quick enough as her hand is already soaked in tears.
"Come on," he whispers to the three of them "let's move to a more quiet area." He takes Pipers hand and lead them to a small room just outside the hall which they had set up for children who might get tired before their parents are ready to leave.
Alex takes a seat on one of the chairs with Cameron still glued to her. "Come on buddy. We need to talk. I am not going anywhere without you, I promise."
"I am still so confused about that." Piper whispers to Braydon and he just shrugs not knowing what they are talking about either.
Cameron eventually releases his grip on Alex's neck and pulls back a bit so their eyes can meet. She wipes away the last of the tears running down his cheek, offering him a cheeky grin which he manages to return. "Hi Alex."
"Hi buddy. How are we doing?"
"I missed you so much." He whispers his bottom lip starting to tremble again. "I thought I was never going to see you again."
"Hey." Alex addresses him, placing her fingers under his chin so he can look her in the eyes "No more crying okay. I am here."
After a couple of moments of silence and the four people in the room having properly recovered from the little breakdown Piper takes a deep breath before she speaks again. "Okay, so maybe the two of you should start explaining what the hell is going on, because we are so confused right now."
Alex turns Cameron on her lap so he is now sitting with his back to her front when she asks "So do you want to do this or should I."
Cameron looks up at his parents. His father is standing there with a soft expression on his face. One hand in his pocket and the other hand around his wife's waist. His mother on the other hand is standing there with a more stern face, arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow raised. "She is going to kill me Alex." He whispers.
"Nah, don't worry about it buddy. I will protect you. I can take her down like that." Alex says as she snaps her fingers, laughing.
"This is no time for jokes Alex. You didn't see her these last couple of weeks. Bridezilla is the baby of what she was." He whispers back again.
Braydon can't help but let out a chuckle which earned him a glare from his bride. "I am standing right here you know." Piper interrupts the conversation between the two sitting in front of her.
"Okay here goes." Alex whispers more to herself, wrapping her arms around the boy in her lap so he can feel protected. "So some weeks ago Cameron phoned me and informed me that you are going on honeymoon without him, quite pissed at the fact and then mentioned to me that you approved of him coming to visit me for a couple of weeks while you are away. He said because he is six he can't fly alone obviously so I came to fetch him."
Piper just stares at them, mouth agape with no clue what to say. She starts to pace back and forth in front of the two and then hears Cameron whisper to Alex "This…" motioning to his mother pacing "is never good." Piper still don't know what to say instead just shoots her son a glare and he pushes his back even more into Alex.
"Well I mean I have no objection to him going with you." Braydon decides to break the silence stopping Piper dead in her tracks.
"Excuse me" Piper enquires.
"Come on Pip, we always said we would have no problem with him going to visit Alex. I mean the way he did it is not ideal and we will definitely address that, because it is not okay, but he was just going to stay with my parents. School is on break, so I don't see why not. He will have more fun with Alex."
"No" Comes Pipers short answers somewhat shocking the three other people in the room. When she notices three pairs of eyes gawking at her she explains "He can't always get what he wants and he needs to know that this is not okay. He can't go making arrangements without us knowing. What if we were to leave tonight or early tomorrow morning. We need permission letters allowing Alex to take him out of the country. Unabridged birth certificates…."
"The letters aren't a problem and everything else he has Pip." Braydon interrupts.
"That is not the fucking point." Piper snaps. Knowing what is about to come she spins around catching Cameron just as he is about to open his mount. "Don't you dare."
"Okay," Alex says "I don't want you guys to fight. It is your wedding day. Buddy why don't you go with your dad for a while and let me speak to your mom okay." She looks up at Braydon "If it is okay with you."
"No problem." Braydon says sounding a bit deflated. "Come on my boy."
Piper feels a pang of guilt knowing it is her fault because she snapped at him. Reaching out for his hand she waits for his eyes to meet with hers "I am sorry I snapped at you. I didn't mean to." She takes a step closer leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his lips. "I will see you in a bit okay." She offers a smile which her husband returns before he leaves the room with their son.
"I am sorry about this Piper. I should have called to check with you or Braydon." Comes Alex's voice from behind her.
Shaking her head as she turns to face the taller woman "No Alex, it's not your fault. You don't have to apologise. You had no reason to believe he wasn't truthful."
"Well, if I am being completely honest I actually did doubt it. I'm not your favourite person in the world and I was wondering how he convinced you."
"Alex, I trust you with my son's life. He wouldn't have much convincing to do if he had asked me. I said he will be allowed to come and visit you. I wouldn't go back on my word. He just needs to do it right."
"I know." Alex nods in agreement "But I am here now…" Alex cuts herself off waiting for a response from Piper.
The room is filled with silence for a couple of moments, the two occupants staring into each other's souls. "He can go with you. I have no problem with it, but he will only find out tomorrow. For the rest of the day and tonight he will think that he is going to his grandparents. He needs to know what he did was wrong and that I don't cave that easily."
"You always cave easily when it comes to your son Pipes." Alex smiles. "He controls your whole existence. Admit it."
"He does. I wish I could be more strict on him because I don't want him to turn out a brat, but when he hurts I hurt." Piper admits sadly staring at the ground in thought.
Alex hesitantly steps closer to Piper taking one of her hands. "I am sorry about a couple of months ago in London. I still feel like shit about it."
Piper waves off the apology "Don't worry about it. I know you were a bit intoxicated." She laughs "It's forgotten. I am not mad at you. I hold no animosity towards you."
"Ditto." Alex agrees "So, friends?"
"Definitely."
"Can I hug a friend congratulating her on her wedding."
"Absolutely." Piper says as she steps towards Alex wrapping her arms around the taller woman's neck.
Alex in return wraps her arms around Pipers waist hugging her tight. "You really are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen." She whispers in the blonds hair.
"Thank you." Piper whispers back. They stay like that savouring the moment for another couple of seconds before Piper decides to break the silence "So is that why you almost died when you walked in. Did I take your breath away." She pulls back from Alex staring at her with a cocky grin.
"You did." Alex admits with a laugh.
"Well I guess we should get back out there. I will tell Braydon about the decision of letting Cameron go with you. We are only leaving for our honeymoon on Wednesday so that gives us a bit of time to sort everything out."
"Thank goodness for that."
"Are you going to stay for a while?" Piper asks "I think you owe me a dance."
"Do I now?" Alex asks and Piper just hums in confirmation. "One dance, then we are leaving. I am beat."
"We?"
"Cameron and I. I am sure you want to…" Alex starts but gets interrupted by Piper.
"Actually if you don't mind can Cameron just stay with me tonight. I am not going to see him for a couple of weeks. I honestly don't mind him staying with you and all but I only have a couple of days left…"
"Pipes, you can stop explaining. He is your son. It's not a problem. I know you are not saying no because you are spitefool. It's all good." She reassures the blonde. "Now come on" Alex continues grabbing Pipers hand, bringing it up to her lips and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. "I do believe I owe the beautiful bride a dance."
