Chapter Ten
They worked, went to therapy and self defense class and tried to survive a harsh winter. Cal called her one cold Feburary night and told her she was an aunt. The baby came early in the latest blizzard. He was at the hospital NICU with the baby. Neri was at the rural hospital with their parents. The baby had to be air lifted out. Her brother sounded scared. Piper felt a calm descend over her when Alex leaned up and whispered what was wrong in her ear.
She felt her love's arms slip around her and she cleared her throat, "I'll be there as soon as I possibly can Cal. Everything will be okay, I love you." He told her the details of where to go in the hospital and they hung up. She told Alex and immediately she sprang into action. She called a cab and started to get dressed. She reminded Piper to dress in layers and rushed to make sure they had a cup of hot coffee in hand.
In the cab, Alex slipped her arm around her waist and took Piper's phone. She'd been googling medical data.
"Nope, we'll listen to Cal and the doctors...I'm sure she'll be fine." Piper smiled at the idea of meeting her niece. It was weird to know her brother had procreated. It was exciting to know she'd get to see another version of her brother grow and become their own person. She felt an intense love for this child. They called her parents and Piper wasn't surprised to find out that Neri had checked herself out of the hospital and they were driving her to the City. Piper told them to contact her OBGYN when they got in to the city and if she needed to be readmitted there it would be arranged.
They arrived and Piper hugged her brother for a long time. He showed her the baby through the glass and Piper's heart grew substantially. He was happy because the doctors had given him a great report. She had to be monitored but as long as she kept passing her little tests, lungs formed...check..eyes attached...check. It was intense and detailed but overall she was well formed and just really small. They scrubbed up and wore masks and gloves to see her. She felt weird seeing the baby before Neri really got a chance to be with her child. Yet she they basked in the glow of her firey attitude.
"I think we picked a good name for you. Naming her after Neri's mom, she died in the line of service as a cop. Leigh. Leigh Piper Kerman," he said. Piper looked at him over her mask and saw him staring at his child with such love and reverence.
"Oh...wow, you sure you don't want to name her after mom? I mean to be fair.." Piper hedged, knowing her mom can be a bit competitive at times.
"No, we both wanted to name her after the two toughest women in our family," he said gruffily. Piper didn't feel very tough but it touched her that he thought she was strong. He was her brother and she'd always be there for him.
"Thank you both," she finally said. Alex reached her gloved hand in to Piper's and squeezed. She looked over to her and was thankful for the hundreth time already that day for the woman beside her. Eventually, her family all arrived and they waited the day in and out of the NICU waiting room.
Leigh was holding her own and everyone but the parents was sent home that evening. They all went back to Brooklyn. When Piper opened up she was surprised to smell cooking and see the house lit and warm. Roger was standing over a pot in the kitchen and Piper looked to the right to see Polly coming down from the upstairs apartment with old linens in her hand.
"Oh you guys got here quick, let me take those," Polly said as she started to help everyone with their jackets. They figured everyone had something to wear stored at the Brownstone so it was natural to all come there. Her mother was very quiet and she could tell she was worried about her dad. She hugged Polly despite her arm full of laundry. She wasn't sure what she did to deserve such a good friend but she was thankful for her. Alex pulled them apart and helped Polly with the jackets and sheets.
"I made some beef and vegetable soup. I hope you like. You guys are welcome to just have a bowl and hit the hay," Roger said as Piper walked over to give him a hug. She knew that Lorna and Nicky had taken over the store that day and now their other friends were taking care of them. She felt blessed.
"Thank you Roger. I am indeed hungry for real food," her father said as he sat at the bar. Roger started serving and wouldn't hear a word from Piper about helping. Alex joined them and they managed to have a small quiet meal together. Piper told them about her amazing niece and they allowed themselves to feel joy.
That night, after she'd made sure everyone was home safe and tucked away...after she'd called her brother and offered to return to the hospital to stay with them...after she was finally done worrying about her family. Piper wrapped herself around Alex. She pulled her tshirt off and pushed down her panties until they were naked and clinging to one another. Piper buried her face in her neck and buried her left hand deep in Alex's hair. If she could, she would have crawled up inside of Alex to get closer.
"I gotcha kid," was all Alex said. Piper relaxed and nodded her head into her neck. It came up out of Piper slowly, mumbled words of fear and doubt. Jumbled words that mixed up Leigh's fate with a child lost on a bathroom floor in some dank prison camp. She cursed and got tense...railing at a world that made scary bad things keep happening around her. Alex would nod or make soothing sounds until Piper became quiet. She fell to sleep clinging to her.
Leigh was in the NICU for a month but came home to doting parents. Their house wasn't ready so they moved in to their grandmother's house. After Christmas there, their parents had stayed. Piper had called the rental company and told them they'd be in touch with them at a later date. She spent a few days away from Alex when they moved. Neri had requested Piper to help. She knew it was to run interference with her mom. She was a godsend on many levels. Piper had never had a nanny like some of her other friends. Her mom had raised them both until she could send them off to daycare. She had great intentions...just Cal was already nervous and not in his own home. It wasn't a pleasant thing to all be at home with the child at first. But that first night...when Piper saw him talking with is dad...she was happy she'd come to help.
Oh the phone that night she couldn't help but tell Alex how much she missed her. "I know, it's sappy and you hate that," Piper said right after. Alex laughed and didn't deny it. She told her instead about how Chaucer had caught a "mouse" in the apartment. Piper was panicked for a moment with a flash back to crawling around in rat shit looking for a gnawed wire at Litchfield.
"Yes, that would be the office desk top mouse cord. He got in the store and was playing with it under the desk while Raven was working. He yanked the cord, pulled the mouse out of her hand and she screamed. He bolted, down the steps and straight to Taystee behind the counter. Apparently, to hear her tell it, he took out a couple of customers on his way," Alex elaborated. Piper squeaked all worried about her baby and instantly forgot her embarrassment over being a sappy newlywed missing her woman. They hung up the phone a while later and Alex told her she'd text her in the morning with pictures of her healthy cat. Apparently, when Alex returned him to the apartment, he climbed to the top of his tower and had refused to come down. Piper couldn't blame him.
Steve came by the next day to see them. He was visiting his Uncle before heading back to class that Monday. He walked around the garden with her father and Piper was pleased to watch it from the window. There was snow all over but she could see them hoping for Spring. He had brought over names of good people tom maintain the yard and garden for them. It was sad, but she was sure anyone his Uncle recommended would be great. She could tell he was sad after this visit and got the idea that Owen wasn't doing well.
"You must stay for dinner. I'm grilling steaks inside...and they are excellent," she said. She knew that Neri wouldn't eat the one she had delivered. He agreed and seemed to relax. He took off his jacket and hung it on the pin behind the door in the kitchen like he used to do when he brought over take out.
"Where is your better half?"he asked casually as she handed him a glass of wine.
"Working. I have a more flexible schedule. It...is hard. We're together a lot and now I miss her something stupid, " Piper admitted. Her family was setting the table and Neri was sitting already feeding Leigh.
"I miss her too. She is so quiet and strong at times, I didn't realize how comforting that was until she wasn't with us," her mother said quietly from the chopping board where she was putting the finishing touches on a salad. Piper smiled at her mother who didn't look up from her work.
Steve shifted some on his feet and looked over with barely disguised surprise. Piper took a sip of wine to hide her amusement.
"Yeah, she's like a tall Sentinel that has some magic juju to calm Pipes. She's stand up too and we appreciate all the help with the baby. She thinks of things like getting a car seat just like the one we bought for the rental car. I guess she learned to be detail oriented in her previous profession," Cal chimed in as he placed napkins on each place. Piper nodded appreciating the truth of the statement and walked over to the kitchen to check the grill was heated.
"Yes, it was a life saver more than once," Piper admitted as she walked over to the stove. Steve seemed intrigued.
"How did her attention to detail save your life? I thought from what I read, it risked it, numerous times when she made you her drug mule," Steve asked. Piper sensed her family tense.
"Technically, my sister never carried drugs...she carried money. It is a different crime and I'd say she was more to Alex than a drug mule," Cal defended first. Piper looked over at him and gave him a smile as she put the first steak on the prepped grill.
"No, no..I would have been though had I stayed. She was lost to the business and our relationship was in shambles. I left at a crappy time, but trust me, I ran for my life. We were in love but in a hopeless situation. Time and distance changed all that. But once, she noticed there was something under my towel while we were out swimming. It was a snake, poisonous actually...our guide was scared of it," Piper remembered. It had been in Tahiti on a short trip they took with Roger.
"Did Alex kill it?" Steve asked and Piper could tell he didn't think she did.
"No, I did. I bashed its head in with a rock and got my bag from out from under it. Alex was furious because I doubled back to get it when I remembered my passport was in it. She was picky about not ever carrying it in a bag. Bags, get picked and stolen when traveling...or snakes decide to nest on it," she admitted. She had told that story before when she was with Larry. This was the first time she'd ever told anyone about Alex. She left her on the trail and went back to get it. No snake was going to fuck her up and get her stuck there. She knew Alex would have to leave her whiles she dealt with the consulate. She did what she had to do and Alex sobered when she saw Piper standing triumphant over a dead smashed snake.
Steve seemed impressed with the nerve of the young Piper. He really shouldn't have been, she was after all a drug runner's girl friend at the time. Piper had always shielded that part of her life away. Locked it up like it was a wild phase and pushed ahead with the life she thought she was supposed to lead. Now, she could be herself, own her own history and find joy with the woman she loved. She fell in love all over again with the wonderful woman that had the balls to come up to her in a bar and pick her up by insulting her resume.
Steve and her dad talked academia during the meal. Piper listened and enjoyed her steak. Neri ate some salad and rice before she went upstairs with Leigh. Cal went with her but returned to finish his meal. Piper and her mom talked about which grocery service to use that would have access to the baby formula they needed. She missed Alex in every single detail. Piper didn't realize how much Alex just cared for her daily.
"You are so in love with that girl, it is startling. I just didn't realize...the depth of my own daughter. I am so ashamed that I didn't see it before..." her mom admitted. Piper looked up from her plate and smiled.
"We are great at hiding things in the open in this family. It is a coping mechanism that doesn't work well in some social situations. Everyone always thinks I'm uptight...but it is just that I cling to decorum because of how I was raised. I go all out...say what I want at times, act completely inappropriate...that is from you too. You just don't realize it," Piper said to her mom with a wink. She snorted but didn't argue. Cal was smart enough to just keep eating and not chime in to the conversation.
Later, she told Alex about the meal on the phone. She listened and was touched to hear her family actually said they missed her. She wasn't however, pleased to hear that Steve had come over and they talked about old times.
"I thought he needed to talk. Apparently, I was right. Dad told me that he admitted that his uncle didn't have much longer to live." Piper told her. It made her sad because she really liked Owen. He reminded her of her grandmother. Alex said she was sorry about his family health issues but Piper could tell she still didn't like him having dinner with her family.
"We're being audited by the way. I figured we would be once we filed our taxes. We're felons that own businesses," Alex told her. She listened and offered her support. She would need to be aware of what was going on as she had shares in Alex's company now. They had a business manager and Piper had to meet with them twice a month. That started next month and she dreaded the meeting. If she was honest, she'd rather let her wife handle all the money.
Again she was hit with exactly how much she was turning in to her mother. "Hey, let's get out of here. How about you meet me at the airport day after tomorrow? I can work some tonight and most of tomorrow while Neri naps...and wrangle a few days off," Piper asked. She was anxious to do something and be alone with Alex.
"We'd miss our couples therapy. Are you worried about something maybe wanting to avoid something?" Alex asked her gently. Piper immediately got defensive but she took a breath and considered what she said. She really hadn't thought about that session. They had been talking about her temper and her triggers. She hadn't liked where those thoughts sent her but no she wasn't running.
"If you want we can go to therapy first, I just want to get out of the city, alone with you...with room service," she was trying to keep her tone even and not get upset. It was hard sometimes because she knew Alex was a safe place to explode. It just wasn't fair though. Just because your partner is a safe harbor doesn't mean they want to constantly have to take your worst crap. Dr Speer had pointed that out to Piper once when she was talking about Larry and she never really forgot it. She would fall apart on Alex when they were alone but only when really stressed. No Piper was truly trying to just be there for her and uplift her. Maybe this impromptu trip would rejuvenate them both.
"I love the idea kid. However, another storm is coming and I was actually going to ask you to come back early so you're here when it comes," Alex explained. Piper immediately agreed.
"I'll be there, but as soon as it thaws, let's get out of here. We don't have to go too far if you're needed for the audit," Piper offered. That seemed to make Alex very happy. They hung up reluctantly but before either could slip into smooching sounds and cute voices. It was a bit much for Piper and she knew Alex was probably going upstairs to work out or create something. She knew she was handling her having dinner with Steve much better than she would have handled the knowledge that Becca was working at the store.
Piper sighed and pushed all her insecurities down until another day and fell to sleep. She had dreams that night. She awoke shouting for Alex. It took her a moment to realize where she was and she fell back in to her bed. She listened and no one came, so perhaps she wasn't that loud. She gave up sleeping and went downstairs to make herself some tea. The moonlight shimmered over the white yard like something out of a gothic movie. She sat in her favorite chair and watched the night through the big window. Piper wondered where they would go and just craved escape. Anywhere with Alex was a treat. She tried not to worry that she was actually trying to run away like Alex had asked. Therapy was hard at times but she wasn't running from it...no she just wanted them to get back to their basics. She watched as Cal and Neri formed a family and it made her ache inside. She wanted that with Alex. There was no denying how much she wanted it and she was afraid Alex could sense it.
Piper would be holding Leigh and suddenly want to hold her own child so much her arms ached. She spoke about this in her sessions. It was normal for a woman of her age to crave children, especially when they have just married their soul mate. Yet, her situation was totally different. Her partner had never really wanted a child and had lost one from rape. She knew that any family they may possibly have is on Alex's time table. It was hard though and she knew part of her anxiety was over how fragile Leigh was as well. What if something happened to their child? Could Alex survive it? Could she?
Piper watched the sun come up and heard Leigh cry for her early morning feeding. She heard her brother's sleepy voice coo and calm his child as he fed her. She was really proud of him. He was a great father and she loved that kid so much. She was happy she had Finn in her life because she'd learned about how to love as an Aunty. Piper dozed some in her chair but woke a few hours later and began to fix the family breakfast. She'd tell them she was leaving this afternoon.
Piper left that afternoon before the storm was due to come in but unfortunately, it was moving a bit faster than expected. She was a good forty miles outside of the city when the snow started to really fall. She had rented a Subaru outback and was confident she could make it back herself, it was just the crazy people on the road trying to make it home from work. She was about to take a side road that would bring her in to the city a different way when an eighteen wheeler started to jack knife on ice in front of her. She made it to the side and avoided the sliding truck barely. She was unprepared for the truck that swerved and slammed into her side and pressed her against the interstate barrier. She jerked and slammed into the door as the side airbags deployed they hurt her more than the impact of the truck.
Piper blinked and coughed as the dust from the airbag settled in the car. She heard a few more crashes and prayed no one slammed into the truck that hit her. She managed to cut off her engine. Piper checked herself and she wasn't really hurt. Her leg hurt from where it slammed against the door and the air bag smacked her head back some so her head was hurting...other than that she felt alright. The driver of the truck, a young man was calling to her from where his truck had pinned her against the side.
"You alright in there? Hello? Oh please don't be dead," she could hear the panic in his voice.
"I'm not dead...just can't move much. Did you turn off your engine? Do you see any smoke or flames?" Piper asked in a calm voice. She didn't want imagine flames licking at her trapped body but her mind was racing.
'No no, I don't see any. Look someone called an ambulance...can you get to the back I can let you out of the hatch," he suggested. He went to the back and opened it just to show her. Piper undid her seat belt and started to try and move her body out of the seat. She then felt a pinch of pain on her knee. She looked down, pushing the airbag down some to see her leg was caught under the dash.
"I'm caught, I didn't feel it until I tried to move. Ahh shit that hurts," Piper said as the pain radiated up her leg.
"Okay, stay still..don't move then, the firemen will get you out. I'm going to go make sure they know to come over here," he said.
"Wait! What is your name? Are you ok?" Piper asked. She was suddenly frantic not to be left alone.
"I'm Josh and yeah, I'm fine...my shoulder hurts from the seat belt but other than that nothing," he responded.
"Be careful Josh," Piper said then she was alone. She fished out her phone and pressed to call Alex back. As it rang she wondered what she'd say and prayed not to scare her too much.
"Hey, where are you?" Alex asked right off the bat. Piper knew she was worried about her driving. "The storm came in too soon, maybe you should go back," Alex suggested.
"I went ahead baby," Piper said in a soft tone.
"Pipes...what's wrong? Where are you?" Alex's voice held such fear that Piper had to take a deep breath and steel herself.
"First, I am fine. I called you and I want you to know I'm fine. I am on the highway right outside the city...I was about to take that other way you showed me, but there was an accident in front of me and I went off to the side to avoid it," Piper began in a slow tone.
"Did you? Are you okay?" Alex asked as she paused.
"Another car slid on the ice and hit me. I'm sorta pinned in the car against the wall. There is help on the way and I'm fine. I just wanted you to know and maybe you could come pick me up or meet me at the hospital?" Piper suggested. She heard her wife's breathe catch and her heart sank. She hated to be the reason Alex was scared.
"You're what? Oh fuck Piper are you hurt? Should you be talking right now? Did you hit your head?" Alex asked frantically.
"No, I didn't really...I'm fine. I just have to wait. The rental is ruined though," Piper said.
"Fuck the rental. Where are you exactly? I'm coming there," Alex began. Piper tried to calm her and tell her the storm was getting worse and no sense in both of them being in an accident. Alex would hear none of it and made her tell her the exactly where she was on the highway.
"Please don't come alone and call me. The ambulance will be here soon but there are other cars involved," Piper said. Josh came back then and told her help was on the way. Piper could hear Alex barking orders to Raven to call Roger for his car and telling her what was going on...she heard Nicky in the background and immediately felt better. Alex wasn't alone, Nichols would come with her and she'd be fine. Piper relaxed and then felt the throbbing pain from her knee. She winced and prayed she'd heal just fine and still be able to run. The pain took her by surprise and she covered up the phone to moan.
"By the time you get here, they'll have me out of here and on my way. Let me talk to Nicky-" Piper began after she caught her breath.
"No, you can call me if you head towards the hospital. Look, we're both coming and taking a cab now to Roger's place. I'll be on the road to you in less than fifteen minutes. Are you in pain?" Alex asked her again. Piper didn't want to lie to her so she didn't answer her directly.
"Nicky is with you? Good, don't forget your license and drive safe. Don't let Nicky drive, okay? She can barely drive in good conditions," Piper said.
"I heard that Chapman," Nicky retorted from the background. Piper actually smiled. Josh asked her if she was still conscious and she called out to him.
"Who is that?" Alex asked. Piper told her it was the guy that slid into her and that he was fine and helping direct help her way. Alex asked Piper to have him call out his cell number. She was reluctant but Josh complied. His phone rang out, the ringtone of AWOLNATION's Sail played. Piper closed her eyes and tried to calm herself some more. Her leg was really throbbing and she was getting light headed. She could hear Alex getting stuff together and then the wind as they headed out. She guessed Nicky was on the phone with Josh. Piper could hear him explain he couldn't really see into the car but that Piper wasn't able to climb out the back.
"I love you Piper Chapman. I just should have gone with you," Alex started.
"Then I would have been crushed riding beside you...it's okay and I don't want you worried. Have you thought about where you want to go?" Piper asked her and closed her eyes. The pain was really starting to rev up and she wasn't sure she could keep talking without showing it in her voice.
"I rented us a cabin. I went south but we'll probably still have some snow...but we'll be in a cozy cabin, all alone with hot chocolate and skiing," Alex offered. She knew Piper could ski, though she thought it was insane to strap boards on your feet and go fast down a slope. Just thinking of the pressure on her knee made Piper blanche.
"Oh sounds good, though I may not hit the slopes anytime soon...you..me and a huge lodge sounds like fun. After this audit, we'll go some place tropical," Piper tried to sound sure for her girl, no doubt she'd get through this.
Josh asked her if she was cold and Piper said she was fine. She was trying not to shiver and wasn't sure if was shock or the actual temperature. Either way, she wasn't giving Alex more to worry about.
"Okay baby, I'm going to get off of here and focus on Josh and the people gathering about," Piper said finally and she knew her pain leaked through.
"Pipes, don't hang up...please just talk to me, tell me about Leigh, is she sleeping through the night?" Alex's voice was desperate and Piper winced to hear it.
"I'm okay, my knee hurts where it hit the side, " Piper replied. She didn't mention how she felt really light headed and cold. She didn't want to hang up but she was afraid of worrying her more.
"Piper, stop trying to protect me. You said it yourself, the ambulance will be there soon, just share with me...tell me baby," Alex pleaded with her to give her the burden and let her share holding it.
She told her she was scared and her knee really hurt. She told her wife she was dizzy and cold. "I'm not sure I can keep talking Al...just talk to me, let me listen..where are you?" Piper listened as Alex relayed what she said to Nicky. She was crying and Piper didn't want her to but she was a bit too tired to tell her it was going to be okay. Once she admitted it...once she let herself feel, Piper was cold and in pain.
"I'm here...we're in Roger's car and he's driving. Josh said the ambulance is there and they are trying to get cars out of the way to get close enough. He said there is a fire truck too. Maybe you'll get to see a hot fireman...I know how you love them," Alex said in a voice thick with tears. Piper smiled. She once told Alex...one drunk night, how sexy firefighters were and how she'd slept with three while in college. Alex had dressed like a firefighter that Halloween and Piper had lost her shit that night in bed.
"They'll pale in comparison to you. Never asked you how you got that actual outfit. It was real suit right?" Piper asked in a slightly slurred voice.
"Well I can't give up all my secrets but we were in New York and it was Halloween. I have my ways," Alex teased back. Piper smiled and dropped the phone. She winced and cursed.
"What's wrong? Piper?" Josh asked immediately.
"I dropped the phone, give me a minute," Piper felt around and found it right beside her. She brought it to her shoulder but she didn't think she could hold it. Piper hit the button for the speaker phone and laid it on her shoulder.
"I'm here, sorry I dropped the phone," Piper said. She heard Alex exhale and tell her she was there. Piper smiled and closed her eyes. Her neck was hurting as well and maybe it was from holding the phone. She could hear people approaching now, shouting orders. Alex heard it on the speaker and asked if the ambulance was there.
"Yeah baby, there are some voices...ask Josh," Piper said as it was really hard to determine where the voices were coming from exactly. She felt wetness now, warm wetness on her leg. She hoped she hadn't used the bathroom on herself...she didn't think she did.
"Blood...it might be blood, " she said out loud.
"What blood, Piper? You said you weren't bleeding. Piper?" Alex asked in a loud scared voice. She could hear Roger and Nicky in the background.
"Is a hypothesis, I feel warm wet...I shudder to think I peed myself so maybe blood. Blood is warm and wet...more kick ass," Piper said with a giggle. She then heard an authorative voice ask her name. Piper chimed in and looked over to the back passenger's window to see a woman in uniform pulling open the door.
"It's a chick baby, no worries about firemen," Piper said in response to her questions.
"I'm a chick? Ma'am are you okay, did you hit your head?" she responded. Piper laughed and heard Alex call out to her again. Her eyelids were heavy and she thought she'd better disconnect from her call.
"It's my girlfriend on ..no my wife..on the phone here..I'm actually not doing so hot so maybe you can hang up for me, tell her...I'm in good hands and I'll see her soon, okay?" Piper managed to get it all out before she gave in to the sinking darkness. She didn't hear her name yelled over the phone.
**Winter brings all kinds of things...for me it has brought pneumonia. I'm sorry for the lack of writing but I've been a bit busy being ill. Also, it brings March Madness and well...my face has been buried in ACC tourny as well. I hope you all caught our OITNB girls at the Paley center and Piper Kerman hosting a panel at the Brooklyn Museum. I know...a car accident...really? I travelled last weekend-not a good idea when sick btw- through snow and ice and saw three major accidents...I think it seeped in my brain. Please review and Peace! Fae***