Chapter Nineteen
The next day, Alex was on the phone with Nicky and Lorna. They were on speaker phone as they got ready. At one point, she left the room and Alex spoke to Nicky as a sponsor might. Nicky was in contact with her sponsor but couldn't give real details because of what was happening.
Piper came back in the room as Nicky was saying goodbye, "I'll see you later, Vause. Don't get all soft on me and cheer up...never know Piper might fix Tacos tonight," she heard Nicky say. Piper frowned...she was planning grilled salmon. Alex swallowed and laughed.
"Nah our damn luck she'll have Beef Tips," Alex replied with a tone that told her this conversation was more serious than she quiet understood.
"You will never eat Beef Tips in my home," Piper assured her. That made them all chuckle and they hung up on a funny note. They nuzzled some and talked quietly. Piper had a phone interview with a Blog talk radio. She had to really work to make her points. She knew she came across a bit cold but she was struggling not to worry about Nicky.
The time passed and they were eating turkey tacos when Lorna called. She said Nicky called her from her lawyer's office. She had signed her statement. He had said enough to incriminate himself. He had lawyered up a and as Nicky put it, " They are about to earn their retainer." She was going to go straight to a meeting and wanted Alex to meet her there. Her gorgeous wife looked up to ask and Piper waved her on to go help her friend.
"Give her a kiss for me and don't drink too much coffee, you'll be up all night and pissy when you go with me to visit the baby," Piper joked. Cal and Neri were coming into the city and they were going over to the Brownstone for lunch. Her dad was having a check up and they hoped for good news. He seemed to be doing better but Piper wanted proof.
"The place we're going is Becca's group. I wanted you to know. Nicky is my focus though and she is usually pretty good about just working the steps," Alex said as she put on her jacket.
Piper didn't like it but she knew that they had to go to the meetings that Nicky would attend. She smiled and watched her wife leave. Piper poured herself a big glass of wine. She was relieved it was over...well at least this part.
Piper ran herself a bath and sank in to the hot water with a sigh. She was rather proud of herself for not sticking her foot in her mouth or acting like a douche with her anger issues. She didn't even think about following Alex to the meeting to make sure Becca didn't start any shit...much.
"Really Chapman, get your head out of your ass and be thankful," Piper murmured. She leaned back and thought back to all the blessings in her life. She closed her eyes and remembered back to those first few nights with Alex...back to when she was still trying to reconcile that the hot, sophisticated, bohemian lesbian worked in crime.
Piper was in her small apartment taking a long soak in the tub. Alex was coming over in an hour to take her out for sushi. They had spent the weekend together and Alex was very honest with her about her job. She made it seem like she just did exports but Piper knew the entire activity was morally wrong and illegal. She tried to think her way through it...to see herself just telling Alex she couldn't handle it.
But then she'd remember the orgasms Alex gave her. Piper was young yet. She'd had some lovers but no one touched her body like Alex. No one had ever sent her flying into the stratosphere with such grace. She was fun, smart and kept Piper on her toes. Piper's mind worked quick and many times she felt like she was miles ahead of her peers. Not Alex. She was older and her mind was wicked fast. It was one of her sexiest comments. She may not have a formal degree but Alex knew books, culture and had a well thought out opinion on anything Piper brought up. Besides sex, her second favorite thing was to talk with Alex.
Piper was thinking about a conversation they had about poetry and she started to move her hand down her body. The bubbles had faded from her water and it was the milky haze of soap. She bit her lip and slid her fingers into her folds. Piper imagined Alex watching her as she spoke about how she found the Harlem Renaissance to be a copy of Stein's earlier modernistic poems. She knew Alex hated it mostly on principal but she had read enough to have an educated opinion and that made her sexy as hell.
Soon Piper was rubbing her circles with delicious results. Her head was tossed back and she couldn't contain the moans erupting from her mouth. Her breath started to quicken and she looked out into the small bathroom right as she started to come. It was then she saw Alex sitting on the toilet, watching her with dark, intense eyes. Piper was sure she was just visualizing from her fantasy but that look sent her thrashing in her warm tub.
As her body was overcome with delicious pleasure, Piper started to sink down in the water. She felt a hand on the back of her head and her eyes flew all the way open.
"No..no you're not going under, I want to see your face. Fuck, kid...that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. Remind me to buy your room mate a bottle of wine for letting me in," Alex whispered and Piper cried out again. She was mortified, flushed and unable to stop the rolling pleasure that came upon her again when she realized her lover had enjoyed her masturbation almost as much as she did.
They didn't go out that night. Instead, Alex had pulled her out of the tub and fucked her on the floor of her bathroom. Piper repaid her loving fingers with a long, teasing tongue. Hours later, Alex ran another bath and they soaked together for the first time.
"I'm sorry we didn't get to go out and see your friends," Piper began.
"No you're not. You are perfectly happy with what we did, just as I am. Besides, I know you don't like sharing my attention in a crowd. Most of them are for my business you know? If I had a choice, I'd always choose to just hang with you...maybe a few closer friends." Alex had washed her hair and had her arms around Piper. It was a small tub but they just fit. Piper really liked the showers at Alex's apartment. She vowed to herself to make love in them before the weekend was out.
"Hey, I'm not clingy like that. I do enjoy hanging out with them. Most of the guys I've known for awhile. I even dated that Evan guy-" Piper began.
"I thought he was gay. Isn't he with Stone?" Alex asked. Piper felt her body tense and she had to smile. Alex wasn't happy she was bisexual. She'd known many, many lesbians that just didn't believe a girl could like both sexes.
"He's bi, like me. We slept together for a few weeks, but my work schedule seemed to interfere with his partying. Now, I understand where he was getting his cash." Piper bent her head back and looked over at Alex. She hoped she didn't sound accusing. Realistically, Piper knew that most of her friends had something to do with drugs...mainly they took them recreationally. She had done her fair share, though she'd steered clear of Heroin or crack.
"He is useful at certain clubs. However, he is moving to Detroit I think. I'll set him up with someone there," Alex spoke about finding him another drug importer to sell for like it was helping him find a good apartment.
Piper guessed it was just like that to her. "You're not getting rid of him because you know we slept together are you?" Alex laughed at her and Piper had to turn around in the water to see her expression.
"Kid, I don't let my personal life touch my business. You can fuck whomever you wish," Alex said it so casually that Piper wasn't prepared for the impact it had on her chest. She felt a pain in her heart and turned quickly to cover her expression.
"Oh...well, ya know...once I'm with someone, once I've committed to just seeing them, I don't fuck around on them. I thought we understood that. I'm Bisexual Alex, not promiscuous. If you want an open relationship, I think you may have the wrong girl." Piper started to get out of the water and she felt Alex's arm snake out around her stomach.
"Hold on kid...I don't want that...not really. I don't want you to fuck anyone but me and I don't want to fuck anyone but you while we're together. Is that clear enough for you?" Alex whispered in her ear.
Piper relaxed her body and ran her hands up Alex's smooth thighs under the cooling water. "Crystal."
Alex had kicked Evan to the curb. Piper found out about it later from some of the group they travelled with to Indonesia. He hadn't moved to Detroit, he'd just been banned and labeled a bad risk for work. It bothered Piper at first, but she realized later that she'd probably done him a favor. She did learn that Alex cared more than she showed and she was possessive as well. It was subtle. Alex played like she didn't care or was completely open with everyone's choices but when it came to Piper she was totally different. She'd not thought of Evan in years.
Piper got out of her bath and tried to work some more. Finally, Alex came home. Piper was sitting on the sofa in their room reading when she heard Alex come in the apartment.
"Yes, it went well...better than I thought we'd do. Yes, all things are possible if we work the steps. Yeah...good night," Alex hung up the phone as she came in to the room. Piper could hear well where she was...it was the acoustics. Something told her it wasn't Nicky on the phone. Piper felt a cold ache in her stomach. She knew without Alex saying a word, that Becca had called her...and Alex took the call.
"How's Nicky?" Piper asked. Alex looked up, startled to see her there.
"I thought you'd be in the bath or bed," Alex said with a disarming smile. Piper recognized that smile. It was the one she used to distract Piper from what was going on around her. It was a powerful tool. "She is doing better. I took a cab with her and dropped her off first. Lorna was waiting." Alex pulled off her shirt and the bra was right behind it. She kicked off her boots and dropped her pants as she disappeared briefly into the closet. Piper knew she'd reach for her old Smith college tee shirt. Sure enough, Alex emerged wearing only that grey, faded Tee, soft black panties and warm socks.
"She said it was surreal. PJ did most of the talking and she only had to look like she was ready to do drugs at a moment's notice. She said Pablo was very worried because this was the longest she'd ever been sober. PJ played to that and told him that the stress of losing her business was going to drive her back to drugs...back to prison. PJ begged his father to do something to make the investigation go away. He then admitted that he had already set something in motion. Nicky said she pushed for details...was clever...not too invasive. We learned how to do that at Litchfield, ya know. Anyway, he was arrested and clammed up. She had to give a statement and she'd been declining her mom's messages all night." Alex told her this as she walked up to the couch and scooted in behind Piper.
Piper listened and her heart broke for Nicky. She had cost her real mom her husband and her adopted mother was at risk as well. "You're a good friend. You think she'll fall off the wagon?"
Alex was quiet for awhile. "Yeah, it is a real possibility. Right now, Nicky is holding on solely for Lorna. That never really works though...Nicky loved her drugs. She loved the whole crazy lifestyle and freedom it gave her to just not give a fuck. It is tempting to just fall back into that." Piper turned and looked into Alex's eyes. It was a move much like she did all those years ago in that small tub.
"Are you tempted?" Piper asked her in a soft breath. She was mad that Alex took Becca's call but what if she knew something about Alex that Piper didn't know? What if Alex was close to using again herself and Becca had called as an intervention?
"I've been close before...and this stress doesn't help. But like I told Nicky once, I was a terrible addict. I never gave in to it completely because I didn't like giving up control of my life, even to drugs. No, if I was going to use again, it would have been right after I thought you married Larry or after I was raped. I survived that and stayed sober. I can get through this with no problem." Alex was so sure that Piper felt a weight lift from her shoulders.
"Anything else happen while you were out?" Piper asked casually. She turned so Alex couldn't see her face as she asked.
"No, nothing much. We went for coffee afterwards and talked. She is going to have to talk to her mom. I think Lorna is going to call her. Her step dad will be out of bail tomorrow anyway so it will be a moot point. I told Nicky there was a real possibility that her mom was calling to check up on her," Alex said in a tone that told her that Nicky wasn't buying any of it...just like Piper wasn't buying that nothing happened with Becca. She was certain that phone call was from her and Alex didn't mention it at all.
"I hate she is in this position. I wish I made enough to just buy Pipex out of both our businesses. Maybe if I sell my book rights to some TV network or a movie deal then we could afford to just do Criminal Justice reform between world travels," Piper responded.
Alex hugged her close and Piper tried to relax her body. "I'd love a sugar mama like you. Nicky has us and we'll work to keep her safe. We can't really communicate much with Red right now due to the whole Russian mob connection. Maybe though, after sometime, Nicky will reconnect with her. It is out of our hands. Hey, let's go to bed. I want to make love to my wife," Alex said, suddenly changing the subject. Piper knew Alex loved her and that she'd not told her about the call because she didn't want to add to the stress Piper was under. She would probably bring that very thing up to her in therapy. Yet she was really disappointed that Alex had chosen to not mention the call.
They did go to bed and Alex used her talented mouth to pleasure Piper. Her tongue played havoc with her clit until she was pulling at Alex's hair begging her to suck it hard. She didn't. She kept teasing with her tongue until she slammed three fingers inside of her and sent Piper screaming. The tension release from her body and she shivered again as Alex moved up to press her sex against Piper. Three frantic thrusts later and it was Alex's turn to grunt out in ecstasy. Piper pulled the comforter up over them and Alex clung to her body.
"Tomorrow...maybe I can read to you some...before we go to see the baby. I miss reading to you. I thought about that in the car. We've been so busy that I've not read to you since you were recouping from the accident." Alex murmured in her sleepy voice. As she said 'accident' her fingers brushed the scars on Piper's body. She did the same to Alex. Their bodies were scarred and reflect the rough life they'd lived. They had changed so much that Piper hardly recognized the young, intellectuals that would discuss Poetry while in the bath.
"I'd like that," was all she whispered as Alex fell to sleep.
The next morning, they awoke with the clock and Piper made coffee. They were eating later at the brownstone. Her parent insisted on providing the Brunch. She was really looking forward to seeing her family and holding Leigh. She wished Cal lived in the city but she knew better than to push the matter. They were very happy out in the woods.
Alex came out of the room with a towel on her head. Her expression was on Piper knew well. She needed her coffee. She gave her a nice steaming cup. She murmured her thanks and sipped it with relish.
"So how'd it go with Becca?" Piper asked. She had made herself wait until Alex had coffee in her hand. Alex sipped again and turned away from her towards the window. She shrugged.
"Fine. We didn't talk at the meeting. Are you going to want to take a car?" Alex asked this as she picked up the apartment phone. Piper nodded and Alex called the service she used to arrange a car.
"You know we could try Lyft or some app for a ride. Boy, I sure could have used that service in Paris long ago. I could never get a cab there," Piper joked. She noted how Alex had worded her reply and that she'd changed the subject. She didn't speak to Becca at the meeting. She had called Alex and Alex had taken the call. How many other times had she called Alex? Piper made herself take a deep breath. She didn't want to fight with Alex, especially right before they saw her family.
"Maybe another time...I don't want to be late today," she said with a smile before ordering the car. Piper took her coffee with her to go get ready. She was fuming inside and trying really hard not to let her imagination rage. She knew Alex wasn't cheating on her but still...it was hard not to want to beat Becca and Alex to a pulp. Piper did her breathing exercises in the shower and got out to get dressed. She came in to the living room and wasn't surprised to see that Alex was downstairs helping to open the store. She'd be going over to Nicky's after brunch and they still had managers covering for Lorna and Nicky.
Piper calmed herself and gathered up her things. She would talk it over with Alex in the car on the way to Nicky and Lorna's place. It would be settled then. As she was reaching for her phone it rang. She picked it up without looking, thinking it was the service telling her the car would be downstairs.
Instead, she got the odd recording that stated, "An inmate from Litchfield Correctional Facility would like to speak with you, if you accept, press one" Piper froze. Her mind raced to try and figure out who would call her. Who was still in Litchfield that could possibly have her number?
Red.
****Thanks so much to 8isgreat08 for all the reviews. Thanks to everyone that still chimes in and gives me motivation to continue. Bluepaintbox and all people who have binge read all my stories, THANK YOU! It makes me so happy you liked it enough to keep reading. I have the entire story mapped out in my head and we have a few more twists and turns before I close out the Covering Up series in anticipation of Season 2! I can't wait. Check out the you tube and Netflix stuff about behind the scenes! As always, please please please review! Fae****