Chapter Twenty Six

She skipped her way out of the courthouse with her paper in hand. Piper headed her way towards the DMV. Things were running along smoothly and she stood a chance of getting back in time to help Alex with dinner while she worked on her display. Piper loved it when she did it. It was always understated...or she'd go all out and have props. Usually though, she just had a way of arranging the books so what most people wanted to read was the first thing you saw.

Piper stopped as she remembered she had to call Roger. She turned and found an empty bench. It had some actress' face plastered all over it. It was advertising some new show on Netflix. She made an alarm on her phone to alert her to watch it. It looked really quirky and Alex loved things like that. She dialed the phone and it rang twice before Chris picked up.

"Uh..hello, I think I called the wrong person..I was after your honey," Piper said cheerfully before she pulled her phone to the side and looked at the ID. It read Roger.

"No I have his phone at the moment. He is driving. What's up?" Chris answered in his buoyant tone. Piper heard Roger tell him to turn the bluetooth on so he could talk over the phone. Piper laughed as Chris told him to be patient and Roger laughed. It was really good to hear her friend so happy.

"Okay, there...hey Piper...we have some news, is Alex with you?"Roger seemed to be almost giddy.

"Oh no, I'm out running errands and thought I'd call and invite you over for dinner tonight. But you can tell me the news first, you know I'll keep it secret," Piper probed. She hated to wait for good news and if the happy voice of her friend was any indication it was happy news indeed.

"Well, we just left an adoption agency. We're going to do an open adoption. Just put ourselves out there and hope some parents choose us. It is risky but we think perhaps this is the best way for us," Roger blurted out. Piper was happy for them. She waited but didn't feel the sting of regret...her mother's voice telling her she was getting too old for kids...that voice that snarked that yet another of her friends would have a child before her.

It didn't come. She had faith in Alex. Piper gushed and promised not to tell Alex before dinner. They would be coming over around Six. Piper texted her wife that she'd stop by the grocery and get Mediterranean food. Roger was always pleased with falafel and hummus. She knew Alex would make her baked chicken breasts and they'd have a feast.

It was a beast at the DMV. She was in the wrong line and nearly got thrown out when she tried to argue that waiting in one line should count for another. It was logical and she nearly had the fellow in the right line convinced to let her go before him when a very masculine older woman barked at her to get in the back of the line. She looked like Bell for a moment so Piper got those crazy eyes that communicated she was going where told. It was kinda funny how any governmental order made her feel like she was back at Litchfield. Finally Piper sat for her photo and when she sneezed in the middle of it, she pitched a fit to make them take it again.

"I wasn't ready and listen to me...I'm paying for this driver's license, so please take it again!" They did...and made her head too big. She looked like something off of Phineas and Ferb. Still Piper paid her fee and off she went. As she walked to the train, she couldn't help but look at her new license.

There was her name. Piper Vause. She actually giggled and nearly ran into a fellow. She apologized and hopped on the train. She had decided to legally change her name. Piper wanted to give Alex that respect. Alex loved her name because her mother gave it to her.

She went to the store and was pissed she forgot her bags again. She found some of them way down deep in her purse after part of the food was bagged. Piper just smiled and told the bagger she'd get the rest. She thought of Susan then and shook her head at the woman she used to be. So Piper had a paper bag and a cloth one full of groceries when she left. She walked towards her home with a quick step. She wanted to wait to share her name change with Alex at dinner. She was thinking that she'd maybe put it under her plate and when she sat down with the chicken breasts she'd see it. But then again, she knew Roger was excited to share their news about trying to adopt. Piper laughed as she turned the corner towards home. Who was she kidding? She wanted to show Alex the license and make love all afternoon. Her body tingled every time she thought about Alex's promises that morning. The Sybian was so intense that Piper couldn't use it all the time. It was a treasure...intense pleasure that could be used to send her through the sky. It wasn't the rotating or vibrating bits that ultimately made her insane. It was the fact that Alex controlled it all.

She saw Officers Hardy and Denver as she approached the store. Officer Hardy was radioing something. She didn't have her usual friendly face. They stopped in once or twice a week on their beat. Piper always gave them free coffee. "Hey Officers, you're a bit late today so maybe some Decaf herbal Tea Harry, I don't want Judith in here saying I jacked you up on caffeine," Piper joked. She stopped seeing his face.

"We got a call here to help remove a rowdy customer. You best wait outside Piper," Officer Denver said. Piper turned and made her way directly to the door. She saw two customers leave with a worried and harassed look on their face.

"This is my home and my family is inside. I will not wait outside," Piper said as she jerked open the front door of the store with the officers on her heels. She placed her bags down on the ledge behind the counter as her eyes searched all over for Alex. She heard a screeching voice and her eyes shot up to their apartment stairway that went up behind the upper desk platform.

"Don't you blow me off Vause! I am tired of taking your shit and the shit of your cunt of a wife. Tell me...which one of you told my daughter? Don't threaten me with the cops because I don't give a fuck Alex," Becca slurred. Piper saw Alex above her on the steps. She had her box of books and she looked vivid. Taystee came over and told the cops that Becca kept getting louder and louder. She told Piper that Alex had her call them when Becca refused to leave.

"You're high or drunk or both Becca. I'm tired of this conversation, now leave," Alex bit out. She turned to move up the stairs and Becca charged around her. Piper felt her breath catch in her throat as she watched the scene unfold before her in slow motion. Alex stopped and shifted the box to her hip. She also pushed her glasses up on her head. Piper knew that move enough to know she was preparing to punch or be punched.

"What happened Alex? Come on..we were good and you understood about Alice and why I kept her away. You didn't think you were better than anyone. Now you're with that rich bitch and you've completely changed," Becca spat. She didn't reach for Alex but she put her hands on her hips and moved so she was even with her on the steps. Piper tried to yell out her name but the Police yelled for both of them to come down slowly and talk. Officer Hardy was moving quickly towards the stairs when Alex turned to look below. She saw Piper briefly before she started to fall. Piper saw Becca's hands reach out to grab her or push her...Piper couldn't tell but she screamed as her wife twisted in the air and fell down the flight with her box of books.

****Just a little one to carry on...please review. I'm furiously creating with wheels a turnin' the ending for these girls...reviews really help! Blessings, Fae***