Chapter 8

5 Weeks Later

Alex woke to the sounds of Piper gagging. She got up and went into the bathroom. Wetting a washcloth, she placed it on the back of Piper's neck. Rubbing her back, she sank to the floor beside her to ride out this round of morning sickness. "Morning sickness my ass" Alex thought, "more like every-waking-moment-sickness." She felt terrible for Piper and wished there was something more she could do to ease her. Nothing worked though. They had tried everything in the last couple weeks. Piper just had to ride it out and hope she got a few hours of feeling good in between bouts.

She kept rubbing Piper's back and making soothing noises in the back of her throat until Piper lifted her head and looked at her. Smiling and tucking a lock of Piper's hair behind her ear, Alex leaned in and kissed Piper on the temple. "Morning puke face" she teased.

"Alex, stop. It's not funny. Blob has declared war. Ugh" she moaned, laying her head in Alex's lap. Alex stroked her hair and murmured to her. She told her about the art show at the gallery later in the week and how there was a piece she wanted because it reminded her of Piper's eyes when she laughed. Piper lay with her eyes closed, concentrating on the lilt of Alex's voice rather than the rolling storm in her stomach.

Piper got sick one more time but eventually managed to make her way back to their bed. Alex scooted in beside her and gently rolled Piper to her side, spooning her. "Rough one this morning, huh Kid? You want me to stay home today?" Alex asked her.

"Mnnn, yea. Bad. No, you go on. You've gotta get ready for the show. I know there's a lot to do and Nicky can't possibly be ready to handle it all on her own. I'm going to go in for a little while later this morning and work through some messages and emails. I'll meet you back here around 4:00 to get ready for the party." Alex nodded her ok and kissed her cheek. She got up and got ready for the day. When she came out, Piper had coffee waiting for her and she was trying to eat some toast.

"I don't think we have to worry about me getting fat at this rate Al" Piper said. Taking her coffee from her, Alex told her it would get better, kissed her on the back of the neck and left.

Everything was set and their friends and family would start arriving soon. Alex wore a blue shirt dress with black boots and Piper had on a soft pink sweater with grey slacks. Alex constantly moved about the room. Arranging the pillows this way and that, moving candles around, opening and closing the curtains. She was brimming with nervous excitement and Piper couldn't keep her eyes off of her. It was so odd to see this side of Alex. Alex, who always seemed to be in control, even when everything was spinning into chaos.

Piper went to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and squeezing. She started to rub her shoulders and down her arms. "Al, relax, baby." Piper whispered to her.

"I just…" her reply was interrupted by a knock at the door. Moving away from Piper, Alex went to open the door. It was Cal and Neri. "Hey Cool Hand Luke! Where have you smuggled my sister off to?"

Hitting Cal in the arm, Alex laughed. "Shut up Paul Bunyan."

They walked in and Neri hugged Alex, then went to Piper and hugged her. "I brought you some of the herbs I've been growing. These are really great to make tea with. You know you really should drink more herbal tea instead of coffee. You and Alex both."

Piper thanked her and told her she would definitely be giving them a shot. Taking them into the kitchen, she heard the doorbell. Walking back out, she saw Poussey and Cindy standing there. Piper ran to them, grinning from ear to ear. She had seen Poussey a good bit but it was the first time she had seen Cindy since she left Litchfield. When Alex called Pouseey to invite her, Poussey told her Cindy was staying with her for a while. Alex insisted that Cindy come too. After all, Cindy played a role in teaching Piper how to save herself.

"Aw shit, scrubby lil hoodrats gone make a bitch cry! Lookin all domesticated and shit. For realz y'all, so good to see ya doin good. I'm happy for ya." Cindy said after Piper and Alex hugged her. Piper introduced them to her brother and Neri. "Yo, we meetin the whole Chapman clan tonight?" Poussey asked. An uncomfortable silence fell across the room before Alex spoke up, "Just Cal and her dad. Her mother….her mother is feeling under the weather and couldn't make it tonight."

Cal looked confused and Piper just looked at Alex gratefully. Next to arrive were Nicky and Morello. It was starting to look like a Litchfield Incarcerated Class reunion. Cal and Neri stood to the side and watched the women talk and laugh. Neri whispered to Cal, "Look at them. They really are like a family. There's a certain comfort among them that Piper and Alex doesn't have with us." Cal thought a moment and said "I guess when you watch each other shit for months on end, you do form a bond like you have with no one else." Neri elbowed him in the ribs and walked over to join the other girls.

Finally Piper's dad arrived. She had been anxiously waiting on him. She felt certain he would come, but still she worried. Her dad had always been her safe place when her mother was too much for her to handle. She and her dad had a special relationship. He is where she learned to love books of all genres. She would spend hours in the library with him, reading and discussing everything under the sun. He never visited her while she was in prison and it had hurt. She eventually realized that it was just too much for him to see his little girl in there.

Piper went to him and wound her arms around his neck. "Hi Daddy" she said, breathing in his scent. Pipe tobacco, Old English and the faintest whiff of books. Piper loved that smell.

"Piper. How's my girl?" Alex walked up to say hi to him. Turning to her, he said "And my girl's girl? How is she this evening?" Giving him a hug of her own, Alex said she was good and so glad he could make it.

"You're cooking dinner for me. Like I would pass that up!" he laughed.

The last guests to arrive were Polly, Pete and Finn. Finn ran to Piper and wrapped his arms around her legs. She picked him up and he looked around the room. "Lots of peoples here Pippy. Is this a party for me?" he asked. Piper couldn't help but laugh at him. She told him no, it was a party for her and Al. he wiggled down and was off to go find Alex. Polly came up and hugged her then, with Pete shortly behind her. Polly leaned in to whisper in Piper's ear and Piper nodded her understanding. Pete rolled his eyes and walked off to go find Cal.

Now that everyone was there, Piper wound her way through their friends and family looking for Alex. She heard her before she saw her. "Cindy, please! Flaca was always full of caca, no WAY would she have done anything to those meth heads. She may have claimed the fame but come on, my money is still on Nichols here." Nicky gave a sly smile and just shook her head. Piper put her arm through Alex's and leaned into her shoulder. "You ready babe?" she asked quietly. Alex smiled and nodded.

Together they moved to the mantle and asked for everyone's attention. Alex thanked everyone for coming over and Piper handed everyone an envelope. "Alex and I have something we wanted to share with our family. Some of you are family by blood, others by choice. Alex and I wouldn't be standing here together if it weren't for some of you. I am eternally grateful for each and every one of you. This occasion wouldn't be the same if we didn't have all of you to share it with."

Alex jumped in and asked everyone to open their envelopes. One by one, they all pulled out a copy of the sonogram picture Piper had requested at her last visit. There was a collective gasp, then everyone was talking at once.

"Congratulations!"

"Oh my God! Which one of you?"

"Y'all for real? Day-um!"

"Shut the front door!"

Piper's eyes connected with her dad's. He had tears brimming in his eyes as he made his way towards her. When he got to her, he stopped and just stood there looking at her. "You make an old man proud" he finally said. She rushed into his arms and hugged him tight.

Once everyone settled down, she told them it was her that was pregnant, how far along she was, how she had been feeling and how wonderful Alex had been through it all. Alex blushed and pushed her glasses up on her head. "Like I have a choice here, Kid. That's my Blob in there too." Everyone laughed at the nickname.

They eventually moved into the dining room and settled in to eat. There was constant laughter and conversation. Piper looked down the table. She could picture a high chair in the midst of it all. Their baby smiling and cooing, getting spoiled beyond belief by all these people. "This is the reason" she thought. "All these years, all the adventures and countries and hurt and love. This is the reason for it all."