Alex POV
My plan this morning was to invite Piper to have breakfast with me outside. We would buy something from the vending machine and walk out with some coffee. I stood awaiting for Piper outside the cafeteria my stomach grumbling beneath my jacket. Patrolling the area around the cafeteria was Bell and inside was Fischer and Mendez.
"Hey Vause not going in for breakfast?" Nicky walked up to me, Lorna by her side.
"Nope changing it up a bit today. I'm going to take Piper outside to eat," I said.
"Ah I see, I see. Well me and Lorna are gonna eat in there then we'll join you guys," she told me.
"Great! Can't wait."
Nicky and Lorna walked in. I didn't have to wait to long before I saw my Piper walking towards the caf. I smiled and took a step forward to greet her but then I saw ex number one trailing a few steps behind her and stopped, smile washed from my face. Before I could act, Bell was in front of me and walking between Piper and her.
"What happened? Did my presence make you sad?" Piper asked me then standing in front of me.
"No"
"Then what is it?" she asked. She didn't have to take too long to find out. The curprit walked by and Piper shifted.
"Oh my gosh, Alex," she told me eyes wide. I knew that Em just wanted to piss me off, she was doing such a fine job of it she needs a medal.
"Don't worry kid, you're fine," I grabbed her hand and squeezed it for good measure.
Officer Bell walked up to Piper then and said to her, "Everything under control, you okay inmate?"
"Yes thank you CO," Piper told her.
"Carry on to breakfast then," Bell said leaving.
"You got Officers looking out for you to? My protection not enough?" I asked her.
"The more protection the better," she told me, "Why you in your coat?"
"I was going to go out for breakfast, join me?" I asked.
"Of course." she replied.
We got two granola bars, a bag of Pretzels, and coffee; hers with a cream and two sugars like she loved it and mine a black. We headed out.
"Yumm, you still remember my favourite basic coffee combo," she spoke while we walked.
"Of course I do. How could I forget?" I responded. "Let's have a seat under that oak tree over there and eat," I suggested, finding a nice shaded area to sit.
"This is nice Alex. I mean I feel like i'm stuck in the middle of nowhere with you. Theres acres of land all around us. The only thing that would make it complete is a warm fresh English muffin," she told me.
"If we get out of here and you're still with me, I'll buy you dozens," I promised.
"Sounds perfect," she wrapped her hands around the warm cup of coffee.
"Hey you cold, kid? Here have my jacket." I shimmied out of the one side of my jacket, the other was draped over my sling, then gave it to her to cover up.
"When the hell you getting out of that entrapment?" she asked me.
"A little over two weeks, but closer to three." I said.
"Right Alex," she said.
"Why do you ask?"
"I want you to properly hold me, I love when you hold my hand but sometimes I just need a hug sometimes, your hand around my waist," she said. She was still fiddling around with my coat. Instead of wearing it on her she laid it out a top the both of is like a blanket.
I didn't respond to her so fast. I just sat at thought. Well of course she wanted to be hugged, I robbed that thing called touch from her when she was getting that perfectly from Larry. Fuck.
"Sorry, I just made this awkward, now I'm the one moving too fast" she said after my moment of silence.
"No no, it's okay. It's my fault," I said.
"Anyway, the bad thing about changing to spring is the trickery of thinking its warmer out but the moment you step out of the sun and into the shade you freeze," she continued.
"Haha you're so right kid, you are so right," I said.
We finished up our granola bars and opened up the bag of Pretzels to share.
"So how's Polly? I think you told me she was pregnant. How far along is she?" I asked, making small talk.
"She's good. Still hates you though. More now that she saw you and knows you're here. Yup, shes six months and three weeks through. I'm so happy for her," she beamed talking about her friend.
"She always hated me, that one. I think it's because I pushed her into second best when you were with me," I laughed. "Anyway i'm happy that you are happy, it's how it should be. Does she know the sex of the baby yet?"
"She doesn't know yet. Said the doc can't figure it out. The baby is never in the position to find out. Why the sudden interest anyway Alex? Thinking about having a kid?" she asked me.
"Kid, I'm just trying to make conversation with you. I'm scared about starting a family. You know that already. I don't want to turn out the same way as my fucking parents did," I said.
"You won't. You're fairing better than them," she told me. I wanted to laugh. Look where I was at.
"Oh yeah, is prison your definition of 'fairing better'?" I asked using air quotes.
"I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that you actually care about others. Anyway I'm planning on giving Polly a call soon," she ended.
"Yeah you probably should."
"You know me and Larry always snacked on pretzels whenever we watched Mad Men together," she told me.
"Was that everyday?" I sighed at the reality that they were together every day and night.
"Pretty much."
"At least these are the salty kind," I assured her.
"Yes you never forgot the most important things about me Alex. My need for salt being one of them." she smiled.
"Hey look theres Nicky and Lorna," I said waving to them.
"Aww look at you two girls. Looking like two peas in a pod," Lorna said.
"More like two old people in a jacket," Nicky laughed.
"You are gonna get it Nichols," I warned. Piper giggled from next to me.
"Chill Hot Shot. I didn't say old I said cold." She winked saving her sorry little ass. "Now get up and walk with us."
I stood up first offering my hand to Piper.
"You can keep my jacket till we get in." I said even though we were stepping into the sun.
"How was breakfast?" Piper asked as we walked. It was nice walking hand in hand with Piper. Nicky and Lorna doing the same. Its like we were on a double date, just locked up like goats in prison fencing.
"Waffle and some OJ. But breakfasts done now," Nicky answered. "Hey Vause you haven't been here during the warmer heat yet and neither have you Chapman... we've got something to show you."
"Lead the way then boss," I said.
We walked around the tool shed and through the field. A few guards had come out on duty after breakfast was done.
"Inmates we are doing a check. Hands up." one of the guards told us to line up. Piper looked at me with a sudden shock. There weren't many of us out here.
"Don't worry babe its just a check. They usually have these random ones. It keeps US on our toes and THEM with something to do," I said. I stood behind her, going second. Nicky and Lorna were checked by a second guard.
I was more familiar with these checks but she wasn't. Seeing her standing there spread with male hands touching her was both uncomfortable for me and her. The guard moved onto me and purposefully took longer for giving him the evil eye for touching my girl and for indirectly calling the guards useless.
"All good, you inmates don't stray too far or we'll think something else is up," the guards told us and left us.
"Something else is up? Are we not allowed to be here Alex?" Piper asked.
"Piper hear it from me, they think we are going to grow some wings and fly over the fence. It happens to all the inmates that come out here," Nicky told us.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," I told Piper.
"It's okay. Duty right. I'm just glad you were here with me," she said.
"You two have really gotten close have ya?" Nicky said.
"Nick love, leave them alone," Lorna spoke up to our defence.
"Whatever. Hey you guys don't know this yet but Litchfield opens a new job during the spring and summer time, working at the prison garden, as part of a training program provided by the Gardening Society of New York. Any one of us can get it," Nicky told us.
"Oh yeah, that sounds much more pleasing then what I have now," I said.
"I would take that over electricity any day as well," Piper followed.
We walked a few more steps before we stopped and faced far out to the land before us.
"Okay what are we supposed to be seeing exactly?" I asked a bit lost.
"C'mon Vause, look. See out there, there's a farm," Nicky said pointing. I looked at Piper and saw her squinting.
"Kid, you're not needing glasses are you?" I asked looking over at her.
"Oh my gosh, I do see it!" Piper said in awe. I turned to look as well, trying a second time.
"Okay I see something too. But its so itty bitty. Does it get used," I asked.
"Of course it does. That's why I wanted you guys to come see it. The owner has to move the horses and stuff indoors when its cold but since its warming up it should be opening up again soon. It's a nice view if you're lucky to ever catch it." she told us.
"Lorna you're rather quiet... what are you thinking about? Have you ever seen the view before," Piper asked her.
"I haven't, but I'm just thinking about the chicken," Lorna spoke up then died down.
"What chicken?" Me and Piper both asked.
"Oh come on Lorna, don't start with the chicken. It's fiction and besides Thanksgivings passed," Nicky said.
"It's not fiction. I tell you that chicken comes from that farm. It has to," she said.
"We already know that owner holds white chicken only. Not red, the way Red says it looks," Nicky corrected.
"Yeah but I believe the white chickens band together and turn into that one red chicken that comes here every blue moon," Lorna said.
"Lorna theres no such thing as a blue moon or magic," Nicky said. An arguement was ensuing.
"Oh, oh, oh what if the white chickens walk outside, come together, and call the red chicken with their chicken sounds, that sounds possible" Lorna was really taking this seriously.
"C'mon you are sounding nutty here, and I won't have people think I'm seeing a nutty woman," Nicky said.
"Hrmph, fine, I'll just talk to Red thenabout my theories, good bye," Lorna turned stomping away, clearly pissed off.
"Nicky I think your girl is pissed, you may want to go apologize," I said.
"I should. Fucking damn chicken story," Nicky ran after Lorna calling out her name.
"Well that was interesting," I said, turning to Piper alone again.
"It was, but I do want to see this view one day. I love horses. Let's walk back inside," she took my hand again and we walked back in silence.
