Chapter 28:
"Close Enough."
Alex left home early to get Piper's Christmas arrange stuff for Piper's Christmas gift that no one knew about except Nicky. It was in two days and she wanted to be sure everything was perfect, just like Piper's early gift for Alex was. Whenever the dark-haired woman was with Piper, she only noticed Piper, but now that she was out alone, which didn't happen often, all she could see was the ring. She would catch herself staring at it and she'd roll her eyes at how cheesy she was becoming. Yet, Alex was happier than she had ever been and she didn't care at how mushy she'd get.
Her book was finally done, albeit not edited, and this was one of Piper's Christmas gift. She couldn't wait to give it to her, although she was utterly nervous. Some chapters contained a lot of personal stuff that Piper didn't even know. She had also written about her teenage years, her mom, their break-up in Paris, and the self-harming. It's not that she wanted to hide it from Piper; some things were just easier to write than say out loud. She hoped that this book would be a way for them to connect even more.
Alex was walking back home when she ran into Polly and Larry. Piper saw her best friend often since the kidnapping, but not Larry. Finn was in his stroller and he couldn't stop looking at Alex, almost has if he was looking at an angel.
"So is everything great with Piper? You guys doing okay?" Polly asked politely. She already knew that the couple was doing just fine, but it was the only think she could think of to talk about.
"Yeah, yeah absolutely," Alex answered. It was awkward and she could feel her cheeks burning. Larry was staring at the floor, uncomfortable as well. "Just doing some Christmas preparation," Alex added.
"Oh really? Did Carol decided to invite you guys after all, or?" Polly asked.
Alex shook her head 'no'. "We're just having a small dinner with friends."
"Oh that's great, better than us. Our parents decided to take 2 weeks of vacation in Mexico together. It's just the tree of us for Christmas."
Alex let out a nervous chuckle. There was an awkward beat, and then Alex spoke, "You should come. The three of you. At our dinner." Alex stammered. It was Piper's wish to have a big party, what better way to invite more people to make her happy. She didn't particularly like them, but they had helped saved her life and she could tolerate them for one evening.
Larry's eyes met Alex, almost as if he needed to see if she was being serious.
"Oh we wouldn't want to intrude, really it's—" Polly started.
Alex interrupted her, "No you should come. It would make Piper happy."
Polly and Larry shared a look. "Okay, then. Well, thanks for the invitation. We'll bring wine."
"Great," Alex said forcing a smile. "See you there."
Alex was on her way back home when she realized Piper hadn't found a gift for Finn yet. She decided to take a cab to Hammacher Schlemmer, her favorite toys store from when she was kid. Her mother would bring her there because Alex requested it, having seen all the amazing toys in the flyer, but she never bought her daughter anything because she didn't have money. Although Alex wanted kids now, it didn't mean that she knew anything about them. She asked the clerk what he thought would be a great gift for a one year old. He showed her a bunch of toys, but Alex decided to go with her guts and buy that plush turtle that projected stars on the ceiling.
When Alex got home Piper was decorating their tree in the living room. Her hair was in a bun and she was still in her pj's—Alex thought she looked adorable. She put the bags on the floor and went to kiss her fiancée on the cheek. "Good morning."
"Good morning baby!" Piper said cheerfully. Decorating the tree made her as happy as a kid. "What's with all the bags?"
"I bought a couple things for the dinner and a gift for Finn."
"Oh you bought a gift for Finn?" Piper smiled as she tried to untangle the Christmas lights. "How nice, I was planning to go on the 24th but you are gonna save me to go through the hell of all the last minute people trying to find gifts. Thank you"
"Well I thought it was best to find him something good since his parents are coming to dinner." Alex said, and she raised an eyebrow as she waited Piper's reaction.
"Yeah good thinking," Piper replied. "WAIT, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"
"I invited them," Alex told her. That wasn't exactly the reaction she expected. "They said they were alone for Christmas so…"
"So you thought what? That it would be a great idea to invite my ex-fiancée, who now plays house and daddy with my best friend, oh and not to forget he fucking plays doctor too, in our house, at our Christmas dinner?" Piper threw the light on the couch and Alex was glad because she looked like she wanted to strangle her with those. "Have you fucking lost your mind?"
"Look… I thought that would make you happy," Alex said apologetically. "I can uninvite them if you want."
"Yes, because we are not big enough assholes to everyone right?" Piper said sarcastically. "You should have never invited them in the first place Alex." Piper stormed and left upstairs.
Just after, Nicky walked in with a diet coke and a bag of chips and sat on the couch. "Trouble in lesboland?" she quipped and took a mouthful of chips.
"Fuck…" Alex groaned. She sat next to Nicky on the couch. "That completely ruins my plan for this afternoon…"
"What was your plan?"
Alex sighed. "I was going to go see Piper's mom and convince her to come to the dinner, but now she hates me for inviting Polly and Larry, so I can't imagine what she would say if her mom came…"
"Wow you surprise me Vause," Nicky chuckled.
"She was sad because she couldn't have a traditional family dinner. And I've been trying to give her that, but now she's mad," Alex continued. "I don't understand."
"Look, I understand exactly how she feels. I wish I had all that shit too, you know? Relatives who care and stuff. The thing is with my mom; it's too late. Piper still has a chance with her mom," Nicky explained. "I think you should do it anyway because someday it's going to be too late and she'll regret it. Even if that means she'll be mad at you for a little while."
"I don't know Nicky… She looked really pissed."
"C'mon woman up sister!" Nicky exclaimed, pushing her friend off the couch. "Go get that uptight evil monster. Do it for your girl."
Alex ran the bell at Carol's house. It felt kind of weird since she had lived there for a week. Alex waited… she looked at her clothes. Fuck. A pair of distressed jeans, a loose shirt and her leather jacket was maybe not the best outfit for meeting's her fiancée's mother. The door finally opened.
"You." Carol's tone was frigid, maybe even threatening. "What are you doing at my home, I told you I never wanted to see you here again."
"Miss Chapman, I just want to talk to you please give me 10 minutes. And then I'll be out of your way." Alex asked politely.
Carol moved out the door and let Alex come in. They sat at the dinning room table.
"I'm here because I think you should arrange things with Piper," Alex started.
"Well, I don't—That's is none of your business Miss Vause," Carol babbled. "Wha—What makes you think that something is wrong with my relationship with my daughter?"
"You do realize Piper and I live together, right? We're engaged. And unlike you people, we don't go around and pretend everything is fine when it's not," Alex spurred. She decided to take the politeness aside and be firm; it was the only way to deal with those kinds of people. "I know it's hurting her that she can't have a proper relationship with her mother just because you don't approve who she's dating. Is this because I am a woman? Or is because I did a crime? Either way, there's no proper reason why you should be ashamed of your daughter. You don't have to like me, really I don't give a fuck if you do or not, but don't break your daughter's heart because of this. I love her more than anything and I am not going to let her suffer like this, do you understand me?"
"Well, I think you should go now," Carol said as if everything that Alex had just said didn't matter at all.
Alex stood up. "Fine. But the day you start regretting this, don't come back to Piper and hurt her again. I won't let you." She picked up her jacket and left the house.
Alex went back home and found it empty. It was the first time that Piper had left without saying where she was going since the kidnapping. She started to think that maybe she had failed Piper and that going behind her back to invite those people was a cheap shot. She went to bed, deciding that taking a nap was maybe the best she could do right now.
The room suddenly looked bigger, parts of it faded away and she found herself looking at a place where she had been before. She couldn't quite recognize the place just yet, but it something about it was reminiscing of love and passion. The scene continued to unfold before her eyes, and she quickly realized that there was nothing joyful about it. She was in the prison's chapel, tied down on an altar and she saw a bunch of prisoners burning to death. She wondered why this was happening in her bedroom; it didn't make sense, and yet it didn't make it any less real. She wanted to run out of there fast. She commanded her body to stand off the bed. Nothing. She went with something easier like her arm. Still nothing. She was completely paralyzed and helpless. She tried to scream too but it was useless. Alex was beyond scared; she had the horrible feeling she was about to die. She continued desperately to move her limbs and it was like being buried alive in her own coffin. It hurt too, for some reasons. She couldn't feel any part of her body and yet it hurt like fuck. She heard a voice whisper intelligible words. She heard Piper, and that was what made her snap out of it. Suddenly her body jolted awake, and a strangled gasp escaped her lips. She was panting hard and had to check right away if she could every of her limbs before anything else.
"Alex… baby. Are you okay?" Piper asked softly as she sat down beside Alex. She grabbed her hand and held it between hers. Alex was looking at her silently. "You had sleep paralysis again?" Alex nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving, and I shouldn't have gotten mad about you inviting my friends. I'm thankful that you care enough about me that you'd allow two people you dislike into our home. I love you and I'm glad I have you."
Alex pulled the blonde on top of her and held her. "Next time I'll ask you beforehand. I love you too," Alex said as she went to put a kiss on Piper's forehead.
"Nicky is out?" Alex wanted to know if they could have some alone time.
"She went to buy cigarettes, she should be back soon." Piper reply. She rocked her hips on Alex's thigh almost unconsciously.
Alex lifted her head to kiss Piper's collarbone. "Good, because I want you so much right now." Her bad dream had really fucked up her mind and she needed to feel like Piper was alive and real. She moved her hand and cupped Piper's ass, encouraging her to grind against her thigh. Alex hands kneaded her breast through her shirt and bra and it made Piper squirm.
"Fuck, Alex if you keep doing this I'll cum on your thigh!" Piper exclaimed as she kept rocking her sex on Alex's thigh.
"This is what I want, don't stop kid." Alex encouraged her by lifting her leg upward. There was thrill in doing this completely clothed and when they knew they so little time before Nicky came back.
The friction was heavenly and Piper wondered how she could be so near the edge without any skin-to-skin contact. It was the Alex effect. She was sure one day she'd make her come just looking at her. Piper felt her wetness soaking her panties as she approached her orgasm. "I'm coming!" Piper cried out her pleasure and Alex was there to hold her through.
One minute after, they heard their friend entering the front door.
"Close enough," Alex chuckled.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter guys! I'm trying my best to update fast, but I'm currently in the process of moving to Toronto so I don't know what my writing schedule will look like. Please keep posting reviews!