Chapter 7
"Hey, Chapman, over here." she turned just as she was reaching her car. There were only a few people left on site, and she was surprised to see Caputo trotting along towards her. After that first week, he had been almost non-existent, only seen at assemblies or the odd staff meeting.
"Hey Joe. How are you?" She asked politely.
"Well, thank you. Miss Chapman, I was wondering if you would be available tomorrow lunch time. We have a proposition for you."
"Oh, well, yes I'll be around. Can I know what it's about?"
"Nothing to worry about." said Joe, backing away, "All exiting things." He turned and headed back towards the school reception. Piper raised her eyebrows and turned back towards her car.
"He's a strange little man." stated the rough voice of Red, the food technology teacher, who was sat on the hood of her car, arms crossed. "Don't let him give you shit. He's notorious for passing the buck whenever Fig gives her orders."
Piper opened her boot and threw her bags inside carelessly. One of Asher's soft toys tumbled out and fell under the car. Piper ducked down to fish it down, grabbing blindly under the car. "Thanks for the warning."
Red approached her, and leaned down next to her rear wheel, retrieving the little stuffed cat that now had a mud streak down one side. "If he gives you any trouble at all, you let me know."
"I'm sure it'll be fine. Thanks," she said, taking the toy Red was offering her. "Just feels a bit random."
"He probably thinks you'll be eager to impress. Has he tried to ask you out yet?"
Piper laughed, incredulously, "What? No!" she noticed Red's face was stern, "Does he, does he really do that?"
"Oh yes. Somewhere in there he thinks he is a handsome man."
"Wow." said Piper, and Red chuckled.
"How old?"
"Huh?"
"Your child." said Red, tipping her head pointedly towards the boot of the car, which showed an array of toys, wipes, tiny clothing that needed washing weeks ago but had stayed hidden in the depths of the car. Piper closed the boot quickly and looked at Red. The woman's face was emotionless.
"Almost four."
"You're young." Piper's face flushed. "Young is good. Children need mothers with energy."
"Ha, not sure I have much of that. He's a handful."
"You never said."
"It's, um. Well, He's not something I like to share with-. We've had bad experiences. It's a me problem."
"Say no more." said Red, narrowing her eyes and tapping her nose. "Have a good evening Chapman."
"Thanks Red, you too." Piper got into her car, feeling foolish. Brilliant. She had never asked but she knew Nicky and Red were very close, and no doubt this would get back to her. It felt too late for Piper to be able to say anything about her son, she had kept it quiet for so long. She needed to go back to see her therapist, seriously.
Piper backed out her space and gave a small wave to Red who has resumed her place on the hood of her car, clearly waiting for someone, no doubt Nicky, to finish work. She made her way down the driveway and onto the main road. Suddenly she felt her steering wheel jerk to the left, and her car felt lopsided. Fucking perfect, a flat. She didn't even need to pull over to confirm, yet she got out to inspect the tyre anyway. She wouldn't make it home on that.
Pulling out her phone, she found Cal's number. He didn't answer the first time, but did quickly on the second call.
"Sorry sis, couldnt find my phone. What's up?"
"I've got a flat. Could Neri come out and get me?"
"No can do, she's out with her sister today. I would but, saving the planet one less car at a time."
"Great. Thanks Cal." she said sarcastically. "I'll call a tow."
She hung up and quickly went through her contacts. She could have sworn she had saved a number of a tow company when her last car had died its mysterious death not long after Stella had left her. Nothing there. She attempted to google but her 4g was slow. Getting frustrated, Piper went through her contacts again, trying to see who she could call. Cars from the home time rush crawled past her humiliatingly slow.
"Need a hand?" Piper turned to see Alex Vause had pulled up behind her. She could see Red and Nicky also in the car. Nicky gave her a small wave.
"I have a flat." Piper said, "It's okay, I have someone coming."
"You sure?" Alex asked, getting out her car fully and coming to inspect the tyre.
"Yes, honestly, it's fine."
"Do you have a spare?"
Piper walked to the back of the car to open the boot, and lifted the carpet the see. "Not anymore it would seem."
"Let me give you a lift."
"I can't leave my car."
"Okay, well come with me to drop Nichols and Red home, and then I will bring you back here?"
"You don't need to do that."
"Come on Piper, you can't hate me that much." Piper looked at her quickly to protest, but saw the smile on the older woman's face. "Look, its cold and getting dark. If someone is coming they wont be here for a couple of hours, just get in the car so you can stay warm. At least this way I know no one is going to try to snatch you from the side of the road. I could never face those students again if I was responsible for their favourite history teacher not returning to work.
"I'm not deaf you know" called Nicky from the back of Alex's car. Piper laughed.
"Are you sure?"
"I won't offer again."
"Alright, let me grab my bag." she took what she couldnt leave and, locking her car, climbed into the back of Alex's next to Nicky.
"You just can't keep away from me can you Chapman?"
"In your dreams." stated Piper, catching Alex's green eyes in the mirror and smirking.
It had taken them half an hour to get Red and Nicky home, and a further half an hour so far sat in traffic coming back towards her car. They had sat in relative silence, listening to the radio as they travelled.
"I really appreciate this." said Piper, who was now in the front. She pulled out her phone to update Cal on her progress.
"It's alright. Couldn't leave you stranded." Alex smiled over at her. The conversation died again. Alex wished she could think of something to say, but anything she thought of sounded lame in her head. She couldn't understand why she found it so hard to hold simple conversation with Piper sometimes.
"I've read this, I loved it." Alex glanced over quickly to see the book Piper was now holding on her lap. "Definitely in my top ten."
"It was good, not my favourite from that author though."
"No?"
"Evelyn Hugo was a master piece."
"Oh don't, I haven't recovered from it yet." Piper placed her hand over her heart. "I think I cried more reading that than I did at my grandmother's funeral. And that's saying something. That woman was a freaking saint" Piper laughed, Alex joining in.
"You like to read?"
"Love it. Set up a bookclub whilst I was at college. We only lasted a couple of years but I loved it."
"Of course you did."
"What do you mean?"
"You just seem like the bookclub type."
"and you're not?"
"I'm not a conventional reader. I don't like reading what's popular, and can't stand any of that hallmark crap publishers churn out each year."
"So you're a book snob."
"No."
"It's okay Alex, the first step is admitting it."
Alex laughed and push Piper's leg playfully.
"Tell me more about you?"
"I'm not very interesting."
"Oh come on. What is your deal? You avoid any kind of personal question like we've asked you to describe your last sexual encounter in detail." Piper was silent. Alex dropped the smile from her face. "Sorry, I just mean, we would like to get to know you but you seem... reluctant."
Piper sighed. "I know." They were silent for a minute. "It's nothing against any of you. I have issues with sharing."
"Who screwed you over?"
"Where to start." chuckled Piper, darkly.
"Come on, something simple."
"I love fish. I think they are beautiful."
Alex was quiet, mulling that over. "Nope, cop out. If Im going to sit in this traffic all the way back to your car, then I'm going to need something better."
"Then ask me."
Alex hadn't been expecting that. She thought Piper would at least protest a bit more. "Are you in a relationship?" She didn't mean to ask that straight away, the question just slipped out.
"No." Piper answered simply. "Are you?"
"No," responded Alex. "Not anymore."
"Recent breakup?"
"If you can call it that. More like lucky escape."
Piper laughed. "I can sympathise."
"What was he like?" Alex was fishing. They both knew it.
"She, was wonderful, until she wasn't."
Alex said nothing for a minute, then, "So you are gay."
"You fall somewhere on a spectrum. It's like a Kinsey scale."
Alex laughed "I knew those sapphic vibes were real."
"So what."
"Nothing, it's just... interesting."
"Interesting?" Piper challenged.
"You just come across as very, well, not, gay."
"For an English teacher, you are not good with your words." Alex laughed again. She was finding this, the receiving end of Piper's teasing, a very pleasant place to be in. She pulled up behind Piper's abandoned car.
"When is the tow coming?"
"Er." Piper had a sheepish look on her face. "Soon."
"You haven't called anyone have you." Piper pursed her lips and shook her head. "Woman! Well Im not leaving you here waiting." Alex pulled her phone from her pocket and called her friend. After explaining the situation, and trying to describe their location in the dark, she put the phone down and turned to Piper. "Leave your keys on the back wheel. I have a friend who will come and collect it and sort it. I will drive you home tonight."
"Is that safe?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"I guess not." Piper slipped from the car and hurried over to her own. She filled a spare bag with a couple of things she couldn't afford to replace should something happen to the car, and then placed the key where instructed. She got back in with Alex. "Are you sure about this?"
"My friend is great. Probably wont even change you afterwards."
"Thanks so much for this." Alex pulled away from the curb and rejoined the traffic which had significantly reduced now. She turned down towards the cemetery and then into the side road.
"Um, how do you know I live here?" asked Piper, her voice light but her brain working in overdrive. Alex caught the subtle panic.
"I drove behind you a couple of times leaving the school. I live not far from here." Alex saw Piper visibly relax, and took a mental note to never follow her as a joke. There was clearly a line there for Piper. "You will have to direct me from here though."
"Oh, um, follow the road round. It's the one with the blue door"
Alex didn't want to tell her that now it was dark, she probably wouldn't be able to identify the house from door colour alone, but rounding the corner, the house stood out immediately. It was a quaint cottage type home, with what looked like a recent extension to the upper floor. It was beautiful, thought Alex, and was nothing like she expected the blonde to live in. She doesn't know what she was expecting, to be honest. Maybe something grander, or maybe more studenty, topping or tailing the spectrum of housing, but nothing quite so sweet as this. She pulled slowly onto the driveway.
"Really, thank you for this Alex. You've gone above and beyond."
"Really, no trouble."
"You have to let me pay you back. Can I give you some money for gas?"
"Honestly Pipes, it's fine." the nickname came out naturally, and made both women blush. "You can just buy me a drink this weekend."
"This weekend?"
"Friday teacher's drinks. You'll be there?" Alex, as hard as she tried, couldn't disguise the slight hope in her voice. She waited for the excuses to come, the cop out she had been used to hearing since the start of term, but-
"Deal. First round on me." Piper smiled. "Thanks so much again." Piper grabbed her bags and exited the car. As she walked toward the door, Alex wound down the window and called after her.
"I'll be here at 7:45."
"What?"
"Tomorrow, you'll need a lift. I'll come get you on my way in. Night Piper." and before the blonde could say anything, Alex had rolled up her window and began to back out the driveway. Piper shook her head smiling, and turned back to the door. As she got close, Cal threw it open and enveloped her in his arms dramatically.
"Thank the Lord you are home." he took her inside, closing the door behind her.
Alex stopped the car, heart sinking, unsure what she had just witnessed.
"You are fucking kidding me. How did you get her to agree?"
"I was a real gentleman and sorted her car, then drove her home. Didn't give her much of a choice."
Nicky was leaning over the back seat of Alex's car as they headed towards Piper's. They were running early, but she doubted Piper would mind too much. Alex's head had been reeling following the exchange she witnessed last night. It had clearly been a man welcoming Piper home last night, and Alex immediately felt betrayed. She didn't like being lied to. After a while however she had calmed herself down to think rationally. Piper didn't owe her anything, and Alex had manipulated information out of her the night before. Besides, Alex didn't know that wasn't her roommate or something. She decided she wouldn't let it bother her, it wasn't like they were dating.
"I'm not saying you've won until I see her on that bar stool."
Alex chuckled. They pulled onto the driveway. Alex checked the time, 7:35. Ten minutes early.
"I don't have her number, do you?" Nicky shook her head. "I can't let her know that we're here"
"You know," said Nicky, and Alex could tell she was about to say something really annoying. "Back in the day you used to do this crazy thing where you would knock on someone's door to see if they were home. Now Im not sure if this is still conventional but-"
"Point taken." Alex groaned, getting out the car and heading to the blue door. She hadn't noticed last night in the dark, but the whole house was painted a light sky blue. Paint was chipping her and there around the window frames, but it gave the place real character. Alex liked it, it was homely. She knocked on the door as she arrived. She heard some shuffling and something hit the door on the other side. Alex frowned, but then the door was launched open.
"Morning." Piper said, but she didn't glance at Alex. It was almost as if she had opened it on her way past. Alex saw Piper's retreating figure head down the hall way, tying her hair haphazardly into a low bun. "I'm running late. Sorry about the mess, I couldn't be assed last night with it all."
Alex looked back at Nicky in the car, unsure what to do, but she could see her face was buried in her phone, concealed by her unruly hair.
"Come on, you're letting the heat out." Piper's voice called from somewhere within. Taking this as her invitation, albeit abrupt, Alex stepped into the house and closed the door around her. She didn't know what she was expecting with Piper, but this was certainly on pointe. The walls were a pale mocha colour, which despite the small space, made the room feel airy. A round mirror in a bamboo frame sat atop a bookshelf in the entryway. A coat closet spilled over into the hallway, and Alex had to step over a pile of winter clothes. She walked towards where she could here Piper banging around in what appeared to be a kitchen.
"There isn't much food wise, but should be enough to keep you going. I'll go shopping later today, but just help yourself."
"I'm good, thank you." said Alex, bemused by this exchange. Piper froze and then suddenly spun.
"Alex! Oh my god. Hi."
"Hi" she said with a smile, enjoying this flustered version of Piper.
"I'm so sorry, I thought you were... you're early!"
"I am, sorry." said Alex, starting to feel silly she had come inside. "I can go wait in the car if you're not ready."
"No, I am, I just... I can't go yet."
"Oh?" and when Piper offered no further explanation, "Can I help?"
"No, I have to wait for, for my brother to arrive. Then I can go."
"Okay." said Alex. She looked at Piper, awkwardly. "Look, I'll go wait in the car, don't worry, we have ti-"
"I have a son."
Alex froze. Not because of the news, but because of the aggressive way Piper had suddenly told her. She had said it so forcibly she had practically shouted in Alex's face.
"Sorry, that came out a bit... I have a son. I, I can't, um, leave, until my brother gets here to look after him."
"Oh, okay." said Alex, processing this. Piper, not able to stand the awkwardness a second more, grabbed a sippy cup from the fridge and took it into the living room, beckoning Alex to follow her.
"Ash. Asher," he was sat sleepily on the couch watching cartoon fruit dance across the television screen. "Here you are my love. It's cold on your teeth." She looked up at Alex. "He likes that. It's weird"
Piper stood up. "You never said anything." said Alex, and she was surprised to hear some hurt in her voice.
"I know." said Piper. "I don't like for people to know. It's not him." she followed up quickly, "it's me. It's a me issue."
Alex nodded in acknowledgment, then turned. "I'll wait in the car."
10 minutes later, having ushered Cal and Neri into the house, Piper climbed into the front seat of Alex's car.
"Took your time there blondie. Why did you put your hair up? You can't even tell it's straightened."
Piper gave Alex a sideways glance, wondering why she lied, and ran her hand over her hair, fixing her bun. "Changed my mind I guess."