Vauseman: Forever and Always

Dress shopping and venue picking

(Piper's POV)

I woke up the next day slightly hungover still floating of happiness on cloud nine from last night and the fact I was engaged. Again. But this time to the love of my life. I was awake before Alex. I got out of bed gradually and quietly so I wouldn't wake her. It was hard though because she had her arm resting on my waist spooning me. She was so close I felt her breath on the back of my neck. I slid as slowly as I could away from her so I wouldn't make her suspicious. It was so good waking up to the views of the city again but nothing compared to waking up next to Alex in our penthouse apartment in our bed. She was so beautiful and peaceful when she was asleep. Not that she wasn't beautiful when she was awake but peaceful was only reserved for her sleeping state. I stood there and admired her for a bit, smiling to myself at how I could be so lucky that someone as gorgeous as her could fall for me. Today was the day I wanted to go dress shopping but it was tradition the spouse wasn't allowed to see the other in their wedding dress before the wedding so I wanted to do this without Alex. I got out of bed successfully. She groaned at her arm being moved but didn't wake up, she just rolled over. I was thankful that this is what happened. It was so easy to wake Alex up because her old job required her to travel A LOT so she was always up early for early flights. This also meant she was always tired so waking her was dangerous.

Last night I buried the hatchet with Polly. She was my best friend again. Honestly I missed her and you can't help who you fall in love with right? I mean I fell in love with a drug dealer who dragged me to prison with her. So I decided on no hard feelings. I sent Polly a quick text,

"Meet me in 10. Need to ask you something. I also need to go dress shopping for my upcoming wedding. Come with?-Pipe"

Within 25 seconds she replied.

"Sure thing Pipe."-Pol

Great! I decided to write Alex a note telling her where I would be so she wouldn't get worried.

"Alex,
I've gone dress shopping with Polly. You aren't allowed to see me in my dress before our wedding. It's tradition!! I made you breakfast though. Have a nice day babe! I'll see you soon.
Pipes
xx"

I left the note on my pillow, got dressed into blue skinny jeans and a t-shirt and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I just made myself a bowl of cereal and Alex pancakes with bacon. I left the bottle of maple syrup beside the pancakes. There was a knock at the door.

"Hey Pipe! You ready to go?!" It was Polly speaking slightly too loud.
"Ssssh Polly shut up!" I desperately whispered to her almost hissing and continued, "Alex is still asleep and waking her is like being a wounded seal rapidly losing blood desperately trying to swim away from a shark knowing you're going to die at the hands of said shark. She's the shark. Yes I'm ready now let's go before you wake her and we both die."

I shut the door quietly and we got into the elevator down to the lobby and hopped into a cab.
"Kleinfeld Bridal please." I told the driver.
"Damn Piper, the most expensive dress store in Manhattan? Oh that's right, your fiancé is loaded." She rolled her eyes. I knew she was jealous now that she had Larry and his deadend career and alimony from Pete.
"So am I." I said to her. She looked at me confused.
"Aren't you forgetting I bought a building for the business? I was surprised you didn't ask how I could afford it."
"I thought Alex gave you the money." Polly said. It made me happy she had stopped calling Alex supercunt. I hated it. It was like when Sylvia called me 'whore' in front of Alex. She hated that.
"No. She didn't. Years ago Alex took me to Vegas and I won $7 million at a poker game. You can't tell anyone Polly this is a secret I've been keeping. Only Alex knows, for 2 reasons, she was there when I won it and the money is in a joint account with her name and my name on it because she's the love of my life who I'm marrying very soon."
"Wow. And sure I won't tell." Polly raised her eyebrows. Impressed.
"Thanks Pol."
"What did you want to ask me?"
"Polly. Will you be my maid of honour?"
"Oh my god!! Yes Pipe!"
"Great! Thanks Pol!"
We arrived at the store and I paid the cab driver. I walked into the store followed by Polly who seemed intimidated. I remember that used to be me when Alex took me to lavish places.

Hours later I chose the dress. It was perfect. I couldn't wait for Alex to see it. She better not tear it on our wedding night. I smiled at that thought. It was a strapless dress with a flowery pattern made of lace at the top. A thin white dress made of satin with veil like material covering the satin in a frill like pattern. It looked so beautiful and elegant.
"This is the one." I said to the store owner. I took it off, handed it to her and got back into my clothes.
"Pipe, you're going to look so beautiful. Alex will love it." Polly sniffled.
"That's the plan." I smiled at her.
We got up and went to pay.
"That'll be $2,500 please. The store owner said.
I handed her the bills, she gave me the dress in a full length zip up bag, hanger included and we left the store.
We stood at the sidewalk facing the road to hail a taxi and I heard my name.
"Pipes! There you are. How did I guess you'd be at the most expensive bridal store in Manhattan?"
Shit! Alex! She couldn't see the dress! I threw the dress at Polly, luckily at that exact moment a cab drove up. She got in with my dress.
She rolled down the window desperate for instructions. "Take it to our apartment." I said and gave her my house key. "Put it in the closet. Neatly. Then leave the key on the counter in the kitchen for me. Thanks Pol I owe you one." She rolled up the window, gave the driver the address of mine and Alex's apartment and drove away.

I guiltily walked over to Alex who put an arm around me.
"Thanks for breakfast babe. It was amazing. I read your note and decided to go dress shopping myself. We clearly came to the same store." She smiled at me and continued walking. I felt bad because we were walking away from the dress store when Alex needed to pick a dress.

"Well if it isn't the Vauses!" A familiar voice shouted at us from behind. We turned around and found Nicky and Lorna walking behind us hand in hand.

"Nichols?! Morello?!" Alex and I shouted in unison.
"Hey we're out of prison, you can call us Nicky and Lorna." Nicky said.
"Well in that case you can call us Piper and Alex." I said back.
"Nichols could you maybe take Piper for a coffee?" Alex asked. I looked at her confused.
"You setting me up with your fiancé Vause? I mean Alex." Nicky joked.
"Hell no. I meant I was on my way to go pick a dress. Piper already has her's, she left this morning with her best friend and I've just caught the two of them trying to hide Piper's dress. I was wondering if Lorna had any dress advice."
"Oh sure! No problem Alex! Come on!" Lorna chimed in excitedly grabbing Alex's wrist and dragging her into the dress store. Alex blew me a kiss, I pretended to catch it and blew one back before she was dragged in to the store by Lorna.

"So where's the best friend?" Nicky asked.
"Called a cab, I threw the dress at her when I saw Alex and told her to take it to mine and Alex's place."
We headed to Starbucks. I ordered us all 4 iced caffé lattes since I knew Alex and Lorna would be back to meet us and it was July and hot in the middle of Manhattan surrounded by skyscrapers.

Alex and Lorna came back in and found Nicky and I sitting at a booth.
"Where's your wedding dress babe?" I asked Alex confused.
"It's in the store. I told the owner I would come by and pick it up. If I'm not allowed to see your's then you're not allowed to see mine. Fair's fair." She smiled at me.
"I ordered us all iced caffé lattes since it's fucking hot outside." I said.
The barista came to our booth and gave us all our lattes.
Alex then spoke.
"Nicky?"
"Alex?"
"How would you like to be my maid of honour? No offence Lorna I just talked to Nichols here more back at Litchfield."
"Oh no worries Alex. That's fair, I better be invited though." Lorna said.
"Of course Lorna." Alex replied and continued.
"So Nicky, do you want to be my maid of honour? Polly is Piper's since she is her best friend, she told me at a party we were at last night that she wanted to ask her. If you don't want to I'm sure Lorna would love to be." She smiled at Lorna.
"Sure, Alex I'd be honoured. Eyy see what I did there?" Nicky smiled laughing at her own joke.
"Very funny." Alex and I both said sarcastically.
"Hey so when's your 'bride to be' parties?" Lorna asked us.
"Well, we hadn't decided that yet but hopefully as soon as possible. I can't wait to marry this one." I said smiling at Alex who was sipping on her iced latte."
"Yeah tell me about it Pipes." Alex smiled back and reached for my hand.
"Aw look at you two." Lorna said admiring our love.
"That settles it then. Alex you're coming with me tonight and Piper you go with Lorna. We're going clubbing. Oh that reminds me. Us and the others got furlough for a week for your wedding so I hope it's going to be soon. Us, Red, Boo, Yoga Jones, Frieda. All of us."
Alex and I looked at each other.
"Sure that's not a problem." Alex said. I looked at her in shock. I mean yes I wanted our prison friends at our wedding but we hadn't picked a venue yet.
"Um, Al? While I would love our prison friends to come to our wedding, there's the small issue of a venue. We haven't chosen one yet."
"Oh shit that's right." Alex said.
We finished our coffee and told Nicky and Lorna we'd be in touch before the week was out about the wedding. This definitely sped things up a bit but we didn't care. We were in love and couldn't wait to be married.