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Present Day
I’mdryingoffmyhands as I step out of the bathroom door, ready to head back to sit down next to Piper, when I turn the corner and see the one person I was hoping to avoid tonight.
Alex leans against the wall, arms crossed over her belly, with a fierce look on her face that says I’m in for it.
“Westfall,” she says evenly, and pops a bubble with the gum in her mouth. I swallow.
“Alex,” I reply, giving her a nod. “Good to see you.”
“Cut the shit, Fitz.” Jesus. Ok. Here we fucking go. Her nostrils flare as she takes a tentative push off the wall, making a measured step toward me. “What are you really doing here?”
“I told you,” I start, but she cuts me off.
“There’s no such thing as coincidences.” She pops another angry bubble. “And frankly, as much as Piper wants to believe in a higher power or whatever, the only fate happening here is the fate of me kicking your ass for sending that shit to her.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I respond, trying to wrap my head around everything she’d just said. Higher power? What did I send to Piper that warranted this kind of response? Alex lets out a dark laugh.
“You really don’t know her at all, do you?” she asks.
“No, I don’t.” I cross my arms, too, feeling defensive as she glares up at me. “But I’m trying, here.”
“Then fucking try harder.” She takes another step toward me, and steadies herself on the wall again. “You sent champagne to a recovering alcoholic, you complete and utter dipshit.”
The silence that follows is long as I process what she said. Piper? An alcoholic?
Fuck.
“I didn’t know,” I finally say in a quiet voice I’m not even sure she hears. But she does, and her response is another laugh.
“You wouldn’t, because up until the last few weeks, you’ve said a total of ten words to any of us.” She gestures back to the suite, indicating her friends - Piper’s friends. And she’s right. I’d interacted the most with Carla in school, mostly because she dated a teammate of mine senior year and attended several parties with him. But Vic? Alex? “You have no idea what she’s been through - what we’ve all been through - and-”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out!” I interrupt, and then realize my voice is raised. Her eyes widen, and she’s momentarily silenced. I take advantage of it. “Alex, I know I fucked up. I know, I sat on the sidelines and watched Andy - watched everyone - treat her - treat you all - like shit.”
“Damn straight,” she says in a flat voice, nodding.
“But I’ve been getting to know her the last couple of weeks, and I want nothing more than to make that up to her. To you all.” She eyes me suspiciously, her arms tightening over her chest.
“I have a hard time imagining you two having much to talk about.”
“You’d be surprised,” I manage, attempting to keep the smile from playing on my face. “We’ve got a fair amount of shared horror movie knowledge.” She makes a disgusted face.
“My God, that’s terrifying.” She looks me over, as if appraising me. “I don’t trust you.”
“I don’t blame you.” I give a small shrug. “I was an idiot.”
“Was?”
“Am.” There’s a moment of silence before I get the courage to ask what I want to. “She’s been through a lot since high school, hasn’t she?” Alex looks up at me again, and then blinks. Suddenly, her eyes are shining, and she looks away.
“We all have,” she says quietly, dabbing at the corner of her eye. “Mickey and his family put her - put us - through the ringer,” she continues. “It’s not my story to tell, though.” She glances over her shoulder, where the national anthem starts to play. Feeling awkward, I look around for tissues, but there’s nothing in the hall. Without thinking, I hold out the paper towel in my hand, and she laughs, taking it and using it to mop up the tears coming out in droves now. “Sorry, pregnancy hormones.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She reminds me of Frannie, hormones raging and ready to fight anyone, regardless of size, and I can’t help but smile.
“This is the most I’ve seen your face move, like, ever.” She laughs again, and then blows her nose unceremoniously into the paper towel. “Come on,” she says finally, nodding her head back to the suite. “We’ll miss first pitch.”
Piper
Carla knocks my shoulder from her seat next to me, and nods her head behind us. When I turn, I see Alex, face stained with tears, coming out of the bathroom hallway behind the glass separating the stadium seats from the air-conditioned suite, followed by Fitz.
