Just Lunch

Piper scanned the restaurant, anxiously playing with her fingers in her lap. This was a big step, a scary step; and one that made her feel particularly guilty.

Alex was sitting alone in a prison cell, missing her wife, while Piper had decided to meet another woman for lunch. But it was just lunch. Piper had promised herself that.

While she wanted to turn her set up date into just making a new friend, her heart fluttered at every woman who entered the restaurant alone. While she had seen that tiny little icon of Zelda, that was about it, and who knew how old that photo her father had gotten was.

She tried to keep her mind from wandering to thought of what Alex was doing. Was she working? Was she reading? Was she crying? She knew that prison had been quite lonely for Alex without Piper there; thinking back to her days in prison once Alex had been released. She shook her head, trying to get her wife out of her head. Why was she always on her mind?

Piper's heart rate started to increase as she imagined how Alex would've felt about this; about her lunch date. She would've called out her bullshit on this friend crap, knowing it would turn into more.

Her wandering mind was pulled back to the present as a woman approached her table. "Piper?" She smiled, placing her hand on the table. She anxiously ran her other hand up her arm, waiting for the woman to recognize who she was.

The blonde couldn't help but scan her body, something she felt particularly shameful for doing. Zelda was even more beautiful than in the small blurry contact photo Piper had stared at for hours, trying to make out the features of her new 'friend'.

Zelda was tall, about her own height, with the most gorgeous ginger hair. Different from her photo, her long locks had now been cut into a long bob, with an adorable fringe falling just across her brows. It was curled, and laid perfectly on her shoulders. She'd decided on a sweet sundress for their date, as had Piper. She chuckled at the similarities.

It took Piper a second to collect herself, failing to keep it quiet that she was in awe of her beauty. "Zelda, hi." She nodded, smiling softly at her. She motioned for her to take a seat.

The two had spoken far more than Piper cared to admit. That first night they'd been up until nearly three am, which was not typical for Piper, who was practically an old lady. They'd discussed life, movies, work, and everything in between. Oddly enough, Piper had failed to bring up Alex, although she was the most important detail of her life.

She hadn't mentioned prison either. She figured adding in that she was a registered felon wasn't exactly first date small talk. Or, was this even a date?

Piper wasn't sure how much, if anything, Bill had spilled about her life; particularly about the lesbian drug ring part of her life. Knowing Bill, that part of Piper was a dirty little secret that he wanted to keep hidden at all cost. He was extremely ashamed, and avoided speaking about it with Piper even. It seemed like it tarnished his reputation, made him look bad. Family dinners formed into an awkward silence any time prison life, her former inmates, or any time her wife had come up. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Keeping Alex quiet felt necessary; safe.

Talking to Zelda had been a slow dance around prison, somehow trying to make sure she kept those fifteen months and the prior years with Alex from coming up. She never lied, per say, she just didn't want to bring up the fact that she was married to her felonious lesbian lover who had turned her into the police.

Piper was quickly swept away by Zelda's charm. Oddly enough, there weren't any nerves. Just the small fluttering of butterflies in her stomach, a feeling she hadn't experienced in quite some time. Even when the conversation died down, there was a sense of comfort. No awkwardness, just a comfortable silence.

It wasn't until the red headed woman reached a hand out across the table, placing it in Piper's and smoothing her thumb back and forth across her skin, that it solidified that this wasn't a friendly lunch. This wasn't a casual friendship she was making. She knew right then that she was about to cause some problems.

"Zelda, i-" she began, only to be cut off by the red headed woman. "Look, don't overthink it." Zelda shook her head. "This is just casual. Nothing against Alex."

Piper's jaw dropped. She hadn't spoken about her wife, but it turned out Bill Chapman definitely had; to the point where Zelda even was familiar with her name. He didn't approve of her life, but it seemed he was making baby steps. Piper wasn't some secret to keep hidden, apparently, which was shocking nonetheless.

She took a long deep breath and looked down at her lap, unsure of how to continue. Hearing her name had brought her back to the reality of the situation, and her chest grew tight.

"You're lonely, I get it. I'm sure she gets it. You've been through a lot, and you deserve someone to be there for you. Someone who isn't currently spending four years in a maximum security prison." the woman chuckled, smoothing her fingers across Piper's skin. "Just don't think too hard, okay? Just a friendly face, someone to talk to."

With that, Zelda got up, taking the bill with her. She winked at Piper, a move that sent chills down the blonde's spine. "Don't hesitate to call if you need anything. I mean it." she said finally, heading to pay. "And Piper," she smiled, "Thank you."

Piper was left alone with her thoughts; and knowing her, they weren't always the kindest to her. Despite Zelda stating she was just a friendly face, Piper felt a sick feeling grow in the pit of her stomach. She'd just had a date with a woman who wasn't her wife. While nothing happened, another woman, who wasn't Alex, held her hand, touched her skin, reassured her.

The worst part of all; she liked it.

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