A HEALTHY LOVE

CH. 10: Yes, I Miss Her.

In the prison's general use room, Nicky was playing a game of solitaire. Alex was walking by when she saw Nicky, so she decided to pay her a visit. She sat down across from her as Nicky slapped a red eight onto a black nine with a smirk. "Hey there, stretch. You want to play Spit?"

Alex: "I am strictly an Egyptian Rat Screw kind of gal."

Nicky: "Fair enough. What's the latest update on your dumpster fire of a love life? Come on. Spill. I've been waiting for the next episode. There's nothing else to do in here."

Alex: "Piper and Zelda are in Northampton."

Nicky: "Does that mean you two are no longer a two?"

Alex:"It means I'm giving her the opportunity to see what her life could be like without me in it."

Nicky: "How are you handling that?"

Alex: "Trying not to think about it."

"Uh-huh. I'd think that wouldn't be a fun thing to dwell on" Nicky said in agreed. She ran out of moves in her game, so she threw her cards down in frustration. "Shit. I never win at this game. I need a new hobby. Preferably a blonde or a redhead. I've been waiting for Texas to drop by my cell, but she hasn't yet. I wonder why. Maybe because she's busy thinking about a tall chick with glasses."  

Alex: "This again? Nicky, I love Piper. If I could go back and never start anything with you-know-who, I would. What I did was bad. I used her, and I cheated on my wife. I'm such a shit person."

Nicky: "Okay. Sorry. I just call things like I see them, and I see feelings with you two. Feelings on both sides,by the way. Speaking as someone who's lost women left and right in this fucking place, I think you should hold on when you find somebody who matters. Admit it, Vause. You obviously do feel something."

Alex : "Okay, maybe..I think she is interesting..and funny..and maybe, I miss her company."

Nicky:"You miss her. Okay, that's a start. So,What are you going to do about missing her? Anything?"

Alex: "What are you saying?"

Nicky:"I'm saying that if you can let Chapman see what life is like with Zelda, maybe you should let yourself see what life is like with Texas."

Alex: "That's a horrible idea."

"Of course it is. I thought of it" Nicky replied. She shuffled the deck and dealt another game of solitaire. "I'm a drug addict with a horrific romantic history. Anything I say should be taken with a grain of salt. If you ask me, prison is nowhere near as romantic as they led us to believe in those 80s movies. I want my money back."

Alex (chuckling): "I'd like a full refund on a lot of things."

Nicky: "Just promise me that you're not holding yourself back. I want you to be happy. If that means you fix your disaster of marriage, do it. If that means opening your heart to someone other than Piper Chapman, give it a shot. Maybe all the things that you wish you could take back happened for a reason."

Alex: "You seriously think my fuck ups have a deeper meaning than just me being an self-centered asshole?"

Nicky: "Could be. There's only one way to find out."

Alex looked onward as she considered Nicky's advice. "I still say it's a bad idea" Alex said softly. Nicky looked at her with her usual smug grin. "But you aren't saying that you won't try it" Nicky exclaimed. To that statement, Alex said nothing.