Bora Bora Bora

7: I'm getting married, Mommy

Nicky's POV

"You're skipping," Alex says when I enter the common room. I've never heard her sound so disgusted. Red's sitting across from her, looking quite uninterested in the Scrabble game on the table between them. I know she's been down since she lost her job at the kitchen. But if the news I bear don't cheer her up, I don't know what will.

"Why, yes, I am," I grin widely at Vause.

"Stop that. It's creeping me out."

"I can't. I won't" I stand on an empty chair, spread my arms, and yell "I won't shut up, because what's that?! Are you hearing that!? It's the SOUND OF WEDDING BELLS IN PUSSYLAND!"

"What on Earrth are you talking about?" Red asks in the thick Russian I've come to love, almost as much as a certain Brooklyn accent.

I sit down on the chair and touch one of her tightly crossed arms. "I'm getting married, Mommy."

She looks at me, and her tough expression changes into something completely different. Her fiery eyes talk. Her whole life is in these eyes, each part of it changing ever so slightly the tone of the colors, the way they shine. These eyes have seen mafia crimes, these eyes have seen years pass inside this shithole and an endless parade of fucked up women coming in with each of them. Some have left and some never will, like the things these eyes have seen will never leave them.

But all of those past scenes seem small and mundane compared to the one she's seeing right now.

"You're marrying her?"

I nod. She knows, even though I've never told her up front, mothers always know. She knows I love Lorna, and she knows that, thanks to some God I don't even believe in, to some miracle I'm sure I've never done anything to deserve, she loves me back.

Red throws her head back and laughs. Even her laughter has an accent. For some reason, I start laughing too. It's ridiculous, everything about this is so beautifully ridiculous.

Alex looks at us funny for a while, and I can't blame her, but then she joins our crazy laughing fit and pats my back.

"Congrats, stud. I assume Morello's your lucky blushing bride?"

"Fuck yeah, she is."

Overwhelmed by emotion, Red pulls me into an embrace.

"Two of my daughters are getting married- it must be one of the happiest days of my life," she sighs.

"There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear a Russian person say," Alex snorts.

"Wait a second," Red pulls apart and grabs me by the shoulders. "How are you gonna marry a catholic girl? Don't you have to bring the pope down here or something?"

"Thought you could help me out with that," I say, "since you have a special relationship with comrade Healy and all...perhaps he could pull some strings and get someone here to marry us?"

"I'll see what I can do," Red nods solemnly and heads straight to Healy's office.

I lean back on my chair, pleased with myself even thought I haven't technically done anything- except getting the sweetest girl in the world to say yes. To me.

I feel a nudge on my arm. Alex brings her chair closer to mine.

"Our very own Nicky Nichols, getting hitched," she squeezes my thigh, "who would've said."

"Not me, Vause," I let out one last chuckle, "certainly not me."

"Well, there was always something special between the two of you. At first I thought you were just...trying to survive."

"We were. I guess at some point trying to survive became...wanting to live."

"Yeah," Alex tosses her head down, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear, "wonder what that feels like."

"Fear not, little one," I punch her shoulder playfully, "you and blondie will tie the knot eventually. Everyone knows it. Everyone but you two."

"Lately it feels like everything we do is a desperate attempt to keep our heads above water."

"Is it working?" I ask, my lips teetering on the beginning of a crooked smile.

"Dunno," she smiles, but it's a sad smile, "but neither of us is ready to drown alone."

"He won't do it." Red stomps furiously back into the room.

"Fucking shit,man" I slap my hands on the table. "Is there a single CO in this place who doesn't have power issues."

"I don't think there is,no" Red sits down next to me and puts her hand over my arm.

"Hey, if you want someone representing the Big Guy..." Alex slightly gestures with her head at Sister Ingalls, who's sitting on a table not far away playing solitary, "think that's your gal."

She then chuckles as Brooke Soso walks into the room. "And shall you choose a less religious route, I'm sure that one has been ordained online or some shit like that. Always count on a hippie to have married her friends on the beach at sunset."

I furrow my nose "I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth."

The truth is I don't give a rat's ass about marriage- in all its forms. The religious one especially. I never believed that there is a divine being in Heaven whose job is to look over and protect me. And if there is, I wouldn't want him involved in my marriage, because he obviously sucks at his job.
And the legal form,well- I think it goes without saying that I've never cared much for anything legal.

But Lorna cares. Lorna wants it to be written down in a paper-that she's mine and I'm hers. And Lorna wears a silver cross around her neck. And even though she doesn't go to church every Sunday anymore (not to pray anyway), I know she holds that cross tightly late at night, when she's wearing no make up, no mask, and sometimes allows herself to cry. And Lorna...Lorna never stopped believing that someday, God will get better at taking care of us.

"Yeah, okay," I tell Alex  and  Red  "I  want them both to do it. And we want everyone to be there. Even the methheads."

"It'll be ready for tonight. And with the most spectacular prison wedding cake you will ever see." Red says.

"Fuck yeah,I'll be countin on that."

I stand up and start heading for my bunk, thinking I should probably improvise some sort of wedding outfit.

"Oh, and the most important thing," I say, "It has to be on our chapel."
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A/N: Hey yoo!! What do u guys think so far??
I love Alex so much and she's such an interesting character to write into scenes, I have a big role planned for her in this story so I hope you love her too XD
And what are you expectations for the nichorello wedding?!