Chapter 9
She had been a whole month inside and things were pretty good. Better than good. Yes, she still had creeps eyeing her up. But none would approach her, all too scared what her protector would do.
She and Benga were better than ever. After a day of ignoring him and him following her like a lost puppy, he had agreed he would not cum inside her again without her permission. Something which he never got. Well, other than for her mouth of course.
She had found out he had got so worked up after that visit because he was jealous of her friends touching her. Not that he outright admitted it, but the same thing happened the next time they visited – but he pulled out that time. He had made her promise that they wouldn’t touch her down there in the future. That is when she worked it out.
He had denied his jealousy but she knew better. She told her friends and they just said it was cute. They continued to hug and rub her legs but nothing else.
Jordan had returned only a week before but was avoiding her and the gang all together.
She could definitely see a change in him. But Benga still glared at him every time he saw him.
Still, she hadn’t heard anything else from the appeals lawyer but she had long since given up and accepted she would be serving the full term. Especially when she heard Gus had somehow gotten off with a warning and he had been trying to get the girls to convince her to see him again.
Benga and the guys were furious hearing about it and commented that anyone else would have got a sentence. His/her father obviously bought one of his buddies off.
Right now she was sat in the rec room with the guys. Benga had been called to the office a couple of hours before and she was beginning to worry they had maybe been found out.
Well, if her suspicions on her sudden lack of appetite were proven true they would anyway. She was just going to keep tight lipped until she couldn’t hide it anymore. But she would tell Benga her suspicions tomorrow if she still hadn’t…
“Don’t worry,” Gunnar’s voice interrupted her thoughts. He was a man of few words, but they were kind when he did speak. At least, he was to her.
“They would have taken you in too if it was about the pair of you.”
The others agreed.
“Yeah, I guess.”
The bell rang indicating the end of rec time and still no Benga. She was escorted by an officer to her cell.
Her heart lurched when she found her cell mate’s belongings were gone and the top bunk stripped.
“W.. Where is…?” She struggled to control her panic but somehow did.
“Benga? He saw the parole board earlier and has now been released.”
Her heart felt like it stopped.
“Don’t worry, the governor is moving you in with another trustee tomorrow.” And with that he left, locking the door behind him.
“But he didn’t say goodbye…” She whispered looking into space.
That night she cried herself to sleep. Never before had she felt so broken.
**
“I cannot believe he left without saying. They normally-” Cook cut the guy off quieten him.
“You need to eat, Princess? It isn’t healthy to starve yourself like that. He isn’t worth it.” All the guys were surprised and more than a little angry at him leaving without saying.
Apparently, you normally get a couple of days notice at least.
It was now the evening meal a week after he left and the hurt was still as strong. She hadn’t heard a word, no letter, call or nothing.
The only thing she was thankful for is that she had been moved in with Freddie, the old white guy she met on her first full day in the garden. He was lovely, almost fatherly. The guys still looked after her and took turns shadowing her to the bathroom, which was becoming a lot more recent with the bout of sickness she was experiencing.
“Yes, Turtle. Are you still sick? Maybe you should see the nurse.”
She shook her head. “There’s nothing they can do,” She mumbled in a daze, staring at her lap glassy eyed.
“You don’t know… Maybe-“
“I’m pregnant.” The table fell silent and she burst out crying.
An officer rushed over, looking confused. He had been watching but couldn’t hear the exchange and saw no one do anything.
“She has insomnia and hasn’t been well. I think she is just over tired,” One of the older, quick thinking guys at the table suggested and the office seemed to accept it. It wasn’t exactly a lie. She hadn’t been sleeping much.
She missed Benga’s arms around her.
Even her friends had noticed a change in their visits.
“I will have her taken to the nurse.”
“No! Please…” She said trying to dry her tears. “Can I go lay in my cell?”
“It is very early. I’ll have to lock you in.”
“That’s fine.”
“Alright, but I am putting you on the sick call tomorrow. You don’t look well.”
She nodded nonchalantly standing up on.
“Take care, Turtle.”
**
Another night and only a couple of hours sleep.
She had eaten a little breakfast though most of it came back up again. Then she went to sick call. They did some tests, took some blood and urine and told her they would have the results in a few days.
She should have known Benga was lying when he said he’d be there for her. She was actually falling for him before he left. Okay, that was a lie, she wasn’t falling, she had fallen in love with him and she thought he felt the same. Though, neither one said it, it was like an unspoken message between them. Or at least, she thought. She was wrong. He would have found a way to tell her or, at least, contact her if he did. Nothing.
Her baby was going to turn out like her, fatherless and unloved.
The moment that thought entered her mind she snapped out of her self-pity.
No, it wouldn’t be unloved or like her.
She would love him/her or whatever the gender, she would love and care for it.
The pain was still raw. But she would get over him in time, she convinced herself. She didn’t need him. Her child would be loved.
**
“You are pregnant,” The governor was the one to confirm what she already said knew another week later after a doctor visited and performed a scan.
“I guessed as much,” She admitted.
“About six to seven weeks the examination suggests.”
“Yes, I was with a guy just before I was sentenced and brought here,” She lied even though she knew all of the inmates and some of the officers would know otherwise who the real father was.
“How is everyone treating you? Have you had any trouble with anyone? I can have you moved to isolation, it might be best for you and the child.”
“No!” She said a little too quickly.
“I mean, the guys have become like family. Everyone treats me like a princess. No one has touched me. Please don’t. I’ll go crazy being alone.”
The man was silent for a while as though thinking.
“Fine. But if I hear of any incidents…”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you.” She grinned.
“But from now on you will have to be more forthcoming about your health. The doctor informed me you were very anaemic. And you will have to be giving daily supplements and check-ups, especially with your sickness as bad as it is.”
She nodded in understanding.
“With that being said, I would like to change your cell.” Again she frowned. She liked sharing with Freddie. He told her stories of when he was young when age couldn’t sleep. Which was most nights.
“Don’t worry. I believe you are acquainted with Fredrick Gunnar, Johnson Cook and Terry Sidson?” She wasn’t aware that was Cooks and Gunnar’s real names.
“Yes,” She replied unsure of why he was asking.
“You get on well together?”
She smiled and nodded, “They watch over me since Sammy… I mean Benga left.”
“That is good then. They have a rare four-bed cell and one of the beds are free.”
“Okay… But I still don’t understand.”
“Fredrick Gunnar is a trained doctor, so would be a perfect person to watch over you. As for the other two, they are both in for nonviolent crimes and I trust you will tell me if anything happens or looks as though it will?”
She quickly agreed and left the office a short time later surprised about her new found information.
How did a doctor end up inside?
She bumped into Freddie on her way back and told him about the cell swap. He was a little sad, but she promised to continue their chats.
It was rec time when she finally got settled in and she decided to stay there.
She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew she heard the door unlock and chatter as the door was relocked.
“What the…?”
“Turtle!” Sid jumped on her bed and hugged her. She didn’t mind. She knew there wasn’t anything but friendship in it.
“I don’t know why you’re here, but you are looking a lot better.” He hugged her to his chest. “I missed hugs. You are my new hug buddy.”
“Sid leave her alone and let her speak.”
“Ha, it’s okay. I don’t mind. As long as he doesn’t get the wrong idea. I’m not interested in anything sexual.”
“No, no, no. You don’t have to worry about that. In the beginning, hell yeah. But now, we’ve all come to see you more as a baby sister.”
The other the guys agreed and she told them what the governor had said.
“So, you are my doctor kind of now.”
“Does that mean he gets to examine you?” Sid wiggled his eyebrows.
“I’ve changed my mind,” She used her legs to knock him off the bed.
“Ouch, shit!” He cursed as he fell to the ground with a thud. His two friends stood laughing.
**
They settled into bed a short time later. They seemed to fall asleep fast but not her. She only knew they were sleeping because of the snoring.
It was two weeks since he left and though she put on a brave face the last week, she still hurt just as much. Especially at night, the quiet times with nothing else to think about to busy her mind.
Hiding her face in her pillow, she hoped it would be enough to hide her sobs.
“Shh…” She froze when she felt a man just in boxers climb into bed with her.
Had she trusted the wrong people?
An arm circled waist and pulled her against him. “I’m not going to hurt you,” He whispered and she opened her eyes to look at the man. Her eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the dark. But she was surprised to find Cook. Out of the three men, he had always been the most distance with her.
“You are really too beautiful to cry.” He brushed her tears away with his hand. Still she didn’t move.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Princess. I’m married… To another man.”
