Chapter 10

She was shocked to learn Cook was gay. Apparently both his cellmates knew but not Benga, because… Well, the reason was obvious.

Between the three men, she was never left to sleep alone. Even Gunnar had spent a few occasions hugging her. Though most nights it was Cook. He said it was good and helped him sleep too because he missed hugging his husband.

She had only slept with Sid once because he snored so much. But that didn’t stop him hugging her other times.

Rumours had spread about her involvement with the trio, sexually. Though, she had never actually done anything with anyone sexually since Benga left. But a lot of the inmates of course believed otherwise. A few had tried it on with her with no luck.

Most took ‘no’ for an answer, especially since she was pregnant and the whole prison now knew.

But there was one time. Keys and Marco had slipped into the toilet and hid, an officer waited outside as she went inside not realising people were already in there.

Keys grabbed her, covering her mouth as Marco stripped her.

They only got to her stripping her top half when Marco was knocked out.

Hearing a ruckus the officer entered and found Marco unconscious and Keys being pulled off Alex. At first, the officer was going to punish her saviour too, that was until she explained.

The governor, that was another story. He wanted to put her into isolation but after a few tears he told her she didn’t have to, but he would have an officer paying better attention to her.

The officers knew she often shared her bunk but mostly were alright about it as long as they were dressed.

“Thank you, Jordan. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” It was a strange turn of events but her ex would-be rapist had now saved her from another rapist and now, she was hugging him.

“I.. It’s alright,” He stuttered nervously. His cheeks blushing slightly as she pulled back.

“I wanted to say before, but I am sorry for what I did. Or tried to do to you. I would never do anything like that if… If-“

“It’s okay, Jordan. The guys filled me in. I know the nurse messed with your pills.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing near her?!” Wow, she had no idea Sid could sound so scary.

The officer looked ready to pounce.

“It’s a misunderstanding,” She explained and the guard stood down but kept watching the group in the rec room.

“Explain, Princess, why we shouldn’t break his face?” Cook demanded.

“He saved me from the Mexican guys,” She gave them a quick explanation. “And Jordan regrets what he did during his mental break. I have forgiven him.”

The young man was surprised to hear this. As were the trio. “Fine. But he is not being left alone with you and Patty.” She smiled at the name the guys had given her baby. It was too early to tell the sex. But they had grown bored of called the baby ‘it’ and hence ‘Patty’ was born.

There were lots of glares from the guys at Jordan, but after a few days, they were best buddies. Well, maybe not best, but the guys stopped glaring at him.

**

Ten weeks pregnant and just over six weeks since Benga left. Her feelings hadn’t changed.

Though, they might be towards her friends if they didn’t tell her what was happening.

Over the last month, all the newspapers, letters and even emails had been censored. This happened before, but the last month was ten times worse. All television channels were blocked and the television was locked on a movie channel which rarely played anything from the last century. Even the calls and visitors were closer monitored.

It was clear they were given a list of things they couldn’t talk about but either Tess or Riann wouldn’t tell her what.

All they talked about was how she and the baby was. Rarely anything outside the prison was mentioned.

She was starting to think maybe they didn’t enjoy visiting anymore. After all, they rarely had anything new to tell her and often just sat in awkward silence.

Their last visit had been more than a week before and at the last visit, she snapped at them about not wanting to see them anymore if they were going to be so secretive. She left the hall in tears. She could blame it on her pregnancy hormones but it wasn’t them completely. That is why when they tried to get a visitors request next time she ignored it.

She felt bad for it. But she was annoyed at them.

“You are getting so big. Are you sure you are only ten weeks?” Sid like everyone else had become obsessed with touching her stomach.

“She is perfectly normal. Every woman is different,” Gunnar explained.

She had learned that Gunnar was serving a fifteen-year sentence and is due out around the same time as her. He is a trained doctor but was arrested for smuggling drugs before he could put his skill into practice.

Both Cook and Sid, on the other hand, were serving short sentences. Both were due out before the end of the year. Jordan and Freddie, on the other hand, had a few years left. But Alex had promised even when she was released to write to them.

“I always wanted little ‘uns, maybe when we’re out of here you’ll set me up with that sexy redheaded friend of yours? I don’t mind you continuing to play with her when we date. I mean, as long I can watch.”

“You just want to see my little man. What’s wrong, Sid? Want me to top you?” She joked, earning the others laughs and cries of agreement.

“I’ll tell you what, you can fuck my ass if I can yours,” He winked.

“In that case,” Gunnar grabbed his hand and began to pull him along.

Sid was big, but Gunnar was one of the tallest in there.

“What are you doing, man?!” Sid asked the man pulling his hand free.

Gunnar looked back with a completely straight face and said, “I’m going to fuck your ass.”

The other guys mouth fell opened.

“What’s wrong? Not got the bottle to follow up?”

Sid laughed and punched his friends arm. “Yo man! You really had me going then.”

“It’s been a long time…” His laughing stopped and all his cell mates burst out laughing.

“You guys…!”

He sat back on the bed beside her and continued to rub her aching stomach.

Apparently, it was normal to have period type pains, it was the womb stretching.

She added it to the long list of things she had learned about pregnancy but never been told. Including for the first several weeks, she actually lost weight but her stomach kept expanding.

The guys had become worried though her morning sickness had got a lot better, she still suffered from it. But at least, she was able to keep food down now. The doctor was pleased to see her weight was going back up.

She laid on the bed listening to the guys and couldn’t help but feel thankful. They had become her lifeline. They doted on her and made sure at least one of them was with her at all times. Especially after the Keys incident.

Speaking of Keys, he and Marco had to be sent to the special protective wing of the prison once threats on their lives were made. The prisoners – even them who wanted Alex – didn’t like seeing a pregnant woman harmed.

So now the pair were locked up with the child abuses and such like.

“What’s got you so happy, Princess?” Cook asked perching on the end of her bed.

“Just thinking… I really love you guys. You are amazing. I know it might not be normal, but I would like you three to be my baby’s Godfathers.”

“Yes!” Sid tightened his hug and Cook pushed him off the bed with a thud, before hugging her too. A lot of people had thought the group of men were getting soft, but they had proven they weren’t when the other guys turned up with black eyes and bruised ribs.

“I would love that, Princess.” He had told her a lot about his husband in the late nights and had promised to introduce her in the future.

“Are you sure?” Gunnar looked unsure. “Are you sure you want a drug smuggler as a Godfather?”

She smiled and climbed off the bed, hugging him. “Yes. An ex-drug smuggler that has nothing but remorse for it.” He often told her of his regret and ruining his life. He had not only lost his chance of a promising career but also his family.

“Little Patty will need her Uncle Gun when he or she falls down and hurts their knee.”

She looked up at him to see a large smile take over his face.

“Thank you, Alex.” He kissed her forehead. “I won’t do anything to let you down.”

She smiled as he drew his arms around her shoulders. “I know you won’t.”

**

Dinner the next day was made up of dead inmates. At least, that was the in-joke after another inmate found a tooth in his food.

“Miss Rodriguez?” She turned around to the officer who called her name.

“Miss?” She heard someone whisper.

The officers were never normally so formal.

“Yes, sir?”

“Mr Kelby wants to see you in his office when you are done.” She wasn’t surprised the governor was asking to see her. He made a point in seeing her at least a couple of times a week to make sure everything was still good.

“I’m done,” She stood up pushing her food away.

She cleared away her plate and followed the man to the office.

“Hello, Miss Rodriguez,” The governor greeted.

“Hello, Sir.” She noticed a man in the chair in front his desk, but she didn’t know who. All she could see was the back of his. And then he turned around.

“I believe you know, Mr John Kirk?” Mr Kelby introduced the man.

“Yes. Hello sir,” She said politely, but, in all honesty, didn’t know why he was there. She had seen him once at the beginning of her sentence and never again. If his visits were going to be this regular, she might as well serve her time.

“Alexia, it is great to see you.” He was a little too happy and familiar for her liking.

“Sir, if this is about trying to get my case reviewed and me sent to a female prison-“

“Please sit down, Miss Rodriguez,” The governor said cutting her off.

She did at he asked, sitting in the free chair beside Mr Kirk, but continued what she was saying.

“Let me just get this out there, I am not interested in being sent to a female prison. I have made some good friends here who take care of Patty and me. I would rather stay here.”

He seemed surprised by this, the governor didn’t.

“You do? Who is Patty?” The lawyer asked.

“My baby.” She placed her hand on her noticeably extended stomach.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Ten weeks or there are thereabouts.”