Chapter 11
“You are pregnant?” The lawyer repeated her words.
“Uhm,” She nodded amused at his puzzled expression. But then it turned into anger.
“I should have been notified,” He spoke to the governor.
Her smile disappeared. “With all due respect, Sir,” She glared at the man. “It has fuck all to do with you.”
“Rodriguez, that is enough,” The governor ordered but she ignored him.
“No, it isn’t. He thinks he can make promises, disappear for months without word and make demands?!” To say she was angry was an understatement.
“Sir?” The door opened and the officer stepped in obviously hearing her yelling.
Much to her surprise, the governor sent him away.
Wasn’t he going to punish her?
“I am sorry, Alexia, for my seeming callousness towards you. But I assure you that was not my intent.”
The lawyer was actually apologizing? She was confused now.
“I just assumed you would have seen the news…”
News?
“The prison has had a media blackout,” Mr Kelby explained. “The last thing we need is riots. The inmates tend to get a little over enthusiastic when it comes to things like that.”
That? What was that?
“Oh,” The man’s eyes widen as though realising something. “Then I completely understand your reaction to me.”
“Okay, now I’m really confused.”
“Alexia, I have some great news.” She nodded waited for him to finish his sentence, but it was as though he wanted to drag it on.
“You have been given a full pardon and will be released with immediate effect.”
“What?” Her mouth gaped like a fish.
Was this real?
“After I spoke to you I got in touch with your already large group of support. With their help and your friends we were able to create and gather a huge following.”
Demonstrations, media campaigns, a pardon has been given and they granted a restraining order against her father and his family while they were being investigated.
All these things she was told seemed unreal. Surely she would wake up soon in Cook’s arms to find it was all a dream.
People wouldn’t cause that much trouble for someone like her, right?
“We had well-known domestic abuse, LGBTI groups and Celebrities all showing their support. But I think a lot of thanks should go to your friend. He was always at the front of the group, approaching the right people. He spent every waking hour trying to get you freed.”
“I’m free?” She asked still not believing it.
“Yes. You are free to leave.”
She smiled but then frowned. “Can I go say goodbye to guys first?”
A part of her didn’t want to go, not only because she would miss the guys but also because she was scared. Scared about what would happen once she was back outside, living the free life.
Would her life return to normal? Would she continue to live with Tess and Riann? Would they help her with the baby or move on? These and dozens of questions buzzed around her head.
“Yes,” The governor smiled. “I think they would riot if you didn’t.”
She giggled knowing it was true. The guys would probably accuse him of killing her or something.
“The officer will take you to pack, change and collect your things. And then to see your friends.”
“Thank you, Sir. Thank you so much.”
**
She had cleared out the little what belonged to her in the cell. Not that there was much, most of it belonged to the prison except a few hygiene pieces and her underwear.
Then it was time to collect the stuff she came in with. In truth, it wasn’t much. She knew she couldn’t wear her own clothes so only had the one outfit she came in.
The trousers were now too tight, but she was grateful to find out her friends had given Mr Kirk an outfit for her.
Now dressed in a black fitted business type dress with a red bow belt just below her chest, red flats she was led to the rec room where her closest friends had been gathered.
Her friends had sent instructions to wear her hair loose, red lipstick and mascara which was included.
She didn’t normally wear any makeup but decided this once she would for them.
“Oh, my…” Sid’s eyes widened as he was the first to notice her entering.
She understood his reaction. She was completely feminine looking now. Especially thanks to the dress which seemed to cling to her every curve and emphasize her stomach.
The others had a similar reaction.
“They finally letting you out, princess?”
“You guessed.” She gave Cook a sad smile.
“Then why do you look so sad?”
“I don’t want to leave you,” A sob left her throat and a tear her eye.
“Oh, Turtle girl…” She found herself in Sid’s arms.
“Don’t cry. You know we are all going to see you and annoy the hell out of you when we get out. You’ll wonder how you even coped with us before.”
“Promise?”
“Try and stop us.”
**
It was an emotional goodbye, but they had promised to keep in touch. All of them had hugged her and told her how beautiful she was.
But right now, walking on the way out to the parking lot she only had one thing on her mind.
“Who is he?”
“Excuse me?” Mr Kirk asked confused by her question. He had insisted he will carry her bag even though it was only small. Something about pregnant women taking it easy.
“He was always at the front of the group, approaching the right people. He spent every waking hour trying to get you freed.” She remembered what the lawyer told her earlier. It had come to her when was explain to the guys what happened.
They asked who ‘he’ was and she realized she had no idea.
“Who is he?” She repeated what he told her.
“Sam, of course,” He said with a smile. But added, “Saami Benga. He said you were in here together.”
He watched as her hand went to her stomach. The governor who was with them noticed it too but said nothing. It was too late now anyway.
“He is waiting outside with your friends. Is that alright?” She looked at her lawyer to see an almost worried expression. He glanced down to her stomach and then back at her face.
He knew. But… Oh my, God, he thought he forced her.
“I love him.” The words had left her mouth before her brain had finished thinking.
Mr. Kirk smiled and simply nodded.
What the hell did that mean?
This guy was really starting to annoy her.
“This is it. You are a free woman.”
She stepped outside and her smile was almost uncontrollable. But it faulted when she only saw Tess and Riann.
It’s a closed in space. There are at least two sets of gates before you get here. Maybe he was made to wait outside the main gate because his record… She told herself.
“ALEX!” She had barely stepped out of the door when the pair ran into her. Both sandwiching her between them.
“We’re sorry for keeping secrets. The guards said not to tell you and get your hopes up or cause a riot… I don’t know why… But yeah. Please forgive us,” Riann rambled.
“It’s not your fault.”
“Still love us?”
She chuckled. “Forever. Even when you annoy me.”
“Good, because you have too.”
She didn’t realize she was looking around for him until Tess took her and each girl gave her a long lingering kiss in turn.
“Are you okay?” She questioned Alex.
“Yes. Just a little overwhelmed,” She partly lied.
Her new conclusion was that Mr Kirk either lied or was mistaken.
After all why would her Sammy bother with her?
He hadn’t contacted her once since his release and she knew that the prison allowed letters being exchanged between ex and present inmates as long as they aren’t conspiring – she had asked the governor one time.
“Can we go, please?”
Her friends released her from between them, but still stood close and looked at each other with an almost worried expression.
“I’m really hungry, girls. Patty needs feeding.” Everyone by now knew who Patty was.
“Who’s Patty? Is that a cute nickname for your stomach?” Her breath caught in her throat and her body froze hearing the voice she had been dreaming every night for the last several weeks.
She heard arguing somewhere close but ignored it. She spun around and seeing his towering form now stood beside her she reached out and slapped him full force. Her friends gasped.
**
That was not the reunion he had imagined all those weeks and hours he spent working for her freedom. But he still didn’t regret it.
“I missed you too, Angel,” He said rubbed his stinging cheek.
He grabbed hold of her and pressed his lips to hers.
Water dampened his face. He only realized it was her tears when she pushed him away and slapped him again.
“We’ll see you in an hour,” He told her friends while picking Alex up and placing her in his car.
She didn’t protest, she was crying too much by this point and he couldn’t understand why.
Her friends looked like they wanted to stop him but they didn’t have a chance, he was driving and out of the first gate before they had a chance.
She sat with her face in her hands the whole time, only looking out when she heard cheers as they exited the main gate. She stared at the people as the car passed through the crowd.
Many had banners such as ‘Free Alexia,’ or ‘Justice for Alexia,’ and such like.
She looked stunned. She was thankful that he had the windows tinted to make it harder to see in and impossible to take pictures. He knew she wouldn’t want the world to see her crying.
But to him, even face red from crying, she was beautiful.
“They are all here for you,” He said gaining her attention.
He noticed confusion crossed her beautiful face.
“You weren’t expecting this? Them, me?” He looked between her and the road. The last thing he needs now is to be on a driving charge, not when he was on parole and not when he had gone to so much effort to get her out and his licence back before that.
“The… The prison had a media blackout,” She looked at her lap while she spoke. Her voice was quiet, but he heard her perfectly.
“I should have known!” He mumbled more to himself than her.
That’s when it hit him. “Media blackout?” He thought out loud. “No letters television, papers about… Shit!”
That means she probably… Correction, she definitely didn’t get any of his letters. He had wondered why she hadn’t written back.
“Why didn’t y..You say goodbye?” The question had come out of the blue before he had a chance to speak. “You promised you would be there for me and you just leave me without as much as a bye! I know we were never a real couple, but I thought we were friends. I thought you cared for me, at least, a little. But no, you used me like a two-bit hooker because you had no one else and out of some guilty, you get me out. Well done. I’m sure you’re feeling better now.”
He pulled over in a deserted area. There were no buildings, cars or houses in site. No one interrupts them.
“You really think that?” He asked hurt. Though he couldn’t blame her for her reaction.
She said nothing.
“I wrote to you every day. I can only assume they kept them because the blackout. But I swear I did. You could contact the prison if they didn’t give you the letters when you signed out for your belongings, I can only assume they still have them.”
Her eyes held hope but still hurt.
“As for saying goodbye. I tried. The parole meeting was early. I wasn’t due for months, but the governor put in a good word for me because my good behaviour and helping you. I was granted an instant release. After collecting my stuff from our cell I asked to say goodbye to you but just my luck I had that bitch Hodges on. She downright refused. Like you know she’s a man hater,” There was a hint of humor in his voice and her lips twitched at the corners. But a smile didn’t appear.
“So I wrote you a note,” His eyes darken in anger thinking back.
“The fucking bitch screwed it up in my face. I wanted to hit her. I was and am so angry. Didn’t you see her in the parking lot earlier?”
