Chapter 10
Sleep
eluded Helen as she lay in a delicious state of satisfaction. The pantomime had
really started her adrenaline flowing and then there had been Nikki’s
lovemaking afterwards. She turned onto her side and ran her hand up and down
the side of the bed where Nikki had laid when she had escaped. She smiled
dreamily as she imagined what it would be like to have Nikki by her side every
night. The telephone on her bedside table shrilled and she glanced at the clock
radio as she picked up the receiver. The luminous numbers showed it to be 2:21.
“Yes?” she snapped crisply into the mouthpiece.
“Helen,
it’s Mark Hanson,” a deep male voice informed her.
She
frowned. Mark was one of her bosses at the Home Office. “Mark, what is it?” she
demanded anxiously.
“Bad
news, I’m afraid.” He gave out an audible sigh. “Simon Stubberfield had a heart
attack last night.”
“Good
God!” She murmured. She was shocked by the news even though she couldn’t stand
the man. “Is he alright?”
“He’s
stable but he’s going to be in hospital for a while.” He hesitated fractionally
before continuing. “Which is why I’m ringing you. We can’t leave Larkhall
without a Governing Governor and, as you’re the highest grade there at the
moment, we’d like you to take over temporarily.” He gave a short laugh. “Well,
Miss Stewart, how would you feel about being the Number One?”
“Mark,
I don’t know what to say,” she replied hesitantly then a thought struck her.
“What about the lifers’?”
“We’ll
get in a temporary replacement for you. Don’t worry we’ll make sure they’re
looked after,” he assured her. “Well, what do you say?”
“Of
course, if you think I can do it.”
“I
wouldn’t have phoned you so late if I didn’t,” he told her confidently. “As I
said, it may only be for a few days, either until Simon is well enough or we
can find a replacement. Look, sleep on it and then get back to me in the
morning with your answer. ‘Night, Helen.”
“‘Night,
Mark.” She replaced the receiver, her mind in turmoil. She had to speak to
Nikki before she gave Mark her answer. As Number One she wouldn’t have as many
excuses to see Nikki and as they had only just been reconciled she couldn’t
bear to alienate her again.
Nikki
shifted restlessly in her sleep as a key softly turned in the lock on her cell
door. Helen slipped inside the cell and closed the door behind her. Moving
swiftly to Nikki’s bunk, she stood looking tenderly down at the sleeping woman.
Her heart was almost bursting with love for Nikki and nothing mattered except
her happiness. She sat down on the edge of the bunk and bent over and pressed
her mouth to Nikki’s. She felt Nikki’s soft mouth moving under hers then,
without warning, she was pushed away and found herself looking into a pair of
fearful brown eyes. “Nikki, it’s alright. Darling, it’s me,” she said gently.
“Helen,”
Nikki whispered with relief. “I can’t believe it, I was just dreaming about
kissing you and now you’re here.” She looked at Helen curiously. “What time is it?”
Helen
grimaced apologetically. “About six o’ clock.”
“Six!”
Nikki exclaimed. “What on earth are you doing here? Not that I mind being woken
up the way you did. Maybe you should give Bodybag lessons.”
Helen
smiled at her description of Sylvia then her face became serious. “Nikki,
sometime after the panto last night, Stubberfield had a heart attack.”
“Probably
caused by seeing you and me snogging,” she said callously.
“Nikki!”
Helen retorted.
“Sorry,
Helen, but you can’t expect me to feel sorry for the man,” she replied
candidly. “The guy is almost as bent as Fenner. What’s it got to do with me
anyway?” She gave a half-hearted laugh as she continued. “They’re not going to
try and pin that on me as well, are they?”
Helen
bit her lip before tentatively replying. “They’ve asked me to be the temporary
Number One.”
“That’s
great, Helen!” She smiled delightedly then saw the worried look on Helen’s
face. “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to do it?”
Helen
stood up and paced the cell. “Yes, I do but there isn’t just me to think about.
If I take on this job, I’ll hardly ever see you.”
Nikki
climbed out of bed and slid her arms around Helen’s waist. “Babe, I want you to
take the job,” she told her sincerely, then added viciously. “Fenner has got
away with murder because he’s always had Stubberfield backing him up. I want to
watch him squirm when he’s on his own!”
Helen
looked at her anxiously. “Nikki, sit down. I have something to tell you.” They
both sank down onto the edge of the bunk, hands clasped. “That day in Barbara’s
cell when you heard me tell her I wanted to get you away from Larkhall and me,
it wasn’t what you thought.”
“Forget
about it, Helen. I have.”
“Nikki,
listen,” Helen snapped impatiently. “I had a row with Fenner and he made
threats against us, you in particular. It was Fenner I was trying to get you
away from, not me.”
“What
sort of threats?” Nikki demanded.
“He
threatened to let you know what you were missing,” Helen said softly.
“He’d
have to kill me first!” Nikki retorted. “And if he ever laid a finger on you…”
She started to rise but Helen drew her gently back down beside her.
“I’ve
only told you now because I want you to be careful. As I said, if I take this
job I won’t be able to see you as much. Someone else will be taking the lifers’
meetings as well but I’m sure it will only be for a short while.” She looked at
Nikki quizzically. “So, what do you want me to do?”
“I
want you to take the job. You deserve it and I’m proud of you.” She smiled and
added teasingly. “I think I can get by without you for a while.”
“I
hope not.” Helen scowled. “I want you to miss me all the time.”
“I
was just thinking about all the making-up to me you’ll have to do the next time
I see you,” Nikki told her suggestively.
“I
will make it up to you,” Helen promised. “But I want you to promise me you’ll
stay out of trouble from now on. I don’t want you to give Fenner any cause for
complaint.”
Nikki
nodded. “I want you to be careful as well. Fenner hated you when you were Wing
Governor. Just think how he’ll feel knowing you’re the Number One!”
Helen
looked at her sitting there, the sleep still in her eyes, her hair ruffled. “No
one has ever supported me the way you do,” she said softly. “Or loved me so
much. It frightens me sometimes that I can’t live up to your expectations of
me.”
“Helen,
I don’t expect anything of you or ask anything of you, except that you love
me.”
“There’s
no doubt about that, Nikki. Well, I’d better go and take up my new role,” she replied
somewhat reluctantly. They kissed urgently knowing it might be a while before
they saw each other again. As they drew apart she placed a gentle kiss on
Nikki’s cheek. “Take care of yourself for me,” she whispered.
“Hey,
Beauty,” Nikki called as Helen reached the door. “Break a leg!”
Helen
smiled and looked at her longingly before going out of the cell and quietly
locking the door behind her.
“Looks
like you’ve got a rival, Wade,” Jim Fenner informed her maliciously when he
unlocked her cell a little later that morning. “Our Helen was getting very
close to the doctor last night.”
“Am
I supposed to care?” Nikki retorted. “Don’t you know by now Fenner, Stewart’s
not the Number One in my life?” She brushed passed him then muttered when she was
out of earshot. “But she is in yours!”
Fenner
watched Nikki’s retreating back, a sly smile of triumph playing around his
lips. Seems all wasn’t going too well with the Larkhall lovebirds. He made his
way to Shell Dockley’s cell, where she was running a hairbrush through her
blond curls. “I want you to wind Wade up about Stewart and the doctor,” he
ordered. “If she thinks someone’s muscling in on her territory she’s sure to
blow her top and I want to be there.”
“OK,
Jim,” she replied submissively.
Fenner
looked at her suspiciously. He would have to keep an eye on Dockley. She had
always been accommodating but she was too agreeable for comfort these days. If
she was trying anything on, the little bitch had better watch her step!
Tommo’s
eyes lit up as she saw Nikki enter the rec room. She was totally besotted by
the tall lesbian lifer even though she knew she didn’t stand a chance with Miss
Stewart on the scene but they were still friends.
Nikki
slid into the chair opposite her, totally oblivious to the effect she was
having on one of her best friends. “Thanks for last night, Tommo. Second best
night of my life since I’ve been in here.”
“The
panto was great, wasn’t it?” Tommo agreed. “One of my better ideas.”
Nikki
smiled secretively. “Yeah, the panto was great as well.”
Tommo
looked at her knowingly. “I wondered where you and a certain lady had
disappeared to. Fenner started asking where you were – I think he thought you’d
done a runner again – and, thanks to Doctor Gilbert, I finished up trying to
head Fenner off at the pass.”
“I’m
sorry, Tommo,” Nikki laughed. “Fenner nearly caught us as well. He would have
done if Gilbert hadn’t warned us.”
“Present
for you, Nikki.” Dockley spoke beside her and deposited an apple on the table.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away, that’s right, innit?”
“So
they say, Shell,” Nikki replied.
“You
should give it to Miss Stewart then, Nikki,” she laughed maliciously. “Keep the
doc away from ‘er.”
“Why
don’t you give it a rest, Shell?” Tommo remarked before Nikki had time to
answer.
“And
why don’t you just shut it, Fatso?” Shell snapped.
Nikki
started to rise but Tommo grabbed hold of her arm. “Leave it, Nikki. Don’t get
yourself into bother for someone who hasn’t enough brain cells to cover the head
of a pin. I can fight my own battles, anyway.”
“That’s
right, Nikki, do as your girlfriend tells you,” Dockley simpered.
Nikki
again started to rise just as there was a commotion and Karen Betts entered the
wing with Helen in her wake. Helen’s eyes sought out Nikki and sent her silent
messages but her face remained deadpan.
“Can
I have everyone’s attention, please?” Karen called for order and waited until
there was silence. “Just to let you know, Mr Stubberfield suffered a heart
attack last night. I’m sure you’ll all be pleased to hear his condition is
stable. In his absence Miss Stewart will be Acting Governing Governor.” She
paused to let her words sink in.
Nikki’s
heart swelled with pride and she couldn’t help the smile that sprung to her
lips when she looked around all the surprised faces. Fenner’s face was like
thunder and his jaw was almost hitting the floor.
“Bleedin’
‘ell!” Dockley retorted beside her. “Why the bleedin’ ‘ell ‘as she got the
job?”
“What,
you mean instead of Fenner?” Nikki muttered. “Face it, Dockley, Fenner’s days
are numbered. There’s somebody in charge now who knows what he’s really like!”
“Can
I just say?” Helen was speaking now. “I don’t want the ladies in my lifers’
group to think they’ve been forgotten. Temporary cover has been arranged and
the meeting will be tomorrow at the usual time.” As she turned to leave, her
eyes again sought out Nikki and after the briefest of smiles she was gone.
“Well,
that went down like a lead balloon in certain quarters,” Karen remarked as she
and Helen walked back to her office. “Did you see Jim’s face?”
Helen
looked at her quizzically. “So, aren’t you and Jim still an item then, Karen?”
Karen
shook her head. “After what Nikki said, too many things were starting to add up
about him and I decided I couldn’t trust him anymore. I don’t think he’s very
happy about it but I haven’t been out with him since.”
“To
be honest, Karen, I think you’ve done the right thing,” Helen told her. “Fenner
is a law unto himself but I doubt he’ll be so cocky now he hasn’t got his
buddy, Simon, behind him.”
“I
just can’t believe it!” Sylvia exclaimed to Jim as they relaxed over a cup of
tea in the office. “Fancy making Helen Stewart the Number One. Do your fourteen
years of service count for nothing?”
“Obviously
not, Sylvia,” Jim replied bitterly. “Stewart’ll not reign long though. She’s
too soft. First sign of a crisis, she’ll lose it and then I’ll have her!”
“I
think Miss Stewart will do a good job,” Di Barker remarked. She had come into the
office and overheard part of their conversation. “At least she cares about the
women.”
“One
of ‘em anyway,” Jim said under his breath.
“You
can’t afford to be caring,” Sylvia snapped. “There’s always someone waiting to
take advantage.”
“Oh,
Sylvia, stop being so cynical,” Di admonished her, good-naturedly. “It’s nearly
Christmas. The time of goodwill to all men.”
“All
men,” Sylvia repeated. “It doesn’t say anything about women!”
Nikki
left the lifers’ meeting to find Helen skulking in the corridor. She smiled
lecherously when she saw the new AGG had gone back to wearing one of her suits.
“Glad to see you’re back in uniform, Governor,” she teased. “I always did fancy
you when you were wearing a suit. What you doing here anyway?”
“Waiting
for you, obviously,” Helen smiled up at her. “I just wanted to see how the
meeting went. What do you think of Mrs Kelly?”
“She’s
OK but not a patch on her predecessor.” Nikki’s eyes twinkled merrily. “I’ve
been thinking, now you’re Number One, how about arranging a home visit so we
can spend Christmas Day together?”
“I
wish,” Helen replied. “But I think there would be more deserving cases than us,
don’t you? The two Julies for instance, they’ve both got kids.”
“Yeah,
I guess you’re right,” Nikki said resignedly. “I’m just being selfish, wanting
you all to myself.”
“Well,
I’m all yours anyway,” Helen replied softly as she reached out and laid her
hand on Nikki’s arm. “It’s not easy but I’ll try and see you soon.”
Nikki
placed her hand over Helen’s. “I know you will but don’t take any unnecessary
chances.”
Helen
reluctantly withdrew her hand. “I’ve got to go. I want a word with Jill Kelly
before she leaves.” She looked at Nikki, her eyes softening with love. “’Bye.”
“See
you,” Nikki murmured, then watched as Helen entered the room she had just left
before walking away.
Christmas
Day morning found Nikki in a restless mood. Helen hadn’t managed to get to see
her as she had promised. In fact, she had only been on the wing once and Karen
Betts had accompanied her. She had said she always spent Christmas with her dad
so she guessed by now she would be in Scotland. They hadn’t even wished each
other ‘Merry Christmas’!
Barbara
and Tommo looked at each other and then at Nikki, as she pushed her Christmas dinner
around her plate.
She
dropped her fork onto her plate. “I’m not very hungry. I’m going back to my
cell. See you later.”
She
lay down on her bunk and closed her eyes. How many more Christmas Days would
she have to spend on her own? Things were so different since she had been in
Larkhall. Trish came from a big family and, apart from their first year
together when they had wanted it to be just the two of them they had always
spent the day at her parents’ house.
“You’re
a miserable sod, Nikki Wade. Hiding away in here all on your own!”
A
smile lit up Nikki’s face as she heard Helen’s voice. She opened her eyes and
climbed from the bunk. “Helen, this is great!” she said delightedly. “I didn’t
think I’d see you today. I thought you’d be in Scotland.”
“I
said you couldn’t come home and spend Christmas with me, I didn’t say I
wouldn’t come in and spend it with you.”
“What
about your dad?”
“He’s
gone to his sister’s,” she told Nikki with a smile. “I convinced him that as
Number One I had to spend some time here today.” She turned and closed the
door. “Anyway, I haven’t wished my favourite inmate ‘Happy Christmas’ yet.”
They moved together and stood dropping gentle kisses on each other’s lips.
“Happy
Christmas, Helen,” Nikki said softly.
“It
is now I’ve got you. Happy Christmas, sweetheart.”
Nikki
looked at her sadly. “I wish I could have bought you a present,” she said
dismally then her face lightened and she removed the signet ring she always
wore on the little finger of her right hand. “My mum and dad bought me this for
my sixteenth birthday. It’s the last thing they ever bought me. I want you to
have it.”
“I
can’t take that, Nikki,” Helen protested.
Nikki
ignored her protests as she took hold of her left hand and slid the ring onto
her third finger. “Look after it for me then until I get out.”
Helen
nodded tearfully. “Merry Christmas, darling.”