By
Jan
Chapter 12
Nikki
stuck her spade into the ground and with the back of her hand wiped away the
beads of perspiration clinging to her forehead. As she looked up she saw Carol
walking towards her and jogged up to meet her. “How’s things?” she asked as she
reached her.
“Almost
fetched my stomach up this morning,” the young woman replied with a grimace.
“You’ve
got to get checked out, Carol,” Nikki told her worriedly. “You can’t keep this
pregnancy a secret forever. What if you aren’t getting the proper food to eat?”
“OK,
I’ll ask to see the doctor,” Carol promised with a smile.
“Make
sure you do,” Nikki said sternly. She started to walk back to the garden then
called over her shoulder, “And make sure you eat all your greens!”
“Yes,
mum!” Carol called after her mockingly. “See you later.”
Nikki
raised her hand in salute then went back to her digging.
Later,
as Nikki climbed the iron stairs to go and check on Carol, she saw Shell
Dockley emerge from her friend’s cell.
She
hurried up the rest of the stairs and into the cell, fearful at what she might
find, but it was empty. She went along the landing to Dockley’s cell and barged
in. “What were you doing in Carol’s cell!” she demanded.
“Don’t
know what you mean,” Dockley replied innocently.
“Stay
away from her!” Nikki retorted angrily. “Or you’ll have me to answer to.”
“Trying
to keep all the pussy for yourself, Wade?” Dockley sneered. “Even that black
bitch!”
“Why
you…!” She lunged forward and grabbed hold of Dockley’s throat with her right
hand.
“What’s
going on?” a Scottish voice demanded.
Nikki
recognised the voice of the new Wing Governor, Helen Stewart, and quickly
dropped her hand. “Nothing, miss,” she replied without turning round.
“Isn’t
it good manners to look at someone when you’re speaking to them?” the voice continued sharply.
Nikki
turned slowly round and glared at Helen Stewart. “Yes…miss! Sorry…miss!”
she replied, trying to keep the contempt out of her voice.
“She
attacked me!” Dockley exclaimed, suddenly finding her voice. “I didn’t do
nuffink!”
“Nothing,”
Helen repeated, looking Dockley squarely in the eye. “Apart from making racial
comments.” When Dockley made no response, Helen looked at Nikki. “I think you’d
better leave.”
“You
can’t let ‘er get away wiv it!” Dockley remonstrated.
“Enough!”
Helen’s voice rose angrily. “If I see anything like this happening again,
neither of you will get away with it!” She again looked at Nikki and jerked her
head backwards. “Out!”
Nikki
brushed past Helen and out of the cell. As she pounded down the stairs, she met
Carol on her way up.
“What’s
wrong with you?” Carol asked when she saw the thunderous look on Nikki’s face.
“Bloody
Scottish bitch!” Nikki exclaimed maliciously. “They treat us like animals in
here and she’s no better!”
“Nikki!”
Carol hissed warningly as Helen Stewart started to descend the stairs. The two
women moved to one side to allow her to pass and she smiled her thanks at them.
Nikki
gave an audible snort of disgust and Helen faltered momentarily and almost
started to turn round before continuing on her way. Nikki watched her go
through narrowed eyes then turned to Carol. “Have you been to see the doc yet?”
“Nikki,
will you stop fussing!” Carol protested. “I’m OK.”
Before
Nikki had time to comment one of a group of women standing nearby called to
her.
“What
you going to wear in the fashion show then, Nik?”
Nikki
looked contemptuously at the woman, Julie Saunders, a pretty blonde in her
early thirties serving time for prostitution. “Nothing!” she exclaimed, as she
and Carol walked up to the group.
“Fenner’ll
enjoy that!” Carol replied with a laugh.
“I
meant I wasn’t going to be in the fashion show!” Nikki retorted. “You’re not
getting me strutting up and down!”
“Come
on, Nik. It’ll be a laugh,” the second half of the two Julies, Julie Johnston,
coaxed. “We could run you up a lovely little…”
“…Off-the-shoulder
number.” The Julies spoke the words in unison, as if each knew what the other
was
going to say.
Carol
nudged Nikki playfully with her elbow. “That I would like to see.”
“In
your dreams!” Nikki replied scornfully. “I’m not doing it and that’s final.”
“Famous
last words,” Carol teased and received a glower from Nikki in response.
The
fashion show was the Governing Governor’s idea and, because a list of
dignitaries had been invited to attend, all the wings had been ordered to take
part. The inmates who had volunteered their services were making their own
outfits and as the show drew near were allowed an hour before lock-up each
night for rehearsals.
The
music was pounding and Shell Dockley, wearing a black curly wig was strutting
up and down the catwalk, her whole body moving seductively to the music.
“That’s
your lot! Time for bed!” Fenner ordered as he snapped on the lights and
switched off the music.
“Yer
can’t do that!” Shell exclaimed.
“I
just did!” Fenner replied arrogantly.
“Just
a little bit longer, Mr Fenner,” Shell pleaded in a little girl voice as she
bent down towards him, giving him full view of her ample cleavage.
“You’ve
already had an extra twenty minutes,” Fenner replied, only to be met by a
barrage of moans and groans from the inmates. “Come on, girls, don’t give me a
hard time. You can do it all again tomorrow.”
“Sod
you then!” Shell dragged the wig from her head and flounced off.
Nikki
watched the unfolding scene, a wry smile on her lips. Fenner looked as if he
had some making up to do to Dockley. She went back onto the wing and started up
the stairs to see Carol.
“Where
do you think you’re going?” Bodybag demanded as she loomed up in front of her.
“I
was just going to see Carol,” Nikki explained. “She wasn’t at rehearsals and I
just wondered if she was alright.”
“You
should have thought of that before. Now, wander back to your own cell.”
“I
only want to see if she’s alright,” Nikki protested.
Bodybag
stood her ground, hands planted firmly on her hips. “Lorna!” she called to the
young prison officer who was walking along the landing. “See Wade back to her
cell!” she ordered when Lorna Rose reached her.
“You’d
lock us up and throw away the key if you had the chance!” Nikki retorted. As
she turned to go resignedly back downstairs, she bumped into Shell on her way
up to her cell.
“Missed
your goodnight kiss, Wade?” Shell asked facetiously as she barged into Nikki.
“Probably
not as much as you missed yours!” Nikki countered sarcastically. She went back
to her cell and undressed quickly before lights out then dropped down onto her
bunk. She was worried about Carol. She had been complaining of stomach pains
earlier, maybe that was why she wasn’t at the rehearsal. She still hadn’t seen
the doctor either. As the cell was plunged into darkness, she drew the covers
over her. In the morning, she would insist Carol went to see the doctor even if
she had to drag her there!
The
following morning, Nikki stood waiting for Carol to come down from her cell for
breakfast. She frowned. There seemed to be a lot of activity but Carol wasn’t
anywhere to be seen. “What’s happened to the threes?” she demanded as Lorna
Rose walked past her.
Lorna
turned and looked at the tall inmate. “They’ll be down in a bit.”
“What’s
going on?” Nikki asked suspiciously.
“Just
a bit of bother…” Lorna stopped and laughed incredulously. “You’re nosy, aren’t
you?”
“Just
wondered, that’s all.” Almost as she spoke she heard Julie Saunders’s shocked
voice from the upper landing.
“Oh,
my gawd!”
Nikki
headed for the bottom of the stairs only to find her way barred by a burly
prison officer. “Julies, what’s going on?” She called fearfully.
“Look’s
like a slaughterhouse, Nikki!” Julie S yelled down to her.
“Blood
all over the place!” the two Julies called in unison.
A
look of horror crossed Nikki’s face. “Carol!”
Helen
Stewart paced anxiously up and down her office seemingly oblivious to the two
people sitting on chairs in front of her desk…Fenner and Sylvia. She turned
suddenly and glared at Sylvia. “So, what you’re saying is, Carol Byatt is a
liar!”
“I
didn’t say that, Ma’am,” Sylvia edged.
“Carol
said she told you she wanted to see the doctor, you said she didn’t so one of
you must be lying!” Helen exclaimed. “Well?”
Sylvia
looked at Fenner then turned back to Helen. “She said she was tired.”
“Tired?”
Helen repeated incredulously. “That’s not how she tells it.”
“You’d
take the word of a con…” Sylvia began but Helen shouted her down.
“An
inmate miscarried and nearly bled to death in her cell last night and I want to
know how it happened! Thanks to you involving the cleaners the whole of G-Wing
will know by now!”
“Helen,
you can’t blame, Sylvia…” Fenner began but again Helen interjected angrily.
“I’m
not trying to allocate blame, I’m trying to get at the truth!” She turned icy
green eyes to Sylvia. “Did Carol Byatt tell you she wanted to see the doctor?”
“Well,
she did but…”
“Did
she also tell you she was bleeding?”
“Bleeding?”
Sylvia feigned surprise. “She didn’t tell me she was bleeding. I just thought
she was trying it on like she always does.”
“So
almost losing her life was her own fault?” Came the patronising response.
“Well?”
“Helen,”
Fenner put in quickly. “If you want my opinion, this is just a tragic set of
circumstances.”
Helen
gave an audible sigh of displeasure. “I’ll have to talk to the women.”
“Don’t
you think you ought to leave it until the dust settles?” Fenner suggested
warily. “I don’t think the women will be in any mood to listen.”
“That’s
why I should speak to them now. The longer I leave it the harder it will be.
We’ve got to let the women know we care what happens to them.”
Sylvia
gave a sarcastic laugh. “They’re criminals getting what’s coming to them.”
Helen
pursed her lips. “They are also human beings,” she said quietly trying to
contain her anger. She sat down behind her desk and after a giving Sylvia a
scathing look turned to Fenner. “Call a wing meeting and let me know when
you’re ready.” She picked up a report from her desk and flicked it open,
wordlessly dismissing the two officers.
Fenner
raised his eyebrows at Sylvia then the two of them left the office leaving an
angry looking Helen glaring at the closed door.
The
phone shrilled beside her and she picked it up impatiently. “Helen Stewart.”
“It’s
me,” a male voice announced cheerfully.
She
grimaced. This she could do without at the moment. “What is it Sean?”
“Mini-crisis.
I’ve broken my pencil and I can’t find a sharpener.”
“Bloody
hell, Sean!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t got time for this. I’m the one with a
mini-crisis on my hands.”
“Just
tell me whether you’ve got one or not,” he replied unabashed.
She
gave a long sigh. She had only been living with Sean, a landscape gardener, a
couple of months but already his presence was starting to get on her nerves.
His job was all important to him but he seemed to think she was playing at
hers. “Look in the crap drawer. On the end, under the cupboard.” She could hear
him rummaging then he spoke again.
“What
did you call it?”
“My
crap drawer…where I keep my…” she stopped. “Oh, Sean, piss off!” She heard him
blow her a kiss just before she slammed down the receiver.
Nikki
was leaning against the railings on G2 surveying the scene below her. Fenner
had called them all to a wing meeting and they were awaiting the arrival of the
Wing Governor. She turned to the two Julies who were standing beside her.
“Whatever
lies they give us, they’re not getting away with it,” she vowed fervently.
“What
you going to do, Nik?” Julie Saunders asked avidly.
“We’ll
talk about it later.” She pointed to the gate where Helen Stewart had just
arrived. “Looks like the fun is about to begin.”
As
murmurs of apprehension and speculation went round the women, Fenner bellowed
for silence.
“Thank
you,” Helen replied then looked around the women. All eyes were turned on her
expectantly. “As you all know, Carol Byatt suffered a miscarriage in her cell
during the night. I went to see her in hospital this morning and she’s doing
fine.” She hesitated momentarily to let the good news sink in. “I promised her
a full investigation but after speaking to my officers I can only conclude…”
She glanced at Fenner. “That this was a tragic set of circumstances!”
“You
what?” Nikki exclaimed loudly. “Carol asked to see a doctor…!”
“We
heard her,” the two Julies put in.
“And
so did that bitch!” Nikki pointed an accusing finger at Sylvia. “She should be
sacked!”
“Now
just a minute…!” Helen began.
“No,
you wait a minute!” Nikki retorted angrily. “We’ve heard enough of your lies
and if you think we’re going to make you look good in front of your visitors
you can think again! You can shove your fashion show up your arse!” She folded
her arms and gave Helen a look of triumph.
Helen
moved until she was standing directly in front of Nikki. “Fine,” she agreed.
“This wing will no longer take part in the fashion show.” She stuck her finger
in Nikki’s face. “And you are on Rule 43! Lock them up!” She turned and stormed
from the wing, Fenner following on her heels.
“Helen,
can’t we talk about this?” he gabbled. “You can’t pull them out of the fashion
show.”
“I
just did!” she retorted. “I almost had to face a riot because of what happened.
Do you think I believed the load of shit Sylvia fed me?”
“Can’t
you reconsider?” he said pleadingly.
“Jim,
when I make a decision, I stick to it…G-Wing are out of the fashion show!” With
that she stalked off leaving Fenner staring after her, his face a mask of fury.
Nikki
struggled in vain. Her arms were firmly held by the women officers, one either
side of her as they followed in Bodybag’s wake to a cell on the Block.
“Let
go of me, you morons!” she exclaimed as she was dragged into a cell.
Bodybag
looked at her smugly. “Put her in the strips!” she ordered.
“Why
you…!” Nikki lurched forward and a fist smashed into her stomach. Her legs
buckled but she was dragged upright and her clothes forcibly removed!
Helen
grimaced as the telephone rang. Please, God, don’t let it be Sean again, she
thought irritably. She picked up the receiver but before she had time to speak
Simon Stubberfield came on the line.
“Can
you come and see me, Helen? Soon as you can, it is important.”
“Very
well, Simon. I’m on my way,” she replied crisply. She replaced the receiver and
took a deep breath before standing. Now what?
“I
know you think you’ve done the right thing taking G-Wing out of the fashion
show, Helen, but how can I explain their absence? That the Wing Governor did it
on a whim?” Stubberfield asked superciliously.
“I
can assure you it wasn’t a whim, Simon!” she retorted. “The wing was in uproar
because an officer almost allowed an inmate to bleed to death…”
“Exactly,
so why penalise the whole wing? I know when you make a decision you like to stick
to it but in this instance, I think you should reconsider.”
Helen
looked at him in surprise at his words. Fenner! He must have gone to
Stubberfield behind her back, that’s the only way he would have known what had
passed between them. Although she was inwardly seething, she forced a weak
smile to her lips. “Very well, I’ll reconsider.”
“Good.
I thought you’d see sense.”
“Yes,
things are crystal clear, Simon,” she replied, unable to keep the sarcasm out
of her voice.
“I’ll
leave it with you then, Helen.”
Her
lips pursed angrily as she left the office. She purposefully made her way to
G-Wing and into the officers’ office where Fenner was making a mug of tea and
Sylvia was sitting in an armchair reading a magazine. “Sylvia, can you leave
us, please?”
Sylvia
looked at her in surprise. “I haven’t finished my tea break yet, ma’am.”
“Is
that what happened the other night?” Helen asked coldly. “You were so eager to
get back to your cup of tea, you didn’t care about an inmates welfare.”
“Of
course not, ma’am, but we are allowed a break.”
“Then
for God’s sake take your bloody tea with you!” Helen snapped.
Sylvia
picked up her cup and as she walked past Helen on her way out of the office,
sniffed loudly.
“So
you went behind my back?” Helen said accusingly to Fenner when they were alone.
“I know you don’t like me, Jim, but if you’ve got anything to say about me, say
it to my face.”
“I
gave you my opinion, Helen, and you didn’t want to know,” Fenner replied
smoothly. “You were only stirring up more trouble for us all by taking the wing
out of the fashion show. The women have been looking forward to it and they’ve
worked hard on their costumes.”
Helen
looked at him suspiciously; surprised he was on the side of the women but then
why should she be surprised when he always took the opposite stance to her. She
turned and walked away, inwardly seething, leaving Fenner looking after her, a
triumphant smile upon his lips.
Nikki
sat with her back against the wall, a thin blanket wrapped around her slender form.
She was cold and she was hungry. Dockley had taunted her through the flap that
the fashion show was back on then pushed the food trolley away without leaving
her a meal. A bar of chocolate and a carton of soft drink had been her only
sustenance, donated she guessed by the two Julies and dropped through the flap
behind Dockley’s back by Dawn, one of the kitchen assistants.
Her
arms and legs were almost numb with cold. She slid her hand inside the blankets
and rubbed her limbs briskly to get her circulation going.
She
heard a key in the lock and looked defiantly at the cell door. She was
surprised to see the Wing Governor enter and even more surprised at her words.
“What
the hell is going on here?” Helen yelled angrily. “Someone get her clothes!”
Nikki
rose unsteadily to feet that were so cold she could barely feel them.
“I
didn’t order you to be put in the strips,” Helen told her almost
apologetically.
“But
it still happened!” Nikki retorted accusingly.
“Well,
it won’t happen again. I intend to make a lot of changes around here,” Helen
replied sincerely.
Nikki
laughed in disbelief. “You can beat the system, is that what you’re
trying to say?”
“I
can with your help.”
A
prison officer came rushing in and placed Nikki’s clothes on the makeshift bed
then hovered guiltily.
“Wait
outside!” Helen ordered sternly. “And close the door!” She moved over to the
window and turned her back on Nikki to afford her some privacy whilst she
dressed. “You can co-operate with me or…”
“Co-operate!”
Nikki echoed sarcastically.
Helen
turned as Nikki muttered ‘ready’. “It’s up to you, Nikki. We either work
together or we both lose out to the old boys’ network.”
Both
inmates and staff looked on in surprise as Nikki entered G-Wing, her arm around
Carol’s shoulder and the Wing Governor following behind.
Carol
went across to the two Julies, leaving Nikki in the centre of the room. Nikki
cleared her throat nervously before speaking. “Can I have your attention,
please? I’ve spoken to Miss Stewart and G-Wing is back in the fashion show.
Since it was my fault we were taken out in the first place, I’ve given her my
personal reassurance that we’ll give it our best shot. So, go out there and
knock ‘em dead!”
A
cheer went up from the women as Nikki finished speaking. Helen turned and left
the wing, satisfied that for once she had wiped the smug smirk from Fenner’s
lips.
“Nikki!”
The
tall inmate turned at the sound of her name and waited until Helen Stewart
caught up with her.
“I
wanted to thank you for what you did,” Helen said with a smile. The fashion
show had gone off without a hitch, enjoyed by both inmates and visitors alike.
“I
did it for the women, miss,” Nikki replied stonily then turned and stalked off.
Helen watched her go then gave a wry shake of the head and walked off in the
opposite direction.