Title: A Moment with You
Summary: For "Guest" who left a review on my story "First and Last" last night. I hope you enjoy. This could constitute as a follow up to my story, "Happy Birthday", that was written for Natasha's Birthday last April.
Disclaimer: I do not own OITNB or any of its characters. They belong to Jenji Kohen, I do, however, own my writing so please don't steal- Johanna002©
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A/N: Readers, and guest that this was written for, please see Author's Note at the bottom.
Red entered the kitchen and looked around, an irritated expression on her face. "Mendoza!" she called loudly, she curled her finger in a come-hither motion. "Rapido!" she mocked.
"Who are you talking to?" Gloria's brow arched high in confusion. "Who do you think you are?" she asked. "Ordering me around like you done lost your damn mind!" She had been sitting on the counter, reading a magazine, and minding her own business before Red had walked in.
"You're in charge tomorrow," Red said matter of factly. She looked around the kitchen in satisfaction. Nearly everything was in its place, with the exception of the sink full of dishes. Surely Gloria couldn't mess up otherwise pure perfection in one evening. "I want the place looking as good as it does now," she said. "Not like it usually does when I let your people run ship." she pointed to the sink, "who the hell was supposed to do dishes today?"
"Maritza." Gloria leaned back on her hands. "If I had a choice, I'd jump ship," she said. "Drowning to my death seems to have many advantages when you compare it to working with you. Besides that, I'm in charge every night. After your little meltdown last week, Caputo and I agreed that things would work better under my control."
"Your control," Red dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "If you and your girls would have handled things the proper way from the get, I wouldn't have had a meltdown." At Gloria's eye roll, she felt her shoulders instantly square. "Well, what would you have done if a mouse ran across your foot?" she shook her head. "I thought you told Flaca to set out traps?"
"I'm not her keeper," Gloria grumbled. "I can't help if she doesn't follow directions."
"Well," Red smacked her lips. "That's why I need you to be extra vigilant and on top of everything. I'll still be around, but...I can't be as hands-on as I normally am. I'm taking a personal day."
"You'll still be around?" Gloria mocked her. "Where the hell else are you gonna be? Disneyland?" She shook her head. "You spend all day chasing after Healy, and bitching about upgrades, now you're telling me you need a personal day. I must be doing this whole prison thing wrong."
Red rolled her eyes. "Well, if you must know," she walked toward her slowly. "I'm taking an emotional health day," she explained. Leaning back against the counter, she crossed her arms over her chest.
At this Gloria smiled. It was a small, coy, Cheshire cat kind of grin. "You have those?" she asked, "emotions I mean?" There was a foreign glint of amusement in her eyes.
"I think you mean mental health day, Ma," Nicky said as she entered the kitchen. She stopped at the entryway and licked her lips at the delicious strawberries sitting on the counter.
"Those are not for you," Gloria hissed, raising her hand and pointing at her warningly. "Aye dios mio!" she threw her hands up in defeat as Nicky plucked a few berries from the bowl. "You're worse than the little mouse we have running around here."
"Fievel!" Nicky exclaimed. "Was wondering where he's been hanging around. How is he?" She sauntered further into the kitchen, her heavy work boots scuffing against the aluminum as she walked. "Hope Ma didn't give the guy too big a heart attack last week."
Gloria narrowed her eyes at her. "Maybe you should take a mental health day with your mother," she nodded toward the older woman. "You, more than anyone, probably need it."
"Emotional health day!" Red exclaimed.
"Whatever," Gloria rolled her eyes. "Look, Red, I'll do whatever you want... but it's gonna cost you." She blinked at her seriously, curious to how she'd end up playing this one off. If there was one thing Red hated, besides general happiness, it was owing favors.
"Name your price," the Russian woman said smoothly
"Snickers. Lots of 'em." She nodded her head toward the sink that was stacked high with dishes, "and I want Maritza off of dish duty. You've had her working it for over a month and all you do is complain."
"That is not-"
"Get one of your own girls to do the job," Gloria said seriously. "Or better yet, do it yourself." She hopped off the counter and began to make her way toward the exit of the kitchen. "Enjoy your mental day," she called over her shoulder. "Maybe we'll all get lucky and actually get a little peace and quiet around here."
Red crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "That woman," she complained.
"You don't exactly make things easy on her," Nicky said honestly. She walked around and hopped easily onto the countertop. "So, what's all is all this about?" she asked, picking up the magazine Gloria had abandoned. "This isn't the first I've heard of you taking a day off. Alex was talking about it too. I guess she heard you talking to Caputo?"
"Alex should really mind her own business," Red said gruffly.
Nicky cocked an eyebrow up at her. "It's just not really like you, Red" she said. "You don't take days off."
"Break the rules every now and again," Red said easily. "You taught me that." She smirked at her wild child and pat her knee affectionately.
"I really wouldn't take advice from me," Nicky said with a smirk. "I am in prison after all."
"As am I," Red chuckled. "Look, honey," she cooed. "Everything is fine. Okay?"
"You're sure?"
"Yes," Red confirmed. She smiled and turned to face her. Cupping her cheek, she used her left hand to push a thick tress of curls behind her ear, and with her right she lovingly caressed her cheek. "Tomorrow is just a very special day, one that I don't want to share with anyone else."
Nicky looked down at her lap. Twiddlin her thumbs, she let a little breath of air pass between her lips. "Not even me?" she asked. Red's hands fell from her face and she mentally she kicked herself. For weeks her mother had tried to engage her in activities, but she had continuously blown her off.
"Oh, Nicky…" she sighed. "Please tell me you know what tomorrow is?" Her eyes were large and hopeful, if not a little panicked.
"Saturday."
"I mean the date," Red narrowed her eyes.
"Oh god, Red," she sighed. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "You having an intervention or something for me?" she asked. "I've been here for six years, and I've had one slip. I thought we've handled this?"
"It's not an intervention," Red slapped her leg. "It's a celebration!" she exclaimed.
"Of the day I arrived in prison?" Nicky frowned. "You sure you're not losing it?"
"No," Red smiled. "Not of the day you arrived inprison… the day you got me," her hand cupped her face, "the day I got you." Her eyes softened and she gently stroked her cheek. "Remember, your birthday," she whispered. "Honey, I love you, and I just want to take some time for just the two of us. We haven't had a lot of that lately."
"Well, I'm trying a new thing," Nicky said honestly. "Growing up… handling my problems."
"I am proud of you," Red said calmly. "But that doesn't mean I want you to isolate me either. I do love you, Nicky." She straightened up, "I don't always love the choices that you have made, and quite honestly, I probably won't like a lot of the choices that you will make in the future, but I wouldn't be a mother if I blindly followed you in every direction you ever walked."
Nicky smiled, "Thanks, Ma." She sighed softly and opened her arms, smiling as Red walked into them. "I love you. Thanks for being here… putting up with me. Giving me rubber bands," she smiled against her shoulder, "making me coco-not cake and kicking my ass every time I need it." She squeezed her tightly. "How would you like to commemorate our anniversary?" she asked as she released her.
"Well," Red said, "First a stop the bathroom, where I picked you up off the floor."
"Yuck!" Nicky gagged. "Sounds disgusting. What kind of celebration is this?" she shook her head.
"Well you like to do things the hard way," Red rolled her eyes. "After that I'm not really sure. I'm sure you can think of something. What do you and Lorna normally get up to?"
"You don't wanna know," Nicky smirked. She gave her mother a knowing look and wagged her eyebrows. "You need a Lorna," she said sweetly.
"I most definitely do not," Red said sternly.
"A Gloria?" Nicky suggested. "I'm sure Gloria wants to be your friend"
"There are plenty of other people I would like to interact with besides her," Red rolled her eyes. She nodded toward the dishes. "Knock those at for me, and maybe we can start our night together, hmm?"
Nicky nodded, "sure thing, Ma." She watched as the older woman entered the small recess of her office. Prison was not a blessing, but upon coming here she had been abundantly blessed.
Author's Note: Guest, your review last night had me thinking most of the day today. While I wanted to write this for you, and I hope you enjoy it, I also wanted to address some things.
You said, "why don't you ever write about red and nicky anymore? don't you like the idea of red having contact with people who isnt gloria?"
To be completely honest with you, I am in a hard spot when it comes to Nicky. I enjoy her, and I love her, and I'll make an effort to keep her in a supporting character role, but she is probably, at this time, not someone I will be writing at large. Now, Gloria… I love her. I'm not really going to explain it or defend it, but I would definitely brace yourself for more of her in my stories. Be it her story, or her in a supporting role. I simply just adore her.
Things around the fandom have been quiet as of late, even myself with how fast I write and update (life, you know). So, readers… if there is something you'd like to say or ask, or suggest, my inbox is always open. I don't know what you like, what you don't like, what you miss or what you want more of if you don't speak. Silence is deafening.
Thank you!