CHAPTER 1 – REDEMPTION
Jane looked up from her breakfast, if you could call it that. The stodgy porridge stuck to the plastic spoon before it eventually plopped back into the plastic bowl. After seven years of eating the disgusting breakfast day in and day out, she looked forward to never seeing porridge again in her life.
She noticed her friends entering the main dining hall. Funny how seven years later she could called these three women her 'friends'. She could still remember the day when she was nearly left for dead in the shower cubicle because of these women.
They momentarily stopped and glanced around the hall before heading directly for Jane. Sitting simultaneously, the table dipped slightly as the weight on the stools became occupied.
"Rizzoli..." the oldest woman said as she slid a small parcel wrapped in waxed paper towards Jane.
Gathered it up in hands, Jane unfolded the paper to reveal a bacon sandwich. The aroma of the freshly cooked bacon swirled around the table. Nodding in appreciation a couple of times, she brought the sandwich to her lips and opened her mouth letting her teeth sink deeply into the sandwich. Pulling at the crispy bacon, she relished the taste momentarily before swallowing.
"Fucking hell Rizzoli slowdown! It's like you haven't ate for a year" The short haired woman said as she watched Jane devour the sandwich.
"Try Seven ..." Jane snorted as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
A chorus of laughter erupted from the table.
"So Rizzoli..as its your last day in this hell hole we wanted to do something special, a few girls are putting a party together for you tonight.." The slender older woman said as she lowered her voice and leant into Rizzoli.
Rizzoli didn't answer; her eyes followed the prison guard as he walked past the table. As soon as the guard walked out of ear shot, Jane answered "Forget it, I don't want a party. Tell the girls to keep their home made hooch for Christmas…just want a quiet night.." Jane sat up straight crumpling the waxed paper in her hand before throwing it on her plastic tray.
"Fuck Rizzoli...I got a new dress for the party..pfft." The robust African American woman smiled as she folding her arms over her chest.
Jane smirked "A dress? Williams, last time I saw you in a dress you were offering blowjobs to the screws, remember..."
"Hey! A girl has to keep her skills fresh, you know.." Williams laughed.
Jane shook her head as she laughed; in a way she was going to miss Williams. She remembered when she first met the woman. She was greeted with a left hook which knocked her to the ground. Williams and Rizzoli had met before on the outside. Jane had arrested the woman a couple years previously for murdering her husband.
But how things had changed. A year into her sentence Jane had stuck up and fought alongside Williams in the yard one day when she was targeted by a small contingent of Latinos who were flexing their muscles. Jane showed Williams, she had her back and ever since then Williams and Rizzoli had been friends.
"Aww come on Rizzoli, don't be a fucking pussy the girls have gone to a lot of effort. Lopez and her crew are supplying the music..aww shit I was hoping to hook up tonight with that fine ass woman of mine from D block" the short haired woman smiled.
Jane looked to the woman "Torres, that 'fine ass woman' you've been trying' to get with for the last six months is as straight as Williams" Jane smirked as she looked to Williams "no chance.."
"Well Rizzoli I can always make it worth your while, we've got time" Torres blew Rizzoli a kiss.
Jane rolled her eyes "you don't give up, do you.."
"Nah uh.." Torres smirked "You're fine... for a vanilla"
That was Jane's nickname 'vanilla'. She remember how Rondo used to call her that and it was sort of funny how she'd now adopted the name inside as well.
Jane looked to her friends and smiled. Shaking her head, she stood up from the table. "Alright, I'll swing by...check out the party" she relented.
Williams and Torres gave each other a fist pump while the older slender woman stood up from the table and followed Jane to the bins. Jane slid the contents of the tray in the garbage and turned to the woman.
"I for one am going to miss you Rizzoli. This place" She looked around at the dining hall which was filled with women of all ages, colours and different ethnicities "You brought us all together.." she said as she looked back at Jane.
"Miller I didn't do anything.." Jane shrugged.
Miller looked deep into Rizzoli's eyes "If it wasn't for you standing up to the Latino's all those years ago, we wouldn't be where we are now…this place was so divided until you took charge.." Miller replied.
Jane looked around; Miller had a point. When she first arrived no body dared to mix outside their ethnicity. The tension could have been cut with a knife. It wasn't until Rizzoli naturally took charge and showed that just because of your skin colour or race you didn't have to constantly look over your shoulder wondering where the next blow would come from.
"Miller, I hand my baton to you then, make sure this place doesn't fall apart when I'm gone.." Jane said as she touched the older woman on the shoulder. She walked off and out the dining hall.
Miller turned and watched Jane disappear down the narrow corridor towards her cell.
Jane rounded the corner out of sight of the dining hall. A small tear rolled down her cheek and stained the collar of the brown jumpsuit. She leant against the wall and sighed deeply. She realised that once she was free tomorrow she would no longer be the 'big fish' but a very 'small fish' in a large ocean, called life. She wouldn't have the same protection she'd acquired inside. She was certain that her family and friends had almost given up on her, well except her mother whose monthly visits had been her only saving grace for the last seven years.
Jane spent the rest of the day in her cell. Occasionally other prisoners would stop by and give Jane their best wishes and then simply walk off.
Jane sat up in her bed; she glanced over at the small alarm clock her mother had given her for a Christmas present seven years ago. It read half past six. Slipping her sneakers on, she walked out her cell and towards the common room. As she pushed open one half of the double doors, she glanced around at the sight in front of her; the room was filled with women who were having a great time. The music stopped and everyone looked to Jane as she strolled in tentatively. She wasn't one for parties, she'd never actually been to a prison party before and wasn't entirely sure what she'd find.
A loud cheer filled the room before a thunderous applause took over as Jane made her way to the centre of the room.
She glanced around at the different faces, there had to be at least twenty or so women there. She waved her hands around and the cheering and clapping eventually stopped. Running her fingers through her hair, she coughed briefly to clear her throat.
"Okay, listen up..i'm gonna keep this brief, I hate making speeches. Thanks to everyone for organising this party, it wasn't necessary." Jane paused; she rubbed her hands nervously together as she looked at all the different faces staring back at her. "I just want to say I've made some good friends here and I will never forget that, anyway enjoy the party, thank you." .
Jane walked from the centre of the room and back out the double doors; she really wasn't in the partying mood.
As she reached her cell, she paused slightly and glanced around the wing. Strangely in a way she was going to miss this god forsaken place.
A/N - Should i continue?
