Regional Hospital
"I am so sorry Allie" weeps Maxine after telling her what happened to Bea two days ago "no one had any idea what was going to happen, if I had known or even been there I would've stopped her."
I know deep down that Maxine is telling the truth, she loved Bea just as much as I did but it doesn't stop the sorrow that is rising in my chest. I can't stop the silent tears from falling as I remember those soft brown eyes and shy smile that has been extinguished from the world forever.
"Allie, are you okay? Do you need the nurse?" Maxine asks quietly
My gaze quickly flits to the guard that escorted Maxine to my room then back to Maxine's tear soaked eyes, with a slow shake of my head I answer "No, I don't need a nurse" with a small heartbreaking smile I continue, "I just want to be alone right now."
Maxine leans down and kisses my brow and softly whispers for my ears alone, "If you need anything, anything at all you just have to ask" she leans back to stare in my eyes and continues, "because of her I will do anything to help or protect you, as long as I am around you will be safe" she promises.
With those words ringing in my ears Maxine slowly stands up and nods to the guard that she is ready to go back to Wentworth. Before she exits my room she turns back, "My next appointment is in two days, I'll arrange to come back to see you again, okay?"
I nod my agreement and answer with a quiet thank you, then she is out the door and I am alone with my sorrow.
Through the day hospital staff quietly enter my room for various reasons, medication, changing bed sheets and bathroom visits, I stare at the far wall as it all goes past me like it's happening to someone else. I don't even acknowledge the doctor's visit as he informs me they are keeping me for a few more days to make sure there are no residual effects from my overdose.
I am too busy remembering Bea and that last kiss that I placed on her brow, if I had known it was the last time my lips would touch her I would have made it a good kiss goodbye, better than a soft press to her forehead. Lost in the memory of our night together, her soft skin under my finger tips., our lips meeting in slow kisses and her beautiful body entwined with mine. It is all background noise, unable to compete with the short movie playing over and over in my head.
Finally I look up and the clock on the wall reads 10:00pm, no more visits from the staff until 6:00am, I am now truly alone and that is the signal for fresh tears to fall fast and furious from my eyes.
Back At Wentworth
Slowly Maxine walks from medical towards H1 and the girls, her shoulders are slumped with sorrow as she walks past the other inmates, some reach out to touch her shoulder in commiseration others hug her close while they whisper "We are with you."
She finally reaches the unit and is immediately mobbed by the girls with rapid fire questions "Are you okay?", "How is Allie?" and "Have you heard anything more?". Maxine hugs each of them and carefully answers "I'm a little queasy and tired" she starts, "As for Allie, I told her what we know happened and let her know we have her back but I am not sure how much she heard past Bea is dead" with a shake of her head she asks, "Could I have a cuppa and we can talk some more?"
Boomer scurries over to the kettle to set it to boiling, while Liz and Sonia escort Maxine to a chair at the table, she slumps down into the seat and with a quiet sad look at each women she silently invites them to join her. As each of them take a seat the sound of footsteps nearing the unit could be heard and the group turns to see Kaz Proctor entering through the gate.
Quick as lightning Boomer is in front of her blocking her entry to the unit, "What the fuck do you want?" she asks with a low growl of warning. Liz, Sonia and Doreen rise to form a circle of protection around Maxine, all waiting for the new Top Dog's next move.
With a glance at Maxine she asks "How is Allie?" a look of sadness descends on her face as she continues, "Does she know?"
"Physically she will be fine, the doctors are keeping her for observation in case anything else shows up but they should be releasing her back to Wentworth within the week." answers Maxine, "I was just telling the girls that I told her about Bea but not sure what she took in beyond that she is gone".
Kaz looks down at the floor, then back up to Maxine "What are you planning Max?" she asks quietly, "Are you going to challenge me?" she goes on quickly staring intently into Maxine's eyes, "Because that would be a mistake, the women voted me Top Dog before this happened and I don't think they've changed their minds."
"You have nothing to worry about Kaz," Maxine answers with a tired sigh, "Right now I am concentrating on my treatments and when she returns I will help Allie grieve properly"
With that affirmation, Kaz looks at Boomer and the rest of the women of H1 "And the rest of you? What are you planning?" her gaze coming back to Boomer, "Will you support me?".
Liz speaks up now "We won't challenge you Kaz but that doesn't mean we support you," she's says while staring directly into Kaz's eyes, "We'll help Maxine through her treatments and when Allie returns we will help her as well" with silent nods all the women, even Sonia, agree with Liz.
With a small smile and nod Kaz exits the unit, leaving everyone to wonder whether they have avoided a feud with the new Top Dog or issued her a warning for a future conflict. The whistle of the kettle breaks the silence and Boomer hustle over to make the tea, the rest of the women return to their seats at the table and as a group lift their eyes to stare at Maxine.
Again Liz speaks for the women "What are we going to do Maxine?" her gaze drops to her folded hands "Bea is gone, the Freak is back in protection under 24 hour double guard, the Governor and Mr. Jackson are suspended and Kaz is Top Dog."
"It would seem we are lacking in friends," muses Maxine "but if Bea showed us anything it's that planning for revenge takes time a and opportunity not necessarily allies, look at what she accomplished in order to kill Brayden Holt" she stops at that with a thoughtful look, " We need to stay quiet, keep everyone from looking at us, we need to wait for Allie to return"
"For Allie to return? Why?" asks Doreen
"Because my dear why do you think the Freak went after her, planted the gear in her cell that got her slotted when Bea went berserk on Mr. Jackson and again with the hotshot in the showers when she and Bea came out as a couple?" Maxine poses the question to the whole group.
"She is the brains" states Sonia "I wondered about the inconsistencies with Karen, even asked Beatrice about that before she was attacked in the kitchen" she pauses for a moment then goes on "When Allie was still in the RRH and second in command, Karen was more moderate and less driven to direct confrontation."
Remembering an earlier conversation with Sonia, Boomer pipes in with "So you think Allie is the thinker and Kaz the doer?"
"I do" Sonia nods her head emphatically, "Which should lead us to some interesting times when she returns, no matter how she was today I really don't think she will spend all her time at the hospital just crying. Don't be surprised if the Allison we knew before is not the woman that returns to Wentworth." Sonia looks at each of the women at the table while she finishes that last sentence.
"What do we do in the meantime?" asks Doreen "Liz and I have the prison memorial arranged for Allie's return, the board refused our request for some of Bea's ashes, they told Liz the body has been cremated and will be interred beside her daughter tomorrow!" she finishes plaintively.
"We will do what we can Dor," says Liz with a sigh, "We kept Bea's red blanket, some of her clothes and her drawings for Allie to have but beyond that we are stuck until things quiet down around here."
Boomer returns to the table with tea for everyone and joins the seated women, all are lost in thought of what the future will hold for them without their Queen.
Regional Hospital
The clock on the wall reads after midnight and I feel like shit, crying for two hours straight can take it out of you, but once the tears stopped I could feel my anger growing, anger at her for sacrificing herself, for giving up on me. She promised to protect me and I know deep in my heart she felt she had failed to do this and fell back on what she knew best, revenge.
Remembering what Maxine had said earlier, the doctor's had told her that there was nothing more they could do for me and that she had passed this information onto Bea after she pleaded with me to wake up during a phone call. During her visit Maxine had repeated Bea's final message to me "Allie, it's going to be OK….you just fly….you'll be free…..you go find Debbie and you look after her…and you wait for me….you wait…I love you beautiful girl" Then she hung up and walked away thinking I was as good as dead.
A little while later I did flatline but the doctor's were able to resuscitate me, Maxine was still there when my eyes opened and she tried to contact Bea again to tell her but it was too late, when she reached Mr. Jackson he informed her about what happened and that Bea was dead, killed by the Freak.
Bea once told me about a conversation she had with Liz and Maxine before Kaz first started her shit, that to be happy you need someone to love, something to do and something to look forward to, I had all of that for a short while and with one fell swoop the Freak took it all away.
With a sigh I decide that I need new goals, I will always have my love for Bea but our relationship is over before it started and our future together gone with Bea's last breath, but I will need to be patient that will be key to achieving my goals.
First something to do, Bea couldn't have confronted the Freak in that area of the prison without help, this tells me there was at least one guard involved maybe even the fucking Governor, I need to find out who it was.
Second something to look forward to, the Freak she has to pay for what she did to me and most especially what she did to Bea, my hand will be the one to finally end her.
It is a given to include the women of H1, with their love for Bea I know they will help me. This thought make me feel less alone, I need Maxine's guidance and respect from the other inmates, Liz for her motherly nature and as a trusted peer worker she can get people to talk to her. Boomer has her connections as well and her strength could be used to force what can't be coerced, Sonia is the enigma, being new and wealthy she could be an asset but I will have to be careful with her she is a smart one.
The wild card is Doreen, her abandonment of Bea to join Kaz and the Freak makes me nervous. I know Kaz fucked up with her and her kid, but with the way she changes sides so easily means I have to proceed carefully maybe not trust her as much as I would the others.
I will have to tread lightly even with the women of H1, anyone who joins me will be a pawn in my plan for revenge, unlike Bea I will use and sacrifice anyone I have to, justice must be served.
With that last thought I could feel sleep overtaking me, my eyes drift closed and I slip off hoping to find my love in the dreams waiting for me.