Just a small one shot. Let me know if you like it, I'd be open to writing a part two :)
It was Christmastime at Litchfield. Sophia and Sister Ingalls were planning the annual pageant, while Nicky organized her usual "secret santa" gift exchange. Holidays were usually only a reminder to the inmates that while they served time, real life carried on outside the prison gates.
John Bennett entered the craft store, having driven straight there after getting off work. It was three days before Christmas. He would be working on the 25th, and had actually requested to be scheduled that day. He'd said it was so the CO's with families could have the day off, but he knew that wasn't the real reason.
Walking up and down the aisles, he searched for something Daya would like. She was always drawing on little pieces of scrap paper so he thought she'd appreciate a proper sketchpad and utensils.
After an hour of looking, he ended up purchasing a 500-sheet premium sketchpad, a 20-piece set of drawing pencils, and a package of colored pencils. He knew next to nothing about art, but the employee who'd helped him had told him these were popular items. Though he hadn't much money, he spent close to one hundred dollars on the gift.
Knowing he could never risk bringing it in the prison himself and giving it to her, he addressed a package to her at the prison, leaving no return address. He would offer to deliver all of the inmate's packages on Christmas, and he could see her face when she opened it.
He pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex, a dismal building in queens where he'd been renting a one-bedroom for the past six months. Shopping bag in hand, he entered the lobby and started up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Inside his kitchen, he stuck the items in a gift bad he'd purchased on the way home. Before sealing up the package he enclosed a note. Then he taped it up and wrote her name, and the prison address on the box.
...
Christmas day, John got to work at 5am. He patrolled the hallways like usual, passing through rooms to make sure nobody misbehaved. Now that Mendez was suspended, he'd taken over his office for the time being. He hadn't spoken to Daya about the baby, or about what happened with Mendez in over a week. He didn't know what he would say to her. That everything would be okay? Because he didn't know that.
She hadn't started to show yet, so for now, he could just act like things were normal. He would give her his gift, and they'd enjoy the holiday. John, Daya and the baby. All together on Christmas, like some kind of a family.
Just after breakfast, he went to deliver the packages. Not many inmates had anyone sending them anything for Christmas, so he didn't have much work. Earlier that morning in the cafeteria he'd slipped a note to Daya.
Meet me by the tobacco shack after breakfast.
...
A grin spread across his face when he saw Daya waiting for him. He reached her and stopped a few feet in front of her. She eyed the box skeptically.
"What is that?" She raised her eyebrows.
"A package came for you," he extended the box out to her.
She gazed at him quizzically, a small smile appearing. Opening the box, she saw the green and red gift bag with a note attached to it.
Now you don't always have to draw on yellow legal pads with blue ink pens. You can teach me someday. Merry Christmas.
She looked up at him.
"Open it," he encouraged.
She lifted the sketch pad out of the bag first. Then the two packs of pencils.
"It's drawing supplies," she said almost questioningly, staring at the items in her hands.
"Guess you have a friend somewhere who's thinking about you."
She shook her head, at a loss for words. "John...thank you."
"Don't thank me. It would be entirely inappropriate for a CO to give an inmate a gift." He beamed at her.
She let out a small laugh. Unable to contain himself any longer, he looked around quickly to make sure they were completely alone, and then swooped down and kissed her. Their lips met and he felt a rush go through his body. He tangled his hands in her hair and deepened the kiss. He had started to plant kisses down her neck when he suddenly remembered where they were. Reality set in. He pulled away cleared his throat.
"Meet me tonight during the pageant," he murmured, "In the supply closet."
She smiled and nodded, still tightly clutching the box.
When she left to go to work, he stayed by the shack for a few more minutes. He thought about her face when she'd opened the gift. Just then, Fischer walked by with two inmates. He nodded to her as she passed, and had to bite his lip to keep from smiling to himself. Before he went back inside, he looked up toward the sky where a plane flew overhead. He could already tell this would be one of his better Christmases.