Bending Reality
Chapter Four – No Names
Lorna let her eyes slide closed as her head fell back into Nicky's hand, her fingers immediately tangling in her hair and massaging her scalp gently. When Lorna winced a moment later she pressed a kiss to the side of her forehead,
"Sorry, I'm nearly done sweetheart" Red said from where she was sitting, her glasses on her nose as she examined Lorna's hand. The kitchen was deserted and the loud dining hall was similarly peaceful everyone having left to arrive at their jobs on time,
"No...no it's fine, thank you so much Red" Lorna said pushing her lips into a smile.
"It's nothing" the older woman implored focusing on the task at hand.
"You should have come to me the moment it happened" Red continued and Nicky hummed her agreement from where she stood on the other side of the table. Before Lorna could reply though or Nicky could add to the conversation the sound of something hitting the metal countertops stole their attention. It was a moment later that Mendez appeared his hand full of pasta that he was carelessly dropping piece by piece. Lorna straightened up in the chair and felt Nicky's hand drop down to rest on her shoulder. Red however, after seeing who it was, calmly turned back towards the two of them and carefully finished placing the dressing on Lorna's hand. The silence in the room became dense as they waited for the outburst that typically came anytime Pornstache was involved.
As he rounded the counter Red turned, giving Lorna's hand a quick squeeze before pulling her glasses from her face to fix the man with a stern stare,
"You need something?" she asked. His heavy footsteps echoed around the empty room and they watched as he headed for the pantry. Pulling the door open they heard Red sigh in displeasure and impatience as Mendez began casually pushing things from the shelves.
"Oh well look at this" he exclaimed a moment later pulling out a bag filled with various cosmetics. Lorna could see her lipstick at the bottom of the bag through plastic and even in the tense moment felt grateful to Red for once again taking care of her,
"What can I say…thing get stolen from the dormitories, it's safe keeping in my kitchen" Red replied seriously, having folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin to stare defiantly at the guard,
"Someone's smuggling in phones …someone's smuggling in drugs" Mendez said watching Red closely as if waiting for confirmation that it was her,
"No drugs" Red stated firmly,
"I don't appreciate competition" Mendez continued, ignoring her words and coming to stand directly before her. Nicky and Lorna watched the two face-off knowing that despite their size disparities Red was still firmly in control of the situation,
"And competition's not fun Red…we're all friends here after all" Nicky felt a shiver run down Lorna's spine and felt her own uneasiness grow at the expression on Mendez's face. Lorna felt Nicky's thumb begin to move along the back of her neck as she watched Red and Mendez,
"You need me Red" she scoffed at his words,
"Oh really, please do tell"
"You've got boxes coming in with a little something special…forget about SHU that's a ticket straight to max inmate. You've organised your little children, scampering around for you" Pornstache said, taking a moment to peer over Red's head, gaze lingering on Nicky and Lorna momentarily.
"You. Need. Me" he said each word harder than the one before,
"So if I find out that you have drugs going through here yourself –"
"As long as I am here no drugs will go through this kitchen" Red said and Mendez tutted feigning disappointment,
"Well there's more than one way to skin a cat Red" Mendez retorted angrily and stood staring down at her for a moment before turning and heading towards the door behind Lorna and Nicky.
Mendez paused once he reached them causing both girls to tense slightly and Red to take a small step towards the three. Lorna froze, and felt Nicky's fingers tighten around her shoulder, as Pornstache raised his hand towards her. She met his smirking gaze with a calm defiance but felt her heart skip slightly when his fingers gripped her chin tipping her face upwards slightly,
There was a moment of suffocating silence,
"INMATES WHY ARE YOU NOT AT WORK" both Nicky and Lorna flinched at the sheer volume of the words,
"GET UP" he roared and Lorna stood up from the stool feeling Nicky's hand drop from her shoulder and catch her wrist before pulling Lorna to her side, the opposite side of Mendez she noted. They stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, and as Lorna caught sight of the look in Nicky's eyes she could only hope that she wouldn't say anything – everyone knew that it was best not to antagonise Mendez more when he was riding out one of his little power trips.
"That is a shot for each of you" Mendez said pulling out his notebook,
"GO" he ordered a moment later and Red nodded towards them from where she stood behind him. They paused for a moment not wanting to leave the two alone,
"You can have neighbouring cells in SHU instead if you'd like?" Mendez offered with a smile. The pointed look that Red sent them and her nod caused both the girls to round the table and head for the door. They walked through the dining hall in silence, side by side,
"I don't want to leave her" Lorna said stopping suddenly as the filed out the door of the dining room. Nicky nodded turning to her,
"I know kid but it's Red she can definitely handle Pornstache" Nicky said smiling towards her,
"How does the hand feel?" she asked when Lorna nodded, reaching for the young Italian's hand and running her thumb gently over the newly situated white dressing. When Lorna didn't answer Nicky looked up,
"No one's offered you anything, right?" Nicky frowned, confused at the words before it dawned on her,
"Drugs?" she asked,
"Mendez said someone's bringing them in…someone other than him" Lorna said quickly moving a step closer and watching carefully, worried that she'd insulted her,
"No, I haven't heard or seen a thing" Lorna watched her for a moment longer and Nicky wasn't entirely sure whether to be annoyed or touched by the concern that swirled in Lorna's wide eyes.
"I just..."
"Hey, I've got my hands full with you don't I kid. Last thing I'd want to be doing is checking out on ya right now" Nicky grinned stepping even closer to the younger woman her hands finding Lorna's hips who fought off a moan as Nicky began to play with the hem of her khakis. The sound of a door swinging open down the hall caused them to break apart quickly and turn heading the opposite way.
"I'll see you at lunch yeah?" Nicky asked as they reached the corner where they'd have to separate,
"Have a good day at work honey" Lorna sung before pressing a kiss to Nicky's cheek and heading in the opposite direction. From behind her, Lorna heard Nicky laugh before going her own way.
As she walked, her black shoes squeaking on the white linoleum, Lorna tried to ignore the uneasy feeling that settled in her stomach. From Mendez's grip on her chin, to Nicky's quick dismissal of her question and of course Lombardi who had taken up a frustrating amount of her thoughts in the twenty-four hours she'd been in the prison.
The bang was louder than anything she had ever heard. As she looked around the room she could not hear the shouts coming from the man standing above her screaming at another who stood several metres away pointing wildly, his face pale and his lips opening and closing but there was no sound, just a loud ringing. She watched for a moment before looking across the room and seeing another familiar man who had punched the wall and swept all the things off the desk in the corner in a cloud of rage. She watched the glasses that been on the desk shatter, the pens and paper scatter and the books thud to the floor…in silence…nothing. Her vision unfocused and she felt water on her knees blinking suddenly at the stinging in her eyes. Only then did she hear the sound, a rasping inhale, a choking exhale.
"What are you doing Miss Morello?" Lorna's eyes snapped open and she stared upwards,
"Miss Morello?" Lorna blinked several times vaguely registering the face of Mr Healy before her. He crouched down looking worried and in confusion Lorna turned her head left seeing nothing but a vacant hallway and found the same on her right.
"Are you okay?" his calm and low voice asked again,
"Yes!" in contrast her voice was louder than she expected and she frowned in confusion when she realised she was on the floor, back against the wall and chest heaving and aching from a lack of oxygen,
"Did something happen?" the counsellor asked kindly and Lorna shook her head, unsure of the answer herself, unsure of anything,
"Do you need to go to medical?" he asked and Lorna felt her heart quicken with dread,
"Oh no Mr Healy I'm fine. Just having a bad day, you know" she said nodding to herself. Lorna planted her hands on the ground and pushed her body upwards balancing herself of shaky knees,
"I'm just heading to work" she said and avoided the careful gaze of Healy,
"I better go I'm running late" she said when he didn't move,
"Well why don't you stop by my office later on Miss Morello" he said with a small smile,
"Oh yeah no worries" she hurriedly replied, nodding. Lorna stretched her lips into a smile before making her exit,
"You have a good day Mr Healy, thanks for your help" it wasn't until she'd rounded the corner and walked through the doors on her way to work that her mind caught up and her brow furrowed in confusion, what was that?
"You have it?" she asked and Mendez nodded watching the shorter girl as he pulled a small bag from his pocket,
"This isn't free you got it" he said quietly and her eyes snapped up towards him,
"But you said…" he chortled at her indignation,
"Shut-up" he retorted and she glared up at him,
"You want to lose the attitude inmate" he said tapping the notebook that sat in his breast pocket,
"I want to know how Red is getting her shit in. That's what I want" he said and when her face creased and her mouth opened he quickly dangled the small bag in front of her almost laughing when her eyes fell to it and her mouth closed,
"That's what I thought" he remarked,
"I want you to find out as much as you can…or no more. You got it" he dropped the bag to the floor before turning and walking out of the small room ignoring her annoyed scoff and knowing she'd be picking it up off the floor and pulling it open before he even got around the next corner.
"Where you been Nichols?" Luschek asked folding his arms over his chest,
"Got held up" she responded shrugging her shoulders slightly. He watched her for a moment before sighing and leaning back in his chair with a shrug,
"He is a ridiculous CO" Piper said and Nicky nodded at her friend in agreement,
"Yeah but he's keeping me out of SHU for another day so I ain't complaining" she said watching as Piper attempted to undo a particularly tight nut her strained face making Nicky laugh,
"How's Lorna, she okay? Her hand looked terrible" the blonde asked after throwing her hands up in frustration and laying the wrench down on the table. Nicky nodded,
"Yeah much better" Nicky said, thinking about the young woman and her painted red lips,
"They have got to get that pipe fixed so many people have hurt themselves now" Piper said and Nicky raised an eyebrow,
"Yeah, I'm sure they'll get right to it, probably this afternoon after they've put up a new ceiling in the C dorm and the doors in the toilets" Nicky nodded enthusiastically causing Piper to roll her eyes with a slight smile.
"Oh, it's okay Suzanne I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She was probably having a terrible day, not that that's any excuse, but she was in an awful mood yesterday and seems like you got the brunt of it. See if she apologises first maybe?" Lorna said as she swivelled the mop from side to side. Suzanne nodded as she stood by the walls, scrubbing brush in hand.
"You're right" she said after contemplating Lorna's words for a moment,
"What other people do has nothing to do with you, my Mum used to say that. When the girls at school were mean. She said it meant that they couldn't see how special I was" the woman referred to as crazy eyes explained,
"Yeah" Lorna said smiling. She loved hearing Suzanne talk about her mother, hearing her sound almost peaceful, calmer.
"When I was eight my Mum picked Grace and I up from school-who are you?" Lorna looked up to see Suzanne focused on somewhere behind her. When Lorna turned around on her heel she felt her chest tighten as her gaze fell on a smirking Lombardi leaning casually against the wall, her arms folded across her chest,
"Oh, hey Lorn" Bella said her smile too wide,
"You're supposed to be at work" Lorna said and felt a wave of relief wash over her when she heard her voice sounding steady and strong,
"Just out of orientation don't you worry about me okay" Lombardi replied taking several steps before turning to look at herself in the bathroom mirror,
"I'm Lombardi by the way" she said turning to look at crazy eyes,
"Warren" the woman replied with trepidation her eyes moving between Lorna and Lombardi sensing something was not quite right. For her part, Lorna remained still…waiting for what was sure to come.
"I thought you drove the van" Bella said after several beats,
"I do" Lorna replied taking a breath,
"I'm assigned here when there's no runs" she continued. When Isabella turned, her eyes ran up and down Lorna appraisingly, who bit her lip,
"I'm sorry about your ring" Bella commented turning her lips down though Lorna knew it was fake…a trap…something designed to humiliate or hurt,
"They must have taken it from you when you got here right?" Bella asked,
"De Marco was telling your groupie Jameson all about your upcoming nuptials. Who would have known?" she said clapping her hands together in faux excitement.
"All about your big Italian wedding. I remember us talking about our weddings at our slumber parties Lorn…the good old days, right?" Bella laughed and Lorna felt her jaw clench,
"All these bridesmaids and flowers and all your family" she said and Lorna saw the familiar malicious glint she'd seen many times before in Bella Lombardi's eyes flicker,
"How are your family Lorn? It's been a while…your Mum and Dad and sister…your brothers… how are they doing? Do they get up here much?" Lorna's hand clenched the mop handle and she bit her tongue to stop her from screaming. She hated her, so much. She opened her mouth to reply but when her eyes flickered to the mirror she saw Suzanne watching them carefully and swallowed the words that had been bubbling up,
"I suppose you've got your family here though…nothing like a fresh start is there? Even if it is in prison. They seem like they love you very much" Bella nodded taking several steps towards her,
"You were always so good at conning people to like you Lorn. Telling them lies, weaving your elaborate little fantasies like a child" Lorna remembered how Bella used to be able to peer over her head, usually looking for her audience as she tortured her. Lombardi looked up smile at Suzanne,
"But it never lasts does it?" the feral grin that slipped over Lombardi's lips made Lorna gulp,
"Just one little slip up and everything comes tumbling down" her words were smooth and silky, sharp daggers camouflaged in soft words and wide smiles. Bella reached up and pulled at the necklace that hung around Lorna's neck – the silver cross,
"And everyone can see exactly who you are, just little loony Lorna" her knowing smirk made Lorna's blood run cold. After tugging on the necklace slightly before letting it go Bella schooled her features into something akin to disgust as she surveyed the bathroom,
"And look at you now here in the dirt and grime and muck" Bella said raising her eyebrows,
"Suppose they want to keep you busy…can't have a loony wandering around screwing everything up"
"No names" both Lorna and Bella turned to see Suzanne who was carefully watching them shake her head,
"Names are mean" she stated and Bella snorted,
"Just a joke Warren! An old joke between old friends" Bella grinned,
"Isn't that right Lorna"
Please Review!
Thank you so much to the people who have reviewed, means so much and I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far!