Chapter 7
"There she is."
Taylor lifted her head up. She was jerked to her feet by two officers and her hands were cuffed behind her back. She hung her head down as she was walked out of the plant. The mill was shut down every Saturday afternoon and when she did not show up to her apartment at curfew, they began looking for her believing she had found a way to escape.
She was taken into the warden's office.
"Shut the door."
Taylor was surprised to see Chyna sitting at the desk. She had not been there at all that week.
"Sit down Taylor." Chyna commanded her. Taylor expected her to be angry at her for making them think she was trying to escape. "I hear you and Randy Orton have gotten to be quiet the talk of the camp."
Taylor looked at her lap.
"By the way, he's fine. He had to go to the infirmary. Took ten stitches to sew up his head. What happened?"
"He attacked me." She whispered, not expecting to be believed.
"He attacked you?" Taylor nodded.
The door opened and the Kenneth, her step uncle walked in.
"The best worker we have in the plant is going to be out of work Monday. This girl needs to be punished before she kills someone again."
"And what do you suggest, Ken? I mean I am the warden."
"I think you should lock her up with Viper and let him deal with her." Kenneth smirked. "She's always in a fight with her roommates anyway."
Taylor looked up in shock at the lie. She had only had one argument with Felicity since she had arrived and that had ended quickly and it wasn't that bad. Felicity was only upset about what John had said to her that night and jealous that the man had been attracted to Taylor.
"Hmmm." Chyna sat behind her desk. "That's not a bad idea."
Taylor felt her throat close as if she was being choked.
"Randy should have a roommate but I don't think placing a woman with him would be appealing to the board, do you? For the time being, I am confining you to your apartment. For forty eight hours. That should be enough time for Randy to cool off."
"You're protecting her?"
"Don't you have rounds to make?" Chyna snapped. Kenneth stomped out of the room. "Taylor, head back to your quarters and try to get some rest."
"Yes, ma'am."
Randy waited outside the warden's office. He knew why he had been brought there and he was ready to face his punishment. The door opened and Taylor walked out. Her eyes met his. He grinned. He found it funny what she had done to him and he was glad she had. He had lost control. Something he should have never done. He flicked his eyebrows and jutted his chin up slightly before casually walking into the warden's office.
"Sit down Randy." Chyna snapped. She was not happy. Randy snorted a laugh at the woman. He had seen her before. She had been the case worker assigned to him and his family before he had been arrested and he always assumed her masculine appearance was all that was tough about her. "How's the head?"
"It will heal."
Chyna walked over and held his head back to look at the damage then snapped it away. She laughed.
"Must be a real shock. I don't think anyone has ever got the best of you before."
Randy glowered and made the muscles in his cheeks jump. He would have to fight ten times more now that Taylor had nearly knocked him out.
"Randy, this isn't like you."
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know you didn't rape that girl."
"Lady, don't pretend to be my friend."
"I was there when you were sentenced. I was in the court room. And I was also outside afterwards."
"So what?"
"I heard your girlfriend talking to a friend. She was upset about the lie she had told."
"Yet, you said nothing."
"I reported it, but to be honest Randy, it would not have helped you. You repeatedly beat the cop who came to arrest you. You put him in the hospital for nearly two weeks."
"I was angry."
"And you held up that store and then robbed a man at an atm."
"We already had that conversation and you have different job now, right. So stop trying to shrink me."
"That's true. Much easier than being a social worker I'll tell you that."
"Why don't you just give me my punishment so we can both get out of here?"
"Randy, I didn't bring you in here to punish you. After the time I spent on your case before you came here … Randy, your mama …"
"You called her?" Randy shook his head. He did not want to cause his mother any more worry.
"No. Randy, your mama is in the hospital."
"What?"
"You know she had that cough... " Chyna laid her head on his shoulder. "Well, she collapsed this morning."
"Is she okay?" Randy knew his mother had a cough that had lingered. But she was too stubborn to go to the hospital. The last time he managed to get her to go to the emergency room she could barely breath and they diagnosed her with broncitis. She had gotten too sick to work, Randy had robbed a store and the man at the ATM to pay their rent and buy his mother the expensive medicine she needed to get better. "Is it the bronchitis?"
"I'm afraid she waited too long this time. She has pneumonia this time and its bad."
"What about Katey?" He worried about his eight year old sister. "She can't stay home alone."
"She is being taken care of until your mother gets better, unless you have family somewhere."
"In a home?"
"Yes."
"I need to go home."
"Randy you are going to be released in six months. So don't do anything crazy."
"Can I see my mother? Please."He choked back his tears. He would not allow anyone to see him weak for a moment.
"I'll escort you myself. Randy, about Taylor …"
"I didn't mean to hurt her. I just didn't want these other guys … She's not strong enough to survive this place without help."
"You would be surprised just how strong Taylor is."
"Ya." Randy rubbed his head. It still throbbed. "I got caught up. I don't know what happened. Officer Kenneth seems to want to see her hurt and I don't understand why. If he moves her from my department ..."
"I have never seen you want to protect anyone Randy. Not anyone outside your family anyway."
"Can I go?"
"Officer Kenneth is the brother of Taylor's step-father." Chyna informed him. She watched him. "Randy, do you want me to call someone for you. The parish?"
"No. I just want to be alone." His mother and sister were the only family he had left and he wished he could have spent the last four years with his mother instead of locked up. Those years were so precious and he could never get them back.
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