Olivia was sitting in the middle of the living room, the coffee table in the room with books spread across it, Olivia running her hand into her hair, her elbow leaning on the only surface not covering in homework. "So, prom coming up," Michael said while looking to his own books.
"Yeah, kinda noticed it," she spoke softly while looking down to her own handwriting, English assignments were never her favourite. "You keep mentioning it," she gave a side smile.
Michael cleared his throat, for a second he stopped playing with his pen, but he was doing Calculus work. "I was just thinking," he was taking his time to string a sentence together. "I mean, since," he kept looking from his work to Olivia's face.
"Michael," Olivia snapped, "Are you trying to ask me to the prom?" she kept her voice lighter now, she moved her hand from her hair, they were both sitting on the floor. Only a matter of feet or two between them, backs against the old worn out sofa.
Michael lived with his older brother Lincoln, but Olivia loved coming here to do homework without her mother breathing down their necks. It was quiet as most Friday afternoons would be. Michael kept watching Olivia's brown eyes; they were fixed on his eyes now. "Well…" he started again, "Yeah," he finished putting his pen down.
Olivia bit her lip, "Michael," her face falling slowly, "I," her voice got caught in her throat, "I've kinda already been asked." She felt bad, but the fact was she wasn't even assuming that Michael would ask her, they were friends, but that was all she'd ever see in Michael.
Michael kept blinking for a few seconds, "asked, asked by who?" he kept feeling weird about the fact he spent a lot of time with Olivia, but someone asking her to Prom, how did he miss that?
Olivia put her hand into her hair again, and she opened her mouth. "Uncle Mikey!" a toddler's voice was heard over Olivia. L.J rushed into the living room jumping on Michael's back. "You having French fries with me and daddy?" he asked.
Olivia glanced up to the front door seeing Lincoln with L.J's weekend bag, "Hey Livia," Lincoln placed the bag onto the sofa seeing L.J hugging Michael. "Mike, we're having take out tonight," he looked to Olivia with her hand in her hair, "You staying?" he asked quickly.
"If it's not too much trouble, Michael and me have a lot to work through," she gave a half hearted smile, then her eyes looking to Michael, "Also, it was Ryan Hart that asked me," she kept her eyes on Michael's who had his little nephew on his back.
"Ryan, as in Ryan Hart the mindless quarter back," he laughed while trying to keep himself calm, "Olivia, Ryan!" he felt L.J letting him go, the little boy looking confused.
"Michael," Olivia now staring into his eyes, "Why would you care, you said Prom was stupid pointless event for people to get laid." She closed her books, her eyes kept focused on his. "So, why?"
"I thought you'd have a lot more sense than Ryan," he kept watching her, "Livia, don't…" he tried to stop her packing up, "I thought you was smarter than that." He kept watching.
"Smarter than what?" she got to her feet, "Michael, we're friends, and it's great, but I want to go to Prom, with a date, I want to have a guy ask me, because he wants me to go with him, not because he can't be asked to ask someone who isn't his best friend." Olivia placed her things in her book, "You just don't get it Michael, I like Ryan, I mean, he's Ryan Hart, Quarter back, not all smart, but he was nice," she put her bag on her shoulder.
Michael got up looking to Olivia; "What if it's just a bet, what if he is just trying to, you know…" he stopped seeing the look in her eyes.
"Really, cos I am just that unattractive," she shook her head, "you know, screw you Michael…" she pushed past him going to the door; she picked up her Jacket before leaving the apartment.
Lincoln walked into the living room now, he looked to L.J standing beside Michael pointing, "What did I miss?" he asked feeling awkward.
L.J turned to look at his father, "Mikey said bad," he pointed careful, then nodded to himself.
"I," he stopped, he kept looking to the door, "Olivia is going to Prom with a jerk," he leant over closing his books, and he kept feeling worse.
Lincoln kept still, "but you asked, I thought you said you two were just friend," he laughed, "Unless you wanted more…" he watched Michael serious now.
Michael shook his head, "No, she's just my friend, I don't, but why Ryan?" he asked the question more to himself, "I'll finish this in my room." He picked his books up heading to his room.
The large snow flakes floated down toward the awaiting ground of Chicago city. For the middle of November, Winter had seemed to all ready be set in for the season. 1999 at been a different year to say the least.
Twenty-five year old Nikole Wilson now had an M.D. Title. The diploma hanged above the living room fire place in a black reflective glass frame.
As she held the phone to her ear, the dial tone as she pressed the correct numbers before it rang, twice. A woman answering the phone. "Hawlla?" Their voice older, deeply Southern. "Hi
, momma." Nikole was sitting at the kitchen table, twisting the phone cord around her finger. "NIKKI! NIKKI-BABY!" Her voice sounded to excited, before sounding like she was holding the phone against her chest. "JAMES! NIKKI'S CALLIN' US!" She cleared her throat. "Baby! How are you?" She went on.
Nikole rolled her eyes, still with a smile over her lips. "I'm good, momma, how are you and dad?" The way her accent sounded, made 'dad' sound like; 'dade.'
"We're fine dear, how is Kevin?" Her moms voice was low, the sound of The Price is Right on the T.V. Set in the background was clear.
"Kevin is fine, working hard – you know." She glanced to the fridge, to the simple picture of the summer setting, herself in a cute yellow dress with an ice cream cone and a tall, fit man with Milk-Chocolate Brown eyes and black hair that seemed to spike up somewhat naturally and an Olive complexion with his arms wrapped around her waist.
She couldn't help but smile. "Good! Men are suppose to support their ladies!" Her mother sounded to matter-of-fact.
But her mother was old Southern who thought a woman leaving the kitchen without a Sand-Which and a baby hanging off her arm was to modern age.
"Naw, you two aren't havin' unprotected sex are you?" Her words sharp. ",'Cause I don't want no Bastard grand-babies!" She snapped.
Nikole cleared her throat, though she was a young-adult and old enough to make her own worldly choices and a Doctor now who know all about the 'privet' parts as her mom called them. She felt awkwardly.
"Momma – Kevin and I are ... Old enough to ... " She itched the back of her ear, when her mother grunted over the phone.
"So you'are!" The phone went muffled again. "James! I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T LET HER OFF TO CHICAGO! THEY'RE HAVING ... S-E-X WITHOUT CONDOMS! WITHOUT CONDOMS JAMES!" She was yelling to her Husband who was probably no one then a meter away.
"Momma..." Nikole tried to catch her attention as her mother ranted on. "Momma, put dad on." She exhaled.
Without a word, the phone changed hands. "Hi Princess." Her fathers voice was very soft, it calmed Nikole who was getting anxious.
Her father wasn't Southern, he was from New Jersey but moved to Mississippi to head the Oncology Department.
"Hey Daddy." She felt nervous now. "You 'member that job..." She winced when he inhaled sharply. "Well I got a second interview with 'em in a week." She kept twisted the phone cord around.
"And...?" James listened to his Daughter over the phone. "And I want just wondering... If I get the job – a Department head needs to sign the papers." She hoped her Father would understand. "Nikki, you know I can't do that ... I can't let you work in a ... Prison!" He sounded scared on her behalf.
"Dad!" Nikole groaned.
"Baby! Greg offered you a job in Jersey! You could work at any hospital in the World! I wont sign you over to working with a Prison!" James' voice was stern.
"I don't wanna work in any hospital, I don't wanna move to New Jersey! Dad! I wanna work in Chicago! For Fix River!" She sighed. "Baby, I wont do it... I'm sorry and if that is what you called for – it was a waste of a Long Distant bill."
In the background she could hear her mother speaking; "Ladies aren't suppose to be Doctors! They are support to be Nurses!"
And that ticked Nikole off. "I'm gonna work for Fox River, whether you like it or not! I'll just someone else to sign my papers for me!" Nikole was jumping the gun, she didn't even have the job yet.
"You don't have anyone else to sign your papers young lady! Don't try to go over my head!" James tried to be controlling and it wasn't his nature.
But he had to think logically. He knew what Fox River was, it was a Men's Prison. A Level one Max Security Prison and he didn't want his Daughter working about Animals.
"Bye daddy." Nikole said darkly into the phone, she was hard headed. She'd just work ten times harder to get this job.
James sighed, sometimes he thought his own Daughter was more like her God-Father... It made him question his wife inside his mind sometimes.
"Love you Princess." He tried not to sound any different than he did at the start of the conversation.
Nikole hung the phone up.
Standing in the middle of the living room, Olivia kept looking to her mother, "Mom," she couldn't believe her mother was crying. "Seriously stop it!" she laughed looking to her father sitting on the sofa smoking a pipe.
"Barbara," Frank snapped to his wife, "Stop making a big deal of her," he kept looking to Olivia in her prom dress, "you look lovely dear," he kept looking her over, "so who is this lucky boy then?" he inhaled the smoke from the pipe letting it lightly fall out of his mouth.
Olivia turned around, the living room was big, mirror on one wall, she kept looking to the dress, it was the dress she kept looking at in the mall, and she brushed her hand down the soft silken fabric, the matte purple was dark, her hands kept brushing down her stomach, she wished she lost some weight before prom, but she kept worrying about how her stomach looked in the dress. "What time is it?" she asked while turning away from the mirror to the living room door, her hand kept trying to avoid playing with her tight curls.
"Olivia darling, it's still ten to eight," Barbara kept looking to her daughter, she walked over touching her waist, "you look lovely, and this Ryan is going to be so lucky…" she kept smiling.
Frank sighed, "I don't know why Michael didn't asked you," he inhaled more of his kept looking to the clock, "He's a nice kid, I can trust him." He added exhaling the smoke.
"Frank!" Barbara narrowed her eyes, "Our Olivia had a good head on her shoulders," she nodded, "She's a smart girl, saving herself for her wedding day…"
"Mom," Olivia covered her ears, "I am not saving it for marriage," she held a hand up, "I am just focusing on college first," she then listened to the door bell, "He's here, oh god," she kept focused on her mother, "he's here…"
"I've got it," she smiled while answering the door, "you must be Ryan," she kept smiling looking to the tall pale looking boy, his hair was light blonde, his eyes a bright blue, he kept looking to Olivia's mother.
"Yeah, here to take Olivia to the prom." He broke into a charming while, he could see Barbara step out the way, and he walked into the living room seeing Olivia. He could see her ashy blonde hair pulled into tight curls, her make up was very basic, he kept looking over her, she wasn't his type, but then he kept thinking of the two hundred bucks that was going to be his tomorrow morning.
The night seemed to have gone perfect, Olivia danced, talked with all of Ryan's friends, she kept looking over the corner of the hall, part of her felt bad, she'd not talk to Michael since she told him she was coming with Ryan.
Making an excuse to walk away, she sat beside Michael. "So, who did you come with?" she asked placing her hand on her lap, on her wrist was a white rose corsage.
Michael sat wearing a black suit, his white shirt had a cute little bowtie, he sat not looking to Olivia but pointed, "Kelly miller," he kept his voice neutral, he could see the head cheerleader talking to her friends.
"How you get her?" Olivia blinked, the girl was wearing a bubblegum pink dress, it was much shorter than her own dress, her bleached blonde hair was straight, flowing down her back, she didn't even look over.
Michael side glanced to Olivia, "I helped her pass Calculus, she said she'd let me walk into prom with her," he sighed, "I also brought her ticket," he added while placing his hands on his thigh. "So how is dancing, and being all miss popular?"
"I am having fun," she kept her voice cool, "I mean, people are being nice, asked why I never talked to them before now."
"Maybe because they used to call you, Oliv-a-lanche," he kept focused on his date, "I know she's not going to talk to me all night," he got to his feet, "I just wanted to come here to." He looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry," he shifted on the chair.
Olivia kept herself calm, "and then you insult me again Michael," her hands on her lap trying her hardest to not fight.
"Look, I just want to know you're okay, I just don't trust him," Michael watched her getting to her feet. "Olivia…"
"No Michael," she turned to face him, "Can you for once accept that, that I want more, I want to be something, someone, not just the dork attached to Scofield." She started to walk away, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, I've still to hear your graduation speech," she gave a small smile.
"Hey Babe," Ryan walked over wrapping his arm around Olivia, he glanced to Michael, "We're going to the after party," he kept ignoring Michael, "Come on…" he started to walk her to the door, Michael got to his feet, and Ryan stared at him. "Sorry, no losers…" he laughed.
Michael could only watch Olivia and Ryan with all his friends leaving, he kept still, and he wished that he could of told her, but in the end, he didn't want her to hate him.
As the automatic glass doors came sliding open and Nikole walked into Princeton – Plainsboro teaching Hospital. She walked toward the main desk.
Her blonde hair up in a tight bun was littered with tiny snow flakes as well as her black Winter trench coat which stopped mid thigh.
An African-American woman who was standing at the front desk, looked at her, doing a double take. She took off her round glasses. "I don't believe it; is that, Little Nikki Wilson!" She looked thrilled and Nikole smiled. "Hi!" Her voice was bright, but she had no idea who the woman who seemed to know her was.
When she was a kid, her dad would take her on regular trips to New Jersey to visit his old place of work, but they became less and less as Nikole got older. "I haven't seen you since you were twelve years old!" She stated and Nikole had that awkward, polite smile on her face.
"How is our little Miss Wilson?" She grinned brightly and Nikole rubbed the back of her neck, casually. "Doctor Wilson – now, actually." She didn't want to said snide about it, but she wasn't Miss anymore she was Doctor.
The Nurse gasped. "Ohh! That's great honey! I'm so proud!" She pulled Nikole into a half hug, squeezing her, Nikole tensed.
"I suppose you're looking for Doctor House." She seemed to know her all to well. Nodding, "I am." Nikole grinned.
"Take the elevator, fourth floor – you won't miss his office." She grinned. "Oh, thank you." Nikole left the station desk carefully, looking at the elevator, all of them with 'out of order.' signs placed on them. She snickered evil like before starting up the stairs.
"They were right, you just can't miss your office." Nikole came up behind a man standing and staring through the glass office doors, which in white lettering said; Gregory House M.D. Head of Diagnostics' his back to her, he didn't seem to move. "I thought I smelled Southern fried chicken." He smirked.
"Speak for yourself, Limpy – this whole place smells like Pizza – fucking Jersey." She grinned as he turned around, a smile on his lips.
"Nikki Wilson!" He held his arms out to her, "Gregory House!" She walked close to him, putting her arms around him, accepting the tight hug.
Another woman came to scoff, breaking their hug apart slowly. "House! How many times! Have I told you; if you're going to call an escort lady into work! Meet her at the front doors and do her in your car! I'm sick of the carpet cleaning bills! Not to mention, you have GLASS doors now!" Lisa Cuddy stood a few feet behind them, with a stern look across her face.
She'd just been given the Dean of Medicine a few months prior and all ready was facing a crisis with House.
"Lisa-" Greg tried cutting her off as she continued speaking. "No! I'm serious! I'm really sick of it. Sorry, - what's her name? Candy? Sugar?" She wasn't looking over the young woman. But staring dark holes into Greg's eyes.
"-Actually Nikole." Greg sounded amused with the current situation. While Nikole remained silent for now.
Lisa looked confused, her eyebrows knitting together, "Nikole? What kind of a Hooker name is that?" Nikole tensed, her eyes narrowing.
"Nikole Wilson..." Greg stated looking to Nikole who looked ready to pound a bitch in the face.
"... House, this isn't time to be... OH MY God..." She turned looking horrified at Nikole. "Nikole! Wilson – Like James' Nikole!" She was stammering on her words.
Nikole nodded with a sharp look in her eyes. "The one and only. Sorry not a Escort. Actually a Doctor." She hissed.
"Oh jeez! Oh! I am so sorry!" Her cheeks went bright red and she looked back to Greg. "You! Why didn't you stop me! I can't believe you! Honey I am so sorry!" Lisa was looking over her.
Greg shifted his eyes. "I, tried to stop you – you just couldn't keep your ... Very large mouth shut long enough."
"Sorry, yes ... Of course you are because you called me a fuckin' hooker! Maybe if you didn't have your panties up your ass you wouldn't jump the gun!" Nikole glanced toward Greg.
"Lets go... Into my office." Greg put his arm around Nikole's shoulders. Shifting the both of them into the office, leaving Lisa to stand with her mouth hanging open in the hallway.
Olivia was sitting on the toilet; she kept looking to the stick test in her hand. Her eyes kept looking at the little blue cross, then placed it on the sink, she picked up the other four tests all with the same strong blue cross making her close her eyes resting her head against the bathroom wall.
"Dear," Barbara knocked on the bathroom door, "Sweet pea, Michael's here." She kept her voice soft while keeping her ear to the door. "I can tell him you're still sick…"
Olivia pulled her pants back up, she flushed the toilet before washing her hands, but she kept looking to all the tests. She kept trying to stop herself from crying. "I'm fine, just need a moment," she quickly pushed all the tests into her trash, and then brushed her hands into her hair.
"Okay dear," Barbara walked away from the door, she kept touching her long blonde hair, thinking how her daughter was acting weird, but in the end she was putting it all down to college nerves. Getting to the living room, she smiled to Michael, "She's been feeling a little poorly lately," she nodded, "She's gonna need a moment." She smiled bright, "Can I get you a spot of tea?"
"No I'm fine," Michael kept looking around the living room; it had nice wallpaper, photos all over the wall of Olivia. Michael envied Olivia for the family life, always the same parents, still alive mother, father who worked nine to five.
Michael kept looking to the living room door finally seeing Olivia walk into the room, "Hey," she smiled small, her hand going through her hair before sitting down, "So what brings you here?" she asked sitting with Michael on the sofa.
"Wanted to know, if you wanted to hang out," he looked over her face, she looked paler than normal, and her eyes kept scanning over his, "I mean, we're going to completely different colleges." He smiled. Michael felt better about high school finally being over.
Olivia inhaled, "Erm," she glanced to the kitchen door, "Sure, I need to get out of the house for some air." She got to her feet, "I just need to get some shoes, and a jacket." Olivia kept smiling, getting to her feet.
Michael watching her leaving, he got to his feet walking over to the photo of Olivia and himself at graduation, he kept looking over the smile on Olivia's face, then felt bad he was hoping he won't lose contact with her.
Sitting in a diner, Michael kept looking to Olivia, her plate of fries and burger wasn't really touched, he had the same, and he reached over taking one of her fries. "You've been miles away for days," Michael said watching her.
"What?" Olivia snapped out of it, under the table her hand was brushing over her stomach, "I've been miles away." She finished before playing with a fry into a lot of ketchup.
Michael nodded, "I asked about college, you're going all the way to Yale," he pointed out, "I thought you be a lot more excited about it." He pointed out while looking to her face.
"Yeah, Yale," she waved her hand, "I'm excited," she nodded.
Michael nodded also, "You look like, you rather be somewhere else," he pointed out finishing off his food, he kept looking to her hand on the table, her other hand under. "Olivia, are you still mad at me?" he asked her trying to see if she'd open.
Olivia got to her feet, "I'm sorry Michael," she sat back down, "I'm not mad, I can't be mad at you for long." She picked up her bag placing some money on the table, "I just need to go, packing is going to be nightmare." She kissed his cheek lightly. "See you when I feel better." She walked away leaving Michael alone.
"Olivia Morris!" Barbara shouted as the front door opened, in her hand was the pregnancy test, "Explain yourself!" her tone matched her face, bright red with rage.
Olivia kept frozen at the door, her hands shaking, and her eyes wide like Bambi's. "Mom…" her voice was trying to control the fear.
"No, no Mom Olivia." She pointed to the living room, "now!" her hand pointed watching Olivia walk into the living room where her father was sitting looking as equally angry as her mother.
Olivia sat on the sofa where her mother slammed the tests down in front of her, "You said," Barbara started, "you said you was going to wait, you told us we've nothing to worry about." She kept her voice rough. "What is this?"
"Do I have to say it?" Olivia blinked back tears; her eyes kept avoiding her parents.
Frank kept quiet, he couldn't look at her, he didn't want to see her, she wasn't his baby girl, he felt sick whenever he'd try and look at his daughter. "Mom, I mean it, I did, I," she brushed her hands into her hair. Olivia kept trying to control herself, "I didn't mean to, I just…"
"no Olivia, you had sex, you are now," Barbara kept looking to her daughter, but her eyes kept going to her stomach, "Who is it?" Barbara spoke light, "Who, Olivia did this to you?" she looked to her father, "It was that 'nice boy' Michael Scofield, his brother is no good, A bad apple spoils the whole bunch."
"Mom!" Olivia jumped up, "It wasn't Michael, I've never had sex with him," she kept looking to the tests, "It was Ryan, it was a mistake, and I don't even remember…"
"Well Olivia," she kept looking to her daughter, "Whatever it was, who ever it was, you are theirs to look after now," she kept her voice a mean calm.
"But Yale, Mom, please…" Olivia pleading, she kept looking over to her father who was still avoiding her.
Barbara kept looking to Olivia, "no, your father has taken his money back, we are not paying for anything," she kept her voice meaner, "Olivia, you are no longer welcome in this house, we want you out…" she glanced to the clock, "you have two hours to pack, and never darken our doorstep again…"
Sitting down on the chair in front of the large desk, Nikole cleared her throat, trying to calm herself down again, looking at Greg. "So before you have to explain, your dad called me." He put his good leg up onto the desk.
"Of course he did." Nikole narrowed her eyes feeling angry again. "Did you honestly think, James Wilson wouldn't call Gregory House?" He smirked, reaching into his navy blazer pocket pulling out a pill bottle of Vicodin.
Nikole seemed to disregard the bottle of pills, she wasn't stupid she knew her God-Father had maybe a tiny dependency on the pills but she didn't question it, like any body else inside these hospital walls.
"I knew he would, but I just thought I'd get here before he did." Nikole crossed her legs over one another.
"I must admit, he used the faster method, they call it a Telephone it does save fifteen hours of driving and the hotel bill."
Nikole snickered. "Hotel bill? Hell naw, I'm crashing at your place!"
Greg scoffed, "Excuse me? When did I say you could 'crash' at my place, missy?" It made Nikole smiled. "About... " She pretended to do mental math, "Several years ago on my Sixteenth birthday; you said: 'If you ever need a place to crash or help hiding a body, you just call Gregory.'." She used the air quotes and everything making him narrow his eyes. "Was I drunk?" He wondered and Nikole shrugged. "It's highly possible." Nikole said casual-like.
Before Greg sat up in his office chair looking like he remembered something she hadn't.
"Your Sixteenth birthday! You asked ME to buy Kevin and you CONDOMS!" He said the word 'condom' in a yelling voice.
Nikole's eyes going wild, her cheeks flushing. "Forgot about that..." Her voice a murmur.
"Remember when I made him use the banana-yeah!" He nodded and was laughing loudly now as Nikole was hiding her face with her hand.
"Shut up! We were Sixteen! - Well and Seventeen but it was JACKSON! Everybody knew who we were! It was AWKWARD!" Nikole tried defending herself.
"Oh I know, I was only kidding around with you, no need to get all emotional!" Greg looked pleased he managed to embarrass his grown God-Daughter.
"How is ol' Kevy-cakes anyways? Still working with the Police force?" Greg asked while she nodded. "Took a higher position in Chicago. He helps the Secret Service with their files or something." She laughed, smiling thinking about her Fiancee who was back in Chicago working. Kevin was so supportive of everything Nikole wanted to do, encouraging. One of a few rare men in the world.
"Working under the Feds and he couldn't buy Condoms at Seventeen." Greg tisked.
"Why do you wanna work in a Prison anyway?" Greg changed the subject, seeing her re-covering her face, her pale skin was beet red.
"Because." Her voice was muffled by her sleeve, "I want to freak my parents out, especially my mother – oh and the usual Doctorly... Helping people." She fanned her face that felt warmer than the Sun.
"You know; you wont like the job." Greg cleared his throat, trying to be realistic now. "Why not?" Nikole demanded a reason.
"Because," Greg said lightly. "You wont be able to save everyone if they get 'shanked.', to help everyone and the first time that happens, your Bi-Polar disorder will go out of whack and you'll get depressed." He wasn't saying it to be mean, he was saying it because it was the truth. He knew her and he knew how she reacted to things.
Nikole exhaled in a dark sigh, sliding into the chair.
Greg kept watching her, looking her in the eyes. "I don't want to see you sitting in the Bathtub with a jar of peanut butter for five days again." He remembered the time when she was Eighteen; Kevin and herself got into a car accident and it was touch and go with Kevin for a while and she blamed herself, because she was driving in the rain going to fast.
"Limpy, are you going to sign my freaking papers? They need to know I'm not a liability because of being Bi-Polar." She muttered though now seeing no hope in the situation.
"I'll sign them." He nodded holding his hand out as Nikole reached into her bag. Taking out the ten pieces of paper stapled together. "On one condition."
"What?" Nikole mentally smacked herself for not seeing that coming,
Holding the pen, above the papers. Greg cleared his throat. "A bet." He nodded. "A ... Bet?" Nikole couldn't believe it was coming to this.
"Two Thousand dollars, you get the job and you won't last a week." He grinned a knowing grin.
Inside his head, he knew if she accepted she be thick headed about it and prove him wrong. Working passed any challenge.
Mauling it over in her head. "Deal." Nikole held her hand out. Greg signed the papers; leaning over the desk he took her hand. Shaking it.
"Wanna grab a drink?" He stood up. "It's... 1:30 in the afternoon and ... I don't drink, anymore... " She said lowly.
"You might not, but I do and it's a perfect time to start drinking." Greg pulled on his blue winter coat.
Nikole stood up, shaking her head. "You really are a piece of work, you know that?" She muttered and Greg nodded. "Exactly right." He put a manly looking scarf on. "Re'mind you of anyone?" He pulled his best Southern accent.
"Push!" A nurse said to Olivia for the fifth time, her one hand holding Olivia's foot, the other holding her wait. Olivia's knees were touching her stomach as she laid on the hospital bed, the doctor delivering her baby seemed more focused on her vagina than her face. "Come on Olivia one big push…" the nurse kept smiling.
"Where's Ryan?" Olivia cried, she didn't want to push, she was brought to the hospital by Ryan's mother, but she didn't stick around, Ryan told her he'd be right behind her, but fifteen hours later, he was no where. "Please, I can hold it, until he gets her, please…" her voice weak.
The other nurse on the other side of Olivia felt bad, the poor girl was here alone, no one to be with her to offer support of any kinds apart from the nursing staff, she kept looking to Olivia's face, "Sweetie you got to push, if you don't, you'll hurt the baby, so come on, one big push." Her voice kind, she felt worse.
Olivia had tears streaming down her face, but she inhaled deep, her eyes closed as she finally started to push her baby into the world, she kept grunting, her hands holding onto the blanket, her face turning red. She couldn't stop pushing, and in fifteen minutes little Elle May Hart was screaming loudly in the delivery room.
Olivia broke into more tears as the doctor passed her little girl, Olivia kept looking over the face crying, she made calming noises, "My little Elle May," she whispered touching the top of her head carefully, she felt tired, sore, her heart hurt from doing this alone. "I'm your mommy," she kept looking to her daughter, but she wasn't alone anymore.
Olivia kept looking to the front door, she had put Elle May down for the night, but as she kept looking around the living room of the house, she felt at a lose. Her hands brushing into her hair, picking up magazines, feeling her hand into her hair, she'd not seen Ryan for weeks, but he said that he was going to come round, it was Elle May's birthday soon, their one year wedding anniversary. Olivia kept looking to the door, before sitting down, her eyes focused on the TV turned off, for a second she heard the car pulling into the driveway.
Getting to her feet, Olivia opened the front door; she glanced over Ryan, as he stood in blue jeans, white shirt, his eyes dull, staring at her like he'd done the whole time they were together. "Olivia, we need to talk." He spoke serious, "I've been on the phone to my lawyer, he said you're not signing the papers." He walked into the house closing the door. "It's enough I'm letting you keep this dump, you'll get child support, and I won't want to see it."
"It," Olivia snapped, "It is your daughter…" she trailed off looking to the stairs, "We've not been married a year Ryan, we can make it work, please…" she reached for him, but he held her wrists pushing her back.
"You just don't get it do you," his voice was dark, "I don't want to be married to you, I never even liked you…" he kept looking to her, "I mean, I thought two hundred bucks, and I get to pop a cherry, but then you had to go and keep the baby, and I."
"I what Ryan." Olivia kept her voice down; she didn't want to wake Elle May.
Ryan moved into the kitchen area now picking up a beer before popping the cap off, "I was told by my old man, if I didn't take reasonability for my actions, he'd take the car away, and I'll be cut off my inheritance from my grandma…" he waved his hands, "I turned nineteen, graduated high school, got a good job," he then smirked, "Got myself a sexier girlfriend." He chugged the bottle throwing it in the trash, "So do us both a favour and sign the god damn forms, and stay the hell away from Candy!" he pointed. "She nearly lost her job because of your little fit…"
Olivia kept still, she blinked tears down her eyes, "Ryan, I love you, I do, I can be better, I promise, I don't want you to leave me alone, leave Elle May alone…" she kept walking closer to him.
"you don't get it Olivia," he pushed her again, "I hate you, I hate everything about you, and for all I know, that kid ain't even mine," he was serious, "I mean, seriously, I knew how you and Scofield were, and I am not taking you on, no more." He kept serious. "Sign the papers!"
Olivia shook her head, "I am not, repeat, not signing no papers, and Elle is your daughter, and you will know that if you had half a brain. She's got your ey…" Olivia stopped talking, for a second; Ryan had turned around and charged at her.
His eyes narrowed with a look in his eyes, his fist tight. Olivia felt herself choking, her eyes wide, looking into the angry face of Ryan, "She ain't mine!" he growled, his hands reached for her throat, but before he could really squeeze, he felt a sharp pain in his side.
Olivia had picked a knife from the draining board, the handle sticking out of his stomach, her eyes kept on his.
Ryan for a second went to reach for the other knife, "you dirty bitch!" he yelled, but Olivia took the knife out, she pushed it into his chest, taking it out and repeating, she couldn't control her anger, her eyes closed before hearing the sound of Ryan hitting the floor, her eyes going to her hands looking to all the blood, she swayed on the spot, her hands trembling as the knife fell to the ground, her hands going to her hair, she glanced to herself in the kitchen window, the blood smeared into her hair, she listened to the silence.
"Oh Dear God," she brushed her hands down her clothes, she kept looking to Ryan, he was still, dead, and all she could see was the pool of blood on the white tiles. She fell to her knees, "Ryan, I'm sorry, Ryan, please, please," she started to shake him, "please, don't be dead, please." She started to cry brushing the tears from her eyes, smearing more blood onto her face, she looked over his body, "Ryan, I'm so sorry…" she cried placing her head against his chest, her hands smashing against his rib cage, she couldn't stop the tears, her weeping.
Standing in the shower, Olivia kept feeling the hot water washing down her back, she reached for the soap scrubbing herself as hard as she could. Her eyes kept closed trying to think of anything, in the moment her mind was a blur, a lot of events bleeding into each other, her hand taking the shampoo going through her hair, pulling it trying to control her tears feeling the water hitting her, she felt her hands onto the wall of the shower cubical, her eyes closed trying to forget the body on the kitchen floor, her eyes tightly closed, her mind trying to think of what to do now. Logic was telling her to phone the police, she should of done that, but her without a scratch, him stabbed multiple times, she turned the water off getting a towel, she wrapped around herself stepping out of the shower heading for her bedroom.
Finding a pair of jeans, she glanced to the bloody clothes, her body shivered while pulling on clean underwear getting dressed in the jeans and a plaid shirt, her eyes going around the bedroom, her hand brushed under her eyes before finding her duffle bag, she reached into her draws taking clothes, moving around the bedroom pulling clothes into the bag quickly, her eyes looking to the time, now moving to Elle May's bedroom.
It wasn't long before she packed a lot of Elle May's clothes, she looked into the crib, her daughter sleeping like a little angel, she reached in carefully lifting her daughter up, she kissed her forehead feeling her stirring from sleep. "Shhh, shh." Olivia rocked her daughter lightly, her duffle bag full, she walked down to the living room, her eyes avoiding the kitchen, she placed Elle May into her car seat, the little girl chewing on her hand looking around, Olivia placed her sneakers on, she held her breath walking over to Ryan, he's not moved from where he was, proving ever more that she had killed him. Patting his pockets, she kept holding her breath, the smell of blood was making her head dizzy, quickly she found the right pocket taking the car keys, she stepped back slowly from the body, her eyes focused on his, Ryan looked peaceful, she quickly leant down kissing him one last time, she rushed to the front door.
Throwing the duffle bag over her shoulder, she looked to Elle May, and then headed out the door, but all she could see was the cop car pulling up into the drive, and Olivia was now frozen on the spot looking to the officer, no way out now.
"Nikole Wilson?" An older experienced voice broke her from her dazed thoughts, as she sat looking outside the yard of Fox River from the barred window. Watching the inmates in their general same outfits moving around.
"Yes, Warden." Nikole stood up respectfully, walking over to join him and the head of the Corrections facility.
"After looking over your application, I see you have well enough experience for a newly licensed Medical Doctor – however." The Warden Henry Pope paused.
It made Nikole wince, but here it came...
"We find the possible chance your disorder could affect how you perform your job." The D.O.C head finished for Henry.
Nikole looked between them. "I can assure you it won't! Honest." She looked more into the Warden's eyes.
Henry cleared his throat. Looking over Nikole standing in front of him, "I am ... Rather pleased you mentioned your Bi-Polar disorder, most people attempting to get a job for the first time under the Medical field would simply... Forget to mention that." Henry gave her a small warm smile.
"I'm not going to lie about something that has affected me all my life and diagnosed when I was thirteen. What is the point of lying when the truth will just eventually come out?" Nikole tried to tone down her southernmost accent; she didn't want to sound like a smart-ass.
Henry smiled, "Couldn't have put it better myself."
"We contacted the Department head who signed your papers... Doctor Gregory House, your God Father isn't it?" The D.O.C. Head spoke.
"Yes Sir." She nodded slowly. "He had nothing but good things to say about you, which was good to hear, except I can only assume he might have ... Maybe bent the truth? Maybe in your favour?"
"Oh no, Sir, Doctor House would never do that, honestly." She nodded, knowing it was a fact.
"In any case, we also contacted your Father; James Wilson head of the Oncology Department in Jackson."
Nikole swallowed a lump that seemed to rise in her throat.
A nervous feeling was kicking it, over time. "And?" She asked reluctant. "He said you were a hard working person, never been dishonest... Very kind words, But also that you have a tendency to make split second choices without all of the facts?" Henry kept looking at her.
Nikole laughed, a nervous one. "Well I guess that would be my... Doctorly ways." She bit her lip, this was going more and more down hill each time she blinked her eyes open and closed.
"Also your mother seems to be unpleased your chose to become a Doctor." The D.O.C. Head pointed out.
"Well she is old Southern." Nikole was still honest.
Henry cleared his throat. "Nikole, Doctor Wilson." He corrected. "I think, that you would be the perfect addition to Fox River as our Senior Doctor."
Nikole winced, before her mind filled itself in. "Wait- Seriously?" She almost passed out on the floor.
"Seriously." Henry smiled, tickled she was so in shock about it. "Oh! Thank you, Warden, Sir! I wont let your down honestly!" Nikole had a huge smile of her face.
"I have no doubt in my mind." Henry pointed out seeing Bradley Bellick, "Ah, Officer Bellick -" He caught the man's attention.
"Yes, Sir?" Bradley Bellick stood in his C.O.'s uniform, looking as sharp as possible; he looked to be in shape, with a gut starting around him.
"I'd like you to show Doctor Wilson to the Infirmary, so she can see her new work space.
"Sure thing." Bradley smiled seeing the young-woman who was beautiful. Not many women looking like that came around here, let alone worked here. "Right this way." He smiled to Nikole.
It made Nikole uneasy, she wasn't stupid, and she could see his eyes undressing her.
As they got further down the hallway, Bradley stopped. "Where are my manners? I'm Officer-Soon-To-Be-Captain, Bradley Bellick. Also single and willing to mingle." He held his hand out.
Nikole made a face. "Doctor-Always-Going-To-Be-A-Doctor, Nikole Wilson. Engaged to a Cop," She put a lot of power on the word Cop.
Bradley looked nervous, taking Nikole's hand that she held out, but they shook it.
Olivia kept looking around the small room; she knew that today was going to be the day she'd be sentenced. Her hands playing with her blouse, she was aloud to wear something smart for her sentencing, it was only a week ago that she was found guilty of first degree murder, she kept listening to the words over and over, the jury voted, she wasn't even sure what she was going to do, her hands kept playing with each other looking to the holding cell, she never even got a parking ticket before this, now she was guilty of murder.
"Come on Olivia," Dewie Cheatem looked to the holding cell seeing Olivia, her face pale white, she spent so long awaiting her court hearing, then her trail, now she was at the end, she was going to hear what her sentence was going to be. She could of pleaded guilty, she kept laughing to herself, but the fact she was stubborn, she thought if the hearing of her side, it would be enough for it not to be a murder charge, but the fact she was now guilty of first degree murder, her eyes kept looking to Dewie's.
Sitting in the stand, she kept looking to the judge Willis, she kept looking to Olivia, "We're here for the sentencing of Olivia Hart on the case of first Degree murder." She started, her voice boomed the courtroom, and all Olivia kept thinking was how she was going to deal with life in prison, getting out, having a relationship with her daughter. "I have come to listen to your case, the fact you not only stabbed your husband five times, attempting to leave the scene, plus witness statements of you," she glanced over her note, "stating you'd rather see him dead, than with another woman." Her voice kept a calm control tone, but in her eyes, Olivia couldn't take it. "It has come to agreement that you shall be given the death penalty."
Olivia felt her knees buckling from underneath her, her hands catching the desk as she fell down, her heart pounding loud in her ears. "You will be set a date, as you have requested to stay in state, the nearest female facility is Cherry Hill, you will be sentence to stay there prier your execution date, the only facility with the means is Fox River, where you will be electrocuted until dead." She banged the hammer down, "Court dismissed." She got up walking away.
Olivia kept still, the tears started to run down her cheeks, her hand wouldn't stop shaking as she turned around to look at her mother in the stands holding Elle May in her arms. "Oh God." She sniffed, "you said twenty five years, you said, you," her eyes going to Dewie Cheatem. "I…" she turned to look at Elle May again.
"Right what we have right now," Dewie was looking to Olivia, "The date is going to be set for the twenty fifth of June…" he kept looking to Olivia in her Cherry Hill prison issued clothes, her hands on the table.
"Wait, that's not to far from now, that's less than a year…" her voice panicked, her eyes were wide, but she didn't cry, she had never imagine prison life, but right now, she didn't like it, her hands kept on the table.
Dewie inhaled, "Olivia, you failed your finally appeal," he kept looking to the woman, she had changed since being in prison, ten years and she looked completely different from the girl sent down all that time ago. "Your transfer to Fox River will be April eleventh, you will stay at their death row facility, I have spoken to the warden, he will make sure that you are well watched, and you won't be treated different, but you will be having to have regular checks with the infirmary, as they don't have many female correctional officers." He finally looked over Olivia's face once more.
"Well, I guess I better start packing," she laughed, "I mean, it's going to be hard to leave this place, all the friends I've made." Her tone dry, the fact she didn't make any friends, she didn't want to admit the fact that she finally got given her date, now all she needed to do was get through the next handful of months and finally face her punishment.
The days, months, seasons and years seemed to fly by to Nikole. It was 2002 – Three years later and Nikole had made a name for herself, Senior Medical Officer for Fox River and Medical Advisor for the Department of Corrections.
The spring rain was coming down sheets. She stood under a clear umbrella, holding her brick-like cell phone against her ear, speaking loudly over the rain. "Did you get to work okay? It's raining cats and dogs!" Kevin spoke loudly over the rain on her end, sitting in his office at the Chicago Secret Service department.
"I know! I think I just stepped in a POODLE!" Nikole tried making a raining cats and dogs joke and Kevin seemed to laugh. "Wow... Did you hear that on the Cartoon Network?" He mocked.
"No!" Nikole said sharply. "Tree house!" She shifted her eyes, laughing, her fingers absently twisting her engagement ring around her finger, which were wet from the rain. "Of course you did. I was thinking... We go out for dinner tonight?"
Nikole went to answer, but froze feeling the ring slipping off finger, she didn't even see it against the rain. "Oh no!" She panicked forgetting she was on the phone with the man who'd given that ring to her.
"What?" Kevin sounded worried.
"I..." Nikole looked around the soaked pavement of the entrance to the prison. "I... Yeah – Going out, sounds good! I gotta go...! Love you! BYE!" She yelled into the phone, hanging up. She looked across the pavement, the rain bouncing off it.
"Oh no, oh no! OH NO!" She squealed nervously trying to see it. "Everything all right Miss Nikole?" Lewis Patterson came up behind her in his Corrections uniform with a black umbrella. Nikole felt her heart sinking. "I dropped my ring! Lewis!" She turned to look at the African-American man, her eyes misting up.
"Oh, dear..." Lewis looked down to the pavement as if by some magical chance he'd seen it, But alas nothing.
"What did the ring look like?" Lewis patted her shoulder, trying to calm her down as she kept looking around her, it couldn't have gone far.
"Silver, tiny Triangle Diamond..." She whispered, tears were fresh running down her cheeks. "Don't worry Miss Nikole, I'll have the C.O's out here crawling around to find it!" He nodded, "Lets get you some coffee." Lewis put his arm around her, pulling her into the Prison with him. She looked devastated.
All day she was silent, doing her work, she kept thinking about that ring, the ring she saw at the Jackson, Mississippi Tiffany's when she was seventeen and Kevin standing beside her, holding her hand in his. Telling her; 'I'm gonna get you that ring, Nikole.' It kept echoing inside of her head.
When the evening came and Nikole was heading out, she couldn't help but stare down to the ground. The rain had stopped. But the ring was still missing.
Lincoln who'd just been brought to Fox River a few days ago, Watching her from his fenced in yard. Allowed to have yard time only when the other inmates weren't around because they didn't know how he'd react to other people yet, it was like he was a fish inside an aquarium. Kept away from the other fish until the waters settled again.
"What are you doing?" He finally spoke, seeing the Doctor on her hands and knees, picking around in the grass.
Nikole jumped from her skin." Looking for something!" She felt nervous. Lincoln stepped closer to his side of the fence. "What kind of something?" Lincoln didn't know why he cared. "My ring, I dropped it." She felt helpless, still on her knees in front of the fence, two C.O's watching close by.
"Oh." Lincoln made a face as Nikole ignored him. Digging in the grass, more tears were streaking down her face.
"Uh, Doctor?" Lincoln was only an inch away from touching the fence. "What!" Nikole didn't look at him, trying to dry her eyes.
"Doc." Lincoln tried grabbing her attention.
"What!" Nikole said again looking up at him, her heart stopped.
She got up, quickly. Her hands were shaking. Lincoln stood, holding the ring between his thumb and index finger.
"YOU FOUND IT!" She screamed, joyful. "Well yeah – it was kind of just hanging out on the grass this afternoon... I saw some Gen-Pop guy with it... Threatened to shank him ... I knew it had to be important. Says; 'K.S. Loves N.W.' so you know." He noticed the C.O's watching him. "Thank you! Lincoln!" She knew who he was, she didn't except that from him. Lincoln shrugged.
"No big deal." He passed it over the link in the fence.
Taking it, Nikole slipped it back on, smiling. Looking back up at him. "Lollipop?" Nikole held one up.
Lincoln looked to the C.O's before taking it. "Thanks."