OK sorry for the long wait between chapters. To be entirely 100% truthful I'm ridiculously busy and I've had the worst case of writer's block ever! Oooww! See?! It still hurts! Anyway, again, if I said I was overwhelmed with all your wonderful reviews, that would be an understatement. To each and every one of you that has reviewed, I cannot tell you how appreciative I am. Please keep R&R, and I promise I won't disappoint. ;D
VK, I'm so proud of you for getting up those fly fics of yours. Go ma! And thanx for your constant reviewing of my story, expect the same from me but in lower dosages. I am officially now your #1 fan!
Now as usual, enjoy!
"I never thought I'd be seein' you here again, I mean of all people." Said Liz Austin to Velma as they sat in the game room of Cook County Prison for Women. "You had everything goin' for you, Vel...What a stupid thing to do, shootin' another john like that. Why--"
"Hey Liz, do me a favor will ya? Go take a shower with a hair dryer...and make sure it's plugged in, huh?" Said Velma querulously.
"Yeah, yeah. Say what you want, Vel. But don't take it out on me just because you proved yourself as the queen of stupid!" Retorted Liz as she picked up her pack of matches and walked off leaving Velma to herself in the corner of the room.
'Oh God, if she only had a clue.' Thought Velma. But she knew there was no point in telling her the truth. Liz would never believe her. Nobody would believe anything she had to say now.
Just then Velma heard an affably familiar voice. "Don't look so down in the dumps, kid. There's someone here to see you." Velma peered up from her magazine to find Matron Mama Morton leaning over her shoulder looking as cool and collected as ever.
"Hey Mama, I bet you're not too surprised to see me here again." Said Velma. "Well Velma, to be perfectly honest after that whole state of events that took place last year with Billy, I'd have to say that I am." Responded the matron. "With everything good that's been happenin' to you and Hart, what the hell are you doing back here?"
"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I told you I was starting to miss the old dump?" Said Velma. "Aw, come on Vel, was it really worth it this time around? I wasn't kidding back then when I told ya you were like family to me. You realize if Harrison gets his way this time you're gonna swing for sure?" asked Mama fretfully.
Velma swallowed hard. She hadn't given much thought to the facts presented, but Mama's words echoed in Velma's mind an eerie realization that yes, she may very well not be able to sing and dance her way out of this one.
Mama, noticing the mounting distress now apparent in Velma's visage, quickly added, "Oh, don't worry about it too much kid. If anybody can get you off this time, it'll be the fellow that's here to see you now." Mama winked as she pointed to outside the bars of the game room and into the main hall. "He told me Roxie called him for ya. Apparently, between all the cops and the press runnin' around her apartment botherin' her, she can't get out to come down here tonight. And I can understand what she's talkin' about. There's already about 50 hangin' outside the entrance hall now."
Velma peered out beyond the bars to where Mama was still pointing. All at once a gray-haired man with an Italian leather briefcase in a flawless Becker's suit with matching loafers pushed his way in from the entrance hall where a brood of clamoring reporters could be heard brazenly belting out question after question. "Billy!" Velma whispered wistfully. As she watched a guard show him into the conference room, she turned to Mama. "He's here to see me?" She asked.
"No dearie, he's here on a social call to see me. Haven't you heard? We're the talk of the town." Said Mama in a cornflower tone. Velma ogled her sharply.
"Of course he's here for you. Like I said, he told me Roxie phoned him a couple of hours ago after the incident with that cat you clipped. Hey Vel, I hope you don't mind me askin' you this, but what were you doing over at Roxie's house at nine o'clock at night? I mean since when are the two of you so buddy-buddy?" Asked Mama overcome with curiosity. But by now, Velma was a million miles away. She had tuned all sounds and courses of action out of her head except one lingering deplorable thought.
"Mama, I don't have five thousand dollars. What am I gonna do?" She looked at the matron despondently. "I know he's the only person that even has a chance to get me off, but I just don't have that kinda money anymore, not now anyway." Mama outwardly played her usual nonchalance, but inside she was more than worried for Velma's welfare. The two were silent for a while.
"Just go talk to the old boy, Velma. If you need anything else, come to me and I'll see what I can do...You've done a lot for Mama, now Mama will do for you." Said Mama putting a friendly hand on Velma's shoulder.
For Velma this moment sparked a rare interval of feeling loved. Her hardness to sentiment eroding slightly, she pulled Mama into a solid hug.
Suddenly, Velma pulled back to compose herself. "You know something Mama, I never had a mother. And if this is what it's like, then I guess I've been missing out on more than I thought." She said flashing a sincere grin. Mama noticed tears welling up in Velma's eyes, but then cowering back up into her exterior before they could fall.
Mama smiled. She felt honored that a creature so callous and unfeeling as Velma Kelly, or so she thought, could care enough about her to look upon her as a mother figure.
Each woman with a new understanding of their no longer solely business-oriented relationship, silently cast upon the other a glance of approval. "Aww, get outta here Vel, Billy's waitin' for ya." Said Mama unlocking the door to the rec. room. "And besides, you're makin' me feel old." She teased as she playfully shoved Velma out the barred doorway.
Velma sauntered her way down the hall to the conference room where a lanky large-bodied guard opened the door for her and beckoned her inside. Velma walked over to the table where Billy was looking over some paperwork.
"Hiya Billy." Said Velma casually. Billy looked up from his filing reports to discover that, like a vintage wine, The Velma Kelly had only gotten better with age. It had been too long, thought the revered lawyer...though this wasn't exactly the time, place, or reason he had wished to regard Velma again.
Trying to hold back unmasked excitement he remarked, "Well, well, well...If it isn't my favorite scandal..."
--TBC soon enough--