"How is Frankie going with the case" Vera asked as she curled up comfortably on Bridget's couch, holding a glass of chilled white and paying her undivided attention to Bridget.
"Things seem to be moving along. I haven't heard from her about how things are going in SA, but if anyone can convince him to help, Frankie can" Bridget mused from the opposite side as she took a sip from her own glass.
"Well if she has any issues, let me know and I will give it a try" Vera smiled warmly.
"How are things with the whole Fletch thing?" Bridget smirked cheekily as Vera rolled her eyes.
"I'm moving on, I have been seeing somebody actually, which helps quite a bit... " Vera flushed as she trailed off.
"Tell me more, you cant leave me hanging like that" Bridget giggled at Vera's shyness.
"You cant tell anyone though, we are just keeping it to ourselves, ok?"
"Of course... now dish the dirt" Bridget grinned.
"It's Jake" Vera blushed with a grin.
"Stewart... from work?" Bridget asked shocked, a grin forming as Vera nodded, she had a huge suspicion that something had been going on between the pair, but this was the first time Vera had admitted to it.
"How long? How did this happen? When did this happen?" Bridget blurted.
"A few months now. It started not that long after he moved to Wentworth... he... well he kissed me in an elevator, and it just went from there... I think its getting pretty serious, he doesn't want to be a prison officer for the rest of his life, he is actually saving to open up his own mini brewery" Vera confessed.
"I'm really happy for you Vera, we should set up a double date sometime... I want to get to know the man that has you blushing so much" Bridget announced, laughing when Vera blushed again.
"We should, I will speak to him and see what he thinks... How are things with you and Frankie?" Vera asked, hoping to change the conversation from her own love life.
"Great, she has been snowed under working and working on the case, she took her bar exam last week so we are just waiting for the results to come through, but yeah... she is adjusting to life on the outside really well, and she is really getting her shit together and is looking to the future and making plans... I would happily say she is a reformed person" Bridget smirked as she threw a semi professional assessment out.
"Being outside suits her" Vera mused. "You know, when you asked me to revoke my report on her verbal abuse, and you tried to convince me that you were getting through to her... I really thought you were crazy, that she was beyond help... but seeing her on the outside, the effort she is putting into Bea's case, the way she handles herself now... well, you were right and I was wrong" Vera threw her hands up in surrender jokingly.
"Thankyou for doing that Vera... I know it went against everything you believed in... but she wouldn't be on the outside having this chance at life if you hadn't revoked it" Bridget admitted honestly.
"Well she wouldn't be on the outside, flourishing so much if it hadn't have been for you Bridge, you know that your really good for her, she really is a changed woman... she owes you more than anyone else" Vera grinned when she noticed the taller woman flush slightly.
"You know it was honestly never like that... I mean, I knew I could feel something for her, she just... got under my skin with the way she behaved, and the constant flirting and innuendoes, do you know what I mean?" Bridget asked nervously.
"Oh yes... she certainly has a way with words. It always amazed me how she could be so... confrontational and aggressive and angry, yet when it suited her she was just all charm" Vera agreed.
"See... I have only been on the receiving end of her aggression a few times... I mean there was that time in the library when she was being overly dramatic, but that was all about getting herself slotted before she took a beating from Tina and her crew... other than that it's really only been her frustration at our relationship... I mean not that we had a relationship... but she could feel what I felt, and she couldn't get it through that thick skull of her's that while she was locked up, nothing could happen between us..." Bridget confessed as she took another gulp of her wine, it was nice being able to speak so freely to Vera like this, once you got that woman out of Wentworth she really was really laid back and a good friend.
"I'm guessing she tried to change that as hard as she could though" Vera grinned, hoping that Bridget knew that she was ok to continue with the conversation.
"God did she try... she almost wore me down a few times too... I just kept thinking to myself, that if I gave in to her, it would only ever be a few stolen kisses here and there, and eventually we would get caught, and I would lose my job and would never see her, and see would get added time to her sentence and lose her parole... and we would just never have this opportunity to really see where things could go" Bridget confessed, hoping that Vera wouldn't mind her admission of nearly breaking the rules.
"I understand... you know I really do admire your professionalism there, it would have been so much easier to just give in to your feelings... but you stuck to your guns and did what was morally and legally right, not many would be able to do that... in fact many haven't been able to do that" Vera added thoughtfully.
"I suppose it helps that it was never just an attraction for me... I mean don't get me wrong, there is definitely an attraction there... it was always just, something more for me. I mean I remember having to tell her that I had cancelled our sessions and arranged for another counsellor for her, and she just flew off the handle and thought it had something to do with... well something we discussed in a session... and she was just so defensive and down on herself that she couldn't see the reasons I was doing it, she was so scared that she had confessed this thing to me and that I had judged her for it and it changed the way I looked at her, and I honestly think it just broke her" Bridget paused for a drink of her wine, hoping that Vera wouldn't ask her to elaborate on Frankie's confession.
"So any way's eventually I just couldn't take seeing that hurt and self loathing in her eyes so I decided that if I explained it to her, then maybe she would understand why I had to pull back professionally and that although it was because of her, it wasn't because I was judging her, so I confessed to her that the reason I had cancelled our sessions was because of transference... anyway she was in a bad mood and she thought I was kicking her to the curb because of how she felt... so I ended up having to confess to her that it was because of how I felt... I mean I just said that I couldn't handle her case professionally because of how I felt personally... and the penny dropped with her and she was just so confused, despite her having this big bravado act that she suspected I wanted her, and there was something between us, and even though she pushed and pushed and pushed for me to admit it, when I finally did, I think she thought she had lost her mind... and she just looked so lost when she asked me if I loved her..." Bridget trailed off as she replayed the memory in her mind.
"And what did you say?" Vera prompted, hanging on to every word Bridget spoke.
"I told her no... I mean I still worked for the prison, I couldn't exactly admit to being in love with a prisoner could I" Bridget admitted.
"I bet that didn't go down well" Vera smiled, she could only imagine how the Frankie of old would react to that.
"She actually just looked heartbroken and lost... she actually asked me if I just wanted to fuck her, like she was just some play thing to me, or that it was just a physical thing, I don't think she every really understood how much I was putting on the line just to be stood having that conversation with her, trying to tell her that I was falling in love with her, without being able to tell her or say the words, it was almost painful for me to watch, I mean you should have seen the look in her eyes, like the world had fallen out from beneath her because I didn't love her, but she was prepared to just be some random fuck to me, just so she could have a few moments with me to remember... it was so heartbreaking watching her so willing to diminish herself and her feelings like that just to be able to get close to me"
"So then what happened" Vera asked nervously, she had never really gotten an insight into how her two friends had gotten together, and now she was being allowed into the secret, she was desperate to know more.
"I couldn't even formulate words... I mean I'm a psychologist, I'm actually trained to talk despite what I'm feeling, but when I just stood there, looking at this vulnerable Frankie who was just so lost, but just so desperate to be loved... I couldn't speak, so I just shook my head and told her that I couldn't do that and left... I came home, had a bottle and a half of wine and fell asleep crying like some love sick puppy" Bridget grinned at herself.
"But obviously you two cleared it up... I mean you wouldn't be where you are today if you hadn't" Vera prodded.
"Yeah, it wasn't easy... and it was hard not having scheduled sessions to see her every week, but we saw each other in passing, and had a few conversations as equals instead of as psychologist and patient... and then the whole 'sacking' incident happened. And I just waited for her, did everything I could to help her get out by giving her a glowing reference at her appeal, and here we are!" Bridget grinned cheekily, knowing she had skipped a few parts out.
"I am so sorry about that" Vera looked extremely contrite.
"It's in the past, don't worry about it, if you hadn't have done it, Ferguson would have. And you actually did me a favour, it was getting harder and harder to be around her and push down what I was feeling, so by removing me from the equation, you actually did me a favour before I actually did overstep the boundaries and risked Frankie and myself" Bridget waved her off.
"So that day, in the library... there really was nothing going on? I completely read it wrong?" Vera asked surprised, she was sure that they had been sharing a secret moment together.
"No... if you hadn't have come when you did, I cant promise there wouldn't have been though" Bridget grinned and laughed nervously, deciding that she had trusted Vera enough so far, she may as well plunge deeper. "Frankie asked me if I missed her, and although I didn't answer her, I made it pretty obvious that I did by the way I was looking at her... then she put her hand on my cheek and it was the first time she had every touched me like that, really touched me in an intimate way, and I was just so lost at how her hand felt and the butterflies in my stomach, and I was so lost in her eyes, and she leaned in to kiss me... I remember my heart pounding so damn hard, but my head was screaming at me to get my senses together and I pulled away and told her that I couldn't do it, I think I actually said not here, not yet... I mean that was pretty obvious" Bridget laughed at herself.
"Anyway then you came in with a bee in your bonnet and that was that... we were actually speaking about Jodie Spiteri, we were in the book shelves so that no one could see or overhear us and word got back to Fergusson" Bridget informed her.
"I cant believe you didn't kiss her... you so should have kissed her" Vera grinned. "I mean from a governors perspective... you shouldn't have kissed her... but from a Vera perspective, you so should have kissed her" Vera giggled.
"I'm sure Frankie would agree with you" Bridget laughed.
"So how did you meet up on the outside? Did Frankie look you up?" Vera asked as she poured Bridget and herself another glass of wine.
"No, not at all... in one of our sessions, right at the start, Frankie told me that when she got out of here, she wanted to be picked up by a hot woman, in a hot car, and driven off into the sunset... and I just remember thinking at the time how I would love to be that person... and my Porsche certainly fits the 'hot car' category, and then I brushed it away from my mind. Then the closer we got, the more I thought that when I finally got her out of there, I wanted to be her 'hot woman in a hot car' so on her release date, I surprised her by being at the prison waiting for her" Bridget finished.
"I bet she was surprised" Vera giggled.
"Oh yeah, her jaw actually hit the floor at one point... and then she just walked up to me and pulled me into this breathtaking kiss, and we have been together ever since. I mean I cant blame her, I did make her wait till she was on the outside to finally kiss me, she didn't waste a single second after walking out of those gates" Bridget laughed.
"Wow, its quite the love story" Vera grinned.
"It is, and it is far from over yet, that was just the first chapter in a very long book hopefully" Bridget confided.
"I'm sure it will be, you two seem perfect together, I'm actually jealous that I haven't been lucky enough to experience anything like that before" Vera admitted self consciously.
"It wasn't all bunnies and kittens Vera, trust me... Frankie can be frustrating as hell, and spending all day listening to her flirting with me and trying to seduce me and coming home to a dark, cold and lonely house wasn't the best thing in the world" Bridget admitted.
"Jesus... I bet you spent a fortune on batteries" Vera laughed, her laughter increasing at the shock on Bridget's face.
"No comment" Bridget finally laughed after her shock had worn off. "Any way's back to Jake... tell me more, I want to know all the dirt this time" Bridget winked, knowing that the wine had finally started loosening Vera up.
"So we are in trouble, but not too much trouble?" Maxi asked Boomer as she sat on the foot of her bed, looking up to her nervous friend.
"Nah... The governor is pissed as hell... but she made a comment about Frankie, and Miss Westfall almost ripped her head off in front of me, and suddenly the Gov was all chilled out about it, I think we will get a slap on the wrist, and maybe another few months added to our sentences, but that's it" Boomer finished.
"Well that's good news, we expected a lot worse than that... how are you feeling anyway, any morning sickness yet?" Maxi asked as she calmly rubbed Boomers leg.
"Nah, I don't think I'm going to get it Maxi, I think this baby is going to be as good as gold... you know everyone keeps asking me if we are together now, its doing my tits in" Boomer grumbled.
"People just don't understand Boom's, they are trying to get their head around it. As long as we know the situation and are happy with it, that's all that matters right? And all our friends are happy for us and support us, don't let it get to you ok?" Maxi soothed.
"Your right Maxi, you're a good friend you know" Boomer smiled.
"You are too Booms, and I cant wait to meet this little one... they are going to be very loved and very spoilt" Maxi grinned.
"Knock Knock" Bea grinned as she entered the cell to find two of her best friends hanging out on the bed.
"How's it going Booms?" Bea asked after making sure she wasn't interrupting anything.
"everything is good in the hood" Boomer grinned cheekily.
"You know you have the entire prison gossiping, they all think Maxi has a dick again" Bea laughed.
"Oh Jesus... they see me in the shower almost everyday, do they not think they would have noticed if I still had a dick?" Maxi rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"I would watch your back Maxi... there is a few sex starved women out there who are sniffing around as if they can smell dick on you" Bea chortled at Maxine's horrified face.
"Well make sure they stay the hell away from me, no thank you very much!" Maxi laughed.
"Just keep an eye on Liz hey, she's been in here a long time, she must be the most sex starved of the lot" Boomer cackled.
"What was that Boomer?" Liz asked as she entered the cell. "I heard my name" Liz smiled.
"Booms was just warning Maxi to not come near you whilst all these dick rumours are flying around, she reckons you might jump Maxi otherwise" Bea laughed as Boomer flushed apologetically.
"Oh trust me Maxi, if you still had a dick I would have jumped you by now" Liz laughed and winked at Maxi to show she was only joking who burst out in laughter.
"What's going on in here?" Doreen asked as she entered the cell with Allie having heard the laughter from the communal area and decided to investigate.
"Oh we are just discussing how all the women want to jump Maxi for her big dick" Bea grinned as she softly punched Maxi, checking that she was ok with the topic of laughter.
"Well... not every woman... Hey Bea... some of the women in here are vagetarians" Maxi winked in return causing Bea to blush furiously, causing another round of laughter.
"Hey Liz... maybe you should take a leaf out of Bea's book and give it a try... eh Liz" Boomer grinned.
"Not fucking likely... no offence love" Liz winked at Bea.
"Hang on... how come suddenly I'm the brunt of the jokes?" Bea asked with mock annoyance.
"Oh Babe, because you make it so damn easy... you know Frankie calls you Red because of how easy it is to make you blush and not because of your hair right?" Allie smirked before shrieking as Bea dived for her and began tickling her ribs.
"Ok... I give, I give" Allie screamed between laughter as her body sunk defensively to the floor, trying to curl up into a ball so that Bea couldn't reach her most ticklish spots.
"Bea... stop... I give in!" Allie screeched as Bea fell on top of her and fought to get her hands in to Allies ribs. The other woman watching in fits of laughter at the two women's antics.
"Someone help me... HELP ME" Allie screamed loudly as Bea's hands finally managed to reach her rib cage and her tickling assault intensified.
"Admit defeat..." Bea warned.
"No way, your crazy RED" Allie grinned when Bea finally stopped moving her fingers, she threw a mock glare at her girlfriend before poking her tongue out playfully, she saw the flicker in Bea's eyes that she had gone too far before she felt Bea's movements, shrieking even louder as Bea restarted her tickling.
"Admit it, and it all stops" Bea warned as her girlfriend squirmed on the floor, begging her friends to help her.
"What the hell is going on in here" Will Jackson bellowed as he stormed into the cell, surprised to see Liz, Doreen, Boomer and Maxi sat on the bed in hysterics whilst Bea attacked Allie on the floor.
"Sorry Mr Jackson... Allie was just apologising to me for being mean" Bea grinned as Allie crawled away from her at her first opportunity and climbed onto the bed pushing Maxine in front of her, much to Maxine's amusement.
"Look's like your feeling better Smith, as you were" Mr Jackson winked before returning to his patrol of the blocks.
"Maxine isn't going to save you Alliecat" Bea warned teasingly.
"You cant get me while in behind Maxi... and Maxi is sick so you cant hurt her!" Allie laughed as she hugged Maxi's back and wrapped herself around the tall women, determined to not allow Bea an opportunity to prise her away and attack her again.
"Actually... I am officially in remission" Maxine grinned proudly, she gasped in shock as all five women pounced on her and smothered her in hugs, each woman squealing in excitement as they passed on their congratulations.
"I reckon this deserves a celebration... hey girls?" Bea announced at her family.
"Right ladies, good night, keep the noise down" Mr Jackson grinned after last call, he couldn't deny that the women of H1 had a special place in his heart. Each of them was a different person to who they were when they entered the prison, each one had grown and adapted to life on the inside.
"Sweet dreams Mr Jackson" Boomer grinned causing laughter amongst the other women. Will Jackson shook his head in amusement before throwing a wink at Boomer and walking away. The women erupted into laughter, cheering Boomer on.
"Hey Boom's, I think your in there" Liz nudged her playfully.
"I wish, ooooh the things I would do to that man" Boomer grinned.
"Oh yuck" Allie laughed as she watched Mr Jacksons retreating back. "He does have a very nice arse for a man though" she added thoughtfully, before receiving a slap on her arm, just hard enough to jolt her from her musings.
"What?" Allie asked innocently.
"I think Red is feeling a little green with jealousy" Maxi giggled, everyone but Bea laughing.
Allie turned to her girlfriend with a soft pout on her lips which turned into a grin when Bea threw her a mock glare.
"Come on Queenie, you know you're the only one for me... it doesn't hurt to look though, I mean with an arse like that, it is practically rude to not show it appreciation" Allie grinned seeing the look of annoyance flash in Bea's eyes before seeing the look change, oh shit she knew that look. With a squeal, Allie took off and put the couch between her and her girlfriend, determined to not be on the receiving end of her punishment.
"Ha... what are you gonna do from all the way over there Bea?" Allie grinned proudly as she placed her hands on her hips confidently. She stood staring at Bea, waiting for any sign of movement to alert her to start running again, but Bea was just stood still looking at her like something was wrong.
"Babe... what's wrong?" Allie took a step forward in concern.
"I just... shit my head hurts" Bea exclaimed as she threw hands towards her head to cup her forehead.
"Bea, are you ok?" Allie asked rushing forward, the rest of the girls seeing the change in atmosphere and panicking.
Allie approached the couch and began to make her way around it to get to her partner, all thoughts of joviality lost from her mind, she jumped in fright as Bea launched into the air and cleared the couch in one swift movement. Allie screamed in surprise and tried to jump back, but Bea was far quicker and trapped the taller women in her arms. Allie struggled desperately to break free, but with shock discovered that Bea had been down playing just how much physio she had been doing, the woman was like a bouncer.
"Now Alliecat, what was it you were just saying... I think it was something like... oh that right... Bea has a better arse than Will Jackson, and I will never look at another person's arse ever again in my whole life" Bea grinned as Allie struggled against her, trying to break free. She could of course break free if she put her mind to it, but using actual self defence against her girlfriend was not something she wanted to attempt, so instead she tried desperately to loosen Bea's embrace so she could escape.
"Say it" Bea whispered mockingly in Allie's ear.
"Never" Allie cried.
"I'm not letting you go until you say it" Bea laughed.
"Alright, alright fine" Allie grimaced. "Bea has a better arse than Will Jackson... happy?" Allie grinned as she felt Bea's embrace loosen ever so slightly.
"And?" Bea grinned
"Jesus... alright! And I will never look at another person's arse ever again" Allie grumbled, a smile playing on her lips as she felt Bea's hands drop down to her waist. She counted to three in her head, then leaped forward, using the couch to leap over before turning around to a stunned Bea.
"He still has a nice arse for a bloke though" Allie grinned, before running with a scream for Bea's room and shutting the door quickly as she saw Bea take off for her.
"Allie, you cant stay in there forever... come out and accept your punishment" Bea called lovingly through the door.
"Nah, I'm good thanks, I think I will just chill in here... you know, do my nails, have a nap" Allie called back much to everyone's amusement.
"That's fine, I will just wait you out, you will have to come out here eventually" Bea grinned as she walked backwards away from the door, she saw Allie peep through the small window around the blind and threw her a little wave and a knowing smile before Allie disappeared.
"Right, lets get this party started" Bea grinned as she turned the music up and laughed as Boomer began dancing.
An hour had passed since Allie had escaped into their cell and blocked the door so Bea couldn't get back in, the women had spent the hour laughing and dancing as they celebrated Maxine's remission. Finally Bea couldn't take being away from Allie any longer, excusing herself she made her way to their cell quietly and tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge.
"Go away Bea, I'm not going to fall for it" Allie called from the other side of the door with a laugh, she had been working her way through Bea's stack of magazines and indulging herself in gossip from the outside world.
"Ah come on baby, I miss you, come and join us" Bea begged.
"Nah I'm good here thanks, got plenty to read, lots of snacks, I even have a cosy red blanket to snuggle up in" Allie laughed through the door, knowing that Bea would be getting frustrated now.
"What do I have to do to get you to come out? Beg? Please baby, please come out and join us" Bea cooed quietly through the door so only Allie would be able to hear her.
"Ok fine... if you want me to come out, you have to do one thing" Allie said seriously.
"Fine... what is it?" Bea asked, surprised at how easy it had been.
"You have to say that I have a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Allie grinned.
"You do have a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Bea exclaimed seriously.
"I cant hear you Bea?" Allie grinned wider.
"You have a nicer arse than Will Jackson, now come out here" Bea said just loud enough for the other women to hear her and laugh at her. She rolled her eyes at the jokes they were beginning to send at her.
"Bea... I cant hear you, I think you need to say it a bit louder" Allie laughed.
Bea put her forehead against the cold metal of the door and frowned, she loved Allie dearly, but she was going to be the death of her.
Boomer nudged the other women and silently nodded towards the gates securing their unit, the women all turned around and grinned as Will Jackson walked past.
"Fine, Allie Novak has a nicer arse than Will Jackson" Bea yelled as loud as she could. "Now will you get that gorgeous arse out here please" Bea said quieter, her smile forming when she heard the cell door begin to open.
"What's wrong with my arse Bea?" Mr Jackson called from the other side of the bars causing Bea to almost jump out of her skin. Everyone apart from Bea burst out in laughter at how red and flustered she had gotten, not knowing where to look or what to say.
"Bea was just telling us how nice your arse was Mr Jackson, and when she saw how upset and jealous I got, she thought she had better correct herself" Allie grinned cheekily, Bea spun around glaring at her in disbelief that she would just say that. Boomer sat at the table howling and choking with laughter as Liz and Maxine looked on worryingly at her, wondering if she was going to cause herself to literally piss herself from laughing.
"Well I can understand Allie getting jealous Smith... perhaps you should keep your eyes to yourself in future" Mr Jackson grinned cheekily before winking and turning to continue his patrol with a over exaggerated swing to his hips.
"Oh god... I'm going to have a heart attack" Boomer called from her seat as she hyperventilated, she quickly quietened down when Bea threw her a glare of wich though.
"Ahh come on Bea, if your gonna be pissed with someone, be pissed with Allie, she said it" Boomer shrugged, throwing Allie an apologetic smile for throwing her under the bus.
Bea shook her head, brushed past Allie and stormed into the bedroom. Upon hearing slams and bangs, Allie threw their friends a nervous smile before following her girlfriend into their cell and closing the door so they could have their argument in privacy.
She jumped when she spun around to find Bea stood looking at her, her hands firmly placed on her hips and a mischievous smirk painted across her face.
"Your in for it now Alliecat" Bea purred as Allie jumped and tried to flee the room, but Bea was too quick as she grabbed her girlfriend around the waist and picked her up easily. Allie shrieked in defence, calling for help and hoping the others would come in and stop Bea before she could start tickling her.
She felt Bea plop her down on the bed, she spun around trying to get her feet underneath her so she could jump back up, but before she had a chance she felt Bea straddling her and grabbing her arms.
"Let me goooo" Allie called out in between laughter.
"Never" Bea promised as she raised Allies hands above her head, as quick as the laughter started, it stopped as both women stared into each others eyes, losing themselves in the moment, it took less than three seconds from Allie's hands hitting the pillow with Bea's arms firmly but gently around her wrists till their lips clashed in the middle in a kiss that drowned out the rest of the world.