I have such a busy week ahead of me, actually Bridget and I both do – I have an ongoing court case, I'm seeing Bea to discuss any progress with her appeal, Vera has a few new clients for me as well – apparently just drugs charges and also Doreen, so shouldn't be too difficult, then to top the week off its Vera's bachelorette party – I was adamant that I wanted to go as well, so we're organising Will's for two weeks' time, that'll give him a whole week to sober up before the wedding – hopefully enough time.
I'm currently sitting in my office at Strathon & Myers, this has been a rarity in recent months – as I feel like I've spent most of my time at the prison, how ironic.
"Hey Franky, you have a minute?" Marcus says, appearing in the doorway.
"Hey boss – yeah sure come in." I say as he takes a seat opposite me.
"Right, so I'll just get straight to it. If you're interested, we want you, starting next week to be full-time at Wentworth, the Government have provided us with a new contract – basically now making us the lawyers for the Department of Corrections in Melbourne. Your role, should you accept will be head of this new department – you'll get to pick your own team of course: lawyers, paralegals, personal assistant, admin assistants and forensic psychologist – all of which will be in-house to work on the cases. As with any promotion, you can expect a salary increase – given you will be running an entire department, as well as being a Partner, you can expect that increase to be in the region of $100,000 per year, excluding any bonuses. So what do you reckon Franky? Got what it takes?" Marcus finally finishes and I'm trying to absorb all of the information I've been given.
"Wow – okay Marcus that has totally thrown me, I honestly wasn't expecting you to say that when you walked in here. Well, as I'm sure you'll appreciate, this is definitely a conversation I'll need to have with Bridget – it's an amazing opportunity and it's incredible the women will now get proper representation whenever they need it. Is this just at Wentworth or other prisons as well? I ask.
"Currently, the Government want to trial us at Wentworth, I think their plan – if all goes well, will be to roll it out elsewhere – probably getting other law firms involved too."
"Interesting – okay well I'll discuss it this with Bridget tonight and see what her views are – oh, and a forensic psychologist on the team? And I get to pick my own people?" I raise my eyebrows at him.
"Yeah I know – it's totally up to you Franky, you can go there if you want, but go talk to your wife first anyway." Marcus says, standing up to leave.
"That's your hint to go home Franky – it's after 7pm, go be with your family." I nod as he leaves and start to pack up my things.
Half an hour later I'm home, I walk in to the Livingroom expecting to find Bridget with Olivia – but to my surprise Boomer is still here.
"Oh – hey Booms, Bridget not home yet?" I say – stepping in further, normally my way is home before me.
"Hi Franky – yeah she is." Boomer says in reply.
"Okay…where is she then?" I ask, waiting on her to expand.
"She looked really tired Franky – so I told her to go relax for a bit until you got home, you should go check on her."
"Oh, thanks Booms, that was really sweet of you, she's had some tough sessions at Wentworth recently – it's probably that." I say with a smile as I move towards our bedroom, grateful to have such caring people in my life.
"Gidge, you okay?" I tap on the door of the ensuite, which is slightly ajar – I poke my head in the door and find my wife in the bathtub, covered in bubbles.
"Oh hey Franky." She says, opening her eyes, which I notice are red and have dark circles underneath them. I move further into the room and position myself on the edge of the tub, brining my hand up to stroke through her hair.
"You look tired sweetie." I say to her, continuing to stroke my hand back and forth.
"Hmm – just tough sessions recently. A few are getting to me." I bring my hand down so it cups her cheek and she leans into the touch.
"How are they getting to you?" I say concerned, my wife is normally very good at compartmentalising – and usually it's easy for her to switch off from work once she gets home.
"Well – one of the women, who has a child, has discovered her boyfriend – who looks after the kid, is having an affair and actually wants me to help her get her kid brought back to the prison, all because she's jealous." I'm taking in what my wife is saying, when she suddenly let's out a sob that I wasn't expecting.
"Hey – hey come on, it's okay." I say, leaning down over the tub to kiss her on the head a few times.
"No Franky, she's demanding this from me – she won't take no for an answer." Alarm bells start going off in my head, obviously knowing what some of the women were capable of.
"Look at me baby." I say, lifting her chin so she meets my eyes.
"She's not hurt you or anything has she? Or said something?" she lets out even more tears at this, and I don't even care that I'm fully clothed, I slide into the bathtub and sit behind my distraught wife, pulling her into my arms and holding her tightly.
"She said – she said I was a terrible mother! And – and that she felt sorry for Olivia because she has us for parents!" Bridget's sobs have become so loud and uncontrollable, Boomer even pokes her head in the door to make sure we're okay, I just give her a nod and a sad smile and turn my attention back to my wife.
"Oh baby – you know that's not true, you're the best mummy Olivia could ever have! Please don't let this upset you. Who said all of this? You need to tell me so I can report it honey, no one should say these sort of things to anyone." I say this to Bridget, however I know reporting it will do fuck all, I mostly want a name so I can deal with this my own way.
"Okay Franky – it was Doreen, she wants Joshua back." I flinch at hearing this, how dare she talk like that to my wife.
"Doreen said that to you? I'm going to fucking kill her – that ungrateful bitch!" I am so angry right now; I just can't believe after everything I've done for her – this is what thanks I get.
"No Franky – you can't do anything, please promise me." She turns her head so she can look me in the eyes, I hate when she gives me this look.
"Okay, okay don't worry I won't get myself in any trouble, I promise." I kiss her lips, thinking it doesn't mean I can't have a word with Doreen tomorrow when we have our meeting to review her drug charges – timing couldn't be any better.
"What are you planning? I know that look Franky." I forget just how well my wife knows me.
"Well, I happen to have an appointment with Doreen tomorrow, discussing an appeal she wishes to submit – don't worry, I'm just going to have a quiet word with her." I reassure.
"That better be all, I don't want you brought up on any assault charges." I laugh slightly at this and kiss Bridget again.
"Right – time to get out babe, I am still fully clothed after all!"
"Franky! I never even noticed! I'm sorry."
"Seriously? You didn't know I had my work clothes on? Ha, well I'll do anything to comfort you Gidge, absolutely anything."
Later that night, Boomer has left, Olivia is in her crib and Bridget and I are cuddled up in bed, just enjoying the presence of one another.
"Hey Gidge – have some news I need to discuss with you, it's about work." I say softly, she untangles from me slightly, just enough so she can look at me.
"What about darling?"
"Well, Marcus has offered me a promotion – the Government have given the firm a new contact for the Department of Corrections, to give inmates access to free legal assistance. They're trialling it at Wentworth – and Marcus wants me to be head of the new department, I would get to pick a whole team to work with me, if I accept I would be at Wentworth full-time from next Monday. What do you think?"
"Are you being serious? Franky that's great! This opportunity would allow you to do what you've always wanted and help reform inmates and give them the best legal counsel – something you had to teach yourself because no help was available! I'm so proud of you!" it always makes me beam when my wife says she's proud of me, it's something she's said to me from the very start of our relationship and it's definitely up there with 'I love you'.
"So you think I should accept then yeah? I'm really excited about this prospect I must say."
"Of course baby! This is career changing! An entire department of people working under you. Ah, this is your dream!"
"It sure is – I was hoping though, that maybe – it could be our dream together." I say, looking at her and waiting for a reaction.
"Huh? What are you talking about Franky? I don't understand." She's so cute when she pulls her confused face.
"Well, you see – I'm going to need to hire a psychologist to work with me on this new team, and what's the point of looking elsewhere, when the best psychologist in Australia is in bed with me right now?"
"Seriously? You would want me on your team?" she says, shocked.
"Oh baby, I think it's pretty clear – you're already on my team." I say, grabbing her behind and pulling her up so she's straddling me.
"Franky! You know what I meant." I pull her lips down to mine in a heated kiss.
"Yes, I want you Bridget, I want you on my team, please say you'll come with me?" I say the last three words in a seductive tone, and that does the trick.
"Of course I'll come with you Franky, always – and in more ways than one, so yes after the first, which I expect in the next five minutes – I'll also do the second – I'll join your team." And with that, I know for a fact I'm going to be exhausted at work tomorrow.
The next afternoon I wait in my office for Doreen to show up for our scheduled appointment – I really have no idea if she knows I'm going to be representing her but if not she'll soon find out. Moments later she appears at the door flanked by Miss Miles. I told Linda about the incident earlier so she said she would wait outside the door – just in case.
"Hi Franky, be back later to get her."
"Cheers Linda." I say, Doreen looks a little bit scared as Miss Miles leaves, closing the door behind her, and I start walking towards her rather than offering her a seat.
"Hi Franky – so you're the lawyer for representing the women as well? Not just teaching and stuff?" she asks as I step right in front of her, so we are face-to-face.
"Well, you see Doreen – I get to hear an inmates case, then decide if I want to be their lawyer or not based on how I think I can help, or at least that's normally the case – but when I find out someone that I once regarded as a close friend calls my wife a terrible mother to our daughter – that really pisses me off. I'm not at all happy Doreen, I don't like returning home from work to an upset wife – understood? So, you're gonna apologise to her, and if you do, I won't need to get Red involved – fail to say you're sorry for being a bitch – and I'll have no choice, so it's up to you – what's it going to be?" I say, looking at her in disgust, to think she used to be a trusted friend.
"I'm so sorry Franky – don't tell Bea, please! I'll apologise okay? I will, I promise!"
"Okay – but you better – now get out of here, I can't even stand to look at you right now, you disgust me." With that she scampers out of the office, where Miss Miles is waiting, I give her a knowing nod and then shut the door.
Bridget POV
"I have never been happier it's the weekend babe! I can't wait for tonight; you realise this will be our first proper night out in over a year? How crazy is that!" I say, as Franky and I get ready for the bachelorette party.
"Tell me about it! We totally need this night out. I mean, don't get me wrong I love Olivia more than anything, but being a parent is way tougher than I anticipated!" Franky says.
"You seriously thought having a child wouldn't be too difficult! Ha, Jesus Franky, how do you think I feel? Most women who are my age have teenagers, I have a six month old – that I breastfeed."
"I think Olivia takes after me Gidge, I mean, I can't get enough of your boobies either – they were incredible before but now? Wow, they're on a different level!" Franky walks behind me and proceeds to massage my breasts over the dress I'm wearing – I allow myself to enjoy the moment.
"Boobies? How old are you? Babe, that feels amazing but not too hard, I don't want to leak on my dress."
"Ugh talk about mood killer Gidget." She stops her movements on my breasts and moves down to my ass instead.
"This better?" she asks in a raspy voice.
"Mhmm, but we need to stop before you take this too far, it's time to go, we can't be late – I organised it after all." She lets out a huff, gives me a quick kiss then leaves the bedroom.
Two hours later and the party has well and truly started, the music is pumping, drinks are flowing and everyone seems to be having a great time. I decided to hire out a private room in a club to host it, gives us somewhere a little quieter for what I have planned later.
"What's that look for Gidge? What are you planning?" my wife says, walking up to me and handing me some sort of cocktail.
"It's a surprise babe – I can't say."
"But I'm your wife! Come on Gidget – just a clue." It's funny when Franky is like this, she absolutely hates not knowing what's going on.
"No darling – you'll just need to wait and like everyone else." I say, placing a kiss to the pout she now has on her face.
"Fine! Whatever – I don't care anyway." She says, turning and walking away, soon disappearing from sight into the crowded room.
An hour later, and it's time for me to take to the stage for the surprise I've been planning I'm a bit tipsy now – so I'm going to tease my wife for a bit before introducing the real entertainment.
"Ladies, your attention please!" I call out from my position on the raised platform – all eyes turn towards me, including my wife's – I make eye contact with her and then give her a knowing smile, her eyebrows knit in confusion at me.
"I have a surprise for you Vera, but before I begin I need to say that it's been a while so I might be a bit rusty. Can you start the music please." I say towards the DJ who is in on my little plan. I move over to where a pole has been erected and start to move my body against it, then I jump up, wrap both legs around it and slide down to the floor – never once breaking eye contact with Franky. The crowd cheers and chants for more, but before I can do anything further, my wife appears in front of me, lifting me up and carrying me off the stage, everyone boos at her actions.
"What the hell Gidge?" she says, as I'm still securely in her arms, legs wrapped around her waist.
"Ooh I like when you get all protective babe – it's hot." I whisper in her ear.
"You're too easy by the way – did you really think I was actually going to strip in front of everyone? Yes, I did that in college – quite often, but I wasn't over forty and a mother then." I tease, looking back to her face before leaning in to peck her lips.
"Well, the way you were working that pole – I wasn't sure what you had planned."
"I was just warming the stage up, don't you worry – look, that's the professionals coming on now." I say, as she places me back on the ground before turning to the stage.
"Ha! You got a mixed cast I see! Good plan, keeps everyone happy I guess." As Franky says this, I look to the crowd and see Vera, huge grin on her face and giving me two thumbs up.
"Exactly! This way we can enjoy the show too – however, I was kind of hoping we could have our own little show somewhere quieter." I give her the look, and she knows exactly what I mean.
"Oh really? You wanna have dirty bathroom sex with your wife?" I can't help the little groan that escapes my lips at the thought.
"Yes, and then I want you to take me home so we can make love all night, let's take full advantage of being baby free." She picks me up again and I squeal as she starts walking towards the club toilets.
"Music to my ears babe, your little performance has got me so turned on." And with that, she moves into a bathroom stall – I already know I won't be getting any sleep at all tonight.