Bridget had to admit that even if she is a professional to the bone and she cares about her professional reputation and credibility. She has one weak point and that is getting too friendly with some of the inmates. The gorgeous brunette waiting for her at home is the clear example. Even if Bridget rather liked to think that everything happens for a reason. Meeting Franky here at Wentworth is the proof. Destiny works in crazy ways and she was sure that it was meant to be so why to dwell on it. It is still better to care for the women than not.
Bridget has no idea why but she has clearly a soft spot for the women from H1 unit. It must be Franky´s influence or just simply the fact that people tend to group according to their personalities and Bea Smith´s crew was just too funny and normal compared to the other inmates. Bridget grew to like them, they were refreshing, making her days better and more bearable. Never mention that they were one of the few who could make it outside so it was not a waste of time helping them.
The woman in front of her was one of the most interesting persons she has ever met. Bea Smith is a clear example that things are not black and white. She is a living and breathing evidence of the fact that life is not simple and good people can do unspeakable deeds. A battered woman abused by her husband who clearly made a huge mistake and ended up imprisoned. Who stood up to bullies, helped the weak for what she lost her daughter and then became the fierce top dog. Someone who protected the women kept the prison in check, she got rid of the drugs as no one ever was able before and helped to improve the general wellbeing of the women.
Keeping order between the women is a hard task. Bea Smith is making it look easy but it is far from that. Women here are no saints and the majority of them are very aggressive or at least have some sort of social disorder what makes them dangerous. Prison politics are not easy to handle. Women are more cunning and shady than their male counterparts. Everyone knows that women prisons are more tough and violent than the male ones. Guys fix every problem by one on one fight while women group together, cheat, lie and use every trick possible to get what they want. Being a top dog is a hard task.
Bea is excellent at it and Bridget grew to like her not just for it but for a lot of reasons. She was a pain in the ass to work with when it came to emotions and feelings. But slowly they have made progress and Bridget found her person really interesting. She was sure that Bea Smith taught her a lot about human beings and their psychology. Lately, she was acting weirdly and Bridget wanted to find out why. Bea was sitting in the chair just one step away, her pose was relaxed with legs stretched and crossed in front of herself but her eyes were focused on the ground and she was fidgeting with her fingers. She was having a little monolog what was surprising. Bridget never saw her like this or heard her talk like this so she let her.
- Sometimes I don´t know if I´m being paranoid or not. I mean, everyone else is alright with Allie hanging out with her. I don´t get how they are not worried she could be Proctor´s asset. We don´t know anything about her.
- Who?
- The new girl, Jane or what is her name.
- Ah, so you think she might be dangerous?
- I don´t know. – Bea said finally turning to look at the blonde doctor. – She might be, we don´t know her.
- Are you talking about that tall pretty brunette?
Bea rolled her eyes and huffed.
- Pretty? Is she some lesbian magnet or what? Christ sake!
Bridget had to smirk, she never saw this coming – jealousy.
- I´m sorry. – Bea said. – I didn´t mean to sound so disrespectful.
- It´s alright, I get that you are frustrated. Last few weeks were hard.
Bea nodded. They really were.
- Yeah, I feel tired. I´m so exhausted. We can´t go on like this, girls are tired too it is time to end this pat situation. I just need some proof that Stewart is with Proctor, get him fired. I can deal with Proctor but not with him.
- Are you sure that Stewart is behind it?
- Yeah, I´m sure.
- It will be hard to convince the governor about that.
- Yeah, I have noticed that.
- Stewart and she are dating.
- What?
- Obviously, you can´t tell her that I told you this. But you will need some solid evidence to convince her that he is guilty.
- Fuck! – Bea let out a long frustrated sigh. – How come I hear about this for the first time? What happened with the prison gossip?
- They are really good hiding it. We are friends with Vera so she told me but no one else knows so please keep it to yourself.
Bea nodded.
- No worries, I won´t tell anyone. What the hell should I do?
-You were waiting until now maybe you should make a move. What about doing what Proctor planned? – Bea raised her eyebrows looking at the smiling psychologist. – Get her slotted.
- It won´t help, Stewart has access to the solitary cells. It is not like we can cut them off.
- Maybe you can talk with Will if I´m not wrong he is doing the roster for Vera. He can make sure Stewart will have duty somewhere else for weeks.
- He can still slip there though.
- Yeah, but he will have to use his card for it, never mention that the solitary block is full of cameras. If he will want to give a message to some of Kaz´s girls it will be risky. Maybe even they don't know about their relationship. Taking Proctor out of the picture can complicate things for them at least they might slip up or something. – Bridget leaned back in her chair and winked at the redhead. – It is better than nothing, don´t you think?
Of course, it is, Bea smiled, Franky found her match. This idea is really good. She has to find mister Jackson and talk to him.
- Thank you. – Bea stood up and Bridget followed her example.
- We still have time, where are you running?
- Sorry, but I have to catch mister Jackson before his shift is over. – Bea said and hugged Bridget taking the blonde of the guard. This kind of display of affection was not common between them.
- Say hello to Franky for me. – Bea said stepping away and walking towards the door.
- I will. – Bridget answered watching as the top dog disappeared behind the door with an extra bounce in her step. The psychologist smiled. It looks like the top dog will take care of things once again. It was good for the women. Bea Smith is good for the women. She smiled making a mental note to talk with Franky about visiting her friend. Bea needs some positive input.
X
Bea was walking back to H1 after talking to Will Jackson. She felt elevated for the first time in long weeks. Stewart will work in the kitchen for next month far away from the solitary unit. Mister Jackson also promised that he will dig deeper into his past. Now she just has to come up how to get Proctor slotted. It won´t be difficult that woman is crazy, it will take just one well-aimed comment and she will flip. With this thought, Bea smiled and turned the last corner when she spotted a tall figure lurking near the H1 gate.
The woman turned around when she heard steps but it was too late. Before she had a chance to realize what is happening Bea had her pinned to the wall holding her by her neck. It was Jane, Allie´s new friend.
- What are you doing here? – she hissed out.
The young woman gasped for air but didn´t try to fight back.
- I´m looking for Allie.
Bea´s grip tightened and her fingers sunk deeply into the soft flesh.
- I´m sure that you were told that nobody is allowed coming into this hallway. You should have talked to her in the yard or during dinner. Nobody is allowed here!
She spun the girl and harshly shoved her into the wall. Bea stepped closer getting into her face trying to intimidate her.
- I don´t care who you are looking for or what you want! If you come one more time near this unit you will end up in medical! Is that clear?!
Jane swallowed and nodded quickly.
- Yes, I´m sorry.
- Bea, what the hell? – Liz asked as she stepped through the gate and stood there watching them.
- Nothing Liz, all cool. Allie just forgot to tell her friend that she is not allowed into H1 as anyone else.
Liz wanted to ask why she is not allowed but she changed her mind. She knows Bea too well and the look she is sporting now is the one which doesn´t like questions and talking back. She rather turned on her heels and walked back leaving Bea to deal with it.
- Go back to your unit, you can talk with her tomorrow.
Bea let Jane go and stepped back. She watched as the young woman rubbed her neck and nodded.
- I´m sorry. –she said again and walked away.
Bea stood there looking after her until she didn´t disappear behind the corner. Then she let out an annoyed sigh and walked into her unit just to find Liz looking at her questioningly.
- What? – she threw her arms into the air.
- I don´t know. – Liz answered.
- I´m sure that she was told not to come near this unit. Everyone knows that!
- Yeah, I get it Bea, but was it necessary to choke her?
- It was a normal response. I just wanted to prove my point. Don´t start with this, you well know how the women work. As soon as I step back and ease the leash they are all over the place.
- That is true, - Liz agreed – but sometimes you could make an exception.
- Sometimes, I do. But not for her. Fuck sake, she is new, we have no idea what her agenda is.
- It is pretty obvious what her agenda is Bea. – Liz saw as the top dog became red and was just about to explode. – She has just a crush on Allie, that is all.
- How do you know that? What if it´s a trick how to get close to her or me?
- You? – Liz raised her eyebrows. – What do you mean?
- Maybe she wants to get into our unit through Allie and spy on us or kill me.
- I don´t think so. She seems really nice and she is pretty smitten. It is hard to fake attraction this well.
- I don´t get it guys? What is wrong with you? Can´t you see that trusting her blindly is dangerous? – Bea walked to her cell and opened the door looking back at Liz. – Getting Allie laid is more important for everyone than our safety. Awesome!
Liz watched as Bea closed the door and then she walked to make tea for herself. Bea is acting strangely. Yes, the situation is not good. They are all stressed and Bea carries the majority of this burden and she is really tired. Probably not sleeping very well assuming from the bags under her eyes but still. She is way too paranoid. Liz turned the kettle on and tried to make sense of everything that was happening but without any luck.
X
It was early evening just a few minutes after the dinner when the alarm went on and a code blue was in effect. Maxine and Bea hurried down the hallway towards H1. They found Allie and Boomer sitting on the sofa. Bea felt as a huge rock was lifted from her lungs. She smiled at the young blonde who smiled back at her. Maxine sat down and looked around.
- Where are Liz and Sonia?
- They went to D block, they must be on their way back. – Allie replied.
- Booms, did you got those magazines from H2? – Maxine asked.
- Yes, do you want them now? – Boomer answered.
- No, we can read them later together.
Allie watched as the redhead sat down on the chair and stretched out lazily. She got a glimpse of skin as Bea´s shirt rode up, it throws her off a little bit but then she quickly recuperated. She can´t be distracted when poking into the top dog.
- I heard that Jane was here right after the dinner while we were in the shower.
Bea rolled her eyes. Liz has a too big mouth for her own good.
- Nothing happened, I just told her that the no coming close to H1 unit rule stands for everyone, no exceptions.
- Interesting, Liz said that you were choking her. – Allie argued making Bea look at her angrily.
- I did not choke her! Just pushed her up against the wall a little. – she said earning a snort from Boomer and a chuckle from Maxine. Allie was grinning.
- I can imagine that you went all top dog on her Bea, is that right?
- Ah, for fuck sake! – Bea growled. – Why is it that everyone is against me when I´m cautious but you run to me when the shit gets real?! – Bea stood up and was about to go to her cell not wanting to listen to this anymore.
- Aww Bea, sorry, I got it. – Allie said smiling at her. – I´m just pulling your leg. I really appreciate that you are looking out for me.
- Sure. - Bea rolled her eyes dramatically. Somewhat her anger disappearing as soon as Allie smiled at her. She wanted to scold the blonde a little but she was interrupted by Smiles letting Sonia through the gate. She looked over them and took out a pen.
- Everyone is here right? Novak, Jenkins, Smith, Conway, Stevens - she made notes.
- Liz is not here. – Bea said and looked at Sonia. – Where is Liz?
- Birdsworth is in medical, she is accounted for.
Smiles said without further explanation and closed the gate after herself. Everyone looked at Sonia. Just now noticing how pale the old woman was.
- What the hell happened? – Boomer yelled.
- We got attacked. – Sonia said simply moving to the chair and slowly sitting down.
- By whom? When? – Maxine asked. The old woman closed her eyes and took a breath.
- We were going to fix the problem with the girls as you asked. And suddenly we were surrounded and they started bashing us. Unfortunately, Liz got the worst of it as I have been a little behind and managed to slip away. I called the guard but it was late.
- What do you mean it was late? How is Liz? – Bea asked.
- Oh no, she is alive, just pretty bruised. They will keep her for the night because of suspected concussion. She is alright, it could have been worse.
- Thank God! – Boomer said sitting back on the couch relieved.
- Bea, - Sonia looked at her. – there were some girls from Proctor´s crew too.
Bea felt like the world was closing down on her. Finally, she had a plan but that bitch was one step ahead of her. She waited for too long and it bit her ass.
- From tomorrow we have to be more careful alright. Boomer, you will stay with Sonia and Allie all the time. I will ask someone from H4 block to guard the corridor to H1 and everyone is forbidden to go elsewhere. No walking around not even in pairs. Just in big groups. – Bea said and everyone silently nodded but the shock and confusion were clear on their faces. The threat was suddenly closer than they have expected.
- I will make sure to fix this once and for all. I promise. – Bea said quietly. – I already have a plan. She might win this round but I will get her.
- Of course Bea, no doubt. – Boomer exclaimed. – We will kick her ass!
- That we will. – Bea said as she looked at the sadly smiling women around her. They might have lost this battle but not the war. Nobody thought otherwise and that warmed her heart. – I´m very tired, going to sleep. Good night you all. – she said and went to her cell determined to go to bed right away and sleep. She really needed some rest.
Bea wanted to close the door behind herself but Allie grabbed it and pulled open again so she could slip in.
- Allie not now, please.
Allie closed the door and then marched to the bed and sat down her eyes never leaving the redhead standing still by the door.
- You have no idea what I want.
- It doesn´t matter. – Bea said and moved to sit down next to the blonde. – I´m not in the mood for talking or company. I´m tired. – she moved a bit backward so she could lean against the wall.
- What do you want to do? - Allie asked. – Bea?
The redhead was quiet. Allie knew it was a bad sign.
- Bea? What do you want to do?
Still nothing.
- Promise me you won´t do anything crazy. Bea! Promise me!
Bea shook her head.
- I can´t promise that. I have to push back. I already had a plan and even if it comes late I will have to do it.
- What is the plan? – Allie asked but Bea didn´t listen. The older woman was lost in her own thoughts and troubled emotions.
- This is all my fault. I have been waiting way too long. I should have done something sooner.
She looked at the blonde sitting in front of her. Allie never saw her this upset. He eyes were dark and shining with tears. - Liz is now in medical because of me. I should have killed her already. – Bea growled through her teeth. – But I didn´t because of you. I didn´t go after her because I didn´t want to make you hate me. – She said as first tears escaped from her eyes and were running down her cheeks. – I should have done something. - she whispered.
Allie felt like she was just hit with a splash of ice cold water. She could feel the pain and sadness radiating from the woman sitting next to her.
- She will be alright Bea. – she said with low voice. - She is alright.
- She is not.
Allie scooted closer and placed her right hand on Bea´s.
- She is alive, that is all that matters. She will get better and you will get rid of Kaz. But you can´t kill her. – Allie let their fingers intertwine and she squeezed the warm hand under hers. - Look at me! Not for me but for yourself. Do you understand!
Bea lifted her head and looked into the blue eyes which were already fixed on her. They were just quietly staring at each other for few seconds. They both tired and confused with the onslaught of emotions. Bea nodded.
- Yes, I know. – she whispered and squeezed Allie´s hand stronger. The young woman calmed down instantly. The weight fell down from her shoulders and her collapsed back leaning against the wall. She glanced at the redhead and when she saw that the older woman is lost in her thoughts she closed her eyes and let herself relax a little bit. After awhile she felt another squeeze to her hand, she glanced at Bea but she was still lost in her thoughts, so Allie just silently squeezed back letting the other woman know that she is there. They were sitting like that in silence for long minutes. Maybe ten or fifteen passed when Allie felt the older woman starting to loosen up. The grip on her hand became softer and Bea finally moved her head. She lifted it and when their eyes met the redhead smiled.
- I know that this is not the right time but I wanted to ask you for a big favor. – Allie said letting go of Bea´s hand as she nervously started to play with the fabric of her pants.
- What is it? – Bea asked.
- Is there any chance that you could talk with Franky Doyle about Jane? If I´m not wrong Boomer said that she is a paralegal helping out women from here. – Allie shyly looked at the older woman. Her blue eyes were darting nervously from the redhead to the floor and back. Bea had to use all her self-control not to groan out loud. „For fuck sake!" – she thought.
- She is not innocent but she was dragged into it and kinda framed. She really shouldn´t be here. Allie continued her defense speech. The redhead couldn´t believe her ears. „What the hell is happening?" – she wondered. Is it possible that the young blonde really fell for this woman so quickly? Actually, who cares, Bea decided, as all she could think about now was a good sleep and time alone to think about how to get Proctor slotted. She let out a long sigh.
- Alright, I will tell her to look at her case but that is all. I will tell her the name but then won´t bother her anymore. If she will do it, she will – if not then not.
Allie nodded that she understands.
- Thank you, Bea! I owe you a huge one!
- That you do. – Bea smiled at the young woman tiredly. Allie jumped off the bed and leaned closer to kiss the older woman on her forehead.
- Good night, sweet dreams! – she said and left leaving behind a stunned top dog. „Ach shit!" – Allie thought while closing the door behind herself. She throws a last glance at Bea who was still sitting motionless with a slightly shocked expression on her face. „What the hell did I do?" Allie was little shocked herself. Taken back with her own action. Kissing a prison top dog on the forehead like a small child is not very appropriate. She had to chuckle though. Bea´s expression was just too funny. The redhead is just too adorable even in a shocked state.
Allie said a quick goodnight to the rest of the girls too and opted for an early night in as well. She changed into her sleeping shirt and nestled herself into her bed. Her mind instantly drifted back to the cell across the hall. Bea looks really tired lately. Hopefully, her plan will work and they finally gain upper hand over Kaz. This mess can´t continue for longer. It makes everyone exhausted – in the best case, in worse, they end up in medical. „Oh, poor Liz!" – she felt her chest tighten and unease washing over her as she was thinking about the old blonde. Liz was always kind to her and now she is hurt because of her. Bea is upset and tired – that is her fault too. „Everything is my fault." – was her last thought before falling asleep.