CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Present Day
Litchfield Maximum Security Prison

Frieda woke early the following morning and found that Zoe had went back to her own bed sometime in the night. She had the best sleep-the only real sleep she's had since the riots. She stretched her arms over her head and slid out of bed. Zoe was still fast asleep and she looked so peaceful that Frieda hated to wake her.

" Wake up sleeping beauty," Frieda whispered shaking her.

" I'm awake…I was just dozing," Zoe mumbled grumpily. Frieda hid a smile, Zoe was not a morning person.

" How did you sleep?" Frieda asked when Zoe climbed out of her top bunk and smoothed out her tousled long hair.

" Off and on." Zoe replied, grabbing her uniform. " You?"

" Like a baby," Frieda replied, " Best sleep I had in ages."

" I was thinking about my first stint in here last night," Zoe mused as she gathered up her toiletries. Frieda nodded-Zoe didn't talk much about her first stint in Max. Frieda was already in minimum when Zoe was first sent to Max so she never met her back then. " A week after I got here, I was beaten by guards-apparently it was so bad, I was really out of it." Zoe paused, " This nice lady helped me through it all and she and I became friends. The guards never bothered me again after that."

" That's good-and they don't bother you now?"

" No, just a few bitches from C block a few days ago-but that was nothing."

" What was your friend's name? The one who helped you?" Frieda gathered up her own toiletries.

" Barb Denning," Zoe replied and Frieda's face went pale.

" Barb D-denning?" she stuttered.

" Yeah…do you know her?"

" Uh…no. It's nothing. Let's go hit the showers," Frieda grabbed her uniform and left the cell. She couldn't believe it! The woman she loved used to be friends with one of her enemies? How could that be?

During breakfast, Frieda was quiet. She was thinking about all the good things happened between her and Zoe and the not so good things-particularly their breakup. And their breakup happened because of Red. Frieda wasn't too sorry she had named Red in her interrogation. When she had been interrogated the only thing she could think about was getting to Zoe-and the fact Red stole Zoe away from her. Her mind went back to that awful day.

Red had gotten her family back-it had been tough but she had done it. She headed towards a cube and found her friend Zoe.

" Red, what's up?" the younger woman asked pleasantly. Red didn't say anything, she walked up to her, cupped her face in her hands and kissed her.

" Red…what was that for?" Zoe asked her face reddening.

" It's because of you I got my family back," Red replied, " Your idea of having a family dinner worked-so thanks."

Zoe's face turned a little pale then and Red turned around. It was Frieda, standing in the entrance to the cube and judging by the look on her face, it was obvious she saw the whole thing and her face was turning red with anger.

Red was a new friend of Frieda and Zoe's and also one of very few who knew about their relationship. It was clear to Red that Frieda adored Zoe and Zoe loved Frieda right back. At first Red had been dubious about their relationship as the two women seemed to be opposites. Zoe was reserved, kind and-Red was starting to learn-very stubborn and set in her ways. Frieda was a tough, no-nonsense, practical former biker lady. But she was also just as stubborn and set in her ways-and Red quite often wondered how the two of them lasted as long as they have. But Red respected their relationship, it seemed to work. Frieda had once told Red they've had their share of ups and downs just like any other couple did. She stepped back, thinking what on earth possessed her to kiss Zoe just now-kissing her friend's partner was in no way respecting their relationship!

She became friends with Frieda, Zoe and the other Golden Girls when she was fired from her kitchen job and became an outcast from her family. Red often joined them during meal times and quite recently started up a garden club with them. Two days ago during a card game with Zoe, Zoe came up with the idea of inviting Red's family to a dinner so that she could make amends with them and it worked.

" What is going on here?" Frieda was not pleased.

" Uh, Red was just thanking me because my dinner idea with her family worked and-"

" By kissing you?" Frieda frowned, " There are other ways to thank someone!"

" Uh, I should go," Red interrupted and hurried out.

Frieda turned back to Zoe and crossed her arms. " FYI-she kissed me. It didn't meant anything. "

" And yet you didn't pull away," Frieda pointed out.

" It was just a kiss! Don't make a big deal over it!"

" When I want to show gratitude to friends, I don't go around kissing them!" Frieda retorted and Zoe started getting angry. Frieda was being unreasonable and overreacting. The kiss did not mean anything.

The shouting could be heard down the hall as Caputo and Warden Natalie Figueroa walked towards the Suburbs. Caputo winced, he wanted to show Natalie that things were going smoothly for a change and they were about to walk in on a heated argument between inmates.

To his surprise, it was Berlin and McKenzie who were arguing-actually they were fighting. Frieda was pointing at Zoe and both women were red in the face. He was so surprised he was momentarily speechless. The two women usually got along so well. That's why he put them both together. Several inmates had gathered around to see what the commotion was.

" What is going on here?" Natalie exclaimed. " Berlin, what's the shouting about?" Natalie had previously met Frieda when she had been in Max and not that she'd admit to anyone-especially to Joe, but she secretly admired the older, no-nonsense woman with the weird octopus tattoo. She recently met Zoe too and also liked her. Zoe was reserved and didn't cause any trouble. She hadn't received any shots in both Max and minimum security and apart from being attacked by vengeful inmates (hardly her fault), she's been a model inmate and Natalie was close in suggesting that Caputo to give Zoe an earlier release date-say in a couple of weeks instead of five months' time-which is Zoe's official release date.

Frieda crossed her arms, " Mr Caputo, this isn't working."

" What's not working?" Caputo replied tiredly.

" This. Me and her as bunkmates. I want to request another bunkmate." And Zoe gasped, covering her mouth with her hand and her big brown eyes filled with tears.

" If that's what you want." Caputo sighed. Great, more paperwork and shuffling around. As long as Frieda and Zoe were separated.

" Tonight if possible." Frieda added.

" I can't do it tonight. Tomorrow morning."

" Fine." Frieda said and for the first time in ages, both women went to bed, without kissing or saying goodnight.

The following morning, Frieda acquired a new bunkmate-Leanne Taylor and she learned later that Zoe's new bunkmate was a new inmate named Piper Chapman and Zoe did not get along with Chapman.

Frieda had never felt so hurt and betrayed before. She never dreamed THAT Zoe would kiss another woman-and Red was her friend! Red knew that she and Zoe were together. Had Red been in love with Zoe all this time and was using her to get to Zoe?

Impossible. Red's friendship had been genuine. Frieda was sure of that.

Not only had she lost the woman she loved, she had lost a good friend too. All in one night.