CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Zoe glanced over at Frieda who had suddenly gone quiet with a faraway look in her eyes. She nudged her, " What's wrong?" she whispered. They were having breakfast and she was finishing off her oatmeal.

" Oh just thinking about the good old days back in Minimum," Frieda whispered, " and the not so good days. I was thinking about the time we broke up."

Zoe made a face, " Why are you thinking about that for? That was a terrible time. All those things we said to each other-"

" I don't know why, it just came over me," Frieda replied. Later that afternoon, while Zoe was involved in a Uno game with Sophia Burset and a few other ladies, Frieda went to have a nap. She couldn't sleep though. She got up and went over to the table she shared with Zoe. She stared at the empty pudding cups and at Zoe's bathroom caddy. She had floss in there. Frieda glanced over at the doorway and an idea formed in her mind. She grabbed the cups and Zoe's floss and went to work.

Later that night, after making love (twice) Zoe quietly climbed down the short ladder and headed for their toilet. She rarely used it at night, she often used the bathrooms just before lights out so she wouldn't have to use it. The cell was dark and she shuffled slowly towards her so she wouldn't wake Frieda, who was sleeping on the bottom bunk. Shuffle, shuffle and suddenly there was a crash and she went sprawling to the floor with her legs tangled up in something.

" What the fuck?" she exclaimed, trying to wriggle her legs free when someone grabbed her throat and a knee pressed against her stomach, forcing her down again.

" I got you now Denning," Frieda hissed, pressing something sharp into her cheek. A shiv. She winced as the knife was pressed harder into her cheek.

" Frieda, please-" she gasped as Frieda ran the shiv along her cheek then to her throat. Her blood went cold, surely Frieda wasn't going to kill her?

" Frieda, it's Zoe!" she managed to gasp out just as Frieda pressed the shiv against her throat.

There was a pause, " Zoe?" Frieda replied and scrambled up. Zoe's eyes had gotten used to the darkness and she stared up at Frieda in shock. Frieda's eyes were wide and wild-looking and Frieda lowered the shiv, " It is you,"

" Of course it's me…who else did you think it was? And my legs are tangled up in something…"

" Booby trap," Frieda explained weakly as she stared down at Zoe. Her heart lurched, how could she have threatened Zoe? She could have killed her! Zoe untangled her legs from the string and Frieda reached down to help her up but Zoe smacked Frieda's hand away and stood up. She brushed at her cheek and her hand came away with blood.

" I hurt you," Frieda stared at the cut on Zoe's cheek, " I could have-"

" Frieda, what the fuck is going on here?" Zoe demanded.

" It's a booby trap, for Carol-"

" Carol? Do you mean Carol Denning?"

" She's gonna kill me…" Frieda said, " She and Barb are both gonna kill me and probably you too-"

" Wait a minute. Earlier today when I talked about Barb Denning, you went all weird. You obviously know the Dennings. I need to know the full story and I need to know it now." Zoe grabbed some tissues and pressed them against the cut on her cheek. She sat down on Frieda's bed and Frieda sat down next to her.

" Have you ever heard of the Little Debbie Denning Murderers?"

Zoe shook her head and Frieda told her the story. After a while Zoe didn't say anything, " So that's why you've been weird lately," she said, " You're afraid…but since when is Frieda Berlin afraid?"

" It's different this time," Frieda replied, " My betrayal added years to their original sentences and they won't be too forgiving if they see me." Frieda wringed her hands, " I caught a brief glimpse of Carol on my way in to Florida."

" You really think they'll kill you?"

" And you."

" I don't think Barb will do anything to me," Zoe objected. " She was very kind to me during my first stint in here. The beatings stopped after I became friends with her. But then Carol might. She tried to turn me against Barb but I didn't let that happen. I was loyal to Barb."

" You don't know them like I do," Frieda argued, " Trust me. Once they find out we're together, they'll do everything in their power to destroy us. They turn inmates against each other. You just said Carol tried to turn you against Barb. They'll do it to us or maybe even kill you. Then me." Frieda sighed.

Zoe touched the cut on her cheek which had stopped bleeding and Frieda winced, " I'm really sorry I hurt you. I lost myself for a minute there."

Zoe recalled the wild look in Frieda's eyes. She had never seen Frieda look like that before and hoped to never again. Frieda reached for her but Zoe pulled away. " I think I'll go to bed."

" With me?" Frieda asked hopefully. But Zoe didn't answer. Instead she climbed up the ladder and went to sleep.

Zoe and Frieda barely spoke the next two days. Frieda noticed that Zoe was becoming friends with a transgender woman named Sophia Burset, Frieda vaguely knew her from minimum. Sophia and Zoe walked by Frieda's table and Zoe didn't even acknowledge Frieda. Frieda's heart constricted painfully. She hated fighting with Zoe!

Suzanne Warren walked up to Frieda, clutching a box of Uno cards, " Hi Frieda," Suzanne and Frieda were starting to become friends and at one point Suzanne had asked to be Frieda's cellmate but Frieda put her foot down. The only person she wanted for a cellmate was Zoe-they were engaged after all and this way Frieda can always protect Zoe. Not that I'm doing a great job of protecting her. Frieda admitted to herself sourly.

" Did you want to play Uno?" Suzanne asked hopefully.

Frieda didn't have anything better to do right now, " Sure why not. Deal me in," she said and Suzanne sat across from her.

" Of course the game is better with more people," Suzanne said as she began counting out the cards, " How about asking Zoe and Sophia to join?"

" They look like they're busy," Frieda replied shortly. Sophia and Zoe were a few tables away, looking like they were deep in conversation.

" I've noticed you and Zoe aren't hanging out anymore," Suzanne commented as Frieda picked up her handful of cards. But she could barely concentrate, the colours of the cards were all a blur.

" Are you guys still…friends?" Suzanne knew that Frieda and Zoe were more than just friends. But Frieda didn't know that Suzanne knew.

" I'm in the doghouse," Frieda admitted, " We had a fight. Let's just leave it at that."

They started playing but Suzanne knew Frieda's heart wasn't in it. The older woman kept glancing Zoe's way but Zoe never looked up once. Suzanne was starting to feel sorry for Frieda. It was clear to her that Frieda really loved Zoe.

" I know about the two of you, " Suzanne blurted, surprising Frieda suddenly. A few cards fell from her hand.

" What do you mean?" Frieda asked warily.

" I mean I know that the two of you are more than just good friends. " Suzanne dropped her voice to a whisper," You guys are…lovers."

" How did you found out?" Frieda asked, her face turning red.

Suzanne walked towards Frieda's cell. A few lades were getting together to play some Uno and she had decided to ask Frieda and her friend Zoe. Suzanne had always wanted to get to know the two older women more. She knew then vaguely from minimum but hardly even talked to them. The two women were from the Suburbs and they had different crowd of friends.

They had half an hour of rec time before dinner as Suzanne approached the doorway to Frieda's cell. She was about to greet the older woman when she stopped in her tracks.

Frieda had her arms around Zoe and they were kissing.

" Frieda, we should stop. Someone will see." Zoe was murmuring.

Frieda hadn't replied but the kiss had deepened and Frieda buried her hands in Zoe's long hair.

Suzanne wondered if she should interrupt, they could get into trouble with the guards and could get shots. Frieda stopped kissing Zoe then and Suzanne hurried off before either woman saw her.

" Suzanne, you can't tell anyone about us," Frieda told Suzanne, " Hardly anyone knows I'm now engaged to Zoe,"

" You two are engaged?" Suzanne whispered back happily.

Frieda nodded, " I've got some enemies in C and D block and they cannot know that I've got a fiancée. If they do, then they might even try and hurt Zoe."

" I won't tell a soul," Suzanne promised, her eyes wide. " How long have you been with her?" Who on earth would want to hurt Zoe? She was one of the sweetest and kindest ladies in B block.

" Nine years. Not including the time we broke up briefly." Frieda said. " let's get back to playing," Frieda gathered up the cards that fallen from her hand.

That evening, it was lights out. Zoe lay in her bed but she couldn't sleep. She missed Frieda. They had barely spoke in two days and Zoe wasn't angry anymore.

" I miss you Frieda," she said into the darkness. There was no answer and Zoe wondered if Frieda was asleep.

" I miss you too," Frieda finally replied.

" You're not asleep yet?" Zoe leaned over her bunk and found Frieda's bunk was empty.

" I'm sitting on the stool, near the desk," Frieda replied, " Come and join me."

Frieda had been sleeping on the stool, facing the doorway. If Carol or Barb visited them, she'd be ready.

" I'm sorry about the booby trap, I should have warned you," Frieda said as she pulled Zoe down onto her lap. She held her tight and never wanted to let go. She kissed her neck and then nibbled her ear.

" I'm sorry for overreacting-"

" You had every right to, I jumped you," Frieda replied, kissing Zoe's jawline.

Zoe was about to reply but her words were lost as Frieda's mouth settled down onto hers for a long and searching kiss.

I guess everything's forgiven. Zoe thought as she wrapped her arms around Frieda's neck as the kiss turned passionate. They fell to the floor and Zoe put her legs around Frieda's waist. The floor was cold and hard but Zoe barely noticed.