Natalia had just finished putting her things in her new room when a feeling of dread ran through her bones. Why am I listening to a crazy woman. She's going to get me killed.
Doris ran to her old room. "Hey you finished yet? I want to play hop scotch. Already got two more people."
Natalia sat on Olivia's bunk, her shoulders slumped forward, she look right through the woman. "You know what I think?"
"That you want to play dodge ball, cause that's cool too."
"I think I've made you up in my mind to cope with this situation." Natalia whispered in disbelief. "You're not real."
"I'm flattered but, why would you make me up. You really should have went for a Victoria's Secret model, riding a horse naked, no a bike, NO a pogo stick. Yea a pogo stick." Doris's eyes closed imagining the sight.
"Are you listening! This was a bad ideal. You have to move back." Natalia threw some of her things in the lock box she was given.
"No way. I'm one step away from room 119. You already agreed."
"I wasn't thinking in my right mind." Natalia argued, still she straighten the sheet on her bunk.
"That's what happen when you let sex cloud it."
"I wasn't thinking about sex. God." Natalia signed. She wasn't sure why she even tried to talk to the ex-politician.
"Of course you weren't, now can we play already." Doris motioned toward the yard.
"I don't feel like playing."
"Well its just you and me. Olivia is going to be gone all day." Doris leaned against the door frame. "I have to collect some winnings anyway. How about you come with me. We'll split everything I collect."
Natalia thought about the offer. It was better that sitting around waiting for Olivia to come back and kill both of them. "Whatever." She smoothed her clothes following Doris out the room.
"Come my child I shall show you the ways of the highlander. There can only be only."
Doris had totally confused Natalia with her bad Yoda impression.
They pair walked outside in the yard. "You know I know that you know that I know."
"Know what?" Natalia repeated Doris's words in her head trying to figure them out.
"About you and Olivia."
"There's nothing going on. I told you already."
"No, I know." Doris winked slowly.
"You shouldn't do that, you look special." Natalia used air quotes around the word special.
Blake joined the pair a the picnic table sitting in between Natalia and Doris."What she's saying, peeping at a woman like Olivia..."
"Oh god she told you, its not what it looked like." Natalia felt her face burn.
"Anyway, you have to be hurting." Blake waved dismissing Natalia's excuse.
"Hurting?" Natalia wasn't following their line of thought she too busy trying to figure out if everyone thought she was a peeping tom..
"Yea and if you are, Maria over there can get something to scratch that itch, into the prison." Blake point to the young Latina woman stand at the edge of the basketball court.
"What are you two talking about?" Natalia questioned again.
"What Blake is trying to say she can get you a sex toy in, only rubber and they don't vibrate." Doris almost shouted, gaining some much unwanted attention.
"Oh god." Natalia whispered.
Blake's hand shot over Doris's mouth. "God can you be any louder." She quickly moved it when she felt the tip of Doris's tongue. "Ewe stop that." She rub her wet palm on her jumpsuit.
"Then don't do that." Doris smiled wickedly.
"Maria can get almost anything in." Blake turned back to Natalia.
"How? The guards check everything."
"She tells Winslow and he has people who can get things through." Blake explained. "One time someone had a cell phone."
Natalia couldn't lie. Being stuck in a room with another person didn't leave a lot of room for private time. The pressures had been building ever seen she met Olivia, double time since yesterday. Being in a room with the woman, she was bound to explode or go crazy.
"Thanks for the advice but I think I'll pass." Natalia thought about it for a second. "Can she get some music?"
"Yep get someone to load the songs on a MP3 player for you and send it. She'll tell Winslow and he'll get it in for you, for a price." Blake told Natalia checking her nails. "All you have to do is get in good with a guard and you can do almost anything."
"How much?"
"Depends on what he wants, might be you or money. That's why I settle up front. But you can't trust Winslow. He'll cut your throat every time." Blake swiped a hand, removing her admirer's hand from her leg.
"Come on Rivera, we got business to take care of...Bye baby. Can I get a kiss?" Doris leaned down towards Blake.
"Hold that thought." Blake got up and left.
By the end of the day Natalia and Doris had collected all the items owed to anyone and delivered them, cashing in. Natalia didn't even smoke but she had enough cigarettes to last a week. She dropped all her earnings for the day on her bed, picking out the candy.
At least her works had taken her mind off of Olivia. It was already starting to get dark outside. Lock down was only an hour away and Olivia still wasn't back.
Natalia bend down to pick up a piece of dropped candy when her eyes caught sight of the pictures taped to the wall. She leaned across Olivia's bunk getting a better look at one. It was of Olivia, a small child and an older girl. They both looked just like Olivia. Without thought her finger traced the picture of the three.
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Natalia jumped up so fast she banged her head on the bottom of the top bunk. "Ouch." She grabbed the top of her head, staring into angry green eyes. "I'm sorry. I was just looking." Natalia backed up till she hit the metal desk weld to the wall.
"You got two seconds to explain why you're in my room." Olivia's teeth clenched. They could both be in trouble for something like this.
"It was Wolfe's ideal, we switched rooms. Please don't be mad." Natalia held her hands up in surrender.
"Wolfe." Olivia growled and stalked out of the room , spotting Doris standing in front of the guard station. She stomped over to the woman, barely containing her anger. "WOLFE!"
Doris turned around seeing an angry Olivia coming towards her. She backed all the way up against the guard station hoping Cooper or Winslow would stop the angry woman.
Frank sat smiling waiting for the action to began.
"Spencer before you say anything I just want to let you know it was all Rivera's ideal. I said no, but she insisted."
Olivia stood toe to toe with Doris breathe loudly out of her nose. She didn't respond to her former roommate accusation.
"Okay, okay it was my ideal but it was to help you and me. If you would just calm down and think about it. Please don't kill me!"
"What is you're problem? You know what don't answer that. You got two seconds to explain or I'm throwing you over the second story rail."
"Just give me a couple of days, then we'll switch. I'm begging here." Doris tried to put her hand on Olivia's shoulder but it was pushed away.
"Alright Spencer break it up and go back to you wife." Frank and Edmund burst in to laughter.
Natalia watched from the door of her new room debating on whether to intervene or not. I'm going to die in this room and its all D.W.'s fault.
"You better be lucky I have to take a shower, but if there is any time left you're going to have a flight to catch." Olivia turned around walked back to her room. Natalia ducked back in waiting for hers.
Olivia walked in the room taking one glance at the frighten woman before gathering her clothes taking them to the shower.
"See I told you nothing was going to happen." Doris stood at the doorway addressing Natalia.
"Nothing! You call that nothing. You don't have to sleep in the same room. I do! God she's going to kill me in my sleep." Natalia paced from wall to wall. Taking two steps before turning around.
"What can I say shit rolls down hill. Besides it could have been worst."
"How?"
Doris shrugged her shoulders, "She'll calm down, you'll see."
When Olivia came back to the room she didn't look any happier to Natalia. The soap she used filled the room floating from corner to corner. Natalia breathe deep remembering the smell from the hug they shared.
Natalia rolled over onto her back as Olivia got ready for bed.
"If you want me to move, I will." Natalia offered up the suggest from the top bunk.
"I've had a long day can we just not right now." Olivia slipped under the covers.
For one reason or another Natalia couldn't sleep she tossed and turned all night, keeping Olivia awake too. They stayed quiet the whole night.
Natalia slept through breakfast only falling asleep a few minutes before and was still sleep after the bell sounded.
Olivia had been up the whole night staring a hole into the metal slab above her. She stretched from the bottom bunk dressing quickly when she realized Natalia hadn't moved. She peeked at her new roommate who lay face up, her mouth hanging wide open.
If you weren't so cute I'd pour water in your mouth. The older woman thought instead, Olivia patted the bed beside Natalia's head. "Wake up." Natalia rolled over falling back to sleep. Well I hope you like the hole.
Olivia was about to leave when she thought better. She grabbed Natalia around the waist pulling her from the top bunk.
Natalia's arms flailed trying to find purchase to stop her sudden fall.
Olivia hugged Natalia from behind until she gained her footing. "You awake now?" She whispered into Natalia's ear, catching a whiff of Natalia's natural scent. God she smells good.
"Yes." Natalia gained recognition of her surrounding. The first thing she realized that Olivia was holding her, pressed against her back. Her knees grew weak all over again.
Olivia breathe in Natalia scent. "Good cause we're late." Olivia, unintentionally, gave Natalia a light squeeze before letting go and stepping out the door in line.
Natalia dressed in her jumpsuit in record time, jumping out the door, just in time.
Winslow stopped in front of Natalia. "Ah Rivera its good you decided to grace us with your presence."
"Sorry sir." Natalia looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with the officer.
"Well don't keep us waiting."
"Rivera, 072587."
"Spencer, 111569."
They both stepped back into the room neither saying anything to the other.
"Um, thanks for waking me up."
"No problem."
The both stared into the empty space between them.
"You keep saving my butt and I'll owe it to you after awhile." Natalia wished she could take back the words as they left her mouth. Still her hands became shaky and her face crinkled like a thought had just escaped her mind.
Olivia gave her a concerned look. Until she realized what was about to happen. Before Olivia could put up her hands Natalia was pulling her into a hug.
Natalia couldn't control her gratitude towards Olivia. It always won at the most inappropriate times. She threw her arms around Olivia neck pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you."
Olivia arms hung limply at her side, wanting nothing more that to hug Natalia back. The feeling of Natalia pressed up against her stirred up a reaction she had long abandoned. She placed one hand on the small of Natalia's back.
"Hey you two readyyyyyyooohhhh."
Olivia quickly untangled Natalia's arms walking out the room pass Doris.
"Sorry, you should have put up a sheet." Doris said apologetically. The ever present ex-politician walked away, leaving Natalia alone in the room.
Natalia left the room as soon as Olivia returned. The tension between her and Olivia was too thick to even breathe. She had avoided Olivia for most of the day besides the time they were lock down together.
Olivia sat at her usual table while Natalia sat with three other girl playing a game of spades. She could clearly see that they were from different gangs by the tattoos that adorned their bodies. She watched Olivia for time to time hoping their new arrangement would help them turn a corner. Maybe they could hold a complete conversation.
"Are you still mad?" Doris sat across from Olivia. "Cause you haven't said anything to me all day."
"No just tired, didn't sleep."
"I bought a peace offering." Doris pulled out a pack of gum.
"Wolfe what was the first thing I said to you when we bunked?" Olivia took the gum from her ex-roommate.
"That's my bunk bitch."
Olivia smiled, "after that?"
"You just want to do your time. I know." Doris threw her hands up, tired of her the phrase.
"Okay then."
Natalia sat at the table playing cards, her nervousness of the three women faded with every game. They were clearly from different gangs but they had been very polite to each other, until the women sitting next to Natalia picked a card up to play another.
"Put it back, bitch." The one sitting directly across form Natalia yelled, snatching the other woman cards.
"No." The woman beside Natalia yelled standing up.
"She said fucking put it back. Spades stick." The third player jumped in.
"Both of you can go fuck yourselves."
"Wait, please calm down." Natalia tried to stop the argument. Before she could, the two women jumped on the table attacking the third woman beside her.
The sharpened piece of metal shone in the setting sunlight at it swung wildly in the air making a whizzing sound with each swing.
Natalia barely managed to lean back as the sickening sound of flesh being punctured sounded next to her.
A siren sounded in the background. Some of the women ran inside to their rooms while the other laid on the ground, eagle spread.
"Code 4. Code 4." The words boomed over the loud speaker.
Olivia and Doris laid on the ground face down. When Doris looked up Natalia still sat at the table. "Psst, Rivera. Get down."
Olivia saw Natalia staring at her blood splattered jumpsuit not moving. She crawled over to the shocked woman pulling her down onto the ground as the guards ran out in full swat armor with batons and cans of pepper spray.
"All right everyone inside." An officer stood by the door ushering inmates inside, while the other two handcuffed the attackers.
Olivia pulled Natalia inside the building and to their room. Natalia hadn't said word the whole time. "Come on lets get you out of these clothes before they think you were involved. Olivia peeled the jumpsuit off of Natalia's shoulder and down her hips. Natalia stood in her white boxers and t shirt shivering from shock.
"It was just a game. Why would they do that?" Natalia whisper to herself.
Olivia checked Natalia over to make sure she wasn't injured in the melee.
"Olivia I think I'm going to be sick." Natalia said as she wobble like a bolwing pin ready to fall over. Her face turned a dull green.
"Hey none of that. Lay down for a second." Olivia guide Natalia down onto her bunk, squatting in front of the pale woman. "Just be glad you weren't involved in your first code."
"It was just a game."
"I know, here, lay down before you pass out. Breathe." Olivia pushed Natalia down. She retrieved a wet towel laying it on Natalia's head.
Olivia went to stand the door of their room as the injured woman was wheeled out of the unit. She jerked and screamed on the gurney bleed profusely.
"If anyone would like to fill out a witness statement please feel free to get a form otherwise the unit I locked down for the rest of the day." Frank came over the loud speaker, followed by the groans of the whole unit.
Olivia leaned against the door frame, watching the sunset through the window. She stood silent until the barely audible cries of Natalia filled her ears.
"You okay?" Olivia asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
Natalia shook her head, no. "She could die. What if that were me. I would never see my son again or hug him. This would be the last place I saw before I died, not his eyes or my home or my parents. I can't do this." Natalia sobbed into her hands, rolling on her side facing the wall.
"But you didn't and I'm sure she'll be okay. You just have to focus on the positive things in here." Olivia peeked over Natalia's shoulder. Her brown eyes were glued to the picture of her and her daughters. "That's Emma and that's Ava" Olivia pointed to the two girl in the photos.
"They look just like you." Natalia sobbed.
The lights were cut off leaving the pair in semi darkness. The dim lights from outside their room provide little light but the sun was shining through the unit window. Olivia rose from the bed taking a sheet off of Natalia bed and hung it over the door as a make shift door, shutting out the light.
"Olivia?" Natalia voice shook as she rose to a sitting position reaching for Olivia.
"I'm right here." She came back sitting down beside Natalia, who laid back down.
"Tell me about Ralph." The first few week Doris had told her about the only thing Natalia talked about, her son.
"Rafe." Natalia corrected Olivia.
"Yea, Rafe. Is he tall and handsome or short and cute?Like you."
"He's short and cute like me." Natalia laughed. She didn't need light to know what Olivia must look like. "Yea you said it out loud."
"Seems so." Olivia whisper, embarrassed.
"He has a full college scholarship to play baseball at Texas A & M. Even when he was little, he use to carry a bat around breaking everything in sight."
Olivia listened to Natalia talk until the exhausted woman fell asleep. She sat on the side of her bed contemplating sleeping on the floor or in the top bunk. When she rose from the bed Natalia woke up instantly.
Olivia stood still holding her breathe hoping Natalia had just rolled over.
"Olivia?"
"Yea."
"Can you stay a little longer?"
"Um…okay." Olivia sat back on the bed.
Natalia scooted over to the wall reaching for Olivia. She took hold of her hand pulling her down. "You can lay down, its your bed."
Olivia stiffly laid down at the edge of the bed.
Natalia turned back on her side towards the wall curling into herself.
The lost night of sleep quickly over took Olivia. She fell asleep stiff as a board.
Natalia woke up to a tickling on her neck. She blinked until her eyes focused in the dark. She felt a warm body pressed against her back. She smiled realizing Olivia had stayed in bed with her, currently spooning her, with one hand resting on her boxer clad hip. Natalia took a chance lacing their fingers together pulling Olivia arms around her all she needed something tangible to hold onto in her current state.
Olivia woke up feeling refreshed. She tried to stretch realizing her hand was trapped in Natalia's. She silently thanked the gods Natalia's hadn't woken up first. Olivia slowly untangled herself jumping onto the top bunk. Woman is making me soft. Olivia sighed as sleep evaded her again.
Natalia woke up as soon as the warmth pressed against her back had disappeared. She almost asked Olivia to come back but decided against it. She wrapped herself in Olivia's blanket surround by the other woman's scent.
At activity time the next day, Natalia stood at the phone waiting for Rafe to answer.
"Ma?"
"How is my baby boy?"
"Fine. The school flew me to the campus so I could register for fall classes and I went to a practice just to watch. Summer classes start next week."
"That's great baby. I know when practice starts you'll be the best out there."
"I ordered that stuff for you online it should be there sometime this week."
"That's great."
"What's going on Ma, you sound happy."
"Nothing I just love talking to you."
Rafe sat silent on the phone trying to figure out a way to phase his next question. "Ma I know that you've always been…you know, cause of the lack of boyfriends you had… You haven't start a family in there have you." Rafe rambled fast, showing his insecurities. Since he was a child he was afraid his mother would marry and start another family without him. It had happen to some of his friends with divorced parents.
"No! I couldn't without you." Natalia reassured him like she did since she could remember.
"But you've met someone?"
"Its just been a rough day. Can't I be happy without you questioning me?"
"You didn't say no…Ma if this is for protection or she's forcing you to be her wife, I can sent more money or you can ask for a transfer closer to home." Rafe whispered into the phone as if he thought Natalia had him on speaker phone.
Natalia laughed. "God Rafe, you watch too many prison movies. Nothing is wrong. I'm just really happy to talk to you."
"Okay, but you would tell me right?"
"Yes, now tell me about the campus and the team. You took clean underwear and your toothbrush. Tell me you flossed before meeting with your counselor."
Doris stood a the doorway of her old room, watching Olivia fold her clothes.
"Why are you watching me, where's Mahler?"
"You know what, I'm finished. I'm backing off, she obviously doesn't want me. I know when I've lost." Doris kept a straight face for about 3 seconds before bursting into a side splitting laugh. "Can you imagine if I was like that?" Doris wiped a tear from the side of her face.
"Yea guess you would be almost normal." Olivia replied.
"Boring. Where's Rivera? She feeling better?"
"She's talking to her son. I think she's fine, just spooked."
"I can't believe nothing has happened today. I even took bets on which gangs would fight."
"You probably spoke too soon." Olivia nodded her head.
Doris turned around to see four girls on either end of the unit walking towards each other. She quickly ran back to her cell pulling the lock boxes from under the bunk.
Olivia did the same thing, then wet a medium towel. "You first Wolfe." She suddenly remembered Doris wasn't her roommate anymore. "Natalia."
Natalia was still on the phone when she saw a group of four women walk in from the yard. Another group walked down the stairs by the guard station. The look in their eyes and the weapons hidden behind their backs told her all she needed to know.
"Rafe I have to go, be good and I love you." Natalia hung up the phone before running to her room. She ran into Olivia as she entered the room.
The two groups of women clashed and the horn was sounded.
"Here put this over your face." Olivia handed Natalia the wet towel and guided her onto the floor under the bed. She crawled under behind Natalia keeping her head down.
Natalia looked across the floor to see Doris and Kennedy arguing over who got under first.
Less that a minute later the swat team was in the unit spraying large amount of pepper spray, taming the brawl. They dragged women, some by their hair and some by their feet, across the floor and out the unit.
Even with their homemade mask the spray irritated Natalia's nose and watered her eyes. She listened to the commotion of the women being dragged away, burying her head in Olivia's chest. "Olivia what's happening?"
"Shh."
They stayed under the bed until Olivia heard the exhaust fans turned on and the bell sounded. The women stood in line ready for headcount. Natalia stood beside Olivia, her eyes red. They all coughed and sneezed as they counted off, everyone's eyes were still watering from the contaminated air.
After everyone had went back into their room Winslow began to talk over the speaker. "Alright ladies. It seems like you cannot control yourselves as previously thought. So you will be locked down for the rest of the week."
"That's bullshit." One of the inmates yelled.
"That's two weeks. Anyone want to make it three." He waited for an answer. "Good, you are locked down for two weeks. Each room will be allow 30 minutes to shower or wash clothes or use the phone. If I even hear you breathing or see anyone outside of their room, even a finger, your going to the hole. Have nice day." The mic rang as Winslow threw it down.
Olivia sat on her bed staring a hole in the wall. Great two weeks of being cooped up, with her.
Natalia continued to wash her face in the sink trying to ease the slight burning sensation. Just what I need, two weeks with her.