Chapter 21

“There you go, Ruthie, your girlfriend is here,” Pickles announced when Angel swung her cart into the unit.

“Hello, girls.” Angel parked her cart, giving the doctor a nod. She grabbed the book Ellis had given her, ready to hand it to Pickles until she was waved off. Unsure of what was happening, she placed it back on the cart.

“Ruthie, I can’t wait to see how Nancy Drew digs her way out of that mess she got herself into,” Angel brightly offered, snagging the book. She made herself comfortable next to Ruthie and cracked the binding as she glanced over to the door.

One quick look explained why Pickles had brushed her off. Littleton was standing there watching with her arms folded tightly against her chest. Angel did her level best to ignore the intrusion.

“Is there something you need, Officer?” Doc asked.

Angel’s suspicions grew when she heard Littleton grunt before stumping off. Deciding it would be in her best interest to ignore the annoying guard, she settled in and began reading to the ladies.

“I don’t recall ever seeing her down here,” Pickles said later when Angel was packing up.

“Littleton?” Angel handed Pickles the book.

“Yeah, she doesn’t come down here. Not without a prisoner anyway.”

“She’s a strange one. I don’t get why she’s developed a sudden interest in me.”

“Attracting the attention of a guard can’t be good.”

“Where’s Lulu?” Nana asked when Angel stepped up to the service line.

“Don’t know,” Angel said fearfully, gripping the empty tray. “Littleton dragged her off. I’m looking for Becks.”

“Haven’t seen her yet.”

“I don’t like this.”

“There’s Littleton.” Nana nodded as she stepped away from the service line. “I don’t see Lulu.”

Angel followed her lead. They lingered near the food line and scanned the crowd. Angel’s heart was pounding. “Where are you?” she whispered. Her chest tightened when she spied Steger pointing at her and laughing. By her side was Hollister sporting a smug expression.

Her feet were moving before anyone could stop her. Dimly aware that Nana was cautioning her, she stormed toward Hollister.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Littleton heading her way. She was encouraged ever so slightly by the sight of Merriman and her lieutenant moving toward them.

“What did you do?” Angel demanded.

“Get the fuck out my sight,” Hollister said.

“Lose something?” Steger joined the party.

“If she’s mouthing off, I know you did something,” Angel spat out.

Hollister offered a dismissive wave.

“What did you do?” Angel repeated, pushing her way closer. Hollister stood, trying to intimidate her. Under normal circumstances, it would have worked. The woman towered over Angel and was far from slender.

“Walk away, Walt. This isn’t any of your business.”

“I think it is.”

Defiantly, she stood, only flinching when Hollister snatched the tray from her grasp. “Come on,” she demanded. “Where is she?”

“I can’t help it if you can’t control your bitch.”

Angel gritted her teeth and took a step closer. “What did you do?”

“I told you to back off.”

“Listen, you ugly fu—”

The sound of the hard tray whacking her across the face echoed throughout the dining hall. Blinded, Angel stumbled backward as the guards rushed them. Hollister claimed innocence. It didn’t help that she was still holding the tray.

“That was dangerous.” Merriman growled, grabbing Angel by the arm. “I’ll take this one down to the infirmary. Lieutenant, could you escort that one to the SHU?”

“Yup.”

“No way. She started it.”

“Yeah, never heard that one before.”

“I’m not kidding. She set me up,” Hollister protested. “Ronan, you know me.”

“I know you’re a douche.”

Angel smiled for a moment before cringing.

“Hurt?” Merriman tersely asked before giving Angel’s arm a jerk. “What did you do this morning? Wake up and think today I’m going to do something so stupid it borders on suicidal?”

“She’s there, isn’t she?”

“Yes. Hollister decided that Rivers should have been hers. Ronan broke up the party.”

Merriman moved urgently as she guided Angel through the maze of corridors.

“Was Littleton there?”

“What happened to you?” Dr. Saunders called out.

“Artistic differences.” Angel glibly offered, noticing that Merriman had failed to answer her question. “Hey.” She nodded toward Luann, who was curled up on a cot.

“Hi” came the soft response.

“She can talk.” Doc shook her head. “Sit. Then you can help me talk to your friend.”

“Doc,” Merriman cut in. “Keep these two down here for at least the night. I’m sure they could use the rest.”

The doctor looked perplexed as Merriman made a hasty exit.

“Angel?” Luann meekly offered. 

“I thought she was mute,” Dr. Saunders confessed as she rechecked the bruise on Angel’s face.

“She’s not,” Angel hissed in response. She didn’t like it when people ignored Luann. She now understood, being ignored was one of the reasons Luann didn’t bother speaking.

“I tried,” Doc reassured her. “It’s a good thing you happened to show up. Curious the two of you being attacked on the same day.”

“Life is quirky.”

“You need to report these things.”

“No.”

“You can’t let them rough you up.”

“Rough us up? Do you seriously think that’s all that pack of psychopaths had in mind?” Angel knew she had made her point when the good doctor failed to meet her gaze. “We’re banged up and bruised. That’s just for breathing the same air. Imagine what would happen if we went running to the guards. Let me tell you, breathing would no longer be an option.”

“I think asking for help couldn’t hurt.”

“And I think this is prison. Trying to act reasonably can get you shanked in the shower.”

Dr. Saunders paused for a moment before calling for Pickles to take over. Angel wasn’t surprised by the doctor’s reaction. Despite working at the prison for as long as she had, she was blind to the fact that the people she cared for were criminals.

“Doc asked me to remind you to stay in your own bunks. Good night, ladies.”

“Night, Pickles.”

In the hospital ward, the lights were left on constantly. They were dimmed on the hospice side of the curtain. The lack of privacy they had experienced prior to this was nothing compared to the starkness they were trapped in. For Angel, it didn’t matter. She knew Luann was safe, and that was all she needed.

“Angel?”

“Yes?”

“How did you get here?”

“I poked the bear. Then the bear smacked me upside the head.”

Dr. Saunders decided to hide in her office. Pickles dimmed the lights a little more, allowing them a chance to fall asleep. Exhaustion overtook Angel. She woke up when the sounds of whimpering invaded her sleep. In one swift motion, she landed on Luann’s cot.

“Shh.” She rocked Luann in her arms. “Are you here to chaperone?” she asked when Pickles pulled up a chair.

“Nope. Just here if you need me.”

“Thanks.”

“I take it she’s traveled a long road.”

“That she has. I guess we all have.”

“Maybe. I think you broke Doc’s heart.”

“Right.” She scoffed.

“It’s true. Not your problem, I know,” she added quickly. “I’m getting out soon.”

“Shut up. Really?”

“Yup. Apparently, I’ve been an exceptionally good girl.”

“Good on you.”

“I know this is going to sound pathetic, but I’m going to miss this place.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I keep thinking, who is going to take care of my girls?”

“Don’t. Somebody will.”

“I have to admit, this was the suckiest way to get sober.”

Angel released a hearty laugh, still rocking Luann, aware that she had fallen asleep.

“Do you believe in fate, Walt?”

She looked down at Luann. “I don’t know. Why?”

“I finally found the one thing I have ever been good at, and now I won’t be able to do it anymore.”

“Who says you can’t do it on the outside?”

“With a record? For drugs? They’ll be lining up to hire me. Seems to me fate doesn’t exist. Look at you.”

“Me?”

“You can’t tell me what’s happening with her isn’t real.”

“Wish I could.”