Imprisoned Love

Chapter 21

It'd passed a few days since I had lunch with Matt and, as much as I wanted to, I couldn't keep my mind off of the information I recently discovered over our little meetup. It bothered me so much. It bothered me to such extent that I even called Nira over to my place over the weekend, just to discuss it. 

After I returned all the files to her, she was fast enough to stock them back in her gray bag. Nira sighed as if she was trying to figure out how to explain something that she'd already been aware of, ''Look... Being in the position that I'm at, I sure did notice some strange things over the course of a few years. However, the reason why I'm still at that position is that I kept my mouth shut. I didn't ask any questions. I didn't look up when things started to get shady. Had I ever been curious? Hell yeah! But, let's be real here, no matter what's the real deal behind all of this - we're never going to find out. I think this is even beyond the warden himself. And that has to tell you something.''

I completely understood Nira's point of view. Also, it was no wonder that she caught something's going on. After all, I don't think I've ever met anyone who worked there as long as she has. The fact that she had limited access to everything, left me quite disappointed. I knew better. I knew not to stick my nose where it didn't belong. But for Lloyd's sake, I simply couldn't.

''I know all of that. But it irks me, you know? This isn't a situation where someone does illegal stuff just to get the money off of it. Maybe they do, who knows? But in the process of doing that, they're hurting so many people. That's the thing I can't get over.''

''Do you know what helps me with that?'' She asked me, ''Do you know what I keep telling myself when I start to think about the big number of people that facility holds?''

I shrugged my shoulders but was desperate to hear her say it.

''I keep remind myself that it's their fault. That they wouldn't be in that situation if it weren't for the sole act of their deviant behavior. That's why neither you nor I are hanging by the thread. We're protected, in a way. Unless, of course, you decide to rob a Gucci store because you're still poor to even afford a wallet that would fit one coin inside of it. You never know.''

The last reference had me laughing and, to be honest, it felt so good. I always liked talking to Nira because, as much as we'd go deep in the conversation, she'd make a way out of it, to make it seem not that serious. 

And that was how we spent pretty much the rest of the night. Drinking white wine and enjoying each other's company with remote thoughts about the Riverscope Penitentiary.

Sooner than expected, though, Monday came. Before I even realized, I was back at my workplace, bringing in even new patients. I'd been thinking about asking warden about Lloyd's whereabouts and to ask for permission to see him. However, after I recalled a conversation I had with Nira, I decided not to. I even remembered that she'd mentioned something about his trial. The judge had yet to decide if it was going to be moved forward or not. Until then, little to no contact could be possibly made with the prisoner. Since I wasn't formally a doctor of his, there was no chance I could manage to talk with him, unfortunately.

It also seemed like I couldn't find anyone else to be my patient. A lot of them would only sit on the chair and look at me, as if trying to intimidate me, while others would simply make occasional sexual remarks that irritated me from the bottom of my soul. Still, I managed to keep my neutral face throughout the whole session. Trying to not let them know that they had any kind of influence on me.

When it was finally the time to have a break, I was relieved. The last fifteen minutes I had with a patient, I was mentally battling with my stomach not to growl out loud from the hunger I felt. Of course, I considered myself lucky as I endeavored to keep silent and succeeded in the end.