Love Between Bars

Chapter Four

As Nicky woke up the next morning, the memories of last night came flashing through her mind. She remembered calling Lorna over and telling her she was going to get clean. She remembered telling Lorna she was going to go into rehab and she remembered Lorna helping her into bed.

A sharp pain went shooting up through Nicky's head and suddenly she felt the need to throw up. She rushed over to her toilet in her un-suite bathroom and vomited her guts out. She could hear Lorna come in and hold her hair back for her. When Nicky had finally finished, she fell back and sat down on her bottom.

"It's okay hon. I've got you. Do you want to lay back down?" Nicky nodded her head and accepted Lorna's help as she lifted her up onto her feet and let her lean on her as she went back over to her bed.

"I'll get you a big cold glass of water and a cool cloth for your head," Lorna said as she walked out of the bedroom.

A few moments later she returned and placed the cloth on Nicky's forehead and put the glass on top of the bedside table next to the bed. She perched on the bed next to Nicky.

"So I stayed up last night and looked at a few rehab centers. I even spoke to a woman who said there is a space for you tomorrow. What do you think?" Nicky was surprised to hear that someone was so eager to help her.

"You really did that for me?"

"Of course Nicky. I can see that you want help and I want to be able to do that for you. You may of been alone before but I promise that your not alone anymore Nicky." Nicky smiled, even though she felt terrible through her withdrawal, momentarily she felt happy, knowing she had Lorna.

00000

"So what are you going to do for your birthday tomorrow?" asked Piper towards Lorna, who was pulling a pint at the bar to serve a customer. She took the money he gave her before looking over at Piper.

"Well i'm going to visit Nicky."

"And then were going for drinks right?"

"Yes Piper. Although I think its more for you than me," she laughed. Piper didn't reply.

"So you and Larry are back on then?"

"Well he came to my place with a big bouquet of flowers and my favorite box of chocolates so I decided to give him one last chance."

"Right." before Lorna could continue, her phone rang. She answered it and got excited when she heard the prerecorded message on the other end. She pressed accept, knowing it was Nicky.

"Nicky," Lorna greeted happily.

"Hey baby." Lorna felt instantly comforted when she heard Nicky's husky voice.

"How are you Nicky?"

"I'm great you know, having an amazing time in prison," she joked.

"Are you looking forward to your birthday tomorrow?" Nicky asked after not getting a response from her girlfriend.

"I guess."

"Whats wrong Lorna?"

"We were going to go to Paris remember?"

"I know Lorna but I promise as soon as I get out, i'll take you there." The two spoke for a few more minuets before Nicky told her she had to go. They promised to see each other the next day and told each other they loved the other before Nicky hung up.

00000

Lorna had stayed up all night looking for the perfect rehab center for Nicky to go to. She went to sleep early hours of the morning, satisfied that she had found her a place in a nice looking building.

The next morning, Lorna awoke to the sound of Nicky vomiting. She quickly composed herself before rushing into the bathroom to help Nicky.

"It's okay hon. I've got you. Do you want to lay back down?" Lorna asked as Nicky fell to the floor. Nicky nodded her head so Lorna helped her back up and into her bed.

"I'll get you a nice cold glass of water and a cool cloth for your head."

As Lorna returned she looked at how ill Nicky looked. Seeing her look so sick and in pain made her heart break. She placed the cloth on Nicky's head and the glass to the side. She mentally prepared herself for the conversation the two of them were about to have. She sat down on the side of the bed before she began to speak.

"So I stayed up last night and looked at a few rehab centers. I even spoke to a woman who said there is a space for you tomorrow. What do you think?" Lorna noticed the look of surprise on Nicky's face.

"You really did that for me?"

"Of course Nicky. I can see that you want help and I want to be able to do that for you. You may of been alone before but I promise that your not alone anymore." She saw Nicky smile and she realized that she loved the other woman. She wanted to be there for her, through thick and through thin.

00000

After Lorna and Nicky wrapped up their phone conversation, Nicky went to the canteen as dinner had just started.

She sat down net to Alex and opposite Big Boo and Gina.

"What are you smiling about Boo?" She asked, taking a bite of the prison slop.

"I may or may not of made Pennsatucky my new prison wife," she smiled cockily. Alex almost spat out her food while Nicky burst into laughter.

"I thought she was very anti-gay. You know she shut me in the washing machine when she saw me kissing a girl right?" Nicky laughed even harder remembering the sight of a very tall Alex hunched over in a washing machine. Alex stood on Nicky's foot getting her to stop.

"Well I guess she's changed then." They stopped talking when they saw Piscatella shove Red onto the floor. Nicky stood up.

"Leave her alone!"

"Hey watch what your mouth Inmate, otherwise you'll go straight to shu." Despite the pleas from her friends at the table and now Red, Nicky decided to ignore what he had said.

"No. I can't just sit and watch you treat her like shit. All of us like shit. We're still people too." Several others began cheering and joining in. Piscatella looked Nicky square in the eye before ordering another CO to take her to the shu. He grabbed her by the arm and began to drag Nicky away. Just as she left the canteen she remembered that it was Lorna's birthday the next day and she was supposed to be coming to visit. She mentally kicked herself, with no idea as to what she would do now.