by Paul Edwards
"Yes, I thought she was quite rood. May I ask, why are you in my bedroom?"
"Your bedroom? I'm afraid it doesn't work like that in these parts missy, this is my bed and that's your bed."
"You mean we're sharing a room?"
Hannah had never shared a room with anyone in her life, apart from her husband of course. Being an only child and then marrying into money, having everything to herself, this was all going to take a lot of getting used to. The idea that this would be forever was just not comprehendible for Hannah, it would be better to die as far as she was concerned.
"Why are you in here then?" the new cell mate asked.
"False accusation."
"That's what they all say."
"Never mind that anyway, what is your name?"
"They call me Aly round these parts, what's yours?
"Hannah".
As nice as she was, Aly, as they called her, was definitely in need of a little dental treatment. Many of her teeth were missing and the ones that were there were going black. She wore a grey hoodie with an almost matching pair of tracksuit bottoms. Her hair was cut at random and clearly unwashed. Worst of all though, it was clear she had not used the shower. This was a nightmare for Hannah and there was no way of escaping. What was she going to do? Looks like she was stuffed.
"This wardrobe is a bit small isn't it. I'm assuming I'll be able to wear my own clothes once they're delivered like you are. I don't know where I'll put them."
"Sometimes you can. You'll probably be able to do so, I don't know. But you don't want to be wearing flashy stuff in here, it'll get nicked, or you'll be laughed it. I'd watch your step in here, this is not the best place for posh people."
"Oh no, this is hell."
"Believe me, you've only just seen the start of it."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dinner time was approaching, the bell was ringing.
"I've got no makeup with me."
"Erm, I wouldn't be thinking much about that in here. Now act normal when we go in, I will introduce you to a few of them. You can sit with my gang, but try not to act all posh, you want to fit in."
Hannah was getting on well with her new cell mate, despite the extreme differences between them. Perhaps she ought to just think back to her childhood and go back to her roots? When living with her parents the first few years, there was no money or extravagance. It was moving in with her grandparents that provided the most stability, but the ultimate change to her life was her marriage. Now, it seems she was back to square one and all was reversing. Worse to better and then better to worse.
Both of them walked from their cell to the dinner hall. Upon entering the room, they received a tray in their hands, full of different compartments with different food inside each section. It was a plastic tray, as could be imagined, a bit like in the police cell. Although, this time it was extra food, but she could not work out what was on the tray really, it was all mashed together. She looked at her food, then she looked around, noticed that the ceiling was high up towards the sky, and the walls were many yards apart from each other.
"Much bigger than my dining room" she whispered to her new cell mate Aly, who sat down with her and introduced her to a few others.
"This is Hannah everyone. Hannah meet Jessie, meet Jabber, meet Annie. More will come soon"
She shook hands with them all, Jessie looked at her with suspicion as she sat down. Jabber, which sounded like a nick name, was a woman with big muscles who looked serious. She seemed the kind to be at the gym. Annie was a traveller, an Irish traveller, who seemed friendly, but certainly would be described as down to earth by Hannah.
As they were eating, an African lady came up behind and squeezed the back of her neck with a kind of massage.
"Who do we have here then?"
Hannah almost jumped out of her skin, and then replied.
"I'm Hannah, nice to meet you. Who are you?"
"Who am I? Who am I? I'll tell you know who am I. Am Feechi. Nice to meet you sister."
Feechi, while she was smiling decided to squeeze Hannah’s cheeks as if she was a little girl and then she proceeded to another table shouting from a distance to other people.
"She'd friendly isn't she" Hannah noted.
"Erm, well I suppose you could call it that" Annie replied, adding her usual long laugh, "a hahahahahahar."
Looking down at the food, she could not manage to finish it, the texture had put her of. Was it meat? Was it fish? Who could possibly know? She was not planning on asking either, not yet at least. Another woman then started walking over and spoke to them.
"I'm back."
"Meet Hannah, meet Jennifer."
Jennifer was a big woman, possibly the biggest in the prison according to her weight. She kept looking over at Hannah’s food, which resulted in the end to her eating it.
"Be a shame to let it go to waste wouldn't it?"
Jennifer was not short of food, nor starved, that was for sure. She had been well fed and prison had not changed that reality.
Back at Orangely Hall, John was looking after the house. He was hoping to be able to arrange prison visits at some point. After ringing the prison, he was told it could only be two at a time, which was slightly inconvenient. A decision was made, John would go first with Andria, and her grandparents the next time. This way he could ask her what items she wanted sending in, assuming she was allowed to have some of them with her while this investigation was still taking place.
Sadly, it was not as simple as all that though. John could not just go into the prison, he had to get a visiting order. Phone calls were tight, so even just phoning her was almost impossible unless she contacted him first. In the end, he wrote her a letter, asking her to send visiting orders in the appropriate order. After writing the letters he went to the post office and posted them, first class to get them there as soon as possible. All evidence seemed to be against Hannah, not a speck seemed to be against anyone else, at least as far as the police were concerned.
Helen and her family were all shocked at the awful news. Hannah behind bars, what a mystery. Her husband seemed happy at the fact that someone was being suspected though, for some strange reason. As a result of his happiness about this, Helens suspicions were on the rise, once again. As per their usual distractions, they had done half of the living room decorating by now. The ceiling was painted white already with the brown mark which was once up their having disappeared. The doors had been glossed and painted as well as the skirting boards, all shiny and bright as they were decades ago. The wall however still needed painting, but they had made a good start.
"Let’s go to the store again and get some wall paint this time, maybe do it white like we've done the ceiling." Helen was determined to get this finished. She wanted her home to be her paradise, somewhere she could escape to, not somewhere to avoid. Most of all there was that great excitement about being able to have guests around, without any embarrassment.
Down to the store they went, in the car and with cash on them this time, just in case. Arriving at the store, they noticed inside there was a tile that said 'touch me' above it. So that is exactly what they did, they touched it and it was warm.
"Heated flooring" the man behind them shouted.
"Nice" Hannah shouted back. It seemed remarkably interesting but was probably priced per tile. Perhaps as a DIY job it would be alright.
"Do you think you could manage putting that down, Kwiatoslaw?"
"Oh, I'm not sure about that, it looks complicated, what would I do when I got to the edge of the room and some tiles were to big?"
"Erm, never mind then. It would probably still work out a fortune no doubt.”
When they got to the till, who did they see again? It was Andria.
"Hello again, your always behind this till, aren't you?"
"Pretty much yes. No rest for the wicked."
"Terrible outcome that trial wasn't it? Do you know how long she'll be in?"
"Two months while the investig
ation takes place according to John."
"Me and Kwiatoslaw would've gone if we knew about it."
That merited a dagger from him, looking at his wife as if to say, "not me." People were waiting behind them as they were talking, which prompted them to leave the store and say bye to Andria. Helen was known for her talking. Once Helen got into a conversation, it could go on and on and on. Not this time though it seemed. This talking ability had been noticed by her husband, which prompted a conversation on the way back.
"I've noticed you’re getting back to your usual self, that's nice."
Hannah was confused. "What do you mean, ‘myself’?"
"Talkative, chatty etc."
"You mean a gobby and loud gossip?"
Chapter Twenty-Three
Morning came and the bell rang at seven o clock. It was time for a shower. This was not an en suite like at Orangely Hall, they had to actually walk across the corridor, past other people to get to the shower. Alternatively, there was the option of using the sink which they shared in their cell, or there was the concept of not washing at all, an option which Aly seemed to have taken.
"You not using the shower Aly? I can let you use some of my soap."
"Narrr, I'll be right."
"Out of interest, when is the last time you showered? If you don't mind me asking."
"Oh, well, let me think. Hmmm, it must've been last month."
Hannah's cell lingered with a dirty smell all the time, thanks to this. Never again would she complain about staying in a dirty place or about getting into a dirty car. Perhaps this was a life lesson even, arguably. It was bad enough to change anybody, although nobody deserved to be put through this.
"May I ask, is it true that nobody wants to share a room with you?"
"Yes. I don’t know why."
"Maybe it's because you’re not washing. Why not come with me? I need you help working the showers and showing me where they are if you don't mind at least."
Walking down the corridor, they walked past Feechi who spotted them.
"Morning all!!!"
"Morning Feechi" Hannah replied.
They went to the shower and it was all dirty. Hannah hesitated at the thought of using it, the plug had some strange black stuff inside and around it, and the shower floor was discoloured. Hannah undressed and looked at the shower.
"That's dirty that, I can't get in there."
"Course you can!" Having turned the shower on for her, Aly pushed Hannah into the shower and laughed.
"Get washed, or do I have to make you?"
While in there, Hannah decided to flick water at her, and a large amount at that. This resulted in a shocked face from Aly, which made Hannah's face turn likewise but with her hands over her mouth. She was thinking "What have I done?" Aly looked at her like she was about to kill her.
At the police station, the suspect list was growing and growing. Who had intent to kill? It appeared there was Hannah obviously, who was to inherit immediately. Nobody else seemed to have intent, but some seemed to have evidence against them. There was John who appeared to now be getting a bit too close to Hannah and there was Sally who had survived. As a result, it was John who got the next visit from the police. Ding Dong, the bell rung at Orangely Hall.
"Hello officer."
"Hello John. I thought I'd find you here, we'd like to ask you a few questions if you wouldn't mind coming to the station."
"Ok. Can't we do it here?"
"Not really no, it has to be on tape. Come with me."
"Can I sit in the front?"
"I'm afraid not no."
At the station, he went into the interview room and was asked to take a seat. Blood was rushing through his veins. While he was known for being naughty, there was being naughty and being caught, the latter of which had never happened to John. Like with Hannah being interviewed, there was two officers and there was John. Sitting at the table, the tape was turned on and they started.
Officer: John Adersall, on April 1st this year, was you present at you father’s party at Orangely Hall?
John: Yes.
Officer: Are you in a relationship with Hannah Adersall?
John: No, I don't think she'd have me.
Officer: But you admit that you would like to be with her?
John: Yes, I admire her.
Officer: How long have you admired Hannah for?
John: Ever since I laid eyes on her.
Officer: So, you are saying that at that party, as well as before, you wanted to be with Hannah?
John: Erm, well, yes.
Officer: Would be willing to go to any length to be with her, even if it meant committing a crime?
John: If by that you mean murder, especially killing my own father, the answer is no.
Officer: Very well, that will do for now.
John was stood at the reception desk and spoke to one of the officers.
"Any chance someone can run me home? Long way from here."
"That doesn't usually happen" the officer at the desk said.
"Ok, what's your name?"
"Pc Jackie, if you must know."
"Nice plats by the way."
Pc Jackie smiled and looked back at her colleagues, then she looked back at him and spoke to the girls behind her to hear.
"Is someone gonna make this man go home before he stands here all night?"
An officer at the back of reception volunteered.
"Fine, I'll take him, it'll get me out of the office." This other officer had blonde straightened hair, unlike Jackie with her black plats. This time, John did not ask, he just got into the front of the car, cheeky as he was.
"Thanks for the lift, I'm staying at Orangely Hall at the moment."
"I see, John. Do you always land on your feet with those charms" she joked.
"It's always worked so far, except, sadly not with the woman I love."
As they arrived at the Hall, the officer who had only just met him decided to compliment him.
"Whoever this woman is, I'm sure you'll win her heart eventually if you keep at it with that charm."
"Thanks, and thanks for the lift."
John was thankfully still a free man, at least for now. This would of course, still play on his mind. John was not feeling his bubbly self any more after being accused of murdering his father. He tried to hide it, but he was not coping at all after this. After all, who would be?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Splash! Aly threw water back at Hannah, then they both started throwing water at each other, like some sort of play flight. It was like when people throw cake at each other for fun in those laughable movies. This resulted in Aly soaked whilst wearing her clothes, as she stepped under the water and seemed to be winning Hannah.
"Got you now haha" Aly laughed.
Hannah was letting out a little scream, a scream of laughter and joy. This was the first fun she'd had since coming into the prison.
"Well, I made you wash! Ha!"
As well as needing a shower, Aly clearly needed to wash her clothes, so Hannah had practically killed two birds with one stone.
"I think I'll wash my clothes and myself together when I leave here, saves messing around washing."
Hannah had made all sorts of discoveries about life it did seem, just in her first week in prison. She had made friends with the kind of person she never imagined doing so with, who was kind of looking after her whilst in prison it appeared. Someone with experience of prison life and tough life.
"Same thing tomorrow?"
"Don't push you look lady; I'm not showering for another month."
Hannah giggled again, and they went back to their cell, getting ready for breakfast. While getting ready and thinking of what it was like at home, Hannah was thinking that instead of a shower, something better would be called for that evening.
"I think I'll have a bath tonight, if they let me."
"A bath? A bath? hahahaha you must be kidding? There's no baths in here."
"Wh
at? There must be?"
This was the last straw, presumably there would be no alcohol and no television, but no bath? That was beyond comprehension for Hannah.
Breakfast was coming up; Helen was looking forward to a nice fry up. Entering the canteen with an empty stomach from the evening before, she queued up with a smile on her face. That nice crispy bacon drizzling with fat, with soft fried eggs and friend tomatoes. Maybe hash browns and black pudding if she were lucky, with mushrooms on top as well? Getting closer to receive her food, she noticed some were leaving the line with bowls. Why bowls?
All her desires were squashed, everything she had hoped for in the little hope that she had left was gone. In the bowls there was nothing but porridge, plain old porridge, or water with a little porridge mixed in arguably. No more hope, no more cooked breakfasts.
"Is there no bacon? This is the end of my life!"
"Bacon? I don't think so" Aly said.
It seemed to her that Hannah expected to much from the prison system.
"Listen Hannah, did you ever used to say that prisoners get to much? Because now you know that it's just not true."
At Helens house all was going well until the doorbell rang in the middle of decorating. Wet paint brushes were out, and the curtains were down because they were glossing the windowsills. Couches had been moved and the walls were currently wet. Helen started to get worried, thinking, "Oh no, who could this be now?" Opening the door, it was the worst possible combination who had turned up. It was Josephine and her nine children alongside her husband.
"Hello Hannah, we thought we'd come and visit you." Helen looked at her husband as if to tell him to hurry up and clear up as much as possible, he put everything wet in the kitchen alongside any decorating tools and clutter, while Helen distracted them at the door step.
"It's so nice of you to come, how did you get here?"