Lydia


    SEVEN MONTHS LATER


    The months that followed were hell.


    I barely slept and barely ate. I felt sick all the time; my body felt weak, and my head was always heavy. My stomach was now fully out as my babies kept growing.


    My body was changing fast as well, evolving to amodate the two being growing. Only, I wished there was a better way


    to hide it.


    Because here, being weak was dangerous. Especially when you have inmates sent from hell seeking your death and utmost destruction. Some nights, they’d steal my meals, and I’d have to go on without food. If I get lucky, Gloria wille around and sneak me a few extra bites. She was indeed an angel.


    I kept my head down and did what I was told to avoid unnecessary attention from both the guards and my inmates. Still, they always found a way to bully me.


    The guards didn’t care if I was sick. Work was work. We had to clean, doundry, whatever they felt like making us do that day. If I dared to refuse, I’d face punishment, and the punishments I’ve seen around here were terrifying.


    My baby definitely wouldn’t survive; I wouldn’t either.


    Yesterday wasundry day, and I had to take on my portion and Mary’s, too. Today, it was the damn sewing room.


    The machines were old, the air filled with dust, so much that I wondered if it was the right room. I sat at the table, trying my best not to inhale so much dust, as it could be dangerous for my health.


    I stared at the clothingid out for me; it was old prison uniforms that had been cut in different ces and needed to be sewn back. Just as I picked up one, a full damp of them was suddenly thrown on the table.


    I looked up to see none other than Mary and her followers standing thereughing at me.


    “Finish fast before the guardse to inspect, got it?” Mary thumbed my forehead hard before walking away. It hurt a lot, but I ignored it and sighed as I tried to focus on stitching the torn prison uniforms in front of me.


    My eyelids were heavy from staying up all night yesterday doingundry. Now, I have a huge load of prison uniforms to go through, and most of them were in bad shape.


    Just thinking about it made me so fatigued. With a huge sigh, I finally began sewing the clothes before me. I did my best to sew them as fast as possible, and slowly, the clothes dropped to the ground.


    One. Two. Three. Four……..


    I barely noticed when my head dropped, too. I was so tired. I needed just a few seconds of sleep, maybe just five minutes, so my eyes wouldn’t hurt as much as they did.


    Bang!


    I jolted awake, my heart almost jumping out of my chest due to the scare. The next sound that followed wasughter as I slowly rubbed my still-burning eyes.


    I blinked, my vision cleared, and then I noticed four women standing around me, smirking. They were the ones who


    thought they owned this ce, the ones everyone feared: Tracy, Vivian, Camelia, and, worst of all, their leader, Mary.


    Mary was in the middle. Her thick, muscr arms were crossed, and her eyes stared at me as though she were a wolf staring at her little prey.


    “Fell asleep on the job, huh?” she drawled. I said nothing. I sat up, forcing my hands to keep working as fast as possible. There was nothing I could say either way. If I apologized, they’d only hurt me more, and hurting me would mean hurting my babies.


    “Didn’t hear me talking to you?” Mary asked, leaning closer. I kept my eyes on the needle, my fingers moving slower even though I mentally begged them to go faster.


    Another p, this time on my shoulder. “I’m talking to you, bitch.” I swallowed, keeping my mouth shut.


    PS 2 28 2 4


    Maryughed. “Look at her, acting all high and mighty.” Another girl snickered. “She thinks she’s better than everybody, carrying herself about like some sort of high-status cunt with that nurse friend of hers.”


    “Maybe she needs to be reminded where she is,” someone else muttered. I felt it before it happened.


    A sharp yank.


    My chair scraped against the floor as Mary grabbed the cor of my uniform, pulling me up. My hands flew to hers, but she was too strong.


    “Are you deaf now?” she hissed. I struggled and writhed in her grasp, my breathing fast. “Let go.”


    “Or what?” Mary smirked. “Gonna cry for your rich billionaire husband to save you?” Laughter erupted around us.


    I gritted my teeth, refusing to react. Her grip tightened even more. “Say something, bitch.”


    I clenched my jaw. Nothing.


    Mary’s eyes darkened. “Hold her,” she ordered, and they immediately obliged to her orders.


    Hands grabbed my arms, locking me in ce. My heart mmed against my ribs as I realized they were going to hurt me now. Mary raised a hand, her fingers curling into a fist. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the hit-


    Then I cked out.


    My whole body ached.


    I barely moved as Iy curled up on the thin mattress, my arms wrapped around my swollen stomach. Every inch of me hurt-my ribs, my back, my face. The stale air of the cell did nothing to ease the pain.


    I should have known better than to fight back.


    I worried for my baby’s health as memories from the day before filled my senses. A punch to my gut. A p across my face. Kicks to my ribs.


    I tried to protect my stomach as best as I could. That was all that mattered.


    Now, my lip was swollen, my cheek bruised, and my ribs throbbed with every breath I took. But the babies were okay; Gloria confirmed it.


    214


    A knock on the cell bars made me flinch.


    “24189, you have a visitor,” the guard said. That was me. I forced myself to sit up as the nket slid off me, and I pushed my hair out of my face.


    A visitor?


    I hadn’t had a visitor since- No. I refused to think about that.


    I got to my feet slowly, holding my stomach. The guard unlocked the cell and stepped aside. I shuffled forward, wincing with every step.


    After what I can only describe as misery, I got to the visitation area. My eyes met with a pair of chocte brown ones as I noticed mywyer seated there.


    Even though I refused to admit it to myself, I knew I wished Mason was there instead. Pushing those thoughts aside, I walked towards her and sat carefully.


    She sighed. “Lydia…” I ignored the pity in her voice. “What’s wrong?” My voice came out hoarse.


    She hesitated before replying. “Your verdict will be read in the morning.”


    My fingers clenched. “That soon?”


    She nodded. “The judge moved it up,” she replied in a low tone. I sighed as I felt my sweaty palms rub together.


    “Lydia.” She leaned forward. “I need you to prepare yourself.”


    The tone she used scared me, but I held back from wearing my expression out. “For what?”


    She looked at me carefully. “The court may be merciful because of your pregnancy, but this is still a murder case.” I knew what she meant, and that’s what scared me, but I kept my face nk.


    “How bad will it be?” My voice was t.


    She exhaled. “I don’t know. It depends on the judge.” I pressed a hand to my stomach as I felt a possessive instinct kick in.


    I had known from the beginning that this wouldn’t end well. There was no proof that I didn’t do it. There was no evidence, and my only witness was Zoe, but my conscience just wouldn’t let me get her involved, so I pleaded guilty before knowing of my pregnancy. I want to be free for my twins.


    Mywyer rubbed her temples. “I don’t want you getting your hopes up,” she said. “I don’t have any,” I said quietly.


    She studied me for a moment. “Lydia…are the babies okay?” I hesitated before nodding. “Yes.”


    Her gaze darkened as she looked at the bruises on my face. “Are you sure?” I nodded again.


    She sighed, leaning back. “We can push for house arrest until you give birth. That’s the best I can do.” I stared at the table, my nails digging into my palms.


    House arrest.


    It was better than this ce. Better than waking up every day wondering if I’d survive until the next. But it wasn’t freedom. It wasn’t justice, either.


    I lifted my eyes to hers. “And after I give birth?”


    She was silent.


    I already knew the answer. The moment the babies were out of me, I’d be thrown into whatever hell they decided I belonged <ol><li></li></ol>


    I looked down at my stomach. Seven months gone. Two more months and my babies would be here. Two more months before they take my babies away.


    “Lydia.” Mywyer’s voice was softer now. “Do you have anyone who can take the babies?”


    My throat tightened.


    Mason. He was the babies’s father, so he should be the one to take care of it, but… What if he takes my babies away from me forever? I can’t let that happen.


    I clenched my jaw. “I’ll figure it out.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t. Instead, she pushed a piece of paper across the table.


    “This is the appeal form,” she said. “If the verdict isn’t in your favor, we can try to reduce the sentence.” I didn’t touch the paper. “Will it change anything?”


    She hesitated. “Maybe.”


    Maybe.


    That word meant nothing to me anymore. I reached forward and took the paper anyway. I had nothing to lose. Mywyer checked the time and sighed. “I have to go.”


    I nodded, gripping the paper tightly. She stood, pausing for a second. “Lydia…” I looked up at her as I desperately tried to hold back the tears.


    She hesitated. “Take care of yourself,” I said nothing as she turned and walked away. The second she was gone, I exhaled shakily.


    Verdict tomorrow.


    Punishment next month. What will be of me? I suddenly felt my babies move in my belly, and I unhurriedly pressed my hands over my stomach.


    I had two months left before I got to see them. Two months.