MAENADS
by
Robert Eisenhart
Published by
Robert Eisenhart on Smashwords
Maenads:
Copyright 2011 Robert Eisenhart
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
A special thanks to my kenpo teacher, Ron Chapel, those martial science made Gil deadly.
Chapter 1
The inmates filed out of the mess hall, single file, one table at a time.
Jill said to no one in particular, “I didn’t much like that tapioca pudding.”
Someone answered back, “I’d like to tap your Okie puddin’.”
Several inmates laughed; others echoed their agreement. Not about the dinner menu. But they too would like to tap Jill’s ‘Okie from Muskogee’ pudding.
Understandable—Jill Stewart was young and blonde, a little chubby in a ripe, voluptuous way. Her face was hard but pretty.
Brenda Odum raised her voice. “You bitches better not be scheming on my pudding.”
She’d been sitting several tables away, in the all-black section. When it came to certain activities—eating or hanging in the yard—segregated was self- imposed.
Not so with cellmates.
Brenda followed Jill into the cell, the door clanged shut. They embraced, mouths locked in a hungry, forceful kiss.
Their hands rushed about, removing clothes, rubbing and caressing. As they guided down to the lower bunk, they brushed a wall calendar, knocking it down. Time served was X’ed out. Day after tomorrow was circled. In the circle were the words FREEDOM FOR JILL.
Brenda broke off the kiss. She eyed the calendar and smiled.
As they lay there feeling each other breathe, Brenda’s smile shrank to a bittersweet half-smile.
Jill felt she needed to say something. “Hey... girlfriend, I’m gonna to miss you something terrible.”
Brenda shook her head slightly. “You! Once you get out here, you’re gonna be too busy to miss me. I’m the one’s gonna be doin’ the missin’, stuck in here.”
“Not for much longer. ‘Fore you know it... It’ll go fast
“Time in here, it don’t ever go fast.”
They embraced. Lips drawn to lips, needing to feel the breath and the soft press of the soft flesh.
Brenda pulled away abruptly. A serious look crossed her face. She lowered her voice. “Remember what I told you. Fight fire with fire. You gonna burn a man, get yourself another man. He’ll be your weapon He’ll be your fire. Like Salome calling for the head of John the Baptist, that’s how all them sisters done it, from Cleopatra right on up. You mean to get even with a man, you need a man....”
Jill heard it all before. “Don’t you worry none, girlfriend. I’m going to stick to the plan. Get one a’ my pen-pals to do the deed.”
They both laughed.
Brenda smiled. “You are unbelievable, girlfriend. Got yourself a regular collection a’ maniacs.” She pronounced it man-iacs, with the accent on the man.
“It pays to advertise.”
“Yeh, but you be careful,” Brenda cautioned. “One a’ yo maniacs might turn out to be dangerous.”
Now it was Jill’s turn to smile. “That’s the idea. That’s the whole idea.”
From the other end of the cell block, the banging of the baton against the bars reverberated as the guard walked the block. It was the sound that served as a nightly forerunner to lightsout: “Five minutes to lights out. In your bunks. Five minutes, lights out.”
Jill hoisted herself up onto the top bunk, where she lay looking up at the ceiling.”I can hardly wait for them to set me loose on that no-good, piece-a’-shit husband a’ mine.” Jill spit.
The lights went out.
Chapter 2
It was morning. On the sidewalk of the ritzy uptown neighborhood, a steady stream of smartly dressed women in their mid to late thirties filed past a doorman and into the lobby of the upscale hotel.
Several women recognized friends and acquaintances. From their reactions, it would seem they had not seen each other for some time. Perhaps it was a reunion of sorts. A procession of high-pitched energized greetings carried on with air-kisses and hugs, so on and so forth.
A green coupe glided slowly up to the entrance.
The valet opened the door and a shapely pair of legs slid out, long and lean between a tight skirt and high heels. He raced around to the other side. A similar number got out and handed him the keys.
These women, like the others in attendance, were smartly dressed and in their mid-thirties. They chatted as they made their way to the lobby. The driver, Evelyn Addis, was the more animated of the two. She checked her watch, making sure they were on time. The passenger was Donna Gregory, Evelyn’s very best friend. As a rule, Donna was consistently late. She was the more buxom of the two. Her mode of locomotion required a fair amount of wiggle in her walk.
As the valet pulled the car slowly away from the curb, his head turned to catch a glimpse of Donna’s rear end. A horn sounded. He had to brake. The other car had to swerve to avoid an accident. This was followed by an exchange of swearing and hand gestures.
Donna and Evelyn were seemingly oblivious—at least outwardly—to the goings-on.
“I can’t believe you talked me into coming to this....” Donna declared. “You know how I feel about these kinds of things.”
“I don’t know what on earth you’re talking about.... Remind me, Donna, what exactly are these kinds of things...?”
“Let’s see! Whatever could I be talking about? Last month it was How to Handle Life as an Empowered Woman. The month before that it was Be an Unforgettable Woman: Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk. What was it before that? Support groups, motivational speakers, Survivors of Low Self-Esteem, Eating Disorders, A Hypnotist Who Tells You If You Were Sexually Abused—like you wouldn’t know. What were some of the others? Oh, let’s not forget Women Who Love Too Much. How about Women Who Don’t Get Laid Enough—that’s what they should really call these seminars,” she mocked and shook her head disapprovingly. “It’s the therapy of the month club. Maybe you should give it a break for a while.”
They entered the lobby and stood for a moment in front of a sign mounted on an easel. It boasted a glossy photo of an impeccably groomed and abundantly plain woman in her late forties, early fifties. Glittery letters on the placard welcomed the women to the HELLOIS RIDELL-GYNARD SEMINAR.
Inside the banquet hall, things were getting underway. Evelyn and Donna found two seats, close enough to the door the satisfy Donna—she wanted to be able to make a hasty yet tactful exit if necessary.
Dr. Darlene Drearden was overweight, plain, and in her forties. She looked out from behind the podium at the room full of women. Many of women in the audience were very attractive. All were well-dressed. It never occurred to Darlene Drearden to question Who did she think she was to be giving advice to these women?
From each table, five or six pairs of eyes accentuated by carefully applied eye shadow were directed on Dr. Darlene. Pointy tongues traced lipstick and napkins blotted away crumbs. Young immigrant busboys removed plates containing the half-eaten remains of continental breakfasts. The women chatted casually, pausing to issue a lean laugh or an unconscious sigh. Well-heeled and well-fed, they nonetheless emanated a hunger, an elemental emptiness.
Dr. Darlene started things off, “Good morning, ladies, allow me to welcome you to what I like to call ‘Hellois’s Power Breakfast’. My name is Dr. Darlene Drearden. But everyone just calls me Dr. Darlene.” She paused here, for effect. “I’m looking around...”—she waved to several women in the room—”and I see a lot of you whom I already know, but as usual, we have a lot of new girlfriends with us this morning. And that’s what these breakfasts are all about, introducing new girlfriends to the Hellois Ridell-Gynard Seminar. Maybe you first heard about us on Oprah. Hellois has been featured on Oprah several times. Oh yes, Oprah is a girlfriend! That’s right!” She paused for applause. “But it’s more likely you heard about us through one of your own girlfriends. Maybe your best friend. She’s probably got a new man in her life, and this time it actually seems like it’s going to work. Or if she doesn’t have a new man in her life yet, at least she’s wised up to that loser she’s been waiting on. She’s not waiting any more. Suddenly she seems a lot happier. And maybe you asked her how this change came about. And she told you...”
The audience responded in unison: “Hellois.”
Dr. Darlene smiled her approval. “Now you’ve decided it’s time you found out what Hellois is all about. Well, good for you! You’re a take-charge kind of woman. And it hasn’t been easy. You went to school, worked hard, you’ve done what it takes to be a success. Isn’t it time you were successful in your personal life as well?”
The audience applauded.
“Everyone, let’s give it up for our new girlfriends!” she prompted.
And in response—more applause.
“C’mon, if this is your first time, please stand up.”
Donna sat perfectly still—as if that might make her invisible. But after a rapid-fire exchange of wordless expressions, Donna’s reluctance gave way to Evelyn’s prodding and she stood up. The houselights brighten. Donna looked around the room as a wave of applause washed over her. About a third of those in attendance were there for the first time. The applause finally died away, the newcomers retook their seats.
Donna was no longer looking at Dr. Darlene. Her head was turned, taking her own assessment of the audience as Dr. Darlene continued, “I always like to see the new faces. The smartest, most stylish, most successful women in town attend our seminars. Not to mention those from out-of-town. All you need to do is look around and you can see that that’s true.”
Much of what Dr.Darlene was saying was in deed borne out by Donna’s own observations.
The audience applauded for themselves.
Donna whispered from behind clapping hands. “Why do we keep applauding? She hasn’t said anything yet.”
Evelyn smiled; enthralled. “I think she’s wonderful.”
Donna replied bitingly, “Aren’t we wonderful!” before turning her attention back to Dr. Drearden.
“...Allow me to share a little story with you, about something that happened to me, something that woke me up to what I like to call the real facts of life. That other facts of life, the one about the birds and the bees, that’s a fairy-tale that’s supposed to end happily ever after, but this is the real world, girlfriends. And it’s time some of us woke up.” The doctor stopped to take a sip of water while waiting for the audience to finish applauding. “We’ve been raised on fairy-tales, and some of us are still waiting for a knight in shining armor, or should I say amour, to come rescue us. A couple years ago, in fact, it was almost two years to the day, I was strolling in the mall, walking rather slowly, with my head down. You see, I’d recently broken up with a gentleman—and I use the term loosely—a gentleman who mislead me, then rejected me, and left me feeling disappointed and despondent. So there I was, walking in the mall, when suddenly I heard someone call my name. ‘Darlene Drearden, how are you doing?’ It was an old friend from my college days. We’d both been psych majors together. Actually, we weren’t that close—we were too busy studying our butts off—but I remembered her and I was genuinely glad to see her. Because even though I hadn’t gotten to know her well back in college, it was well enough to know that she was a very special person. I remembered her as being someone who was full of life. The word directed comes to mind. She was so incredibly directed. Well, we stood there in the mall and we chatted for a while. Then we had a cup of coffee and we chatted some more. We got caught up on each other’s lives. Well before I knew it, it was time to be going. She said, ‘I have to go now. I have to meet my husband.’ Husband?—Wait a minute, I thought you said you were still single...? ‘That’s right,’ she said, ‘I am still single, and I have to meet my husband.’ Well, I thought that was pretty funny and I started to laugh. Until I saw that she was serious. ‘I’m not joking,’ she said. ‘When you see me again, six months from now, I’ll have myself a husband. So you see, I’ve got to get going. Got to get busy, girlfriend.’ And she walked away, moving purposefully through the shopping mall of life. ...And girlfriends, she was serious. I didn’t know it at the time, but my friend was a lot like me. She too had recently gone through a separation. But there was one powerful difference between she and I. She was a woman with a plan! And that plan was to be the beginning of a new way to attain an old goal. In olden days, there were matchmakers. But we’re modern women. We make our own decisions. So how come so many of us are making such bad decisions. The problem was obvious. What we needed was a course on How To Be Your Own Matchmaker. What we needed was the Ridell-Gynard Seminar.”
The audience erupted into applause. Donna shot Evelyn a smirk of disbelief. Evelyn just nodded and smiled.
“Without further adieu,” Dr. Darlene extended her hands, “...allow me to introduce the woman who has made it her business to show women how to go about getting the commitment we deserve. She’s been married three times, she knows what she’s talking about. Ladies, I present to you... my girlfriend from the mall... Mrs. Hellois Ridell-Gynard.”
There she was, the woman from the picture in the lobby. Attired in understated elegance, she seemed to glide onto the stage as though carried on a moving carpet of applause.
Chapter 3
Later that afternoon, at the trendy Patio Cafe, Evelyn’s trademark red nail polished fingers lifted her coffee cup to her trademark red lipstick. Then lowered the cup, now replete with red lipstick smeared rim.
A unusually tall, very good-looking waiter stood by the table. His slim youthful torso, flat stomach, and inseam bulge came almost to eye level.
Both Evelyn’s and Donna’s quiche sat on their plates, practically untouched.
“Ladies, I trust everything was satisfactory?” waiter inseam asked.
Evelyn’s eyes looked up. “As usual, Nicolas, everything is fabulous.... Donna, don’t you agree?”
Donna answered without looking up. “Yes. Very good.” She dismissed the waiter with a hand gesture. He stepped back and turned. Donna’s eyes remained glued to his tight buns as he ambled beyond earshot. Donna sighed. She got a mischievous look on her face. “One of these days we should take Nicolas back to my place. The both of us could do him.”
Evelyn laughed, looking equally mischievous. “Could you imagine....”
“It would be the happiest day of his life.”
They paused, sipping coffee, and envisioning the ménage scenario.
Then Donna abruptly put down her cup and changed the subject. “Tell me more about this new man you’re so in love with... Mark Wright. Leave it to you to find a man whose name actually is Mr. Wright!” She shook her head and chuckled. “You’ll forgive me if I’m a little skeptical, Evelyn, but for someone with a degree in Marriage and Family Counseling, you pick some of the worst men. I mean, let’s face it, what makes you so sure that this guy is any different?”
“I know.... I don’t blame you for saying that. I’ll be the first to admit, I have made some bad choices in the past.”
Donna coughed ah hum ah hum into her napkin.
“Mark’s not like that. I can hardly believe it myself.” Evelyn put down her cup and sat back in her chair. “I’m so happy.... And I have Hellois to thank.” She laughed in giddy, almost put-on fashion.
Donna looked incredulous.
“Donna, you should be happy for me. I finally found my soul-mate. And none of this could’ve happened without the Hellois Ridell-Gynard Seminars.
“Evie, of course I’m happy for you. But about Gynnie and her $300 seminar... give it a rest.”
Evelyn’s facial expression mimed offended.
Donna looked at her watch. “Meanwhile, Mr. Right is late. I thought he was supposed to meet us here a half hour ago.”
Evelyn, exuberance not the least bit diminished, responded, “Oh, Donna. He’s wonderful! Wait ‘til you meet him.”
The very tall and exceedingly handsome Nicolas approached, followed by a moderately handsome man of average stature. As he neared their table, he ordered a cup of coffee. Nicolas responded “Yes, sir, right away,” and withdrew.
Evelyn jumped up and gave the man a peck on the lips.
He remained standing while the introductions were made.
“Donna Gregory, this is Mark Wright. Mark, Donna.”
They shook hands, held eye contact for a beat. He pulled up a chair to join them. The three instantly fell into casually conversation.
And as they were getting acquainted, a young couple strolled by holding hands.
Seated next to them, an obviously romantically-involved couple reached across the table to hold hands and gazed longingly into each other’s eyes.
Across the street, at a bus stop, another couple could be seen conspicuously making out.
It was Donna who brought it to their attention; she remarked, “Boy... these people need to get a room. Are you guys picking up on this...? All around us—PDA.”
Evelyn filled in the blank before Mark could ask, “Public Displays of Affection.”
Donna persisted, “It’s like we were plunked down in the middle of horny-town. What the heck is going on here?
Evelyn and Mark just looked at each other and smiled.
“Oh, come on you two... Cut it out before I puke.”
A slightly awkward pause was filled by the sound of bird’s chirping. The scent of spring flowers in bloom was present in the air. There was really nothing to say.
A waiter hurried past carrying a tray loaded with sumptuous desserts.
Mark broke the silence. “We really should get some of those...”
Evelyn and Donna laughed. They were the kind of women who are always ready with an easy laugh. Mark must’ve thought himself quite charming.
Several fruit pastries later...
“So Mark, Evelyn tells me you’re a financial planner. What a waste! When it comes to money, Evie here’s a whiz. I’m the one who can use a man with your talents.” Donna’s fingertips scratched lightly on Marks arm, covertly flirtatious. “I still haven’t figured out how to balance my checkbook.” They all laughed. “I swear, when it comes to money, I’m just no good. I know! Maybe Evie’ll lend you to me. Whadaya say, girlfriend, how ‘bout lettin’ me borrow him sometime? Get some advice on how to handle my assets.”
Mark stared at Donna’s ample cleavage as she laughed at the little joke she had made.
Nicolas arrived with the check. Mark quickly moved it to his side of the table, glanced at it, and unceremoniously paid with a credit card.
To Donna, Mark jokingly suggested, “First piece of advice, avoid this place. It’s a rip-off. But in this instance, the company made it worth every penny.... Donna, it was wonderful to finally meet you. Evelyn’s always talking about you. Now I know why. You’re a very intriguing woman. Evelyn has such good taste in people.”
To which Evelyn inserted, “There he goes, complementing himself.”
The girls laughed.
“No, seriously,” Mark said, “I think you probably don’t know just how lucky you both are; a friendship like you two have... doesn’t come along every day.” And then to Evelyn he added, “And I could be the luckiest one here, to have found such a beautiful woman.”
As syrupy as it was, both women were taken aback by Mark’s sweetness. For a moment they exchanged that expression, the one girls reserve for puppies and kittens and such...
Then Evelyn snapped out of it and told Mark, “You better know it, buddy.”
Mark took her hand. “I am going to see you later...?”
“You stand me up and I’ll kill you...”
Evelyn and Mark finished the sentence in unison: “...with a gun and a knife.”
They laughed.
“Yeah, yeah, I know all about it.” To Donna, Mark said, “This is one woman... you don’t ever want to get on her bad side.”
He stood up to go. He aimed adoring eyes at Evelyn. “I haven’t even left and already I can’t wait to see you again.” He leaned over and kissed her sweetly.
He shook hands with Donna.
And then he was gone.
Donna looked at her friend with concern.”Evie, I get a strange feeling from this one. He seems a little too smooth, if you know what I mean.”
Evelyn was mildly annoyed but she didn’t say anything.
“I hope I’m wrong,” Donna went on. “I just don’t want to see you get disappointed. I’m sorry, I can’t help it. I just don’t want to see you get hurt like you did with that last jerk.”
Evelyn had a ready reply, “There’s no need to worry, girlfriend. That won’t happen. I got a system now. Hellois lays it all out. If you took just one weekend seminar, you’d see.” She had anticipated the skepticism and she countered, “ Hellois gives you the ‘Three Early Warning Signs,’ and the ‘Ten Ways To Tell Relationship Potential.’ She outlines it all in ‘How To Avoid Repeating The Same Mistakes’. She has a whole section on ‘How To Recognize The Man That Won’t Commit’. And, you get her series of three motivational tapes for positive reinforcement.” Evelyn reached into her purse and came out with three cassette tape. She put them on the table in front of Donna.
“Well, you may need a course to tell you that, but when it comes to men, I have a sixth sense. And something’s telling me that you better watch it. This Mr. Wright is not the one for you. When something seems too good to be real—”
“Donna, you worry too much. Don’t think I don’t appreciate it, but this time you have nothing to worry about. Hellois has taught me. Now I know how to stay...” And here she read the title off one of the tapes: ‘Level-Headed In Love.’ Everything is right on schedule. You heard Mark say that we’re going out tonight. Well, he’s been hinting that he has something special to tell me. I have a feeling this could be the night.”
Chapter 4
Later that evening in another restaurant, Evelyn was looking very beautiful and Mark was looking more or less handsome. Everything was perfect. The table was lit by candlelight. The air was charged with romance. He held her hands and looked into her eyes.
“You’re the one, Evelyn. There’s no one else for me.”
Evelyn was dreamy-eyed. “You thrill me, Mark.”
Growing suddenly solemn, Mark said, “You know, Evelyn, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Yes, Mark.”
“You know how special you are to me. You must know how much I love you.”
“Oh, Mark.”
“Because if you know... if you really truly know... then you’ll understand what I’m about to tell you.”
Evelyn’s expression registered her concern; she bit her bottom lip; she knit her brows This solemnity thing was catchy. What was he talking about? That didn’t sound right at all!
“And you’ll find it in your heart to trust me, and be patient.”
“Mark, what are you talking about?”
“I don’t know exactly where to begin...”
~~~
“Donna, girlfriend, do I need to talk to you!” Evelyn sat in her kitchen. The daylight streamed in through lacey white curtains. “Where do I begin...?”
And as Evelyn recounted the previous night’s dinner date with Mark, she made sure not to leave out any details. She told Donna how he’d said that she was the only one for him. She was very animated as she spoke. A lot of hand gestures—she was three quarters Italian. She put a lot of emphasis on the part where he said he loved her. About how it was so important that she understand that he loved her. She really wanted Donna to understand that he made a point of saying how important that was... that she needed to understand that he loved her.
“...And then he drops this bombshell and tells me about his ex-girlfriend.”
Evelyn anticipated that Donna would jump to the wrong conclusion. She cut her off before she could even get a word in. “...No, Donna, that’s not it. You have to just listen for once.... No, he hasn’t been seeing her. As a matter of fact, she spent the last two years in jail.... That’s right, jail. Prison, actually. State Prison.... I don’t know what she did.... No, I did ask him. He didn’t tell me, not exactly.... That’s not the point.... The point, the point is I’m more worried... What do you mean, ‘About what?’ I’m worried about what she might do now that she’s out.... That’s what I’m trying to tell you.... He just found out.... I don’t know how. I imagine they have some kind of procedure set up where they warn you when they’re about to release someone who’s threatened your life... Yes, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. She’s probably already here. Mark’s scared that she may try to do something to hurt him. He’s thinks she may try to get at him through me.... That’s what he said. She’ll probably be jealous of what we have and try to destroy him by hurting the one thing he loves most in the world.... He’s such a sweetheart! Anyway, he asked that we not see each other for the next couple of weeks... just until he finds out what she wants.... I don’t know that I can survive without seeing him for that long. But he insists I can’t go near him until he’s sure that she’s not going to be dangerous. Isn’t he incredible!”
Donna was at work in her cubicle. No one could see her, so she was having a field day making faces as Evelyn carried on about her Mr. Wright. The faces went from incredulous to mock-gag to looney-toon. All the while interspersing ah-huh and yeah and really.
Finally Donna got a chance to put in her two cents. “He’s incredible alright. Listen, Evie, something doesn’t sound right. Why would she want to hurt him? What did he do to her?”
“Don’t you see, Donna, he’s trying to protect me. She could be one of those insanely jealous females, like in Fatal Attraction. Who knows how she thinks! Remember, she is a criminal.”
“Well, apparently he knows how she thinks; otherwise he wouldn’t be so anxious to cut and run.”
“That’s not what he’s doing,” Evelyn insisted. “I told you what he said. He just needs a week or two, to straighten things out. Hellois talks about just this sort of thing. Mark is cutting the ties to old emotional baggage, is all.... You have to expect these kinds of things. It’s not like he didn’t have a life before we met.”
Sarcasm aside, Donna really was trying to talk some sense into her friend. “Sure, Evelyn, everyone has ex-girlfriends in prison, who, when they get out, they have to hide from... I’m sure that’s exactly what Hellois was referring to.”
Donna suddenly remembered that she was at work; she could hear some clients in the office beyond her cubicle, and another line on her phone was lit up.
“Listen, Evie, I gotta get back to work. Not all of us get to live a life filled with drama and intrigue. Hold a minute.” Donna got on the other line just long enough to say “Paradise Travel, please hold,” then came back to Evelyn. “Hey, girlfriend, I gotta go now, but if you need to talk, I should be home around five. Maybe you want to go out, catch a happy hour or something.”
“No, that’s okay, Donna, I think I’m just going to go to the gym. And I’ve got some reading to catch up on. I haven’t even opened the new issue of Elle. I think I’ll make it an early night, just kick back at home, you know.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind...”
“Yeah, okay. Bye.”
“Bye.” Donna took a moment to look woefully at the telephone receiver and shake her head before she returned to the waiting caller: “Hello, Paradise Travel.”
Evelyn put down the receiver.
She picked up an audio tape. The title: Hellois Ridell-Gynard Self-Help Series.
She put the cassette into her tape deck. Hellois’s voice came on: “The crucial close, getting him to commit...”
Evelyn listened, a worried look on her face.
Chapter 5
Jill Stewart hardly slept all night. She watched as first morning light began to filter into the cold, hard warren that was the Women’s State Prison. She sat up on her bunk and looked around her cell, and she smiled.
She could sense that her cell mate, Brenda, was awake. Cell mate—she was so much more. Maybe in the biological sense; they had most certainly gotten under each others skin.
Jill had slept in the street clothes they’d provided her the night before, and so she was already dressed and ready to go. As the daylight took hold, before the wakeup call sounded, a pair of guards appeared outside on the catwalk. She saw the guards and hopped down from her perch. One of the guards picked up on a silent signal from Brenda. He stood for an awkward moment on the other side of the door, then back-stepped and move off. He nudged his partner, who followed his lead. In an clumsy gesture of courtesy they would allow the cell mates privacy for a last goodbye.
“Gonna miss you, girlfriend. You best take care a’ yo-self, you hear.” Brenda walked up to Jill and took a hold of her by the hips.
Jill studied Brenda’s face. “Don’t worry about me, Brenda. I’ll be fine. And you’ll be outta here before you know it.”
Brenda hated herself for having to say it, but she couldn’t leave it unsaid: “And we’ll be together...?”
Jill knew better than to hesitate. “And we’ll be together.”
The two women embraced.
Brenda lowered her voice. “Remember, ‘bout that piece-a’-shit husband a’ yours, don’t do anything stupid.”
Jill smiled. “Girlfriend, you worry too much. I’m not going to get in trouble. We wouldn’t want me goin’ back in just when you’re getting out, now, would we?”
Brenda returned a half-smile. “You know you could always wait ‘til I get out. I could help you.”
A small travel case sat open on the floor. Jill continued to talk to her cell mate as she went over to the case. “Will you relax. I’m gonna do just like you said. Gonna get some man to do my dirty work...” Inside the case, on top of a few folded garments, were packets of letters bound by string. Jill held up a packet. “...one of my devoted pen pals.”
Brenda laughed and shook her head. “It is amazing how from inside these walls you could manage to put together such a collection a’ nuts.”
Jill tossed the packet back into the suitcase. “Whether or not any of them actually got a pair... that’s something I will have to find out.”
“I suppose you will.” Brenda snorted. “I suppose you will.”
“Oh, my sweet brown Brenda.”
The two women kissed.
That’s when the guard opened the cell door. Stepping inside he joked, “You comin’, Jill? Better get a move on ‘fore they decide not to set you free after all.”
Both women simultaneous sneered at him.
Jill clicked shut the case, picked it up, and started off down the hall.
Brenda called after her. “Set you free, hah! Set you loose is more like it.”
Jill laughed as the guards escorted her down the corridor.
She muttered, “Set me loose on that piece-a’-shit, double-crossing, prick husband of mine.” She spit.
Ah, what the hell! She added a bounce to her step and said it out loud. “Yeah, set me loose. I got to go see that piece-a’-shit, double-crossing, prick of a husband of mine.”
Even though she was still walking through the cell block, Jill started to feel her freedom.
Inmates within earshot of her boisterous departure began to egg her on. They jeered in agreement, in resounding resentment toward all men.
“You go get him, girl.”
“Get my old man while you’re at it.”
Jill gave voice to her rage. “When I get outta here, I’m gonna fuck that man up. You’ll see.”
Applause and words of encouragement followed her out.
“Do it for me, girlfriend.”
Jill’s mission seemed to be general knowledge among the prisoners. Either that, or else it was just so damn common to hold a grudge against a man that they could all identify.
“Bobbitize that bastard,” someone shouted.
“Fuckin’ men, they should all have their dicks put in a meat grinder,” someone else seconded the motion.
“I got me a meat grinder right here.” Not everyone was feeling angry. Miss Meatgrinder grabbed herself between the legs, then began rubbing her cootch against the bars.
Someone yelled at her, “Shut your cunt, slut.”
“Who you calling slut, fuckin’ crackhead strawberry...”
~~~
From her window seat aboard the Greyhound, Jill watched as miles of highway rolling beneath the wheels, farther and farther from the cage that had been her home.
All the other passengers in her immediate vicinity were either reading or sleeping.
As the hound pushed on into the twilight, the voices in her head finally gave way to a kind of respite: Silence, sweet silence.
She stood up to stretch her legs. Once up and back in the aisle, then a stop at the loo.
To and fro, she eyed the other passengers as she made her way. A couple of old-timers were playing cards. On the other side of the aisle a young couple was kissing. Jill’s mouth involuntarily tightened into a grimace. For a moment she got lost in watching them. Then she snapped to. Had she fixated a moment, or a minute? She felt very self-conscious and returned to her seat.
She sat staring out the window, eyes wide and unreadable.
Rain started to fall, leaving long streaks on the glass.
~~~
It was morning when the bus arrived and the passengers unassed.
Jill stepped down and looked around. The rain had stopped. The ground was wet and everywhere the station shimmered with the morning light on suspended droplets. Everyone seemed busy—places to go, people to see.
No one was there to meet her. She retrieved her sorry old suitcase and walked off.
A short time later in a room overlooking the hotel sign, the suitcase lay open atop the too soft mattress. Cheap SRO’s—single room only hotels—could always be found ‘round the bus and train stations. Airport travelers could afford nicer. The wall paper was blistered, and there was a smell of something decidedly unhealthy. Several letters were arranged in piles on the bed.
Jill was talking to someone on the phone: “...Yeah, the classified department... Yeah, that’s right... Hello, my name is Jill Stewart. I have an ad that’s been running for several months.... No, pen pal.... Yeah, box 5526.... That’s right.... Pull it.... No, ‘preciate that.... More letters?.... Yeah, that’ll do.” Jill sat down next to the open suitcase. “No, not right now.... Sure, that’ll work, you hold them for me. I’ll get back to you when I got a forwarding address, or else I’ll come by and pick them up.... Okay, thanks. ‘preciate that.... Right.... Bye.”
Jill hung up the phone. She paused a beat. Then she took an envelope off the bed and removed the letter and unfolded it. Again she paused.