Prison Shock!

The prison sentence

"I sentence you to six months imprisonment." the judge echoed through the court room. Nate's head dropped to face the floor before he turned to look at his friends behind the banister. He shook his head slightly, copied by Heath and Ricky in return. Everyone stood up and Nate was handcuffed and escorted out of the room by police officers. "I'll come visit you soon." Ricky quickly informed him as he left sounds reach.

Heath and Ricky exchanged a look of disappointment. He had only tried to save Andy's life without getting him into more trouble. Still, no one knew how the cops found out about the incident, but it was too late to make any difference now.

It took a few days before the Braxton household was told which prison Nate had been placed in. As soon as they had the information, Ricky called up and made an appointment to go and visit Nate in his new home for the next half-year. It was a long drive away - longer than what she was used to - seeing as he is at a different prison to the one Brax had been sent to.

Because Ricky had gotten pretty big lately, due to her pregnancy, she had asked Heath and Bianca to drive her up there and visit Nate with her. They gladly agreed and spent hours in a car to visit the most recent doctor to arrive in Summer Bay (even if he had been sent away now).

The fact is, Nate was the one who helped Ricky come to terms with having a baby, even without Brax being around to help raise their child. He was the doctor that monitored her pregnancy and the friend to buy her foods when she was craving them. They had become quite close and she was happy to go out of her way to visit him in this new prison.

This prison wouldn't be hard to go to, for Ricky. She had never been here before, as it wasn't where her brother was, nor her nephew, or even the father of her child - just a good mate.

Ricky wobbled through the gates of the prison, shorty followed by the married Braxton and his wife, Bianca. They sat down at a bench and table and waited the couple of minutes for Nate to be told they were there and for him to join them. Heath and Bianca sat either side of Ricky, just in case she felt dizzy or needed anything - which happened quite a bit.

Once the doctor had joined the three, they got to talking. Deep conversation came around quickly as Nate liked to bring up the continuous topic of "how's the baby?" Even though Ricky doesn't like to have all of the attention on her, she was content with talking about her pregnancy and the new life that forms inside of her.

"The baby is good." she laughs the start of the conversation. "Has he or she started kicking yet?" Nate continues to ask questions about the state she is in. Heath and Bianca gladly join in and they get to talking about possible baby names.

After a while of chattering, Heath and Bianca stood up saying "we're just going to get some drinks." and left Ricky and Nate to themselves. "So, how're you really going in here?" She asked, looking around the prison. Nate wasn't sure how to answer.

"No one is giving me trouble, but then again, no one knows anything about me yet. I dunno," he began to attempt explaining what it's like for him to be in such an environment. "Well, I can tell you now: it's best to have someone to talk to when you're on the inside. Don't isolate yourself." She advised the doctor. "I won't. Don't worry about me. Focus on the baby." He told her. They both smiled in response - Ricky rubbing her belly slightly after the mention of her unborn child.

Everyone around them received no attention from the Summer Bay residents. They just got on with their lives and what they were doing, not paying attention to them either. Guards and prisoners walked around within the visiting area, and on the other side of the gates - where offenders were allowed to pass their time. As one man walked passed, he glimpsed through the bars and saw Nate and Ricky talking, suspicion and confusion entering his mind as he walked on.