Inmate #1374-6052

16

Lucy had taken five weeks off of work, only telling Vincent, Kurt, Sarah and Emma the real reason of her absence. The young woman spent two weeks at her mother's bedside, making everyday an enjoyable one. Mother and daughter would spend all day and night going through family albums, jewelry, Lucy wanted to talk to her mother about everything even things she already knew. Sometimes they would just sit together in silence when her mother was too tired to speak, Lucy would just hold her hand playing with her diamond wedding ring and her eyes committed every line of her beautiful face to memory.

Janet Amorosi was a kind, exceptional, graceful and strong woman. Lucy didn't let her voice shake but the tears still flowed, her tribute to her mother would not be tarnished because she couldn't pull herself together. Throughout the service Kurt had been by her side practically holding her up, and Mauve was at her other side handing her wads of tissues. She would forever be in debt to them for helping her through this.

After the funeral, the young woman wallowed for a days going through her mother's clothing, staring at her chair imagining her in the space and crying in the kitchen when she pulled out her favorite 'Best Mum in the World' mug. When she felt ready, Kurt, Sarah, Emma and Mauve helped her pack away some of her mother's items to give away. She kept all few pieces of clothing, perfume bottles and her favorite beanie, along with some other family heirlooms. Although her heart ached and her eyes were swollen for weeks, she had been more prepared and was grateful she had time to say goodbye, unlike her fathers passing.

The warden had offered her more time to have off but Lucy needed to get out of the house and get back into some routine to get her mind off her sorrow. She woke up, got dressed and put on a brave face. There was only a brief moment were tears threatened to spill when she went to say goodbye and realized no one was there.

When she got to the prison she was greeted by a smiling Sarah.

"Hey Luce." The young woman appreciated the fact that the receptionist treated her as if it was any other day.

"Hey Sarah, is Kurt still here?" She hadn't taken any notice of if his vehicle was here.

"Yeah, he finishes soon though." Lucy nodded whilst collecting her scanned bag, she gave Sarah a small goodbye before heading towards the wardens office. She needed to thank him again for the time off and do some paperwork.

...

"Kurt just fuȼking tell me where she is?" Ace near yelled at his friend who stayed on the opposite side of the cell, being cautious of the inmates anger.

"I'm sure she's coming back today, just calm the fuȼk down." Kurt was relieved that Lucy had mentioned returning to work soon, he couldn't take Ace being more of a a$$hole than usual anymore.

"Calm down? She's been gone for weeks, you won't tell me what is happening and you just expect me to calm down." Kurt had tried to sell Ace some story about Lucy being sick, but the brute had seen right through the lie.

"I've already told you it's not my place." Ace huffed whilst taking a seat on the edge of his bed and running a hand through his hair. He had been going mad without Lucy, he had spent around eight very long years in prison but that was nothing compared to the past couple of weeks. "You really miss her don't you. Wow never thought I'd see the day when Costello got whipped."

"You never thought you'd see the day I'd meet a woman period." Ace laughed.

"Hmm true. I noticed that you didn't deny what I said." Kurt smirked, trying to gauge Costellos' reaction, but the man wasn't so easy to read.