Ten years later...
"Harper, Chloe. Get your butt out here." Warden Killian ordered. I casually slid down my bunk and blew my bubblegum. I wondered who was the unlucky punk who ratted me out for skipping out on last night's chores. I twisted my neck menacingly.
"I already told you Kill, I'm not a married woman anymore, it's Carter." I said.
Killian gave me a bored look. "Do I look like I give a shit? Saddle up, your time is up."
Yeah, not like we threw a party and everything with a sappy speech!" My wing lady Axel called out.
"That was the best dang speech I've ever heard." Another prisoner called.
"Quiet, you get out before I lose it." Killian ordered as she cuffed me.
"Oooh, have you been going to a salon? Love the pink, adds a little life to the beige Kill. " I cooed at her manicured nails.
"Don't make me taser you." Kill glared at me as we walked pass the hallway with chants and applause.
"Thank you, thank you! See you on the flip side you idiots, Betsy, never forget your pills one day you might just get out." I called out.
"Ha, hilarious, now get outta here." Betsy, a sixty something year old woman put in for peddling drugs in more than six countries, and killing a senator's kid, in it for life.
"Alright, one blouse, jeans, flats, wedding band, butterfly necklace." Kill said as she handed me my stuff which I put on.
"Man, I had bad tastes in clothes. " I gripped my strawberry printed blouse and gazed at my pink flats.
"They're also out of fashion. Now clean up your act and I better not see you in here again, for a reunion party." Killian rolled her eyes.
"Wishful thinking." I winked.
"Just in case." Killian slips a note into my palm.
I think the guards were more than relieved to see me get out. I had caused them enough trouble as it is.
Outside the Penitentiary, the air was different, maybe i was cynical. Helena stood by her car on the phone, yapping about God knows what, i barely recognized her, she was curvier now and her hair was curly and longer. She had sunglasses on and paced back and forth.
She hung up and looked at me. "Chloe!" She hugged me tightly. "God, you're free, finally free!"
I did not hug back, it felt strange making human contact and not hitting back. But she was my friend I had to remember that.
In the car an annoying pop song played my ears nearly bled out. Helena bobbed her head to it.
"So, where's my new apartment?" I asked.
Helena stopped and looked at me then back to the road.
"Don't be silly Chloe, you can't live out here, how would you get a job?" She asked.
"Specifically why I trusted my credit cards to you." I glared at her.
"Well, about that—"
"Helena!" I barked.
"Think about it, no one really belives you were guilty you could easily save up in Ruby's Pointe and reconnect with your kids." Helena said quickly.
"Who cares about them? I am not going back to that hell hole. " I said. "Stop the car."
On cue she stopped by the red signal.
"I know you feel so guilty—"
"Not really."
"Even though Vic remarried, you can still reconcile with the kids okay? They'll love you and you'll be happy again. " Helena said with so much hope in her eyes.
I shrugged. "Okay, i guess i need to save up, find a job and then come back here start over—"
"But—"
"No buts, I thought about this for years, one of my prison mates comes out in six months we're gonna get a place together I don't need distractions, you're going to help me get a job right?" I glared at her.
"Sure, I might know an opening."
* * *
Ruby's Pointe, Colorado had changed over the years, more buildings main street expanded, kids walking by head bent over their smartphones, I tried to take in the scenery. Would anybody recognize the killer? This town was filled with the biggest gossip, did Jane's murderer still live here? I rubbed my forehead in frustration. I had to be strong, Axel would be out in months and I would be out of here real soon.
Helena pulled over at a quaint cottage in a quiet street, two boys played football and a man cleaned his blue sedan.
"Wait, why are we stopping at a stranger's house?" I asked.
"Chloe, don't be silly, I told you in my letters that I got married years ago."Helena giggled.
"Why?" I asked.
"Oh boy."Helena wheezed as we got out. The boys ran to hug her.
"Missed me?" Helena kissed their hair.
"Nope, I need help with my history homework." One blurted.
"Lost one of my socks, the dinosaur one."The younger one announced.
"Not again Zeke."Helena gasped. Zeke nods.
"Welcome home, how was the trip?" Her husband walked over and kissed her lips.
"Great." Helena said. "Chloe meet my husband Warren, honey this is my friend Chloe Carter. "
Warren brought out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Helena talks about you all the time." Warren managed a smile.
"Thought you hated guys with green eyes?" I ignored Warren. Helena gasped in disbelief.
"I don't exactly recall saying that." She chuckled nervously.
"No, you said they look like ugly garden elves."
"Wow,I'm so tired let's get dinner okay?" Helena said cheerfully avoiding her husband's glare.
Dinner was delicious, I ate from everything, chicken potpurri, salad, drank a full glass of orange juice and ate some more. It took a while before I realized I was being watched by the entire family. I shrugged.
"Beats prison food, Helena I remember a time when you wouldn't even slice an onion for anything in the world."I say. Helena rolled her eyes in disbelief.
"I don't remember that." Helena protested.
"I do." Warren teased.
"Why were you in prison? Kill somebody? What's prison like and do you get into a lot of fights?" The older kid asked.
"Not now Leo." Warren said.
"Well Leo, we did get into a lot of fights, in fact one time I broke an inmate's nose she had to go for surgery." I say in excitement.
The boys grinned but frowned when their father glared at them. They bowed their heads over their food.
"I would rather you not discuss prison violence with the kids." Warren says.
"What? They're boys, don't want to raise softies would ya Will? " I winked.
Helena laughs.
"It's Warren and I think I know how to raise them, like you have any experience with kids in the last decade." Warren downed a glass of water.
"Oh my God Chloe, we have to call Vic, and the kids, the twins are so big now." Helena said.
"Lana I think, she wears black clothes and worships the devil." Leo said with his mouth full.
"You wanna get grounded?" Warren glared at him.
"Nope. " Leo shook his head.
I laid in bed staring at the ceiling, I barely slept in years, afraid that I might wake up back in my cell, it was too good to be true, I was out, that comment about Lana bothered me a little, oh well that was Sam's problem. Six months and I would be gone.