Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (13 page)

Another nurse entered the room, quickly giving her a shot. Hope felt her limbs growing heavy and dropped them onto the bed unable to fight anymore.

“
Please, where is my baby,” she asked almost whispering.

The nurse continued to stroke her forehead and speak soothingly to her as the doctor walked in.

“
Hello Hope,” he greeted her amiably.

“
Where is my daughter,” she managed once again.

He pulled up the stool and sat on it, looking into her eyes as he spoke.

“
Hope, the baby didn’t survive,” he began as Hope shook her head furiously, tears flowing down her cheek.

Her throat was too constricted to utter the scream that was trying to escape.

“
The cord was unfortunately wrapped around her throat and it strangled her during birth I’m afraid,” he continued patiently.

“
It’s all my fault,” she began murmuring. “My fault,” Hope continued to repeat until she finally fell asleep.

She never saw Roderick enter the room holding the beautiful little girl they created, who was very much alive, or heard him speak when he told her he was sorry for what he was doing to her. The only thing Hope would ever remember about this night was how badly her heart hurt and how empty she felt inside without her child.

*****

“
Cartier, I’m being transferred,” Lonette told him softly as they kissed and held each other.

He sighed deeply, not wanting to lose her, but understanding it was beyond her control.

“
I’m still going to do my part though,” she told him sincerely as Cartier smiled and thanked her for that.

“
What about my seed,” he asked, looking into her eyes now.

“
How did you --,” she began and then faltered.

Cartier suspected she was pregnant, being very observant and noticing the changes in her body just as he had with Raven.

“
What do you want me to do Cartier,” Lonette asked.

“
I want to see my child when I get out of here,” he told her, giving her his answer.

She smiled again as the tears rolled down her cheek, promising him he would.

“
How did this happen,” she murmured half to herself.

“
Lonette you know how it happened,” he teased as she chuckled aloud.

“
No, I mean me falling in love with you, that wasn’t supposed to happen,” she told him honestly as Cartier kissed her once more.

“
The heart always has a mind of its own,” he replied simply as they sat down and began to talk.

“
You know where to go make the pickup right,” he asked as she nodded and told him she did.

“
Good, take it to Quenton, he knows what to do from there,” Cartier instructed.

Lonette assured him she had it covered.

“
OK, no more talking now,” he returned, kissing her deeply his hands gently caressing her breasts.

Lonette moaned softly as he deftly removed the uniform, stripping her. The cameras in the small room at the end of the infirmary were disabled, so there was no one to watch or interrupt as the enjoyed each other. Cartier loved the feel of her mouth as she sucked his hardness, gently caressing the shaft with her tongue.

“
Sweet Lonette,” he murmured as he got closer and closer to release.

Pulling her head away, Cartier pulled her up to him as she sat on his erection, immediately engulfing him in her heat.

“
Mmm, Cartier,” she moaned riding him recklessly.

He couldn’t wait to be with her every night and enjoy her without limitation.

“
You feel so good in me Cartier,” she moaned coming hard and drenching his lap.

“
Damned right, and you belong to me, forever,” Cartier returned holding her hips and digging deep making her head fall back and her eyes roll into her head.

He thrust into her again and again as she came yet another time, clawing his back, just as he came hard and his seed surged inside her. Holding each other tightly, they tried to steady their breathing. Neither of them saw the uniformed man frowning deeply as he watched the inmate he hated making love to the woman he wanted.

12

Lauren’s life was moving right along. Atlanta was turning out to be really good for her. She’d settled in and made a new friend almost immediately. She and Jaleesa had been hanging out for the last ten months. Today she told her they were finding her a new place to live.
“Girl, you can’t be staying over there,” Jaleesa told her after Lauren finally confessed to living in the extended stay hotel and being on her own. Jaleesa laughed and told her there was no shame in that at all and she was obviously able to do just fine. “But that is a bad area,” she went on. “I got a cousin who can hook you up with your own apartment, no credit check or any of that nonsense.” Lauren told her about her ID and showed it to her. “Girl this is good work, I know you didn’t get that here,” she laughed seeing the official looking document. Lauren chuckled telling her she didn’t as they continued to talk.
The horn blowing broke her thought and she grabbed her bag heading out to Jaleesa and she was sure Poncho.

Arriving at the car she smiled greeting them both as she got into the backseat of the older Oldsmobile. It was a nice looking car, and Poncho had put a lot work into it.

“
What’s up KiKi,” he greeted her as she returned his greeting.

She was slowly but surely leaving Lauren behind and becoming Kaitlyn or KiKi as they nicknamed her, daily.

“
Devontae is gonna meet us over there,” he told Jaleesa as she smiled and said okay turning around to talk to Lauren.

“
After we get your place all taken care of Poncho and Devontae wanna go out,” she told her.

Lauren shrugged slightly and told her fine. They arrived at the apartment complex moments later and Lauren had to admit she was definitely hopeful Jaleesa’s cousin could pull of the trick of getting her in.

“
Come on KiKi,” Jaleesa told her, pulling her forward.

“
Hey KiKi,” Devontae greeted as they passed him.

“
Hi Devontae,” she replied as Jaleesa continued to pull her forward and they disappeared into the rent office leaving the two men outside talking.

“
You think they ready for that move,” Devontae asked Poncho giving him a look.

“
Yeah man, shit from what I see, KiKi is tough as shit, and you already know Tweety ass is crazy,” he told his friend as Devontae smiled slightly and groused.

He thought there was far more to the young woman than met the eye as well, but he was going to be cool about finding out what.

The girls returned moments later smiling and holding a set of keys.

“
We’re in,” Jaleesa announced as they all chuckled and congratulated Lauren.

“
So when are you moving,” Devontae asked, regarding her quietly.

She told him she didn’t own anything but clothes, so she would move tomorrow.

“
Guess we need to get you some furniture then, cause I can’t be sitting on the floor,” Jaleesa joked.

Lauren smiled and told them she would definitely need to get on that.

“
So we ready to go now,” Poncho asked.

Everyone nodded as Lauren began to walk back to the Oldsmobile.

“
KiKi,” Devontae called out. “Why don’t you ride with me,” he asked as Jaleesa gave him a look.

I knew it,
she thought excitedly. She’d hoped that Devontae and Kaitlyn would connect but neither of them seemed a bit interested in the other.

”
Until now,” she murmured almost to herself.

Lauren shrugged slightly and headed to his box Chevy, climbing into the passenger seat. Devontae got in and started the car, following Poncho and Jaleesa.

“
How long you been in the game,” he asked Lauren calmly.

“
As long as I can remember,” she answered without flinching.

Devontae liked that about her. She was direct and she didn’t lie.

“
So you think you could still roll and do your thing here,” he asked again, sizing her up.

Lauren smiled slightly and told him she was ready to do what she had to do.

“
Once you learn the streets, it’s pretty much all the same,” she told him calmly.

Devontae smiled again, before speaking.

“
I do other stuff besides dope, that gets old quick,” he told her as Lauren again shrugged and told him she was open to new things.

“
You ever shot anybody,” Devontae continued his interrogation.

He was liking the girl sitting next to him more and more with each answer she gave.

“
Yes, killed a couple too, in case that was your next question,” she replied giving him a look.

Devontae burst into laughter and thanked her for the information.

“
So why you leave your old hood,” he asked as she frowned slightly.

“
It’s complicated,” Lauren replied simply.

He grunted but didn’t press and she was grateful for that.

“
You and Tweety the same age,” he asked. Lauren sighed softly and told him yes.

“
How old are you warden,” she teased as he smiled and told her 21.

“
Look, I’m not just trying to get in your business, I’m trying to make stacks, and I need to know just who I have on my team,” Devontae explained.

“
I’m good with that Devontae, business is business,” she replied amiably as he smiled at her once more.

“
Can I ask you a personal question,” he threw out as she regarded him.

“
And all the ones before weren’t personal,” Lauren teased.

He chuckled again before speaking to her.

“
Are you anywhere near as attracted to me, as I am too you,” Devontae asked seriously, waiting on her response.

Lauren swallowed hard. His question threw her off balance. She looked him over again, admiring the deep brooding eyes and lone dimple on his right cheek. His smile was effervescent and his sculpted body on any red blooded woman’s wish list. She found him attractive yes, but she was scared to death of losing her heart again.

“
I don’t want to answer that right now,” Lauren hedged as the car came to a stop.

He continued looking at her until she averted her gaze.

“
We’ll go slow,” he said simply, leaning over and kissing her lips lightly.

*****

Blue was furious with himself.
Look how you fucked everything up,
he was cursing himself sitting in the cell. He’d been careless and dealt to an undercover cop. Now he was back in jail, probation revoked looking at serving not only the remaining three years on his current charge, but at least five more for the present charge.
What happens when Lauren reaches out and your ass is in lockdown,
his mind tormented. Even though it had been ten months, Blue still held out hope that Lauren would break down and call him or write him letting him know where she was. He’d been keeping an ear to the streets for anything that vaguely sounded liked news concerning her. So far he was coming up with a big fat nothing. Now he wouldn’t even be able to do that small portion. Blue began to pray that his sentence be short and made a vow to himself to tow the line and stay out of trouble in lockup so he could get out early with good behavior.
As soon as I’m free I’m going to look for her again, and I’m going to find her,
he mused. Blue knew Lauren would be eighteen in a few months. He assumed she would come out of hiding then, knowing that the law was powerless to do anything to her.

Blue used the payphone making a collect call to his mother. She of course accepted the charges and he began making his request known of her. Blue asked her to forward his mail to her home, knowing she would always be at the same address and if Lauren tried to contact him she would let him know. She agreed, telling him she would take care of it tomorrow as well as clearing his apartment and storing his things in his old room.

“
Thanks Mama,” Blue told her as they talked a little while longer and disconnected.

That much off his mind, he began to think of places Lauren might have gone.
I sure hope she’s all right,
he thought, finding some assurance in her upbringing and knowing that she definitely knew how to watch out for herself.
Has she found someone new,
the worry set in. Blue didn’t want to think about another man touching or being with Lauren the way he’d been. She was untouchable in his mind and he wanted her to always be his.
Dream on,
his mind quickly corrected. He would be gone away for years, not to mention the fact that he had no idea where she was. Lauren could be married with a family by the time he found her. Blue couldn’t describe the despair that thought brought, hearing the sound of a door slamming in his mind as he contemplated it. “Just let it work out,” he said softly right as the jailer began making his rounds and Blue heard his name called to see the judge.