Her mouth contorted, the bother set plain in her narrowing eyes. “That old mountain doctor has been a prickly thorn in my side.”
I fought to hold my tongue.
“He’s been calling every day, insisting on examining you again. Worrying the governor for a pardon. But now he’s interfering with my prison. It’s been ordered that only prison medical will see you.”
“But if you—”
“Enough, Lovett!”
I swallowed my last words, fearing she’d throw me in solitary again, or worse, schedule a lobotomy.
“The ink has dried. Matter of fact, I sealed that envelope. Now, I told that backwoods quack, again, you’dalreadyundergone the procedure to keep him off my back. I knew he would be trouble. And he has now been stripped of his medical privileges in this prison.My prison,” she screeched as she pounded her fist on the desk, causing the immediate appearance of a guard.
I tried to step back, but he grabbed my wrist, twisted.
Dropping to my knees, I gritted my teeth.
Warden winced. “Leave her!” She shooed the officer away. “Now, let’s finish this up, Lovett.”
I eased back into the chair, rubbing my wrist.
Warden pressed down the bodice of her white blouse. When her next words came, she barely spoke above a whisper. So much so that I had to scoot my chair closer.
“As you can see, it’s been a difficult day.” She nodded toward Sassyann’s death warrant. “I was one of the lucky ones. In DC, I’d suffered years from a man’s drunken fits. He would beat me senseless… Thank God the bottle was his poison. His demise. Or I’d be right where Sassyann is sitting now.”
I would have never guessed a fine business lady like herself had lived a troubled life like Sassyann. Me. And it stole my breath as I realized there were probably countless others being tormented at this very minute.
She shook her head slightly and snatched up the furlough paper, seemingly embarrassed about sharing a snippet of her past. Then her next words came brisk: “I thought of denying this furlough, and I could in a snap. But it could be good for the prison. Show off your skills we’ve adopted, and maybe it’ll get us more funding.”
I lowered my eyes.
“You’llnotmention your…yourdelicate conditionoutside these walls. I won’t have our gracious hosts saddled with worry or have them uncomfortable in your presence. They are pillars of the community, in their seventies, and don’t need wagging tongues fretting about theirunusualvisitor. Not a word. Understood?”
All I could think about was she had lied to Doc. He couldn’t undo what she said had already been done to me. I could only hold out hope that a pardon would come soon.
She softened somewhat. “This will be a good opportunity for both of us. And considered good time earned. I’ll see that time is deducted from your sentence. It will be more than generous compensation for your work.”
I perked, studying on just howmuchtime would be cut from my sentence.
Warden began reciting a long list of rules I was to follow: “You’ll be housed with Reverend Claxton and his wife, Mrs. Claxton, the Negro librarian who runs the city library branch. You are expected to assist Mrs. Claxton and do whatever she and Reverend ask of you. You will obey their rules. You willnotbe permitted to go anywhere unless accompanied by Reverend or Mrs. Claxton. You will consider yourself under house arrest while in their care and at the library. Rules will be strictly enforced and observed. You…”
Resigned, I let my mind ruminate on this new opportunity to visit the big city for the first time. I’d heard about the first Carnegie Library there for the Negro folks and seen newspaper photographs long ago.
Warden went on, “After giving it much thought, I’m assigning Regina Miles to take over in your absence. She’ll be assisting the patrons in Forensics and Geriatrics—”
“Ma’am,” I interrupted, suddenly alarmed, “I can make up my work when I get back. Won’t be no problem to catch up my readers in those wings.”
The women were so fragile, I feared Regina might upset them, lose her temper and hurt someone.
“Youwillrequire some assistance upon your return and after your surgery. The prison director is on my back to immediately implement a reading and writing course that all inmates will be required to attend before they’re granted a parole hearing. We need someone to keep the library going. Despite Miles’s occasional irascible moods, she has a great fondness for the books, and I’m hoping they’ll keep her out of trouble—andhopingyou two will work well together when you get back.” Her commanding eyes pierced mine. “I’ll need her trained properly. After all, she would be the perfect choice for librarianafteryou are paroled.”
I tucked in my hands, the misery of working with the girl igniting them.
“Now, again, I must warn you to be on your best behavior with the Claxtons. Step out of line, and the consequences will be severe. Downright dire. I cannot afford any more scandals associated with myself or my prison. Is this clear?”
The warden stared at me, waiting for my reply. When none came, she warned, “Thereareways to correct the strong-willed and other undesirable traits of headstrong females.” She reached in her drawer and pulled out a letter. “From home. You may take it with you.”
Twenty-Two
