Ava's Blues

Chapter 2:

Of course, the Warden wanted to see me. He always did because I was always getting into fights. Most of these women knew who I was and whom I was related to, so, they purposely picked fights. Attempting to become HBIC (Head Bitch in Charge) but they all lost. If there was one thing that my family taught me, it was self-defense. No one was going to push me around, EVER.

"Ava, why do you anger me so?" Warden Dubois asked leaning against my cell door. 

"Well, Louis," I started calling him by his middle name only to piss him off more. "It's never my intention to anger you but more so to protect myself. Let us be realistic here, you know just like I know that these women target me not only because I'm a Semenov but also because I'm an Arden as well. My family is a family of criminals who have damn near ruled the criminal world for 60 plus years. Who better to target than the youngest of their clan who managed to get herself locked up." 

"That is true. However, that is why I am here. I would handle all of that if you would allow me to." 

"Louis, let us be realistic again, you can't handle 7,000 women targeting me." 

"But you can?" he asked. 

"I'll die trying." 

"Well, Ava, let me know how that works out for you." He clenched his jaw as he stood up straight making his way out of my cell. 

"Ava, you know he has a thing for you..." The girl in the next cell over said to me. 

"You think so? " I asked as I slid my smock over my head. 

"He visits you every time he wants to see you. Any other Warden would have your ass brought to him, any other Warden would have you transferred out of their prison, any other Warden would not even allow your ass out of solitary confinement. But not Dubois... He likes you. You intrigue him. That says a lot considering nobody has ever seen him with a woman. Hell, we were beginning to think that he was gay." 

"I'm pretty sure he only acts this way because of my Nonna." 

"You know I used to hear stories about her. Are any of them true?" She asked. 

"All of them." I sighed. 

I thought back to the simple fact that I had heard most of the stories about my grandmother as well, but I had never pieced two and two together. It was hard when she finally told me that I had been trying to live up to her legacy and I never would be able to. My Nonna had been through things, seen things, and done things that I could never imagine.  She was so nurturing and so sweet; it was hard to believe she was THE DONNA. I mean I always knew Papa was Don back in the day, but I assumed my Nonna was the flower he protected and shielded from all harm but they both were in the line of fire, and they protected one another. 

"What was it like?" 

"What was what like?" I asked. 

"Having the most feared woman in criminal history as your grandmother?" 

"Normal. She is like any other sweet old woman. I didn't find out until most recently that she was the legend of the underground." 

"Why are you in here, Ava?" 

"I always get asked that question and I never have an answer. However, let me say this. Not everything is always peaches and cream as it appears, Domonique. Rich people face many demons. Just because money isn't one doesn't mean we don't suffer from other things."

I hated the logic people had. Growing up rich didn't mean life was perfect. In addition, none of that money was my own. It was my parents and my grandparents. Of course, I had my college degree, and I had a job before all of this but when I got of here, if I ever got out of here then I would be labeled as a felon.