A Long Road to Redemption

Chapter 21

A week passed, and the routine of the place stayed the same, save for a few changes on the weekend. Prisoners are allowed to attend worship services on Sundays at designated times. Sidney and Jillian attended the same generic Protestant service since there was not one specifically for Baptists like Sidney or a Methodist like Jillian. The chaplain was a retired minister named Nathan Gossett. He was not employed full-time at the prison and received no money for his services. His messages were not very exciting, but Sidney could tell he truly believed what he was saying. After that, Sunday was boring, mostly sitting around watching the few approved TV shows, playing checkers cards, or talking until lockdown that night.

After the usual routine on Monday, Sidney and Jillian were cleaning their area when a guard approached. "Lewis74," he called out her last name and the last two numbers of her prison number. "Lewis, get over here," he yelled again. She walked over to where he was standing, "Yes, sir." He more or less looked through her, "Come with me." They walked out of her building and down a sidewalk. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Did I tell you to say something, inmate?" he responded. So they walked silently the rest of the way to the administrative building.

When they arrived at the door, the guard buzzed them in. There were a few desks in the room and several offices. She saw a couple of inmates working around the desks and taking files and what she assumed were records of some sort. The women were office workers chosen from trusted inmates. They walked to the end of a hall with several chairs near a closed door. "Sit there and no talking," the guard told her.

Sidney waited about an hour before the door opened. "Lewis?" asked the woman who'd opened the door.

"Yes, ma'am, that's me."

The middle-aged woman with her hair in a bun on the back of her head regarded her briefly. She was not in a uniform, so she must have been someone who worked here by choice. "Come in, please, and have a seat. The warden will be with you in a few minutes." Sidney did as she was told and took a seat near the door.

In the room was a small metal desk and several filing cabinets. The secretary had no pictures of family or anything else. It was as bland and dull as the cellblock, except the much more comfortable chairs. Again, hurry up and wait as another hour passed.

When the door to the warden's office opened, a man in a suit came out, still finishing whatever thought he made as he and another man left the office. The well-dressed man smiled slightly, apparently satisfied he'd made his point, and walked out the door.

Warden Beck looked more like a high school principal than someone in charge of some of society's most dangerous women. "You must be Miss Lewis," he said in a surprisingly warm voice.

"Yes sir, Sidney Lewis number...."

He stopped her, "That won't be necessary here, Miss Lewis. Please come in." She did as she was told and stepped into his office. There again were no distinguishing decorations or pictures, but the office was much nicer than anywhere else. "Please sit down." Sidney sat and felt out of place in his office.

"I apologize for not sending for you sooner. Generally, I meet with as many new arrivals as possible. I usually meet with them as a group, but sometimes, I do meet individually—especially those who have certain skills and education that may be useful. I see here that you are a college graduate. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir, I graduated two years ago from James Morgan."

"Yep, the Patriots. I went to Southwestern California. We beat you guys three years in a row while I was there. Did you go to any of the home games?"

"Yes, sir, most of them. I missed one in my sophomore year because I had the flu. I especially liked the night games."

"I bet. The best time to have a football game is at night. Especially early in the season when it's still summer." He seemed to be doing his best to put her at ease. Sidney told herself not to get used to this but to enjoy it while it lasted.