Don't Call Me Angel

Angel 20

Lavender White sat in the dimly lit cafeteria of the Baldwin Correctional Facility, her mind drifting as she absentmindedly pushed around the unappetizing food on her tray. The news had hit her like a ton of bricks—Ambrose had tried to escape and was now in the hospital. Her chest tightened with worry, and she couldn't help but replay the conversation she'd had with him in her mind.

"Hey, Lav," Clara said, nudging her gently. "You okay?"

Lavender snapped out of her daze and forced a weak smile. "Yeah, just... got a lot on my mind."

Clara nodded sympathetically. "I heard about Ambrose. Tough break. But he's tough. He'll pull through."

Lavender took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. "I hope so. I just wish I could be there with him."

As she picked at her food, the cafeteria door swung open, and a familiar figure walked in. It was her mother, Patricia White. The sight of her made Lavender's blood boil. Their relationship had always been strained, but now it was completely shattered.

Patricia spotted Lavender and made her way over, her expression hard and unyielding. "Lavender," she said coolly, taking a seat across from her.

"Mother," Lavender replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What do you want?"

Patricia's eyes narrowed. "I heard about your boyfriend's little stunt. Guess he's just as reckless as you are."

Lavender clenched her fists under the table. "You don't know anything about him. Or me, for that matter."

"Oh, I know plenty," Patricia shot back. "I know you're wasting your life, just like your father did. You're on the same path, Lavender, and it's going to lead you nowhere."

"Don't you dare talk about Dad!" Lavender snapped, her voice rising. "He was twice the person you'll ever be."

The cafeteria went silent as inmates turned to watch the unfolding drama. Patricia leaned in, her eyes cold. "Your father was a failure, and you're heading down the same road. You think you're tough, but you're just a scared little girl pretending to be something you're not."

Lavender stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "You have no right to judge me. You abandoned me, remember? You left me to fend for myself while you went off and did God knows what."

Patricia stood up as well, her face flushed with anger. "I did what I had to do to survive. You think you're so smart, but you have no idea how the world works."

Lavender's heart pounded in her chest, her vision blurring with rage. "You're right. I don't know how the world works because I never had a mother to teach me."

The tension in the room was thick, and it seemed like they were seconds away from another physical altercation. Just as Lavender was about to lash out, a guard stepped in between them.

"Break it up, you two," the guard barked. "You're both on thin ice as it is."

Lavender took a step back, her breathing heavy. She glared at Patricia one last time before turning on her heel and walking away. She needed to cool off, to process everything that had just happened.

Back in her cell, Lavender paced back and forth, her mind racing. The anger and hurt from her confrontation with her mother mingled with the worry she felt for Ambrose. She wished she could talk to him, to hear his voice and know that he was okay.

Clara appeared at the cell door, concern etched on her face. "Lav, you need to calm down. You're gonna drive yourself crazy."

Lavender stopped pacing and slumped onto her bunk. "I know, Clara. It's just... everything's falling apart. Ambrose is in the hospital, and my mom... she just knows how to push all my buttons."