A new life, a new family.

3 - Spanish Harlem

Amelia lay in her bed that morning thinking, that was before a blonde woman strode in. She looked pissed off.

A woman guard who Amelia liked, Fischer, turned to her "McCallum you finally got assigned a bed and job!"

"Yaaaaa!" Amelia did a mock cheer, gathered up her things and put them in her bag. "I'll see you later ladies!" She waved to Soso, DeMarco and Miss Rosa. Vee wasn't around.

McCallum trailed after the guard and swung her bag over her shoulder."You're in Spanish Harlem, which is weird because, well, there's no other white people there."

Amelia shrugged. "That's okay, I have friends in there." A smile on her face. Fischer directs her to the cell block and to the cube of the one and only Gloria Mendoza. Said woman looked up to see the CO and a sheepish looking McCallum. The rest of Spanish Harlem was silent, waiting for Gloria's reaction."Es casi como si me estuvieras siguiendo." Mendoza stated, waiting for a reaction.

(It's almost like you're following me)

McCallum grinned. "Tú me conoces, perrito perdido."

(You know me, lost puppy.)

Mendoza laughed. And the silent Spanish Harlem became relaxed once more. When the guard left Mendoza stood up. "Chicas, esta es McCallum, es una amiga. No la intimides demasiado."

(Girls, this is McCallum, she's a friend. Do not intimidate her too much.)

Everyone visibly relaxed and Amelia began to make her bed the way DeMarco showed her, after she had finished she threw herself onto it.Mendoza sat up in her bed and looked over to the girl. "Trabajas en la cocina con nosotros."

(You work in the kitchen with us.)

McCallum made a groaning noise at the idea of work. Surely she shouldn't have to work considering she was locked up, then again, she got bored easily. "Eres un conductor esclavo"

(You're a slave driver.)

Mendoza rolled her eyes and an evil smirk grew on her face. "Quieres que sea yo?" 

(Do you want me to be?)

McCallum looked at her quickly and shook her head. "No, no thank you." 

Mendoza had a victorious grin on her face. "That's what I thought."

Amelia closed her eyes as her head lay on the pillow, it was comfy in here. There wasn't the constant noise of DeMarco's machine. Brook wasn't crying above her. There was a faint noise of voices and the hum of lights but, as McCallum relaxed, her blinking slowed and she fell into darkness.

Amelia woke with a start blinking rapidly. There was hardly anyone in the cell block. She hadn't remembered falling asleep, she hadn't even dreamt as far as she was aware.She had awoken with a pounding headache and wondered what time it was, she rubbed her head.

She needed a drink as well mind you, maybe she was dehydrated.Amelia dragged herself out of bed and sluggishly went off to the canteen. She poured herself a couple cups of water and drained them within seconds before wandering into the kitchen.

"Hello Sleeping beauty!" Ruiz caught sight of the new girl.

"Sorry, sorry. I don't remember falling asleep." Amelia told her, a sheepish smile gracing her lips. "Where can I help?"

"Gloria just went out the back, go ask her." Ruiz told her, giving her just a small smile.

Amelia nodded and bounced her way out the back. Not seeing Gloria at first she took a few steps out seeing Gloria and another woman, taking cigarettes out of a pack. "Y aquí pensé que eras un ciudadano respetuoso de la ley." She said, hushed so no one would hear them.

(And here I thought you were a citizen respectful of the law.)

Mendoza smirked and held out the pack, offering a cigarette. "Quieres uno o no?"

(Do you want one or not?)

Amelia took a cigarette out and held it quickly to her lips. "Sí!" They lit them quickly and began coughing at the taste.

(Yes!)

"The fuck did you get these? 1983?" The woman that Amelia didn't know asked her.

Gloria tried taking another drag and coughed again. Realisation crossed her face and she all but growled. "Mother fucker."

Amelia took another drag, thankful over the fact she had some sort of nicotine in her system. "Fuck. This is fucking nasty." She gagged slightly. "Mierda!"

(Fuck!)

Once the stale nasty tasting cigarettes were gone they returned to the kitchen where Amelia started washing trays. She spoke with the two Diaz's Aleida and Daya. Daya didn't speak Spanish though. Most of the Harlem girls/women liked Amelia, it probably helped that she knew Spanish."So, McCallum, like how many languages you know?" A girl named Flaca asked her as she chopped food up.

"Ah, all in all, five fluently and one that I can barely pass in, I'm also trying to learn another language." Amelia told them, seeing as most of room was looking at her.

"What languages?" Mendoza asked, walking around to inspect the kitchens work.

"Well obviously English and Spanish. But I know French, Italian and German. I'm a little rusty -well, more like I'm just bad at mandarin." Amelia confessed.

"But like why do you know so many languages?" Flaca's all but twin asked her, Amelia couldn't recall the name.

McCallum shrugged. "I traveled a lot due to being in a mafia family and one of my nieces is Italian."

Someone dropped a knife.

"Excuse me? Mafia?" Aleida exclaimed.

Amelia shrugged. "Yeah, did the name not give it away?"

After things settled down, mostly due to Mendoza's clapping and no shit policy, they finished up their work and Amelia went to the showers.She quickly got clean and got changed into the tan jumpsuit issued to her.Amelia wandered off back to her cube and lay down, realising she hadn't eaten that day yet. She grumbled before standing up and mooching over to commissary.

"What you want?" A small asian lady demanded.

"Pack of BBQ noodles and a couple of bottles of fizz please oh- and a mars bar." Chipper as always, she was given the food and a slip with the amount in her commissary. $237.42.  She took her shit and went to the kitchen for hot water.

As she waited for the water to boil Mendoza came towards her. "Qué? Mi cocina no es lo suficientemente buena?"

(What? My kitchen is not good enough?)

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Olvidé comer mamá, calmarme." Amelia scoffed, a small smirk over her lips as she teased the woman back. She poured the now boiling water into the cup of noodles and waited for it. It was BBQ beef flavour. 

(I forgot to eat mom, calm down)

Gloria cuffed her ear, and pointed her finger at the girl. "No tomes ese tono conmigo jovencita."

(Do not take that tone with me, young lady.)

Amelia stuck her tongue out at the woman before offering her a bottle of fizz, rubbing her ear in protest. "Lo siento mamá, voy a tratar de comportarme."

(I'm sorry mom, I'm going to try to behave.)

Gloria smirked and mentioned with her hand got the girl to follow. "Come sit with us."McCallum did, following the woman to the table filled with Spanish talking women. They quickly accepted the young girl, as much as they could. It helped that she could keep up with the conversation.

When she finished eating and most of the other girls had too, they made their way to bunks. This included Amelia, although she had hung back to help with the cleaning of the kitchen first.

When she did finally get back to the bunks, she all but collapsed onto her bed. She grumbled , struggle to pull the covers over herself, not bothering to take her clothes or boots off. She was exhausted and just wanted to sleep. Finally having enough energy she kicked off her shoes and got back under the covers.