Don't Leave Me

Joan woke up in her bed and frowned when the opposite side of the bed was empty. She grabbed the pillow that Vera had used the night before and hugged it. She could pick up a slight scent of Vera on the pillow. She shed a small tear thinking about how she made Vera feel. After wiping the tear away she got up to get ready for the day. She was determined to tell Vera that she was extremely sorry and would do anything to make it up to her. 

After Joan was ready she headed downstairs to grab her bag and she went out the door to make her way to her car. Once in her car she drove off and made her way to Wentworth. The whole ride there she couldn't help but think about Vera and what the day may bring. She looked at the time it was 7am. That gave her plenty of time to go to the coffee shop and pick up two coffees and a couple of donuts and still be at work before Vera did.

Once she arrived at Wentworth with the coffee and donuts she waited in her car for a few minutes till Vera would arrive. It was 7:28 am and Vera normally arrived at work at 7:30am exactly. A few minutes went by and the Governor started to get frustrated that Vera was not on time like she normally was. The Governor didn't want to wait any longer so she just went inside and checked in taking the coffee and donuts with her. 

“Would you like any extra help today Governor?” Will asked 

Joan turned around and was confused by the question. “No, why would I?”

“Because Ms.Bennet called out of work today I just thought maybe you would want some help.”

“I see. Well I'm going to need to leave at lunch time today, would you be able to look after the prison for the rest of the day?” Joan was unhappy with Vera for not coming to work but she could understand why she wouldn't.

“Yes Gov’na” Will replied

Joan walked down the corridors and then into her office where Linda Miles was waiting with boomer. Joan nodded at Linda and opened her door to let boomer in.

“Good morning Jenkins.” Joan said in a low and unenthusiastic tone.

“Mornin Gov’na.” 

Joan sat down at her desk with the box of donuts and coffee in front of her. 

“Who else were you expecting to have donuts with Gov’na?” Jenkins asked

“What?” Joan snapped 

“Well you have two cups of coffee. Obviously you weren't going to drink two of them yourself.”

“What is it you've come to see me for Jenkins?” Joan now feeling irritated with Boomers questions 

“Well me and the other girls were wondering if you could bring the basketball back? Since last week we have not been fightin or nothin.” 

“That's because you have nothing to fight over when there is no basketball Jenkins! But I will think about it. Is that all?” The Governor added

“Yes Guv’na.” Jenkins started to get up and head over to the door. 

“Jenkins, come here.”

Boomer walked back over to the Governor's desk and was a little weary of what the Governor wanted. 

“Take this and take these. Share them with your cell mates or eat them yourself. I don't care, just get them out of here.” Joan handed Boomer both coffee and the box of donuts.

“Thanks Gov’na.” Boomer said with a big smile. She walked out with a box of donuts and two coffees

When lunch time came around Joan picked up her things and headed to sign herself out for the day. She saw Will before she left the prison.

“I trust you can handle the prison while I'm gone?” 

Will nodded and waved goodbye to Joan as she walked out of the prison.

Joan made her way to her car and then left the prison's premises. She made her way home so she could change into something simpler. She chose a deep green shirt black slacks and a black cardigan. She pulled her hair into a low ponytail and before she left her home she went out into her back yard and picked a rose for Vera. After picking the perfect rose for Vera she made her way back through her house and outside to get into her car.

As she made her way to Vera's house Joan started to have an uneasy feeling. She hopes that Vera is ok and not hurt and that she just didn't want to come to work. Another part of Joan feels like Vera hates her and doesn't want to see her. To be fair she could understand why.

As Joan made her way closer to Vera’s house she got a phone call. She was still driving so she didn’t make an effort to see who was calling. Vera's house was now in view and Joan saw her car in the driveway. This meant Vera was home. Joan pulled in the driveway and was about to get out of her car before she checked her phone to see who called. It was Vera who called only 10 minutes earlier. Joan decided that she wasn't going to call Vera back, she was just going to surprise her.

Joan got out of her car and made her way up to Vera's front door. Before she knocked she smoothed out her shirt and held the rose she picked for Vera behind her back. She knocked twice waiting for an answer. Nothing. She knocked again and still Nothing. Normally Vera would answer the door right away. Maybe she was sleeping. Joan bent down to grab the spare key from under the flower pot on Vera's front step. Vera had told Joan where it was incase of emergencies. Joan unlocked the door and walked into Vera’s home.

Joan looked around and it was dark. All the curtains were shut and the only light in the room was the sun shining through the cracks of the curtains. Joan saw an empty bottle of wine on the coffee table along with an empty wine glass and a shot glass. Joan looked at the couch and it looked like Vera had spent the night in the living room getting drunk. Joan began to worry.

“Vera!” Joan called out thinking maybe the smaller woman would call out to her.

Joan called out again to hear nothing. Joan sat in full panic mode as she set down the hall to look for Vera. She looked everywhere down stairs to find nothing. There was only one place left to look. Upstairs. Joan ran upstairs and the closer she got to Vera's bedroom she could hear bath water running. Joan became less stressed. Vera is just taking a bath that's why she didn't hear me or call out. Joan entered Vera's room and went over to the bathroom to knock on the door to try and tell Vera that she was in her house so she did not freak out too much. She knocked and heard nothing but bath water. 

“Vera? It's Joan.” She still heard nothing. She knocked harder this time. “Vera!” 

Joan’s panic set in again. She didn't know if Vera just couldn't hear her or what was going on. Joan opened the bathroom door and looked over to the tub to see Vera fully clothed in red water practically overflowing the tub. Vera's left arm was hung over the side of the bath with a razor in her hand and her right arm was in the tub her wrists were slit. 

“VERA! VERA WAKE UP!” Joan screamed in horror. She quickly turned off the water and checked Veras pulse. It was extremely faint but it was there. She quickly picked Vera up out of the tub not even worrying about getting wet and carried her to her bed. She ran back to the bathroom to grab a small towel to place on the smaller woman's wrists to suppress the bleeding. 

Joan quickly grabbed Vera's phone that was on her night stand and saw that her own number was pulled up. Joan broke out in tears. Why didn’t I answer the phone! Joan thought to herself as she wept. She quickly dialed triple zero and told them to bring an ambulance as quick as possible. As she got off the phone Vera started to stir a little bit and Joan noticed. She walked over and brushed a lock of Vera’s wet hair behind her ear.

“Stay with me Myshka. Help is on the way. Just stay with me ok.” Joan was now overcome with emotion. She didn't want to lose Vera. Vera is the greatest thing that's ever happened to Joan. Joan was terrified that she would never see the light in the younger woman's eyes again. Joan continued to rub Vera's forehead as she waited for the ambulance. 

Thankfully the hospital was only a few miles away so within the matter of minutes she could hear sirens. 

“Come on Vera, we need you to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Don't leave me.” She picked the younger woman’s small limp body up and started to walk through the house and out the front door. She made sure that she shut it behind her. By the time she got outside the ambulance was already there. She quickly walked over and placed Vera on the stretcher. As the paramedics put Vera in the back of the ambulance Joan tried to get in with her until a man stopped her. 

“Ma’am, Im sorry but you can't come.”

“What! Are you kidding me?” Joan was frustrated but didn't want to wait any longer to get Vera to the hospital so she quickly went to her car and waited for the paramedics to leave before following behind them. It was only a short distance to the hospital but it felt.

like it took hours to get there. The whole ride Joan was panicking and worrying if Vera was alright. Suddenly she felt an urge to see if vera had left a voicemail. She picked up her phine and vera indeed left one. Joan hesitated over the play button before finally pressing it.

"Im sorry Joan, Im so sorry. I love you so much. i just cant take the pain anymore." Vera sobbed before hanging up the phone.

Joan started to burst out in fresh tears "Oh Vera what have i done. Im so sorry." Joan said aloud

As she followed the ambulance to the hospital they pulled into the emergency entrance while Joan went to find the nearest parking place. As she found her spot she quickly got out and made her way to the front doors where they took Vera in. Joan asked the nurse what was going on and the nurse said that they had to take Vera to surgery immediately because the cuts were so deep they seeded stitches. Joan asked when she could see Vera and the nurse told her that she could see her after she was out of surgery.

Joan walked over to the waiting room and sat down. She didn't necessarily want to be here but she wasn't going to leave till Vera was safe no matter how long it takes.