For Better And For Worse
Chapter 41

Prison.

Two days later, Claire still doesn’t know how to get the prison plans. Krist gets impatient and puts pressure on him. Fortunately, today, around noon, her phone rings and she answers, it’s a call from her father.

Claire: hello dad!

Director: hello sweetie, I have a severe headache here, can you bring me some painkillers?

Claire: of course dad, I’ll bring them to you right away.

He hangs up.

Krist: who was that?

Claire: my father, he has a headache and he wants me to bring him some painkillers.

Krist: It’s now or never Claire, don’t forget that I have to go back to my cell tonight.

Claire: What should I do?

Krist: adds a sleeping pill to his medication.

Claire: Krist, I…

Krist (touching her hands): please.

Claire: Okay.

So she takes some painkillers and adds a sleeping pill to take to her father. He takes the medicine and swallows it without hesitation.

Claire: you need to rest dad, sleep for a few minutes and it will get better faster.

Director: okay my dear.

He dozes off and Claire begins rummaging through his office until she replaces the plans of the prison. She quickly photographs them and puts them back in their place then leaves. She joins Krist.

Krist: Please tell me do you have the plans for the prison?

Claire: yes I have the plans you want but in photos on my phone.

Krist: that might do the trick, show them to me!

She hands him the phone having already opened the photos in the gallery. He looks at the plans and knows how to access the computer room. It’s not far from the infirmary so he would only have to go through the ceiling to get there. Claire wants to know how he will do it.

Claire: what do you plan to do?

Krist: Well, I’m going to cause an injury to end up here and when the lights go out, I’m going to go through this ceiling and turn around right above the computer room. I will do my best to remove the ceiling as discreetly as possible, which will be similar to this one. I will go down to the room and I will attack them and wear the outfit of one of them and then I will leave.

Claire: What if they hit an alarm?

Krist: then I will open all the doors so that all the inmates come out and I will take advantage of the chaos to leave.

Claire: are you aware of the consequences that may result from this? The guards of this prison are sons, fathers and husbands like you. If you do that, some of them might be killed. As a result, mothers would have lost sons, sons would have lost fathers, and wives would have lost husbands. Plus, some real dangerous criminals could end up in the wild and God knows what damage they could cause. Are you ready to have all this on your conscience?

Krist: I admit that I haven’t thought about that at all. You put me in a dilemma Claire, I have to think about it.

Claire: think about it carefully Krist, because every action, whatever it is, can have consequences beyond anything we could have imagined.

Krist: there is another solution, very risky but dangerous for a single person.

Claire: which one?

Krist: The morgue. The only way to leave this prison is through the morgue but getting there is almost impossible.

Claire: then this is not a solution.

Krist: Yes, it is, if you agree to help me.

Claire: how?

Krist: Give me a drug that can cause cardiac arrest for at least 10 minutes and that will do the trick.

Claire: no, I will never do that, I won’t take that risk even you ask me to marry you now.

Krist lies back down on his bed a little lost.

Claire: I’m sorry.

He thinks for a moment then suddenly gets up.

Krist: oh shit, why didn’t I think of that?

Claire: You’re so busy with your escape story, what else could you think of? But actually, what haven’t you thought about?

Krist: could you lend me your phone to make a call?

Claire: Who do you want to call?

Krist: my wife!

Hearing this, Claire is heartbroken. She hesitates to answer him.

Krist: Please!

She passes him her phone. He thanks her and dials his wife’s number. Isabelle is in the hospital in labor. His phone is in the office so it rings in vain. Krist calls three times but to no avail. He hands her the phone.

Krist: She doesn’t pick up.

Claire: I’m sorry.

Krist: Yes, thank you.

He goes back to bed looking sad, a mood which also infects Claire. Claire returns to her father’s office to see how he is doing. Meanwhile, Isabelle finishes her work and returns to her office, that’s where she sees the three missed calls so she calls back. It rings and Claire picks up.

Claire: hello!

Isabelle: yes hello, you called me three times.

Claire: oh sorry, it wasn’t me. Someone borrowed my phone to call you but to no avail.

Isabelle: who was it?

Claire: I don’t know him.

Isabelle: is he still there?

Claire: no, he’s already left.

Isabelle: okay, have a good evening ma’am.

She wishes him the same and Isabelle hangs up. Claire feels a little bad.

Claire: I’m sorry Krist.

Her father wakes up and she gives him water to wash his face

Claire: so, how are you feeling, dad?

Director: much better. How long did I sleep?

Claire: Just a few minutes. A+ dad.

She joins Krist.

Claire: I’ll have to go home for a while.

Krist: are you coming home during the day today?

Claire: Yes, there are no injuries I need to take care of. Tell me what you want to eat and I’ll bring it to you.

Krist: I just need you to do something for me.

Claire: whatever you want my… Krist.

Krist: do you have paper and pen?

Claire: Yes. Hold !

Krist takes the paper and pen. He writes down his address and gives it to Claire.

Krist: go to this address and bring me news of my wife.

She hesitates to take the paper.

Krist: Please.

Claire: Okay.

She takes the paper and gives Krist a k**s before leaving.

Hospital.

In her office, Isabelle receives several calls from Doctor Roger but refuses to answer so he leaves her a message.

Roger: Hi Isabelle, I know you’re mad at me but please, forget our differences for a moment and come quickly, please. It’s not for me that I call you Isabelle, it’s for a mother and her baby who need you. Please come and save them and spare them a C-section, please.

Isabelle thought for a moment and decided to leave. She warns her friends and leaves. She goes to the renaissance hospital. She goes straight to the doctor’s office.

Roger: Isabelle, I’m glad to see you.

Isabelle: not me.

Roger: I wasn’t sure you would come.

Isabelle: well here I am.

Roger: Isabelle, I…

Isabelle: we agree, I didn’t come for you.

Roger: no, obviously not.

Isabelle: so what am I doing here?

Roger: follow me!

He takes her to a room and gives her the labor clothes then he takes her to the delivery room. Isabelle greets her friends and they explain the problem to her. They therefore begin their labor and after a few minutes, the lady manages to give birth naturally and in good conditions. After that, the doctor calls Isabelle to thank her and pay her.

Roger: thank you very much Isabelle, you saved this woman and her baby. Here is your salary.

Isabelle: I don’t need your money. Here is your blouse.

She gives him his clothes again and leaves. She comes straight home. After having a glass of water, she joins Stella in the living room to spend some time and clear her mind a little. When the sun went down, she visited her parents. She only replaces her mother at home and has a good time with her before returning.

Meanwhile in prison, Krist was taken back to his cell and he still hasn’t decided whether to escape or not.