Marcus had a visitor.

He grinned when Harry sat in front of him. He cupped Harry's hands, breaking into a smile.

"I'm glad you came to see me."

Harry searched his eyes. Marcus was in love with him, but how much did they really know about each other.

"Your friend came on to me, Charles. Your ex, whatever you want to call him. He's trying to keep me from testifying on your behalf while making me think that he has your best interest at heart."

"Harry, baby...I'm sorry for calling you that...if you don't want to, then don't. No love loss."

"I didn't know you did time at the same prison as my father, Dime."

Marcus bit his lip, sitting straight up. "I remember once seeing Dime, but I didn't know that he was your father till now," he lied, swallowing hard.

"It's cool, Marcus. Look, we gotta talk, seriously. I'm still going to testify on your behalf, but all these feelings I'm starting to have for you has come to a halt."

"Why, if that's how you're naturally starting to feel?"

"Because I'm not ready to move on. In my heart Jonathan will always be number one, a beautiful man that loved me and knew that I was learning to love him."

"I don't ever want to take that away from you. I just want to be that special man, that special friend. The King that makes you laugh, smile..."

"I can kick my own ass. Being with you intimately was a huge mistake. It shouldn't have happened."

Marcus was crushed. "But it did happen, baby."

"I'm not your baby."

"Listen, let's just worry about this later. I'm facing trial. My focus is there."

"Let's talk about it now. I don't want you in that way. I thought it was us bottoms that wanted love, dick, passwords and debit card pin numbers, aren't you and I only want cash, ass and a blunt Top acting like you wanna move in with me."

"Maybe you should go. Hell, Charles said he fucked you so I'm good. Used goods aren't my thing."

"He said what?" Harry asked, stunned. "He never even sniffed my undies let alone this booty. I see niggahs are still lying to kick it. I didn't do anything with him and make sure you smell your cell mates ass before you eat them groceries tonight."

Harry walked towards the Exit door, deuces up...

Marcus cursed himself under his breath. "Damn...I shouldn't have said that to him. I fucked up..."

Retrospective

Lynn Waters and Lady Hemingway West sat across from each other, taking it all in. Back then Lynn came up with Becky to justify why she used her body to make ends meet, despite surviving the horror of rehab.

Watching her body go through withdrawal terrified her into never touching drugs again.

Even though prosecuting attorney Norma stood by her side, visiting her all the time during visiting hours, Lynn felt a great sense of hope that a moneyed woman that once talked down to her in a seedy restaurant was now there for her, like a sister.

During the last visit, Norma gave Lynn a sisterly hug before they settled down on a leather chaise in the back of the visiting room, out of earshot.

"You're looking good," Norma said, taking her hands. "I hear that you're the model citizen in here. I'm really proud of you, Lynn. Seriously. You're a strong woman."

"Girl, this place nearly broke me..."

"But you stuck it through. You'll be free from rehab in a couple weeks. What are your plans? Do you have any jobs or residences lined up?"

"Well no, I don't. Haven't thought that far ahead."

Norma squeezed her hands. "Stay with me. I mean, for a few months. We'll figure this out together."

Lynn's face lit up with joy.

"I appreciate the offer, Norma. Truly, I do, but I have to find my own way. I don't need charity."

"Your girlfriend may have viciously killed herself, she may even be a sister you never knew you had, but you both still shared true love, even if for a little while. You both lost your virginity together, and I'm not one to judge, but because of your turmoil you need a break. And I'm offering it to you."

"You remember your first case very well."

"You're a hard woman to forget. That's why when my husband Francisco invited you to our table I reacted that way because I hadn't realized that you became a bum in the street."

"I'll take you up on your offer. But I'm going to New Orleans first. I want some of that famous gumbo they always bragging about."

"It's all right. Too much roux. Not enough meat. Too expensive."

They smiled. "I'm still going to find out. I need to do this for me. Once I do I'll move in with you."

"Great. Because there's something I need you to do. I need you to seduce my husband. Keep this between us. If you can get him to sleep with you, and provide proof, I'll pay you handsomely."

"Why are you going through so much trouble to test his faith, trust and loyalty? Do you not trust yourself?"

"I think I'm pushing him away. He says I treat him like a child."

"Norma, you kinda do. I've seen it at the restaurant. You talk down to him."

"I think he's cheating on me. I can't prove it, though."

"When there's smoke, there's a fire. From a distance you'll never know where the smoke cloud comes from, but that doesn't mean that what you don't know won't hurt you, because it will. Have you asked him?"

"Yes I did, just before I came here to see you. He cursed me out so badly that he mounted me by the dining room table and took it out on my cookie."

They snickered like witches.

"Remind me to spray that table down before I eat there."

"Ha. Anyway, do your New Orleans trip. Then move in and help me entrap my husband. Trust me, if he ducks you that means that he was never mine and I'm going to tighten the reigns.

Swallowing hard, she wondered how she was going to tell Norma that she was already two months pregnant with Francisco's child. They made love in the storage closet every second Tuesday of the month, promising that he was going to leave his wife before he killed her for walking on his manhood...

Later that evening Francisco paid his mistress a visit.

"What's up, baby. You wanted to see me?"

"Norma was here earlier. She wants me to move in."

Music to his ears. "Hell yes, I'm with it. We can make love all the time."

"No, we can't. She thinks you're cheating on her. We gotta make sure that she never finds out."

"Sure we can. That's what hotel rooms are for."

"We can't do this anymore. Let's just take a break."

"So you're playing games. Give me the nookie in this place, but I can't have it under my own roof."

"You can have it. From your wife, Norma. Remember her?"

"I'm about to go. I don't have...time..."

Lynn started walking towards the hall, heading for the storage closet.

Francisco followed her.

And sitting next to a security guard, Norma watched them enter the storage closet.

But she emerged a few seconds later, fuming...

Lynn walked to her quarters, closing the door. She didn't tell Francisco that she was pregnant nor did she tell Norma.

I have something to tell you. Your husband followed me to the storage closet and came on to me. I don't know what to do."

"When you're released we'll come up with a plan."

Lynn tried to hide her hand by shifting the blame to Francisco.

"After my New Orleans trip..."