Shane laughed "Nice. Still, you’ve gotta have someone to fill your thoughts at night here. Or even better, to fill your bed"

"I’m sure I’ll cope. So, you got someone on the outside?"

"Me? No. Never out long enough. And lets just say, relationships really aren’t my thing. I prefer to keep it casual"

"I think you might just have the right idea there. Women, they’re too much like hard work half the time"

"Couldn’t live without them though, could you?"

"God no!" Bette exclaimed, and both women laughed.

Bette sorted out her belongings and got herself ready for bed. When she was done she sat back down opposite Shane, who was smoking a cigarette.

"So tell me, what’s it like in here? Anything I need to know?" she asked.

"Well, in terms of prisoners, I’ll let you make up your own mind. See if I’m right about you"

Bette raised an eyebrow "And what do you mean by that?"

"Well, you seem to be like you’ll be quite good at making judgments. But we’ll see"

"Fair enough" Bette nodded.

"Now, as for the Officers, well you’ve already had the pleasure of meeting Bodybag"

"I’d like to think the pleasure was all hers" Bette said with a grin.

Shane laughed "It seems you’ve got the measure of her already. Likes to think she’s the Queen of Sheba, but no-one, not even the other Officers, respects her, so feel free to say whatever you want. Then there’s Dominic McAllister, he was on booking in as well. He’s decent, as far as blokes go you know, treats us cons with a bit of respect"

"That’s good to know"

"Now your Officer Tina Kennard…she’s a good one too. Sticks up for cons, doesn’t believe that anyone is a lost cause"

Bette just smiled shyly, which Shane chose to ignore.

"Once you get on the wing you’ll meet the others. The one to really watch out for is Principal Officer Jim Fenner. Dodgy as they come. He won’t like you coz you’re a dyke. Manipulative, sleazy, doesn’t like to follow the rules. Just watch your back"

"I’ll bear that in mind"

"Then finally you’ve got the Wing Governer, Helen Stewart. She’s the best thing that ever happened to this place. She hates Fenner, which is always a good start. She gives you her trust and respect, but will come down hard on you if you take the piss. And if I’m not mistaken, she’s got a thing for one of the lifers"

"Are you serious?" Bette asked incredulously.

"I don’t know for sure, it’s just my intuition. So don’t say anything. Besides, they’re both decent. I can trust you, yeah?"

"Of course. Wow, I didn’t think things like that really happened" Bette said lying down.

"Don’t go getting any ideas about Miss Kennard now" Shane said with a grin.

"Very funny"

"Right ladies, lights out" came the call from the door as the room was plunged into darkness.

"Night mate" Shane said.

"Night Shane" Bette replied, turning over onto her side.

She’d expected her first night in prison to be weird, but in reality, it hadn’t been so bad. Silently she thanked God for Shane, and even more so for one Officer Tina Kennard.