The Marriage of Tobias Beecher III
December 3, 2003
“You’re supposed to be protecting Beecher!” Anger tinges Warden Querns voice, even though he keeps his voice low, so as not to wake a sleeping Toby.
“Hey, I’m doing my best,” Chris Keller snaps back, not bothering to keep his voice down. He doesn’t care if Beecher hears. “But it was that motherfucker Lopresti. He made Toby leave Sister Pete’s office before I got there. So if you’re pointing fingers, go and point one at him.”
Sighing, Querns runs a hand through his hair. He can rant and rave at staff meetings, write numerous memos, but some people will still not do as they’re told. “Victoria Beecher has her late husband’s law firm riding our asses with this suit, and Beecher being severely injured again is not going to help our cause.” He paces a minute, thinking hard. “Another option is to put Beecher in Unit J. . . .”
“Shit has happened there too,” Chris interrupts. “No, I’m his best protection, but you need to tell your hacks to back off, and let me do what I have to do.”
“I’d like to put the both of you in Unit J,” Querns murmurs, thinking out loud. “But the inmates there would not be too happy with you as their cellmate.”
Querns’ pronouncement causes Keller to grin. He wears his bad reputation like a medal of honor. “I can protect Toby,” he repeats. “I will protect Toby, but you need to. . . .” He breaks off, as Tim McManus bangs the pod door open.
“Warden.” McManus nods his head at Querns. “I’m glad you’re here. I want to get to the bottom of what happened yesterday.”
“So fucking get to the bottom.” Chris folds his arms across his chest. “And you can start by telling me where the fuck Robert Edders is.”
“Edders?” McManus scratches his head in puzzlement. He hadn’t given Robert Edders a passing thought, other than acknowledging him as one of the new residents of Em City.
“He wasn’t in his pod last night, so mind telling me where the fuck he was?”
“What the fuck does Edders have to do with anything?” McManus asks, as he flips through the numerous pages on a clipboard, trying to find the one page, which explains where Edders was relocated.
“He’s the motherfucker, who stabbed Toby,” Chris says through gritted teeth, wondering not for the first time, how McManus can be so clueless.
“Edders!” McManus and Querns exclaim simultaneously. Both are shocked.
“Well, he was, was. . . .” McManus continues to frantically search through his paperwork. “Was transferred to protective custody yesterday,” he says with surprise, as he looks up at Querns. “Why didn’t you tell me you had him transferred?”
“I never authorized Edders to be transferred to protective custody.” Now Querns has the same baffled expression as McManus.
Chris can only roll his eyes, while wisely keeping his mouth shut. No wonder he and every other inmate can get away with just about anything in Oz; the keystone cops are running the place.
“We’ll figure this out, don’t worry.” McManus raises a hand, while appeasing Keller. “And I’ll have Edders in the hole for this, but first I’ll need confirmation from Beecher.”
Sighing, Chris walks over to Toby, regretting that he has to be disturbed. The night before had not been kind Beecher, as pain and fear had kept him from a sound sleep. “Tobe.” He gives Beecher a small shake. “Wake-up. You need to talk to the Warden and McManus.”
Toby feels himself being pulled back into consciousness, and tries to open gum-stuck eyes. “Jesus!” he swears out loud, as his whole body is one throbbing ache; the pain medication had long since worn-off.
“I’ll get Dr. Nathan.” McManus pulls out his two-way radio and immediately calls for the doctor.
“Tobe,” Chris repeats, as he sits on the bunk and pulls Beecher up against his chest. “The doc is on her way, so until she gets here, tell the Warden and McManus what happened yesterday.
Eyes still closed, Toby doesn‘t want to talk, doesn’t want to move, just wants to be left alone with his pain.
“Come on, babe.” Chris' voice is barely a whisper. “Tell them what they want to hear.”
Toby knows they won’t leave him alone, so taking shallow breaths, he makes the effort to speak. “Left Sister Pete’s office, met Edders on the way back to Em City. He pulled a shank.”
“It was Robert Edders that attacked you?” Querns speaks slowly and clearly. He wants no misunderstandings.
Toby nods ever so slightly. He feels awful, reminiscent of months ago when he was recuperating from a shattered spine.
“Dr. Nathan will be here in a minute.” Tim McManus steps up and gently rests a hand a Toby. “And don’t worry, I’m going to go and question Edders right now while escorting him to the hole.”
“I’ll go with you.” Querns raises a hand to Beecher, which is his way of conveying a comforting gesture.
“To question Edders?” McManus asks in surprise. The warden doesn’t involve himself directly; he usually leaves it to his underlings.
“Yes,” Querns says firmly, as he gives McManus a small push toward the door. He waits until they’re out of Em City, before explaining himself. “This particular investigation cannot be screwed-up! The Beecher lawsuit is hanging over us, and if we don’t get to the bottom of this, and find out who and why Beecher was attacked. . .well, let’s just say if Beecher ends up dead and we’re found liable for his murder too, the Governor will have all of our balls for dinner.”
“Really?” McManus pretends surprise, although he is well aware of the lawsuit, and the millions of dollars it could cost the state.
“Yes,” Querns barks back, knowing that McManus is pretending. “And I’m telling you again.” He stops and pushes a finger into McManus’ chest. “To have your C.O.s back off of Keller. Let him protect Beecher for us, and then if anything should go seriously wrong, we can blame it on him.”
**
The pain medicine has done its magic, and just when Toby starts to feel half-way comfortable, he’s told he needs to get up on his feet.
“Come on, Tobe,” Chris says, his stance all business. “Time to take a short walk, and a piss. I’m sure you need to use the bathroom.”
“Another half hour,” is Toby’s plea. “Just let the pain killer work some more.” It’s a familiar routine, arguing with Keller about his daily exercise. During his long recovery from the spinal injury, they used to perform this play daily.
“You’ve had enough time.” Chris bends down to grab Toby under the arms. “Doc says you need to get your blood circulating, so get up.”
He’s heaved up onto his feet, and despite everything Dr. Nathan has pumped into him, Toby still has to bite his lip to keep from screaming out. Two turns around the pod with him being literally held up by Keller and then a stop in front of the toilet.
“Can you manage?” Chris asks, as Toby tries to make his hands work, fumbling in his boxers for his penis. He’s able to pull it out, but his hands just aren’t steady enough to hold himself straight. Reaching around Keller takes a hold of him, and aims at the toilet bowl. Releasing his bladder, Toby stares at the hand on his dick and thinks back over the recent months when Keller had nursed him day and night.
“In sickness and in health,” Toby says quietly, as Keller shakes him off and gently tucks him back into his shorts. “Is that what this is?”
“What?” Chris asks. He doesn’t always hear so well, since being beaten in the head by Officer Claire Howell.
“I said,” Toby speaks louder, as he’s led back to his bunk, “you’ve been caring for me for almost ten months now, and I wonder why you would do that.”
“I already told you why,” Chris says brusquely, as he helps Beecher back into bed.
“In sickness and in health?”
“Yeah.” Chris smiles widely, as he pushes another pillow behind Beecher’s back. “In sickness and in health.”
“So.” Toby closes his eyes, contemplating Chris’ devotion to him, both the bad and the good. “You consider us married?”
“Yep.” Chris pulls up the chair and sits himself next to the bunk.
“But just what does that mean, us being married?”
“Christ, Tobe.” Chris picks up a magazine and begins leafing through it. “You’re a big boy, who knows the definition of married, and you’ve been married.”
“To a lovely lady named Genevieve, and marriage for us was planning a future together, buying a house, having children. None of which I see us doing in the near future,” Toby says with irritation. Leave it to Keller to bring up the subject of marriage, and then not want to discuss it seriously. “So what does it mean for us. We take care of each other, while we’re here in Oz? We don’t fuck around with other people? What?”
“Fuck around with other people?” Now Toby has Keller’s full attention. “Just what are you saying?”
“I’m not fucking saying anything,” Toby snaps back with exasperation. He’s sorry he began this conversation. “I’m asking, what does it mean exactly that you and I are married?”
“If you’re thinking about fucking around with other people, don’t!” Chris is now staring at him, his face dark and threatening, an expression that Toby has seen more than once.
Toby sighs. It’s not the first time the two of them had a conversation which made no sense. It occurs to him that Keller is still fixated with him fooling around with others. “You know, when I did screw around with those other guys, we were not together, and at that time you said you didn’t care who I fucked.”
“Oh, so we’re having this argument again.” Chris throws down the magazine.
“No!” Now Toby is truly sorry he started this conversation. “I’m just saying. . . .”
A rap on the pod door interrupts him, and he heaves an inward sigh of relief, while glancing upward, mouthing a silent thank-you.
“Hey, K-man, Beech.” Ryan O’Reily strides into their pod with his usual energetic bounce. “I just got some breaking news about that Edders guy. He was found dead over in protective custody. Querns and McManus are running around flapping their arms trying to figure out if it’s a murder or suicide.”
**
“Goddamn!” Chris swears, while pacing back and forth outside his pod with O’Reily slouched in a chair watching him. “Motherfucker kills himself, or gets killed before I can get my hands on him and break every fucking bone in his body.”
“Calm the fuck down,” Ryan orders. “Edders is dead, and there’s nothing you or anyone else can do about it. What you should be worried about now is who the fuck had him attack Beecher and why.”
“It was ordered from the outside,” Chris states with certainty. “And whoever ordered it has paid off someone or someones here on the inside.”
“Querns maybe, because Edders were transferred to protective custody before Beech even squealed on him.”
“Nah.” Chris rubs the back of his neck, while shaking his head in the negative. “The last thing Querns wants is Toby dead because that would mean the end of his career here. He’s got the Beecher lawsuit hanging over his head. He even promised me that the hacks would look the other way over certain infractions, if I make sure nothing happens to Toby.”
“Really?” Ryan perks up with interest. Nothing like allying with someone, who’s getting special treatment from the higher-ups. “McManus?” he speculates some more. “Nah.” He immediately dismisses the manager of Em City. “Not enough balls and too moral.”
“Probably a hack or two, and God knows, who else.” Chris stares out on the residents of Em City. As far as he concerned, they’re all under suspicion.
“The way I see it, K-man.” Ryan sits forward, leaning toward Keller. “Is you need some back-up. You, alone can’t protect Beecher against the hacks, and every other fuck in this place.”
Chris knows immediately what O’Reily is angling for. “And why the fuck should I trust you?”
“Hey, we’ve worked together already, and successfully, I might add.” Ryan grins, remembering the depth charges the two of them pulled off to end Adebisi’s reign three years ago. “
“So.” Chris is unimpressed by O’ Reily bringing up their old association. “We were partners-in-crime once, doesn’t mean shit to me.”
“Listen, K-man, the fuck, who ordered the hit on Beecher, has some clout, and anyone with clout wouldn’t be dealing with a two-bit drug dealer like me, More likely. . . .” Ryan gives a meaningful glare over at Pancamo and the Italian gang.
Chris can’t argue with Ryan logic, as he too glances over at the Italians. “Alright.” He considers the pro and cons of partnering with O’Reily again. “And what’s this going to cost me?”
“Not a dime.” Ryan stands up. “Just use your pull with Querns and have my old man transferred here to Em City as my roommate. He’s a mean old bastard, and between him, me, and a few of my Irish mates, we’ll help you keep an eye on Beecher.”
Chris ponders a few moments, while staring Ryan in the face. “Okay, it’s a deal, but O’Reily.” He grabs the other man by the arm. “Just remember, I going to get the person or persons responsible for this shit, and if anything more should happen to Toby, I’m going to bring everyone who’s involved down, and that includes you, if you betray me.”
“Oh, yeah.” Ryan slaps Keller’s hand away, not at all intimidated. “You may be known as Killer Keller here, but that don’t scare me none. Just get my old man here, and I’ll stick to my end of the deal.”
**
It’s early evening when Beecher wakes from his nap. His bladder wants to be relieved, but he takes a few minutes to gather his courage.
“Hey.” Chris has been sitting bedside, mulling over the day’s events. “How ya doing?”
“Need to take a piss,” Toby complains. “Don’t suppose Dr. Nathan left a bedpan or a bottle?”
“No bedpan, no bottle.” Chris stretches his arms over his head. “You wanna take a piss, then you gotta get up out of bed.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Toby pulls himself up to a sitting position. The effort leaves him panting.
“Feeling any better?” Chris smoothly rises to his feet to give Beecher a hand.
“No,” Toby answers honestly, as he allows Keller to haul him to his feet, and they do the usual walk around the pod before stopping at the toilet.
“Tobe,” Chris says, as he watches Beecher pull his penis out of his boxers. “You got any enemies on the outside? Someone you pissed off when you were practicing law?”
“I-I. . . .” Toby pauses, thinking hard, as his hands work well enough this time to hold himself as he empties his bladder. “Why?” he suddenly realized what Keller is asking. “You think that someone on the outside hired Edders to attack me?”
“I do.” Chris helps Beecher push his penis back into his underwear. “And this someone has connections and money because I’m sure that a couple or more hacks have been paid off.”
“Edders said to me that the message was to both of us.” Toby feels himself breaking out in a sweat, as he made to walk around the pod again. “So, maybe it’s someone out to get you.”
“Nah.” Chris shakes his head. “None of the fucks I associated with had money or connections.”
“Yeah, but who knows,” Toby says, sighing in relief, as he stumbles to a stop in front of their bunk. Exercise time is over. “Maybe one of them won the lottery, or received an inheritance. And can I have a wet washcloth and clean underwear?” He wonders if by tomorrow he can make it to the shower.
“Coming up.” Chris slowly releases his hold, waiting just a moment to make sure Toby doesn’t fall over. “I suppose it’s possible, but I doubt it,” he continues their speculation, while wetting a washcloth. “All the people I knew were too fucking down on their luck to be so fortunate.” Two steps and he’s taking Beecher by the arm and sitting him down in the pod’s chair.
“Goddamn.” Toby winces in pain. Sitting in a hard chair has his spine screaming out in protest.
“Easy,” Chris advises, as he begins running the wet washcloth over Toby. “I’ll be quick here, and then I’ll get you some clean boxers.”
“Great,” Toby puffs out, as he gingerly sits back. Minutes pass, as he allows himself to just drift, enjoying the gentle ministrations of Keller.
Chris is true to his word; he’s quick and efficient in his clean up of Beecher, and in a short time Toby is back in bed, feeling one hundred times better. There’s nothing like being dirt free with fresh underwear.
“Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” Toby murmurs to himself, as Chris tucks a blanket around him. “My former in-laws,” he suddenly states, as he brings himself back to the harshness of reality “Or my mother.”
“What?” Chris isn’t sure what Toby is talking about.
“People, who may be out to get me. Gen’s parents, and my mother, and both have money and as you know, money can always buy connections.
“That’s-that’s bullshit.” Chris is stunned. Never in his wildest imagination would he have considered any of Toby’s family. “
“I’m an embarrassment, and because of me, Gary is dead, my daughter has been traumatized, my father murdered. With me out of the picture there’s no one to contest their custody of Holly and Harry, and my mother doesn’t have the shame of a son, who’s imprisoned in a maximum security prison with a homosexual lover, who’s a, a. . .
“Despicable killer,” Chris finishes Toby’s thought.
“Yeah, well.” Toby shrugs. “For better or worse, you know.” He attempts a bit of humor.
“For better or worse,” Chris says solemnly, as he scoots up and cups Beecher’s face. “Till death do us part,” he whispers against Toby’s mouth before pressing his lips down hard.
Raising his one good arm, Toby circles Keller’s neck. “Till death do us part,” he declares silently to himself. There’s no turning back now; the vows had been taken.
****