Part I: PartingChapter 1: ThursdayChapter 2: Intermission Chapter 3: Responsibility Part II: Conditional LoveChapter 4: SalvageChapter 5: Compomise Chapter 6: Appearances Chapter 7: Steadfast Chapter 8: Scorecard Chapter 9: Middle Chapter 10: Haunting Part III: The ReckoningChapter 11: DeparturesChapter 12: Endurance Chapter 13: Letters Chapter 14: Contrition Chapter 15: Waning Chapter 16: Intervening Chapter 17: Detour Chapter 18: Reunion Chapter 19: Exclusive Chapter 20: Gifts Chapter 21: Pennance Part IV: The Third EventChapter 22: ConfidenceChapter 23: Priorities Chapter 24: Dichotomies Chapter 25: Questions Chapter 26: Inattentiveness Chapter 27: Impetuous Chapter 28: Caged Chapter 29: Secrets Chapter 30: Family Chapter 31: Unfulfilled Chapter 32: Drowning Chapter 33: Persistence Chapter 34: Falling Chapter 35: Promises |
Chapter 2: IntermissionLivvie lifted Jessie, now six months old, into the high chair as Mark read over the paper. He took a sharp breath and sat back in his chair. The morning light caught Livvie’s blonde hair. She bravely was wearing the clothes she intended of wearing to the parent and infant class later in the afternoon. A part of Mark always wondered how Livvie would make it through the day wearing the expensive blouse and casual skirt but she always did. His shirt splattered in various old food stains was testimony to Jessie’s curiosity in her new world.Livvie was proving to be a great wife, companion and mother. Though she wished for her own children, she loved Jessie unconditionally, taking pleasure in Jessie’s firsts with Mark. Jessie was proving to be a handful every day as she found out something else about her world. Keeping an eye on Jessie was trying if not interesting. She had recently discovered the joys of crawling after the cat, which perturbed the eccentric animal. But Jessie wasn’t discouraged. Mark admired Jessie’s exploratory nature, something he wondered if Abbie had when she was Jessie’s age. Mark had recently sent a pile of photos of Jessie to Abbie. He had been careful to make sure that Livvie was the photographer and not in any of the pictures he sent her. He didn’t want to force their relationship in any direction that wasn’t necessary. In his small way, he was making sure that Abbie would always know about Jessie. “What’s wrong?” Livvie sat down close to Jessie to try and feed her breakfast. Mark reached over and took his wife’s hand and kissed it. He was dressed to relax in faded jeans and a t-shirt, though it was a Wednesday, he didn’t have to go into work today and was toying with the idea of taking a game of golf. “It’s Abbie’s case, it’s in the paper.” He sighed and furrowed his brow. “What did they say?” Livvie picked up the brightly colored spoon and filled half of it with cereal and aimed it towards Jessie’s mouth, scraping what she spit out off her cheeks and then attempted again. Jessie’s blue play clothes wouldn’t last the morning if she kept this up as her cereal dribbled onto the bib of her overalls. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested, but Livvie had decided that focusing all her attention on Jessie these days was for the best interests of everyone in the room. Jessie had recently figured out how to squirm her way out of the high chair and would do so if she weren’t being watched. “Her sentence was read yesterday. Guilty on all counts.” He took a sharp breath a little torn of how he should feel. Livvie sat silent for a moment, unaware slightly as Jessie reached and tugged at the spoon. She too was confused on how to feel. Abbie was Jessie’s mother and Mark’s best friend, even though she was behind bars. What Mark and Abbie shared would always exist, no matter what happened. She hated playing second fiddle to their love, but Mark was always caring of her and sincerely loved her. But Mark had given her permission to bless his child with her first name, though he had been unmovable on her middle name, Audrie, the same as her mothers. I want her to have something from both the women in her life. He had explained the day he brought Jessica out of the prison and strapped her ever so carefully into her car seat for the first time. “What is going to happen to her?” asked Livvie, returning her attention to Jessie briefly to wipe the curious hands covered in baby cereal and moving the bowl out of Jessie’s reach. “She appears to be in line for the death penalty.” Mark folded the paper somberly. Livvie took Mark’s hand and squeezed it tightly. Jessie squealed and tugged the spoon out of Livvie’s hand. They both looked over at Jessie, blissfully unaware of how complicated her life had become.
Posted 200308.24-RHM |