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 1: ThursdayAbbie Marshall-Raycraft was sitting in a blank room; a camera trained on her every move. In her arms she held the one thing that had made her life worth living. But the powder blue blanket that protected its contents from the cold brick room and the sharp rays of sunshine that danced through the barred window contrasted against the orange jumpsuit she wore. Every five minutes a guard looked in through the square window in the door.Nervous about what was going to transpire shortly, Abbie stood, ignoring the chair bolted to the floor and paced along the cold floor hugging the baby to her tightly, talking out loud as she had gotten used to doing since the baby had been born two weeks ago. “I can’t keep you here.” It was the justification for all that had occurred and that would happen to the baby in the future. “You definitely deserve better than this.” It was a sigh. Abbie wished things were different. The solid metal door opened on the far end of the room and Mark entered the cell, clearing the top of the door by a couple of feet. It closed with a deafening echo. He reminded her in that very instant of the first minute that she had fallen in love with him. He looked lost here in the colorless world in his best navy blue suit. He had tried to ‘dress down’, he wasn’t wearing a tie and his collar was open. On his left hand, he wore a new ring. Upon realizing that Abbie’s gaze had lingered on his hand, he slipped the hand into his pocket, self-conscious of his decision to divorce Abbie and then marry Livvie. Abbie still felt enamored with the man who was thrust through the door. He appeared to be extremely conservative, his dark hair cut short, his hands manicured as if he were a businessman, but Abbie knew how much hand on hand work Mark really preferred. He was a self-built man, and proud of that fact. Their divorce was amicable; both wishing that circumstances could be different. He only re-married at Abbie’s instance that their child have a female role model while it grew up. “Hi Abbie.” It was nervous, as empty as the ten feet of space between them. He too had stared at his ex-wife. Since she had come here eight months ago, Abbie had her long hair chopped impossibly short. In some ways, she was only a shadow of who she had been prior to being taken into custody. Mark’s heart sobbed, he still loved her. Abbie didn’t trust herself to look at Mark directly, only glancing in his direction from the corner of her eye while gleaning the last moments with her daughter. “You didn’t bring Livvie.”> “She’s waiting in the car. We thought that this would be better if it was just you and me.” It came out as an apology. The baby yawned and Abbie looked down in her arms one last time. In an attempt to fill the silence void, Mark spoke up again. “The guard outside said she’d be ready. Is she?” The uneasy silence rose again. He didn’t want her to think he was eager to whisk away their only child, the only evidence that their marriage had something going for it. How did we go from being best friends and lovers to strangers? They both wondered. Before she couldn’t control the sob that was rising in her throat, Abbie crossed the space that separated her from Mark and shoved the baby into his arms. Mark fumbled for a moment unsure of how to hold the baby. He looked down into the small face of his daughter for the first time. “I’m sorry Abbie that I wasn’t there for everything.” He fingered the soft face, entranced for a moment. “She looks like you.” Mark looked at Abbie, who had shrunk away from him and the baby, smiling. He sobered up quickly, unsure of how to share this moment with her. “Abbie, I hope your case goes through.” He shifted the baby to his shoulder awkwardly. God the baby is little bigger than my arm.. “I’m not proud of what I did Mark. I’ll never be. I’ll take anything that comes my way. Just promise me she’ll know that this was never any of her fault.” Abbie steeled herself trying not to make this moment any harder than it needed to be. She resisted the urge to help him hold the baby, lest he drop the baby in the first moments of their companionship. “If you get out, or are paroled, come by. Livvie and I would love to have you over.” As he inhaled, he noticed the hint of baby powder, and realized that the baby was dusted in its comforting scent. She wiggled against him and again he bobbled her afraid to hold her too tightly. “Just take good care of her. She’s all yours now.” Mark paused unsure if that was his cue to leave; he realized a crucial bit of information was missing. “What’s her name?” he asked stopping her from running out of the mediation room. Abbie choked the words out, pulling farther away to the door. “No I didn’t bother. She starts her life today, with you and Livvie. You two will be all that she will know.” Abbie knocked on the door and a guard opened it instantly. Abbie left through the door without another word and was escorted back to her cell, leaving both Mark and the baby alone in the cell. Mark fumbled again with the baby and looked down at her face. “She loves you.” He whispered to his daughter. He hesitated a moment longer, and then said softly “And I do too.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead before heading out the solid door into the hallway that would lead them both into the light of possibilities. Posted 200311.30-RHM |