Chapter 2 ; Saving Grace
1124 Words
Douglas Point Of View
It's challenging to imagine that my father will abandon me when I need him the most.
I accept criticism.
I accept my flaws.
I goofed for real.
But how do I become a better person if he leaves me to rot in jail?
Now I'm convinced that my father hates me so much. Since I was born, he has never showered me with praise. He always preferred Brent over me.
Nothing I did ever made sense to him. But with Brent, he feels like he has a perfect son, while I'm considered the rejected stone.
“Your father is gone
What are you still doing there? Get up,” I heard a voice from outside the door. It's the cop who brought me to see my father.
I ignored him to focus on the cuffs wrapped around my arms. I considered this a payback for how he had ignored me earlier.
“What am I living for? I just want to die,” I say to myself. I had no idea the cop was paying attention to me.
I hear the locks opening. I hear someone approaching me. I don't need a soothsayer to tell me that it's the cop.
Perhaps, he's coming to drag me away like the criminal that everyone sees me as.
To my surprise, none of that happened. I was surprised to see him seated next to me.
“So what now?
What's stopping you from hitting me?” I lift my head to speak.
I crave the harbinger of death to come, take me on a journey to the underworld. I've practically become useless to everyone around me, including myself.
I don't expect anything good from the cop or anyone around me any more. I am surprised he hasn't smashed my head with the back of his pistol.
“Do you really want to regain your freedom?” He asked me with a stern look.
I failed to respond,
I spun around to be certain he was speaking to me. Fortunately for me, it's just the two of us in the room.
“Look no further.
The question was meant for you,” he became more specific this time
“Of course,” I was quick to respond. “More than anything in the world right now,”
“I don't think so,”
He scoffed and stood up to pace around.
That was the first time he ever smiled at me since my arrest. I needed to clean the dirt off my eyelids to be certain I wasn't hallucinating.
It wasn't an illusion. It's damn real.
He just smiled at me. The same person I thought was my worst enemy.
It's the start of something good.
Perhaps, I was wrong to have judged him.
Who knows? He might be the saving grace I never thought I needed.
“Please help me get out of here. I am willing to pay anything,” I assured him.
“That's the problem,” he frowned at me.
I became lost.
I had to return to my drawing board for a better offer, "Two million dollars? Wouldn't that be enough?'
He let out a deep sigh, telling me to stay calm after noticing how restless I've become. “You need to chill out a bit,”
“Chill out?
That shouldn't be expected of me,” I draw closer to him until he stops me with an upraised arm.
I had to obey immediately,
Deep down, I know I've overstepped my boundary. I've forgotten what it feels like to stay calm. Blame it on my desperation to get out of the cell.
“Here's what's going to happen,” the Cop clears his throat. On the verge of speaking, he gets called by his superior.
That was when I discovered that his name is Lucas Anderson.
“I need to leave now
You must come with me,” he urged me
I refused to leave my seated position. I wanted him to be done telling me what I wanted to hear.
On second thought, I had to oblige.
This is the only time I need to please him to get what I want.
I left the chair as we went outside, only to meet another dramatic situation outside
The inmates are in a happy mood.
A second glance at them forced me to spot gifts and cash in their possessions.
“What's happening here?” I asked one of the inmates. I never wanted to speak to them, but I had no choice. Curiosity has enclosed every part of my face.
“You don't know her?” Parker asked me in return.
“Know who?
Who are you talking about?” I frowned.
“Pamela Coker
She usually visits the prison with gifts and cash for every inmate.” Parker disclosed.
“That's crazy,” I hissed. None of that mattered to me. I just wanted to get out of here.
“That's not all
She's the counsellor in training at Ammah's business school,” Parker added.
I didn't respond
Suddenly, my brain rewinds to what Parker said, “Ammah's school of business administration,”
This time, Pamela has already got closer to my cell with a box of gifts and a bundle of dollars.
What a coincidence,
Pamela works at my school.
At the same school, I was arrested for hitting three students. I may have just met my saving grace.
She might just be the person who could plead with my father to accelerate my release.
Knowing that my father has a soft spot for ladies because they also remind them of my mother, it's just a matter of time before I am out of here.
All I need to do is prove to Pamela that I'm innocent and didn't deserve to be locked up for actually defending myself.
“Here you go,”
She calls my attention to pick up my gift.
I didn't respond.
I find myself lost in deep thoughts.
I was captivated by her beauty that I completely forgot about my initial plan.
“Please I need your help,”
I make the first attempt to speak.
“I'm Douglas, Nebraska, from Ammah's school of business administration, where you currently work,” I leveraged her presence to introduce myself to her. I may not get the opportunity any more.
“Please, I require you to help me speak to my father and get me out of here,” I begged her. I didn't stop talking, despite not getting a response from her.
I didn't expect her to respond immediately. I just wanted to pass my message, and I did that successfully. The ball is now in her court to determine my fate.
- Writer
