Vanya
Sitting outside the warden’s office, knee bouncing with my impatience, I think about everything that has fallen into place.
Kai is all set for school. Dax is on the verge of getting his GED and has completed the anger management class.
It has been about three months since I dropped off the tapes and I need the warden to come through on this.
The door swings open, breaking me from my thoughts, and Warden Petrov steps out motioning for me to join him. Exhaling, I stand and step into his office. As the door closes he pulls me into a hug, smacking each other’s back before we part.
Settling into the chair in front of his desk, he walks around to take his seat and hands me a cigar while pointing to the vodka on the rocks on the table next to me. ‘All good signs,’ I think, lighting the cigar as I lean back into the chair.
Cocking my head to side as I exhale the smoke, “I decide that. Now, what you find?”
I watch Petrov pull a file from under the table and eye it as he passes it to me. I am skeptical as I open it and start to read. Inside are release papers for Dax. “So, this is…”
He interrupts me, “Yes, everything in here checks out. Daniels and Ronnie work for him for years and there are more. Then one or two people he has run these scams on. One guy is here, in fact. Has young boy at home, but Mack had him take short sentence to get close to you,” he explains.
My blood boils as I process the information. Immediately I know who ‘the guy’ is. It is durak that got Dax to hit him. “Why close to me?” I ask, pretty sure that I know the answer, but I want to hear the words.
“He want you dead to overtake Seem’-Ya’. Say he should have had years ago when your wife died,” Petrov continues as he exhales a mouthful of smoke.
‘This was exactly what I needed to hear, this tupitsa was trying for my place years ago. Instead, he cost me my freedom and sentenced Andrei to life of prison widow. Time for him to pay come very soon,’ I think. The rage building inside reaching a boiling point.
“So, what now?” I ask.
Petrov shrugs his shoulders, "Detectives and such will be in to talk to Dax, get his story. They need to reach the girl. They will speak with the Sullivans and confirm that Dax only hit Daniels the once. Once all stories confirmed, his release goes through and his record expunged. But he has to stay clean,” he says, eyeing me with a questioning look.
I nod as I stand, dropping the file in the empty chair. “That is no problem. Andrei has job lined up for him. We want boys out too.”
“Then we have understanding. You know the way out,” Petrov says, nodding toward the door.
“Da,” I say, turning to leave. Stopping, with my hand on the door, I turn to look at him. “Thank you, my friend,” I say with a slight nod as I walk out the door.
Reaching the cell block common area, I glance around looking for Cas. Finding him, we make eye contact and I motion for him to follow me outside as I make my way out the door.
Meeting in the back corner of the yard, I fill Cas in on what was found out. “Fill Zak in tonight. I have to find Dax. Have to let him know that people will be coming to talk to him about everything we found,” I say.
‘We are getting him out, he is going home,’ I think as Cas and I walk back into the building. Glancing around, I spot Dax sitting on the floor by the phones and make my way towards him.
Maddox
I’m on the phone with Kai, listening to his excitement about starting college. He’s just finished telling me about picking classes when I feel eyes on me. I glance up to see Vanya heading my way.
Eyeing his movements, as Vanya gets closer, I can tell he has news.
“Hey Kitten, I gotta go,” I say, pausing as he whines about losing some of our already limited talk time.
“I know, Darlin’, I know. I’ll call you tomorrow.
Love you.” I stand to hang up the phone as Vanya reaches me, signaling for me to follow him.
Entering his cell, he points to the bed, silently telling me to take a seat. He looked around, making sure we were alone before he explains, “I just met with warden. He is able to help, but Dax, it will still take some time.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from getting too excited, “What does that mean?” I ask.
“There will be many meetings with detectives and lawyers for you. Then of course the Sullivans, Melody, and Ollie. Once all evidence gathered, they put before judge and you go home. Free and clear. Clean record,” Vanya explains.
I stand, pacing the cell, ‘All gone? No convictions? No record at all?’ I think, before stopping in my tracks. “Wait, what about my juvie record?” I ask.
Vanya shrugs, “Gone. Coerced confession.”
“So no parole or probation when I get out?” I ask, chewing the tip of my thumb as I take another lap.
“Kid, sit. You make me dizzy. And yes, no probation or parole. Just free,” Vanya adds as I sit back down.
“Can I tell Kai?” I want to tell him so bad and wished I hadn’t already called him today.
“Nett, not yet. We need time. Tell him people come talk to him and no more. Til we have date, no need to let him know. Da?” Vanya adds, making a good point.
‘I hate it when people make sense,’ I think, rolling my eyes with a sigh.
“Okay, okay. I won’t tell him why people are comin’ to talk to him.
I guess he would just drive me crazy askin’ about it everyday.
Since I can’t give him a date, makes sense to not tell him the possibility,” I say, glancing to Vanya, “Anything else I need to know? I’d like to get a smoke before they close the yard for the night,” I ask.
“Go. Be careful and good luck on GED test. You take soon, right?” he asks, nudging me out of his cell.
“Da. Next week. Talk soon,” I toss over my shoulder as I head outside. Looking out at the field, I watch the sunflowers blow in the wind, thinking ‘Very soon, I’ll take Kitten to a field like that.’
Crushing the cigarette under my heel, I turn to head back in.
As soon as I reach my cell, I grab my notebook and start sketching a field of sunflowers.
So absorbed in the drawing, I miss the call for lights out and am startled from my focus by everything going dark.
Carefully moving around my cell, I put away my drawing before crawling into bed.
That night I dream of finally being free, with Kai.
∞∞∞
It’s been a month since Vanya got this ball rolling.
I had passed the GED test, and now I’m a constant bundle of nerves for a different reason.
The first time I was questioned by the investigator for the DA’s office, we were at it for hours.
He was relentless, wanting me to go into specific details about everything that had happened since I took the wrap for Mack until my most recent arrest.
Kai’s coming to visit today and I’m worried that I’ll blurt out something I’m not supposed to.
I hate keeping this a secret from him, but Vanya assures me it has to be this way and that the circle is being kept small for a reason.
Even though I understand, I really think it would be better than blindsiding him after everything has been done.
Pacing my cell, thoughts spiraling, a knock on the door frame pulls me out of my racing mind. I look up and see Cas standing there. “What’s up?” I ask.
“Vanya want to see you before you see Kai. He is outside, in the yard. I will come get you when Kai is here,” Cas explains as I pull up my jumpsuit and zip it up as I make my way outside.
Stepping outside, I head over to where Vanya is set up in the back corner. Unfortunately, the dickhead I knocked the hell out of approaches me on my way. From the corner of my eye, I see Vanya stand, heading our way with two underlings in tow.
“Dude, not now,” I say as I try to step past him. Of course he sidesteps and gets in front of me again getting in my face. ‘God, does this dude own a toothbrush! His breath smells like ass!’ I think scrunching my face in disgust as the smell from his heavy breathing hits me.
“That was a lucky shot last time, faggot and since I don’t see your babysitters around, wanna try that shit again, Runt?” he bites out at me
‘Clearly this stupid fuck is upset he got his shit rocked by a queer,’ I think, rolling my eyes at his poor attempt to rile me up.
“Tupitsa,” I mutter, looking over his shoulder, “turn the fuck around,” I say, exasperated. Rubbing my temple, I think, ‘I really don’t have time for this shit, but here we fuckin’ are.’
I watch him turn to find a grinning Vanya flanked by tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum. He slowly turns back to look at me, eyes wide, mouth dropped open in shock.
“I told ya that you didn’t wanna do this.
Of course, you didn’t listen. Now see what ya did?
” I say, smirking, a vicious glint of satisfaction in my eyes.
“Now, I gotta go deal with somethin’ so I can go see my boyfriend.
And, please, feel free to run that back to Mack,” I smirk, blowing him a kiss as Vanya’s men each grab one of his arms and escort him somewhere that’s away from me.
Vanya shakes his head as he motions for me to follow him back to the corner. I light a cigarette as he sits back down on the table top. Tossing a leg over, I straddle the bench by his feet. “You wanted to see me?” I ask, eyeing him, squinting from the sun.
Vanya lights his own cigarette before he says, “Da! We are near ending of this. Don’t have date yet, but soon. How is Kai?”
I exhale and think back to last night's phone call. “Curious. That’s how Kai is about all the questions about our visits from the investigators. I told him to just answer their questions honestly.”
Vanya tapped his foot, clearly thinking before speaking again. “Warden want you gone before Mack arrives. You can tell him soon.”
I take a deep breath, “Speaking candidly, Sir, I’m startin’ to hate that word.”
Vanya looks down at me confused, “What word?” he asks.