28. Chapter Twenty-Eight ~ Mia
Chapter Twenty-Eight ~ Mia
After hours of waiting, we were finally escorted back by the warden to see Trent. I could tell he wasn’t at all happy about having to allow us the visit. Whatever Uncle Joe said to him must have lit a fire under his ass, because he came down personally. I was curious to know what was said to him. Uncle Joe was a powerful man who had a lot of connections in higher places, so I was willing to bet the warden’s job was in jeopardy somehow.
When we arrived at the visiting area, I saw a slew of people talking, laughing, and crying with their loved ones. The energy in the hall was heavy, and dark. There were children running around, shouting and squealing. Every guard I laid eyes on had the meanest look on their faces, as if they were prisoners themselves. The sight was one of the saddest, most treacherous ones I'd ever laid eyes on.
“This is terrible,” I said. “I can’t imagine having to spend years of my life here.”
“Yeah,” Brayden sighed. “It sucks. I just hope Trent isn’t letting this place consume his soul.”
Just as the words fell from his lips, I saw Trent being shoved toward the glass in front of us. My eyes instantly filled with tears when I saw him. He looked older. Skinnier. Less alive than I had ever seen him. He looked exactly like what Brayden said; prison had consumed his soul.
His dry hands lifted the phone that hung lifelessly near the glass, and his cracked and crooked smile broke the sadness in his eyes. When I lifted my phone, I couldn't get out a single word because my voice was caught in my throat. I felt like I would cry as soon as I tried to muster up the courage to speak. Luckily for me, Trent had always been the life of the party, so he spoke first.
“There’s the prettiest girl in the world,” he said. “How are you little Mia?”
I thought I would be able to reply, but I couldn’t. I burst into tears, and so did he. Even Brayden started to cry when he saw Trent and I crying. Of course, he tried to hide his tears, but it was all too evident to miss.
“Trent,” I cried.
“It’s okay, Mia,” I said. “This will all be over someday.”
For the longest time we couldn’t talk because I was too busy crying and taking in the sight of what used to be my handsome, happy brother. He looked like an old man who had been working in someone’s field for years without pay. I hated it. It made me angry to see him that way but eventually, I pulled myself together and made the best of the visit.
“I’m happy to see you,” I said. “I know I'm crying, but it’s been a long time. We didn't even know where they moved you because no one would tell us anything or accept our letters. Everything kept getting returned.”
“Yeah,” he groaned. “Same here. Unfortunately, they can do whatever they want to do to you once you become a ward of the state. All I could do was keep my head low and stay out of trouble as much as possible.”
His eyes cut over to Brayden, who was as quiet as a church mouse. He could barely even look at Trent without his eyes swelling with tears. If I could read his mind, I was sure he wanted to find a way to bust his best friend from behind the glass and take him home to his family.
“How’s it going, Brayden?” Trent forced a smile. “You look good and are still keeping this one here in line, I see.”
“Yeah, trying to.” A laugh escaped Brayden’s mouth, but his tears remained. “We’ve been on a rocky road for years because of this. I'm happy to have her back in my life now.”
“I’m happy she’s back too,” Trent nodded. “You two belong together. No matter what.”
I told Trent all about our rocky road, and my lack of appreciation for the secret they kept. He explained to me why he made Brayden promise not to say anything and although I still didn’t understand it, I had to accept his reasoning. He wanted to protect Brayden, and me, and if that was good enough for him, then it had to be good enough for me too.
“We’re going to try and pull some strings to get you out of here,” Brayden said. “Uncle Joe’s working on it now. What happened that night was terrible, but I can’t live with the guilt anymore, Trent. You don't belong here. If anyone does, it’s me.”
I hated the thought of Brayden taking Trent’s place. Even if it meant Trent coming home, it terrified me to think of losing him too. We had just made things official again, so him being taken away would only break my heart more than he knew. However, I kept quiet and put my trust in Uncle Joe because I knew he would protect Brayden with his life.
“Aside from not being able to talk to anyone, how have you been?” I asked. “Have you been eating? Making friends? Taking any classes?”
“I have some pen pals,” Trent said. “They keep me uplifted with positive messages and send me care packages. The food here isn’t that great, but what other choice do I have but to eat it? I'm happy to finally see two faces I know for a change. It feels good.”
When our visit was over, I was sad again. I had a great time talking and catching up with Trent, but it was hard to leave him behind knowing he was going back to a bunk alone. I made sure to give him my number and tell him to call me as soon as he had the chance. Before we left, Brayden and I also put money on his books. A lot of money. That way he would be able to buy whatever it was he wanted or needed and have one less thing to worry about while he was away.