Chapter One #3
I decided to leave the small amount of stubble that had started coming in since yesterday.
But I cleaned up my edges a bit and shaved my neck and throat.
Inside, we had to shave every time we showered.
Another heavily-monitored activity. They would also frequently buzz our heads with clippers.
That was all over now. It was time for me to decide how I looked, or whether I cut my hair or not.
I felt empowered, but overwhelmed as I got out of the shower and stared dumbly at the amorphous blob of my reflection behind the thick coating of steam on the medicine cabinet’s mirror.
I froze as I heard footsteps coming down the hallway on the other side of the door.
I took the towel around my waist off and hung it on the hook to dry.
I took a peek in the shower, suddenly paranoid I’d left evidence of my alone time.
When I couldn’t see any streaks, I made quick work of getting dressed and leaving the bathroom.
As far as I could tell, the house only had one, and I didn’t want anyone to have to wait if they needed to use it.
I slowly walked into the kitchen and my niece, who I’d never met, looked over and asked, “Who are you?”
Jack looked up from his spot at the table next to his daughter. “That’s your uncle JR. Remember I told you a few days ago he was gonna be visiting us for a while?”
She nodded her head, making her scalpful of pale blonde ringlets bob. She had big blue eyes and a Disney Princess nightgown.
“Why don’t you tell him your name?” he suggested.
She giggled and turned back to face me. “My name is Lindsey."
“That’s a beautiful name,” I replied. “It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
Jenna, who had only been Jack’s girlfriend when I went behind bars, was standing at the stove cooking, but half-turned around when she heard us talking.
“Breakfast is just about ready, just waiting on the toast.” Her own blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and she, too, was wearing pajamas.
She looked tired, but I guessed that having a toddler would do that to you.
“Coffee pot is on the corner of the counter. I grabbed a mug for you,” Jack said, pointing towards the steaming coffee pot.
“Thanks.”
I filled the mug. Jack pulled the chair next to his out, and I took a seat.
Jack reached over and grabbed the bottle of flavored creamer from the center of the table and handed it to me.
I popped the top, poured a few splashes in, and watched as the white cream swirled into the black liquid. I took a sip and almost gagged.
Fuck, it was terrible. Sickeningly sweet. “Hmm…”
“Yeah, the vanilla creamer goes really nicely with the cinnamon-infused coffee,” Jack said as he took another sip from his own mug.
“Is that what it is?” I replied, giving my best fake smile. Pretty much the only thing I ever got to drink in prison besides water, was straight black coffee. This shit was like drinking dessert. Yuck.
I choked my way through about half the mug before Jenna put a large plate of scrambled eggs on the counter. “Jack, get the plates, please,” she said as she turned back to the stove top.
Jack got up and grabbed a small stack of paper plates from the cabinet as well as some utensils and a large spoon for the eggs.
“So, JR, I’m not sure if it’s something you’d be interested in or not, but we sure could use another set of hands down at the shop.
I don’t want to put any pressure on you or anything… ”
“That’s not putting pressure, Jack. He needs a job to help him get on his feet and into his own place. Of course he’d want to know about that,” Jenna interrupted as she set a plateful of crispy fried bacon down next to the eggs.
“Jenna, If he wants to do something else, he can,” Jack argued.
“No, it’s fine,” I spoke up. “I really appreciate it. I took some mechanics workshops, and I’d be really grateful for a job.”
The fact that the shop was started by our father and should have been split equally between my brother and myself when he died was not lost on either of us.
But I was in prison, and basically excommunicated last year when he had the stroke, so, naturally, it just went to Jack.
I had never been interested in it when we were growing up like Jack had been, anyway.
In any case, I certainly wasn’t going to say no to the paycheck.
Felons weren’t exactly known for their wealth of job choices.
“Cool. Well, come by the shop anytime today. Or tomorrow… whenever, really.”
“I’ll probably come by this afternoon, if that’s fine. I need to get a phone and some other things.”
Jack nodded, and tipped his mug up again. “Yeah, like I said the Neon is all yours.”
I pretended not to notice the angry look Jenna shot across the room to my brother. “I can just grab a cab, or even take the subway.”
“Shop’s an hour from here on the Metro, JR.…”
I shook my head, not wanting him to get in any more trouble with Jenna. “Look, it’s been a long time since I’ve been behind the wheel. I’m not sure if I’m ready for driving in city traffic just yet. Seriously.”
Jack sighed. “Okay, that makes sense. Do you want me to drop you off anywhere on my way in?”
“Actually, if you could take me somewhere I could get a phone, that’d be great.”
He hummed his agreement as he shoveled a heaping spoonful of cheesy scrambled eggs onto his plate.
“Do you like to watch Bluey?”
I looked across the table to answer Lindsey, who was staring me down with expectant eyes. “Yeah.”
“Cool!”