Chapter 7

“Scotland and then Paris,” he said. She gave him a look. She nodded and cuddled into him as the private jet whisked them away to never-never-land.

“I feel kind of guilty us starting our honeymoon in Scotland,” she said.

“He never has to know. No one was apprised that we’d be stopping in the U.K. on our way to Paris,” he said. She nodded.

“I do want to stop there. Bruce was actually able to find where my mother was born in Inverness,” she said. “No family, unfortunately, but the old house on Barn Street is still there.”

“Barn Street?” he said. “You didn’t mention that when we talked.”

“Forgot, I guess,” she said.

It was already early April of ‘72, and I hadn’t gotten a visit this year from anyone, not even Horace, nor any letters. I was concerned. Well, at least I had me a cellmate; it was little enough. But then I did, have a visitor. It was my lawyer.

I saw him coming across the expansive room toward me. He was smiling. I wondered at that. Regardless, I had me some questions. Oh yeah I did.

“Okay?” I said. He knew what I wanted.

“She’s been out of town on business for your brother. She sent this with me to give to you,” said Horace. I looked at it. It was a letter.

“Is everything all right? Is Riley okay?” I said.

“Yes, yes, everyone is fine,” he said.

“No letter since the holidays, I was beginning to worry,” I said.

“That’s why she gave this one to me to deliver personally. She knew you’d be getting concerned,” he said.

“I tried to call, but neither of them answered. You sure everything is okay?” I said.

“Yes, no need to worry. He was in Europe and she was out of town doing stuff for the company. No need to worry.”

“Briana?” I said.

“Briana has been with missus Cummings for the duration,” he said. “Sam sees to it that she gets to school. I’m sure it’s all in the letter.”

We talked for the whole two hour visiting period. He seemed a little something, I just couldn’t say what the something was. And then he was gone and I was left alone with my letter.

“He’d said it straight. It was all in the letter including a major apology for letting me down when it came to not writing to me. But she swore it would never happen again. I believed her and accepted her apology; well, and what choice did I have.

They walked out of the courtroom smiling.

“Well, it’s done,” said Rodney. “Our girl Briana age ten and our son James age six are legally ours, mine and yours. And yes, in time they will meet their uncle and he will be welcomed as no man has ever been welcomed into a family before.”

Riley Barnes—she was a Barnes now, no longer a Jessup, was smiling, but the smile was somewhat wistful.

“I hope he understands. He just has to. He has to know that we love him, especially me. How could we not. I’m just so worried.

“Rod, there is one promise that I made to the man when he went to prison for me. I promised him that I would make sure that Briana knew about him. He asked me to find a way, to think of some way, to make it not so bad, sound so bad, that he was a convicted felon. I have not done that. I mean do you think that we could come up with something. You know, so that I could keep that promise at least. I mean so that she wouldn’t see him as some bad thing when he got out and met her again,” said Riley.

“Riley, she’s so young. We can think about it, try and come up with something that might make sense, but really, it might be the case that we just have to wait until he gets out and include that as part of the whole thing. The whole explanation. And really, she’s my daughter now. He will be her uncle, legally, and the most well-loved uncle ever. But tell her now that a man who wants to meet her, but is in prison for murder, loves her as if she were his own biological-daughter? I don’t think that this is the time, Riles. Like I say, really, I think we need to wait till he gets out. But, it is really your decision. I will go with whatever you say.

“Yes, he is loved by the both of us. And there is no way that he would not be. But you need not worry. We will get through this, all of it, when the day comes. I’m as committed to that goal as much as you are,” he said. “Failure is not an option.”

“I so hope you’re right, and I believe you are right. I will be going up to see him soon. And you should too. He’s lonely, and I know that he was likely stung not getting a letter from me for almost five months. But with us in Europe, I was afraid that the postmarks...”

“Yes, and you were right. We probably should have written them in advance and arranged to have them mailed from home, but we didn’t so now ... Well, now we apologize and get back on track. And yes we will both be visiting,” he said. “You first, and then me.”

“Yes, yes, that will be good. I’m thinking of going up this coming weekend,” she said. She looked down—and guilty.

And then she was there in front of me.

I had gotten another letter from her after the one Horace had brought to me. She’d promised to visit, and now she was here. I was glad, relieved, but I was not smiling. I had questions. Questions only she could possibly have answers to. It was the second week of May. A month since I’d talked with my lawyer. I’d done a lot of thinking. Yes, I had questions.

She came to me and hugged me; it was allowed in level two. “Adam, it is so good to see you. I am so sorry for neglecting you before. Like I said in my letters it will never happen again.”

“Okay,” I said. Her words softened my feelings of concern. I still had questions, but maybe not so many as before.

We sat. “When you were gone, out of town as Horace told me, why didn’t you call me?” I said.

“Adam, the simple truth is I was busy, and I was not thinking, and I was an asshole. I don’t have an excuse, no that’s not true, I have excuses, just no good ones,” she said. I nodded.

“Okay, I guess. I just worry. There are so many men. So many temptations. And I’m not there to plead my case. I love you so much, Riley. Oh so very much! You’re the only woman for me. I guess what I’m saying is—I absolutely need you to be there for me when I do finally get my ass outta here.”

“Please my good man, forgive me.” I nodded.

“It’s okay. It’s just, you are so beautiful. That first night, when I get outta here; well, you’re gonna see just how crazy you make me,” I said. “I think about you night and day. You really have no idea. Your letters keep me centered. I really need them. I know it’s too hard for you to come as often as we both might like. But the letters: I read them and reread them many, many times. I save them all, you know. They’re kind of like a diary of our love.”