* * *
Arnie and Donna Hollis couldn’t sleep.
Every time Donna closed her eyes, she saw her sons behind bars.
Arnie lay staring up at the ceiling, sick to his stomach and thinking back to when the boys were little, trying to remember if he’d missed the signs that would have alerted him to this future.
He remembered Teddy had always had a tendency to lie about everything. Even things that didn’t matter. And Brian was the follower.
A tear rolled from the corner of Arnie’s eye and slid down his cheek. Their sons felt like strangers—monsters. It was a thing hard to bear.
He heard Donna crying again and patted her shoulder.
“I’d cry, too, but I’m already sick to my stomach. No need adding to my misery.”
“What did we do wrong?” Donna wailed.
“We didn’t do anything wrong. They did. And that’s the hard truth of it all. They were loved. They were never abused. They just quit trying to do the right thing, and I can’t say as how I ever saw this coming.”
“It will be the ruin of them,” Donna said, and rolled over into his arms and started sobbing. “Why is this happening?”
Arnie kept patting her shoulder. “I wish to God I knew, but I don’t.”
“I want to go home,” Donna said.
Arnie frowned. “You mean back to West Virginia?”
“Yes. My sister, Joy, keeps writing, reminding me that Mama’s old house is vacant. We could live there for free.”
“But what would I do?” Arnold asked.
“You’re nearly old enough to draw social security, and you have your railroad pension for now. I could wait tables somewhere. We wouldn’t be paying rent. We’d do fine.”
Arnold was silent for a few moments and then he hugged her.
“If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll give notice at the feed store tomorrow. We can rent a U-Haul truck and tow our car. Do you want to tell the boys where we’re going?”
“They’ll know where we are. Right now, I’m sorry I ever gave birth to them,” Donna said, and then broke into sobs all over again.
* * *
Arnold and Donna weren’t the only members of the Hollis family in tears. Teddy was rolled up in a ball beneath his blanket, his face turned to the wall so no one could see his tears, while Brian was flat on his back, sobbing.
Lights were never turned off in jail, the cots weren’t their warm, soft mattresses at home, and the blankets they had for cover were scratchy and smelled of disinfectant rather than the lilac-scented fabric softener their mother used in the wash.
The reality of their situation had hit hard. They were criminals. They were in jail and probably going to prison. It was the worst thing that they’d ever done, and there was no coming back from it. Saying “I’m sorry” didn’t cut it. Not when they were already nineteen, and not when what they’d done was against the law.
Brian sat up on his cot and looked across the hall to where Teddy was lying.
“Teddy, are you awake? I’m scared,” Brian said.
“Shut up, Brian. Just shut up and lie down.”
“But what’s going to happen to us?” Brian said.
“I don’t know. I guess whatever happens to people in jail.”
Brian’s voice was trembling. “Do you really think Mom and Dad will move away without telling us where they went?”
Teddy sighed. “Why do you care? We were running away from them, remember?”
“But it’s Mom and Dad!” Brian said.
“If they leave, they’ll go back to Bethlehem,” Teddy said.
“You think?” Brian asked.
“I know,” Teddy said. “Now shut up. I just want to sleep.”
Brian sat there a minute, then wiped his eyes with the blanket and lay back down. Prison. They were likely going to prison. He wondered if he’d die there. He’d heard about people dying in prison. Getting killed there. Getting beat up. The more he thought about it, the more dying seemed like the most equitable way out. But someone else would have to do it to him because it would break his mama’s heart if he did it to himself. And he’d already hurt her enough for one lifetime. He couldn’t do that, too. The way he looked at it, whatever happened to them was out of their control and they deserved the consequences.
* * *
It was morning.
Hunt woke up alone in Ava’s bed, and then heard the shower running and glanced at the time. If he joined her, he’d make her late to work. If she didn’t show up, sick people suffered. So what he wanted and what he needed to make happen were two different things.
He got up and got dressed and was making the bed when Ava came out. She was barefoot and her hair was still damp, but she was already dressed in her scrubs, and when she saw what he was doing, she smiled.
“Oh wow…you make love like a boss and make beds, too?”
Hunt grinned as he pulled the bedspread up over the pillows and gave them a quick tuck, then took her in his arms.
“It’s what’s left of my military life. Neat and orderly.” Then he nuzzled the spot beneath her ear. “And whatever I do that makes you happy is my joy. Like a boss, huh?”
Ava cupped his face and kissed him.
“The last thing I want to do is leave, but I have to get to work.”
Hunt nodded. “I know, sugar. That’s why I got dressed…so neither of us would be tempted to linger. Take care. I love you. Call me if you need me.”
“You be careful, too,” Ava said. “No accidents working on the house.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, and then grabbed his jacket and was gone.
She sat down to put on her shoes, and then got her things, poured herself a to-go cup of coffee, and locked up as she left.
About two hours later, Ava got a text. Her parents were finally home and inviting her to supper. She returned the text, telling them to set an extra place for dinner because she was bringing Hunt. Then she texted Hunt, telling him her parents were home and she’d committed him to dinner at their house tonight.
The plumber, Danny Wilson, was in the bathroom and Hunt was working in the kitchen when he received the text. He sent her a thumbs-up emoji and then called the florist shop and ordered roses for Ava, to be delivered at the hospital before 3:00 p.m.
He was still smiling as he put the phone back in his pocket, when Danny called out, “Hey Hunt. You need to come take a look at this.”