Page 35 of Timeless

I moved into the room and stood behind her.My Dadwas written on an A4 piece of paper, in the middle of the wall, stuck there with cars stickers. It was surrounded by facts about Satan’s Sons. All printed off.

And then I saw something I was way too familiar with. “Is that my record?” I moved around her to look closer. And it was my record.

“Will got it for him. In fact, Will printed all this off for him. One day I leave them alone together and I come home to this.”

I read my record. “Not even a quarter of the shit I’ve done.” I smirked. My record was lengthy but didn’t even come close to the shit I had really done. I glanced at my mug shot. “Not my best photo.”

“Yeah, I think I take a better picture of you.” She pointed to a photo of me and her.

She hadn’t hidden one fact about me. She had taught my son to love me for what I was. How was I ever going to thank her for that?

Amber crossed her arms. “So, if you are trying to think of a reason to back away from him, you can’t use the fact he doesn’t know you.”

No, she had made sure he knew me. Every fault and flaw.

“Does he know I’m getting out?”

“I told him he couldn’t see you until he was in double digits.”

I arched an eyebrow at that. “Was that your plan?”

“I knew he would have to meet you. I just didn’t know when. But after you called, I knew it would be sooner rather than later. I was going to reach out to you when you got out. Which was the second, right?”

She knew what day I was meant to get out. I smiled. “Yeah, got released early.”

“No, you didn’t. You did an extra four months and three days.”

Had I just heard her right? She knew exactly how long my sentence was. She had been counting. Well, she wasn’t the only one counting. I stepped toward her.

“It’s been six years, one month, and four days since I’ve seen you.”

Her eyes widened, as if it was impossible for me to know that. Did she really not expect me to keep count? All I had on my hands in prison was time. I was forced to wait six years, one month, and four days until I could see her again.

“You’ve been counting since I left you at the prison, haven’t you?” She didn’t push me away as I placed my hands on her arms.

“Yep. Every day.”

Whenever the year mark came around, marking another full year from when I had seen her, well, that was hardest.

“It’s three.”

“What is?” My hands linked with hers, and I brought the back of her hand to my mouth, kissing it.

“It’s been six years, one month, and three days, today.”

I looked at her. “You’ve been counting?”

“The twenty-first of May is literally my dark day. No matter what I do. Wherever I am. I just…” Her words dried up. “It always hurts.”

That was the last day I had seen her. The day she had come to the prison and told me I would never see her again. I knew the pain she was talking of but I was surprised to hear she felt it.

“I used to always get isolated come May. The guards picked up the pattern by the third year.”

She smiled dimly. “I always isolate myself on that date. I know it’s stupid.”

I cupped her face, forcing her to look up at me. “I’m sorry for doing that to you.”

Her hands covered mine. “You didn’t do it. I did.” She pulled my hands off hers. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter anymore. You and I were always toxic. Jack was the only good thing to come from us.”

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