STOLEN

JOHN

The heavy metal door opened with a loud rattling noise. A buzzer sounded and I was invited to step out. . They had to search me before they let me go, as if I wanted to take something with me from this godforsaken place.

 

I was escorted to the custody desk to re-take possession of my things. The officer behind the thick bulletproof glass didn’t give me a second glance when he threw my belongings on the counter. Hethen listed them aloud.

 

“One leather wallet, one picture, one keychain with three keys and two hundred US dollars in cash. Is that correct, Mr. Keswick?”

 

“That’s correct, officer.”

 

I signed for my things, then took my time to put my wallet back together. My finger caressed the well-worn picture of the most beautiful girl on planet Earth. She smiled back from the picture, auburn hair flying in the wind. I wanted to kiss the shiny paper, but did not want to spoil the gesture with the callous jokes the custody officers would make.

 

At last, I was escorted out. Shielding my eyes from the bright sun.I would take watery eyes over the shadow of the prison any time.

 

I found myself alone, waiting for the big gate to open. And when it did, I found myself alone in the dirty street.

 

I looked around for the familiar old truck that had brought me so many sweet nights in the backseat, but didn’t see it.

 

It was hard to describe how I felt, besides alone and sorry. I could almost taste the bitterness of not knowing what had happened between when I saw my girlfriend last and my release. Had she waited for me five years, only to leave me at the last possible moment?

 

Then someone jumped me from behind. Instincts forged in the hardships of jail made me automatically twist and grab the person by the neck and flip them in front of me. Somewhere during those seconds, I identified her flowery perfume, then her beautiful hair hit me in the face just before she yelped in fear.

 

I never thought it possible to break that sort of lock, but I somehow did it and managed to end with my girlfriend in my arms. She had instinctively wrapped her arms around my neck and was now burying her head in my chest.

 

“Hey, beautiful. Why did you do that for?”

 

“Why did you?” she cried. “You almost killed me, you brute.”

 

I laughed and put her down a little bit too fast. I really was a brute. She punched me in the chest with tiny fists, which only managed to get me horny.

 

“Brute, Neanderthal…” I grabbed her face and kissed her before she could continue with more expletives.

 

She mellowed down in my arms before taking over my lips. God, she knew how to kiss, this woman.

 

“So, how have you been, beautiful?” I asked, when she allowed me some space to breathe.

 

“Just dandy, thanks. Don’t. Get. Arrested. Again!” She punched me some more. I let her, I deserved it.

 

“I’m sorry, baby. I won’t, I promise.”

 

“Good. Now let’s get home and make up for those conjugal visits I didn’t get because someone forgot to propose before he went away.”

 

“I told you, beautiful. I was gonna, but they took me.”

 

“Uhuh. You keep telling yourself that, ‘cause I ain’t buyin’ it.”

 

We held each other’s gaze for a minute, before going for another kiss, this time more powerful, more like hungry animals.

 

“Let's go home,” I decided and took her hand. “Where is that damn truck?”

 

“They didn’t let me park here, afraid it might fall apart right in front of the prison,” she joked, giggling.

 

My puzzled expression made her laugh even harder. “Come on, dummy. It’s only a block away, some walking would do you some good.”

 

“No argument there. I’ve gotten lazy.”

 

“You better not!”

 

We joked and laughed some more on our way to the parking lot. My heart could’ve burst with happiness and if I died then, I would’ve only been disappointed I didn’t get to have my woman one more time before the big sleep. Everything was just perfect.

 

“Wanna drive, baby?” she asked, dangling the car keys.

 

“Hell, yeah! God, I love you, woman.”

 

She stuck her tongue out as she threw me the keys. I suddenly felt the urge to bite her.

 

“You’ve gotten bratty in my absence, baby. Do you need a spanking?”

 

“Do you?”

 

She was a tough woman, hard to break, and I loved the challenge. I loved how sweet she got only with me. She made everything she did for me feel special, like I was the only man in her eyes. The only man that mattered, like she loved to emphasize.

 

I had never felt so happy to hear the sputtering of my old man’s truck like I did today. It rattled in my hands and shook as I drove off, but it felt like the best car in the world.

 

“Do you remember how to drive, baby?”

 

“Hey, shut up!”

 

She laughed as she pulled her buzzing cellphone out of the front pocket.

 

“Yeah, boss.” She gestured that the call was for me. I reached for the phone, happy to hear from my brothers.

 

“Hi there, boss. How’s life treating you?”

 

“Better than it’s treating you, apparently.”

 

“What are you talking about? I’m out, with my beautiful woman, and a new life ahead. Everything’s good. Have they suspended your license yet? You know, ‘cause you're old and your eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be?”

 

“Tell you what, boy. Why don’t you take your pleasantries and shove them where the sun don’t shine? Then take your pretty prison ass and swing it by me, we need to talk.”

 

“Now? I need to get home, comfort my woman. I’m sure you understand. We could come tomorrow. Or next week, depending on how much comforting she needs.” She punched me hard in the arm, I almost didn’t hold onto a cry.

 

“That’s what I wanted to talk about. Her.” His tone had changed and my expression darkened as I figured what he needed to tell me.

 

“Alright. We’re on our way.”

 

I hang up and took the first right.

 

“What are you doing? We’re not going home?”

 

“No, Liz. I need to talk to the boss for a bit. Will you be alright with that?”

 

She nodded, understanding me without asking too many questions. She just put a comforting hand on my thigh as I stepped on the gas.

 

We got to the brotherhood’s repair shop in no time and I was forced to leave the truck in the middle of the messy court, as there were motorcycles everywhere and cars were second in importance.

 

“What’s that, Mad? You got some strange habits in prison or what?” one brother joked about my truck.

 

“Piss off,” I replied the usual. He shook my hand and let me enter to see the boss.

 

“Welcome back, Mad. Welcome home.”

 

“Glad to be here, boss.”

 

He gave me a tight bear hug before losing the fatherly warmth in favor of his business attitude.

 

“What have you done in there, old boy?”

 

“I know. I apologize for my behavior. But I had a reason, if you’d allow me to tell you.”

 

“Feel free, son, but it won’t make any difference with the shit you got us in.”

 

“What’s he talking about, John?” Liz asked, hands on her hips. I could’ve kissed her, how beautiful she looked angry, but now was not the time.

 

“Go ahead, tell your woman. Since she’s involved in it.”

 

“I am not involved in anything!” she protested.

 

“Listen to your man, Liz.”

 

“I’m sorry, boss, I really am. But I won’t stand around and take it when people say those things about my woman. If he doesn’t like me, then say it to my face, don’t promise my woman to some sleaze bags ‘because you know I’m locked up now. If you do that, I deck you.”

 

“You put the man in the infirmary, that’s what you did. The second in command for the Red Eagles.”

 

I expected Liz to scold me. I even cringed when I saw her open her mouth to speak.

 

“And right he did. What’s bad about this? He taught that prick a lesson about being a man. Would you have wanted John to let him smear my name?” Her scolding was now directed at the boss. He looked down, almost ashamed.

 

“I didn’t say nothing about his reasons. But everything we do has consequences. And the Red Eagles know you got out today. They sentword that, since your woman is the reason why their boss walks around with his jaw wired shut, then she must pay the price.”

 

“The Hell I will! Just let them try, I’ll castrate those bastards.”

 

“And I don’t doubt that, Lizzy, but how will the brotherhood look then? A woman kicking-ass all by herself?”

 

“I don’t want to get you in trouble, boss,” I said, ending the joke.

 

“I know you don’t. And I won’t let you fight this alone, we’re brothers. But it’ll cost us all. The boys are fine with this, as far as I know but if they don’t want to get involved, you can’t blame them.”

 

“I know. And I won’t.”

 

“Good. Just don’t bring no more trouble around here, boy. Now, what do you say about some nice barbeque?”

 

I exchanged a glance with Liz. As much as I wanted to rip her clothes and have her right then, I couldn’t refuse the boss after his generous offer. Besides, I had missed his barbeques these past five years.

 

“Why the Hell not? Bring it on, old man!”