The Thief Redeemer

by Leigh Clary Abdou

  She had enough love in her heart for us both, because all the emotions in my life were running on empty. She gave me what she had and then helped me refuel and find myself. Who knew that Brandon Wilson was even capable of love?

  I also learned that when it comes to certain people, love will cause you to do crazy things. My brothers and Claire are those certain people.

  I slip on my jacket and look in the mirror. I clean up nicely, if I do say so myself. I put my brothers’ letter inside my coat pocket. This is for good luck. I also add the picture of my family. I touch the cross pendant around my neck and think of Marcus. Marcus would have been proud of me, too.

  If he were here, I would tell him how much easier it is to breathe when the world isn’t riding on your shoulders. You sleep in peace at night when the cops have already found you, there’s a girl who says she loves you, and there’s family behind you, no matter the cost.

  I’m a lucky man.

  I hear the security guard approaching my cell.

  “It’s time.”

  He cuffs my hands, and I follow him outside to the waiting van that will be transporting me to the courthouse. We arrive after a ten-minute drive, and I’m taken inside a small room. The guard removes my cuffs. Birch joins me moments later and sits on the couch beside me.

  “This is it, son.”

  “I know.” I’m still nervous. My hands are sweating. “Do you know about how long the judge will give me?” We’ve already discussed this time after time, but I need to hear it again. Maybe my face gives away how nervous I am, because Mr. Birch puts his hand on my knee.

  “Brandon, calm down.”

  I realize now that I’ve been shaking my leg since I sat down. His hand on my knee causes me to stop the shaking. I run my hand down my face.

  “Thanks.” It’s all I say, but I know that if the judge gives me fifteen years, I’ll die. Not that I don’t deserve the sentence, but all I can think about is Claire.

  “Is Claire still dating Jonathan?” My question comes from nowhere, and Birch looks at me in confusion.

  “No. I’m pretty sure she broke it off.”

  I smile internally, although I would never let Birch see my excitement. I turn away from him. It’s not until I feel Birch’s hand on my leg for the second time that I realize I’m twitching my legs again.

  “Brandon, we’ve done everything we can for you up until this point. Claire and the twins will be there to support you. Stop being nervous. Everything is going to work out. Trust me.”

  Easy for him to say.

  “Sir, can I ask you a question?”

  “Of course.”

  He probably thinks this is about the hearing, but it’s not. It’s personal. “Claire said that you and her mother, weren’t married when she was born, that you didn’t get married till much later.” I pause, trying to choose my words carefully. “How did you fight the odds to win the girl, even when nothing was in your favor?”

  He pauses for a minute, and doesn’t answer my question immediately. “Is that why you’re so nervous?” he asks finally.

  I hate being vulnerable in front of anyone, much less Birch, but I’m an honest man now. “Yes.” I look the other way, but I turn back when Birch says nothing. “If the judge gives me too many years, I’ve lost her. If he only gives me a handful, I have this selfish hope that she’ll wait for me.” I swallow. I have to remember this is her father, after all.

  He exhales and when he looks at me, I see a different gaze in his eyes. “I fought for what was mine.”

  I look at him in confusion. “What?”

  “You asked me how I fought the odds, and that’s the answer. I fought for what was mine. Fight for her, Brandon. It’s your only hope.”

  I look into his blue eyes and notice that the atmosphere has changed. Birch no longer giving me legal advice, but personal advice - and personal advice about his daughter.

  “Can I fight for her…from prison?”

  “You can fight for the woman you love from anywhere.”

  I look at the wall and think about his statement. He’s completely right. I’ve been so occupied about today’s outcome that I missed sight of what was important. I had been about to give up on Claire…again. I’d be an idiot to let that happen twice.

  “Thank you, Mr. Birch. You don’t know how much this helps.”

  “Please, Brandon. Call me Philip.”

  I give him a slight nod. We don’t say anything else. The silence says it all. I’ve made a new friend today, which is ironic because he used to be my worst enemy. We moved from enemies to client/lawyer to friends, all in a span of five months.

  The assistant walks into the room and informs us it’s time. I’m nervous, but not like I was before. I have just gotten permission from Claire’s dad to fight for her, and I’ll fight like hell for that girl. Even if they give me twenty years, I won’t give up. Maybe this is being selfish, but at least I will try.

  One of my life’s biggest mottos is to have no regrets. If I don’t at least fight for Claire, I will regret it till the day I die.

  We walk into the courtroom and I instantly scan the back of the room. I spot the blonde hair sitting with my brothers and a small smile crosses my face. My three biggest fans display nervous smiles in return.

  Claire looks even more like an angel today with her navy blue top and jeans. She is literally my angel.

  I stand with Philip at our assigned table and wait for the judge to acknowledge us. As I hear the charges brought against me, I’m having flashbacks to the day in the courtroom when I tried to have my brothers’ files opened. This time, though, Philip Birch is on my side. If it wasn’t for him, I might be spending the rest of my life in jail.

  When the time comes, we plead no contest.

  The judge asks for a ten-minute recess to review my case. We sit at the table and wait on his answer.

  “Philip?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thanks for the suit.”

  “Of course.”

  It’s the only conversation we have in the ten minutes. I start to run the cross pendant over the chain like Marcus did. Not because I’m nervous, but because I’m tired of waiting. I’m ready to hear my fate.

  Maybe this wasn’t a nervous twitch of Marcus’s after all. Maybe it was caused by boredom. This seems more likely because he was the master of stealing cars. He had nothing to be nervous about. Maybe after all this time, I had read him wrong.

  I’m realizing now that I tend to do that. I sure read Philip Birch wrong.

  The atmosphere turns tense as the judge returns to the courtroom. We all stand, and I know this is it. This will determine what becomes of my life. I hold my head high, ready to face my demons. With Philip beside me I stand strong and tall, waiting on the verdict.

  I HEAR THE words, and I think they’ve made a mistake. Eight years, with a chance of parole in five.

  I glance at Philip and see a smile on his face. He’s pleased with the results. I stick out my hand. We shake as an understanding passes between us. He did me a huge favor. Not only did he work my case for free, he bought me a suit, and if all goes well, I’ll be out of here in just five years. Maybe I can win the girl after all. My eyes move to Claire, sitting with my brothers. At my acknowledgement, they stand and a small smile passes between us.

  Small slivers of hope surge through my bloodstream. I’ll be out of here by the age of thirty-three. Claire and I can develop a relationship while I’m in jail…right?

  I’m not sure how this has worked for people in the past, but I’m willing to give it a try. I mean, if Claire is willing, I’m willing. I’m lead away by a cop and I don’t look back. I need to devise a plan. In the past, I was a hell of a car thief, but today a new task presents itself. Maybe I’m not a hopeless case after all. I’ll have to fight like a dog over the next five years, but I’ll win the girl. This will be the hardest obstacle I’ve faced yet, but that’s okay. I’ve always loved a challenge.

  TIME PASSES BOTH quickly and
slowly. I’ve watched seasons pass by, and I’ve watched people age, all from behind the confines of my cell walls. I’ve watched tree branches worm their ways into buildings. I’ve watched women who were pregnant deliver and bring their toddlers to visit the incarcerated.

  Time has passed quickly because I can’t believe my sentence is already up, but slowly, because I’ve missed so much in the outside world. The warm air hits my face as I stride to the picnic table. I always choose the one in the corner, shaded by the dogwood tree, as my own. I’ve been in this jail for five years, and everyone knows it’s my spot. No one else ever tries to claim it as theirs. Even in here, I guess I still have a bit of “boss” energy.

  The air is warm, but the breeze makes the humidity bearable as I take my seat. I twiddle with my fingers and patiently wait for my visitors. I see Mark’s and Luke’s faces and I stand to greet them. They approach the table before I tackle them into a bear hug. Over the years we have become the best of friends, like it should have been since the beginning.

  “Where’s that girl of yours?” I ask Luke. I’m referring to his girlfriend Dayna whom he brought to meet me just last week. They have been dating only a month, and he’s toast.

  “She couldn’t make it today, but she sent these.”

  I look down and realize Luke is carrying a container. We sit at the table and I open the package to find chocolate chip cookies.

  “She really knows how to get in good with the family,” I joke with him, taking a bite.

  “Yeah, I don’t think it’s much longer and she will be part of the family,” Mark smarts back with a smirk on his face. Luke rolls his eyes, but we all know the truth. I’ve never seen him like this before. They’ve mentioned girls during the past five years, but never brought one around. One thing I’ve discovered about the two of them is that when it comes to women, they are total opposites. Luke is a one-woman type of man, and Mark loves-em-and-leaves em.

  “So this is serious?” I ask, taking a look at his face.

  Luke hesitates for a second. “Yeah, pretty serious. I know it’s only been a month, but when you know, you know.”

  I nod my head because I do know. “Has anyone spoken with Claire?” The atmosphere goes cold and their eyes divert from mine. Claire hasn’t been around much, and it kills me. “What do I do?” Here I am asking my brothers for woman advice. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

  “Keep fighting for her. You’ll be out of here in a couple of weeks. Then you can, you know, date her.” Mark gives me a look of sympathy, and I cringe.

  “Is she with another guy?” I have to ask, even though I know it will kill me if she is.

  “We don’t know, Brandon. She says she’s figuring things out,” Mark sighs because really, I ask this question every time. I run my hand down my face and exhale loudly. The first two years I was incarcerated, things between Claire and I were great. Well, as great as they could be considering we were having a relationship from jail.

  But then during the third year, things became strained. I could tell our weird relationship was taking a toll on her. I stupidly didn’t say anything. I just kept trying to continue onward, like we were fine. Then this year, I could feel her slipping through my fingers; my worst fear was morphing its way into reality. She hasn’t been to see me in eight months.

  “Okay, so tell me about your jobs.” I decide to change the subject. Talking about Claire only causes me stress, and I feel my brothers are hiding something. They begin to fill me in on their jobs since they are both recent graduates, but I zone them out. I’m angry at myself for being in jail and missing their graduation, but I’m more angry at myself for letting Claire slip through my fingers. I’ve written her love letter after love letter, but it still isn’t enough. What can I do for it to be enough?

  “Brandon, are you listening?”

  “Sorry,” I say trying to focus my attention back to my brothers. They are the ones who visited me today, not Claire. I should be giving them 100%.

  “I was saying, once you’re free, we want to take you out,” Mark says while taking another bite of cookie.

  “Yeah, we will take you out, and…” Luke pauses to look at Mark. I raise my eyebrows towards them wondering what they’re about to say. “We didn’t want to say anything because we weren’t sure about your chances of parole, but since it’s looking good, we wanted you to know that we actually got a three bedroom apartment. The third bedroom is yours if you want it.”

  I smile, a huge smile that ranges from ear to ear. “Thanks, guys. I was wondering what I was going to do and where I was going to go.”

  “Brandon, we’ll take care of you. You have a place to stay, so now your only mission is to find a job. We’ll take care of the rest for the first few months or however long it takes you to get back on your feet.”

  I knew I could count on my brothers. When this entire fiasco happened, I knew they would always stick by me. I knew Claire would be a different story.

  “You’re right. My first mission is to find a job. My second mission is to get Claire back. I will need your help with both.”

  They both nod, and silence descends upon the table.

  I decide to call them on it. “Okay, what aren’t you telling me about Claire? I want to know.” I look into both their eyes and brace myself for the truth. Is she moving away? Dating someone else? Getting married?

  “Brandon…Dayna and I saw her out to dinner with another guy. That’s all we know,” Luke mumbles. “She didn’t see us but…well, they looked like they were on a date. I mean, we were at The Point. You don’t eat there unless you’re on a date.”

  I ball my hands into fists, and I’m seeing red, just like I used to in the old days. I’ve managed to control my temper well over the past five years, but Claire is mine, and I’m not afraid to fight for her.

  “I need you to find out who he is,” I say, breathing fire from my nostrils.

  “Brandon. It’s her decision. If she’s moved on, there’s nothing we can do,” Luke says with worry in his eyes.

  I lean into him and look him straight in the face. “What if Dayna slipped through your fingers and you saw her out with another guy.” I pause while I see him take a deep breath. “What would you do?”

  He pauses for a second and I see his brown eyes storm over. “I wouldn’t let her go. I’d fight for her till the bitter end,” he whispers. Now he gets it. Now that I’ve thrown the ball in his court, he finally understands. “Okay, point made. We’ll help you.” Luke looks over at Mark, and he nods his head in acknowledgement. “But first, you need to work on your parole. Get that over with and get out of this place. Then we’ll work on a job and Claire.”

  “It’s a deal,” I say because he’s right. My first move is to get out of this hellhole. The guard blows his whistle signaling the end of visitation and I groan. This is what I look forward to each week. “Hey, tell Dayna thanks for the cookies.”

  Luke nods and we give each other small hugs. “We’ll both be in touch with Philip on the parole. You don’t have much longer,” Mark says as he embraces me.

  “Mark, when are you going to settle down with a woman?” I ask, a smile on my face.

  “Not anytime soon,” he smirks. “Then I’d be no better than you two losers.” Luke and I attack him at the same time. Luke tackles him while I put him in a headlock. I guess brothers are never too old to have fun. Mark wiggles himself free, and we pat each other on the back. They mention they’ll be back next week and I watch them leave. I’m escorted to my cell where I hear the familiar gate slam shut. Only a few more weeks, and I’m a free man. I’ll never have to hear that door lock behind me again.

  I’M SEATED IN the same room I’ve been in countless times. The room is bland with white walls and a white table. The chairs are metal and flimsy. I’m waiting on Philip to discuss my parole. He’s agreed to assist me with this, too, especially since over the past five years, he’s turned into somewhat of a father figure. He’s been to visitations and is always check
ing up on me. He offers me advice, even when I haven’t asked for it, and I know he’s working behind the scenes on my behalf.

  I’m coming up for a chance of parole, due to his skills in court, and of course, my good behavior in this jail. The only item we don’t discuss is Claire. She’s slipped through my fingers this past year, and I don’t want to mention this to her father. He has to know she’s stopped visiting. Claire has her own apartment now and lives with Sarah, the redhead I kidnapped. But even though Claire and Philip don’t live under the same roof, he has to know something’s up. It doesn’t take a blind man to see she’s stepped away.

  But what she doesn’t know is that I’m determined to get her back. She has to know my chances of parole are good and that I’ll be free soon. She has to know I’ll win her back. I’ve written her so many love poems and letters from this jail cell. Since we’re not allowed Internet access, I’ve had to hand write each and every letter. I’ve mailed a few, and hand delivered some when she would come visit. It’s been pretty romantic if I do say so myself. Claire has turned me into somewhat of a poet and a writer, which is okay, because I have it bad for this girl.

  Once I’m out of here, I can send her more than letters. I can send her flowers and take her on dates. I’ve never done the dating thing before, but I will Google what I need to know, and drop the red carpet for Claire. Whatever it takes.

  The door squeaks open and I smile at Philip. I stand and we shake hands before he sits. I haven’t seen him in a couple of weeks, but he looks happy which is a good sign.

  “How are things, Brandon?”

  “Good. You seem happy. Is it good news?”

  “It’s very good news.”