My Prison Pen Pal

Chapter 6

"Aha, found ya Miss Waters. Looks like you filled out all the required paperwork online. Now I will have you step over to your left and go through security.
He squints at me weirdly.

"Don't want you bringin anything in that don't belong."

I awkwardly smile and look to my left.

"Thanks."

When I approach the two guards outside the door, they tell me to set down my purse on the little table to my left so one of them can quickly search it. Then the other female officer tells me to slowly walk under the metal detector. After a few seconds of no beeping, the officer opens the door and gestures at me through. I grab my bag and follow her down a hallway.

"Is this your first time visiting?"

The officer asks me as we walk together down the white walled and brown floored hallway.

"Yes. I have never been to a correctional facility before. I am just here to visit my penpal that I was assigned through the program offered here."

She smiles.

"That is so kind of you to sign up to be a penpal. I know a few inmates that have pen pals and I can't tell you how happy they are to receive letters. On the schedule it says you are visiting Braden. He is very nice, never causes any problems."

I blush and sigh. That's a relief. At least I know now that Braden is not a troublemaker. I don't know how I would act around someone that is rude or insensitive. I never got the vibe that he was any of those things in his letters, so I am not shocked he is nice in real life.

"That's great to hear. I got the feeling that he was a great person from reading his letters every week."

The officer turns a corner to the right and we continue walking.

"He always listens to me when I talk about my kids and my crazy Italian husband. He even tries to offer insight on why my husband is acting the way he does. I know it can be hard here to get along with the correctional officers, and I can see why. Some of us are assholes. That guy at the front desk, Rick, is a jerk. Watch out for him. But I think Braden sees that I took this job because it was the most high paying job I could get with no degree in this area. I'm just here to support my family, not to get on anyone, and Braden is cool for respecting me. I think he also knows that I am the first one to support any new programs for inmates and any new reforms to this messed up system."

She takes a deep breath and smiles at me.

"Sorry for blabbing, I am just so excited that Braden has finally got a visitor. He hasn't had one since the beginning of his sentence."

She stops in front of a silver door and pulls out a key to insert into the hole.

"No, I liked hearing about him. It makes me less nervous to meet him."

The officer pushes open the door and gestures for me to walk through it.

"By the way, I'm Cynthia. Nice to meet you."

I shake her outstretched hand and look up at her.

"I'm Lucy. It was also nice to meet you Cynthia."

Cynthia nods her head, wishes me luck, and tells me she will come back for me at 9 am. As she leaves the room I wave goodbye to her. She was nice and honestly hearing her talk so highly of Braden makes a calming feeling wash over me. That does not last long because as soon as I turn around from waving goodbye to Cynthia, I am met with two pairs of piercing dark eyes from across the room.

My eyes flicker down and take in his form. His figure is large, and muscly, but not bulky. His orange jumpsuit clings to his strong biceps like glue as he slightly leans over the metal table he is sitting at in the corner of the concrete covered room. I can see some minimal black tattoos brushing his skin from underneath his collar and his right forearm. My eyes look back up to his face and I observe a sharp jawline and chiseled cheekbones that pop. His black hair is mussed atop his head, slightly curly and certainly soft. I wonder what it would feel like to grate my hands through those shiny curls. I am sure it would feel like heaven. Why does it feel like there is no oxygen in here?