Convict

07.

I was about to start getting ready to go when there was a knock on the door, I shouted for them to come in. It was one of the guards that normally dealt with Oliver, he apologised for interrupting. It didn't matter I was just leaving to go anyway. I told the guard that I was just about to head to see Oliver.

"You need to meet him in the dinner hall... He has visitors, he requested that you be there" The guard reeled off to me.

I nodded my head and watched as he turned and closed the door behind him, I took a deep breath. Oliver wanted me with him, I wonder who had come to see him. Family, friends maybe even previous lovers. I took my hair down only to put it straight back up, I found myself faffing with my outfit as I began to walk towards the dining hall. I walked slowly and turned into the dining hall, Oliver was sat on the bench looking down at his feet, he looked sad as I walked over to him. I put my hand on his shoulder, he jumped and looked up at me smiling as he did.

"What's up with you?" I asked him

He shook his head and took my hand in his "My mom and dad have come to see me"

Oddly I found relief knowing it wasn't a previous lover of his coming to confess their undying love for him, I smiled and squeezed his hand lightly "That's a good thing isn't it?"

Oliver shrugged "They've only ever seen me three other times since I've been sentenced... And each visit was only to say that another family member had wiped their hands of me"

I furrowed my brow, that was awful. His own parents coming to see him only to say that his family were slowly abandoning him. I could see now why he might have wanted me to come with him, I couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for him to hear that all these people, who are supposed to be family, have just cut him off like he's nothing. "I'm sorry, Oliver, that's not the way family is supposed to work."

He laughed and looked at me "That's how my family works, you're either a big success or you're cast off... Now I don't know about you but I don't think I'm a very successful CEO in this place"

"The way you spoke about your childhood, they don't seem like they could be like that" I questioned him, wondering if maybe he had played me at my own game

"That's because when you're a child you can't really become a filthy stinking rich billionaire" He laughed "Not a problem when you're a child and as long as you prove success as an adult their feelings towards you never change. But I ended up here framed for a murder I never committed"

He looked up at me as he said the last bit, it's not the first time I have heard him say this. I nodded "Tell me later, for now let's get this done"

He nodded and we walked out to the communal room where the inmate's got to see their family. As we reached the door the guards cuffed both of Oliver's wrists, he winced as they were tightened. The guard then walked through the door with us and stood at the back wall of the room, I watched as Oliver scanned the room for his parents. I stood behind him not saying anything until I saw him stop and take a step forward. I looked in the same direction and saw two people sat at the far end of the room, in the corner tucked away.

The woman had the same colour hair as Oliver except it fell in frizzy ringlets down the side of her face and back. The man wore a tight lipped expression, almost as if it was painful to be sat here, his hair was a dark blonde and poker straight. Both of them wore smart clothes, as we got closer I could see that the woman had perfectly manicured hands with nails painted a deep navy and the gentleman had his hands clasped firmly together on the table. Silver cufflinks glinted in the light from under his jacket sleeve. We finally approached them and I watched as Oliver sat down slowly, he placed his cuffed hands on the table. He was shaking as if he was afraid of what they were going to say.