The Weaker Sex (Unedited)

Chapter 14

By 8 a.m., Jailer Smith banged on the bars to me to get up. I cracked an eye open. "Even prisoners get their sleep." I whined, sitting up. "Get up, bitch." I looked at her through half open eyes. "Oh Hannah, when your husband uses that word as his favorite pet name, it starts to lose its meaning." She glared at me throwing my food onto the floor like Jailer Harris had done. "Floor flavor, my favorite." Hannah shut the little chute and told me I had 10 minutes before Sheriff Whitley wanted me in the interrogation room. Tobias made me do a lot of things, but he never made me eat off the floor. Deputy Wells snuck by and passed me a fresh burrito. "You're not a dog."

I thanked her; quickly devouring it up before Hannah realized her bad treatment wasn't going to work. When the 10 minutes were up, Deputy Wells returned to escort me to the interrogation room. Sheriff Whitley poured me a cup of coffee, which I politely declined and asked for water instead. I'd read somewhere that caffeine was bad for the baby. I didn't know how I was going to hide this for another 4 months. The trial would last much longer than that. "Well Madison, if you'd like to begin." What I wouldn't give to begin those 9 years over again."

***

My nerves about seeing Tobias vanished by the time the clock had struck 6:50 p.m. Tonight I'd chosen an equally conservative blue dress and a pair of sheer pantyhose with Mary Jane shoes. I stepped down the stairs to sit and wait, since Mr. Wells told me he wanted to see Tobias before we left. The big hand on the clock ticked along until it hit the 12, and it was now 7 p.m.. Headlights shined in the window followed by an engine being cut off. My heart practically stopped beating the moment his fist beat against the door.

Could I be any more cliché? Get a hold of yourself, Madison! Mr. Wells lightly patted my shoulder and stood to answer it. 

"Good evening, Tobias." He said. 

"Good evening Mr. Wells, is Madison ready?" 

Mrs. Wells suddenly ushered me back up the stairs before they both stepped inside. Mr. Wells called out to me and that was my cue! I stepped down, holding onto the banister before my lightheadedness bowled me over.

Tobias stood there dressed in black slacks and a dark navy blue button down with dress shoes. I recognized the coat as the one he'd let me borrow twice before. He smiled, meeting me at the bottom of the stairs where he picked up my hand and kissed the top of it. "You look wonderful." He said. My cheeks heated up in shyness followed by a quiet thank you. "Now Tobias, while Madison is under our care we do have a curfew for her. We expect you to honor it and bring her back by midnight and not a minute later. That shotgun up there, boy, is not just for show."

My dad would've done something like that, though he would've said something along the lines of, 'don't bring her back knocked up.' Quality parenting.

"Yes sir, don't worry." Tobias assured.

"Have fun then."

He gave me his arm to take, then led me out to the front porch. I waved goodbye to the Wells, letting Tobias open the passenger door for me. As he climbed into the driver's seat, he shyly admitted that he was happy I'd accepted. I only smiled not being able to say the same. We hadn't gotten to the dinner yet! So far, he was being a good guy, but would that last all through dessert and the moment he dropped me back off? Silence was never an issue for me, in fact it was welcomed when you had three younger sisters, but this time the awkward silence that filled the space between us was stabbing me in the ribs. What if we didn't have anything to talk about? What if we were weird like this all through dinner? Oh my god, what had I done? I should just jump out of the car right now and roll all the way back to the Wells.