Hidden Clips

Bars of Steel

"Alex Romero, you have a visitor," the correctional officer taps blatantly against the hard metals of Alex's cell.

Alex's been here for less than three days, and he had a feeling of who his visitor was.

His wife.

As soon as Officer Gutbrod opened his cell and had him follow him to the visitor's room, Alex felt anxious to see her. She's been everything he thinks about ever since he got here.

There were more than five tables inside that tiny room, but a particular one had a blonde waiting for him. Then Norma hears the loud door snap shut, locking eyes with her husband.

"No touching," Officer Gutbrod commands, unabatingly waiting for Alex to sit down.

"How are you?" Norma lets out a broken whisper, evident tears in her eyes.

"I'm better now that you're here," Alex sighs, leaning forward a bit. "How are you? How are you feeling?"

"How can you ask me that?" Norma breathes. "How can you ask me how I'm doing when... when you're here."

Alex takes a deep breath. "I know, baby. I know it's hard for you. It is for me too. But I'm going to get out of here soon, okay? The DEA has nothing on me."

"If the DEA had nothing on you, you wouldn't be here, don't you think?" she whispers. "Who do I need to talk to? Tell me. Who do I need to go to to have you released from this hell hole?"

"You're not going to do anything," Alex instructs her.

"Why not? I'm your wife. I'm here to help you. To support you," she reasons quite hurt. "I don't care what I have to do, but I need to get you out of here. They're going to kill you."

"No one is going to kill me, honey," Alex guarantees.

"How do you know? You don't know that. You're the Sheriff. Half of these prisoners are here because of you. I can't let that happen. I won't."

Norma's tears escape freely down her cheek. "Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to see you here? To know what all of these assholes are capable of?"

"Baby, you have to trust me, okay?" Alex requests, dying to reach for her hands. Eager to touch and feel her light skin upon his. "Everything's going to be okay."

Norma scoffed. "Don't you want to come home? Why do I feel like you don't want me to do anything to get you out of here?"

"Because I don't," he responds softly, bringing his voice down to an almost whisper. "Because I don't want you to risk your life for me. I don't want to expose you. You're my wife. If they want to hurt me, they'll go to you. I can't let that happen, Norma. I can't and I won't."

"I don't care," she sobs quietly. "I don't care what I have to do. I need to get you out of here."

Alex closes his eyes in order to try and block the image of the sorrow and desperation on her face. He rests his forehead on his closed fist, trying as best as he could to not let her feel how worried he really was.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispers, her voice breaking as she tries to find a good reason as to why he doesn't want her help.

Alex looks at her and then locks eyes with her. Her eyes were red and puffy, he knows how hard this is for her. But he has to protect her at all costs. "I don't want you involved in anything. I got myself into this mess and I'm going to get out of it on my own, okay? I'd go crazy if something happens to you because I wasn't careful or because I'm not thinking straight when it comes down to all the possibilities of me getting out of here. I'm not risking your life. I'd never forgive myself for that."