Upon Release

A Thursday Prompt story
© 2020 by Walter Reimer


Prompt: approval


Prequelae:
Another Chilly Night
Draw Me Nearer
Coming Up


Yeah, so that happened.

Took a couple bullets, so I ended up in hospital, and then I was in police custody. Been there, and the lawyer tells me that the CPS isn’t too happy. I didn’t think they would be.

Charges? I didn’t have it with me – dropped it in the street when I got hit – but they did me for ‘possession of a firearm while committing a felony.’

Yaz was brassed right off, I can tell you, but she did come visit me. “Tommy, you stupid buck,” she says to me, tears soaking into her face fur as she hits the glass between us with a fist. There’s a warder strolling about, so my doe knows better than to say anything that might attract attention. “You could’ve been killed,” and she chokes back a sob. She’s a nurse in an A&E, so she’s seen things.
I wished I could reach through the glass and hug her.

“I’ll be out, Yaz.”

“When?” she sobbed.

I couldn’t answer that, and that hurt.

Judge gives me six years. Five for the charge, and one because I’ve been in before and she wants to teach me a lesson. I think she was embarrassed because she’s a rabbit, too.

So with the charge and what happened in the past, I end up in Wormwood Scrubs, and after the first few days I get a quiet message from Himself, delivered by someone inside. Real simple message, too; I keep my nose clean and my ears up, and things’ll work out okay. Been in before, so I know how to get along.

About a month in, I get called out for a visit. I’m only allowed two every four weeks.

It’s Yaz.

We’re only allowed a hug and one kiss, but we made it worth it, and after that I show her to a seat. “Um, you, you’re looking good, Yaz,” I manage to say. We’d spent the first minutes just looking at each other. “How’s, um, your Mum and Dad?”

She leans forward and glares at me. Nice view, but when I look up to meet her eyes she’s smiling at me. “Tommy, why do you have to act like a teenager at a school dance?” I blink, and then we start laughing. Once that’s done Yaz says, “Mum and Dad are fine, you silly rabbit.”

“You?”

She waggles a paw. “I moved from A&E to Paediatrics.” Before I can ask her anything else, she asks me, “You staying out of trouble?”

I give her the old solemn nod, and she flips her ears at me. “Honest,” I say.

Yaz gives me this really hard look before she says, “Okay.” We get back to talking, until the hour’s over and she has to leave.

Another hug and kiss, and she gives me a little flick of her tail.

Cor.


***


So, yeah, that was three years ago, before I got out on probation. Already had a trade (not the one I got arrested for), so I found work in a garage. Makes my probation adviser happy, and happier still that I haven’t taken up where I left off. I do a little vaping, from time to time. Helps me relax after a long day.

A few weeks after I got out I get a visit from this one guy I know, close to Himself, and he and I talk a bit. I’m on probation, so Himself knows if I do any jobs for him I’ll go back to gaol. Once I’m done, though, well, we’ll see. Himself sends some business to the place I work at, so everyone’s happy.

Himself also sent word that I did a good job with that lot down in Croydon. I got shot, and Nish got killed, but those guys got spooked and now they’re out of the business.

How’d they get out of the business?

Best you don’t ask, hey?

Yaz and me, well, we’re expecting a kid about October or so.

From time to time Yaz will give me this look. “Yeah?” I’ll say.

And she gives me this slow nod. “Okay, Tommy.”

Makes me feel good inside.


end