She's been to Stockton several times since the first time she had visited with Angel. Most often, she visits on her weekends off from tutoring and work, which seems to be rare.
The two send letters back and forth consistently, although most of the time, she's clueless as to what to say. She usually just tells him about her annoying neighbors or her classes, sometimes she tells him about the clubs she's in. Just something she hopes to distract him from time to time.
She sits in her car, watching as people line up outside the door to get into the building. She inhales a slow breath before she pulls herself out of the car, walking towards the back of the line to wait.
The woman in front of her looks Luciana over with a raised eyebrow.
"Who are you here for?"
The question catches her off guard.
"Just a friend."
The woman is older, mid-50s, dark hair with a blonde streak through her bangs. She nods her head without another question.
Luciana crosses her arms over her chest as the cold air of the morning blows through her jacket. She shivers as she watches the people file in, one by one. When finally it's her turn, the guard hands her the visitor badge before the other guard leads her to the visitation room.
She takes her seat on the empty stool and she waits for EZ to make his appearance. A few minutes go by, when she looks over her shoulder to see him standing in the doorway. There's a smile on her face but he just looks like the shell of who used to be her best friend.
He sits down across from her and holds his hands out in front of him. He doesn't look at her for the longest time, he doesn't move to speak.
She wants to reach out, to touch him but she refrains.
"Hey." Her voice is quiet.
EZ doesn't speak. It's clear that something has changed since the last time she's been here. He keeps his eyes forward.
She reaches for his arm but he pulls away from her. She looks at him. An apparent sadness in her eyes.
He does his best to avoid eye contact with Luci. He just wants to go back to his cell. It's what he'll know for the next twenty years. Four walls and a cot. That much he deserves.
"Ezekiel." She murmurs loud enough to get his attention.
This time he glares in her direction, just for using his full name.
Luci looks at his face, the way the bags under his eyes have grown, the way his cheeks sink in. And truly, she just wants to pull him into a hug. She reaches out again to touch his arm.
He doesn't move but he looks at her with a sad smile.
"You don't even have to talk to me." She tells him.
He just sits there, looking back at her. Since Luci's last visit, Emily had been to see him, which tore him up inside. Most of the time, he refuses to see Em. He knows what time he has to spend in Stockton. No point in getting her hopes up that he'll get out.
"Em's pregnant." He says quietly.
It catches her off guard but she looks back at him.
"She's come to see you?"
EZ nods his head, pulling the ultrasound photos from his pocket.
Luci looks them over but she can see EZ's jaw tense up.
"I broke it off." He tells her, disappointment in his voice.
Her brows knit together in confusion.
"There is no point, Luci, and you know it. I'm stuck here. My life is pretty much over."
She leans back in the chair. She knows what she would do in Emily's situation but it wasn't her place to cast judgment. Emily's a smart girl, she'll know what's best.
EZ looks over at Luci before he shakes his head.
"I don't even know why you waste the gas to come here."
Luci purses her lips in thought before she opens her mouth to speak.
"Figured you need someone to come see your stubborn ass."
She crosses her arms over her chest as she leans forward against the table.
"I know you think it's best to shut down from everyone, let everyone go on about their lives, but you're not goin' through this alone, EZ."
He rolls his eyes. He wants to fight back, but he just can't. He's tired, exhausted even. The one chance he had at a family, a future, was gone. He doesn't say anything else, he just shuts down again.
"You can shut down, ignore me, do whatever you want, but I'm still goin' to be here. Taking care of you, your dad, and your brother."
She stands, resting a hand on his shoulder for a second before she kisses the side of his head.
"I'll see you soon, cariño."
She moves towards the door, returning her visitor's badge as she walks outside.
The older woman from earlier in the day follows behind her through the door, catching her by the wrist.
"Just a friend?"
Luciana nods her head slowly as she looks back at the woman.
"All we'll ever be."
The woman almost scoffs.
"I saw the girlfriend come in a few weeks ago, dark hair, must've been when they broke up."
Luciana looks back at the woman with a raised eyebrow.
The older woman continues talking.
"He got into a fight with some guards, tryin' to chase after her."
Luciana shrugs her shoulders, not surprised in the slightest.
"Sounds about right."
The older woman offers her a cigarette and a lighter and she graciously takes it.
"Awful habit." Luciana comments.
The woman just laughs before she offers a hand.
"Gemma."
Luciana grabs her hand with a smile as she introduces herself.
"I'm sure we'll see each other again. Same time, same place."
With that, she stubs out the cigarette as she walks towards her car. She falls into the driver's seat and she takes a moment to herself before she peels out of the parking lot, starting the drive back to her Los Angeles apartment.
i know i should leave you alone
thank you for reading. i hope you enjoy these one shots.
i'm just using them to build up to a really big story.
i appreciate everyone who reads, faves, reviews. it means a lot.