Michelle waited outside of the prison gate the next morning. She was too excited to sit in her rental car, so she leaned against the door instead, watching the door to the prison carefully, searching for any sign of movement. After what seemed like forever, the heavy metal doors swung open and Tony walked out, wearing the same clothes he had been wearing on that terrible day when they had taken him from her arms. Even from a distance she could see that they fit looser on him than they had before. He walked with his shoulders slumped, his eyes focused on the ground. Until, that is, the guard opened the final gate for him and he found himself outside. Free. Michelle ran towards him. After a moment, he heard her heels on the pavement and looked up, a smile finally appearing on his face.
Tony took his wife in his arms, kissing her hair. Michelle took in the smell of him, the feel of his arms around her, the feel of the stubble on his upper lip, the sound of his voice in her ear once again as he said her name. They kissed, and all the pain seemed to disappear, as though it had never happened. They stood like that for some time, with the warm California sun on their shoulders, just holding on to each other. Now, Michelle thought, everything would be all right.
Michelle drove back to the hotel, somehow managing to get back there safely while still holding Tony's hand. Tony wanted to take a shower, so Michelle ordered Chinese for dinner, their favorite. When the food came, Tony was still hadn't come back out of the bathroom, so Michelle opened the door slowly, wisps of steam flowing past her head. She smiled when she saw Tony, who had fallen sound asleep in the tub, one arm hanging over the side, his chin resting against his chest.
Michelle sat down on the bath mat next to him and just watched her husband, a soft smile on her face. Finally, she couldn't resist, and reached up to brush the hair from his face. As she touched him, though, he awoke with a start and a gasp. He lifted his arms up to his chest in a defensive stance, knocking her hand away and splashing the water out onto Michelle.
Tony opened his eyes and realized where he was. He relaxed, taking Michelle's hand in both of his and smiling down at her. Michelle could only sit on the floor, startled, her heart pounding, water dripping from her head and clothes onto the tile floor.
