I wrote this chapter because of a film I watched in Sociology last year. It was a film about prisoners readjusting to society once out of jail and the struggles they face. Please enjoy!
L.L.A.P
~Laces
p.s. if an of you can read arabic, I'm sorry if i messed up anywhere. I'm still working on understanding the alphabet so google translate was my tool for the bits of arabic in this chapter.
Chpt.24
"So, I hear they're letting you out for good behavior in a few weeks." Livy stated. She was in black gate prison, talking through a phone with her old friend Maxwell Boyer. He smiled at her happily.
"Yup. And my therapist says that I've been making improvements. I still have to go to therapy and check in with my parole officer several times, but I'll no longer be locked in here." He grinned. The somewhat crazed look that used to be in his blue eyes were replaced by a look of hope.
"What are your plans when you get out? Do you have any jobs in mind?" Livy inquired.
"Well, I want to go to college. Ultimately I want to become a social worker, but in order to raise the money for college, I'm gonna try to pick up some odd jobs." Max explained. Livy smiled, proud of his answer, but then questioned,
"Do you have any place to stay?"
"Don't sound so worried, Livy. I'll find a place. It'll be fine." Max chuckled, but Livy could see the worry in her friend's eyes. He was nervous. It would be hard for him to find a job that would accept him with his criminal record, which meant he might be squatting for a while with no place to stay. Aside from Livy, he truly had no one else to help him.
"Anyway, how've you been? Anything exciting?" Livy respected that he wanted to change the topic, and started telling him several of the cases she had worked on since she had last seen him.
However, in the back of Livy's head, she was already setting something up.
~*~*~*~*~Several Weeks Later~*~*~*~*~
Walking out in the streets, out of the prison, Max blinked at the sun. He had forgotten how bright it could be, and how the city smelled. He missed it.
"Need a ride?" Max looked up to see Livy in a red Camaro.
"Livy!" he smiled happily, hugging the girl tightly. "Nice ride. Is it your boyfriend's?"
"No, I think my Dad stole it, but no one's been looking for it, so I dunno." She shrugged. "Now, c'mon. I got some things to show you."
Max hopped into the car with Livy and she drove him to a small café on a corner of a narrow quiet street.
"I'd hate to break it to you, but I ate before I left." Max informed, and Livy just chuckled.
"We're not here to eat." She stated as she got out of the car, and Max followed in suit. They walked into the store where there were a handful of people. It wasn't one of the store's busiest times, but it would definitely pick up around lunchtime.
"Livy!" a young woman exclaimed with an accent that Max didn't recognize. Her skin was a tan color and she had dark brown hair that was tied into a bun. Her eyes were as equally dark as her hair, and she had a certain friendliness about her.
"كيف حالك؟?" the woman spoke in a warm tone.
"أنا بخير. لقد جلبت صديق قلت لك عنه." Livy smiled. The woman then laid her eyes on Max.
"Um… hello." He grinned a bit with a small wave.
"My name is Nura." She informed politely with a smile. "I own this café. Are you a hard worker?" the woman questioned.
"What?" Max questioned, not exactly following what was going on.
"I asked if you are a hard worker." The woman repeated. There wasn't any sign of irritation in her voice, like most people Max knew of who got annoyed when they had to repeat things.
"Yes, I am. When something needs to get done, I make sure to follow through." He nodded. Nura turned to look at Livy and smiled,
"هو جذابة للغاية."
"Nura." Livy chuckled.
"مجرد إجراء المراقبة." Nura laughed innocently, then looked over at the confused Max. "You can start tomorrow at six in the morning. Don't be late." she stated, and Max's eyes widened.
"Y-you're giving me a job?" he questioned, baffled.
"Didn't you just say that you are a hard worker?" Nura questioned, and Max nodded slowly. "Then I don't see any reason not to hire you."
"Thank you." Max smiled, shaking the woman's hand.
"What is your name?" Nura inquired.
"Oh, it's Max. Maxwell Boyer." The man informed.
"Maxwell." The woman smiled, and Max found it interesting how her accent made his name sound so different yet warm. "I will see you tomorrow then, Maxwell."
"I promise I'll work hard." Max nodded seriously. He knew what he wanted to do with his life, and he knew that this job would be extremely important.
Livy and Maxell hopped into the car but they only drove for several minutes and stopped in front of a building that was about five minutes away from the café.
"What's this place?" Max inquired as he followed Livy out of the car.
"I'll show you." Livy smiled. She led him into the building, using a key to open one of the doors. There was a landing and then some stairs. At the top of the stair was a small home-like apartment. There was a bathroom, bed room, small kitchen, living room, and a small room which could be made into whatever the owner pleased.
"This is your apartment." Livy smiled.
"My apartment?" Max whispered, looking at the building in awe, as if he was staring at a castle.
"Yup. It's already paid off for a year." Livy smiled. "Welcome back."
There were tears in the corners of Max's eyes. He tried not to let it on, but he was terrified about how he would be able to get by. He didn't know how he was going to get jobs or a place to stay, and there Livy was. She just gave him a home and a job.
She single handedly managed to alleviate him of his fears.
"Thank you." He whispered. "Oh my god just… just thank you. Thank you so much!" Max's arms wrapped around Livy's body as he engulfed her in a hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." He smiled as he cried.
Max didn't know how he deserved this. He had done bad things and he felt like he deserved to be punished. Even after he served his time, he still felt unworthy of forgiveness. But here he was, with a home and a job. He could rebuild himself. He could make his life better.
"Welcome home." Livy whispered as she hugged the man back as he cried.