Chapter 28

<Victoria Grayson>

Visiting Gavin was haunting. He looked just the same except for the blaring orange jumpsuit reminding me of what he did to save me. He's behind bars with a bunch of convicts when he shot my parents out of love; his intent was never to kill my parents, he just wanted them to leave me alone.

I wish he'd fought harder to get out because the reality was, they would've killed me if Gavin hadn't come in. My mother even had a knife all set for the purpose. I don't understand why Gavin let the justice system walk all over him like that?

He could've easily gotten out of jail if he'd just told them about Talon, and what he heard and saw that night. They would've understood that if he hadn't done anything, I would've died. I mean I guess it wasn't like he was shooting them during a fight but he was doing it for me, so that I'd live. I hate to see him behind bars because of me.

However, I loved that we could still talk like things were a little bit normal and every time he told me he loved me, it felt sincere. It was nice to see him again but then it all ended so quickly and I had to leave. The emptiness I felt after walking away from that window was suffocating. Seriously, it's been 2 days and I still can't breathe properly.

I'm lying in Gavin's bed in his t-shirt, staring at the rock n' roll posters on his walls. He's got some good taste in music. The Stones, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, and the Ramones are just some of the posters on his otherwise beige colored walls. I roll over on his pillow so I can look at the clock.

His pillow still has traces of his cologne on it and it makes me feel closer to him. The whole reason I'm staying in his house is because it's his. He lived here and there are memories of him everywhere. It makes me feel like I might be able to survive these 9 long years without him.

I get out of bed and go to the kitchen to make myself some coffee. I took the liberty of filling Gavin's cabinets with food because when I got here he had a box of crackers, a bottle of Vodka and 3 bottles of Tequila. I'm honestly surprised he's in such good shape since all he eats is take-out and all he drinks is hard liquor. Maybe I should be more surprised he's not in rehab.

I find the coffeemaker and the bag of Brazilian coffee. I put water in the pot and then I spoon a couple of tablespoons of the coffee beans into the machine before turning it on. While the coffee brews, I turn on the news and see a story about the NYPD searching for my mom and Talon. There's a new lead because my mom's car was spotted on Route 66 in Albuquerque. Apparently they hadn't fled the country, they'd just fled the state.

I roll my eyes and change the channel to a Law and Order episode. I just want to be done with my mother and my stupid biological father. People need to stop paying attention to them because that's just what they want, they want people to know them and fear them.

They've already achieved their end goal of putting the person I love and the reason they couldn't kill me behind bars so, there's nothing more for them to do. I mean I'm currently suffering worse than if I was just dead. I'm living in constant fear that my parents will somehow get into the city and be able to come kill me. Thankfully, the man I consider my real father has the whole city guarded and on the look-out for Talon and My mother.

The coffeemaker beeps, signaling me that fresh, hot coffee has been brewed. I get a mug from the cabinet and pour the dark liquid into it. Then I grab the cream and sugar, ready to take away the bitter edge from my coffee.

Gavin would probably laugh at me because I'm, as he would put it, 'defiling the beauty of my coffee' by putting all of this in it but straight black coffee makes me want to throw up. I tried it once and couldn't down one swallow.

I stir in the cream until my coffee becomes a light brown and then I add in some sugar. Once my coffee is not bitter anymore, I plop down on the couch and watch the detectives beat up a criminal.

~~~~~

It's around 12 P.M. when I decide to get dressed. I grab some clothes that are in the duffle bag I still haven't unpacked and go off to the bathroom to shower. His bathroom was oddly organized when I first arrived. Everything was in its own place and there were only a few clothes on the floor.

It reminded me of a bathroom where someone takes a quick shower before leaving again, like the owner doesn't have enough time to make it messy. Once I set-up my stuff in his bathroom, it became a bit crowded but it still looked organized. His bathroom also smelled vaguely of Axe mixed with some other male cologne. Now it smells like girly shampoo and Chanel perfume. Gavin will be so appreciative in 9 years.

I turn on the shower and step in as soon as it's warmed up. I wash myself quickly and then get out, my body freezing thanks to the air conditioning I turned on since it's April and it's surprisingly warm for New York City.

I wrap a towel tightly around myself and apply some face products as I try to warm myself up. Once I'm no longer an icicle, I slip into a pair of jeans and a tank top. I comb my hair and plug in my hair dryer so I won't have to sit around wait forever for my hair to dry.

The hot air is much welcomed on my wet hair and makes me feel a little warmer. I dry my hair until it's just damp and then I braid it so it won't make my shoulders cold.

I go back into Gavin's bedroom and grab a hoodie that I'd hung in his closet. I walk out into the kitchen and grab my phone and car keys. I got a job so I could pay the rent on Gavin's apartment. It's not an extremely well-paying job but it keeps me in Gavin's apartment so I'm willing to work.

I work at a coffee shop down on 5th avenue which my dad says is a waste of my quality education. It may be a waste but I was a writing major and there aren't many stable jobs around here for someone with that major.

I mean I interviewed with an editing company and I tried to sell my screenplays to directors around the city but nothing every really took shape and I needed to keep Gavin's apartment for reasons my dad could never understand.

I grab my apron, my bag and then open up the front door. I pull out his house key and lock the door behind me as I head to the elevator. My next door neighbor, the old guy who helped me when I went to go forgive Gavin, is standing there waiting for the doors to open. His name as Harvey and apparently he's known Gavin since the first day Gavin moved into this building. Harvey's polite and he was really helpful when I moved into Gavin's apartment.

"Hello, Ms. Victoria." He smiles and holds open the elevator door for me.

"Hey, Harvey. I need to go to the lobby today." I smile back as he presses the lobby button for me.

"Have you been to visit Gavin?" He asks, giving me a concerned look.

"Yeah, he's doing okay...It's hard to see him behind bars like that, though." I admit and stare dead ahead.

"I'm sure. I remembering visiting my son when he was in jail. It's hard to see anyone caged up like an animal...You're so close you can touch them but there's always something in your way." He exhales as the doors open, revealing the lobby.

"Thanks, Harvey, I'll see you later." I wave and walk over to the mailboxes.

I find the one for Gavin's apartment and then I use Gavin's key to unlock it. There's a few letters and a Playboy magazine inside of the mailbox.

He's so basic it hurts. Why can't he be above this junk?

I search through the letters and find one addressed to me. The return label is Attica Correctional Facility. My heart beats faster as I walk out to the streets of New York and flag down a cab. I slip into the backseat and give them the address of the coffee shop I work at.

My heart hammers in my chest as I open the letter. The first words on the page are 'Dear Victoria,' and they are written in slow, scrawling script. I smile and run my fingers over the words as I continue reading.

~~~~~

My eyes widen once I finish reading the letter. Basically, he wants me to help him escape jail and then he wants to run away with me. I just need to clean out his house and his storage shed so that there'll be no more traces of him left in New York.

He says Slick and Blaze will help me out and that we need to send everything to Barbados where a friend of his lives and will be happy to take us in. Then he asks me to send him some bobby pins which I'm guessing are to help him with his plan of escape. He ends the letter by telling me he loves me and can't wait to see me.

I feel sick and suddenly I need to get out of the car. I tell the taxi driver to stop and I quickly pay him before getting out into the warm April air. I unzip my hoodie and take it off, shoving it sloppily into my bag.

I walk down the street and think over what Gavin just requested of me. Helping a convict escape from jail is a felony, I'm pretty sure. I mean, how can he ask me to do something so dangerous? I'm not like him, I'm not into adrenaline rushes and I'm definitely not into getting arrested.

However, I love him and I want nothing more than to be able to see him again without the jumpsuit and the large glass window barring us from each other. My head is spinning and I know I can't come to this decision alone. So, I call Blaze and wait patiently for him to pick up.

"Hey munchkin, what are you in need of?" Blaze chuckles and I roll my eyes.

"Charming, I hope the girls at Magic 8 beat you over the head with a pool cue. Have you gotten a letter from Gavin?" I ask, making the conversation move along.

"You mean the one where he asks me to help him escape from jail?" Blaze sounds amused which annoys me because there's nothing amusing about this situation.

"No, the one where he asks you to do his laundry and water his house plants." I mutter sarcastically.

"Well, you're already doing that so why would I have gotten a letter about that?" Blaze chuckles again and I feel like strangling him through the phone.

"Should we help him? I mean it's illegal and we're totally going to get caught."

"Have some faith in Gavin." Blazes chides but I can still hear the amusement in his voice.

"Attica is a maximum security prison...It'd be easier to escape from hell."

"No, actually it's very simple and no one can escape from hell...Haven't you ever been to church?" Blaze says with mock surprise.

"How the hell is he going to escape from Attica?" I mutter, my annoyance increasing.

"That's between me and Gavin. He told me in his letter that he didn't want to drag you too far into this. He just wants you to clean all of his stuff out and be waiting at his boss's secret airplane hangar by 10 P.M. in 2 days."

"I don't want you guys to get caught." I mumble in a defeated tone.

"I make no promises but I'll do my best to keep the little scamp out of trouble. Luckily I have some friends on the inside who would be more than willing to help out." Blaze chuckles darkly, making my skin tingle a little.

"Fine, be at Gavin's apartment at 7 with Slick. You're both helping me pack it up." I say in a confident tone.

"It's a date." I can almost hear the smirk in his voice as he says that.

"Bye." I hang up and dial my boss's number.

When he picks up, I explain that I can't come to work today. He says he understands and will see tomorrow.

No, you won't...I'm not so sure you'll ever see me again.

I flag down another cab and get in, muttering Gavin's address as I reread the letter.

~~~~~~

I unlock the door and slam it shut the minute I'm inside his apartment. I'm scared out of my mind about helping Gavin escape. It's illegal and as much as I want to see him, I'm not sure how this will end up. Honestly, I'm not sure he'll even get out of Attica and then they'll add more years to his prison sentence which will make it even longer until I can see him again.

On the other hand, I want to help him. I want him to get out, no matter how it happens. I guess I just wish he'd do it behind my back so, that if it went bad and he and Blaze got caught, I'd have no part in it but he told me his plans and now I'm just as much involved as anyone else. I guess I should just go through with it because I'll get arrested anyway for knowing about it and not telling the cops.

I pull out a piece of paper and an envelope from Gavin's desk drawer. I write a short response and then I pull the bobby pins out of my hair, slipping them inside with the letter. I seal it and go down to the lobby to send it to the prison.

Once it's safely inside the mailbox, I walk back upstairs and call an international moving company. I tell them where I'm moving and give them a time frame to come by and pick up everything. After settling that matter, I go to a packing store and buy as many moving boxes as I can carry. I pay and then take a cab back to Gavin's apartment where I begin packing up his stuff.

I start with his books and paperwork. Then I move onto the statuettes and picture frames that are strewn all over his apartment. I pack up all the food and alcohol in his house and then I move onto his bedroom and bathroom.

Thankfully, I never really removed my stuff from the duffel bags that I used when I moved out of my parent's house so there's a little less to put into boxes. I pack up all of his clothes except for a rather comfortable looking flannel shirt. I leave out a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and some converse for Gavin to wear provided he gets out. I slip into his flannel and then I take his posters down off of the wall.

~~~~~

By the time Slick and Blaze arrive, Gavin's furniture and the TV are the only things that need to be moved. They help me label all of the boxes and move them by the front door so the movers won't have to trek all over the apartment to pick up boxes.

I push up the sleeves of Gavin's flannel and go off to his room where I left his laptop and the bag of clothes and toiletries I thought he'd need if he makes it out of Attica tonight. I grab his laptop and slip it into the bag with all of his clothes before walking back out into the kitchen where Slick and Blaze are deep in conversation.

"Am I allowed in the conversation?" I ask with a sly grin.

They turn around and Blaze smirks while Slick looks a bit angry.

"Depends on how much you want to know when he gets his ass arrested..." Slick says sarcastically, indicating Blaze.

"Oh," I mutter, instantly regretting my interruption of their conversation.

"Slick here doesn't trust me and my brilliant plan." Blaze winks and puts his arm around me.

"That's because your plan is stupid and about as likely to work as Elvis coming back from the grave." Slick throws his arms up in frustration and looks towards me for support.

"I know nothing about his plan and I'd like to keep it that way." I state with narrowed eyes.

"You're already going to get arrested if we get caught so you might as well know how we plan on getting your boyfriend out of jail." Blaze teases, trying to spark my curiosity.

"You need to tell her so she'll agree that it's stupid and then stop you from doing it." Slick mumbles as Blaze prepares to tell me his brilliant plan.

"I have this contact on the inside. He's a dirty cop and will do anything for a couple grand. So, with a bit of money, I got him to disable the security cameras and open up a side door for Gavin to get through. Gavin is going to pick the lock using your bobby pins and then escape down the main hallway towards that side door. He's strong so if any guards get in his way, he can take them but just to make sure all the guards are somewhere else, this cop is going to use the PA system to alert the guards to an escape attempt on the other side of the building by a couple of high-security prisoners. These few precious minutes of freedom are what's going to get Gavin out of jail and then I'll be waiting on the outside to take him to his boss's secret hangar where we will all escape as convicts together." Blaze sighs dreamily at his well-thought out plan.

"Please tell him that's the biggest load of crap you've ever heard and it's never going to work." Slick pleads and puts up his hands for emphasis.

"I'm sorry, Slick but I guess Elvis is going to come back from the grave after all." I smirk and cross my arms which makes Blaze cheer.

"I can't believe you think this is going to work." Blaze lets out an angry breath. "Listen, I want Gavin out just as much as everybody else but this is not going to work. We're all going to get caught and arrested and then where will we be? We'll never get out."

"Quit being such a wuss. I won't let us get caught." Blaze claps him on the back and grins.

"Does Slick have any part in this plan?" I ask, an edge of curiosity sneaking into my voice.

"Ah yes, the other reason we're going to get caught." Slick rolls his eyes and gives Blaze a look of upmost disgust.

"Slick is dressing up as a cop and he's going to watch the door to make sure Gavin gets out undetected." Blaze chuckles in an amused way.

"I'm so going to hell for this." Slick runs his fingers nervously through his hair and starts pacing around the kitchen.

"Hey, if one of us goes down, we're all going down. We're doing this together and if we get caught, we're all going to get caught together. Nobody is going to do this alone." Blaze says in a surprisingly comforting way.

He pulls me and Slick into a group hug and we just stand in Gavin's kitchen, holding each other and debating our fate.

"I thought he didn't want to drag us into this mess." Slick whispers so that Blaze and I can barely hear him.

"He's our brother and brothers stick together. We know he'd do this for us if the roles were reversed." Blaze mutters confidently.

I smile at them and silently thank God that Gavin has friends like these.