What Brought Us Together

Two Steps Forward

Ephraim shook his leg up and down in a rapid pace as he tried to ease the nervousness that was creeping up on him. He and Tarryn were at the jail that his mother was stationed in and this was his first time ever going to visit her. Tarryn tagged along for moral support and she was glad that she came because Ephraim was a mess. He gotten sick two times on the way here and he couldn't stop shaking.

She told him that he doesn't have to do it today but he insisted that he do it. He said that its for his own consciousness and his healing. She didn't argue with him so she followed her fiancé. She knew how serious this was for him. His mother went to jail for him even though he pulled the trigger. Ephraim simply wanted to talk to her. He wanted to get to know his mother all over again.

After an hour of waiting, his mother finally appeared behind the thick tempered glass. The last time he seen her, she was on drugs, her face was sunken in, she was skinny and she was bald. Now her hair was past her shoulders in in plaits, she had gained healthy weight and her face was full. Her skin was also bright and glowy. It looked like she was finally taking care of herself.

Ephraim stood up and walked up to her but stopped when he didn't feel Tarryn behind him. He turned completely around with a face. "Babe what are you doing? She's here." He gestured towards her.

"I know she's here but I also know you. I know you want this time alone with her to talk to her about everything. I'm only 6 feet away if you need me. Now go talk to your beautiful mom." She gestured back and within two blinks he was gone and was sitting in front of his mother.

He picked up the telephone and so did she. Ephraim was scared to speak and his mother saw that so she spoke first. "Graduated high school at 16. Graduated college at 20. Graduated law school at 23. Became a Senator of Virginia at 25. Now engaged to be married at 26. Ephraim Julian Lockett, I am so proud of you." His mother beamed.

She kept tabs on him while she was in here. Every graduation she knew about, every event that he had, she knew about and of course she knew about the engagement but she found that out through the local news.

Ephraim was shocked. "How did you know about that?" He was surprised that she knew more than half of that information.

"I have a man on the outside who visits me on the inside. I ain't telling you who but he's one of the good guys." She says with a hand wave. That made Ephraim wanted to know who this dude was. He doesn't like no one besides the people that he's close to know where he is or who he associates with. He also wants to ask for a name but he doesn't do that.

It gets quiet again and his mother sees that he is trying to come up with something to say to her but she speaks again. "Your fiancé is very pretty. How long have you two been together?"

He quickly glances at Tarryn who was watching the news that showcased the DeMarcus Cambridge case. He already knew that she was going to be in tune with the case so her not being focused on him doesn't bother him.

"We've been together for 4 years now. We've also been engaged for almost a year but that's about to change in December when we say 'I do'." A small smile etched onto his face and his mother can really see that he loves this girl.

"Her name, Mr. Senator?" She chuckles a bit and so does Ephraim.

"Her name is Tarryn Dutchman and she's the-" His mother beat him to it.