Jamie
"How was last night?" I asked Callie.
She was sitting on the couch with a mug of Coffee.
"Uh, very inspiring."
"Yeah?"
"Do you work for the sector of Anwei that builds Prisons? Is that why they brought you in on this?"
"Not-for-profit Prison, yeah."
"All Prisons are for profit."
I poured myself some Coffee in a mug.
"Corporations make millions off of food contracts,"
Callie got up off the couch.
"And phone calls, and, and Prison clothes, and all the cheap labor they profit from."
I took a sip of my Coffee.
"And-- And this concept of, uh, mental health Jail is just particularly cruel. It is a temporary fix to a crisis here in Los Angeles."
"Callie. This is just-- It's one area where we're gonna have to respectfully agree to disagree."
I grabbed my briefcase off the Kitchen Island.
I left for work.
Callie
I stared after Jamie.
Mariana and me were standing on the Balcony.
"So, Jamie and the other Lawyers are meeting with the tenants today, and they have no idea that they might build a Jail instead of Condos."
"Would it make a difference if they did?"
"I don't know. But I think they should have all the facts."
"What could you do?"
"I could tell Malika."
"Wouldn't that sort of be betraying Jamie?"
"Professionally, I guess."
"Look, is it worth potentially blowing up a relationship with someone you really love?"
I looked away.
"Well, I guess there's always an excuse not to do the right thing. Love being high on the list."
"You're in a really hard position. But I think that whatever you choose should be what you believe in the most. And I wouldn't blame you either way."
Mariana shook her head.
I smiled.
We walked back inside.
"Thank you for coming over."
"Thank you for calling me."
"Yeah, well, I needed to talk to my best friend."
We smiled at each other.
I decided I wasn't gonna call Malika despite my better judgment.
Jamie
The tenants accepted the offer.
"I guess I read your girlfriend wrong." Garrett told me.
"I guess so."
We walked off.
I was surprised Callie didn't do the right thing.
I opened our apartment door.
Callie was standing out on the Balcony.
Her phone screen was illuminating her face.
Callie's brown hair was blowing because of the wind.
She put her phone away.
I opened the door.
I closed it behind me.
I stood next to Callie.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Getting air. Thinking."
"Mm."
"I actually talked to my Sister earlier."
"Huh. Imagine that."
"She convinced me to do the wrong thing. I could've done the right thing. I've been taught to do the right thing. I've also learnt the hard way. None of my siblings have seen the inside of a cell. Mostly because Stef kept them out of trouble. With mine and Lena's help."
"Mm."
She looked away.
"I keep thinking if I do the wrong thing, I'm gonna revert to my old self. I was shut off due to losing my mother. I don't wanna be that person again."
I wrapped my arms around Callie.
She relaxed against me.
"That's not gonna happen. I know you battle demons I can't begin to understand. But you used those experiences to strengthen yourself and turn yourself into the best version of you."
"It's so peaceful out here."
"Yeah."
