What Would've Happened

Why?

I waited inside the county jail. I was sitting on one of the sofa cushions. I was waiting for a lady to finish her business. I gazed down at my feet.

Why? How could Mac do this?

I wiped away a tear just as a guard entered the room. "Angie Smith?" I stood up, clutching my purse. "Follow me, ma'am." He ordered, turning around.

I followed him into the cells. Several people were in the cells, some passed out from partying too hard, others just sitting, waiting for someone. Finally, we got to the end of the hallway. All alone in his little cell, was Mac. He was staring down at his feet.

"Flanery! You got a visitor." The guard stated. Mac didn't look up. The officer turned to me. "I don't think he'll talk today, Miss."

"I'll try to." I declared. The officer nodded, and walked back down the hallway. I turned to Mac, tears beading in my eyes.

"How? How could you?" I demanded. He still didn't answer. "Mac!"

"I did it fer you an' the baby!" He shouted, glancing up at me.

"How's you getting arrested gonna help any? How the hell and I gonna raise a baby by myself?" I demanded.

"I dunno. Go back to Colorado? Live your life before you met me." Mac suggested.

"How the he'll am I gonna go up to my parents and explain," I gestured to my stomach, "this?"

"Tell 'em ya got kidnapped an' raped." Mac muttered, looking back down at his lap. I'll admit; it was the truth.

"Mac I've been missing for months. I should be very pregnant by this point." I stated, placing a hand on my stomach. Our baby was growing inside it. Didn't he care?

"You're smart. You'll figure out a good excuse." He mumbled.

Tears ran down my face. "Do you hate it? Is that why you're leaving?" I asked, my voice coated with sobs. Mac's head immediately shot up.

"Of course not! I'm doin' this cause I don' wan' our baby to be on the run. It ain't right. They should be able to be free, run 'round the house naked." Mac stated, standing up. I shook my head.

"You hate it! You hate me!" I sobbed, covering my face with my hands. Mac went up to the bars, and gently grabbed my wrist. He pulled me closer to the cell, until he was able to awkwardly wrap me in his arms.

"Angie, don' say that. Ya know it ain't true. An' I don' wanna go to jail either."

"Then why'd you do it?"

"Cause it was right. You an' the baby are gonna be happier like this." Mac stated.

"I'm not. And the baby will never see its father." I pointed out. "And the father will never see it."

Mac nodded. "I know." Then he broke away. Kneeling down, his face was in front of my stomach. I watched as Mac reached through the bars, and placed one of his giant hands on my stomach. "Hi, kiddo. Now you listen to me closely; you take care of yer mom fer me. Make her the happiest woman on earth. Yer mom is the most amazing, beautiful person on the planet." He mumbled against my belly. Then he gave it a small kiss. More tears came rolling down my face.

Suddenly, the guard entered the cells again. As he approached us, Mac stood up.

"Miss, your time is up." He declared. I nodded, and turned to Mac. Grabbing the bars, I whispered; "I love you."

Mac nodded. "I know."

Those two words were enough to shatter my heart.

Mac:

The look on Angie's face pained me. A look of betrayal, pain, and horror spread across her face when I said "I know". But I had to. I didn't want Angie to try to convince me to leave. Angie turned around, tears running down her cheeks. I watched as she and the security officer left the cells.

"I love you too."