Therapy Session (Mac Prison)

Twenty Three: Relief

The drive home for Trisha was an especially long one, and all the while she couldn't stop worrying about what the warden had told her.

"Trisha, a word, please." Jonathan requested from behind her, just as Jesus was getting taken away to the hospital.

Trisha turned to look at him, her heart still racing as the prison still burned, the firefighters still attempting to put it out. "Yes?" She asked.

"I've spoken to a prison upstate, and we're relocating there until the fire damage is repaired. Shouldn't take more than a month at the most. And, well, we still need our therapist." He explained, worrying his lip with his teeth.

"What are you saying?" Trisha demanded, maybe a little too harshly. After all, the fire...

"I'm just pitching an idea to you. I understand you have a family here, and that you'd probably rather be with them, but I'm just asking for you to consider coming upstate with the rest of the inmates. I can book you a hotel room nearby, and it's only a couple hours away from here." Jonathan explained, talking animatedly with his hands.

"B-but Michael and Hannah," Trisha mumbled, her mind instantly going to her tiny daughter. What would she do if her mother disappeared for an entire month?

"I understand completely. You don't have to, hell I'm sure there's another therapist there already. It's just..." Jon trailed off, glancing behind Trisha at the other inmates, some of which were patting Mac on the shoulder as their leader emerged, joking around with him. "Some of these men trust you, and I've seen improvement over their behavior."

Trisha glanced over her shoulder at Mac, who was shaking hands with Rick. Mac asked something, and Rick nodded once before having a brief man-hug. Trisha glanced at Jon and gnawed on her lip. Some of these people, Mac especially, needed her. She couldn't just abandon them for month - who knows what kind of trouble they'd get into? God, I sound like my mom.

"I need to talk with Michael first. I'll give you a call when I have my answer." She said, just as there was a large crackling sound, whipping Trisha's attention to the fire again. The roof had caved in. Lovely.

"I understand. Well I'm going to need your answer this week so I can book your hotel room. You'll most likely be staying with the rest of us." Jon explained, glancing at the other prisoners. "Well I need to load them up on the buses. I'll be expect a call soon!" He called, before walking over to the cluster of criminals before barking orders at them to line up for attendance.

And now Trisha was driving up her driveway, her heart heavy and pounding. She was nervous about Michael's reaction, and she didn't want to just abandon Hannah. But the inmates needed her too, Mac particularly. She had seen the way he consoled Jesus in the ambulance, and knowing him, he was going to stress out over it until she could talk to him. And maybe Michael and Hannah will be able to visit over the weekends. After all, it was only going to be for a month.

She got out of the car, but just as she shut the car door, Michael was emerging from the house, concern and immense relief clearly etched on his face. "Trish," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her tightly and burying his face into her hair. "A-are you ok?" He asked, his voice trembling a little.

"Yes," she whispered, hugging him tightly.

"God I heard about the fire, and you weren't answering your phone. I thought... I thought..." Michael let out a sniffle, kissing her cheek. "I love you Trisha. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Michael." Trisha mumbled, her mind still tumbling with her dilemma. God how would she bring it up to Michael? He was clearly scared as all hell for her, would he be ok with her leaving for a month? Of course not. But hell, she had to go. "Where's Hannah?"

"She's inside. Come on, I'll make dinner." Michael offered, draping an arm over her shoulders and leading her inside. "Hannah!" He called once inside. "Hannah your mommy's home!"

"Mommy!" Hannah squealed, running down the hallway with the pitter patter of tiny, uneven steps. Trisha broke away from Michael and dropping to her knees for her baby girl. Hannah ran straight into her mother's arms, squealing and she hugged Trisha. Trisha's lip quivered as she held her baby, giving her cheek kisses. Now her mind flashed to the actual fire. She'd heard the alarms, but was in the bathroom. When she left the bathroom, she'd searched frantically for an exit, but the main entrance was blocked off. She couldn't stop wondering what would've happened to her if Mac hadn't found the way out. She would've been killed, and then Hannah would need a new mother. How would Michael have reacted? Mourning of course, look at how he greeted her when she had arrived.

Hannah pulled away from Trisha, smiling broadly before giving her mother a quick kiss. "I wuv you!"

"I love you too, sweetheart." She murmured, brushing Hannah's hair back and giving her baby a kiss on the forehead. "Did you color today?"

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, running down the hall to her room.

Trisha smiled and stood up, heading into the kitchen where Michael was roasting some beef and vegetables while some rice was boiling. He glanced over his shoulder at her, smiling softly. "Stir-fry today."

"Yum." She said, smiling a little bit. Then she sighed heavily and sat down on the counter beside the stove and Michael. "Baby, I need to talk to you." She mumbled, looking down at her lap.

He glanced up, concern glazing his eyes. "What is it?"

She sighed and glanced down, biting her lip. Here it goes. "They want me to relocate to a prison upstate. Mr. Gray said he'd get me a hotel room for the next month, until our prison is fixed up."

Michael stared at her, shocked. "Trish - you have a family!"

"I know, but Michael, these inmates need me." She insisted. She'd already made up her mind a little, now her only problem was convincing Michael to go through with it. She needed to council Mac, and in a month, what all could happen?

"They need you? What about us? What about Hannah?" He demanded, dropping the spatula and turning to her.

"I can still see you! It's only a two hour drive!" She stated, hopping off of he counter. "It's not like I'm leaving you!"

Michael looked ready to make a sharp retort, but he just gritted his teeth and growled, grabbing the spatula and stirring the food again. "Fine. You wanna go? You don't have to ask my permission." He muttered, stirring roughly.

Trisha nodded softly. "Thank you."

Michael scoffed. "Whatever. You get Hannah on the weekends, though."

Trisha looked taken aback, surprised by Michael's choice. Jesus it was like they were getting a...

"Michael, I still love you. This is just work, though." She mumbled.

Michael sighed, but didn't answer. He kept stirring the stir-fry. Trisha sighed and went into her bedroom, past Hannah's room, who was still looking for her picture. "Hol' on Mommy! I almos' got it!" She exclaimed, browsing through her shirt drawer.

Trisha smiled softly. "Baby, Mommy has to make a call to work real quick, ok?"

"Okie!" Hannah squealed, running across her room and opening her desk drawer.

Trisha smiled and walked into her own bedroom, pulling her cellphone out. She sighed and stared at it. It's only for a month. You'll be with your family soon.

She dialed Jonathan's number and waited, gnawing on her lip.

*click* "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Trisha." She said. "I'm coming."