Healing Hailey

David

"Inmate 107439." The PA says. I instantly stand up, having already prepared as every day I get to the officer by the door in under ten seconds.

"Fast as always." He chuckles deeply. I cringe slightly. This man is head of my wing of the prison but he always smells of stale food and alcohol. The other inmates like him as he lets them break rules, I hear he also brings in drugs at the right price. He is shorter than me by a good few inches and is obese to put it lightly. I give him a small nod and he opens the door, letting me walk through to the officer on the other side.

"Hello Bryson." I smile as I see the officer. "You coming on this trip?" I ask him. He nods and blows his nose.

"Yeah, I've been placed as your escort from here on out." He says, he sneezes and I nod. "I just wish I didn't have this damn cold." He adds as he swipes his security card and we get to the van with the pastries. I enter a side room where I get changed into a white top and black trousers. It stops unnecessary attention. Either way it is nicer than the dirty green jumpsuit I have to wear the rest of the time.

Once changed I get in the driver's seat next to officer Bryson and I drive out of the prison. I put the radio on quietly as I drive. Officer Bryson and I are friends of a sort so we make good conversation.

We get to the bridge on the edge of town, telling me that we are halfway to the one bakery that will sell the prison's food. In a pause of my conversation with Bryson I hear a familiar song on the radio. I turn it up and smile. Take it on the run by REO speedwagon plays and I start to feel a lump form in my throat. I chuckle lightly as I feel my eyes water and tears fall at the corners of my eyes and rolling down my ears because of the smile lines.

"What's up man?" Bryson asks.

"This song." I say, shaking my head. "I haven't heard it in ages. My daughter and I liked this song along with others from this band. We played this on the night I was arrested." I say, now crying a bit more. Bryson gives me one of his clean tissues and I calm myself down.

"I'm sure you will see her again David, how long do you have left?" Bryson asks.

"Thanks to this job I am eligible for parole in eight years." I say. "She will have just turned twenty seven." I explain. "If I get paroled." I add.

"I'm sure you will, you are the best inmate and best man in that prison." Bryson assures me before coughing. I smile and pat him on the back. I park the van at the back of the bakery and I unlock the back doors.

"You stay in here, I don't want you passing out from carrying cakes with your breathing." I say. He laughs and nods. I jump out of the van and open the back properly.

"Can you sort out the delivery? I have to talk to the manager for a bit." John, the usual helping hand says inside the bakery. I wait at the back door with the first box. I hear the keys in the lock and soon the door opens.

"I think this one is lemon drizzle." I say as I read the label and the door opens. I put the box down and get my glasses out.

"You need glasses now?" I look up and my jaw drops.

"Hailey?" I ask.

"Dad." She smiles. I instantly hug her and she wraps her arms around my neck.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"I traced you." She shrugs, wiping a tear from her eye. "I watched you from that wall for a while. But I decided to get a job here so I could actually talk to you." She says. I laugh a bit and hold her again.

As I hold her I hear a song from the van. I look and see Bryson wave his phone. It is connected to the van and he is playing I Can't Fight This Felling. I smile at him and Hailey and I sway to the song.

"I love you sweetheart." I say as the song fades out.

"I love you too dad." Hailey says. I smile and we get the cakes out of the van. Once we are done Hailey takes a break and takes two pieces of cake. We sit in the back of the van and just talk.

"So, James seems nice." I say, after hearing Hailey talk about him consistently.

"He is." She says. "He convinced me to get this job, I was scared you would be mad at me." She says.

"Of course not sweetheart." I say. "I just wish I could meet him, make sure he is good enough for my daughter." I say as Hailey giggles. Hailey puts our paper plates away and comes back with a boy her age.

"Dad, he came to see me on my break." She says and turns to the boy. "James, this is my dad." She tells him. I shake his hand and I smile, good grip, confident but is slightly nervous.

"Nice to meet you." He says.

"Nice to meet you too." I say.

"David, we have to go." Bryson says sadly. I nod and give Hailey a hug and a kiss.

"See you soon sweetheart." I say.

"See you soon." She smiles.

Hailey.

Thanks to Officer Bryson my dad and I talk for ten minutes after every delivery. It has become the highlight of our days. He has promised me that he will do his best to get an early release, I promised that I won't get married until he can walk me down the aisle. James on the other hand said he would not wait that long to propose. All I know is that I have everything I will ever need, and I am finally happy again.