NINE MONTHS LATER:
My eyes snapped out at the loud sound of a cell door being close. I sit up from the hard metal bed and hold onto my thin blanket as I look around my six by six feet single cell room. All I see is a two metal table like pieces coming out of the wall, one as a table and the other as a chair. The cold metal toilet attached to the wall. The smell of urine faintly in the air I breathe. The six months I've been here are not enough to get used to this place.
Many things have changed the last few months. Apart of losing my child and brother I am have been stuck in a prison cell. I wasn't even able to go to their funerals and say my last goodbye. If my life was a mess before now it's fucking worse.
Diablo and my parents have been working so hard to get me out of this place. The final saying of the judge was for me to do six months and a fine of 15,000 dollars through payments. I complete my six months today meaning I get out and I couldn't feel more relieved. Prison is just like it's described in documentaries you see on tv. Thankfully though I wasn't beat up or anything like that. I managed to hold my ground.
"Veronica Mendoza," the voice of the familiar African American guard startled me out of my thoughts.
I slide off the metal bed and walked towards her. My hands grabbed onto the metal bars as I tensely look at her already having an idea of what she's going to say.
"Congratulations, you're going home," she said with a smile.
I smile back feeling so relieved.
"Now step back with hands behind your back," she commanded as she opened my cell.
The guard escorts me through gates that were unfamiliar to me. If some prisoner or I even had walked through these gates a guard would've aimed his rifle and shot them. Thank god today is the day of my release. I walked alongside the guard toward the area where I would be processed out of the prison.
About thirty minutes later I walked out of the prison to the parking lot where my dad is currently waiting. I was dressed in the same clothes I came in only they were cleaned without any blood stains.
Once I was outside I anxiously looked around the lot full of cars looking for him. I haven't seen him, mom, or Geo the entire time I've been here, they just couldn't, emotionally. We would only talk through the phone.
"Ronnie!" I hear Diablo's voice.
I look over and see him already running my way leaving my poor crying dad behind.
"Diablo," I sob as I brace for him.
I felt a rush of happiness I hadn't felt in ages. It felt like an instant high. All those feelings I had worked to bury away immediately came surging back. I buried my face in his neck, rocking back and forth.
"I miss you, I miss us," I murmured purposefully into his cheek.
He puts both his hands on my cheeks and smiles then gives me a peck on my lips. I smile at him before throwing at my dad next.
"I'm so sorry, pa," I sob.
"Sh, everything's okay now. I don't want you to blame yourself for anything, okay? I want to see you happy just like you used too. It's hard I know but we are all here for you," he tells me then places a kiss on my forehead.
I nod with a smile.
"Where's mom and Geo?" I asked once we started walking to the car.
"They're at home. They couldn't come because she had to go fix something for Geo for him to go back to school," my dad answers nervously.
