Daughter of a Dixon ✔️

35: Last Goodbye

A little later in the day, I heard a strange ripping sound coming from one of the upper cells. Curious, I went to investigate, and was oddly not surprised when I saw my uncle ripping up one of our mattresses with his metal arm.

"We sleep on those," I said, walking and leaning up against the door frame.

He chuckled, and looked over to me. "Just lookin' for some vacation, sweetheart. The best dope I ever found was hidden in a mattress."

"I'll bet so," I said, internally rolling my eyes.

"Yep... your daddy found some whiskey in one when he spent some time in the slammer... best damn alcohol I ever had."

I stiffened at the topic, and couldn't help but to ask the question plaguing my mind. "... Why'd Dad go to prison, Uncle Merle?"

A smirk crossed his face before he exhaled sharply through his nose; a quiet chuckle. "Not sure he'd want me tellin' you that, Sids."

"Why not? Is it really that bad?"

"Nah, it ain't nothin' terrible. Just somethin' he ain't too proud of... We all got things we ain't too proud of, Sidney. Hell, even a person as cold as me has regrets."

"What do you regret?" I asked softly.

I heard him sigh slowly, and for a long time, he was quiet. Then, he looked me in the eyes, and I could tell that he was completely sincere.

"Every scar I ever left on you an' my baby brother."

Out of all the things he could've said, I didn't expect it to be that. I was forced myself to look at the ground; if I was going to cry, I certainly didn't want my uncle to see it.

"Does it help to know that I forgive you?" I asked quietly, still looking at the cell floor.

"Yeah, sweetheart... helps a lot," he told me, nodding his head. "But, that ain't an excuse for me to not try and make everythin' right. And I gotta do that."

Then, he stood up, and made his way to the doorway. "Do me a favor, kid. Tell Rick I said Imma take care of the trade for him, get everythin' sorted out. And, you tell your daddy... that I said I'm sorry, and I mean it. Okay?"

I looked up to him, and silently nodded. I wasn't sure what he meant by "the trade," but I knew it was useless to ask.

Then, he placed a careful hand on my head, and smiled softly down at me. "Thanks, darlin'."

I couldn't stop myself; carefully, I took my uncle in an embrace. I heard him chuckle, surprisingly, and I felt his arms go around me. I was glad that, for once, he disregarded the motto.

After a second, I broke away from him, and he smiled at me as he walked out of the cell.

He stopped at the stairwell, and nodded to me. "Bye, Sidney."

For some reason, tears were welling in my eyes as I smiled at him. "Bye, Uncle Merle."

He nodded, and began descending the stairs. A tear fell from my eye when he was out of sight, but I quickly wiped it away.