Bank Robber's Bitch

T W E L V E

"Let me see how it looks!" I yell at Ryan from the bed, my legs tucked underneath me.

Louisa and I had talked about sewing and turns out she loved it. She helped me make a jacket and I begged Tony to buy fabric and now I was feeling giddy about seeing Ryan in a jacket I made that he could possibly wear to his girlfriend's prom.

I scream when he comes out of the bathroom and run towards him to inspect it more. This had been my project for the past week and after sketching something I'd done before, putting it together was the difficult part.

"I like it Madison." He says looking at himself in the mirror, doing weird lip licking poses.

"You look so handsome! Tony doesn't he look handsome?" I turn around and ask Tony who's been silent the whole time.

"Mm-hmm." He says and exits the room without another word.

I nod and turn around to see Ryan looking down at me in pity.

I clasp my hands in front of me and with a smile say, "I'm so glad you like it."

He doesn't say anything- just pulls me in for a hug. I hurriedly wipe the tears from the disappointment and rejection from Tony. I hug him back then pull away, sniffling and reaching for the box of tissues.

"I'm just happy that you're happy." I say trying to smile but just end up nodding.

Ryan sits beside me, and I fling myself back and look at the ceiling.

"He isn't always a dick." He says.

I laugh humourlessly and murmur "I beg to differ".

"He's a good person. You just have to get to know him."

"That's because you're his brother. I'm the girl his brother took that he has to now be responsible for and have around 24/7." I say with a sigh.

He leans back onto the bed too, also looking at the ceiling.

"The police found your cell phone in the minivan. He's scared he's going to go back to prison and me with him. He's also scared that the farm will fall to shit and that he's going to lose you as well." He tells me in a hushed voice. I get the feeling that he's not supposed to be telling me this.

"I-I...I don't know what to say to that." I admit honestly. I can't lie and say that I haven't dreamt about this since I first got here.

He shrugs and gets off the bed and I sit up.

"I'm wearing it to the prom." He says referring to the jacket. I smile gratefully and nod my head.

"Call him in here, please." I ask of Ryan when he's about to exit the room.

***

"It doesn't matter." He says with a shrug.

"Tony, don't shut me out like this." I beg him grabbing his hand and looking up at him. I pull him over to the bed and sit him down.

"Now I know you blame me fo-" He cuts me off.

"I don't blame you for anything." He interjects.

"I'm just..." he trails off. "Fuck!" he yells out loudly, running his one hand that isn't in mine down his face.

He walks over, sitting on the edge of the bed. His elbows on his thighs, his hands covering his mouth and his eyes red. I can tell he's holding back his tears.

"Ryan can't go to prison." He mutters shaking his head "no".

I nod and walk over to him, kneeling in front of him and taking his hands in mine.

"Tell me what to do and I will do it." I say looking into his blue eyes.

"Just kiss me for now." Is his response.

At that moment, everything felt okay and that worried me.