Jailbird Tango

Part 17 - Hummingbird

I hugged my jacket closer to me, still keeping a grip on the box. I brought more cookies, chocolate chip this time, along with the shiny new chain wrapped nicely in the jewelry store packaging.

The Warden snatched the box from my hands, getting really close to my face.

'YOU again? SON, you're a persistent one. It's hard NOT to be suspicious.' He looked at me, squinting.

'Uhm, I'm just visiting my cousin sir.' The lie sounded so much like the truth. He let out a sigh and handed the box to a nearby guard, whilst I was led into the visitation room again. This time, I was so early that only two other prisoners were chatting to their visitors. I sat down at the usual booth, phone in hand, waiting for Yancy to shuffle out of the corridor. He was pulled along by a guard, his head down. Silently he sat in the chair, staring holes into the counter top. It was like he was refusing to look at me.

I couldn't hear anything until he picked up the phone. He looked like a kicked puppy. It slipped out of my grip as the guard practically tossed the nicely wrapped box onto the bench, letting it rattle about. There was nothing I could do. I hoped that nothing was broken.

He picked up the phone, hand shaking slightly.

'I wasn't expectin youses.' He said quietly, voice more gravelly than what I remembered it being.

'Why wouldn't I? A deal's a deal.'

'Yeah. Is this, for me?' He looked down the at present, still refusing to meet my eyes.

'Yes Yancy.'

He slowly put the phone down and opened the box. His eyes lit up and glazed over slightly at the cookies, but a single solitary tear trickled down his face and into his beard once he opened the jewelry box. He looked up, with the smallest smile on his face. He had a black eye! That entire half of his face was bruised!

I dropped the phone, letting it dangle for a second, murmuring apologies to the guards around and the other visitors who all seemed to stare at me at once. Yancy picked up the phone with a confused frown

'Sorry.' I muttered, as I placed the phone to my ear.

'What was that all about huh?'

'Nothing, I just. Do you like it? The gifts?'

'I aint tellin youse nothin, till you tells me what that was all about.' He said firmly, a playful edge returning to his voice.

'Uhm I just. Dropped the phone?'

'I may be in prison, but I ain't stupid.'

'Sure,' I chuckled, 'It's just your face, it surprised me. What happened?'

Yancy let out another chuckle, 'Oh that. It's nothin.'

I blinked in disbelief but just decided to go with it. I had to try and progress a little further with the persuasion to get Dark off my back if I wanted to go home anytime soon. Why did that make me feel guilty?

'Are you cold?' I asked as he kept shivering.

'Prison may be luxury, but it's luxury without much heatin. I'm used to it. The others really liked the cookies, so they'll be happy that youse brought more. And uh,' he used his free hand to scratch the back of his neck. 'And ah, thanks for ah bringin me the necklace. I'd thought youse woulda forgotten.'

'How could I forget? And just one second.' I put down the phone, smiling as he looked at me in confusion. Shimmying off my denim jacket, I pulled off the black and white sweater, leaving just my grey henley underneath. It would be cold on the walk home, but it was still better than a tshirt. I gestured for a guard to come over, which he did. An eyebrow raised.