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And what that grin did to his face was amazing. That smile transported Gia to another time, another place where it was just the two of them. The ugly orange jumpsuit faded away, the crowded room, the hard metal chairs blurred until it was just him and her. Riker naked, his strong body covering hers. Riker holding her close, Riker beside her, Riker on top of her—Rikerinsideof her. His mouth…that mouth…Gia’s eyes focused on his full lips and even white teeth. Then she bit her lip and let out a soft sigh of longing.
“Holy fuck, Gia, do not look at me like that.” Riker groaned.
It took every effort she had, but Gia forced herself to look away fromthat mouth.Then with steely determination she leaned in as close as she dared to Riker and whispered, “We have got to get you out of here.”
“Oh yeah? You got a plan?” Riker leaned in too and whispered back at her. Then, because she wanted to keep seeing that grin on his face, Gia said saucily, “How about if I divert that gnarly looking guard over there by pulling up my shirt and flashing him?”
She flushed magenta when the prisoner at the next table turned from his conversation, smiled broadly at Riker and gave Gia a thumbs up.
“Mind your own damn business, Spider.” Riker growled.
After that, the time seemed to go by at the speed of light. By silent agreement they worked hard to keep the tone light.
Much too soon, a guard came over and handed Gia back her card, a silent signal to the end of the visit.
“So…uh…see you next visitor’s day. If you’re still here that is, I bet you’re home before that, though. I bet you’re home really,reallysoon…then we can get the baby’s room ready together. But if it takes a little longer, that’s okay too. I’ll just drive in with Prosper every week until your release date…” Gia’s face grew hot as she heard herself babble. Saying goodbye was awkward, uncomfortable, and heartbreaking.
“Gia, no matter what happens, you won’t be coming back here.”
A cold dread filled her heart.
“Yes, I will.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You won’t.”
“I’ll see you next week.” She moved away from him to end the conversation.
He grabbed her arm.
“Hands off!” The guard bellowed from the corner.
“Gia, I won’t put your name on the visiting list again.”
“Don’t do this to me.” She pleaded.
“Baby, I’m doing thisforyou.” Riker told her. Then he added with reassurance, “but like you said, I’ll probably be home in a few days anyway.”
“Okay. Okay.” Gia nodded in agreement, determined not to have this visit end in angry words. They could revisit the visitation issue at another time— if they had to.
“In the meantime, is there anything I can do?”
“Just take good care of yourself and our baby.”
Gia nodded wordlessly, she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“Inmates, line up!” The correctional officer bellowed out to the room.
Then, while their loved ones looked on, the men in the neon jumpsuits were all shackled together like cattle to slaughter. Then they were led out into hallways of cold, hard concrete and thick steel bars.
Much, much later, a totally exhausted and emotionally overwrought Gia crawled into bed. How could she be this tired and still unable to sleep? Her mind kept racing with thoughts of the day— like flashes of explosive light, the images drained her and sent shockwaves through her system.
Over the years Gia had wondered if her mother and father had done her justice not ever bringing her to see her father behind prison walls—she had wondered if those visits would have somehow filled a void in her. But now those unresolved questions were answered. In many ways going to see Riker today had shed light on a multitude of things. Things that Gia hadn’t known, and could not have known, if she hadn’t experienced the day for herself. For one thing, she hadn’t known that the visit would be a whole day’s journey into the scary and unknown, or that it would leave her so emotionally and physically drained.
As Gia tossed and turned, she thought of the throngs of people she had seen at the prison that day. They had numbered in the hundreds and had waited in line for hours just to get a chance to spend a few precious moments with their loved ones.
Loved ones.
Those two words hit Gia like a sledge hammer to her heart and had her sitting up in bed.
