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Carter
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Tuesday afternoon,I’m knee-deep in a pile of invoices that need to be signed when my phone rings with an unknown number.
“Carter Lockwood,” I answer.
“This is a call from an inmate at the Colorado State Correctional Institution. If you—” I cut off the robotic voice and hit1on my keypad.
“Hi, Eric. What’s up?”
“I have super good news. Taryn isn’t in there by chance, is she?” he asks.
“No, but I can get her. Hold on.” I use the instant messenger feature on the computer like I have before to send her an IM:Get into my office stat. Eric’s on the phone.
“I just sent for her. Hopefully she hurries her butt along, I know you only have a few minutes.”
“Yeah, I’m on my lunch break actually,” he says.
“What part of the prison do you work in again?” I ask.
“Laundry,” he replies. “We get thirty minutes to eat in the mess hall but I thought I’d call you instead. It’ll be easier to tell the both of you at once instead of waiting for a phone after work when all the dudes are on the phones. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” he says.
“Nah, I’m always busy but it’s all good. I hope you didn’t skip a meal for this,” I say.
“I have commissary food in my locker. I’ll eat a beef stick and some crackers before I head back into laundry,” he tells me.
Just then, my door opens and Taryn walks in. “There she is,” I announce.
“Hi, sis,” Eric says through speakerphone.
“Hey, bro! This is a nice surprise. How are you?”
“I’m great,” he answers. “I have good news.”
“Spill!” Taryn squeals, looking at me excitedly.
“Well, instead of March, I’m getting out in November. I’ll be home for the holidays!” he announces, sounding so fucking happy.
“Oh, my God!” Taryn says, her eyes filling with tears. “That’s so great, Eric!”
“Yeah, man. I’m happy for you. We’ll definitely be celebrating.”
“How did this happen?” Taryn asks, taking a tissue from the box I offer her.
“My caseworker looked at my file and stated since I’ve had no incident reports, good behavior, have held down jobs since I’ve been here, and that I also have a clean release plan with a home and a job, that I had extra good conduct time. She recalculated it for me, which shaved like 122 days off my sentence.”
“That’s amazing. Tell her thank you for us, will you?” Taryn says.
I realize she saidus, as if she was speaking for both of us (and she was) but I hope Eric doesn’t catch it.
“I definitely will.”
He pulls the phone away as he listens to something being announced over the intercom.
“Hey, I gotta go back to work, but... Carter?”
“Yes,” I answer.
