Page 24 of Redemption

The visit with my parole officer had gone well. He’d asked about the cuts on my face and I just said I’d gotten too excited to see a cat for the first time in twelve years. He didn’t buy it but didn’t push me so I could relax until my next visit ina few weeks.

I needed a job though. I needed an income so I could move out of that damn halfway house that stank and was depressing as fuck.

I wanted tolive.I wanted views that weren’t of the neighbors or the stained ceiling. I wanted to do something active and important. I just didn’t know what. Hence why I was going around town, begging someone to hire me, which wasn’t working out too great.

It was surprising that these small-town business owners didn’t want to take a chance on a criminal. I snorted at my own sarcasm. I couldn’t blame them, most of them knew who I was and what I had done without me having to disclose it. There was talk and side-eye everywhere I went. I was getting down on myself but this was all my own doing so there was no use in whining. I just needed to get on with it.

I put on my big boy pants and continued on down the street. I headed into the library, not that I even knew what to do in a library but I was a fast learner. With so much time on my hands in prison, I did a lot of reading. I learned more than I ever could at school. I learned about plumbing, electrics, even woodwork which I was especially keen to explore. Carving something with your bare hands, knowing it was you who put the work in and seeing the results of your efforts really called to me and I was desperate to give it a try.

But you needed tools. Which cost money. Hence, the library.

I stepped inside the big colonial-style red brick building. I’d been here as a teenager doing research for school assignments and the place hadn’t changed. Still had that musty smell and low lighting which led to a few romantic encounters here. I didn’t know what it was about the library and horny kids but there was onesection that was dubbed the make out row. Not that I really went down there, I’d only had two girlfriends and we didn’t get too hot and heavy. I got to third base with one of them but that was it.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice the petite woman who was carrying a tall stack of books in her arms and bumped straight into her.

“Oh!” she cried as the books tumbled down around her.

“I’m so sorry about that, I wasn’t paying attention,” I said, bending down to gather up the books. A ton of regency romance covers glanced up at me with characters in various stages of undress that had my cheeks heating like I was one of the horny teenagers disappearing into make out row.

“Uh,” I cleared my throat, handing the books back to her, not knowing what to say. I met her stare: striking amber eyes behind thick framed glasses. Her strawberry blonde hair was loose and wavy down her back. Her wide-eyed stare and gaping mouth gave me pause. Actually, there was something about her face, she looked a little familiar, but not.

“Are you okay, miss?”

“Errr…” came out and faded and then it hit me.

I took a step back. “You’re a Cartwright sister, aren’t you?”

Her mouth snapped shut and she nodded. “I’m August, second youngest.”

I suddenly felt hot all over and uncomfortable. “I’m guessing you know who I am?”

She nodded quickly, pushing her glasses back up her nose that was dusted with freckles.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’ll leave.” I turned, shaking my head. This wasgoing to keep happening now, I was going to bump into them and be faced with what I had done all over again.

“Wait!” she called, and I halted, turning slowly to face her. “You don’t need to run from me,” she said softly, almost squeaking the words out. She was a timid little thing. “I know who you are but, I also know that my father was visiting you.”

I nodded solemnly. “He was. I’m sorry that he’s gone. If you ever need anything…” I trailed off, shaking my head because what the hell would she, or anyone else, ever need from me?

“Thank you.” She smiled softly, and I couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t screaming abuse at me like Kat had. She wasn’t chasing me away or giving me strange looks or whispering about me. She was looking at me like I was a normal person.

“How long have you been out?” she asked, then bit her lip like she regretted it.

“Only a few days.”

“How are you finding life?”

I thought about it and nodded. “Good so far. But technology scares me, when did everything become touchscreen? And why do self-checkouts exist?”

August giggled. “I know, they’re infuriating.”

We chuckled then lapsed into an awkward silence and I decided to leave while I could.

“Well, I’d better get back to my books.” She raised her pile high and they wobbled before she gripped them tighter.

“Yeah, I should go.”

“Bye, Jack,” she said, with another soft smile.

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