Teachable Moments

Chapter 7

Grant POV

"Thanks for doing this Bentley," I say to my brother’s best friend as we sign off on some

paperwork.

"No problem kid," says the brown-haired security guard. I was lucky enough to catch him off

duty today and fortunately he's pretty cool. "Just don't tell Kingsley about this yeah?"

I nod and pass the clipboard over the counter to the old lady behind it.

"I won't," I promise genuinely. I want us to be able to keep coming here and doing this.

Kingsley won't take me, so I'm just going to have to be resourceful from now on. He can be

selfish, but I won't let that get in my way.

"Come with me," the thick bellied officer next to the desk says walking to the less populated hall

to the left of the lobby.

Bentley stays behind as I follow, weaving through halls before ultimately coming to a thick

Steele door. The officer opens it, revealing a bland grey room with only a table in the center, an

officer on the back wall, and a prisoner cuffed to the table.

"Hey Mom," I greet.

Though no smile graces her features, her eyes light up. Her frizzy hair is ruffled, showing the

natural black strands beneath her dyed blonde over layer.

"Grant," she says in a slightly husky voice.

I'm sure she's still having a bit of withdrawal symptoms, but she's looking better than she has in a

long time. Her skin has some color to it, though it's more wrinkled than I remember.

I sit across from her and the door closes as the other officer waits in the hall.

"I know it's been almost two weeks, but Kingsley was being an asshole. He wouldn't bring me to

come see you and I needed to find an adult. How are you?"

She might not have been around much, but she's my mom. She shouldn't be in here.

"Oh, I'm still alive," she jokes with a small lift on the corners of her thin face. "I don't want you

to worry about me in here though. Its not that your brother is being an ass, it's that I didn't want

you to see me like this."

I raise a brow.

"I've seen you in worse states mom," I remind her.

She frowns, but nods anyway.

"I want to be completely better before you boys come to see me. I need to get my health back up

and be clean. When I get out of here, we'll have a ball," she says with such hope that I can't do

anything but grimace.

Fifteen years. What if we move? What if she gets moved? I want her to be healthy more than

anything, but there's no way it'll be the same as when Dad was alive whether she gets out or not.

I can't crush her hope, though.

"Is there anything I can do? You need anything? I think they let me get you money for

magazines and stuff."

My mom's eyes flash so quickly that it's like her whole face has a mini spasm.

Her eyes drift to the officer who moved walls, now communicating something with his partner

through the window.

"Well..." She starts, battling with herself before shaking her head.

"Mom," I assure, "if there's anything you need I'll get it for you. Don't you want a book or

something?"

I can't imagine sitting in a cell all day only to work on license plates and go to the gym every

now and then.

Her eyes move to the officer again before leaning forward.

"Maybe... Grant maybe you could just get a little bit of..." Then she mouths a word I hoped I

never hear come out of her mouth again.

Cocaine.

She must Instantly notice my disappointment as she becomes defensive.

"Only to help pass the time! Like you said, I need SOMETHING."

I shake my head and stand before she panicks, bolting out of her chair and rattling the cuffs as

her wild eyes beg me to listen.

"Just a little Grant! To take the edge off!"

I'm pulled away by an arm on my elbow, being taken out through the door while she yells after

me.

"Visits over," says the first cop Taking me back to where we came.

Bentley stands when he sees me come back and nods to the officer who drops me off.

"How'd it go?"

I shake my head as we start to leave the building.

"Bad," I say as we walk through the doors. "Really bad. She got herself hooked on some bad

shit."

He lets out a disappointed sigh.

"I'm sorry to hear that Grant," Bentley says as we head to his car.

"And I'm sorry I know a bunch of little liars," a deep voice says from behind us.

Bentley and I both turn around to see Kingsley leaned up against the brick wall of the jail with

his arms crossed.

"On a date," he says to Bentley. "And at the library," he says looking down at me with anger.

"Look man, I'm sorry-" Bentley start only to get cut off.

"-im not. You know they call me every time there's a visitor, right? Get back to work Bentley.

You have a double shift now."

Bentley looks ashamed, but nods as he goes to his car.

"What?" I ask as he sends fire at me through his gaze. "Gonna ground me?"

Kingsley is silent for a moment before his eyes turn soft and he shakes his head.

"We're going home."

He nods for me to come on and I drop my head, weary of the day and follow.

My brother arm rests on my shoulder as he leads us to the car, away from my mother who I seem

to have lost all hope in after only one visit.

I'm never going to get my mom back. I'll just be the weird kid with the big brother that everyone

adores.

I'll live in his shadow forever.