Freedom of Love (Letter From Home #2)(12)

I showed her the locker where she could store her few possessions and the only other door in the room, for the toilet. “This is a minimum security facility as you know, so we get privacy to use the toilet. When someone’s not in there, the door must stay open and the guards are allowed access at any time.” Seeing her eyes widen with fear, I added, “But as long as the door is usually open, they never bother us.”

By the time we were walking down the long hall to the cafeteria, Cynthia had relaxed slightly but I noticed her gaze shooting around, taking everything in. Jackie and Ellen were working the food line so I made rushed introductions.

I introduced her to others sitting near us at the table, hoping to alleviate some of her fear, but it wasn’t hard to see how overwhelmed she was. The others at the table made faces behind her back, but I knew as long as she minded her own business, she wouldn’t be bothered. I had been like her and hated to think how jaded I had become. She pushed her food around the tray and I leaned over to whisper, “Better eat while you have it. Not too many chances for a snack around here.”

I smiled to soften my words, but I could see her nerves were still taut. Shrugging, I knew I’d done all I could, but nodded in approval a few minutes later as I saw her eating more.

Cynthia was still quiet as we lay in bed when lights went out later, and I awoke during the night, hearing her softly crying. Yeah, the loss of freedom hits hard.



“Have you got another box for me to take?” Susan asked. “I thought I’d drop it off this weekend.”

Nodding, I smoothed my hands over the packing tape on the box. I noticed Susan leaning over and staring at the box label. “Kanadar MWR? What’s that?”

Blushing slightly, I said, “The soldier who emailed me said that if I put this on the label he might get the box to his station. I didn’t know what it meant so I looked it up. Kanadar is the military base in Afghanistan and MWR stands for Morale, Welfare, and Recreation. So if I label the box this way, it will get there.”

Susan stood straight, her eyes pinning me again, a smile curving her lips. “So you have continued to correspond with this soldier?”

Sucking in my lips, as my blush flamed deeper, I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. It’s been nice to talk about books and learn a little more about him.”

“Did you decide to tell him about your situation?”

Jerking back, I exclaimed, “Oh, no way! I’ll never meet him and if he found out I was in prison…well, I think it would be best if he doesn’t know.”

“Your choice,” she said, patting my shoulder. Picking up the box, she walked out of the library, leaving me staring in her wake.

The talk of Sergeant Molina had me move over to the computer to see if anything new had come in. To my pleasure, there was a new email.

Molly,

I realized that I don’t know your last name. I’d like to know more about you if you’re willing to share.

In answer to your questions, I work with the unit that goes out in helicopters to pick up injured service people or Afghans and bring them back to the hospital here. The work is intense and while I like what I’m doing and the people I serve with, I am looking forward to getting out of the Army after this tour is over in the fall.

Thanks for telling me about reading to your grandmother. That must have been a special time. I’m more of a loner, so reading is the perfect pastime for me. I’d like to hear more about your family. My mom’s a kindergarten teacher. I’ve got a brother and also a sister who’s married and has two boys of her own. I grew up on a farm in southwest Virginia and will probably head back somewhere close to there when I leave here. My dad still works the farm but he’s sold off part of the land and has a much more manageable acreage to take care of now.

I’ll be anxious to get the next box of books from you. I’ve warned the MWR workers to be on the lookout.

Talk to you soon,

Brody

I stared at the email for a long minute, especially his signature. Brody? He signed off as Brody! Feeling a warmth rush through me that I had not felt in a long time, my fingers quickly clicked my reply on the keyboard.

Brody,

Thanks so much for the email. I can’t believe you lived in Virginia. I grew up outside of Charlottesville. The books were just taken today to the nearest Army base so I don’t know when you’ll get them. Remember to look for the latest mysteries! I can’t wait to hear more about you flying in helicopters!

Molly Thurston

Signing off the computer, I checked my account balance. I had to pay for internet access unless taking a class, so I made a note to add more to my account. I longed to be able to check Facebook to see if he had a profile picture, but was unable to access social media. Sighing heavily, I stood up as I prepared to head back to my cell, deciding it was okay not to know what he looked like. Smiling as I walked down the brightly lit hall, I thought of my completely secret pen-pal.





Chapter 6




(June – Brody)


God, what am I? Fifteen? Unable to talk myself out of what I was doing, I scrolled through Facebook, looking up Molly Thurston. Using Virginia as a filter, I found her thumbnail picture. Clicking on it, her face suddenly illuminated my screen. Fuck! She was not what I had expected at all!

Dark curls framed a heart-shaped face with big blue eyes staring at the camera. Her wide smile showed white teeth, perfectly straight except for a cute, little, slightly crooked incisor. According to her birthday she was twenty-four, soon to be twenty-five. A little young for me—f*ckin’ hell, where did that thought come from?