The Ex-Convict's Obsession

CHAPTER TWO •David I used to think that nothing could change the way we felt about each other. Even though when I went to jail, I wished for her to be happy. I did not mind if her happiness would cost me losing her. Somehow I thought it was I who made her most happy. I thought she would wait. Helen waited alright. She waited for this moment when we would see again, because all these years she had been building firm resolve around her fences. We are supposed to have a meeting in the main house and I'm just sitting on the bed, looking through my files for where it went wrong. When you spend so much time in prison, people see you differently. It does not matter if you were guilty or not, what everyone knows is that you have lived a different life. You have lived amongst rapists, murderers, hit men and you have lived like them. You are an exconvict. I don't blame anyone for seeing me differently. I am a different man because I have done things I would never mention to survive. I have

CHAPTER FOUR David I have felt out of place all night. If I'm being honest, I have never wanted to be in that little guest house like this moment. It's my party, but it's not my party. People come to greet me like they're giving condolences, like I'm grieving. They're careful with their words. They are using words like "sorry", "loss", "pain", "moving on". Who knows, the person that put me behind bars could be here too. He could be anyone. Anyone. Most of the people here, I don't know them. They all know me though and must have come just to see me, not because they care. They know what I did to be in jail. They know I was behind bars for four years. They know my wife is a popular writer who is sitting far away from me. She's in a green dress that bares her shoulders down to the rise of her breasts. I can imagine running my finger on the swell of her breast while she curiously stares back at me. I miss when I could hold her and touch her skin—her body, every inch of it. I want to g

CHAPTER SIXDavid"Uncle Davey, pass it." Cathie says, bouncing on her little feet.I roll the ball to her, she grabs it and runs to her other toys scattered on the lawn. I was not much of a play partner, so she could be tired of me. She runs back to me with the ball and when she's so close, she throws it at me where I'm seated on the lawn. Then she runs off."What do you want to be, Cathie?" I yell after. She stops at the sound of her name."Do you want to be a fighter, a runner, a stripper…" I quickly hold my head as something lands on it. Julie just threw a toy at me from the porch. "Don't spoil my daughter."Cathie follows her mother's steps and starts pursuing me with something to throw at me and that has us running around the place in circles until I turn around and she clashes into my hands. She's giggling uncontrollably when I throw her onto my shoulder and carry her to sit where her mum is on the porch.A smack lands at my back before I completely lower myself to the stairs.

CHAPTER EIGHTDavidCheers fill the air as Martin scores once again. I wince and move back holding a long neck beer in hand. I'm experiencing a dull ache inside my head and this place only worsens my state. Martin flashes his eyes around and when he spots me, he smiles and returns to his snooker game. He dragged me here after he picked me from the rehabilitation program Helen got me into. I don't feel like myself tonight, not just because of the way my body feels presently, but everything. It is all happening to me and it seems like it's not me. I would have called it a dream if I never held a toothbrush that was for hygiene and at the same time a weapon with a blade at its end in prison. I would have called it a dream if I was not stripped to be searched and butt naked, I stooped and coughed. It just hits me that as I walk into places I wouldn't have before, that my life has changed. This was happening to me. I sat in a room filled with ex prison inmates and listened as they shared

CHAPTER TEN David I would have thought Mrs Smith was in a bad mood or she was giving me ex-convict treatment if I didn't know better. She was one of those people who showed hard love. "You want to be a child so Helen can spoon food into your mouth," she says, setting up the BP apparatus. Helen is sitting on another cushion. My gaze rests on her and she moves her eyes away. Helen gets to her feet, wiping her hands on her sweat pants. "I'll be in the other house, Incase you need me." She is looking at Mrs Smith, not me. "Oh no, darling," Mrs Smith says, strapping my arm with the rubber cuff. "I need you now." Helen nods and sits back with her eyes moving about the place. I can tell she would rather not be here. I feel bad that I'm taking her away from other engagements she could have, but for a chance to stare at my wife without being at the receiving end of her anger, I will be sick again. Mrs Smith gets done with checking my blood pressure and she gives me a stern look. "You're