“Rein, why are you avoiding me? Did someone bully you in the prison?” Her voice was rough, as if something was stuck in her throat.
I tried several times to pull my hand away, but failed. So I answered lightly, “No.”
She let out a breath of relief and held on tighter. “That’s good. I read online that prison is a terrible place. As long as no one hurt you then…”
Looking at her relieved face and her reddening eyes, I laughed bitterly in silence.
Sister, weren’t you the one who tried every possible way to send me into jail? Why care now? What’s the point?
Renata forced a smile and pulled me toward the car all the while trying to please me. “You always liked lively occasions, right? I prepared a welcome-back dinner for you. Come! let’s go home.”
I turned back to look at the prison one last time before leaving.
While I was jailed, I met a new sister. Her name was Rosetta Skylar. She had been falsely accused of financial fraud and still had one month left before release. We already agreed that I would pick her up then and we’d live together.
As I was thinking of my late father’s belongings at home, I finally settled into my sister’s car.