Checkmate Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Freedom

"It's your big day, Miss Stone!" the warder announced cheerily. "How do you feel?" With an impressive rattle of iron keys that Monica had always supposed to be for show, the warder unlocked the door and swung it open on raspy hinges.

"A bit nervous... I guess," Monica smiled wanly. "It's... it's been a long time."

"Hm... not too long, compared to most," the warder shrugged. "Only eight years. There's some in here for life! I'm glad that wasn't the case with you, though. You're a pretty little thing... and a nice girl too. You deserve some good in life."

The warder led Monica down the familiar gray halls with the matting of bright blue. She stopped at the doorway to fumble yet again with her keys and Monica looked over her shoulder, taking in for the last time the drab and dreary rows of cells with their iron bars and cement walls. With a shudder, she snapped back, following the warder into the small room on the other side of the door.

"Here, your things are all in here," the warder handed her a brown paper package labeled with her name and inmate number. "Go ahead and get changed and then I'll take you into the office for your release forms."

Monica felt her hands shaking as she slowly opened the package. How long had it been since she had worn anything other than these rough prison uniforms of bright orange? A sky blue dress... the material felt silky soft beneath her fingers. Never mind that it was only a twenty dollar dress from the local department store. It was beautiful. And the sweater... pale grey and seeming luxurious. The shoes... only fifteen dollar flats... and they were suddenly beautiful too. She felt tears in her eyes as she slipped them on. She felt suddenly... human again. Almost like... like a girl again.

Monica signed the release forms and accepted gratefully the envelope of cash that was handed over from her prison wages. Money... how funny it all seemed... she hadn't held money in her hands for the past eight years.

"Congratulations, Miss Stone," the officer reached across the desk to shake her hand. "You're a free woman now. Be wise with your freedom... don't do anything you'll regret. I don't want to have to see you here again."

"Yes, sir." Monica answered quietly, knowing there was no need to protest. Of course she wouldn't be doing anything to land her in this nightmare again!

"Do you have a place to go? Any family close by?" the officer pressed further. Monica pressed her lips together in frustration. Truth was, she didn't know where to go. The only family she had left was her brother... and he was a quadriplegic. But she was trusting in God... and how thankful she was that she had found Him... only three short years before.

"I... I'll get by all right," she answered, trying to add a note of confidence to her voice. "Thank you."

"All right, then. That's it, Miss Stone! Just through those doors and then on to a new life." As he turned to the doors, Monica bent her head in silent prayer. There was no way she'd make it without God's help... and lots of it. Then... with a deep breath... she lifted her head and stepped through the doors into the lobby of the prison.

For a moment, she glanced around the room, wondering where next to go. She was on her own now and, although the feeling of freedom felt so good, freedom somehow isn't worth quite as much when you're alone. But then she glimpsed a familiar face across the room and her heart skipped a beat.

"Jason?"

"Hello, Monica." He moved forward, smiling.

"I... I didn't expect to see you here..." she faltered, blinking back tears.

"I know," he grinned. "I hoped to surprise you."

"Well you certainly did at that! And... oh, Jason, flowers? But... this isn't Valentine's Day, you know. Or my birthday."

"No. This is much better," Jason handed her the bouquet. "This is the day you're being set free. Physically, that is. Spiritually... you've been free for a long time."

"Lilies," Monica smiled, burying her face in the white blooms, breathing in their fresh, sweet fragrance. "Oh Jason, they're lovely!"

"Are you ready to go?"

"Go?" Monica questioned. "I'm more than ready. If I never see this place again... But... what do you..." she stopped, uncertain how to finish.

"I'm taking you back to Odyssey." Jason answered. "That is, if that's where you want to go. Your brother has been looking forward to your return for ages!"

"I've missed him so," Monica smiled faintly. "It was so good of you to bring him to visit every once in a while. Jason... if it hadn't been for your visits... I don't know what I'd have done!"

"Pine away, I suppose," Jason teased. "Come on. My car is parked out front."

"But... I don't have a place to stay in Odyssey anymore..." Monica hung back.

"Not a problem." Jason took her arm in his and guided her out the door. "We've plenty of places you can stay. Connie, the Basset's, the Allen's, the Meltsner's... any one of them would be happy to have you over until you were able to get a place of your own. And we'll figure all that out in due time. But for now... we'll go see your brother and then it's back to Whit's End."

oOo

Author's Notes:

Monica Stone was a minor character introduced during the Novacom Saga. She worked as a spy for Novacom until she realized what they were trying to do and turned against them, testifying in court before being arrested and sentenced. She had gone undercover as a missionary intern with Jason, who was falling in love with her, before he realized that she was trying to steal information from him. At the end of the saga, just before she goes to prison, he tells her that he's proud of her for standing up for what was right. He also promises to visit her in prison. She asks him if he'll bring her flowers, to which he answers, "Maybe on Valentine's Day."