Reconciliation of the Father and Son

(What did I tell you, Xavier? Everything would have been just fine if you just listened to me and exchange places with me. You could have had a peaceful life with your friends. But why didn't you listen to me? How prideful can you get, Xavier?)

That guy who looks exactly like me kept on appearing in my mind. What he said struck my heart. What would have happened if I just accepted his offer? Would I get the freedom that I deserve? Would everything he said could be possibly true?

All these questions, all of these regrets, but what can I do? I didn't have a choice. Should I just let them bother with them just because I want to be a selfish jerk who got them involved in a family problem that is needed to be solved?

These thoughts kept on hunting my mind, wondering what could have been the result if I just listened to what he said. However, let's go back to the day where everything ended. That day where the final judgment was announced. That day where I pleaded guilty to attempted murder, and the day wherein what the judge said struck a bullet to my heart.

After that day, I was brought to the prison for my term. In which I was sentenced to ten to fifteen years. The sight of the prison is much worse than I thought it would be, every inmate looking at you with their cold-blooded eyes.

Looking at me like prey in the jungle waiting to be devoured. I never thought that life in prison would be easier for me, but what I didn't know that my life here would be a living hell. From time to time, I thought of Augustine and my boss.

How are they doing right now? Are they alright? Do those bastards never touched them again? I dont know if I was worried or I was jealous because they are there outside of this chamber having freedom anyone could have ever wanted.

While here, I am stuck with some fellow prisoners who, by the day, bullied me ever since I got here. Three days after, here I am, sitting on a bench inside the basketball court staring at the clouds in the middle of the day.

Staring at how empty life in prison gets, this color orange uniform, and everything that they have here sucked. I just wanted to chill here below the sun looking at the clouds because what could an eighteen-year-old boy do in a place where many adults gather.

Not those responsible types of adults but those irresponsible ones, to be exact, all I can do while waiting for my term to finish. Is to keep on having a low profile away from the danger that these adults can cause. While sitting here on the bench, someone suddenly called my name.

"Xavier Carter, you have a visitor," one of the guards called me to inform me that I have a visitor.

(I doubt that it'll be Augustine and my boss since everything ended back in that day)

The guard escorted me to the visiting room, where barriers are separating the visitor and the prisoner who was called. Unlike in the station where I was detained, the security here is top-notch. Entering the room, I noticed that it sure is for a one-man per cubicle only.

I think that the walls are also soundproof that no one can hear the conversation between the visitor and the prisoners. This is kind of a good thing since if you are staying inside a prison, it is truly hard to trust someone. After all, they are all convicts.

However, when I entered the room, the person on the other side is someone I dont know. But when someone suddenly entered again, the guard informed me that I entered the wrong room. And the cubicle where my visitor is on cubicle number three, which is the last room.

When I opened the door of the room, I was surprised to see that the person who visited me is the person whom I least expected to come. It was my father. Seeing him on the other side of this glass barrier in front of us left me speechless.

"Why are you here? Why did you visit me? I think that this is the first time that you actually cared for me?" I asked him quite angrily.

Well, you cannot blame me for showing disrespect to him. He let his children torture my life without even thinking of how it'll affect me. He was never there for me when I needed him the most. Then I asked the officer that is waiting for me outside that I dont want to talk to him.

"Son, can you please talk to me, even if it's just for a little bit? he responded and begged me to have a chat with him.

"I dont know your deal, Dad. But what your sons did to me is something that should be blamed on you. I am also your son, but you never did anything to help me. You threw me away, and no one in that family ever loved me the way that mom loved me," I answered to his response filled with anger,

"When Mom left the house, I didn't know what I can do to make her return. Because if she returned, I could still probably take every mistreatment that your damned sons and my sisters did to me. She was the only person whom I can trust to be there when I need her, but because of the fight, you had with her. I was left with nobody to lean on," I added to my response, slowly getting soft.

"Whatever you say will not affect my decisions, Dad. I'm done with the family, and I'm done with you. Now, if you want to still have the remaining respect I have for you, please just leave and talk to me again," I also added to my response.

"Son, I'm sorry for everything," His response made me weak.

"What did you just say? Did you really think that a single sorry will fix everything that has happened to me? Will that apologies of yours help me get out of this prison? If only you just did your job as a father quite wonderful, then we wouldn't have this conversation, aren't we?" I answered his response while I felt that tears are slowly falling from my eyes.

"Son, I know that I have never been the best father you could ever wish for. I also let your brothers torture you without doing anything to make it right. Whatever I say, I know won't affect your decisions, but please, find it in your heart to forgive me, plus I won't stay long because I will leave the country," not the response that I wanted to hear, but it somehow gave comfort to the hatred that filled my heart.

"The only thing I wanted is to have a talk with you for one last time before I leave. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, and I wish that whatever troubles and obstacles you have to face in the future. I want you to know that there will be a father waiting for your calls and approval," he added to his response then left.

The officer heard the conversation I had with my father, and he let me cry inside the cubicle for about half an hour. This is the first time that I've ever had a deep talk with my father because I dont know if he was busy or not. But back when I was back in the house of demons, I have never had the chance to talk to him.

It left me thinking, why would my siblings hate me so much? When I've never done anything to them. However, while crying inside the cubicle I slowly fell asleep. And in my dreams, I heard his voice again in my head.

"That's the reason why others kept on stepping on you. Just because of a simple chat, you forgave them. May I just remind you that you weren't supposed to be here in the first place? Because of that stupidity you have, there will be a much more consequence you have to face in the future," the man whose has resemblance to my physical features stated.

"Now, if you still want to be that guy who can't protect himself, and let that weak heart of his to take charge of the decision in your life. Then you leave me no choice but to take that position away from you by force," he added to what he stated.

"You can never claim this body of mine. Yes, I may have a weak heart, but I have a strong will that will help me in times of need. So if you just want to pester me from that boring philosophy of yours, then you might as well just leave," I replied to the man in my dreams.