As Jasper left the prison, he instinctively reached into the breast pocket of his faded jacket and retrieved a pair of sunglasses. The lenses were slightly scratched, but still serviceable. Perched on his nose, they dimmed the overwhelming daylight as he squinted, his eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness of a world forgotten.

  Descending the concrete stairs of the prison's exterior, he was met by an exuberant figure sprinting towards him. "Jay!" the woman cried, her voice a cocktail of excitement and disbelief. He barely had time to register her before she reached him, pressing her lips against his in an impromptu kiss.

  It was her—the girl with the butterfly neck tattoo. Christy. The mother of his child. She was unchanged, except for the lines of time subtly tracing her skin.

  During his time inside, he’d perfected his puppeteering of her emotions, jerking the strings of her hope whenever he felt his own grip slipping. Like a faucet, he would turn it on only when the isolation became too loud, then cutting it dead for months. But as his release date loomed, he’d opened the valve again, feeding her just enough attention to ensure a front door would be unlocked when he walked out. She was a safety net he’d woven out of her own desperation.

  "I can't believe you're finally here," she said, her eyes shining with tears and laughter.

  She grabbed his hand, leading him toward her parked car. "Are you ready to meet your son, Jace?"

  There, poised with a tentative stance, stood a ten-year-old boy. In the distance, Jace's wide eyes were shadowed by nervousness. The boy bore a striking resemblance to Zurich.

  Zurich walked up to his son, his movements bridled by an unfamiliar hesitation. As he drew closer, the boy's eyes sparked with recognition—a silent acknowledgment of their genetic bond.

  "Dad?" The word hung in the air, delicate and hopeful.

  "Hey there," Zurich finally uttered, the greeting feeling coarse in his throat.

  The boy nodded, folding into a self-protective stance, neither fully retreating nor advancing. He had no map for this. Zurich hesitated. He stared at the child. With a nudge from his mother, Jace moved forward slowly, and when he finally wrapped his small arms around Zurich’s middle, the embrace was loose—a physical manifestation of a growing bitterness for their underdeveloped relationship and all the tears he saw his mother cry.

  Zurich’s arms lifted slowly to return the embrace. The movements were robotic, devoid of the warmth the moment warranted. He felt something crash against him from the inside, but it was fleeting. Years of shutting everything down sat on his chest like weight. He knew this mattered. He just couldn’t feel it.

  "You want to get out of here?" Christy suggested.

  Zurich nodded, relenting, sliding into the passenger seat while she took the wheel. Turning around, she tried to introduce her other two sons in the back seat, but Jace took over before she could.

  "This is Casey, he’s 18 months old," Jace said, pointing to a toddler. "And that," he gestured to a solemn-eyed boy with untamed curls, "is Hunter. He turns four next month."

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  Hunter met Zurich’s gaze with an innocence that would’ve cut through him, were he capable of feeling. "Are you gonna come to my laser tag birthday party?" the child asked, his voice hopeful.

  Zurich was taken aback. An awkward discomfort settled in. Too much youth. Too many expectations.

  "Uh, maybe... we'll see," he managed, but his voice lacked conviction.

  The two little boys didn’t look much like each other. During his ten years behind bars, two other guys had come and gone. Same pattern. Same mess.

  Christy caught Hunter's gaze in the rearview mirror and offered him a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry, Jay will come to your birthday party, Hunter," she promised. "And we’re going to have a blast!"

  The little boy's face lit up with excitement.

  "Plus, did you know Jay's birthday is in just a few days? Right after we have the 4th of July BBQ at Nana’s, we can celebrate his birthday, too," she added with a wink.

  Hunter's enthusiasm bubbled over. "Really? That's so cool!"

  "Yes, really," Christy laughed. "Now go on and watch some cartoons on your tablet back there while I talk to Jay, okay?" She reached back, handing the kids a tablet loaded with their favorite shows, then turned her attention to Jay.

  "How’s it feel to be out?" she asked softly, her gaze shifting back to the road. "Is there anything you're looking forward to doing?"

  In response, Zurich’s hand found its way to her thigh. The touch was bold. His fingers trailed along her inner thigh, but Christy gently grasped his hand.

  "Jay, the kids," she whispered, a gentle admonition laced with the reminder of their young passengers. "Maybe we should get something to eat first. Hunter's been craving mac n cheese—what do you say?"

  Zurich sank back into his seat, frustration and desire clouding his expression. "Yeah, that's fine." His disappointment lingered, a silent tension between what he wanted and what he couldn't have.

  The clinking of utensils against the empty bowls signaled the end of the meal and a moment of relief for Zurich. Spotting an opportunity to be alone with Christy, he suggested, "Maybe it's time for the boys to play in their room?"

  Christy, picking up on his cue, turned to Jace. "Hey guys, why don't you go watch the movie I set up in your room?" The boys, eager for cartoons, scampered away.

  Christy led Zurich to her room. Connection was what she sought—her affection palpable as she whispered about the recent months of conversations that had rekindled their bond. But Zurich remained silent, his focus singular.

  After the sexual tension was relieved, her voice trembled with emotion as she turned toward him. "That was incredible, Jay. I love you so much." She attempted to snuggle close, hoping to savor the intimacy, but Zurich lay still, unresponsive to her words and warmth.

  Zurich rolled over, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face as he addressed Christy's expectant gaze.

  "I need to catch up with some friends, get a drink and just breathe, you know?" he explained, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Could you lend me like 60 bucks? And the car keys?"

  Christy's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "Oh… yeah… sure thing," she replied after a brief pause, masking her unease with a nod. She reached for her purse and withdrew the cash, then handed him the car key along with a spare key to the house.

  “And be careful. Remember, you don’t have a driver’s license,” she added, her voice trailing off with a worry he didn't share.

  "Yup. I'll be back around 11 or 12," Zurich said, pressing a swift goodbye kiss on her lips as he headed for the door.

  "Goodb—" Christy's word hung unfinished, cut off by the bedroom door closing behind him. With a deep sigh, she turned to discard the used condom and its wrapper into the trash bin before resuming her evening routine with the boys, the atmosphere in the room noticeably altered.