Taunt

Chapter 62- Taunting Meetings

[] T H I R D • P E R S O N []

Jerry and Cassandra were nervous. They sat behind a thick clear plastic wall, a small hole in the middle allowing voices to flow through to the other side. They were escorted here nearly 10 minutes ago, and had been waiting since.

They couldn't get a hold of their daughter up until they were about to leave the house. Even then, they had only gotten a text from her, saying that she'll meet them here. Once they got here, they tried reaching out to her, but she didn't respond to any calls or messages. Reluctantly, they headed inside the jail to meet their son without her.

They were now holding hands as they waited for Levi to walk into the other side of the room.

Another 5 minutes went by.

Finally, the sound of a latch opening was heard on the other side of the room. They looked up, only to see a large door opening from where they assumed Levi was supposed to enter.

They held their breaths, and clasped each other's hands a little tighter.

At first, an officer stepped through. When he was fully in the room, another officer came through, this time, with Levi behind him. Another officer was behind them, pushing Levi into the room. Jerry and Cassandra stood as Levi came into the room. Unable to help it, both parents felt their eyes well up with tears. Jerry blinked them away rapidly, while Cassandra let a few fall.

Levi was once a buff boy. Having played sports all his life, he built his body up. He was proud of it too. However, now where stacks of muscle once were, there was a small layer of skin. He wouldn't be showing bones yet, but his parents guessed he was close. He looked malnourished and unkept. A small bruise sported under his cheek, and when their eyes met, Levi's parents saw a heartbreaking sadness.

The police officer behind Levi pushed him onto the chair across from Jerry and Cassandra, the plastic wall still separating them.

Unsurprisingly, he smiled a little at them both. He didn't cry, and that only showed his strength.

"Mom? Dad?" He croaked out.

Cassandra and Jerry finally contained their emotions and nodded strongly at him. Levi let out a strangled breath.

"How are you?" he asked softly.

Jerry and Cassandra shared a look.

"We're fine," Jerry said with a nod.

There was silence for the next little while as they each thought of what to say to each other. In this time, Levi gave his parents a once over. They looked as if they aged graciously over the four years. His dad had started having specks of gray in his hair, and he remembered how he always said he'd color it whenever he started getting aging hair. He wondered why he didn't do it then. Levi then saw his mom. His perfect mom, who always did what was best for the family. He had always been a momma's boy, and he wasn't ashamed of it. If it was always Amelia and their dad, then his mom and him were always backing each other up.

Except for that night.

That night, nobody was on Levi's side. Not even Levi himself.

Jerry broke the silence this time.

"You had called for Amelia a month ago. She couldn't come then, but why did you want to see her in the first place?" Jerry asked.

Levi hesitated as he looked his father in the eye. He didn't want to tell him the truth, but he didn't want to lie either.

"I just... I needed to see her," Levi mumbled.

Suddenly, Jerry smashed his fist against the counter in front of him. Levi and Cassandra looked to him in surprise.