With every bit of bravery left in Scott’s sturdy body, he explained to Mrs. Galagher the dire need for her to escape the police station that night.
Scott lived in the adjacent building to Mrs. Galagher. He lived alone on the fourth floor. He wasn’t much to look at, yet there was a sense of mystery about him. Mrs. Galagher knew that your average 23-year-old man would not willingly spend this much time with a woman the age of his great-grandmother. Mrs. Galagher never once questioned this. She embraced the companionship. Ever since the death of Mr. Galagher ten years prior, her son, Michael, seemed very distant.
“Mrs. Galagher...Mrs. Galagher? Are you listening?”
“I’m sorry, Scotty dear, forgive me. Can you repeat that last part?”
Scott was growing impatient. “Mrs. Galagher, I cannot do this on my own. I need you to stay awake. It’s very important that I get you out of here without the other guards noticing. We don’t have time to wait until morning. It must be tonight!” The past three months Scott had volunteered at the police station as security for the third shift. He had access to most of the holding cells past 10:00.
“Okay, here’s the plan. At 10:45, the other guys usually meet up in the back room for a game of cards. This will leave us approximately 10 to 15 minutes to get you from the holding cell block to the lobby.”
Mrs. Galagher let out a muffled laugh as Scott continued.
“Mrs. Galagher, I don’t find this amusing at all, and you shouldn’t either. If we get caught…if YOU get caught…Jesus, if I got caught…it’s all over.”
“Scotty dear, I’m not laughing because I’m not taking this situation seriously. I’m laughing because it all just feels so magical.”
Scott sighed, and slid his back down the wall until he was seated on the floor. With elbows on his knees, he put his head in his hands.
“Mrs. Galagher, I think I’m closer to a heart attack than you are.” Chuckling without humor, he lifted his head. “You are something else, you really are….shit! Someone’s coming. Just sit tight, I’ll be back soon.”
Scott jumped up, panicked, and walked quickly down the hallway. As he got further from Mrs. Galagher’s cell, another pair of footsteps sounded. Step, step, step, step.
Scott was just about to turn the corner when another guard yelled, “Hey Scott!”
Sweat beaded on Scott’s forehead, his heart pounded, and his legs were weak.
He slowly turned. “Yes?” His voice was shaky.
“Hey, we’re gonna start a game, come on.” The other guard’s voice rang loud in the hall.
Scott mumbled back something about not feeling well and that he thought he just needed some fresh air. He turned the corner, listening while the other guard slowly retraced his steps.
He was safe. Mrs. Galagher was safe. Scott breathed deeply once more and kept walking.
It was 10:22 p.m., and Mrs. Galagher struggled to stay awake. She shook her head and attempted to rub the sleep from her eyes. But for just a moment, as she traced the underneath of her lower lids, she felt young again. Her hands now traveled down her neck and landed directly on top of her heart. She breathed in and out slowly, counting every beat. Her skinny fingers seemed to soak in every beat, sending energy throughout her body.
Under her breath, she began singing an old song. ”When I recall his parting words, must I accept his fate? Or take myself far from this place? I thought I heard a black bell toll, a little bird did sing. Man has no choice, when he wants everything. We’ll rise above the scarlet tide that trickles down through the mountain and separates the widow from the bride…”
Scott cleared his throat. He was standing on the other side of her door again. “I haven’t heard you sing that song in a very long while, Mrs. Galagher.”
“Oh. I didn’t know you were standing there, Scotty.”
“Mrs. Galagher, it’s time. We must move quickly and quietly.”
Mrs. Galagher stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of her dress. She walked to the small sink and mirror in the corner and began to pin her hat back into place.
“How do I look, Scotty?”
“Mrs. Galagher, you’re escaping jail, not attending a cocktail party! Now come with me and follow close.”
Scott pulled his keys out and began unlocking the door while looking all around.
“Wait!” Mrs. Galagher whispered and put her hand on the door. “What will I tell Michael?”
“We don’t have time to figure that out right now! We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
They slithered through the dark halls toward the front lobby. Mrs. Galagher glided over the floor as if no one could touch her. Deep down she knew the repercussions if she had been caught, but this didn’t stop her. She was confident and smart.
Scott looked back to make sure Mrs. Galagher was still behind him. He smiled and said, “Are you ready?”
She looked him in the eyes. Her stare pierced him to his soul. “Scotty, I’ve been ready.”
He nervously chuckled and fumbled to find the key that would free her from the walls confining her the past several hours.
Scott stared at the small piece of metal. For one second, just one while staring down at the key, he saw a million miles of reasons he should not be doing this. But one reason why he should seemed to outweigh the others by tons. He was afraid, but they had made it thus far, and there was no turning back now. He was risking everything for Mrs. Galagher, but she was risking everything for him and he knew that.
He unlocked the door.
Mrs. Galagher stepped outside, breathed in, took out a cigarette, and lit it. She took two puffs, looked at Scott, and said with a sly smile, “Scotty, do me a favor and make my bed. I wouldn’t want to come off as a bad guest. They’ll never have me back.” She laughed as she started to walk toward the bus stop.
“Mrs. Galagher! Hey! What should I do now?”
She turned around and exhaled smoke.
“You’ve done your part, Scotty dear; let me take care of the rest.”
