My Experience In Jail

As Told By Alice Brandon

I scowled out the window as we drove down the streets of Ellensburg towards the cop shop. I couldn't believe that Mama Hale had gotten us arrested!!

"I can't believe you left my precious pookie with that… that harlot! Did you know she was talking about giving that awful boy with her sexual favors?" Mama Hale hissed at me.

"Edward said you misunderstood them, mother," Jasper replied, his voice tired. He always sounded tired around Mama Hale. I missed the care free, loving man I had fallen in love with at college.

"There was no misunderstanding, Jasper," Mama Hale replied with all the dignity of a queen. "They are awful children. Their parents obviously never disciplined them properly. She'll probably steal pookie and the-"

"No one wants your fucking dog!" I snapped angrily. "It's yappy, smells, and that costume looked utterly ridiculous on it! It's a male and you dressed it like Xena!!"

"Why, I never!" Mama Hale gasped in outrage, then looked at Jasper. "Aren't you going to defend me?"

"Can we all just calm down?" Jasper asked. "We'll go in, I'll pay bail and we'll be fine."

I went back to scowling out my window, Jasper continued to lean back against the seat with his eyes clothes, and Mama Hale alternated her glares between the two of us.

God, but hated that woman!

"Here we are folks," one of the officers, Officer Samuels, opened the door for me. I scrambled out and followed the other officer, Officer Mitchell, into the jail.

Ten minutes later we were booked, in the cell, and Jasper was giving the officers his banking information so that they could take care of the bail.

"Thank-you sir. We'll just go and fill out the paper work and have you out of here in a snap," he said.

"This all that terrible Sylvie Anderson's fault," Mama Hale said. "Her and that nasty little mutt of hers. They shouldn't even be allowed to enter. They cause a scene every year."

I stayed resolutely silent, sure that if I spoke it would be to say that it wasn't Mrs. Anderson who caused a scene every year, but rather Mama Hale.

"You can be sure I'll be talking with the committee about this outrage," Mama Hale continued. "It won't happ-"

"Mr. Hale?"

"Oh thank God!" Jasper jumped to his feet. "Is the bail processed? Can we go?"

"Erm… there's a problem. There doesn't seem to be enough in your account to cover bail for all three of you. How would you like to continue?"

"What?" Jasper looked shocked. "I had sixty-five hundred saved in that account. There must be some sort of mistake."

"No mistake sir. How would you-"

"But there must be some mistake. No one but me and mo…" Jasper trailed off and turned on Mama Hale. "How did you pay for that Xena outfit?"

"It's my money too. If I want to charge fifteen hundred dollars to take care of pookie, then I will. You gave me that debit car-"

"I gave you a debit card in case of emergencies!" Jasper snapped. "Not to buy your dog a costume for a parade!"

"Don't you talk to me like that, Jasper Hale!" Mama Hale replied indignantly. "I raised you. I bought you food, and kept you well put together. I put you through coll-"

"I put myself through college on scholarships and work!"

"It wouldn't have been possible without the work ethic I raised in you! I had every right to use that money! If it weren't for me you wouldn't have it!"

"I put my life on hold for you," Jasper's voice was dangerously calm. "I'd decided to turn down the job in Chicago, I did what you told me to, hell, I've let you disrespect Alice when she did nothing to deserve it! I owe you nothing!"

"Jasper," I stood up, and laid my palms on his chest. "Careful, before you say something you'll regret."

"No, she deserves to hear it," he looked down at me. "I'm sorry, Allie. I put you second, when you should have been first. I love you more than anything, but I took your love for granted. You deserve better than that. I should have given you better than that. It's a poor excuse of a man who let's his mother run his life, and I've been a poor excuse of a man. I'll make it up to you. I'll let you pick our house in Chicago."

"WHAT!!" Mama Hale yelled, but she was ignored.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"It's a great opportunity- for both of us. You'll be able to find more work, and you can decorate however you want when we find a place."

"Oh Jasper," I murmured, pressing my lips to his.

Our kiss was cut short when Mama Hale pushed me away.

"That woman is brain washing you Jasper Elias Whitlock," she said. "You're not going anywhere. You'll stay here and support your poor mama like a good boy. Perhaps I shouldn't have taken that money without telling you first, although I think it was my right, but-"

"No, mother," Jasper interrupted. "You've run my life for years. Then I went to college and I was free, and I fell in love with Alice. I should have never come back here after that, but like a fool I did. You've used me ever since. I've paid for your house, your car, but I draw the line at paying for your fucking dog. You'll save up your pension for the next months if you have to, but you'll pay it all back!" Jasper's voice had been steadily rising through the whole monologue until he was yelling at the end. His voice went soft again. "We're moving to Chicago, Alice and I, and you'll be happy for us- or God help me, I won't talk to you again."

"You can't mean that!" Mama Hale sobbed.

"I mean every. Word," Jasper replied. He sat next to me and pulled me into his arms, leaving his mother to her fake sobs on the other side of the cell. I thought my ability to keep from smirking at Mama Hale getting torn a new one was quite impressive.

Mama Hale's sobs died off swiftly in exchange for angry glares be sent at us, but we ignored them. I just smiled into Jasper's chest and enjoyed the feeling of his fingers running through my hair. I could hear the murmur of Edward and Bella's voices as they came back, and distinctly heard the words 'bail' and 'paid.' They were good people, and I was glad I had met them.

I was even more glad that I was finally truly looking forward to the future.

We were moving to Chicago.

We were moving away from Mama Hale.

Oh thank God.