visitors.'
'How are you getting along?' Abbie asked, not ready yet to talk about her real reason for visiting.
Matthew smiled. 'Quite well, actually. There's a real demand for my skills here. I was most frightened of physical assault when I came to the prison, but I'm under the protection of the prisoners. It seems I have many friends here. People I've helped. And there are many more who can use my assistance.'
Abbie laughed. 'I guess putting a criminal lawyer with a mission in prison is a little like letting a kid run loose in a candy store.'
They both smiled. Then Abbie sobered.
'You know why I didn't come sooner, don't you?' she asked.
'Tracy told me what you said to her.'
'I hated you at first, Matt. It was the pictures. When I learned about them . . . About the spying . . . It was such a shock.'
Matthew looked down. 'I wish I'd never taken them, but I couldn't help myself. I was so in love with you and there was no way I could tell you. To me, you were unobtainable. I just couldn't believe that anyone so beautiful would even look at me, let alone fall in love. I'm surprised you don't hate me still.'
'Tracy told me what you did when Deems chased me in the woods and that you killed Robert to save my life. She explained why you framed me for Robert's murder. She wanted me to talk to the judge at your sentencing, but I couldn't. It's taken me a while to accept that you did everything for me so I would love YOU.
Abbie looked up at Matthew. He leaned forward expectantly.
'Jack let you plead guilty to manslaughter because of everything that came out about Robert and, mainly, because you killed him to save my life. You're eligible for parole anytime, since there isn't a mandatory minimum sentence for manslaughter. I've written to the parole board. I told them I want to be present to speak on your behalf when they meet to decide your case. I know that you never wanted to hurt me and I want you to know that I forgive you.'
Matthew slumped forward as if he had been struck in the chest. 'Thank you,' was all he could manage.
'Are you okay?' Abbie asked.
'Oh yes,' he answered.
Abbie noticed the guard announcing the end of visiting hours.
She had intentionally come toward the end so the visit would be short, in case it went badly. Abbie stood up.
Matthew took a deep breath and composed himself.
'Will you visit me again?' he asked.
'I don't think so.'
'I understand. What are you going to do?'
'I'm not sure. I've quit the district attorney's office. I'm thinking about traveling for a while. I still need to put some space between myself and what happened.' A guard knocked on the door.
'I've got to go now. I'm not going to wish you good luck. I don't think you need it, because I know you're going to come through this.'
'I'll always love you, Abbie. Everything I did was for you.'
Abbie reached out and touched his shoulder. 'I know that, Matthew.'
She took one last look at Matthew, then she opened the door and joined the line of people leaving the visiting area. Matthew knew that he would never stop loving Abbie and that he had lost her forever. He understood that there was no way she could love him now. Even so, he did not feel sad. He had saved Abbie's life and that made everything he had gone through and was going to endure worthwhile. And even if it was only for a little while, she had loved him and that was more than he ever hoped for.
And now he had been forgiven.
