At the police station, Beth was fingerprinted before being escorted to a holding cell. It was a harsh wake-up call; it felt like something out of a movie―completely surreal and overwhelming. When Susan and Arlene arrived, they learned that Beth wouldn't be getting out until after she had a court appearance before the judge. It hit Susan hard, and she needed to get the family attorney to help Beth asap.
Arlene took Beth's car back to the house. It meant a lot to Susan to have moral support during such a distressing moment; it was a huge relief. Susan faced the tough task of telling her grandchildren that their mom had been arrested and was in jail. The kids were pretty shaken up, but luckily, their dad came over to be with them after he got the bad news―offering some much-needed comfort.
As the evening dragged on, Susan found herself lost in a whirlwind of thoughts about what was going to happen to Beth. She kept glancing at her phone, waiting for the attorney to return her call…...feeling desperate and anxious. Susan was determined to stand by her daughter, no matter what challenges they had to face.
Beth felt like she was drowning in a tidal wave of questions about the charges hanging over her head. Would she be facing even more time behind bars? Just the thought of it weighed heavily on her mind, making everything feel painfully real and downright terrifying. A deep sense of regret twisted in her stomach, especially when memories of her actions at the convenience store replayed in her mind like a bad movie. She had definitely bitten off more than she could chew.
After they snapped her mug shot, she and the other women put on the jail uniforms; then reality hit Beth hard when she was handcuffed to the other women. They all shuffled behind the guard, heading toward the cell that would be their temporary shelter. Everything felt surreal, like a movie, but this was no script―it was real life, her reality unfolding around her. It left her feeling lost and afraid.
It was a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. Inside the cells, there was a diversity of individuals. As Beth settled in, a couple of the women recognized her and whispered that she was on the news. Heat rushed to her cheeks, embarrassment washed over her, and the teasing laughter stung. Jail was nothing like Beth imagined, and those horror stories she'd heard echoed in her head. Desperate to reach out to her family, Beth asked the guard if she could use the phone.
Beth: Excuse me, Sir. Will I get a chance to make a phone call?
Guard: Yeah, but I don't know when. The next guard on duty will be in charge of when y'all get a break. That's when you'll be allowed to make calls, shower, and watch TV. Right now, you need to go inside your assigned cell.
After the other ladies chose their bunks, Beth was left with one of the top bunks. Then she curled up on the thin mattress, with tears streaming down her face. She hated herself for getting into trouble, wishing she was in the comfort of her home with her kids. She worried about whether Arlene would pick up her car from the superstore or if they would ever speak to each other again. One thing was for certain―Beth needed to apologize for hanging up on her. She wished she could turn back time and restart her day, just minding her business.