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“Oh-kay?” My heart starts racing and feels like it could beat out of my chest. “What’s the bad news?”

I’ve always been told to get the bad news out of the way and then focus on how you’re going to fix the problems.

“Rhett Miller…” he pauses and I feel myself lean towards him like I can pull the rest of his words out of his mouth. My ears are starting to thump and pulse along with my heartbeat and I find that I’m starting to sweat with anticipation. “The Rhett Miller that is in Montana State Prison, at Deer Lodge, is not your Rhett Miller.”

His words make no sense. How can Rhett not be my Rhett?

“You’re confusing me,” I say, hoping he’ll clarify this conversation. I know that I only have a GED but this isn’t adding up.

“I’m sorry but when I took your case there must’ve been some confusion or missed signals somewhere, but the Rhett Miller I’ve been working on for you is not the correct Rhett Miller.”

“Wait…what?”

Five years ago, I was told that Rhett had been transferred to Montana from Nevada due to overcrowding. It took some time to save up and move up here but after about a year we were settled. No one would take my pleas for help with his case and every time I went up to the prison I was ushered away because I wasn’t on the approved list. Not one attorney would help me get in touch with Rhett without a huge sum of money to put down. I was barely able to feed Ryder and keep a roof over our head so I busted my ass trying to ensure that all of my son’s needs were met, even when I went without. It was hard because no one would hire a woman who only had a GED and pay decent money. I was working three jobs and still barely able to get by.

“The Rhett Miller that I’ve been representing is not the same person and case that you hired me to handle,” he informs as he loosens his tie.

“Oh. My. God.” My voice starts to rise. “How can this happen? I told you all the details of his case.”

I shoot up from my chair and start pacing. Thoughts are running through my mind and I can’t seem to grasp everything he is saying. I know that he was cheaper than any of the other attorneys in town but this is a cluster fuck of epic proportions.

“So, eight months you’ve been helping another Rhett…Miller?” I ask after slowing my steps in front of the chair I was sitting in.

“That is correct.”

“And all mine and my son’s letters were sent to the wrong one,” I state.

Greg takes the back of his hand and wipes the drops trickling down his bald head as he winces. “Yes.”

I start to pace again as my thoughts start to form plans and solutions. After the third pass, I stop back at the chair again and take a deep breath.

“Okay, we can’t fix what’s already been done. So now we pivot and start the clock working on the correct Rhett Miller,” I say firmly.

“Umm,” Greg mumbles and avoids looking my way while sifting through papers in another folder.

“What?” my voice comes out a little panicked and increases another octave. “What is it?”

He clears his throat three times before he places the open folder down and slides it over towards me.

“It seems that your Rhett Miller was transferred out of Montana and sent down to Arizona.” I must have blacked out or something because when I get a clear thought in my head I’m seated in my original chair and a glass of water is poised in front of my lips.

“Take a sip,” Greg instructs.

I feel the cool water rush down my throat and it seems to clear the cobwebs.

“When was he transferred?” I choke out.

“Your Rhett was transferred four years ago.”

A physical pain obliterates my chest and I find it hard to breathe. This isn’t happening. Things like this don’t happen in real life. How did this continue without being caught for eight months?

No wonder Rhett kept denying to see Ryder and me. He wasn’t even the right person!

Greg’s mouth is moving but I can’t make out his words as a rush of static overtakes my hearing. He starts pointing down at a new folder but I can’t read the words as tears threaten to flood out of me. When did my life become this? I’ve tried everything to right the wrongs my horrible family has done to Rhett, and this is what I get? Every door I’ve tried to open and fix has constantly been slammed back in my face. I’m not sure I have any more hits that I can take.

“Remi,” Greg’s voice brings me out of my spiral.

“What?”