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MARCHING POWDER

‘That’s OK. You don’t have to tell me, Tommy. I already know any-way.’ Now that she had my eyes open, Yasheeda clambered on top of me, kissing my ears playfully.

‘All right. What was it, then?’
‘To get out of prison.’
‘No. Wrong.’
‘Yes. Right. Don’t lie to me, mister.’ She slapped me lightly across the face, pretending to be angry. ‘What else could you possibly want more?’

‘No. Wrong.’ I grabbed her wrist to stop her hitting me again and rubbed my cheek where she had slapped me, pretending it was sore.

‘Yes! Right. Of course, I’m right. I know you, Tommy. That’s what you would have wished for. And I can tell when you’re lying, too,’ she reprimanded me, shaking her finger in my face. ‘So, don’t even try it.’

Yasheeda could often guess what I was thinking, but on that occasion she was wrong. However, I couldn’t tell her the truth. My wish hadn’t been to be released from prison – I had wished for the first thing that had come into my mind and it was something I wanted even more than being allowed to go free. I had wished that she would stay with me forever. I didn’t care where we were. Even if it meant being in prison, I just wanted her to be there next to me.

I couldn’t say anything, though; in three days, she was leaving for Peru with Sharon. Seeing Machu Picchu and doing the Inca trail had been the whole reason behind them choosing South America. They’d had the trip planned for months and she couldn’t break her promise.

‘How long will you be gone?’
‘I don’t know, exactly. Maybe a month or two,’ she answered, cautiously. Then, sensing my reaction, she added, ‘But don’t worry. I’ll come back for you, Tommy.’
‘Do you promise?’
‘Of course, I promise. I came back last time, didn’t I?’