The Fuzzy End of the Lollipop

The Fuzzy End of the Lollipop: Chapter Twenty

As expected, Maya was a huge hit with her family. On the evening of her arrival, Sally's Dad brought them all fish and chips and they ate them out of the paper in the living room. The whole family acted flawlessly as they always did whenever they had a guest. Putting their best foot forward and wooing Maya with all charms and tricks they had perfected over the years.

After dinner, Sally suggested a walk on the beach and Maya eagerly accepted. That night the beach was loud and foreboding, the way it always was in winter. The wind whipped the waves up high, teasingly suspending them in mid-air, only to send them crashing back down onto the sand. As they walked closer to the sea, the spray from the waves kissed their faces and the wind curved their bodies like a sail.

"This weather is insane!" Maya shouted.

"I know," replied Sally, her hood blinkering Maya from her view. "It makes you feel alive though doesn't it."

Maya laughed, "That's one way of putting it."

Sally faced the sea and flung off her hood, letting her hair dance behind her. She took in a sharp breath of air and howled into the roaring waves. All the anger, all the hurt and all the love she had inside her was hurled out of her and absorbed by the water like a lightning bolt. Suddenly, the waves became more violent, surging towards them as though their white, frothy hands were trying to grab their ankles. They screamed again and ran further up the beach. Maya then tilted her head back and bayed her own war cry.

Laughing, they wrapped an arm around each other and ran along the beach, letting the wind propel them one way and then the other, screaming whenever the waves came too close. They did this for what seemed like hours but in reality, it was only a few minutes before they were lying on the sand gasping for air between fits of giggles.

Once Sally stopped laughing and her breathing became normal again, she lifted herself onto her elbows and said, "I told them about what happened. You know... about what happened in Berlin."

Maya whistled through her teeth, "Wow, what did they say?"

"Nothing, I mean, there is not much they can say."

"I get that, it must have been really hard though."

"Yeah, it really was."

"You mean to tell me it wasn't fine?" Maya gasped, "That therapy really is working!"

"Shut up," Sally laughed, "I feel so much better for talking about it though, I don't know, it's weird because, I do feel guilty but I am also glad they know a bit more about what I have been through. Hopefully, it will change the way they look at me or help them understand me a bit better, I don't know... Maybe I am just being stupid."

"You're not being stupid," said Maya firmly, "And you shouldn't feel guilty either."

"I know, it's just weird."

"It's hard," Maya soothed, "But you did the right thing."

"I am so glad you are here," said Sally as she gripped Maya's hand.

Maya squeezed Sally's hand back, "Me too."

The next day was New Year's Eve. Everybody slept in late in preparation for the festivities the evening would bring. Sally and Maya spent most of the afternoon in their pyjamas watching ' 'Home Alone" and eating the remainder of the Christmas chocolates. It was not until early evening when they raided Sally's childhood dressing up box and chose their costumes. Maya chose a policeman's hat and fairy wings and Sally chose a crown and a high visibility vest. After covering their faces in glitter, they were ready to go.

"Are you sure everyone is going to be dressed like this?" Maya asked, studying herself in the mirror.

"Yeah!" Sally grinned, "To be honest we are kind of under-dressed."