My Sisters Keeper

2

It's been a week since I sat before the parole board, and I still havent got a response. I was right though, this was just a farfetched dream that will never come true.

By the time the alarm rings at 6am I am already up, lost in my thoughts. I get up and grab my wash cloth and soap and follow the line to the bathrooms. By the time I get there, the line is long. I cross my fingers and hope that by the time I get to the front the water will atleast still be warm.

My turn comes and I get in with nine other women. I take the shower at the far end of the room hoping for a bit of privacy. Lucky for me the water is still hot. I stand under the shower and let the water cascade over me and try not to think too much about my parole, or non parole. I close my eyes and take my mind back to the happy moments in my life. The moments I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Or maybe I would, over the years I've tried to convince myself that all the things that have happened were fate, that I didnt get here by mistake, that all that happened was meant to happen. But truth is that is just a lie that I use to make myself better about all this.

When I turned nineteen Paul took me to Cape Town to celebrate. Melody being the only friend I had was excited when I told her. But she reminded me that a man doesnt take a girl on a vacation just for the fun of it, somewhere along the line he would want something in return. As much as a part of me believed her, I chose to give Paul the benefit of the doubt, afterall we had been together for almost a year and he still hadn't tried to pressure me into sex or anything like that. Inspite of all the things he did for me he was always respectful of my decisions.

We flew to Cape Town on a Thursday, even though I would miss my Friday classes I wasnt worried, its just one day, plus i had already asked some of my classmates to borrow me their notes when i got back and they had agreed. We got to Cape Town and drove to a five star hotel, we checked in, then we were led to the most beautiful suite, it had an amazing view of the sea and the beach, it was like a view straight out of a magazine. We had a quiet evening, ordered in and watched the sea from the balcony. If I could ever go back to one day in my life, it would be that day. That day was more than just perfect, I was lost in the beauty that was before me that I didnt want it to ever end, I mean what could be better than watching the sunset while curled up in the arms of the love of your life?

Paul woke me up early the next morning and we got to watch the sunrise. I swear God was in a good mood when he created nature, there is absolutely nothing like it. As soon as the sun was up Paul ordered breakfast. We finished eating and went out shopping. I'm pretty sure I bought out all the shops in Cape Town, but Paul didnt mind, he told me to get whatever I wanted. We had lunch at a restaurant by the beach, it was my first time having proper seafood, and I was hooked since then.

The next day I woke up to a room full of balloons and more gifts. I had thought the trip itself was my gift but I was wrong. My birthday was magical. In the evening we dressed up and went to dinner, when we came back from dinner the room was decorated in candles and fairy lights, there were rose petals from the door all the way to the balcony. He asked me to marry him and I swear the world stood still. That moment alone was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Who would have thought my first love would end up being the man I spend the rest of my life with. I said yes and threw myself at him. He slipped the diamond ring on my finger and it fit like a glove. It was beautiful.

Somehow I've been so lost in my own imagination that I didnt notice that I am now alone in the shower. I look around and I almost get a heart attack, Mazola and her crew are standing behind me, watching me. I wonder how long they have been standing there. I reach out for the towel but Jess pulls it away. I stand there naked, with my heart beating faster than normal.

See if this was any other person or any other crew I wouldn't be so scared right now. Mazola and her crew are like the elite gang that no one messes with, everyone knows you dont step on any of their crew members toes and live to tell the tale. They run this prison and everyone knows it, but more than anything they have no problem reminding us about that. And today looks like I will be the sacrificial lamb.