Page 23 of Two for Joy

Romeo snorted. Nicki always wore lots of red lipstick and kissed the envelope.

“Hey, big guy. I’ve been pushing my blank up my blank till my toes curl. I orgasmed so hard blank blank everywhere, even in my blank. I’d love your blank, I’d be dirty with it. I’d blank blank my blank blank, then blank your blank.”

Romeo started to laugh. “Sounds hot.”

“I need a pen just to work it out.”

“It can keep you busy in the night—you can imagine she put whatever you want.”

“You’re right. I can mix it up. That one’s a keeper.”

“Open another.”

“Okay.”

Romeo rested his back against the bars and waited for Will to start speaking.

He made a confused sound, then muttered to himself.

“What is it?” Romeo asked.

“I’m not sure what she wants you to do with it… I don’t get it.”

“How do you know it’s a chick, could be from a guy.”

“I dunno … maybe.”

“It would help if you told me what’s in the letter?”

“There’s no letter, it’s just a picture.”

“Of what?”

“A feather.”

Romeo turned around and thrust his arm through the bars. “Give me it back, give me it back now!”

“Okay, okay—

“Now, Will, and if you fuck this up, I swear I’ll never give you another letter. I’ll never describe what Holly’s wearing.”

“Jesus, Romeo.”

Romeo saw Will reach through his bars with the letter. He pressed it on the floor, then shoved it towards Romeo. He slapped his hand down, capturing the letter. His heart thundered, his breathing came in rasps, and he pulled the feather from the envelope.

Half black, half white, a magpie’s feather, and Romeo’s lips stretched into a smile. It was from Chad, a sign that he was okay, or maybe a thank you for cheering him up. Romeo didn’t know exactly why Chad had sent it, or why he had risked exposing their secret connection, but in that moment he didn’t care.

Romeo looked at the envelope. The address to the prison had been printed, and there was no return address, only a sorting office sticker over the stamp. Romeo tried to make out the word, the letter hadn’t come from Berkshire, or anywhere near it. Chad had posted it from afar so it couldn’t be traced back to him.

Clever magpie, Romeo thought, gazing at the feather.

“You gonna explain about the feather?” Will asked.

“No.”

Romeo laid down on his bunk, and using a bit of sticky tac, pinned the feather to the wall next to Chad’s face, and the article with the headline, TheOneThat Got Away.

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