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Back Walking on Sunshine Save as PDF
Chapters (46)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. By the same author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. Three Months Later
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. Epilogue – Five Years Later
  44. Acknowledgements
  45. An extra note from me …
  46. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘You know they weren’t truths,’ she says, giving my body a squeeze.

‘They were a bit,’ I reply, feeling a sting at my own words.

‘We’re just a bit broken right now,’ she whispers.

I nod my head, and as I do so the tears start falling. My body convulses with the emotion that begins spilling out. Stuff that I’ve kept in for so long, that I’m no longer able to control now it’s been allowed to run free. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing it to stop.

Not now.

But I can’t hold them back.

‘Hey!’ she says softly, wiping my tears.

‘I’m so broken. So completely broken. I’ve wanted it to stop. All of it. I’ve wanted to –’

Her strength stops me from uttering the words.

She holds me like someone who would do anything to make their friend feel whole again, to ease the pain of whatever it is they’re going through, who wants them to know they’re loved and seen.

I welcome it, enjoying the feeling of having someone else know how much I ache.

Penguin walking logo

27

Mike

I expected the girls to be at loggerheads this morning and for last night’s drama to bleed into today, yet the opposite seems to be true. From the moment they step into breakfast together there’s a tenderness between them, with Zaza stuck to Vicky’s side and continuously checking in on how she is.

‘Still got that headache?’ asks Scott. Having already eaten he’s up on his feet and ready to get going.

‘Yeah. It’s banging.’

He grimaces at her.

‘I’ll be OK though,’ she says with a smile.

‘Course you will. You’re a trooper,’ he says, grabbing her shoulder, filling all of our mugs with coca tea before leaving.

‘Is it just me or is he always plying us with this and then making a swift exit?’ I ask.

‘Sounds like a good plot twist in a movie,’ Zaza adds, tucking into her breakfast of porridge made with quinoa, topped with banana, sprinkled with chocolate powder – a starter to the apple pancakes that are simply delicious. It’s energy-building food for a tough day ahead. I tuck in and accept seconds when I’m offered.

Our trekking day starts slowly and unlike yesterday we have a horse and horseman with us. Nothing is said, but I imagine it’s an indicator of what’s to come and how much is being asked of us. Vicky isn’t the only one who had a bad night or is feeling the worse for wear thanks to the altitude. I’m not ashamed to say I feel rough around the edges today.