They walked out and when they were set free from the line, Suri pranced over to the janitor.
“Hi! How are you today, sir?” Suri said kindly to the old man as she set a hand on his shrugged shoulder.
“Eh?” The wrinkled chap squinted at Suri.
She hopped in front of him, shook his shoulders, and yelled, “How are you today, sir?!”
“I’m as good as I’ll ever be now.” His eyes moved to the rough ground in what Suri assumed to be disappointment.
“You’re about to get a whole lot worse.” A new voice joined the group from behind, “Suri, get the extra suit.” Mandy told Suri quickly.
The janitor looked at the two in confusion as he couldn’t hear what they were telling each other, “What’s going on?”
Suri pushed her extra suit into his stomach and yelled at him again, “It will be over lickety-split! Honkey-dory! Whipper-snapper! Old people have really odd sayings!”
“Suri!” Mandy said loudly, “Get him to put it on.”
“Put it on!” Suri squeaked at him, “Then give me your ugly cacky pants and dirt covered shirt ok?! You may keep your underwear!”
“I am being harassed!” said Thomas, the janitor.
“We know that Tom!” Mandy said right next to his ear, “Do what we tell you and no one gets hurt.”
After they exchanged clothes, Mandy had used Thomas’ belt to keep him from telling everyone about what had happened.
“Alright, he’s good.” Mandy stepped away from the guy tied to the pole.
“Don’t we need to keep him quiet?” Suri said with a raised eye brow to Mandy.
Mandy scoffed, “You really think that this guy is going to be loud enough for anyone to hear from inside? Nah, it’ll be a while before someone finds him.”
“I think you do not give him enough slack! He apparently knew he was being harassed!” Suri said crossing her arms awkwardly.
“Whatever. Do you have his clothes on under your suit?” Mandy asked.
“Yeppers! Why did we need the stained orange?” Suri asked flopping around like penguin.
“I’m going to drop it off at the hamper on the way to the showers.” Mandy said.
“Smart-o! “
Mandy looked uncertain at Suri and told her she was going to go get the air horn to blow.
When they got back inside Suri waited until it was time to go to the showers. Both of the girls were lying down on their uncomfortable cots.
“Hey, Mandy?” Suri said.
“What?”
“After I get out…..we won’t see,” Suri paused for a minute to cough down the tears that were on their way, “we won’t see each other again.” Suri waited for a response for a quite awhile.
“It was a good run, Suri. You are unlike anyone I’ve ever met, you’re so…….Suri.” Mandy said with a soft tone.
She could hear Suri let out a small laugh. Mandy got up from her bed and looked at Suri’s red, puffy eyes. Suri choked a little.
“Look, whether you like it or not, you’re my little sister. Family will always prevail. Well, maybe not your real family, that didn’t really work out.”
Suri smiled and said in a small voice, “Fake families for the win.”
They both let out breathy laughs and then it was quiet for a moment.
“I….” Suri started but couldn’t find the right words to say. A tear fell from Mandy’s eye as this was the last time that Suri O’Quinn and Mandy Acosta would see each other.
A guard came to take Suri into her shower group and Mandy said one last thing to Suri, “Good bye.”
