Law of Dreams

10

Asher was Teresa's brother. We met at her twenty-fifth birthday at a venue in the city when he handed me a piece of cake. He was full and tall, and his face opened when he smiled. His eyes were a deep brown and they opened too.

When I finished work the next day I had a missed call from an unknown caller. Frowning, I called back, and the frown stayed when Asher answered. Teresa had given him my number. He asked me to dinner Saturday night and after a moment's hesitation, I agreed to go.

He picked me up at seven, when he said he would.

We bought fish and chips and sat on the sand with the paper laid out between us. We spoke about our families. He asked about Perth and I told him all the very best bits.

"Some people think it's a hole over there," I said to him. "But it's not. It's really not."

"Yeah." He nodded. "I've always wanted to check it out."

Seagulls hung above us, suspended like vultures. Asher threw a chip in an attempt to send them away, but the birds took it as a free pass. From the frenzied swarm, one seagull flew inches over Asher's head and he shrieked. A splotch of bird poo appeared on the remaining chips and Asher sprung to his feet, dusting his hands.

"Well, that's great," he said. "Not exactly how I'd planned for this to go."

But it was perfect.

*

Asher took me home and kissed my cheek at the front door. We laughed about the seagulls again. He hugged me and his body was warm and there was enough of it.

I read my book for an hour that night and set it down to sleep. I smiled to myself, remembering Asher's face as the birds swooped him. My chest bubbled and a snort came out. He wasn't anything I would think to dream up. He was far better.