I must have stared at her for a minute, maybe two, I couldn’t figure out if she was really real or I’d just gone insane.

She took a step towards me, ‘It isn’t easy to make meetings when you have mountains and a border to cros-‘

Her sentence didn’t finish, she’d said enough to convince me she was legit, I swept her up in a hug that didn’t end until her feet left the ground.

‘Ayamin.’

‘Danny.’

I kept my arms around her as I lowered her. I couldn’t believe it. I’d missed the sight, the smell, the feel of her so badly. She was like water in the desert.

Ayamin touched my face, ‘You idiot. It’s good to see you Danny.’

I held onto her as we stared at each other. My cheeks were warmed as silent tears trickled down them.

‘I was starting to think you’d never show up.’

‘Honestly… me too.’

She took a step back ─ she had no tears on her face.

‘Ayamin,’ I said, ‘I’m sorry. If I could turn back time and make things right I would.’

She sniffed; the cold mountain air was making her nose run.

‘Three days ago, I was in a jail cell. I was alone and I had nothing to distract me from my thoughts. I realised that maybe you were right not to tell me Danny.’

She hugged her arms to her chest and continued.

‘Maybe I wouldn’t have wanted to know you.’

Her words hung in the air between us. I wanted to say I was sorry again. I wanted to get on my knees and beg Ayamin to stay with me. But I kept my mouth shut and my feet on the ground. I had nothing to offer her but myself. If she wanted to leave, she was free to go.

‘But now,’ she said, ‘I want to know everything Danny.’

And then she was crying. Her tears slid free. Her arms stretched out, wrapped around me.

Standing in the Briancon street on that cold winter’s day.

With Ayamin in my arms.

I knew we’d be okay.