The news bear was perched on Timmy’s knee, which was exposed past the hem of his beige cargo shorts. Days were warming up now that winter was nearly coming to a close.
“It’s nearly the end of winter,” Timmy reminded. “I’m glad that the days are starting to get warmer, I prefer summer, most definitely.”
“So do I,” I agreed. “The winter feels like it closer in on you with the shorter days.”
As I sat up a little straighter, so did Clementine. Debbie perched her hands on her knees.
“Is that all of your news for the week?” she wanted to know, with a streak of a laugh in her voice.
“Yeah, sorry.” Timmy passed the news bear onto me, to his left. “I’m boring. Besides, though, this isn’t about me. It’s about you.”
“You are one of us, though,” Aaron agreed.
“Thank you, Aaron,” Timmy answered, then folded his arms and looked at me.
“Well.”
I held the news bear, almost like a merit certificate. My smile got the better of me, betraying my announcement.
“Geoff and I are together, we’re a couple, we’re dating, we’re official,” I gushed. “We’re really, really happy.”
The younger sister of missing Sydney man Mitchell del Reyan, Nina del Reyan lives on Dharug land in western Sydney. She has recently commenced a teaching degree at Macquarie University. Nina loves her family and friends and is deeply committed to finding answers and justice for the families of missing people.
Abbey Sim is the founder of Huldah Media. She is a creative writing, law and theology student who lives on the lands of the Dharug people in Sydney, Australia. Abbey desires to explore themes of hope, love and longing through her storytelling. She is the author of 'Shadow' and 'From the Wild'.