I pulled up outside the police station, to collect Geoff after his shift and drive him home. When I stepped out of the vehicle, I noticed Sasha, who I had gone to high school with, standing by the garden wearing a red dress.
“Hey, Sasha,” I greeted her, a little apprehensively.
She spun around on her toes, startled.
“Hey,” Sasha responded. “How are you, Nina?”
“I’m well, thank you,” I answered, nodding and smiling. “How are you, Sasha?”
“I’m good, I’m good,” she replied. “I’m, um, here for Ben. We’re going out tonight.”
“That’s great,” I told her. “He’s a great man, Ben. He’d be really good for you.”
Sasha blushed the colour of her dress.
“I do really like him, Nina,” she confessed. “He makes me laugh. I mean, maybe it’ll never work, but I really like him.”
Just before I could reply, the door to the police station opened. Geoff and Ben ambled out, still dressed in their police uniforms.
“Oh,” Ben gulped, “you’re both here.”
“Hey,” Sasha greeted him with a wave, swallowing hard.
I looked at Geoff.
“We’ll skidaddle,” I advised.
“See you later,” Geoff farewelled.
“Bye,” I added, before we slipped back into the car.
“How was your day?” I asked Geoff as I drove away from the police station.
“Pretty regular,” Geoff replied. “It’s good when it’s pretty regular. It’s better when it’s pretty regular. In my job, the paperwork days are the good days.”
I nodded, pulling up at the traffic lights.
“I’m glad when you’re doing paperwork too,” I admitted.
The lights changed from red to green and I drove away.
“Which house are we going to?” Geoff asked.
“Well, up to you, really,” I answered. “You can definitely stay over tomorrow night.”
“But we’re going to separate houses tonight?” Geoff suggested.
“Probably, if that’s alright,” I responded. “I have an early start in the morning because I’ve got both work and uni tomorrow, but then it's the weekend.”
“That’s alright with me,” Geoff replied. “Thanks for the lift, Nina.”
“No worries,” I answered with a smile.
I turned the corner to drive back towards Geoff’s house, rather than mine. When I pulled into the driveway, though, I felt like I was home.
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'.
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