“I played hockey today, as usual,” I divulged, when holding the news bear.
“How did you go?” Ella wanted to know.
“We won, one-nil,” I replied. “Yeah, it was a really good game, I thought. It was hard-fought, which it had to be, because we were playing Bella Vista and they’re a really, really good team.”
“Which team do you play for?” Brigitta asked.
“Baulkham Hills,” I asked, shifting in my seat. “I only started playing last year. Mitchell used to play hockey when he was at primary school, but then he stopped sometime during high school. That was why when Rose started talking about it, I decided to play.”
I passed on the news bear to Ella, who was seated beside me.
“This could be bad news or good news,” she admitted. “I might be getting some work over in the UK this year.”
I felt an unexpected pang of loss, at the thought of her leaving. That, though, was my cross to bear. I didn’t have to make the same decisions as others. Maybe going away could be Ella’s salvation from the grief of the unknowing.
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'.