I was at Greg and Natalie’s place in the afternoon, having spent the day sorting photos. Hearing footsteps coming back up the stairs, I presumed that it would be Natalie. She had gone downstairs in order to fetch snacks, to get us going into the next stretch. Instead, however, it was Jessa who arrived in the spare room – the daughter of Natalie’s cousin. I tried to do the maths of what relation that specifically made her to Geoff. We both had big and winding families, him seeing his more than I saw mine, given the testiness which existed within the relationship between Mum and Granddave.
“Hi, Jessa,” I greeted her. “How are you?”
“Good, thanks.”
Jessa’s always struck me as a cheery person. I could hear the football on the television in the other room.
“Natalie said that there might be some photos which I can take for our new house.”
“Oh, of course.”
I handed over the pile. Once the match concluded, we returned home. Winds howled, the barrier on the back deck flapping back and forth. How bad the storm could get remained unknown. Dad slid open the back door and stepped outside, heading down to the garage. He returned shortly after, with nothing but a sigh.
“I reckon that we just take it down,” Dad suggested. “The kids are grown up now, it doesn’t do much to protect them.”
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'.
Comments