“I—I just didn’t, I guess.” I can feel Jackson’s gaze warming my face so I plaster on a smile, “I would have hated it anyway. I hate camping.”
“Have you been since?”
“Once, just after university. I wanted to go traveling but it didn’t happen either. Kind of like coming here. I could have done it at any time, but I had to pick between using my savings for a flat deposit or traveling, and I chose logically.”
“Where would you have gone?”
I shrug. “Pacific probably. Australia, Thailand.” I lick my lips as I glance up at him. “New Zealand.”
Jackson laughs and throws his arm around me tugging him to his side. “I’ll take you to New Zealand don’t worry, pretty girl. I won’t be able to keep you away when my mother meets you. She’s already nagging me to put you on the phone, so if you get a random friend request it will most likely be her.”
“I can talk to her, if you’d like me to,” I say quietly. God, what must she think of me? The random girl her son hooked up with on the other side of the world.
“Here, let’s send her a picture.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and tilts his face closer to mine. My glasses bumphis jaw but it doesn’t stop the wide grin that breaks out on his face as we smile into the camera.
He presses some buttons on the screen.
“Send her the ultrasound too,” I say, digging it out of my bag.
He smiles wider. “Come here.” I’m tugged back under his arm as I hold the ultrasound up to our faces.
I glance at the photo. It’s the first one of the three of us.
12
JACKSON
I was excitedwhen Tony messaged me to meet up for a drink. I genuinely miss the guy. He’s a little bit of home that I can cling onto. I’ve not been the best of friends to him, especially after moving to LA. I don’t really think I’ve really kept in contact with any of my old school friends. I couldn’t even tell you what most of their partners’ names are, but I’ve never minded making the effort with Tony.
Except, what I thought would be one drink turned into two, which turned into five. I switched to water an hour ago but Tony is on his sixth beer and his eyes are distinctly red rimmed. I haven’t drunk much alcohol since that one beer in Rosie’s flat when she told me she was pregnant. It doesn’t feel right if she’s not allowed to either.
Tony also offered to split a bag with me in the bathroom but I laughed him off. I haven’t touched anything harder than whiskey for a while now. At some point, it’s less fun and more concerning. Tony makes a show of putting his wallet away but unless his bladder has shrunk, he’s been using the pub’s porcelain for something other than taking a piss.
“…and you spent ten minutes with a harness up your ass because you didn’t want to admit you’d done it wrong.” Tony laughs, slapping the table as he finishes recounting the story of our first rig.
I chuckle darkly as I throw a balled up napkin at him. “Laugh it up but I haven’t fucked up a harness since.”
Tony wipes his eyes before gesturing to the waitress to bring him another drink. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen Tony drink this much. He always used to be a one and done guy, preferring to get eight hours of sleep and an early gym session over a hangover.
I rub my beard, “Hey bro, is everything good with you?”
Tony nods his head frantically. “Yeah, yeah of course. Kaia’s back in Wellington, did I tell you?”
I shake my head.
“Yeah, yeah, she’s just spending time with her parents.”
“Is Masen over there too?”
Tony nods as his next drink is placed in front of him, he takes a few gulps of his beer before setting it down. “She’s left me.”
I huff out a slow breath. Tony and Kaia have been together since we were kids and I’ve known her almost as long as I have him. “Ah shit bro. What happened?”
Tony shrugs, waving his hand. “I don’t know. We were arguing a lot and I was working away so much. We moved over here so I could work with Marky and the guys, get into some big jobs shooting over here, and she hated it. Missed her folks.”
“Tony,” I say, not really sure what else there is to say.
“So, you know I’m still here. Still working.”
