Page 2 of Cocky Cruiser

How do you tell your oldest friend that you got involved with a drug dealer and became addicted to crack?

Inhaling deeply, I typed out the text.

Me: Hey, girl! I just got into town for a couple of weeks, and I wanted to see if you’d like to get together :)

This trip was about finding myself and new beginnings. I felt like I still hadn’t found my footing since getting clean even though that had been a new beginning in and of itself. With Chance going to jail because of me and my mom dying while he was in jail, I felt like darkness had clouded my fresh start.

My phone vibrated with Jeannie’s response.

Jeannie: OMG I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were coming!

Me: Surprise :)

Jeannie: LOL well, yes let’s get together - drinks tonight?

Me: Sure. Sally’s?

Jeannie: I knew you were going to pick Sally’s lol definite yes

Me: Around 10?

Jeannie: Perfect :) see you then

Excitement filled me, and I couldn’t help but smile. Back Alley Sally’s was where my small group of friends used to hang out. It sat right above a pizza and burger joint, so it was perfect for the many drunken nights my friends and I had spent there.

Chance and I decided to take Aubrey to the Queen Victoria Market after brunch, which had everything from freshly baked bread to voodoo dolls. They even had vendors who sold small pets.

People bustled from stall to stall, perusing the various goods as Aubrey looked around in awe. “This is like the Pike Place Market on steroids.”

“Yeah, it’s almost double the size,” my brother responded. “The largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere.”

“Aw, look at those adorable stuffed animals,” Aubrey pointed out. “We have to get one for Chance.”

My brother smiled lovingly at his wife and son. “Whatever you want, princess.”

He kissed her temple, and it made me long for what they had. I’d tried to force it with Harry, but unfortunately, I learned that type of connection couldn’t be forced.

After Aubrey picked out a kangaroo for baby Chance, we decided to grab coffee and tea at one of the little cafes in the market before shopping for some groceries for our vacation.

“We should make a meat pie for Aubrey,” I suggested.

Aubrey’s brows furrowed. “Meat pie?”

“Yeah, babe. Kinda like potpies in America. Our mom made the best meat pies,” my brother remarked.

“I think I remember the recipe. I can make one,” I offered.

Chance smiled affectionately at me. “That would be nice.”

I grinned back at my brother. “Okay.”

We grabbed the ingredients for the meat pie, some Aussie staples like Vegemite and pavlova, and a couple of souvenirs before heading back to our bungalow.

When we got back, Aubrey put baby Chance down for a nap while I put the groceries away and prepared everything for the meat pie.

I didn’t cook much in the States. When we moved, my mom had done most of the cooking, or we’d order in. Then when she’d died, I took it upon myself to learn so that Chance and I weren’t eating fast food all the time. But once he’d rekindled things with Aubrey and she moved in with us, she cooked most of the time.

Even though they hadn’t asked me to, I planned to move out once we got back from our vacation. I’d been searching for places and found a quaint apartment that wasn’t too far from Chance and Aubrey. They deserved to have their own space for their little family, and I didn’t want to impose any longer. My brother had already sacrificed enough for me, and it was time to spread my wings.

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