Page 24 of Wish You Were Here
‘He’s not a fan of Shark Week?’
‘He’s not even going near the water, Sas. Which is fine by me.’
I’m looking at the view from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair with the Opera House and then the Harbour Bridge behind it, and it is stunning. I never take for granted that I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Even this early in the morning, there are quite a few tourists taking photos. I see a young couple, who look like backpackers, and when they talk I hear English accents, which reminds me of Ben. Jess and I finish our coffees before we start the walk back.
‘What’s happening with the house?’ I say, moving the conversation away from me and Ben, and back towards Jess and her search for a future-proof house with Aaron.
‘Right,’ says Jess tentatively. ‘So, you know we’re trying to buy our first house together.’
‘Yeah.’
‘And Sydney is like the most expensive city in the entire world.’
‘I do.’
‘And we need at least three bedrooms because we want to start a family, and it has to be a house because we’re tired of living in an apartment. Plus, Az wants a shed, more likely a man cave, but—’
‘Get to the point,’ I say as we walk along the pathway that runs along the edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
‘We’ve found a house, but it’s in Avalon Beach.’
‘Wait, what?’ I say, stopping and turning to Jess. ‘As in the Northern Beaches?’
‘It’s where Az grew up, and most of his family are still there.’
‘But it’s so far away. I’ll never see you.’
‘It’s under an hour in the car and only an hour and a half on the train!’ says Jess jubilantly, as though what she has just told me is actually good news. Right now we’re twenty-minutes apart so we can see each other whenever we want, but I know that if she moves to Avalon Beach, we will hardly see each other. Our weekly walks will be a thing of the past. She will get pregnant, become friends with other pregnant, married women and slowly but surely our friendship will become more and more distant. I understand their need and want to buy a house, and if Avalon Beach is where they want to live, I get it, but it still makes me sad. Especially on top of Joe going on tour with Fudge Cake, it feels like another reminder of how shit my life is, and how thirty is approaching and I literally have nothing together. I knew they might have to move out to get something, but I didn’t think it would be quite so far.
‘I’ll be sad to see you move away, Jess, but obviously I’d be happy for you and Aaron.’
‘Thanks, Sas, and it’s not even a done deal yet. We still have to put in an offer, get it accepted. Most likely, it won’t even happen.’
‘But you are looking that far away?’
‘We’re looking at anything we can afford. Plus, like I said, most of Az’s family live up that way, so it just makes sense,’ says Jess, and we keep walking until we get back to Circular Quay and we have to say goodbye.
‘Fancy dinner at ours tonight? I’ll get Az to cook something nice, and we can have a few glasses of wine, and—’
‘I can’t tonight. It’s Brian’s birthday, and we’re going out for a meal. I’m dreading it.’
‘Will he be in a kilt for the special day?’
‘Let’s hope not, eh.’
‘Let’s catch up soon, and Sas, the Avalon house probably won’t happen, but even if we get it, you and I will always be best mates. Like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.’
‘Are they best mates?’
‘No idea, but I like to think that they are. Or Kylie and Jason!’
‘Both male and female friendships, which makes me ask, am I the Ed Sheeran, Jason Donovan in this scenario?’
Jess laughs. ‘I didn’t even think about that. Soz, Sas.’
‘See you soon.’
‘Defo,’ says Jess, and we hug before she walks away and I have to get back to Glebe and get ready for tonight.
