Page 38 of Wish You Were Here
‘Let’s talk about it over dinner,’ Jess says slightly uncomfortably.
‘Okaaay,’ I reply, and we both take slightly tense sips of our drinks.
Jess and I make more strange small-talk until Aaron tells us it’s time to eat. We head inside and after I wash my hands, I sit down with Jess and Aaron at their table.
‘Thanks, Aaron,’ I say, looking at my plate, which contains a large steak, potato wedges, covered in my favourite chicken salt, and there’s a bowl of salad in the middle of the table.
‘Az is a great cook,’ says Jess.
‘I’m all right. It will be better once I have a proper barbie,’ says Aaron, and Jess looks across at him, he looks back at her and something unspoken passes between them.
‘Are you going to tell me about the house now?’
‘Yeah, right,’ says Jess, and Aaron reaches across the table and holds her hand. They look at me, smile and then Jess says, ‘we put an offer in on the Avalon house and it was accepted.’
‘We’re buying the bloody house!’ says Aaron.
‘Congratulations!’ I say, and I am happy for them, I am, but I’m going to miss them. Jess goes on to tell me that the house is near Aaron’s parents, and they were only able to afford it because it needs a lot of work, but Aaron’s brother is a tradie and can help them do everything. It’s an old three-bed, two bath, single story house with a pool, an amazing deck with plenty of room for a barbie and you can walk to the beach in ten minutes. Jess is so happy and it’s impossible not to be happy for them.
‘I know it’s a bit further away than you’d like, Sas, but I promise we’ll still see each other all the time,’ says Jess.
‘It’s got a great guest bedroom with your name written all over it,’ says Aaron.
‘Creepy decorating choices, but I am happy for you,’ I reply.
‘Really?’ says Jess. ‘Like really, actually happy or just saying you’re happy but inside you’re, like, really fucking mad about it.’
‘Really, really, actually happy. I promise.’
‘Told you she’d be right,’ says Aaron, and it seems like they are moving and our lives are soon going to be very different.
We start eating, Aaron and Jess talk more about the Avalon house, when they’re likely to move, and I know I have to tell them my news too. I can see how excited Aaron is to be moving closer to his family, and how excited Jess is to be buying a house and starting the whole process, which will inevitably lead to her having kids and the big family she has always wanted.
Jess and I get another Pimm’s lemonade, and when we put our knives and forks down, I know it’s time to tell Jess about Brad. Aaron begins clearing our plates away and I look across at Jess. She looks so happy, I don’t want to ruin the night, but maybe she’ll be okay with it. I know she didn’t want me sleeping with him at the wedding, but that was only to protect Caroline. Now Brad and I are actually dating – at least, I think we’re dating – maybe she’ll be all right with it.
‘I have something to tell you, too,’ I say.
‘Oh yeah?’ says Jess brightly. ‘Is it to do with the English man?’
I take a moment, a sip of my drink and then I tell her.
‘I went on a date with Brad this morning.’
‘What?’ says Jess, her whole face dropping in shock.
‘I went on a date with—’
‘I heard you. With Brad? Az’s best man Brad? The man I told you to stay away from.’
‘Yes, that Brad.’
‘He didn’t tell me about it,’ says Aaron from the kitchen.
‘Because I told him not to,’ I say, and then Jess stands up. ‘I wanted to tell you myself.’
‘For fuck’s sake, Sas. Why?’ she says, visibly annoyed.
‘He’s not who you think he is, Jess. He’s nice and kind. He saved my life.’
