“I suggested that after flipping my lid when she told me, said there's no fucking way you’re taking my girls to the other side of the world.” I lean towards the coffee table and flick the ash in the glass tray. “She begged me not to fight her. I wanted to ask the girls what they want to do, but she said ‘don’t make them choose between us or put any pressure or guilt on them,’and she’s right.”
“I don’t envy you, mate. What a fucked up situation.” Dean takes a swig of the can in his hand.
“I apologised, but she knows I struggle to go a week without them, let alone fucking months at a time. She said ‘I’m sorry my dad’s dying.’ And I felt like a twat.” I take another toke on the joint and lean my head back as I blow the smoke out.
Dean puffs on his spliff. “Mate, that’s tough.”
“She said, ‘What option do I have? It’s my duty. I’m their only daughter.’ That’s why her parents hate my guts. They never forgave me for keeping her in the UK.”
“I remember all the stress, mate.”
“She said, ‘You knew I wanted to move back to Australia years ago, and I stayed for you.I've missed so much time with my family, and now it's too late. Don’t ask me to miss anymore time. The girls should know them.’I get it. She needs them as much as I do. I won’t fight her. I’m just gonna have to visit as often as I can, and she’ll bring them back when she can.”
“That’s gonna cripple your bank account.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” I take another drag of the joint. The room fills with the scent of blueberry muffins like Dean’s just pulled a fresh batch from the oven. “That’s what this is. Blueberry muffin.”
“Right, it’s good, init? I grew it myself.”
“Nice. I’ll have some from you.” Steph would love this. She’d probably prefer a real blueberry muffin, but the smell of this is just as good without the carbs as she would say. I smile as I think about her always on a diet. Why can’t she accept she’s perfect just the way she is? She clearly doesn’t believe a fucking thing I tell her anymore. Especially after all that photo shit.
Leaning forward, I flick the ash off into the ashtray. “You know what the worst thing is? She’s taking Steve the fucking dweeb to Oz with her.”
Dean pulls his bushy eyebrows together. “I thought you liked him.”
“I do, even though I’ve never met the bloke, but the girls like him. I’m just fucked off that he’ll be living with them on the other side of the fucking world, seeing my girls more than me, and I can’t do a damn thing about it.”
“Has he got a visa or green card or whatever, then?”
“Not yet. He’s applied for one, but he’s a fucking teacher, so they’re not gonna deny him one, are they? And I’m glad Priya will have someone with her, but it just gets to me, you know.”
“What's keeping you here? Go back to Australia. You lived there before. I bet you could get a job out there easy. Putting some distance between you and Steph may be good for you.”
“I’ve applied for a working visa. So just gotta see if it gets approved.”
“You were moping around after uni. Maybe the surfer chicks will get her out of your system again.”
Maybe he's right. I'm constantly looking for her, waiting for her to call, hoping she’ll come knocking on my door each night.
“I always thought you two would end up together. I've never known two people so different, yet so in love with each other. She was like the ying to your yang.”
“Yeah, just keep rubbing that salt in.”
“Soz, mate. We could always murder the husband. I reckon between us we could do it.”
“Don’t tempt me.” The thought had already crossed my mind.
“Accidents must happen all the time on building sites.” He chuckles and has another drag. “Why wouldn't she leave him?”
“She said it was her kids, but you should see their house; a fancy detached. It must be five or six bedrooms. If I had all that shit, it might tempt me to stay as well.”
“So if she has money, why the fuck does she drive that old Suzuki?”
“She said she likes that little car. Stop fucking talking about her, anyway. You’re supposed to be taking my mind off her. Some fucking mate you are.”
“Come on, then. Let's get shitfaced. Do you want me to call Karla and her mate to show you a good time?”
“No way. I can't be doing with another bird. I'm going celibate. Women are too damn stressful.”