“You look good,” he added.
“You too,” I said.
The lights changed from green to orange to red.
“I’ve met someone,” he suddenly said.
I turned to look at him; he smiled and shrugged.
“That’s good,” I offered and realised I meant it.
“She works in Comms,” he said. “Actually, she was working that day you were there.”
I smiled.
I’m here to see Sean. Just one minute.
“That’s nice,” I said.
“We’re buying a house together,” he said.
“Where?”
“Out West.”
“Quick up to Warkworth from there,” I said.
“I’ve resigned my roster in Warkworth,” he admitted. “Taken one at Henderson Station instead.”
“Out West,” I said.
“Yeah. Seemed like a good idea.”
“Yes.”
We stared at the street.
“Are you happy?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “Are you, Ky?”
“I’m getting there,” I said.
“Well. I guess that’s that,” he said.
“Yeah. I guess it is.”
We embraced and then parted. I watched him walk away. He didn’t look back.
Auckland City rose up all around me. Bangs and crashes and sirens and car horns.
And if I turned my head just the right way, I could see red.
I let out my breath, counting to three, and then smiled.
I got in my car and switched on the radio and sang at the top of my voice all the way back to Epsom.