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“Are you okay?” Lucy asks.
She shrugs. “Yes and no. Mason was amazing, and I couldn’t ask for the situation to be better with him right now.”
I frown, sensing there’s more to it.
“Oh, I love this.” Lucy grins. “I feel proud of you both already. Tell me more.”
Nina swallows. “I’m not going to see Joey for a while.”
Lucy nods. “I actually think that’s a good idea. He’s been at the centre of some of your arguments with Mason these last couple of months.”
Joey became closer to Nina after she and Mason broke up. And although we know that Nina made it clear it was just a friendship, we also warned her multiple times that we thought Joey wanted more from her.
“I know. And it was my choice, but I worry so much about him, girls.”
“Because of his brother?” Lucy asks.
She nods. “He isn’t right. It scares me to think he’s in that apartment on his own at the best of times, but now that this has happened, it scares me. I found him in the bath on Sunday. He was asleep, and I had to wake him. He’s always been Joey, you know. I’ve never seen how his illness affects him when it’s bad, but he isn’t acting himself, and I don’t know if that’s because of his brother or because he isn’t taking his medication.”
I zone out a little as I think about Joey and what he’s likely feeling. I know from Nina that he lost his mum in a house fire when he and his brother were young. And now he’s lost his brother too.
“He’ll be okay, babe,” Lucy tells her, placing a hand on Nina’s.
Nina nods, swiping at the corner of her eye. “I hope so.”
“I know this is hurting you, Nina,” Megan says, a soft look relaxing her face. “But I think this will be a good thing. You and Mason made big steps this past month. You have a chance to get your family back here.”
“I know.”
“And maybe it will mean Joey makes new friendships. He seems stuck on you,” Megan adds.
Nina stares at the table, still nodding. “I think Joey cares. Maybe too much at times, but he isn’t a bad person.”
I can only imagine what Joey must be going through. But the girls are right. Nina needs to focus on Mason and Ellis right now. Her family has to be her priority.
“So you and Mason are okay?” I ask.
“Yes, but he wants to take things slow.” She gives a small smile, the first since she sat down. “We’re going to date.”
“Slow?” Megan laughs. “Mate, you can’t fuck him yesterday then be like… Oh, we’re taking it slow today.”
We all chuckle in agreement with her.
Nina waves her off. “You know what I mean. I already know he won’t last five minutes. We’re just not going as fast as last time.”
I sit forward, keeping my voice lower than Megan’s. “Definitely… like condoms this time, right?”
The girls laugh with me as Nina plucks out a salt packet and takes aim at me.
It feels good to have these girls around me, especially after the weekend we’ve just shared.
I don’t feel ready to tell them about Lance. It’s a long-ass story for a cuppa coffee. But today isn’t the day I feel like explaining it.
“Nina, if you want me to, I can check in on Joey?” I offer, knowing it’s a small thing that would put her mind at ease. “Maybe send over some bereavement leaflets or something? Just to check in, so you don’t have to stress.”
“You’d do that?” she asks.
“Of course! I get what it’s like to lose someone you love. Maybe it will be good coming from me?”
