Kylie & Jack 1: Humble Beginnings

59. Memories

Friday 2nd Aug 6:17 PM

"Ok bitches – except the Maxi baby maker – you two and me, are not leaving this bar until we are so shitfaced the men have to take us home! To my birthday!" Ali declared, raising a beer in a toast.

Sophie looked rather out of place in her black jeggings and white knitted jumper, cradling her now showing bump and sipping a sugar free Lemonade. Loz was uncharacteristically quite beside her, in black jeans and a dark green blouse and without a drink. Kylie, however, clinked her cider against Ali's beer.

"Happy birthday, Al!" they all toasted her and watched her take a swig of her beer. It was only when Ali sat back down on the stool that she noticed Loz wasn't drinking and asked if she was ok.

"Yeah, just exhausted. I got called in to work at that special needs school, had a Kindergarten class with five ODD kids, two with AD/HD and one non–verbal ... and not one support person available for the whole day. It's been fun." Loz said. She certainly looked and sounded exhausted.

"Mate, if you've had a shit day, have a drink – even just water – but I mean, hey I won't be offended if you wanna go home –"

"– how long have we known each other?" Loz said dryly.

"Thirteen years ... why?"

"And in those thirteen years, I have never missed watching you get so off your face on your birthday. I'm not gonna stop now." Loz stated and asked the barman for a water.

Satisfied for now, the girls stopped fussing over Loz and turned their attention back to the inevitable piss up that tonight would become. Ali had her phone out and ready, snapping one selfie after another of her and the girls. They ordered meals and went to sit at the very end table of the bistro to swap memories about their thirteen year long friendship.

Meanwhile, Ryan was hosting Jack, Dean and Chris at home, with Harry and Aiden sitting on the floor playing with Lego and waiting for their pizzas to be delivered.

"Christ, you'd think they'd put a bloody decent game of footy on a Friday night!" Dean cried out, watching the Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast Titans run out onto the field. Jack snorted, a half drunk beer in hand.

"You sound like Kylie ... she can't stand these two. Never heard so much groaning in my life!"

Dean sniggered loudly, Jack drank more of his beer, Chris was focused intently on the TV and Ryan cried out when Aiden rode his toy bike over his recently unplastered foot.

"Ah! Jesus f – what'd you run over me foot for?" Ryan cried out, pretending to be in pain. When Aiden looked up at him wide–eyed to have hurt his dad, threw himself against Ryan's knees.

"Sorry Daddy!"

"Kid drives like his old man," Jack joked.

Ryan pretended to hobble to his feet when there was a knock at the door, revealing the delivery woman from Dominos.

"Dad, Dad is that our pizzas?" Harry asked, jumping to his feet.

"Yeah and here – take this –" Ryan indicated to the two rolls of garlic bread the woman was still holding onto.

"– and get Uncle Dean or Jack to go and get some cups –" Ryan juggled with three pizza boxes, while Jack got up and took the two bottles of drink from the now blushing delivery woman.

"Cheers mate," Jack and Ryan both said once she had made her delivery.

Harry opened the garlic bread, pizza boxes and drinks. He turned to Dean and Jack with a slice of pizza in each hand, asking them which they would like.