My Escape||A Bondi Fanfic

Chapter 7|Working on Decisions

OLLY
Today was the day I was having my best friends, Tessa, Mellie and Harrison over for a final discussion over my job. I was leaning towards quitting, but Harrison and Tessa weren't so sure, Mel was just sympathetic, and she was incredibly upset by it since she was pregnant. I was bringing Ollie to his daycare for the day since we needed some routine still during the uncertainty, and he didn't understand. I was meeting the girls and Harrison at Lake Parramatta Cafe, and then we were going to hang out at the lake for the day, kind of an escape for me and Harrison, since we were at the beach so often.

"Hey Harrison!" I greeted him happily, he smiled and I fell into step with him as we walked into the cafe. "So how're you Olly?" He asked after we were inside. "Well, I'm pretty good, I'm being faced with a very significant choice and I'm nervous about it you know?" I replied, fidgeting a little as we looked for Tessa and Mel. I saw Tessa's long mousy brown hair and familiar smile back a bit in the cafe, so we made our way over. "Tessa!" I exclaimed, running over to hug my best friend. "Olive! I missed you!" She giggled, kissing my cheek. "I missed you too." I said, sitting next to her, "Oh Harrison, come on, just sit next to me," I motioned to the seat next to me. He shrugged and sat down, "Where's Mel?" I asked Tessa. "She's on her way, she got stuck in traffic." She replied casually, I nodded as an acknowledgment. "Tessa what're you getting for lunch?" I asked. She shrugged, "It depends on what's on the menu," Harrison chuckled, "Yep, Olly, what're you getting, you ask questions that you want to discuss based on your interests." I blinked, a bit taken aback by his insight, men don't usually have that, "uhh, first I'm gonna have a grilled cheese for the first time since I got a stomach bug in 2011. And how do you know that?" I replied. "Olive, I was there when you got sick!" Tessa laughed, it was true. Tessa and I have known each other since kindergarten and it's been the best years ever since I met her, she's always been there for me, and celebrated Ollie's one year adoption anniversary with us. "Oh yeah you were!" I remembered, getting pulled back into reality by Mel's loud voice. "Olly! Tessa! And hello Harrison." She said, confusing growing on her face. "Hello Mellie." He said smiling, she blushed, but quickly removed her flush, being married. "I didn't know that you knew Olly." She smiled, he nodded grinning, and looking over at me. "Yeah we met at Bondi because of her job, but actually hung out at Tamarama on my lunch break." He chuckled. I smiled and nodded, "Yeah, and girls he can surf!" He smiled at me and Tessa cut in, "Olive, and Harrison look like a couple!" She shrieked. I rolled my eyes while Harrison chuckled softly at her childish comment. "Tessa, we're not and why would you scream that through a cafe, a busy one at that." I groaned, she shrugged and we went to order our food.

"So Olly, we need to discuss that job." Mel said to me seriously. I nodded, digging into my tomato soup and grilled cheese. "Well, what do you need to know?" I questioned all of them. "We need to know what you like and dislike about the job and evaluate what's most important." She said thoughtfully. I groaned playfully and began, "so I like most things about the job, like being able to interact with people and make a difference, but I don't like how the hours work since I'm on 24 hours a day every four days and Ollie can't be at daycare. I also hate seeing the abused kids and bad visits and things." Harrison looked at me and said very seriously, "Olly, I think you need to quit, it's affected you alot, even from what I've seen and I've known you for like a month." I nodded slightly, "It's really really draining, but I don't have a backup plan." He looked at me, and so did Tessa, she always had an exciting idea for me. "Olive, maybe you could work as a therapist." She suggested, I shrugged it off and smiled slightly. "I have no idea but I don't want anything that I need to go back to uni for." I said quietly, "Olly, maybe you could like, do something in education?" Mel asked, I shook my head quickly, "Nope. I don't have enough patience for Oliver." I groaned, "I just need a quick escape from the job though." I finished the last bite of my lunch and smiled a little, "that was good," I smiled. "I'm glad, but we still need to figure your plan out." Tessa said pushingly. I groaned, she was already too much for me to handle, she was always a lot, and I love her for it, but she just got to e too much sometimes. "Olly-" Mel started. "Olive!" Tessa cut in, "Olly?" Harrison cut in after Tessa, I was rubbing my head aggressively, trying to get rid of my headache that had sprung up. "What?" I asked rudely. "Are you okay?" He asked me, not taking my tone offensively. "Well, this is a scary group." I said vaguely, before laying my head down on the table, giving up.