Riley Hicks.
Was born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania with two sisters and 1 older brother.
Her parents were middle classed, and she knew no other family, but an elderly uncle that passed away due to heart disease.
Now, Riley wasn't a girl of many.
She was always soft spoken, very natural, never gave anyone a hard time, and made sure she graduated with honors at the age of 24.
She didn't want to stop there.
Although, she was reserved.
The small 4% of her extroverted self wanted more.
It seemed like she wasn't satisfied. She was hungry for an adventure that she knew would give her the answers of what she wanted the rest of her life to be.
But she didn't realize that this trip to a very foreign country, just below the United States, was going to give her the answers she were eager to find out.
Bonnie, her mother, and her father Christian, wasn't so sure as to send their middle child off to a very unusual country that isn't their own.
She knew of Jamaica, where her father was from. And Southern Asian where her mother was from, but they were skeptical about her leaving, somewhere she didn't know.
She just smiled at them, gave them a reassuring conversation as to why she should go and the clear indication that she's an adult and that it should ok for her to leave, and then she was met with her bags packed her uber to the airport just just 15 minutes away.
" You know mama is going to give your room away." Her 19 year old sister, Mary the youngest, informed.
" Is that all you have to say to me? Your loving beautiful, healthy sister is leaving a place she always known and going somewhere that I can go missing?"
Mary shrugged.
" You wanted to leave."
Her passive aggressiveness couldn't hide that she was going to miss her big sister. A tear fell, and a warm hug from her baby sister was enough to let her know she had to do this.
If her brother wasn't going to leave home and the younger two weren't finished with school yet, then who was going to be the pioneer and do something that no one else in their family, besides her parents, and take advantage?
Riley was the smart siblings and child.
She never wasted her money, and her parents were her backbone.
She extended the suitcase handle, and threw her carry-on bag over her shoulder. Looking at her browned eyed sister, she said:
" Make sure no one takes my room?"
Mary nodded, watching as her sister left. Not sure if Riley was ever coming back.
*
Just the Crack of her neck and the stretch of her back, Riley Hicks watched as her luggage moved slowly towards her.
Foreign but beautiful, Australia was just as hot as Jamaica.
Her small jacket she had on was enough for to break a sweat. Her camera around her neck as she was sure that some pictures of her two month trip in the Foreign land would be needed.
Her firearms secured and safe in its own brief case and her water bottle high in the air as she chugged down her water.
" Now, where is my cab?"
Her eyes hung low, her mouth opened as she yawned and covered her mouth. And if the jet lag wasn't bad she realized she's spent 22 hours on the plane and it was the middle of the day.
She looked on her phone, to track her cab. It was just two minutes away.
She wasn't always patient, but when her two minutes became 5 minutes, her patience was almost out the window.
A blue and white cab pulled right alongside her and she looked to see a gray haired man with a smile on his face.
" Riley?"
She smiled, putting her luggage in the trunk and settled herself in the car.
" Are you from America?" The old man asked, his accent strong and vibrant.
" Yes, Pennsylvania. You ever been?"
" No, no. But I have a niece that lives there and she said it's pretty nice there."
" It is. How long will I be getting to my destination?"
" About an hour. We have alot of traffic today. I'm sorry I couldn't help with your bags, Me back is all twisted. A young beautiful woman like you don't deserve that-
" Oh, no! It's fine. I was on the plane for so long I don't mind the extra movement. How is it here?"
" It's Gorgeous! You will love Queensland. Ever been to the Australia zoo?"
" No, I heard about it."
" You should take a trip there if you're staying awhile. What is your name?"
" R-Riley."
" I'm Barry, nice to meet you Riley."
He was very friendly, very chirpy. He made a few turns, gave light conversation until he was finally pulling into the Stayz rental.
It was a two story town house, beautiful view of the green plains.
Her eyes, still low from drowsiness but her hopes of a hot cooked meal was screaming for her.
But with her empty refrigerator she was sure that she had to request a delivery for some groceries. Her stomach almost touching her spinal chord, she place an order for some things.
Her money, already exchanged from United States currency to Australia's was accepted through the delivery app.
Her phone rang.
Opal, her 20 year old sister, called.
" Why didn't you tell me you left already?"
" You weren't there, and I wanted to make sure I was secure before calling. I'm in the airbnb right now."
" Are you sure you want to come back? I can use extra space, and your room is good for my painting. "
" Opal, please get off my phone."
" Mama wants to talk."
Bonnie, made her voice known, softening Rileys heart as she heard her mother's soft sweet voice.
" Hey, ma."
" Are you ok?"
" I'm fine, I need some rest. I'll call you guys in a few hours. I love you all, and tell daddy I might need some extra funds."
Although, Riley was very responsible and didn't necessarily need anymore money, she was pretty spoiled.
Bonnie agreed, allowing her second oldest to hang up.
*
Finally the groceries arrived.
Poor Riley only put them away, before she was knocked out sleeping.
Her body wrapped in her bed sheets.
Riley didn't know why, but she hasn't had any sleep like this since she was 5 years old. When she went to go see her mother's parents in Asia.
She didn't know why, but she soon woke up with the most energy and the hungriest stomach known to man.
She took out her camera making sure she had enough film before taking pictures of herself and her nice home she'll be staying in for the next 2-3 months.
Riley, had a plan.
She wanted something different.
And although she will miss her family.
Riley wanted to leave home.
If she were to start her own family and be able to live independently without her parents all the time, she thought leaving the states and trying something new would get her mind right about moving.
She wanted to know how it felt living alone.
Although, college gave her a sense of independence...she still needed some space. She was still living at home.
Her brother worked, but he didn't have no plans of leaving home. Even at his 28 year old age.
Opal, was just a driven painter, in college, but she still didn't know whether her painting was going to get her anywhere.
And Mary, was the baby. She wasn't going anywhere, any time soon.
And with Riley constantly on the move and wanting her own, she took advantage of her funds and her dad's and decided to leave the states in hopes of something inspiring.
She looked at the pictures and saved it to her hard drive. Her laptop sitting flat on her lap as she drank someof her wine in her water bottle.
Her instant meal was ready. Spaghetti and meatballs was always a go to whenever she didn't want to cook or didn't have time.
She missed being in the kitchen.
Cooking meals and trying things from her two different backgrounds.
Her mother, stays in the kitchen. A constant reminder as to why her father stays happy and fat.
She loved the kitchen, and always wanted to be a chef before she got married.
But she did, and she had kids. So, being a travel nurse and also married to an architect, she didn't have alot of time for her chef skills. But made sure it was something on the table for her family.
Her father, just spoiled his kids and worked. But they all were happy.
Riley patted her stomach. Full from the instant dinner, she grew bored.
Remembering the cab driver and the zoo that he brought up, the 24 year old looked up the zoo.
Only hearing about it, she never had her sights on actually getting to know about it.
" Australia Zoo was opened by Bob and Lyn Irwin on 3 June 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park. Their son Steve- Oh! The crocodile man. I use to watch him all the time."
She skimmed through the article.
" Steve Irwin was killed in a stingray accident, leaving behind two children Bindin Irwin and Robert Irwn and his wife Terri Irwin."
She went back to the zoos ticket pricing, and put in for one all day pass.
She thought it was a bit steep for a one all day ticket, but this was a famous zoo that everyone was familiar with.
And who knows!
Maybe something out of this adventure was sure to keep her on her toes.