A little way behind the others, Susie, Heidi, and Andy had fallen into conversation with Kyle.

Someone Susie hadn’t known long, but already liked.

The conversation had started casually enough.

Travel.

Kids.

Where everyone was from.

Then Kyle mentioned where he lived.

“Pontefract,” he said. “Picked you up in Wakefield, didn’t I?”

Susie laughed.

“You did.”

Then she tilted her head.

“You know what shocked me though?”

Kyle frowned.

“What?”

“The accent.”

He looked confused for half a second.

Then laughed.

“Oh God.”

“You’re South African!”

Andy looked between them.

“Wait, really?”

Kyle nodded.

“Yep.”

Susie laughed softly.

“I genuinely didn’t expect it.”

Kyle grinned.

“You disappointed?”

“No!” she laughed quickly. “Just surprised.”

She shook her head.

“My ex was South African.”

Kyle raised his eyebrows.

“Oh yeah?”

“Plettenberg Bay,” she said.

His face lit up instantly.

“No way.”

“Yep. And he actually taught me some Afrikaans.”

Kyle looked impressed.

“Go on then.”

Susie laughed nervously.

“Oh God, don’t test me.”

“Now I have to.”

“I only know little bits,” she warned.

“Still counts.”

She smiled.

“Tiny sentences. Random bits.”

Andy looked delighted already.

“I’m learning things today.”

Kyle laughed.

“Honestly, half the time I don’t even realise I’m slipping into Afrikaans.”

“Do your kids speak it?” Susie asked.

Kyle shook his head.

“Nope.”

Then grinned.

“But me and my wife used to.”

Susie looked curious.

“Oh?”

“When we didn’t want the kids understanding what we were saying.”

Heidi laughed.

“That’s genius.”

“Honestly,” Susie said, smiling, “that’s actually such a good thing to be able to do.”

Kyle nodded.

“It definitely came in handy.”

Then Susie’s face brightened.

“Wait.”

She pointed dramatically.

“Do you do a proper South African braai?”

Kyle looked at her immediately.

“…You’ve been to one.”

She grinned.

“Oh, I’ve been to one.”

Kyle laughed.

“Okay, now I’m interested.”

Susie shook her head.

“They’re unreal.”

She looked genuinely nostalgic for a second.

“Honestly, the best barbecue food I’ve ever had.”

“Exactly!” Kyle said, sounding suddenly passionate.

“It’s not just a BBQ,” Susie continued. “It’s a Braai.”

Andy laughed.

“Why does that sound aggressive?”

“Because South Africans take food very seriously,” Kyle replied.

“Very seriously,” Susie agreed.

She smiled.

“My ex’s family used to do them and honestly…”

She held a hand to her chest dramatically.

“I fell in love with the food.”

Kyle nodded knowingly.

“See? You get it.”

“The meat. The atmosphere. Everyone outside…”

“The garlic bread,” Kyle added.

“Oh my God, yes.”

“Okay,” Heidi said, looking between them. “Now I’m hungry.”

“Same,” Andy muttered.

The conversation softened a little after that.

Kyle adjusted the strap of his bag.

“Honestly,” he admitted after a moment, “I’m pretty new to Lifted.”

Susie nodded.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He shrugged slightly.

“Just looking for friends, really.”

Something in his tone shifted.

More honest.

More vulnerable.

“I’ve spent years being the husband. The dad.”

He paused.

“And now my kids are getting older…”

He exhaled slowly.

“I realised I’m not actually okay.”

The group went quieter.

Not awkward.

Just listening.

Kyle shrugged again.

“Guess I realised I need to focus on me a bit.”

Susie nodded gently.

“I get that.”

Then smiled.

“You know what though?”

He looked at her.

“You’ve found a good group.”

She gestured vaguely ahead where chaos could still be heard somewhere involving Fawkes, laughter, and probably snacks.

“They’re mad.”

Heidi snorted.

“That’s polite.”

“Bit dysfunctional,” Susie admitted.

Andy nodded solemnly.

“Very dysfunctional.”

“But…”

She smiled.

“They’re family.”

Kyle looked ahead at everyone walking, laughing, dogs weaving between legs, people drifting in and out of conversations like they’d known each other forever.

“Yeah?”

Susie nodded.

“Crazy family.”

A pause.

“But a really good one.”

Ahead of them, someone shouted.

“WHO STOLE MY CHOCOLATE?”

Beppe immediately walked faster.

Andy sighed.

“…See?”

Kyle laughed.

“Yeah.”

He smiled.

“I think I’ll fit in here.”