5 Mattresses

Zuri watches her friends from the kitchen window, curious to know what's taking them so long. Damian is holding Lia - usually a cute gesture - but today it seems somber.

"Are they coming, or kissing?" Bennet, Zuri's betrothed, calls from his workshop. He went ahead to get the mattress down, but it got stuck halfway through the exercise.

"No, I think she's crying!" Zuri answers, not making any move to help her handsome darky surfer out of his bind. She is way more interested in the soppy workings of Damian's ute. Those two are adorably annoying.

"Well, since you're staring, why not go and get them?" Bennet suggests, straining for balance on the ladder as he gets in a better position to drop the bed, "...would help if there were space to move in," he frowns.

****

"Woah mate! That looks uncomfortable," Damian holds the mattress so Bennet can get it unstuck on the other end.

"So how's Zuri?" Damian grins as he places the freed mattress near the door.

"She was over at your place yesterday!"

"Jealous, are we?"

As always, the two start pushing each other around in greeting.

"Every time." The girls watch, waiting for their other halves to realize they're in the room.

"So, when's Bennett's next competition?" Lisa is hoping she can bring Niki along.

"Three weeks, at Brisbane on Saturday."

"Taking the train again?"

Zuri certainly hopes not! Last time they ended up getting fined for scaring a kid when Bennett's boards fell!

"Maybe we can take the ute? Bennett will have a cheer-section, we could make a weekend out of it, like last year?" Lisa offers.

"Oh my gosh, yes! Niki will love it! We'll make a whole roadtrip out of it!" Zuri is getting excited for the new adventure to plan.

"Hang on, aren't you girls gonna ask us?" Bennett jumps in, knowing full-well it wouldn't matter either way. Like him and Damian would say no to a trip!

"Ha, ha" Zuri sasses, "We'll plan the stops, you guys pack the ute."

"I can live with that." Damian agrees.

****

The crew secures Nicki's mattress in the ute and decide to have some pop before parting ways. Zuri has made it her mission to suggest fun activities for Niki's stay. She scheduled a sleepover, movie night, surfing, and sightseeing before Niki even boarded the plane and is determined to add a party into the un-accessible mix.

"So when are we heading somewhere to celebrate?" Zuri beams as Damian locks his ute doors for fear of them bursting open. Zuri has an unmistakable zeal for life that only overcoming hardship could cultivate.

"I mean, if you want Niki to join it can't be today. She passed out on my bed the moment her head hit the pillow." Lisa cautions.

Zuri eyerolls, "You can't be serious!"

"She's not kidding, I've never seen someone sleep like that!" Damian offers, quite surprised at his new flatmate.

"Do you think that it's because - to her - it's all night?" Zuri speculates.

Lisa shakes her head, "She can tell when her surroundings are bright because then she sees what she calls 'fuzzy moving blurs' - kindof like some color bubbles with a black backdrop."

"Cool..." Zuri considers for a second, wondering what that would be like,

"So we'll party tomorrow for lunch then! Meet you at Sandy Park!" She calls, running down her driveway and slamming her backdoor before Lisa can squeeze in a protest.

Only to open the backdoor again and yell, "Bennett says don't forget the chips!"

...And then Zuri slams it a second time.