Intrepid (adj.) – Resolutely courageous; fearless
Before we went to break the news to everyone else, there was someone I wanted to meet. I’d filled Ben in with what had been simmering in the back of my mind and he loved the idea, so now it was time to see if I could put it into practice.
‘Georgia?’ I glanced up from the notebook I’d brought with me where I’d been jotting down what I wanted to speak to Terry about. This guy, who hated crying babies on planes, who was going through marital problems, and who thought I was this irritating non-stop talkative traveller he’d been unlucky enough to be squashed next to on a long-haul flight, could possibly be the boost Lonely Hearts Travels needed.
‘Hi! Thanks so much for arranging to see us at such short notice.’
He wafted his beefy arm. ‘Not a problem. I was just going to be killing time before a meeting later, so at least this way I feel a little useful. I have to say, I’m very intrigued by what you want to talk about.’
I’d been a little cryptic when I’d called him and asked to pick his brains over a coffee. I’d looked him up online and used his mobile number from the business card he’d given me when he thought we wouldn’t make it out of the turbulence.
‘Ha, well, I’m still working it all out in my head, but I wanted to use your expertise for some advice. Sorry, this is Ben, Terry, Ben.’ I did the introductions as the two men shook hands and we ordered drinks.
‘Ah, the business partner boyfriend, I take it?’ Terry’s face creased into a wide smile as Ben nodded. ‘Your girlfriend helped me out with a little problem on the plane. And now she can’t keep away from me!’
‘I’ll have to keep my eye on her in the future,’ Ben joked.
I smiled, accepting a herbal tea from the waitress. ‘We’ve had this idea.’
‘Tell me all.’
I wasn’t sure where to begin. ‘How easy is it to create an app?’
Terry took a long sip of his flat white. ‘Super easy, depending on what it is you want to create. The more technical it is, the harder it gets. What are you thinking?’
I took a deep breath …
‘Since we last met, I’ve made my way from Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road and had a taste of what it means to be a backpacker today, which was eye-opening to say the least. Frankly, as a business, we are not doing enough. The traveller today wants super-fast broadband, they want the world at their fingertips, and they want to combine their interest in seeing new countries with the security that their phone gives them. We’re living in a modern age where it’s normal to share your feelings via emojis rather than words; life is moving faster than ever before, but what is being left behind is the travel industry. We need to change and modernise with the times.’
I paused to see if Terry was keeping up. I’d been tossing and turning this idea in my head since being here, noticing the sheer volume of time backpackers spent on their phones or tablets in the hostels we’d visited, then at Shelley’s wedding hearing Cara’s ideas about mixing solo travel with dating and meeting others. I’d had a brainwave.
‘We already offer incredible travel tours for brokenhearted backpackers. However, thanks to their time with us, our customers will move on from their heartbreak but still keep that urge to travel, to make the most of this new-found confidence they’ve picked up. So …’ I took a deep breath. ‘I was thinking of creating an app that offers our tour services, but for solo travellers who have found themselves and are looking to date again with someone who shares the same interests as them: travel.’
Ben squeezed my knee under the table, encouraging me to continue.
‘We want to create an app that can be used as you travel in order for you to meet and hang out, or even hook up, with other backpackers. Like a mix of Tinder and TripAdvisor, with real-time reviews of the people you’ve met and the experiences you’ve shared. This way you get the independence and freedom that comes with solo travel, but also the comfort of knowing you’re not alone and can easily meet other people like you.’
I felt like I was rambling and probably should have created some fancy-shmancy presentation with PowerPoint or pie charts, as I really wanted him to get on board with this, or at least tell me that I was on to something. A wave of worry washed over me, thinking back to the pitch presentation I’d given at the bank. What if this idea wasn’t as good as I’d built it up to be in my head? What if baby brain was making me jump the gun, yet again?
I gulped at my drink and waited for his reaction. True to form, Terry had been eating a plump pastry, getting flakes of croissant over his jeans as I’d been jabbering on. A slow smile grew on his rubbery lips, which were glistening with buttery oil.
‘I love it!’ he enthused, slapping his hands together.
I let out a sigh of relief. ‘Really?’
‘I mean, we would need to create a watertight business plan, but, as an idea, you think it would work?’ Ben asked.
‘One hundred per cent. If you piggyback this onto your tours, offer paid-for content perhaps on a subscription model, and we nail the design and development, then I don’t see why it wouldn’t. When you asked to meet me, I did some research on you guys and I like what it is you’re trying to do. I could have done with being on one of your tours when I split up with my first wife. I just spent the whole time hanging out in the nearest bar when I went travelling back then.’ He rolled his piggy eyes at the memory. ‘The only company I found was the sixty-year-old barman who wasn’t the slightest bit interested in seeing some Mayan ruins with me.’ He was a completely different person to the stressed-out grumpy guy who’d sat next to me on the flight here. Today had been the best day ever.
I couldn’t stop my smile from spreading. I saw Ben was beaming at this too.
‘I’m so sorry, but I need to go or I’ll be late for my next meeting. But call me when you’re back in the UK and we can sit down and work out some more details. I think this is just a fantastic idea and something that my team can definitely get behind!’
We shook hands and said goodbye, and I felt this glow inside of me. This could be the idea we were all waiting for. I couldn’t wait to tell Conrad and Kelli. First, I needed to let Ben in on the next part of my plan.
‘Well, that went well.’ He leant back in his chair watching Terry waddle off.
‘If we can make it happen, financially and practically, then I want Shelley to head it up for us.’
He looked confused. ‘Er, yeah, if you want. Is this because of the baby? Because I’m sure we can jiggle stuff around with your packed diary and—’
I shook my head. ‘No, although that’s a whole other conversation. No, this is because she could do with a break, and I think she would be awesome at the marketing and collaboration as it’s going to be a big project.’ I didn’t want to tell him about her money worries. Instead, if she could get her teeth into this for us, surely she would be back on track soon.
‘Fine by me. Speaking of the new Mrs Priors, shall we head back and break our news to them?’
Our news! Even with the excitement of sharing this new business idea, I kept stealing glances at my ring finger. I was going to be Ben’s wife!
When I was meant to make the life-long commitment to Alex, I was a totally different person to who I am today. Back then, I’d never developed a sense of myself, or an idea of who the future Georgia would be and what she wanted from her one and only life. I now know who I am. I’m not this desperate, timid girl who thought she needed a man and a big fancy white wedding to complete her. When I do walk down the aisle, it will be for the right reasons, not because I felt a little lonely, or jealous, or because everyone else on my Facebook timeline was tying the knot. This would be because I wanted to commit to one person for the rest of my life. Ben.
‘Wait, one more thing – what time is it back in England?’ I tugged on his arm as he tried to catch the waitress’s attention to pay our bill.
‘I need to tell my parents!’ I pulled out my phone and tapped open the FaceTime app. Within seconds, the black screen filled with their confused-looking faces, peering way too close down the camera lens.
‘Is it on, Sheila?’ I heard my dad mutter. ‘I can’t hear a thing.’
‘We’re here!’ I smiled and shouted, making them both look up. ‘You might need to hold the iPad a little further away from your faces though. Dad, we’ve got a very nice view of your nose hair.’ I giggled as my mum tutted and Ben stifled a laugh from beside me.
‘Ah, there. Much better. So, how are things?’ my mum asked. She was hugging her hands to her chest and blinking rapidly.
‘Good,’ I said, trying to stay calm and control the smile on my face. ‘How are you both?’
My dad started to speak but my mum wafted him out of the way and leant closer to the microphone. ‘No, no, we want to hear all your news …’
I glanced at Ben. They knew about the engagement.
‘What?’ Ben said, leaning back and placing both hands in the air defensively. ‘I had to get your dad’s permission, didn’t I?’
I smiled.
‘So …?’ my mum asked expectantly.
I flung my hand in the air and screamed. ‘We’re getting married!’
My mum began crying happy tears instantly. My dad just nodded his head, as if choking back the emotion. ‘Oh, how wonderful! Congratulations!’
‘Thank you!’ Ben chimed and kissed my hand.
‘I’m guessing this isn’t much of a surprise?’ I asked, wiping away tears at how happy they both were.
‘Well …’ My mum couldn’t lie to save her life. ‘Not really. We were kind of in on it from the start. But I’m so pleased you said yes.’
‘Thanks, Sheila,’ Ben said. ‘And thanks, Len, for letting me finally ask the question I’ve been waiting to ask for ages.’
‘You did well, son,’ my dad nodded.
‘Oh, Georgia. The ring is stunning. Tell us all. How did you pop the question?’ My mum half-pushed my dad out of the way to sit closer and hear the juicy details she would no doubt be sharing with everyone in her slimming class tonight.
‘Let’s just say it was everything I wanted in a proposal.’ I grinned.
‘Well, it is a lovely surprise,’ my mum cooed.
I rolled my eyes. ‘You knew he was going to ask me!’
‘Well, yes, but we didn’t know when,’ she said, pulling herself upright.
‘Or if you’d say yes,’ my dad chimed in with a chuckle and a wink.
‘There is some other news we have that may come as more of a surprise,’ Ben said, checking with me if it was okay to spill. I nodded.
‘Oh no, you’re emigrating to Australia, aren’t you?’ My mum clutched at her necklace in horror. ‘Lynne’s son, you know Lynne from the chippy on the corner? Well, Lynne’s son went to Australia on holiday and never came home again. He got a job, got a girlfriend and stayed there!’
‘Don’t panic, we’re coming home. Anyway, you said you’d meet our flight from the airport, remember?’
At that she let out the breath she’d been holding. ‘Oh yes, well, thank the Lord for that.’
My dad shook his head at her dramatics. ‘What’s this other surprise then?’
I grinned at Ben; we shouldn’t really be telling lots of people, especially as I was still so early on, but we couldn’t help ourselves.
‘We’re having a baby!’
‘What!’ my mum shrieked and then clapped her hands together. My dad sat back in stunned silence with the biggest smile on his face.
‘Now, it’s still early days …’ Ben tried to say, to help manage their excitement levels, but it was pointless. My mum had her hands fanning her tear-stained cheeks and my dad had pulled his trusty hankie from his jeans pocket to blow his nose and dab at his eyes when he thought we weren’t looking.
‘Oh wow, oh my days, oh, Len!’ my mum was clucking, not knowing where to put herself. ‘Are you sure?’
I nodded and gratefully took a tissue Ben passed me to wipe my own eyes. Stupid hormones. ‘Yep, like Ben says, it’s early on, but we couldn’t wait to tell you.’
‘Oh, are you going to be okay on the flight home? It’s an awful long way to travel in your condition, isn’t it, Len?’ Mum grew concerned.
Ben grinned at me. Oh God, protective grandma had happened already.
‘We’ll be fine.’
‘I’ll take care of her, Sheila!’
‘Well, you must get lots of rest and don’t be rushing back to work as soon as you get back,’ Mum ordered, then shook her head in wonderment. ‘Oh, Georgia, we are so utterly delighted for the pair of you.’
‘Thanks, Mum, thanks, Dad,’ I said, sniffing back the tears. ‘That means a lot.’
We hung up and clinked our coffee cups together.
‘You okay, babe?’ Ben asked, pulling me into a warm hug as I put my phone away.
I nodded. ‘More than okay. I never expected that this trip would end with us announcing our engagement and our pregnancy!’
He kissed me heavily on the lips. ‘I’m so happy that it has. It’s hands-down the best trip I’ve ever been on.’
‘Ditto.’
I wouldn’t be a mum who made organic baby food with the array of vegetables growing in her garden. I wouldn’t be a mum who swaddled her child against her floral Joules maxi-dress and glided around the city attending things like baby yoga, baby pottery and baby opera. Imagination creates expectation, so I needed to have a strict word with my imagination and bring it back down to reality. I would probably be the mum with porridge in her hair, the mum who stays in her pyjamas until the very last moment – and not swishy satiny ones, but crusty and comfy Primark ones – and that is totally okay. I didn’t know exactly what lay in store for us but I’d had the strength not to let my past define my future – that was how I got this wonderful life after all. I was proof that taking chances, saying yes and overcoming deep fears, could seriously pay off.
‘I’ve heard that pregnant women get a little friskier, you know?’ Ben winked as he called for our bill.
‘Oh, is that so?’ I teased, raising an eyebrow.
‘Yep.’ With that, he leant over and I let his kisses wash over me, enjoying the burst of love and happiness fizzing in my chest. I knew better than most that some of the best things happen when you least expect them, and that life has a funny way of giving you what you need when you aren’t looking. I’d survived being a jilted bride, being the boss of my own company and learning to both trust and love again. Now I was going to survive the next step: motherhood. And do you know what, I couldn’t bloody wait!
THE END