“I want to. If Chloe were here, she’d be contributing, right?”

“Yeah, but you’re a guest.”

“Yeah, sorta, but Chloe’s one of my best friends—like a sister really—and you’re one of her best friends, so by proxy, this is like having Christmas with my extended family. I’d be contributing back home.” Ash looked unconvinced. “Please just let me?”

Ash pursed her lips. “Sure, okay, but no money changes hands. We are down a dessert with Chloe gone. She usually makes a pav.”

“A pav?” Where did Aussies come up with these words?

“A pavlova. Like a meringue.” And why did they shorten everything? Does Chloe always talk in Aussie-isms? Jules asked herself. Maybe she did and Jules just didn’t notice. Ash peered up her expectantly.

“Right. Well, I’m not sure my baking skills extend to making a pavlova, but I am awesome at Christmas cookies. That’s one of the ways I earn my keep back home. Actually, my cookies are kind of legendary.” She shrugged in mock modesty.

The man behind the counter handed over a large package of prawns wrapped tightly in butcher’s paper. “You’re talking about proper American cookies, right?”

Jules laughed. “Yeah, sure, I guess they’re American.”

Ash took off her backpack and squeezed in the package of prawns, then zipped it up. “But you mean those shortbready ones with all the fancy icing and stuff? Those, right?”

“Yes, they are fancy, very fancy,” Jules replied with mock seriousness.

“Well, if you’re sure—and please be sure because I’ve always wanted proper American cookies at Christmas—then we’ll stop at Woolies on the way home for baking stuff. That can be your contribution. How’s that?”

“Sounds good to me.”

“And then, we’re going out for coffee. I am dying for a proper coffee.” Ash forged ahead to the next counter where they would collect the ham, shoving her way through the dense, but amiable crowd. Jules stayed right on her tail, not wanting to get lost. She had no idea from which direction they’d come in.

Ash continued, “I mean, there are some great places for it here. Like that one.” She pointed to a tiny hole-in-the-wall—more of a counter than a coffee shop—with a long line of people who all looked like they were Jonesing for their coffee hit. “But look at that frigging line!”

She turned to Jules, “Okay, so we get the ham, we bike over to Woolies, get the baking stuff, then drop all this at home, and grab coffee? Sound good?” Jules could see why Ash and Chloe were such good friends. They were both super organised and, just like Chloe, Ash seemed to enjoy being in charge. Jules wondered if that made them the most formidable team ever, or if sometimes it was “the clash of the titans”.

“Sounds good,” Jules replied. Ash smiled, just like Chloe did whenever her plan was accepted. Two little planners living together. No wonder the apartment was immaculate. As soon as she got up that morning, Jules had made Chloe’s bed, almost as though Chloe was hovering over her, “Tuck that corner in! No, tighter!”