Checking it eagerly to see if two envelopes they've been waiting for are inside.
Finally, on Wednesday, April 28, they arrived.
“I tore mine in two, I was so excited,” Adam said.
The two men, both residents at the Shepparton addiction rehabilitation centre, have finally regained their driver licences.
It's been a long journey for them both.
Before coming to The Cottage, Adam had been driving unlicensed for eight years.
For Nabil, it had been three years.
But in a major milestone on their roads to healing — and escaping cycles of addiction and crime — they're now legally back on the road.
“We're so happy, it's just another step in the right direction,” Adam said.
A victim of abuse from a young age, Adam was 12 years old when he started using drugs, hoping to numb the pain from his childhood trauma.
In and out of jail for most of his life, six months ago he was bailed to The Cottage.
He's since been working through his past, learning to process his feelings and mending relationships damaged in the wake of his addiction, including with his daughter.
“Because I've been in jail so much, I haven't really been around for her,” he said.
“It hurts to see what I've done and I know I can't change it, so the best thing I can do is to stay clean and do the next right thing.”
Nabil fell into addiction later in life.
Before that, his life had been on an upward trajectory.
Finishing year 12 at 15, Nabil went straight to university, graduating at 20 with a chemistry degree before working as a senior environmental analyst at 21.
But that all came crashing down when a friend encouraged him to try ice.
“Within six months of that, I'd lost everything — my fiancée, my job, my house, my car, my licence,” he said.
“I was then in and out of jail for about two years, before getting bailed to The Cottage.
“I've since been working through my addiction issues, and I've never felt better. This is the first time I've actually been excited for my future.”
Nabil has two months left on his rehab program — Adam finished two months ago, but is currently transitioning back into the community while volunteering at The Cottage.
“I want to give back,” he said.
While Nabil has already completed his first licensed drive — ducking down to the chemist for medicine — Adam is waiting until he has an interlock installed on his car.
But once that's completed, he'll be back on the road.
As for their first big road trip, Adam and Nabil already know where they hope to go.
To visit Adam's daughter.
“It's been four years since I've seen her,” Adam said.
“I'm pretty excited.”
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