A Commute to Each Life

Ebony pushes her laptop lid down and slumps back in her chair. For two years now she has been doing the Monday commute to London; for one year and eleven months now, she has been hating the Monday commute to London. She’s not too fond of the Friday commute back to her home either, but when it’s Friday, it’s Friday.

Her London friends ask her why she even bothers- move into London, they say. Her friends at home don’t ask. Well, they know why moving to London is not the option.
 

It isn’t a matter of where she prefers more- London, or home? She loves both.
 

The rest of the commute drags on by and by the time she’s finished her tube route, Ebony wants to sit down for the rest of the day. Instead, though, she buys a coffee and walks through busy old London, dodging the busy businessmen and excited children.
 

And it’s only Monday, Ebony thinks as she steps into the reception of her work’s office as if the thought has much more meaning than the four words simply look and sound like.
 

The day goes surprisingly quickly. Ebony realises this when she is back at the bed and breakfast she stays at, eating a microwave meal way too quickly while she changes into a high-waisted skirt and a flowery top. She slides on her pretty new flats as it’s a surprisingly warm October night and soon she is feeling much more relaxed as she walks along Oxford Street with her best friend and work colleague, Megan.
 

“I mean, I’ve been excited for tonight all weekend and now he has to go and be like this,” Megan says with a big sigh. Her boyfriend has sent her a list of things she hasn’t tidied or cleared up. A week before she promised she would sort her untidy ways, and still, it seems, nothing has changed. “I didn’t mean to not do the dishes, Eb, I swear.” Ebony laughs and Megan grimaces, knowing she is wrong.
 

Within ten minutes, Ebony and Megan are giggling their way into a little Italian they are meeting their friends at.
 

The night is a beautiful one, filled with laughter and friendship and Ebony feels rich in her friends’ company. She loves hearing about Ellie’s new niece and her first smile; she giggles uncontrollably hearing about Richard’s dog leaving unwanted treats every day for the past week in his bedroom; she adores hearing about Louisa and Frank’s wedding plans.
 

She doesn’t love how lonely she feels as she slides into bed that night after checking in on her mother and remembering how she has to face Charlie the next day at work. Charlie who broke her heart not three months ago. Charlie who doesn’t even know. Charlie who doesn’t even care.
 

And then in four days, she must commute home to her lovely but very sad mother.

 

~

 

I love a short story I can continue another time!

 

London & Home,

 

The Girl in the Moonlight.

 

P.S. I am blogging every day for Blogtober which you can read about HERE. HERE is yesterday's post.