Home time
It was nearly time for the day to end. The clock ticked closer to 5pm and the arms worked slower with each sweep of the conveyer. The rain outside was not getting any slower and continued to trickle down the windows leaving little dotted patterns. The hand ticked over to announce it was time to go home. The conveyer came to a halt and they all got up, stretching as they gathered their belongings and headed for the door. The wind that gushed in was fresh and cool after being in the stuffy factory all day. Umbrella’s broke open in their huge protective shields sending the drops bouncing off in all directions. People raced across the tarred road, side stepping the puddles and trying to huddle under the shelter near the bus stop.
Mary`s husband waited patiently in their beaten up mini across from the factory door. She bounded along as fast as she could and as she neared the car, the door sprung open from the inside so she could jump in as quick as possible. She leaned over to give her partner a kiss on the lips and whispered a quiet hello. As she reached over to get her seat belt she caught sight of Jake standing under the bus shelter. He had his earphones planted firmly in each ear and had thrust his hands deep into the pockets of his brown jacket as he tried to get out of the rain. As she breathed against the window he disappeared behind a cloud of fog that appeared on the rain dotted glass. The seat belt clicked into place and the roar of the car started jolted her back to reality. The fog disappeared and Jake was gone, whisked away by some metal box on wheels that would carry him to home, wherever that was. There was no chatter on the way home. Mary stared at the man sitting next to her as he concentrated on the road ahead and tried not to splash through the pools of water that were gathering on the road side. He was old now, but she could still see the handsome young teen that had stolen her heart all of those years ago. His eyes were still deep blue and his body surprisingly strong, even though weathered from years of hard work out in the open. However, they had become strangers over those years too. The distance had become further and further as the years had ticked over and now there was little talk between them.
