Field of Daisies

Chapter 18

The walk isn't too bad since the jacket cuts the cold. I follow the walkway near the water past a hospital and under the big freeway. I don't feel a need to rush since the walk is not more than an hour and a half and the first bus doesn't leave until three fifteen. The scenery is quite nice, which helps make the walk go by fast.

I purchase a ticket once I get to the transportation center. I'm afraid I won't get one when the concierge hesitates, but they quickly get over whatever held them up. It turns out their hesitation was from a full bus; I get one of the last tickets left and take a seat to wait until my departure. There's a complimentary coffee bar, which I help myself to, opting for decaf so I don't start acting as jittery as I feel. This coffee is somehow better than Charlotte's. I guess that's her flaw: she can't make a decent cup of joe. I keep the cup to use for water later since I don't have a bottle and will be needing some soon. The whole initiative to eliminate single use plastic is great when an alternative is available, but this place can't seem to offer cartons of water.

I spend my time watching the monitor, observing the passersby, and standing by the river. I look for boats in the inlet, trying to imagine living and working on one out at sea for days on end. I decide I'm definitely a land person and make my way back to the main center to stare at the monitors again.

With the cold, I don't catch attention having my hood up, and I have been very aware of avoiding catching any extra attention. I don't know where Cameron will be looking for me, or if they'll even let him, I just hope it's not this direction. Is a bus station too obvious? He must have known I had no money so maybe it's not obvious. By now, the coffee and water have made their way through me, so I try to keep an even pace heading back, practically running straight into the bathroom. Then I sit in an open seat and watch the latest travel deals and events in the city flash across the monitor.

When the bus arrives to be filled with new passengers, I make an effort to get up without looking too eager. Upon entering the bus, I notice some granola bars at the front, with a few ending up in my pocket before moving back into a window seat in the middle. As I watch the other passengers board, I realize most of them must be heading home after a day of work in the city. It appears to be mostly Commerce workers, with suits of all kinds, but I also spot a Creator with some paint on her pants and a group of Producers who were probably working on one of the never-ending construction projects.

An older woman sits down next to me, holding a bird house. She says hello and talks about how the house is a birthday present for her brother, and her trip to the city to find a specific craftsman who makes these houses, and about all of her grandkids. By the time we arrive in the old capital, I know her grandkids names—all twelve—but not her own. She leaves with a smile, and I remain in my seat, prepared for the longer portion of the bus ride.

After the final call for departures, a new wave of people flood in. This time, a young boy sits next to me, as directed by his flustered mom. It appears she and her other son are sitting across the aisle, so I conclude I'm either non-threatening looking or those were the first two open seats she found together.

The mom gives me a weak smile. "He shouldn't bother you since he's been absorbed in his game, but if he does, don't hesitate to let me know." She seems to be struggling with her younger son, but still makes a point to say, "I love your hair style by the way. It's very chic."

I blush and tell her, "Thank you," before staring out the window for the next two and a half hours. I think about my short hair, my mom and dad, my sister, Lynn, and Theo. I try to stay focused on imagining what Charlie is doing now. Is she training to work with one of our parents like we all thought she would? Or does she have new interests as a Producer now? Interests that I don't even know about. I imagine Charlie spending her days outside, working with her hands, and coming home with dirt under her nails. Maybe she's on a farm with the animals she loved to visit as a kid. Or maybe she's working with Educators to create even more sustainable plant-based products for public consumption. I just hope above all she's happy. And I wonder if she ever thinks of me, if she misses me too.