“Sean,” said Karlie the next morning, “I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?” replied Sean.
He had already forgotten everything he said to Karlie yesterday.
“Please give me all your delivery routes.”
“What? Wait, why?”
“I don’t know. I just feel like getting out of the factory. I need to be out there, by myself.”
“What about me? What will I do?”
“I already asked Mr. Kennedy and he said that it would be alright if you just worked in the processing factory instead of doing your routes. C’mon, Sean! You can talk to everyone in the factory. You can hardly have a decent conversation with anyone while you are out –
“You make a good point!” exclaimed Sean, “I accept.”
“Really?” said Karlie, “You’re the best, Sean, thanks.”
“Gee, I can not wait to tell everyone about my day, and this girl I met yesterday. Did I tell you, Karlie? She is so amazing…”
Karlie tried to smile as she was listening to Sean, but could only force so much.
It would be a long day.
----------------
Taylor awoke the next morning, early, and still frustrated from the night before.
Karlie had not shown, and she thought that it was a sign that Karlie did not want to meet her parents, was not yet willing to truly commit to their relationship.
Or maybe something came up, she thought,maybe she’s sick or something. I should go check on her.
Taylor was waiting until Karlie’s lunch break to enter the factory; was expecting to see Karlie there; was expecting some explanation or excuse to make her feel better.
Karlie was not there. She was actually skipping her lunch, skipping it so she could finish her routes as quickly as possible, so she could avoid seeing Taylor. Karlie knew that Taylor would come looking for her, since she had not seen her last night at the party.
But I was there, thought Karlie bitterly to herself, I was there, and I saw you. I saw everything.
Karlie was at Taylor’s house now, no longer saving it for last, only wanting to get it over as quickly as possible so she could go home and sleep – drown in her exhaustion and memories of silence.
-------------
“Sean?” said Taylor.
She was looking around the dairy.
“Yes?” he replied.
“Do you know where Karlie is?”
“I actually have no idea. She’s been gone all morning, out on her delivery route.”
“But shouldn’t she be back for lunch?”
“Yeah, but she covered my shift today for me. Said she needed to be alone or something. Maybe she has somewhere to go later so she’s trying to finish her route early. I don’t know –
“Alright, thank you,” said Taylor, uncertainly, with a weak smile, and turned and left the store.
She was drowning in loud thoughts of uncertainty, now.
-------------
Karlie returned the store later that day, after finishing all her rounds. She headed to the storage room to pick up her bag, where she ran into Sean.
