It was a day, like all of those that came before it. The sky was cloudy, a light grey veil hiding the sun’s warm gaze, and birds sat idly on nearby branches, chirping their soft serenades. Jack awoke as he did everyday, stretching his arms slowly- followed by a tired yawn. He looked about himself, pondering on what day it was, what was to happen later that day and what it is he was to prepare for. It suddenly came to him in a single, almost foreign word; company. Yes, he was to have a guest later that evening, an old friend of his named Olivia.
It had been what felt like years since he last saw her, so long in fact he had lost count. Then again, he always lost track of time. One loses themselves quickly when found in the doldrums. Quickly, he ran to the kitchen and turned on the stovetop and placed his tin teakettle on the burner. With just as much urgency he began scrambling a few eggs and set the bacon to cook. He sat back a bit, leaning against the wall with the sound of sizzling in the background; but there was something else there.
He listened closer, a news report playing softly in the background. “As of today, virus… has claimed… lives, bring this year's total to-” Jack turned the TV off, his face afflicted with a flat affect. ‘Certainly she’ll make it this time… yes, she’ll make it! But what if-’ He shook his head, looking down at the remote, confused. Returning to their breakfast, he took it to his dining room table, humbly decorated and set with enough food for two. Jack poured two cups of tea, adding two sugar cubes to Olivia’s, just how she liked it. There he sat, and waited, and waited… How long had it been since he last saw her? Since he last saw anyone? There he sat, silently sipping his tea. It was a day like any other.
