~~Young~~

Chapter Eight

   “Thanks Chels,” Sera mumbled into her shoulder, “and…and I love you too.”

   “I know sweetie,” she continued to hold her, “but for the sake of our relationship, please leave the laundry to me, k?”

   “That bad huh?” Sera pulled away, looking to her sorted and non sorted piles and giving in to the distraction.

   “Yeah, kind of because,” Chels pushed off the floor pulling two items out of the dry cleaning bag, swapping them for a blouse from the dark’s bag, “the laundry service we-”she stopped short as Sera gave her a ‘give it up’ look, “fine,” she pursed her lips, “the laundry service I use…for us,” she grinned again, “washes everything in warm water and this, ” she held up deep emerald blouse, “is linen and not only would it shrink in the warm water but probably lose its color.”

   “But it says on the tag washable linen,” Sera frowned.

   “Well it’s not, and these,” she held out two pairs of her and Sera’s undies on the tips of her fingers, “don’t need to go to the dry cleaners.”

   “Oops,” she honestly hadn’t meant to throw those in there, “point proven, the laundry is all yours.”

   With her brows knit together and her lips scrunched to one side Chelsea considered that offer, “why do I feel like this isn’t the kind of situation that ends in a thank you.”

   “I got one,” Sera popped off the floor and grabbed her- now cold- toast from the sink and shoved the last of it in her mouth, “thanks for breakfast.”

   “Your manners are horrible,” Chelsea rolled her eyes playfully, “but you’re welcome. And now that you’ve got some food in your belly what are your thoughts on getting your ass dressed before the cab gets here?”

   “Chels,” Sera warned.

   “What?” she laughed, “just here to help remember?”

********

   “Ticket please,” Sera handed over her freshly printed pass to the heavyset man, “thank you,” he passed it beneath the barcode scanner, “platform one, car three Ms. Turner, enjoy your ride.”

  She readjusted her bag on her shoulder and firmed her grip on her duffle as she nodded to the ticket taker in thanks, even if she did already know where to go.

   The Vancouver train was always on platform one, her car might change from time to time, but she had ridden in each one at some point or another since she started university back in Kelowna so she was well aware of where she was supposed to be. She had considered getting a permanent pass for the train- it would save money and effort not buying them individually- but depending on her mood was which car she liked.

   If she was in need of a good distraction then she would ride in this one here, the second to last car, the sleeper touring car with all its tourists either taking the train for a weekend into Vancouver themselves, or simply for the ‘charming countryside views’ the trip offered. There was no room to get away from your co-riders in those cabins. The close quarters meant you’d have to interact. And that was okay, because it meant there was always someone there willing to tell her their life’s stories, giving Sera the chance to forget about her own.

   Wanting some time in her own head she’d ride in one of the next two, the economy class cars where everyone kept to themselves. Just about everyone there would be reading their newspapers or cheesy paperback novels, doing work on laptops and notebooks, or simply ignoring the world with headphones in their ears. She tried to avoid the supersaver and economy class cars simply because of how closed in it all felt, but sometimes if she booked too late she’d have no choice.