-Oh yes, I know dear… I won’t keep you long.

She was going through her bag, looking for her change purse to pay for the cab. Her cellphone stuck between her ear and her shoulder,  she listened patiently as he walked her through his day… The clients, the contracts won and lost. The latest deals he had signed and how that’d get him one step closer to the promotion he had been eyeing for a while now.

-What’s all that noise behind you? Where exactly are you?

But she only had to mention the up coming delivery of his brand new car to change the subject…

He wasn’t a bad guy, per say. No, he was pretty nice to hang around with, and he had lots of qualities that had charmed her when they had met. He just didn’t see her anymore, it seemed.

-Yesterday night was lovely! That sushi shop is just amazing!

Oh yes it had been! If you occulted the fact that she didn’t eat sushi, and that she had never enjoyed Kung Fu movies… But the more time passed, the less he seemed to know her. Most people would have just told her to sit with him and settle things straight, but she figured if it didn’t matter to him what she liked and disliked, it wasn’t worth making a fuss about it.

She knew all there was to know about him… From the way he liked his steak almost raw and his shirt and pants’ sizes,  to the little details like how people eating popcorn at the movies annoyed him, and how he couldn’t stand the smell of lavender…

Would he even remember the color of her eyes if she asked him, right now? She smiled, knowing he probably wouldn’t.

She wasn’t angry at him. Just tired, that was all. For God’s sake, he hadn’t even noticed the boxes here and there when he had last visited her apartment… She hadn’t tried to hide things from him, she was ready to answer any question coming her way. But none had been brought up.

She hurried up, noticing the time on the public phone hung to the wall. Looking through her purse again, she reached for her wallet, and stood in line with the few strangers ahead of her…

-I don’t think I’ll be able to make it Saturday night, Gorgeous. Sorry, but the boys had a last minute amazing deal on footbal tickets, and they’re treating me, for the Kroneberg signature! I’ll make it up to you…

We’ll see about that, she thought, not saying a word.

-I have to go now…

Indeed, she thought, indeed, I have to.

-Ok! Have a nice one, Sugar!  Love ya!

Keep saying it like a mantra, my dear… Those words haven’t meant much for a long while now…

She hung up, and put her phone in her bag, still walking towards the platform. Her suitcase rolled steadily by her side as she walked to the wagon. The train was already there, ready to get her out of town…

Looking back on the station one last time, she noticed she felt relief more than pain…

-Farewell, my dear…

Her words fading, covered by the departure horn…