Late Again, With Donuts

Chapter 1: Years By Years

By the time Carol called, Liam was already late.

“The donuts and coffee are here for your meeting,” the receptionist said, stretching the word meeting as if the refreshments had arrived for a funeral.

Liam trapped his phone between his shoulder and ear while searching his coat pocket for his railway card. The backpack of the passenger behind him swung forward and struck his arm.

“Thanks, Carol. I’m on my way.”

He tapped his card against the panel and stepped onto the rain-soaked platform. All around him, commuters stood with their heads bowed over their phones, their faces pale in the blue light. From a distance, they might have looked like people observing a moment of silence.

A garbled announcement crackled through the station.

“Expect delays of up to ten minutes due to operator shortages on all eastbound rails.”

“Brilliant,” Liam muttered.

He had lived outside Philadelphia for ten months and fifteen days—not that he was counting—and he still had not learned how to accept public transport delays with the weary calm of the locals.

At least the delay gave him time to review his notes.