Normal

It bothers her, the way he would lick his fingertips after chewing back a bag of Cheetos. The way those fingers stayed orange, despite his slathered efforts, would stick with her throughout the day. Mary Lynn thought of it most often when sitting on the bus, riding home to him. They are a couple, unmarried, but he's hopeful. She's still unsure, always on the fence. Mary Lynn thought about how much she wanted to say, "Hey, buddy. You bother me, and here's why..." But she never would. Being honest would mean being open, and being open would then unseal all the possible pain and frustration that being open leads to.

"Cambridge," said the bus driver. It was a muffled 'Cambridge.' If she didn't ride that bus every day from downtown to her apartment she wouldn't know what he was saying. But she had lived in Boston for most of her adult life, so she knew a thing or two about the city.

Tom is his name. Her non-husband's, that is. He's a physically fit, guy. Wears ties regularly. Enjoys a bag of Cheetos after work on his commute home. It was the one thing he stuck with from his childhood. Most guys keep a daydream or maybe remember their first middle school girlfriend fondly, but not Tom. Cheetos were his middle school girlfriend, so to speak.

Mary Lynn got off the bus at "Lipton." It was a stop earlier than her normal routine, but she had to pick up a gallon of milk at the 7-Eleven because Tom had finished their old gallon earlier that morning. She knew he had drank the last of it because he was the only person in the house to blame. They didn't have kids, and truth be told, Mary Lynn didn't think she wanted any. It was chilly outside as she got off the bus, her Dansko shoes clunked with each step. She knew they weren't attractive, but they were comfortable shoes for the walk.

As she approached the 7-Eleven Mary Lynn began daydreaming about what her life would be like if she moved, or if she got a different job, or if she had kids. She imagined moving to someplace sunny. Earlier that year she had taken a semi-vacation to Captiva Island, Florida, for a wedding. Tom couldn't come because he had some work engagement. Mary Lynn didn't mind going by herself. She wasn't in the wedding, but it was for a friend of hers from college. They had gone to BU together. Boston University. So, she imagined moving to Florida. She imagined getting a job doing marketing for one of the boating companies on some illustrious pier. She imagined meeting someone new. She imagined all of these things without Tom.

Swinging the 7-Eleven door open, Mary Lynn scanned the store, knowing full well where the milk was located already. She moved past three rows, then turned. The milk was on the back wall near the beers and pop. She eyed the lowest priced full gallon of milk. $2.39. "Not bad," she said to herself.

"Excuse me?"

Before she even looked up she apologized.

"Oh, no, sorry, just grabbing a decently priced milk."

The "excuse me?" came from a man. He was tall, if not slightly overweight, but he had a nice face, a slight bit of stubble and straight teeth.

Mary Lynn looked up to find a nice smile.

"That's why I love this store," the guy added. "Convenient and cheap."

Mary Lynn smiled, mumbled a "Right," then an "Excuse me," flustered. She went up to the counter, paid her $2.54 for the milk and tax, looked back for a second, then left.

While walking the extra three blocks to her house from the store, she attempted to fish her keys out of her work bag, a black Timbuktu. It was hard with milk in one hand, and they were at the bottom. Outside her apartment she rang the bell for apartment 2R.

"Who is it?" That's Tom.

She pushed the button again. "It's me."

The door sounded, and she went inside to her life.