The bus ride was a complete nightmare and he realized that he'd boarded the bus that was taking fans to some sort of sporting event. The colors they wore meant nothing to him nor did he care. To top things off, the driver glared at him when he stepped onto the platform.
"Look buddy, this ain't no free ride zone. You gotta pay!"
"I-." There were no words that would accurately describe Niles mood at that moment so he kept quiet. Instead he reached into his pocket and found some dollar bills.
Those along with the one from the less than pleasing girl at the train station were enough to pay for the fare to Seattle.
"Sit down!" The driver barked. "We're leaving now!"
He sat in the front on one of the long seats that lined the window, wincing at the screams and hollers of the obnoxious people on the bus. Some were on their cell phones, telling their life stories to whomever was on the other line; some were talking so insanely loud that he could hear it all the way in the front. The rest were chanting about whatever sports team they were going to see. But as they pulled onto I-5, Niles felt a sense of relief unlike any other. Once again he fell asleep (although he had no idea how he managed, what with the chaos and the noise around him) and the next thing he knew he was being shaken awake.
His eyes flew open and he looked around, disoriented. "Huh? What?"
"Get off! This is the end of the line!"
"Oh, right." He scrambled to his feet and glanced at the back of the bus, horrified when he realized that it was empty. How had they gotten off without his knowing?
"Where are your shoes, buddy?" The driver cracked.
Niles looked down at his feet. He'd chosen to forget that moment, but now he remembered it vividly. "I-."
"You know what? I don't really care. Just get off will ya?"
"Of course." Niles stepped onto the sidewalk and looked around. "International District Station." The sign read. Now all he had to do was hail a taxi and he'd soon be home. If he'd had more time, he would have taken the poor roses (what was left of them anyway) into the Men's room at the train station. They desperately needed water and a little love. He'd cared for them as best he could. He was tempted to toss them into the nearest trash bin but he knew he'd regret it. And at that moment they were his only connection to the woman he loved.
He moved to the corner and stood, hailing taxi after taxi. In desperation he was about to step in front of one and demand that it stop but it came to a halt in front of him.
"Thank you so much!" he shouted as he opened the door. He'd barely gotten the door closed when the taxi sped off.
"Where to, Mister?"
"Um, The Montana please. The address is-."
"I know where it is. Just keep your pants on. We'll be there in ten."
Niles' eyes widened. "Ten minutes?"
"Or ten hours. Your choice. It's your dime!"
"Ten minutes is fine. It's just that the distance-."
"Don't worry about it, okay? Do you want to get there or don't you?"
"Yes, yes, by all means yes."
Then hang on."