Rain (Gimme 3)

Chapter 1

Casey

I look out of my hotel room and see cars everywhere. It would be at least an hour before my cousin shows up. I shoot him a reply. Yes, I’m sure. I’ll take the train. No need to drive all the way here. Mike works hard for a construction company, and I don’t feel right making him drive all the way here through the massive congestion on the roads. Besides, I’ve never taken the train before.

Even my flight in, I was picked up by a cab and driven to my hotel. Expensive, but at least it was quick. Then again, I arrived at about ten in the morning when people are at work. Now it’s a five o’clock world.

This trip is all about fun, so I plan to make the most of it. I’ve been through a lot over the years that forced me to grow up early. My father split when I was ten, leaving us to struggle. Unable to handle the pressure of being alone, my mother spends her time looking for the next meal ticket. And she hit the jackpot on the last one.

After slipping on my coat with everything I could need, I leave my hotel and head down the street to the Thompson Center.

Be safe. He finally responds back. Take the Orange line. Meet me at 35th/Archer.

“What could go wrong,” I mutter to myself, keeping my head down as I pass tons of people on the street? I’m making my way down a busy downtown Chicago street on my way to the train station.

“Umph,” I groan out adding a “Sorry,” as my shoulder bangs into someone coming from the opposite direction. They don’t call this the city of big shoulders for nothing. I’ve been clipped at least three times in a matter of a block. How do people do this?

Why are there so many people around? I text Mike.

Tucking my phone in my pocket, I approach the entrance, and an older man opens the door, holding it for me to enter. “Thank you.” He winks then follows behind, rushing past me and over to the turnstiles and through them.

My eyes can’t stop looking around as people move in a hurry. “Okay, now to figure out how to get on the train,” I mutter.

An attendant sees my internal dilemma and approaches. “Can I help ya?” she says with a smile.

“Sure, I need to get on the Orange Line, but I have no idea how to do that.”

“Not a problem. From out of town?”

“Yes, visiting from Texas.”

“Great. Welcome. First, you need to decide how often you’ll need to take the train.” For the next three minutes, we go over the options that I barely understand because she talks really fast. The line behind us is growing, and I hear grumblings, so I go with a seven-day pass since that’s almost the length of my stay.

“Thank you,” I tell her, hurrying through the turnstile.

Everything moves fast here.

There’s a massive crowd gathered at the edge of the platform, making me nervous. All it would take is a tiny shove or a stiff breeze to see them tumbling over.

I stay back, but even that space is filling up.

It’s five on a Friday Mike finally answers my text.

Fuck, should have come on a Tuesday or something. I text back, shaking my head at the growing crowd.

A train stops, and that’s when I see it’s mine. “Shit.” I run, but all of those people on the edge beat me to it.

It’s so crowded that I hear someone say, “Let’s wait for the next one.”

“It’s two minutes away,” the other says. That sounds like a good idea to me, so I wait as well.

As soon as it shows up, Mike actually calls.

“Hey there, little lady.” That was a terrible John Wayne impression, but I’m too busy trying to get on the train to make fun of him. “How’s my city treating you?” he asks.

“Hi, cuz. My hotel is posh as hell, but this city is so damn crowded. Shit, I thought staying back home would be crazy with all the spring breakers at Padre, but damn, this is just a regular weekday here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, well we have a warm spell. So more people out roaming on payday.”

“Well, I’m on the train now, and it’s packed from front to back,” I mutter, trying to not let on how uncomfortable I am with all these strangers.

“What stop are you on?”

The train lurches for once then moves, and I catch a glimpse of the sign as we exit the station. “Clark and Lake.”

Mike releases a chuckle. “Awe, Case, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Grab a wall or a seat if you can. Because shit. It’s going to get even more packed, but maybe on Halsted, it’ll ease up.”

“Shit, are you for real?” I let out an exaggerated sigh.