The Choice

The key to my past, present and future

As soon as her name leaves my mouth she’s in the passenger seat and I let out a startled squeak. I don’t think I will ever get used to that.

“What’s up Buttercup?”

“Seriously that’s how you start this conversation! Don’t tell me you don’t know why I called you!” I say as tears stream down my face.

“Oh Lillian I know and I am sorry that Angela has passed but she was always supposed to and she is at peace and happy. You know her life was never happy after graduation even when you guys got together for lunch you new she was a mess.”

“I really hadn’t thought about it but I guess you are right but there is a lot between not happy and dead!”

“True, but also remember I told you that there oils be hard times and grief with your choice and this is just one of them.”

“Will I lose everyone?”

“You know I can’t answer that each choice comes with it’s ripple of consequences and they have not been written in this new timeline.”

“Ok can you at least tell me if going to Summerset Station is even worth going to?”

“I can say that going there will be educational.”

I sigh and nod my head and just like that she’s gone again. I don’t think I will ever get used to this. But, I put the car in gear crank up mine and Angela’s favorite music and let the tear fall as I take the 45 min drive to Summerset Station.

As I pull into the parking lot I have finished crying and try to fix my face. I don’t need to draw attention to myself and make people think I’m in trouble or something. Once I’m satisfied with my appearance I hop out of my pick up and walk toward the entrance. I make sure I don’t see anyone I know or who might know my parents and I make my way into the train station.

Summerset Station isn’t very big but it is a little confusing to get around. I go to the ticket booth and ask where I might find the lockers. The older balding gentleman selling train tickets raises an eyebrow tame at asks, “going somewhere honey?”

“Uhh no my sister just got back from a trip and asked me to come this morning and pick up her things from the locker.”

“Huh well darlin the only lockers we got are back to your left around the corner. Don’t get many people using lockers anymore unless it’s for something illegal. That’s not you is it?”

“Oh my gosh no sir! Just picking up her extra bag since she couldn’t take two as carry on.”

“Oh oh I see makes sense! You have a nice day darlin.”

“Thanks, you too”

While that interaction wasn’t creepy it wasn’t pleasant and it made me really nervous. I decided to make this really quick and speed walked in the direction he told me. When I reached the lockers I started looking at the keys and sure enough the all looked like min and had the SS- and locker number. Thankfully they number start at 200 which I thought was weird but then I look down the isle and see a brand new coffee shop just past the end of the lockers that is built into the wall so they must have removed them to make room for the coffee shop.

I am making my way down the lockers looking for 234. 230, 232, and there is is a top locker 234. I stand for a moment not sure what I really am expecting or how the contents of the locker that is about the size of a school locker could be educational. I take a deep breath insert my key and turn. The lock clicks and I pull the door open.

Inside I see a large envelope, a small black duffel bag that doesn’t appear very full from the outside and a cell phone. Well more mystery’s. I guess I don’t know what I was expecting maybe an alien race that lived inside or and this one I actually was leaning more towards was an empty locker. So I gather the contents put the phone and envelope in my purse sling the bag over my shoulder and head to my pick up.

I get in the truck and decide to move from where I am parked to a more secluded part of the lot to go through the stuff. Once I park again I decide to open the duffle first. I take a deep breath and unzip the bag. Inside I find a black hooded sweatshirt, a couple pairs of women’s jeans, tshirts, undergarments, and a pair of new sneakers. Not crazy for a locker at the train station however everything was my size! Which confuses me since my mom is 5’9” and I’m 5’4” and my mom has a much curvier figure so we have never been able to share clothes. Even the shoes would be a whole size too small. I brush it off and put the duffle bag on the passenger seat.

I grab the envelope next and notice there is an old fashioned seal on the closure. It looks like it was actually made of wax and stamped on. The stamp is the image of a two crowns intertwined surrounded by flowers almost like a wreath. The wax is purple and shimmers almost like it has a very fine glitter powder in it. It is quite beautiful and I have never seen an emblem like this before. So I say out loud, “well here goes nothing.” And break the seal. I dump out the contents in my lap and there are several folded pieces of paper that look like letters but I put them off to the side as what catches my eye are the pictures. There are several photos of like a younger version of my mom like when she was about 18 with what appears to be my dad another couple and my, breath hitches, Celeste!