I’ve slept with guys younger than that, she thought.

Alison checked her watch. She was late, but this was intentional. A couple of minutes later she felt her phone vibrate in her bag but ignored it.

Todd would be angry.

Alison watched the world fly past the window. The old lady caught Alison’s look and obviously thought she was staring. Fortunately when the bus stopped a fourth time, the lady got off and Alison slid into the window seat. The bus didn’t stop again until it got into town.

Most of the people on the bus got off outside the train station. Alison couldn’t see Todd anywhere. It had started to rain. She checked her watch.

Maybe he had gone home, she thought.

Alison followed several other of the passengers into the station, past a man selling the ‘Big Issue’. Todd had not gone home.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” he said.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s on silent.”

“Is that all you’re bringing?”

She shrugged. “Fresh start.”

“Did you get the cash?”

“Yes. He won’t notice it’s gone.”

“No, but he will when he notices you’re gone, and then he’ll put two and two together.”

“Todd, dear, he has absolutely no idea.”

Todd hefted the waistline of his jeans up to his hips - where they promptly fell again - and gave her a dubious look. “You’re sure about doing this?”

“Of course.” She touched his cheek.

He drew back. “Not here.”

“Nobody will care in London.”

“Then wait until we’re in London.”

She smiled. “Afraid your mates will see?”

“I don’t care about my mates.”

She looked at his luggage, the large camping rucksack resting his knees. She pointed out a zipped pocket that was open; a toothbrush was poking out.

“Thanks,” he said.

She smiled again. She reached into her purse and fished out a pound coin. She held it out. “Go and get us something to eat on the train. I’ll get our tickets.”

NOTES:
This is the first time I split the same story between two protagonists, though it's something that I do much more effectively in later tales, where the difference in perspective is a crux in the tale, rather than just a means of moving the pound coin along. It is also the first time I mention a future bearer of the coin just in passing.