Sunday morning. The alarm rings…

With half-shut eyes, Tobi stretches her hand to silence the blaring sound at 7:30 AM. With the other, she pulls the comforter over her head, desperate for just a few more moments of sleep.

Then it hits her—she has a million and one things to do before her 6:25 PM flight from Orlando to London, England.

A heavy sigh escapes her lips as reality sinks in. United Kingdom. Back to the little town in Hertfordshire, she refers to as “the ghetto.” She dreads the trip.

“Jesus is Lord,” she mutters under her breath.

“Tobi!” Aunty Mo’s voice echoes through the house.

“Yes?” she calls back, still groggy.

“What are you having for breakfast?”

“Hmm… a boiled egg.”

“One or two?”

“One. Diet things,” Tobi replies, forcing herself to sit up.

Shaking off the sleep, she strips the bed, folds the sheets, and hurriedly packs her suitcase and carry-on. Then, after a quick shower, she dresses briskly in a fitted Reiss blue denim jumpsuit, cinched at the waist with a chocolate Gucci belt with a silver buckle. She slides into a pair of Nike trainers and takes a final glance in the mirror.

Moments later, she stands in the driveway, suitcase by her side, the warm Florida sun kissing her skin. Aunty Mo and Uncle stand beside her, their expressions soft but knowing.

“The time has come,” she says, her voice a mix of farewell and reluctance.

They pull her into a tight hug, holding onto the moment just a little longer.

She pulls out of Aunty Mo’s driveway. As usual, the ducks are on the street—about five of them in total. Shaking her head in disbelief, she has no choice but to stop and wait. Finally, the coast is clear. She zooms out of the resort, barely waiting for the electronic gates to swing open.

The Mall at Millenia, a 28-minute drive away, is her first stop. She parks in front of Macy’s, heading straight for the shoe department to pick up a pair of Coach sneakers for work. But her size isn’t available. Heart racing, she darts across the mall, almost frantic, and rushes into Coach. There it is—her size, 9.5: High Line Sneaker in Signature Canvas Brown Khaki.

A quick glance at her watch tells her she’s running out of time. She moves briskly toward Starbucks for a pick-me-up. Caramel macchiato, her usual.

At the entrance, she spots a line of four people.

“Is there a Starbucks upstairs?” she asks the cashier.

“Yes!” the cashier replies.

Tobi soars up the escalator. From a distance, she can already see the line upstairs is much longer. It’s a lose-lose situation, she thinks, but she’s already committed.

Tobi sighs, her anticipation waning as she steps into the crowded Starbucks upstairs. The line snakes around the corner, and she briefly considers turning back. But the craving for a caramel macchiato is stronger than her frustration. She’s already here, might as well stick it out.

She pulls out her phone to check the time again—another 15 minutes, maybe? She’s cutting it close, but she needs that boost.

Finally, she reaches the counter and orders,

“Caramel macchiato, with extra… extra caramel drizzle, skimmed milk, and make it extra hot.”

She sighs, a mix of relief and exhaustion. Sneakers? Check. Coffee? Check. She takes a slow sip of her caramel macchiato, feeling the warmth and sweetness spread through her. Despite the chaos of the mall and the rushed moments, something about it all finally clicks. She smiles, a small but genuine smile.

Literally running out of Macy’s, she looks up in the parking lot, not sure where the car is parked. Delighted at spotting the navy blue Equinox Chevrolet SUV, she heads straight to the car.

Why are her sneakers stuck to the mat? She wonders. Looking down—what’s going on? She mumbles as she realizes she stepped on gum while in a rush. She takes a deep breath and cleans the mess.

It’s 2:45 PM. She still has to drive across town to Oviedo to drop off a package in Simeon’s mailbox. Simeon is a friend and colleague.

She pulls onto the highway, Interstate 4. The journey seems smooth. She stops atthe RaceTrac gas station on Red Bug Lake Road in Oviedo to fill the rental vehicle with gas and then immediately turns into Simeon’s subdivision and drops the package in his mailbox.

She makes a big sigh. With 30 minutes left to drive to Orlando International Airport, Tobi is ecstatic. She starts singing aloud,

“Still looking good.”

It’s 3:50 PM. She navigates her way to Dollar Car Rental Return at Terminal A, praising God as she gets her luggage out of the rental.

At check-in, the line at the Virgin area seems to be moving swiftly. Finally, she hears the call:

“Next!”

She smiles as she approaches the agent. He checks her travel documents.

“Ma’am, your luggage is 25.4 kg. Should be 23 kg…”

“Do you want me to go and pay?” Tobi exclaims, rolling her eyes.

“I’ll let you off this time,” he replies.

In Tobi’s thoughts: Did he really have to voice any comments?

“Thank you. Have a good day,” she tells him.

As Tobi approaches the hotel atrium at Orlando International Airport, her face radiates delight. The atrium’s design, featuring a central fountain surrounded by palm trees, creates a serene and tropical ambiance.

The presence of shops like Universal and SeaWorld adds to the elegance of the space. As Tobi makes her way through security, she encounters a friendly traveler.

“Your outfit is gorgeous.”

After mentioning Reiss, Tobi inspires the traveler to visit the store upon arriving in Dublin. With swift processing through security, Tobi is now ready to board her flight to London.

Back to Hertfordshire. Back to the ghetto. But, at least, with new sneakers and caramel macchiato memories.