Summer Soap (Episode 12): Back in Cork, Natalie mulls over her life....

Natalie rushed into Heuston train station, silently thanking God for chatty cab drivers.

When she ducked into the taxi, she’d made clear she needed to go to Connolly Station, blissfully unaware of her error until three minutes in when she mentioned her studies at UCC, and the driver asked if she was sure she knew where she was going.

She didn’t, but the driver did and managed to turn around in time to get Natalie into Heuston Station with ten minutes to spare. Though she would have loved to explore the train station further, she opted to board the train as quickly as possible.

There were only a few people in her train car, so she opted for the seat directly in front of the luggage rack. It wasn’t that Natalie thought someone would steal it, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that if she didn’t keep at least one eye on it at all times, she’d forget about it.

She’d brought a novel to read for the three hours it’d take to reach Cork Kent station. The book sat closed on the tray table in front of her before long. The sun shone over green pastures and hills, at last giving Natalie the view of the Irish countryside.

During her first semester as a college student, she’d been too anxious to wander far from Cork. What would she have done if she stepped onto a different bus or, heaven forbid, the wrong train station? She’d be lost and panicked, surely.

Would she, though? She got turned around today, but she’d still made it to the train on time. Even if she had missed the train she was on, the worst that would have happened was waiting an hour or two for the next one. She could have stopped at the Butlers’ kiosk for some dearly missed chocolate.

Now that she thought about it, maybe missing the train would have been preferable, so she could go for a good coffee.

She’d made it this far on her own, so maybe she could stand to adventure out beyond Cork, see more of the island while she had the chance. Getting lost wouldn’t be the end of the world.

A door opened behind her, reminding Natalie to check on her suitcase in case it had disappeared when she wasn’t looking. It might have, because her attention was diverted by the snack cart heading her way. She’d never seen one outside of the movies and had assumed such things had faded into the past, like a lit cigarette on an airplane.

While the offerings weren’t anything too outside of typical concession fare, the novelty of the cart before her was enough to justify the purchase of both a coffee and a chocolate muffin. If nothing else, it was better than the breakfast she got on the plane, and made her trip through the winter countryside all the cosier.

Conquered travel hiccups notwithstanding, Natalie was relieved to be back on familiar streets, even if the city held some surprises after the month away.

Waterstones and Washington Street had both shed their scaffolding and Bishop Lucey Park had closed its gates for construction. She could still find her apartment, and that’s all she cared about.

The chill and day’s travel made her want something warm for dinner, so she sent out a text before heading to Wabisabi for a bowl of ramen. She managed to get a table by the window looking out over Oliver Plunkett Street as she sipped her tea. Before long, she caught the eye of James and waved at him as he jogged down the street to avoid the rain just beginning to fall.

“Just my luck, isn’t it?” he laughed as he slid into the seat across from her. “Can’t walk down the street without a good shower.”

Natalie laughed as Serena walked through the door. She slid closer to the window to make room for her friend and their coats.

“So, what’s the occasion?” Serena asked after their orders had been taken.

I wanted your ideas for where we should go this semester.

“Oh! I wanted to see the Giant’s Causeway,” Serena said.

Natalie nodded. “Me too, we can make a weekend of it.”

James was shaking his head before the words even left her mouth. “The Causeway is not a weekend venture, trust me. “

“What do you suggest then?” Natalie asked. James made a show of thinking about it.

“You could hit the Butter Museum instead,” he quipped. Serena kicked him under the table. “Okay, okay,” he conceded, “we could go during Reading Week, get our studying done on the ride over.”

They spent the rest of the evening planning trips while sipping hot broth and noodles. James wanted to spend a weekend in Kinsale and Natalie wanted to see Trinity Library once their renovations were complete. James listed train stations and bus routes while Serena looked for hostels. Natalie made a list of museums, parks, and castles to visit.

She didn’t know what she’d do after university, but she resolved to use every spare moment she had to its fullest.