AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've been somewhat indecisive in deciding what to write next, Raccoons-wise. After I finished "Beat the Clock", I wanted to continue with the timeline I have going on with that story and write a sequel, in which we find out what happens next in Bert and Maxie's relationship and what sort of challenges they would face together, and how Ralph and Melissa would adapt to life as the new parents of a baby boy. Alas...I have had a lot of problems getting my ideas organized for that story. It's very hard to write when you don't have all your ideas in order and when you're suffering from a general lack of motivation! It also didn't help I had an old story idea requested by a fan of my work (You MIGHT remember who you are) brewing in my head for months that built up steam. So, for the time being, I've decided to put off writing the sequel to "Beat the Clock" for a while. In the meantime...I'm sure you might well remember "The Story Of Ralph Raccoon", the very first Raccoons story I wrote, a tale in which Ralph narrates the story himself and tells us about his younger life...primarily the story of how he and Melissa came to know one another and ultimately ended up marrying her. Well, the idea I had suggested was a companion piece to that story, the story...of MELISSA Raccoon! So that's basically what this story is. Another story told from the point of view of a character from the show, this time it's our favorite friendly photographer, Melissa. I plan to delve a lot more into her own childhood and teenage years than I did with Ralph...You'll really get to know Melissa well in this story. Along the way, Melissa will discuss her family's heritage, her early childhood, her moving around from place to place as a young girl, her relationship with her father, her friends from elementary school, high school, and college, and her previous romantic relationships before she met Ralph (yes, I do imagine she had a few more boyfriends besides Troy Malone!) You'll also see her meeting Ralph, her growing friendship and attraction to him, and the two of them ultimately becoming a couple and finally tying the knot in marriage by the end of the story...Seeing that "Story of Ralph" focused on that as well, there'll be a little repetition...but I will try to mix things up by adding in new scenes and re-writing the dialogue from the old scenes (Mainly because I think I could have written some of the dialogue of "Story of Ralph" better). Oh, and one more thing...Melissa is re-telling her life story in early 2001, so this WILL be taking place after "Beat the Clock"'s sequel ends (or perhaps, during it?). I will be trying my best not to spoil too much of what would happen in that story!

With that said, I hope this'll be a story you'll enjoy. So, now we move onto the single worst part of this story, the ever boring legal disclaimer...

Legal Disclaimer of FUN!: I do not own the rights to the Raccoons or any of the characters of the show. They all belong to Kevin Gillis and Skywriter Media and Entertainment. I will never (barring a miracle) make enough money to ever be able to buy the rights to the show and characters, as much as I might wish I could viably do so. Any and all bands, songs, albums, sports figures, entertainment figures, and other real people that might show up in this story (though none will ever play anything close to a starring role) do not belong to me as well; they all belong to their respective owners and I will do my damnedest to give them the proper credit. However, I DO own some of the characters that will be used in this story as they are of my own creation. They can only be used with my permission...which I will be happy to give if you ask nicely. If you steal them behind my back without asking me first, there's a good chance we MAY have a problem...I have no intent to profit from this work in any way, shape, or form. If I did attempt to profit from this story, then I'm well aware Kevin Gillis would have every right in the world to sue me for trying to make money from characters of his creation and could personally see to it that I end up in rags.

Now that we got this incredibly ugly necessity out of the way, I hope you will enjoy...

Growing Up!: My Young Years

CHAPTER ONE: Meet Melissa!

Well, hi there! My name is Melissa Allison Raccoon. You might not know who I am personally, but I have a feeling there's a good chance those of you in North America probably have at the very least heard my name before. I am a semi-famous professional newspaper photographer. I work for the Evergreen Standard, a small newspaper based in the Evergreen Forest, a small and out of the way forest community located in central British Columbia, Canada. My long-time husband Ralph is the paper's proud editor, and together we co-own the humble little pape. Our old friend Bert is our only other current full-time staff member; he's our so-called "ace reporter", and our occasional delivery boy. We periodically print articles written by some of our close friends, but for the most part, it's just the three of us working on the paper together. You'd be surprised how well we put the paper considering there are only three people on our full-time staff! But I guess it goes to show that when you work as a team, you can really accomplish anything! We've run the Standard together for...wow, it's been almost sixteen full years now! Has it really been that long we've been in business?

As I mentioned, I'm the paper's photographer. Photography has always long been a hobby of mine. It's a bit hard for me to say what exactly drew me to photography in the first place. I think when I got my first camera many years ago when I was still just a little girl, I wanted to take some snapshots of my childhood memories so I could have mementos to look back on when I was a fully grown woman...Well, I certainly do have quite a lot of old memories captured on film! (I find it hard to believe last November I turned forty! I can barely believe I'm actually "over the hill"...) Although I was a girl of many talents, and had a choice between several different possible career paths, ultimately I decided to pursue a career in photojournalism. And it's really come to pay dividends for me. Aside from publishing my photos in each week's edition, I've also published several books of my best shots. Ralph helps me write the introductions to them and the captions for the photos, since...well, I'll openly admit I'm not the best typist in the world. Ralph is much more skilled at typing than I am. You can't be a jack of all trades, after all...(although Bert would certainly like to think he is one!) They've gotten quite good reviews from several different critics and magazines, and I've even gotten job offers from several major newspapers and magazines to work for them! Alas, I could never leave the Forest to work for any of them-I'd leave too much behind. I wasn't born in the Evergreen Forest, but I've lived here long enough to where I consider it my true home. It's where I feel I belong. I'd miss seeing all my friends if I left the Forest. But most of all, I'd miss my husband and my young son. They'd both be very lonely without me around. I don't think that would be fair to either of them if I left them all alone at home without me while I was away for months and months at a time.

Aside from being the newspaper's trusty photographer, I also write a professional relationship advice column that appears every week in the Standard. You see...deep down, I'm a very sentimental raccoon. I may not always let it on, but I do deeply love romance. When I was younger, I'd always listen to the fairy tales my father would read to me and wonder if I'd ever find my very own Prince Charming someday. I always love curling up with a good romance novel...although no matter how gripping the story, deep down I consider mine and Ralph's very own love story to be greater than any one of them. Even so, I always have found it sweet to see couples in love. Ralph and I have a wonderful marriage, but...I'm well aware that not every couple in the Forest has as great a relationship as the two of us do. So, Ralph encouraged me to give the idea of writing a relationship column a chance. I decided to give it a try, and well...I really quite enjoy it! Every week I get letters from someone who is having love troubles, and I will always write advice that may be helpful to them (well, I handwrite my responses and Ralph types them up for me, since, as I said, I'm not a good typist...). I have always thought that a little understanding, a little support, and a little compromise are key to being able to make a relationship work...especially if both partners have full time careers like Ralph and I! I've gotten quite a few letters from those who've written thanking me for the advice and telling them how much my advice has helped improve their love life. Those letters always mean volumes to me. It really makes me smile knowing I was able to help make a difference in the life of someone I only vaguely know at best!

Anyways, now that I've talked about myself a bit, I'd like to tell you a bit about my friends and loved ones; all those who are important to me in someway. First of all, there's Schaeffer. Schaeffer's an old sheepdog who I met not too long after Ralph and I married; at that time, he was new to the Forest. He's almost a decade older than me or most of those close to me; he's in his early fifties. Schaeffer has had somewhat of a difficult past. He originally came from Idaho down in the States and actually saw active combat duty in the Vietnam War. He definitely saw some horrible things while in service that no doubt haunt his memory to this very day. I actually didn't know until recently that he still receives therapy to this day! Despite his tough past and his rough outward appearance, Schaeffer is a very friendly guy. He's also quite wise too-having seen a lot of the good and bad sides of the world, he really knows a lot. He opened the Blue Spruce Cafe back in the late '80s and it's turned into one of the most prominent hotspots in the whole Forest. Even though we may not see Schaeffer a whole lot outside of the Cafe these days, he's still a great friend.

Then there's Cedric and Sophia Sneer, a married pair of aardvarks. Cedric is one of my husband Ralph's oldest and dearest friends. They met each other when they were just young kids in elementary school. Cedric was the son of the Forest's most notorious businessmen, Cyril Sneer. Cyril was well known for being hotheaded and he had a desire to destroy our Forest community for profit. But over time, he calmed down greatly, to the point where he became a near ally of ours. Cyril sadly passed away a few years ago, and when he did, Cedric took over his father's business, which he has done quite an impressive job of running, to say the least! Cedric's very different from his father...he's hardly greedy at all. Cedric's often quite modest and, in fact, somewhat meek and shy. His self-confidence has improved greatly over the years, but deep down, he can still be a little shy in social situations. He's definitely a good friend for sure. He met Sophia Tutu not too long after Ralph and I were married, and the two quickly fell in love and started dating one another. Sophia is a good friend of mine, although not my closest friend. She is definitely a nice, friendly, cheerful lady, although she's probably the last person you'd want to share a secret with! She's quite snoopy and is definitely a major gossip-in fact, she once wrote a social gossip column for the Standard! In spite of their differences, Cedric and Sophia love each other very much, and I thought it was very sweet to see the two of them finally get married after spending so many years together. Their marriage has produced a set of adorable twins, Cecil and Sylvia Sneer. Cecil is more socially active and outgoing like his mother, while Sylvia is more shy and reserved like her father. The two of them have become quite great friends with my own little son...I always find it adorable to see the three of them having a play date together. It's nice to know our families may well be friends for many generations to come.

And then there's...Bert. Bert, aside from being our ace reporter, is my husband's oldest and dearest friend...the two of them met each other on their first day of school when poor Ralph was being tortured by a bully. Bert came to his rescue, and they struck up a friendship with each other. That friendship has lasted nearly forty years. Bert lived with us at our home, the Raccoondominium, for many years-more than a decade, in fact! He lived there so long we actually thought he might well live there forever. Bert and Ralph are very close friends...in fact, they remind me almost of brothers. They are definitely very different from one another. While my husband is more quiet and reserved, Bert, on the other hand, is definitely a real goofball at heart. He's easily excitable and when he finds a subject that catches his interest, he can talk about it on and on without ever growing tired of it. He loves reading fantasy novels, as he has a very active sense of imagination! He also claims to be an ace at ANYTHING...you name it, he claims he's an expert at it, even if he isn't. Despite his often boastful nature and the fact that he can be destructive sometimes, Bert is still a true friend. He'd do anything for his closest friends-he's fiercely loyal to us all. I honestly think if he had to, he'd willingly give up his own life to save ours should the situation call for it! Bert can get on my nerves now and again, but deep down I know he's a good friend.

Next is Maxie. Maxie is one of my closest friends...I always enjoy talking to her. I actually feel pretty bad for her since compared to some of us, she's had a really rough life. Maxie's a member of the Ringtail family...a very well-known family in these parts of Canada as they're one of British Columbia's wealthiest families. Maxie wanted to work as an illustrator for children's books and was all set up for a good life...but she made the poor choice of sleeping with her high school boyfriend without any protection. Maxie wound up getting pregnant, and needless to see, her family was outraged. They promptly disowned her and tossed her out into the streets to fend for herself. After her daughter, Annie Ringtail, was born, Maxie was desperate for a job to help support her and her new daughter and scrounged around many different cities and towns just looking for a career. She finally found one here when she moved here and Schaeffer offered her a job working at the Blue Spruce Cafe as a dishwasher (she's since moved on to being a waitress at my husband brother's own restaurant). Maxie finally found some security and stability in her life, but...she was very lonely. She wanted the company of a man and, thanks to being a single mother, had such a hard time finding one who actually wanted her. She wound up falling in love with Bert since he was one of the few men she actually talked to. Eventually, I was able to set Bert up with her a few years ago, and the two quickly discovered they really liked one another's company. They started dating, and much to my surprise, considering Bert used to be a really wild raccoon when I first met him (an amateur "thief of hearts", if you will), they actually entered a really serious relationship with one another. I was greatly surprised when Bert ultimately decided to move out of the Raccoondominium to go live with her! It was hard for Ralph and I to adjust to not having him around the house anymore, but we eventually managed to adapt. Bert and Maxie's relationship saw some ups and downs, but I was really glad a couple years ago when the two of them decided to tie the knot. I was especially proud of Bert for loving and caring about Maxie enough to where he willingly asked her for her paw in marriage! I never would have thought he'd be willing to go that far with anyone when I first met him. The two of them are definitely quite happy together, and I'm glad to see Maxie happy after having had such a rough life to this point. I think it's sweet knowing two lonely people found love together.

Now, I suppose I should tell you more about my family; those related to me either by blood or through marriage. First of all, there's my husband's brother George, and his wife Nicole. George is about fifteen years older than Ralph. Throughout his whole childhood, he dreamed of being a world famous chef. He left the Forest after graduating from Evergreen High and went to a culinary school in Edmonton, then afterwards, moved all around the country trying to hold down a proper job. It was while he was living in Quebec in the early 1970s that he met Nicole Lafitte. Nicole came from a rather poor family; in fact, she was the first in her entire family to even attend college. (As a matter of fact...so was I!) The two of them started dating, but their relationship took a turn for the worse when George accidentally got Nicole pregnant with their daughter, Lisa. Nicole's father was very angry and all but forced George to marry his daughter to keep Lisa from being born out of wedlock. Their relationship started on an ugly note and they've had their rough patches together, but they've been married for nearly 30 years and had two children. George had trouble holding down a proper job, until he finally moved back to the Forest and got a job hosting his own TV show, Chef Surprise. After hosting that show for six years, he retired from the show and used the money he saved from hosting it to open up a restaurant of his very own. George does remind me of Ralph in some ways. He does have the same self-confidence problems my husband has (that has to run in the family). He's quite a worrywart and can always see the worst in any possible situation. However, George is more outgoing than Ralph; he's more comfortable in social situations than my husband, and has less of a problem speaking exactly what's on his mind...which can sometimes get him in trouble. Ralph and George are fairly close, but if anything, Ralph's closer to Bert than he is with his own brother...I guess that's because George left home while Ralph was still a little kit, so they didn't get to know one another very well. As for Nicole...Nicole is one of my closest friends. She is rather responsible and wise and knows a lot about parenting and many other subjects. Seeing as both of their children are fully grown and out of the house, they definitely both appreciate the times they get to look after my little Michael!

Then there's my niece and nephew, Lisa and Bentley, George and Nicole's children. Lisa has always been a very athletic girl. She was especially good at basketball during her younger days; in fact, she helped lead Evergreen High's girls' basketball team to the '92 provincial championship finals (although they didn't win). She had a very hard time adapting to life in the Forest, but Bert was able to help her cheer up and in time, she's really grown attached to our little Forest community. Bert used to have a crush on her for the longest time, and he dearly hoped one day they'd end up together...unfortunately, she didn't feel quite the same. Bert took it pretty hard, but in spite of that, Bert and Lisa have still managed to remain very good friends with one another. Lisa currently teaches a gym class at Evergreen Elementary...I've just realized that one day very soon, she'll probably have her own little cousin in one of her classes! Bentley is Bert's very own "little buddy". He's very intelligent and spent a lot of time attached to his computer. He spent so much time attached to it, it seemed like he had no interest in anything else. But Bert was able to show him that physical activities could be fun, and ever since then, they've been great friends. Bentley has plans of being a computer technician someday; I'm certain he'll do quite well in that field! Bentley's longtime girlfriend was Maxie's daughter, Annie...just this past year, not too long after Bert wed her mother, Bentley and Annie got engaged as well! They're due to be married sometime in the summer...they haven't set an exact date yet. It looks like Bert will be Bentley's stepfather-in-law...now that's a strange title to call someone, I'd say!

And then, there's the two most important guys in my whole life; the two who mean all the world to me. First of all, there's my dearly beloved husband, Ralph. I'll go ahead and say...Ralph is more than just my husband. He's my best friend, my companion, my soulmate. I met Ralph in my second year of college, not too long after I first came to the Evergreen Forest. Ralph was so very...different from other guys I dated. Many of them were bold, outgoing, and rather arrogant...Ralph was nothing like that. When I first met him, Ralph was timid, quiet, and polite. Over the years, with my help, he's become more confident in himself and more comfortable in social situations, but Ralph is still a rather quiet and reserved guy, overall, while I am more outgoing and easily sociable than him. That's just who he is. The two of us quickly became friends, and over time, I found myself falling in love with him and the two of us began dating. It's hard to believe we've been married nearly twenty years...this coming May 12th will mark our seventeenth wedding anniversary! Ralph may not be the most handsome guy around; he may not be the funniest guy you'll ever met (I'll be honest and admit he can't really tell any good jokes), and he's not the richest man, either. But Ralph has one very big thing going for him...a very big heart. He may be a very serious and responsible raccoon, but deep down he's a really big softie. I can always count on Ralph when I really need him. Whenever I need someone to cheer me up when I'm feeling sad, whenever I need help doing something, whenever I need someone to talk to, or whenever I just want someone to snuggle with, Ralph is always there for me. He's done so many sweet things for me I couldn't even begin to count them! Ralph loves giving me compliments and always loves reminding me how much he loves me...and to be honest, I really love the flattery! Those kind words he has for me really make me feel good about myself! He's written many love poems for me over the years...sure, some of them might be cheesy, but I've loved every one of them! You really have no idea how sweet it is that someone cares about you enough that they wrote you a poem telling you how much they love you unless someone's actually done that for you!

Having said that, there are some things about Ralph that I'm not as fond of...For one, Ralph is very jealous. I was the first girlfriend he ever had, as he didn't have much luck with women in his high school days, and so, I guess I am very special to him. Ralph is well aware I've been with other men before him, and needless to say...the subject of my past relationships is one we definitely try to avoid talking about! Ralph gets jealous anytime he sees me talking to another man he doesn't know very well, and he's told me that deep down he's afraid that one day I'll realize I'm too good for him and leave him for some other guy. He's even done some...not very wise things that have scared me half to death to prove he's good enough for me. Silly Ralph! I sometimes wish he'd understand that even though I may have had boyfriends before him and that it may be nice to keep in touch with my old flames (to see how life has fared for them), that there's only one man in this world I truly love with all my heart, and that's him. If I didn't, I wouldn't have married him, would I? I just wish he'd understand that sometimes...not to mention, Ralph is very dedicated to his career as the Standard's editor. It's always been a dream of his to work as a newspaper editor, so I can understand the attachment he feels to his job. But sometimes he takes his job way too seriously and puts it above everything else; our friends, our son, and even me! He's gotten a lot better at this over the years, but sometimes he still puts too much effort into his work. I wish he wouldn't do that! As much as I love my job, it's not the most important thing in the world to me...my husband and my child are what's most important to me. In spite of his flaws...I still love Ralph very much, and I know he loves me just the same. We've had our difficult times, but we've always been able to resolve our differences without getting into a fight. Even if Ralph may be rather self-doubtful, I definitely love that I can always give him that extra boost of confidence that he needs! I hope Ralph and I have many more happy years together ahead of us...I consider myself a very lucky woman to call him my hubby!

And then, there's my precious little Michael; my one and only son. You see, Ralph and I spent many years together without having any children of our own. Children were just never that important to us at the time...we were more focused on our careers and getting ourselves secure financially. But then, a few years ago, a baby boom happened in the Forest, and deep down, I began to feel sad. I realized that I felt sad because Ralph and I didn't have any kids of our own, and deep down, I really wanted to have one! I told Ralph how I felt and that I wanted to have a baby...but at first, he wasn't as keen on the idea, as Ralph had his doubts that he could ever make a good parent. It upset me so...but fortunately, after taking a while to think about it, Ralph finally agreed with me that we should give the idea of being parents a chance. It took us a while, but finally, just after I turned thirty-six years old, I found out I was pregnant with our first child. It was definitely a very happy moment when we first found out I was expecting! Pregnancy was...unlike anything I'd ever experienced before! It was a little rough on me...it's certainly a...unique experience having a child growing inside of you for nine months! But it was all worth it for that September day when our adorable little child was finally born. He was born on my husband's birthday! I can't remember too much of that day seeing as they gave me a lot of medicine to make labor less painful, but...I can definitely remember when they first gave me my son to hold for the first time. I just remember feeling so warm inside...I just felt so proud to be a new mother! Ralph and I decided to name our son Michael, in honor of my late father, who sadly passed away from cancer while I was still pregnant with his grandchild. I still wish he could have lived just long enough to see his grandson...I miss Daddy so much...

It's hard to believe that was already three years ago! Michael was a sickly child in his first year of life, and he kept us constantly worried about him, but now, he is three years old...it won't be too much longer before his first day of school! Michael is just the cutest little thing you ever saw. He's got most of my facial features...my nose, my ears, and some other features. However, he's got his father's eyes and the same stocky body type Ralph has. Michael is a very playful little child...like me when I was little! He loves being read stories and loves to go for piggyback rides with me or Ralph. But he's also a very shy little child...like Ralph said he was when he was little. He feels a little scared in new situations and feels uncomfortable around people he doesn't know. I hope he doesn't have a hard time at school like his father did...Still...he's just the most precious thing! I really love being a mom. It's been a very rewarding experience for the both of us raising a child together. Michael really looks up to me. He always wants me to give him hugs and tell him stories and tuck him into bed at night. He's currently afraid of thunderstorms...whenever the Forest gets a nighttime thunderstorm, lately he's always been rushing into our bedroom wanting to sleep with me so I can keep him safe from the thunder and lightning. He definitely loves his Mommy! I just wish he'd love his Daddy as much...he does love Ralph too, but he doesn't spend as much time with his father and sometimes feels a little nervous playing with him. I have some ideas on how I can bring little Michael closer to his father...Rest assured, the both of us love Michael very much-he's our only child, after all! No matter what happens, he'll always be our baby. Ralph and I are keeping some scrapbooks so we can keep track of important milestones in Michael's young life and also keep some family memories in there so we can look back at them one day. We already filled one scrapbook up that covers my pregnancy and Michael's first year of life! I hope the three of us have many happy family moments down the road that we can treasure for the rest of our lives. Of all the gifts Ralph has ever given to me, I would definitely have to say Michael is the best gift of them all!

I don't like to brag, nor do I mean to sound like I might be bragging, but I definitely have a great life. I have a great career, a wonderful, loving husband, and an adorable young son. I know I'm better off than quite a few other women out there. Sometimes, though, when I sit back and think about how wonderful my life truly is, I wonder to myself "How did I get here? How did I get this lucky? How did I end up with all this?" Well...I'd like to tell you that story. I'd like to tell you more about my young life. The story of how I grew up; how I went from being a curious and lively little girl to a responsible and cheerful woman. I'd like you to learn all about me and who I really am, and how I became who I am today.

Let me start by telling you more about my family's heritage and my early childhood...

END CHAPTER ONE

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, it's a start! Yes, I know this is very similar to the introduction of "The Story Of Ralph Raccoon"...but that's what I feel would make a good introduction for a first-person story told from the point of view of one of our furry heroes. Have them introduce themselves to the reader, describe their life a little bit, and share their thoughts on all those who mean something to them. I think it makes you feel a little closer to that character. Consider this a "teaser", if you will, for the story itself...Now that I've written a first person story for Ralph and am beginning to write one for Melissa...do I need to write one for Bert, too?

Melissa loving romance...I can easily see her secretly being a real sucker for romance. Remember when Cyril Sneer and Lady Baden-Baden were almost married? Melissa was the only one to comment (on hearing the news of the wedding) on how romantic it sounded. She does always seem to be the first to comment on things that are romantic in nature...so even though Melissa might be somewhat of a tomboy, I can see her avidly having an interest in matters of the heart. Hey, she's got to have some feminine interests!

Yes, I'm aware I spoiled some of what would happen in "Beat the Clock"'s sequel...I guess I just wanted to show how Melissa would feel about such things like being a mother, having a child, and seeing her friends getting married and having children as well. I don't think I spoiled TOO much...there will still be plenty of surprises in store for you when I eventually do get around to writing it!

Anyways, this is the introduction...not much to say about other than maybe you learned more about my ideas on some of the characters' backgrounds. Next time around, learn more about Melissa's Mulligan family heritage, hear her thoughts on the circumstances of her birth and her mother's death while she was still just a tiny kit, and see her starting to really bond with her father. It'll be coming soon...I hope!