10 WEEKS LATER
"Hey Mel!" Eli walked a little faster to catch Malinda walking into her store.
Melinda looked over her shoulder to see Eli crossing the street heading to her store
"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you had a morning lecture to give?" Melinda looked curiously at him.
"Well I had a slight change of plans considering that I had to cancel my class due to a huge party most of my class went to causing multiple hangovers hence the reason only 3 people showed up to my lecture this morning" Eli spoke as Melinda unlocked her store and turned on the lights.
"Well I'm sorry so few people showed up to your class" Melinda gave him the petty eye
" You know I don't mind, I'm not the only professor grilling them this semester, I get it they just wanted to blow off some steam, it's perfectly normal" Eli started rambling while Melinda flipped the closed sign to the open side and went to the back to fetch a box of antiques that needed to be organized for inventory. As she was doing that Delia walked in with two coffee's in hand
"Good morning!" Delia's entrance caused the bells to go off in the store and Eli to turn around
"Wow, since when are you Ms Perky at eight thirty in the morning" Eli stated questioningly
Melinda emerged from the back carrying another box needing to be sorted and dropped it on the table
"Good morning!" Mel responded starting to unpack the things from the box
"I thought you were supposed to be lecturing this morning?" Delia looked at Eli
"I was except know one showed up to my class, Rush week I'm surprised theirs still humanity on campus." Eli stated matter a factually.
"Wow! It's that bad ? Well, if it's any constellation Ned will be there this afternoon" Delia said proudly
" Of course Ned will, you practically force him to take my class" Eli responds
" How else am I supposed to check up on him, he's in college! The way I see it, you're there he's there, its like two birds one stone kinda thing" Delia reiterated
Melinda chuckled at the sight of two of her friends bickering like brother and sister. Just then her cell and she ran to the back where she had left it.
"Hello?" Melinda said
"Hi is this Melinda Gordon? The women of the other line sounded worried
"Yes this she" before she could respond the women on the other line continued this time she sounded like she had an accent probably from France.
"This is Dr. Madeleine Reine from St-Francois Hospital in Cannes, France. I understand you are the mother of a girl by the name of Léa Massard.
Melinda hesitated looking back at her friend who were now chatting in the front of her register.
"Yah... is everything okay?" Melinda was both worried and scared
"Ummm Lea has been admitted to the Children's psychology ward here. She hasn't been eating and she has been diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. She refuses to listen to her father and wants you to come and talk to her. Is that possible?"
Melinda looked pale, her heart rate increased as she walked further into her backroom
"Ummm yeah I can do that" Melinda looked up and placed her intertwined fingers on her head breathing in and out trying to stay calm.
"Great! How soon can you be here?" The doctor sounded hopeful
"As soon as I can book a flight, I live in New York" Melinda started to explain her position and how it might be a few day before she gets there
"Whenever you can get here would be much appreciated, but try to make it sooner rather than later due to your daughters health condition" The doctor explained hoping that would help get Melinda here sooner. "One more thing, is there a history of anorexia or bulimia in your family history?" the doctor paused waiting for Melinda's response.
"...Yes I was anorexic and bulimic when I lived in Paris" Melinda was hesitant to give more information than that but promised to be there as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, Melinda didn't notice her friend had stopped talking and were now standing in the door frame listening to every word. Delia's mouth was open and Eli was just staring at her.
"How much of that did you here?" Melinda asked hoping she could play it off as something else.
Delia looked into her friends eyes and just stood there
"enough to know that you lived in Paris once and you were Anorexic and bulimic" Delia said stunned