Melissa and Joey

Part Two: From the Earth to the Moon

"Austin," Mel sat down on the sofa next to her ex-boyfriend with grim determination. "Look, while I'm flattered that you would take such a huge, and I mean huge leap into wanting to start a family . . . you have to know that my life is chaotic. Do you really want to be a part of my family, because that will include Ryder, and Lennox, and maybe-"

"Mel," Austin leaned forward and grabbed her hand. "I think I'm ready to start a family, and I think I can handle your chaos as you call it."

"I'm pretty sure that you need to say more than 'I think I can handle it.'" Mel closed her eyes for a moment and gave in, "Austin, while I think that you might just be the perfect guy for me, I'm going to have to pass."

Ryder chose that moment to come running down the stairs completely oblivious to the situation taking place in the living room. He called out to his Aunt frantically searching for something, "Have you seen it? Mel, it's missing. I don't know how it got away from me, but please, help me find it!"

Mel sighed and said to Austin, "Just a second." Turning to her nephew she asked him, "What's missing Ryder?"

"My cannoli," Ryder came down from the stairs and started searching under the table. Then he wandered into the living checking under the sofa as well as behind the television set.

"Ryder," When he went over to the other side of the television to look behind it Mel asked him. "Do you really think your cannoli would have fallen behind the TV? Did it suddenly sprout legs and wander off to watch ESPN?" Mel laughed at her own joke then completely forgot about Austin for a moment as she said to Ryder, "Wait a minute, when did Joe have time to make cannoli's and why wasn't I informed the second they were done?"

"It's not a cannoli, not the kind you eat anyway. At least people wouldn't consider eating it."

"Ryder, have you completely lost it?"

"Yeah, that's what I've been trying to tell you."

Austin suddenly jerked on the couch and had a pained look on his face. He started to shake his right leg and let out a high pitched squeak. Then he yelped when something sank its small claws into his flesh. "Ah!" He stood up from the sofa just as a large rat fell from his pant leg and scrambled around dizzily on the floor.

Mel squealed and Ryder rushed forward exclaiming excitedly, "My cannoli!" He picked up the rat and caressed the rodent and held him as if he were trying to comfort a much loved, family pet. "Hey little guy, I thought I lost you."

Mel shuddered and wriggled around. She stood up from the sofa cringing at the sight of the creature in Ryder's arms, "Where did you get that thing? No, no, you know what? I don't care just get it out of my sight."

"But he's scared and he only needs a little adjusting to his new home, then he'll be okay."

"Uh-uh, it's not living here. Cannoli can go to the bakery where it belongs. Just as long as he's not in my house, I won't have rodents living here. We already have Joe and that's bad enough."

Joe came into the room and asked if everything was okay. Mel was about to answer when she saw that Austin was holding up his hands as if he were surrendering. Backing away from the rodent, and Mel, he quickly made his way toward the door. His escape route, she could see it in his eyes, he was leaving her.

"Mel, it looks like you've already made your decision and your house seems kinda preoccupied right now." Austin shuddered with revulsion as he glanced over at the rat then gave her one last look, "I'll just leave you to it then. Good-bye Mel."

"Wuss," Joe shook his head at Austin's departure even though the gleam in his eyes as he looked at her spoke volumes.

"I'm going to take Cannoli upstairs. He'll sleep in my room tonight."

"We're going to have a talk about that thing living in my house Ryder, Joe doesn't need to wake up in the middle of the night to find something hairy crawling up his back. His back is already hairy enough without it."

Ryder gave her a funny look before he shook his head and then headed upstairs to his room.

"My back is not hairy, and you should know that more than anyone after last night."

Mel flushed, she actually flushed, and smacked him on the chest. He rubbed the spot where she'd hit him and said, "Owe. Now you've got to kiss it and make it better."

"What are we, in Junior High?"

"You used to kiss boys on their chests when you were in Junior High? Started a little early, didn't you?"

Mel looked down her nose at him, "What were you twenty-five when you first got laid?"

"No, actually I was seventeen, but that's off the subject." Joe's expression grew serious and his voice gentled when he asked her, "Is everything fine, Mel?"

Mel's heart thumped loudly in her chest as she looked at Joe. Remembering their hot kiss in the kitchen she almost forgot to answer his question. Wanting him like she did was bad news, and it could only mess things up between them. But she said, "Yes, everything is fine. Austin was perfect. He was everything I could have ever imagined the perfect guy to be."

"Why did you say no to him, then?"

Mel went to walk into the kitchen, but before she did so she glanced over her shoulder and looked at him, "Because I decided that I didn't want perfect. I wanted you."

Joe caught the look of hunger and need in Mel's eyes as she left the room. He nodded with confidence and thought out loud, "Yeah, she wants me."

Then he thought about what she'd said. She didn't want perfect, she wanted him. He changed expressions almost immediately and called out, "Hey, I'm not perfect? Is that what you're saying? Cause I'll have you know that a lot of the ladies would disagree with you, Mel. Are you even listening to me, come on, Mel." When he could only hear her laughing from the other room he shook his head and sighed, "Women." Then he smiled tenderly and went into the kitchen to go after her.

Author's Note: This is the end of episode 16. Please feel free to let me know what you think of this segment. Your thoughts matter. What do you think will happen in the next episode?