She'd spent the day thinking about that dream. Yes she'd been questioning her feelings for Joe over the past few months, but she certainly hadn't thought about a future with him, children with him. She genuinely hadn't.

"Eh Mel… you still here?" her secretary waved a hand in front of her face. She shook her head and blinked.

"Sorry yes. What?"

"Where is your head today?" she laughed.

"Have you ever had a strange dream and it just kinda throws you off for a bit." Stephanie thought for a second then nodded.

"no… no I haven't." the nod turned into a shake.

"Well that's what's wrong."

"Well I was just asking would it be alright if I headed home."

"Oh of course!" she looked at her phone. "Is that the time! Sorry Stephanie."

"Don't worry we had so much paperwork to do." She smiled. "I'll see you in the morning.

She took much longer than usual packing up her things; idling as much as she could to avoid the embarrassment she knew would feel when they came face to face again. She blushed just thinking about how natural it had been to straighten his tie, let him kiss her cheek, and their kids, they'd seemed so perfect.

/ / /

"Hey Burke, you're late home." Joe said looking up from the sink.

"Yeah busy day" she put down her back and tried to get to the wine without looking at him.
"You alright Burke?" he asked. "You look all red."

"I'm fine. Tired. Wine. Bed." She said quickly grabbing a glass.

"I'd like a glass too actually." He dried his hands.

Sighing she grabbed another glass and filling it quickly she shoved it at him.

"Thanks." He ignored her behaviour. "oh before I forget to tell you I wont be here tomorrow I'm going out with Tasha again." He smiled.

"Wow she's been around a while now! What two months." She said finally looking at him.

"Yes she's, she's quite a woman." He grinned and she felt her face falling into a frown.

"Very good."

"I think she might stick." He nodded.

"ok Longo I get it!" she threw up her hands, "god not everything's about your love life!" she put her glass into the sink and throwing off her shoes headed to the stairs. "goodnight!"

"Goodnight Burke." He frowned watching as she headed up the stairs.

/ / / /

"Ryder do you want a lift to work or what!" she shouted up the stairs.

"I can't find my uniform!" he shouted back.

"Well did you wash it?" she leaned on the banisters.

"No…"

"It's in the wash basket then!" she rolled her eyes. "I have to get to work Ryder! Come on!"

the kitchen door opened and Lennox walked slowly in.

"Aunt Mel my stomach is killing me! Will you pick up some more ant-acids on the way home please." She said rubbing her now fully swollen belly. Mel's stomach dropped when she looked at her still young niece. Ready to pop now. Dropped out of college to have a baby. She'd really failed there. Nothing she could do now but support her.

"Why cant you go pick them up? I wont be back until at least nine."

"oh I will actually, Tash is picking me up in an hour I'll ask her if we can stop at the pharmacy. I wont be too late I want to do some writing tonight, try all the papers again." She eased herself down onto a chair.

"Tash?" she shoved her things into her handbag.

"ya I'm spending the day and Joe's house. Tash said I should spend some time with little Sofia try and get myself ready. Joe's away at some conference so I'm going to give her a hand."

"That's… that's nice." Mel sighed. Lennox stoop up and headed to the

"There's no bowls." Lennox sighed and opened the fridge. "or milk."

"I'll go shopping later." Mel scraped her hair up into a ponytail, grooming was a luxury long forgotten. "And Ryder was meant to wash up. RYDER IM LEAVING."
he bounded down the stairs apron in hand.

"I'm here I'm here." Ah there was her other failure. Ryder finished school with no idea what he wanted to do, last year he'd decided to take a year out, she'd supported him, and now he was on his second.

"Right lets go!" she grabbed her keys.

"AUNT MEL!" Lennox called as they went out the door.

"Yes." She said wearily.

"Phones dead. You must have forgotten to pay the bill again.." she closed the door and rested her head against the glass.

/ / /

Her alarm went off not a moment too soon in her opinion. She sat up and her heart dropped. Really was someone out to torture her or something. God things would never get that bad could they! Even if Joe ever left, which of course he was going to eventually. She got dressed and got ready for work with dark thoughts looming around her.

They didn't need Joe that much did they! Did this entire family really rely on him so badly that it would collapse without him. How could she ever make him stay. He shouldn't be working here. All this frowning was going to give her wrinkles.