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Chapter 4

A few days later blood tests confirmed that Mel was pregnant, morning sickness had started; except that for Mel, it lasted all day, so she was resting upstairs this afternoon, when someone rang at the door. Jim opened it to see Delia:

-Hi Jim, how are you?

-Fine thanks, you?

-Yeah, just wanted to see how Melinda's doing. On the phone you only said 'she's sick' I hope it's not too bad.

-No, don't worry it's probably just a virus, nothing serious..., Jim stopped hearing Mel being sick upstairs, it's just making her very tired, he added trying to reassure Delia, obviously worried.

-Ok, so I better leave she must want to sleep.

-No stay, she'll be happy to see you. Come in. I'm gonna go check on her. Make yourself comfortable, he said closing the door behind Delia.

And he went upstairs, he came into the bathroom to find Melinda sat on the floor, looking exhausted. He reached her, helped her to get up and to sit on a chair and whispered:

-Hey baby how are you?

-Not worse not better... she said in a weak voice while Jim knelt down beside her and moved her hair out of her face.

-I'm sorry that I can't do anything to make you feel better.

-You do, just by standing there and being you, she said with a smile.

Jim got up to take a glass of water and a wet towel. He gave Mel the glass and put the towel around her neck and on her shoulders to relax her.

-Thanks Jim.

Mel got up to put some water on her face and seeing her reflect on the mirror she tried to make herself look better.

-Don't worry you're beautiful, said Jim taking her in his arms. He laid his head on her shoulder and look at their reflects on the mirror with a cute smile.

-You're such a liar, she said playfully letting herself go in Jim's arms and taking his hands in hers.

-No I mean it, and you know that.

-Yeah, but you're too sweet with me. By the way who was at the door?

-Delia, she wants to know how you're doing, she's still downstairs I told her you'll be happy to see her, I hope it's ok?

Mel turned around to look at Jim.

-Yeah of course. What did you say to her ?, she added with a suspicious look.

Jim smiled:

-I told her it was probably a virus, but nothing serious.

-See, you're a liar!

-Yeah but it's for a good cause!

Yes, when they learned the answer, Mel and Jim had just stood there on the couch holding each other, feeling things they had never felt before. They enjoyed these moments so much that they had decided to keep the news between the two of them for a while, even if it meant lying to their friends and family for a few days, it was worth it.

-Yeah, said Mel smiling back at him.

They looked deeply at each other. Jim approached to kiss Mel but she pushed him away slowly:

-No, Jim I just-

-And you think that being sick is going to stop me from loving you?

So he took her face in his hands and gently kissed her, and they hugged each other.

-We better get back downstairs, Delia's going to wonder what we are doing, said Jim even though none of them wanted to break this moment.

-We should, replied Mel.

When they reached the last steps Delia got up to say 'Hello' to Mel:

-Hey, Mel. I'm not even going to ask you how you are...

-Hi! And how should I take this?, said Mel faking a resentful face.

-I'm sorry Melinda, but you really look exhausted..., explain Delia afraid that she might have hurt Mel.

-That's because I am! Don't worry I'm know what you mean and you're right I look awful even if this one wants to make me believe I don't, she said smiling, pointing his finger through Jim, who blinked at her with a sweet smile.

They all sat down on the couch, Mel and Jim were so closed that Mel was practically sat on Jim's knees...

-So, any trouble with the store? Asked Mel.

-No, everything goes well, don't even worry about that. I can mind the store as long as you want to and need to.

-I'm not going to ask you to mind the store alone any longer, I'm going back to work tomorrow. And don't even try to contradict me, none of you!

Delia and Jim looked at each other, they knew they couldn't win that battle so they answered, resigned:

-Okay..., but at the first sign of something wrong I want you to call me and to go home immediately, added Jim with a serious look.

Mel knew he wasn't joking so she nodded at him, she didn't wanted him to worry more that he already did about her.

Then they talked about Ned, who had a new girlfriend that, of course, Delia disapproved..., then about Tim because Delia and him were supposed to go to diner this night, by the way Jim reacted when Delia said it, Mel knew that he was aware of the date.

-You knew that?, she asked him.

-Yes I did, but don't start blaming me for not telling you because we both know that you also have your little secrets on him that I'm not authorized to know, besides I knew Delia was going to tell you, replied Jim.

-Well I can't say anything else than: you're right!, said Mel always astonished about how well her husband knew her.

After a while Delia left but not before making Mel promise that if she didn't felt better she won't come to work tomorrow. Mel promised, knowing that no matter what she will be sick for weeks at least and that staying home doing nothing won't make her feel better. So she will be back to work the next morning no matter what.

Right when Jim closed the door after saying goodbye to Delia, Timothy appeared in front of Mel who was still sitting on the couch, 'cause she felt dizzy again. Timothy was sitting on the coffee table, cross-legged and he was looking intensely at Melinda, who was a bit shaken-up by the boy's apparition. Jim had seen Mel's change of behavior, so he put a hand on her shoulder and asked:

-Honey? What's wrong?

-Oh, don't worry, I'm ok; Timothy surprised me, that's all.

-Ok, I'm going to let you two talk then.

He kissed Mel's hair and went upstairs.

Mel looked at Timothy, who hadn't say anything yet.

-Hey, Timothy, where have you been?

He hadn't came back since the day they had met.

-Hi! Well, I've been around never very far but I saw that you were sick and my mother got mad at me once because I kept bothering Lily when she was sick this other day. But then I saw that this woman visited you so I thought I could visit you too. I was just waiting for her to leave.

Mel was really touched by this little guy, he was so smart, and behaved so well.

-You're so sweet! Thanks I appreciate that you didn't came when I was sick. Well I'm not really sick, but-

-You're faking it? I did that, when I didn't wanted to go to school...

Mel looked at him with an angry look. Then she laughed seeing that Timothy was ashamed of what he said:

-Hey, it's ok, it's not a very bad thing, don't feel ashamed. And you know what I did that too when I was about your age. Timothy looked at her surprised but he smiled.

What Mel didn't say is that she did it because she was sometimes really afraid by some spirits and her Grandmother wasn't always there and since her mother couldn't bare earing about ghosts no one would help so it was easier to pretend to be sick so she wouldn't have to go to school.

-Anyway, no, I'm not faking it, what I have is called 'morning sickness' it's what happened when you're expecting a baby...

-Oh, so you're going to have a baby! It's cool, is that what you were doing the other day when I couldn't stay, making the baby?

-Err... No, Mel didn't know how to get out from that and she was starting to blush, Actually we were making a test to be sure that I was pregnant, but let's talk about you.

She wanted to change the subject as soon as possible, she wasn't ready to make a 'how do we make babies' lesson yet... So she tried to know a bit more about him.

-Do you know why you're still here? Do you know where you are supposed to go?

-I'm supposed to go somewhere?

-I guess it means no. Okay when a person dies she's supposed to cross over, it means going to the next place a place where only spirits can go, it's a safe and peaceful place where you will find all the people you love and that died before you. Do you know people that have died?

-Yes, my Grandpa, he died when I was 6, I don't remember him that well, Timothy said in sad voice.

-Hey, it's ok, I'm sure you will recognize him, and I'm also sure that he will remember you as if you had never been separated. How could someone forget about such a nice boy!

Mel had managed to make him feel a bit better, she felt it.

-Ok then, but how can I go there, in this place? Asked Timothy who started to be really interested by 'this place'

-Well you should see a light and if you do you just have to go into it, explained Melinda.

-I don't see any light, said Timothy disappointed.

-It's Ok it happens sometimes, it means that you have something keeping you here. Maybe you know what it is. Is there something annoying you, or maybe someone you want to talk to. I can help you do that.

Timothy looked like he was thinking about what Melinda said and searching, trying to find something.

-Maybe there's something... Could you talk to my parents? There is things I would like to tell them.

-Yeah, I can try. But I need to know where they are.

-My mum is in Seattle with Lily, and my dad is in a place called Angel's Trip, it's a holiday village, not to far from here I think.

-So, your parents don't live together anymore?

-Yes, they do. But when my dad said he was going there and that he wanted my mum to come, she yelled at him and said that she would never go there again, ever. She was really mad.

-Ok, hum... I'll try to figure this out, said Mel thinking that it might be slightly harder that she thought!, Well Seattle is pretty far from here, you said the place you father is wasn't far from here, do you know where it is?

-I don't remember exactly but I think it's Georgia.

-Georgia! But you said it wasn't far from here!

-Well it's not that far compared to the way when we came from Seattle.

-Oh, Ok but you know it's still very far from here!

-I'm sorry, I didn't realized, said Timothy sadly, will you still help me?

-Well I don't know, you have to understand that I can't leave like this, I have obligations, responsibilities, I... I'm sorry but I can't give up everything to go there...

Mel didn't know what to say or to do.

-You said you could help me... I better leave if you can't.

-No, wait Timothy! Please!

But he was gone... Mel was standing in the middle of the living room, looking at the window where Timothy had just disappeared.

-Hey, baby, is everything ok?

Mel hadn't heard Jim getting down. He reached her and saw that she was crying.

-Mel, what's wrong?, he asked truly worried.

-I'm so mean! I told him I will help him, he trusted me and just minutes after I totally let him down and say that I can help him!!

Mel broke down in tears. Jim took her in his arms trying to comfort her. They sat on the couch, Jim was saying all he could find to make her feel better till Mel felt asleep from exhaustion and pain. All Jim could do was keep her close to him, he felt so bad to see his wife heartbroken like this...