Disclaimer: I own nothing!


Rick stared at his cell phone until it stopped ringing.

"Don't you get it?"
He sighed as Melinda's name disappeared from the caller ID.

"Who was that, Rick?"
Rick's cousin Jasper asked, coming inside from the bright and sunny day.

"Melinda."
He muttered sullenly.

"Why didn't you pick up the phone? Don't you want to work this mess out?"
"It's complicated…I don't want to hear her say the words to me…that she doesn't want me."
"How do you know that's what she's going to say?"

Jasper cried in exasperation.

"Look, Rick, you're here to have a good time, so why don't we go out and do something? There are lots of lovely ladies around town…"
"There's only one 'lovely lady' I can think about right now. I don't feel up to going out right now, Jasp. How about tonight?"
"Fine, fine."

Jasper shook his head at his moping cousin and left the room.


Melinda opened her eyes slowly, forgetting for a moment why she was at Delia's house.

"Melinda?"
Ned poked his head through the slightly open door cautiously.

"Good morning, Ned. Where's your mom?"
"Oh, she went to go work at the shop. She told me to tell you that you have the day off!"

"That was really nice of her."
"Are you…feeling better?"
"Yes. So, you want something to eat?"
Melinda put a fake smile on her face, hoping Ned wouldn't see she was still hurting.

"Yeah, I'm starving!"

Melinda got out of bed slowly, stretching her stiff limbs while following Ned to the kitchen.

"Wow, 11:30! You want lunch?"
"Mom said we could eat soup and sandwiches."
"Sounds good."

Ned chattered away happily while Melinda prepared for lunch.

"So, Melinda, why were you so upset last night?"
"Well…"
Melinda began, unsure how to inform a young boy about marital problems.

"Jim and I have not been getting along. Last night we got in an argument…and I decided that was the last straw."
"Are you going to get divorced? Lots of my friends parents are divorced."

"I think so, sweetie. That's just what happens sometimes."

Melinda set down two bowls of soup on the table and put out different meats for sandwiches.

"Well, I like having you here, Melinda."
"Thanks, Ned. Hey, after we finish eating, want to go over to my house with me so I can grab my clothes and other stuff?"
"Sure!"


Melinda stepped through the unlocked door hesitantly…what if Jim came back?
"No, he's not here."

Erik was beside her once again.

"Oh, thank goodness. Ok, Ned, come on in!"

Melinda had made him wait outside just incase Jim had returned. Everything was exactly as it had been the night before, shattered glass and flower petals covering the floor.

"Woah."
Ned remarked and Melinda chose to ignore his questioning look.

"Ok, I'm just gonna go upstairs and get my stuff together. Just stay away from the glass.

"Hey, Ned? Could you please help me carry some of these bags?"

"How many clothes can you possibly have?"
Melinda grinned sheepishly and looked at her five large bags of clothes.

"Well they aren't just full of clothes!"

Melinda scoffed.

"There's all my other girly stuff."
Ned made a face and took the remaining bags.

Once they were all packed in the car Melinda turned towards Ned.

"Why don't we stop in and check on your Mom? We can bring her some coffee and she can take a break."
"Ok."
Ned nodded in agreement and they set off.


"Thank you so much! Have a nice day."

Delia smiled at the customer who had just bought a beautiful antique doll.

The front door tinkled again, signaling another customer entering.

"Jim!"

Delia gasped and instinctively placed her hand near the telephone.

"I'm not going to do anything, Delia. I just want to know where Melinda is."
"I don't think that is any of your business."
Delia replied coolly, glaring at her former friend.

"Delia, I know you know where she is."
"She's obviously not here, Jim. Why don't you leave?"

"If she does show up…tell her I'm looking for her, won't you?"

Delia made no reply as she continued to glare until he had walked out of the store. The moment he did, she slumped against the counter in relief.

"He's a dangerous man. There's no telling what he could do."

She muttered, watching his retreating back from the front window.

"We need a man around here! Where is that damned professor?"
She cut short of her mutterings as Ned and Melinda walked in.

"Hey!"

Delia cried in surprise, Melinda handing her a cup of her favorite coffee.

"Why don't you and Ned head home, Delia? I can take over until the end of the day."

"Um…"

Delia replied, unsure if she should tell Melinda about the 'visitor' she had earlier.

"No, Melinda, you need to go home and relax, you had a rough day yesterday. You can come back in tomorrow. Also, don't you have something you need to do tonight anyway?"
"Oh, yeah!"

Melinda's eyes widened, remembering her promise to Erik.

Come on, Melinda…Listen to me for once. What if Jim comes back when I leave?

Delia wrung her hands, thinking to herself.

"Well if you're sure…"
Melinda began uncertainly.

"Yes, yes positive! Go on, now! You too, Ned."

"Delia, I can't ever repay you."
Melinda smiled gratefully as she and Ned walked out of the store.

"Phew…that was close."

Delia felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she watched Melinda and Ned drive towards the house.


"Ok Ned, I'm gonna go shower and change."

"Cool."
Ned replied, totally absorbed in some videogame.

"Typical teenager."
Melinda giggled as she unpacked her shampoo and other bath products from one of her many bags.

After a few more minutes of playing his videogame, Ned was interrupted by a knock from the door. He hesitated, his mother had told him not to answer the door if he was home alone…but Melinda was here, so technically he wasn't alone.

Ned opened the door to see Jim standing there.