Disclaimer still stands.
Author's Note : Thanks to everybody who reviewed! I really appreciate your response. Believe it or not, this chapter's from the point of view of Melanie. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone ever wrote a story from her perspective. So, I thought it'd be interesting to see that progress. As well as Eddie (that bastard!), but that's for later.
These chapters are not in order. So you'll have to use your head a little to juxtapose the events as I give them to you. Be forewarned...this chapter has some cursing (well, more than I usually write).
Penny For Your Thoughts (Part Two)
MELANIE
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"Why?"
"I think I'm entitled to ask that and get an answer considering you're standing at my front door on my property."
"Hey, lady, no need to get nasty. I'm Melanie. I'm waiting for Eddie Willows. Who are you?"
"I'm his wife."
I didn't know what to say. I never saw her before. Eddie never told me what she looked like. He rarely talked about her at all. All I knew was he was married to a woman named Catherine and he had a six year old daughter.
"You're Eddie's wife?"
"Who the hell do you think you are, showing up at my house?"
"Eddie - Eddie - he, uh - he said to meet him here. He said you wouldn't be here."
"Oh, so because I wouldn't be here, it makes it all okay?"
"Well, apparently you have issues with your husband or else he wouldn't have come to me." I blurted out suddenly.
She wasn't easily enraged though. Her voice was as steady as it ever was.
"You are in no position to be judging me. You don't even know who I am. Now, get off my property."
"I don't have to listen to you. Eddie invited me here."
"I don't give a fuck what Eddie did or told you. I want you off my property." She shot back evenly.
And for a moment, I felt my heart jump in fear of what she would do. I mean, I even remember the day that I found my old boyfriend cheating on me. I was ready to sock that bitch one when I saw her. I guess I could understand Catherine's point of view, but shit, this was different. Well, no, it's relatively the same, but I was on the receiving end of all the stuff I had said now. And this time, I was the one who was wrong. And I'll admit that, but it's more.
I was in love. I was in love with Eddie. He would've never come on to me if there were no problems in this marriage in the first place. And I guess at the back of my mind I did feel a trace of guilt. I knew that, but I couldn't just give up on my attraction to Eddie just because his wife now knew about us.
But then again, he had a daughter. They had a daughter together. And yet there I was standing at the front door tearing this family apart.
"What the hell are you still standing around here for? Fuck off."
I opened my mouth to speak, but at that moment, Eddie's black bronco came barreling down the street. The tires screeched to a halt, two micrometers from the curb. He got out and looked at us speechless. Speechless. And of all things, Eddie Willows was the last person in the world to be speechless.
But he was standing there, gawking at us silently. The thing that got me, I think, was that he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at me in an almost apologetic way. And for a lingering moment I felt sorry for Catherine. I guess the blame for their breaking marriage went both ways.
I got myself into a war that I couldn't afford to lose. I loved Eddie, and yet, I couldn't get rid of that gross, sick feeling at the pit of my stomach.
"Catherine, what - what are you doing here?" He finally made out, walking up the sidewalk to stand next to me. "Aren't you supposed to be at work? It's a quarter to two. You're late."
"To hell with work. I want to know how long you've been screwing around with this woman." She glanced menacingly at me.
And I couldn't defend myself. I didn't have the right to. I guess I was wrong, but I haven't been able to bring myself to say it aloud. I was torn. For one, I had been in her situation before, but I was in love. I couldn't just let that go.
Eddie touched my arm and I looked at him. "You better go. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, Mel."
And so I stalked off into the dark as they proceeded to argue with each other.
Shit, I cursed myself. Look at the mess you've created.
But no, it wasn't totally my fault. They both had their own problems. As I understand from Eddie, she works nightshift as a forensic scientist. Well, nobody can blame the guy for being lonely. But hell, he went out drinking all the time too which was his own flaw. In fact that's how we met. I had to drive him home because he was so intoxicated that night we met. The three of us all had are own faults that contributed to this moment. It was inevitable. I knew she'd find out one of these days. I guess I didn't think it'd happen like this.
Well, what the fuck did I think it would happen like - We'd have tea and crumpets out on the terrace and hold a civilized, intellectual conversation?
Anyway, a few hours later, Eddie came by my apartment. With a dozen roses. And a sentimental apology. That was when the guilt really set in. I was honest with myself though at that moment when he showed up. I knew I was a coward. A damned coward in love with a married man.
"Eddie, you don't have to apologize."
"I want to. I'm sorry you had to put up with her."
"Really, it was nothing." I answered quickly, feeling the shame bearing down on me.
"No, it's not." He replied, "I'm really sorry. Now, tell me you'll forgive me and you'll still be my girl."
I smiled, feeling uneasy inside. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect."
"Well, that's one damn bruise on your face." I said, pointing out the dark, tender area under his eye. He winced at my touch.
"No, no. It's okay."
"Are you sure? What happened with Catherine?"
"I don't want to talk about that, Mel."
"But I do. I don't even know what to think right now."
"Everything's fine. I don't want you thinking about this. There's nothing to worry about. It's all being taken care of."
"I just don't want to get into anything serious before you settle everything with your wife."
"Don't worry yourself over it. It's over between Cath and me. The end has been in sight for a long time now. It was bound to happen, Mel. Cath and I, we got off on the wrong foot, and since then we haven't even been able to set things straight. There's nothing left fighting for between us anymore."
"Does she feel that way?"
"It doesn't matter. It's over for me." He said. "But for us, it's just beginning."
He leaned in and kissed me. And as great as the night was, I couldn't help but let my mind drift into some awkward form of guilt-ridden triumph.
[End Part Two of Six]
Author's Note : Thanks to everybody who reviewed! I really appreciate your response. Believe it or not, this chapter's from the point of view of Melanie. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone ever wrote a story from her perspective. So, I thought it'd be interesting to see that progress. As well as Eddie (that bastard!), but that's for later.
These chapters are not in order. So you'll have to use your head a little to juxtapose the events as I give them to you. Be forewarned...this chapter has some cursing (well, more than I usually write).
Penny For Your Thoughts (Part Two)
MELANIE
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"Why?"
"I think I'm entitled to ask that and get an answer considering you're standing at my front door on my property."
"Hey, lady, no need to get nasty. I'm Melanie. I'm waiting for Eddie Willows. Who are you?"
"I'm his wife."
I didn't know what to say. I never saw her before. Eddie never told me what she looked like. He rarely talked about her at all. All I knew was he was married to a woman named Catherine and he had a six year old daughter.
"You're Eddie's wife?"
"Who the hell do you think you are, showing up at my house?"
"Eddie - Eddie - he, uh - he said to meet him here. He said you wouldn't be here."
"Oh, so because I wouldn't be here, it makes it all okay?"
"Well, apparently you have issues with your husband or else he wouldn't have come to me." I blurted out suddenly.
She wasn't easily enraged though. Her voice was as steady as it ever was.
"You are in no position to be judging me. You don't even know who I am. Now, get off my property."
"I don't have to listen to you. Eddie invited me here."
"I don't give a fuck what Eddie did or told you. I want you off my property." She shot back evenly.
And for a moment, I felt my heart jump in fear of what she would do. I mean, I even remember the day that I found my old boyfriend cheating on me. I was ready to sock that bitch one when I saw her. I guess I could understand Catherine's point of view, but shit, this was different. Well, no, it's relatively the same, but I was on the receiving end of all the stuff I had said now. And this time, I was the one who was wrong. And I'll admit that, but it's more.
I was in love. I was in love with Eddie. He would've never come on to me if there were no problems in this marriage in the first place. And I guess at the back of my mind I did feel a trace of guilt. I knew that, but I couldn't just give up on my attraction to Eddie just because his wife now knew about us.
But then again, he had a daughter. They had a daughter together. And yet there I was standing at the front door tearing this family apart.
"What the hell are you still standing around here for? Fuck off."
I opened my mouth to speak, but at that moment, Eddie's black bronco came barreling down the street. The tires screeched to a halt, two micrometers from the curb. He got out and looked at us speechless. Speechless. And of all things, Eddie Willows was the last person in the world to be speechless.
But he was standing there, gawking at us silently. The thing that got me, I think, was that he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at me in an almost apologetic way. And for a lingering moment I felt sorry for Catherine. I guess the blame for their breaking marriage went both ways.
I got myself into a war that I couldn't afford to lose. I loved Eddie, and yet, I couldn't get rid of that gross, sick feeling at the pit of my stomach.
"Catherine, what - what are you doing here?" He finally made out, walking up the sidewalk to stand next to me. "Aren't you supposed to be at work? It's a quarter to two. You're late."
"To hell with work. I want to know how long you've been screwing around with this woman." She glanced menacingly at me.
And I couldn't defend myself. I didn't have the right to. I guess I was wrong, but I haven't been able to bring myself to say it aloud. I was torn. For one, I had been in her situation before, but I was in love. I couldn't just let that go.
Eddie touched my arm and I looked at him. "You better go. I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later, Mel."
And so I stalked off into the dark as they proceeded to argue with each other.
Shit, I cursed myself. Look at the mess you've created.
But no, it wasn't totally my fault. They both had their own problems. As I understand from Eddie, she works nightshift as a forensic scientist. Well, nobody can blame the guy for being lonely. But hell, he went out drinking all the time too which was his own flaw. In fact that's how we met. I had to drive him home because he was so intoxicated that night we met. The three of us all had are own faults that contributed to this moment. It was inevitable. I knew she'd find out one of these days. I guess I didn't think it'd happen like this.
Well, what the fuck did I think it would happen like - We'd have tea and crumpets out on the terrace and hold a civilized, intellectual conversation?
Anyway, a few hours later, Eddie came by my apartment. With a dozen roses. And a sentimental apology. That was when the guilt really set in. I was honest with myself though at that moment when he showed up. I knew I was a coward. A damned coward in love with a married man.
"Eddie, you don't have to apologize."
"I want to. I'm sorry you had to put up with her."
"Really, it was nothing." I answered quickly, feeling the shame bearing down on me.
"No, it's not." He replied, "I'm really sorry. Now, tell me you'll forgive me and you'll still be my girl."
I smiled, feeling uneasy inside. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect."
"Well, that's one damn bruise on your face." I said, pointing out the dark, tender area under his eye. He winced at my touch.
"No, no. It's okay."
"Are you sure? What happened with Catherine?"
"I don't want to talk about that, Mel."
"But I do. I don't even know what to think right now."
"Everything's fine. I don't want you thinking about this. There's nothing to worry about. It's all being taken care of."
"I just don't want to get into anything serious before you settle everything with your wife."
"Don't worry yourself over it. It's over between Cath and me. The end has been in sight for a long time now. It was bound to happen, Mel. Cath and I, we got off on the wrong foot, and since then we haven't even been able to set things straight. There's nothing left fighting for between us anymore."
"Does she feel that way?"
"It doesn't matter. It's over for me." He said. "But for us, it's just beginning."
He leaned in and kissed me. And as great as the night was, I couldn't help but let my mind drift into some awkward form of guilt-ridden triumph.
[End Part Two of Six]