CHAPTER ONE

JEALOUSLY IS NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER

THE KITCHEN

Victoria frowned darkly as she poured the mug of coffee. She jammed it back under the heating pad of the coffee maker. Tapping her finger nails against the tile. Bringing the rim of the mug up to her lips; she took a sip, her brown eyes locked on the stair case. Her right eye brow high on her forehead; and her left one still lowered in an angry scowl.

She had walked down hallway this morning, to start day. When she had paused in front of Joy's bedroom. The door was half opened; which was very unusual for Joy. Her younger, and taller best friend would always claim that she quite enjoyed her privacy; no matter what. Joy would either leave her bedroom room door open if one; she was drunk; two; she had a one night stand; that she was ashamed of. She was trying to remember how many glasses of wine Joy had the previous night. What she found odd was that Joy only nursed one glass; and she never did finish it. She also knew that Joy didn't go out at all last night. So; where would Joy have found her ashamed one night stand?

She had turned her body around to find what the reason was ….. when her face dropped. There was Joy asleep on her bed – on top of the covers; with Melaine tightly in her arms. Not tightly enough to prevent movement – but with just that extra touch to make it tight. One around Joy's thin waist; and her hand against the lift side of the face. Melanie's head against Joy's shoulder; her arms across Joy's arms on their stomach's. They looked so peaceful – so like little Angels.

Victoria's heard her fingers louder against the tiles as she thought of the precious little scene she had just witnessed. Her heart harden even more against Rejoyla Scroggs. How dare Joy do this too her. Sure she wasn't the best of all best friends; she always did leave Joy high and dry – when something more important came up. Like getting her nails done. But damn it all to hell; she did care for the English bitch. Just as much as Melanie.

How could Joy not to come to her about Owen. She cared about how Joy was holding up with meeting her son for the first time since she was sixteen. She knew Joy was broken up on the inside for the entire mess of meeting her son for the first time in twenty eight years. She could be there for her friend as much as Melanie could.

Victoria was jealous of Melanie Hope Moretti. After all she; Victoria Chase; had met Rejoyla Scroggs first. She and Joy had clicked upon their first meeting; behind the scene of Victoria's Soap Opera. Melanie didn't come into their lives till a week later. Joy and her had decided to get some coffee at the crowded coffee shop. They had managed to snag a table for three in the corner. Melanie had asked to join them – Victoria was going to say hell no; when Joy spoke up first. Victoria could still hear such openness in Joy's voice on her first spoken words to Melanie. Joy never spoke to her like that. She had swallowed the bile in her throat; and placed the actress face on, and gladly welcomed Melaine to the table.

She had shut down that small part that Joy had found … so she decided to keep herself at a safe distance from this amazing human being whom truly got her. But, she wouldn't by far or means; remove Joy from her life. She could handle whatever friendship she would offer up. She was actually speechless with how Joy admitted she wanted to count her as her best friend. Victoria's hearts had overflown with simple gladness. She felt her newly walls tumble down. Until Joy said that she had all ready asked Melaine for the best friend rites also. It was how Joy's voice switched to a light, and true voice that felt safe. The walls surrounded her heart, and very soon it was so cemented down – that it would literally take a bomb to burst through them. Over the years she had harden the wall – where now there was a solid steel door blocking the wall that she originally had built.

She wanted to hate Melanie. She really tried to hate the woman; but you just couldn't hate Melanie. It's quite impossible. Melanie had slipped in with a permanent place in her heart, and soul. She thank God every day that he saw fit to bring her into her life.

She just hated how Melaine had managed to break down all of Joy's superficial walls within the first meeting. It has taken her years to get past a few of Joy's superficial walls. There were still some solid bricks in her way.

"Morning." Melanie said with a smile as she walked down the stairs.

"Morning." Joy repeated right behind the shorter brunette. Her hand was out, slightly touching the edge of Melanie's satin pajama top. Melanie's hand reached backwards, and met Joy's. She felt a smile as her friend's warm hand met her own. As soon as she stepped off the bottom step; she moved closer so she could feel the missing warmth that her body craved.

"Morning you two." Victoria pasted a fake smile on her mouth. "Coffee?" She lifted her own mug towards her two best friends.

"Love some." Melanie chirped. She moved forward; and felt Joy right behind her.

Victoria's right eyebrow rose high on her forehead. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

Melanie's eyes widen in shock, and she moved backwards – bumping into Joy. "What No! Of course not!" She moved backwards once more and felt Joy so close to her. She felt Joy's arms wrap themselves around her waist. Twisting her head around to look up into Joy's unreadable expression. "Oh sorry Joy; I didn't realize you were still behind me, I'm so sorry for bumping into you. Twice." She felt Joy's hands tighten on her stomach.

Victoria lifted her mug to her lips; she couldn't fight the smirk that came to her lips. She had them dead too rights. She forced the smirk from her lips; as they thinned out; she realized that she had gotten pushed even more away from this friendship – or what she mostly thought of it as the so-so friendship. Joy and Melanie keep her around for …. for; all hell even she know what for.

Joy frowned darkly over Melanie's head; before lowering it to rest at the crook of Melanie's warm neck. She turned her face so she could nuzzle the skin. She could feel Melanie's deep brush – she loved the warmth from it.

Melanie closed her eyes at the feeling. She felt herself relax into the feeling of having Joy so close to her. She felt Joy's hands tighten on her stomach. "It's quite all right. You didn't hurt me." Joy's voice softly said in her ear.

Victoria placed her mug on the counter top. Medium hard. Loud enough for the other two women to be dragged out of whatever private world they were in. Joy slowly backed away from Melanie. She moved as in a daze towards the kitchen table – sitting in her normal chair; it took most of her will power for Victoria not to roll her eyes; at the head of the table. She was actually surprised that Joy allowed anyone other than Melanie to sit across from her. But, yet again Joy was the smart and crafty one – she made sure that Melanie sat to the right of her. The right means the better than the left. Victoria of course got Joy's left side.

"I was wondering when you will you decide to come and confide in me about Owen?" Victoria said with a slight smile, and frown on her lips. "Now, I know that I'm not the world's best mother. Oh hell, I never wanted children – I just didn't have the heart too abort them right before they started growing inside me. I just didn't have the courage to put them up for a closed adoption. I just allowed them to remain with me – I hired nannies to be there mothers in my proxy." She turned her eyes onto a wide eyed Melanie, "I'm not the mother who loved having them grow inside her. Whom loved her children so much – that she willing stayed in failed marriage to give them a happy fake childhood."

"Enough Victoria!" Joy said in a hard shocked voice. Standing to her feet she leaned forward in her rage.

"I'm just a woman." Victoria said in a much quieter voice. Her eyes locked onto Joy's blazing chocolate ones. "I'm just a woman whom is trying to find her friend." She finished in the silence of the room.

"How can I be friends with someone whom harms her?" Joy asked in a dead tone. "How can I be friends with someone whom hurts her? "

"I didn't mean to hurt her. I went too far." Victoria swallowed. "I just wanted to show you the comparison between us on where motherhood was concerned for us." She shrugged. "If I had given my children up for adoption – or I aborted each and everyone one of them; than I would have gone to be in Melanie's arms also."

Joy's head lowered onto her right arm. She groaned softly under her breathe. "Do you know why I don't come to you when I'm sad about Owen, Victoria?" Her head lifted, and her eyes met the older brunette's. "It's because Melanie has never ever turned her back on our friendship. Not once."

Victoria blinked.

"How can I ever come too you when you mostly just want to turn your back on me. I have been counting. I keep a close tab on every single time." Joy patted her heart, "In here." Her smile was thinned lined. "So I ask you once more, Victoria Chase, why should I trust in our friendship?"

"You shouldn't." Victoria replied in a dead voice. She turned and walked out of the kitchen, using the side door to the backward. Damn if she showed Joy her tears – her heartbreak. No way in hell would she give anyone the satisfaction on seeing how they had broken her.

END CHAPTER ONE

Authors Note: No, I'm not going to Victoria bash here in this story. I'm just stating right up front on how sad she is that Joy doesn't count her as good of a friend; as Melaine. I was going to have Victoria say something completely away from the subject of Owen – but Owen truly wanted to butt his tiny butt in; so he won (what can I say?).

I was going to wait to tackle on what I preserve of Joy, and Victoria's friendship – compared to Joy, and Melanie's friendship in a later chapter (much later) – but, and I have to agree; Victoria truly needed to get this off her chest.

This is going to be a strong Joy/Melaine friendship/and later romance story. It's going to have a very strong Joy/Victoria friendship and soon. It's going to have a strong Melanie/Victoria friendship; also soon. There will be very touching scenes between Joy, and Owen – and a lot of anger. Expect to feel the angst between mother, and grown son throughout the entire story.

So (pounding both knees), now for the million dollar question. (Scooting to the edge of the seat, than back against the back rest; and then edging back to the edge of the seat), Why no Elka in this chapter? Don't worry Elka will show up in the next chapter.