Melinda put her head down on the table and slapped it a couple times with the palm of her right hand while groaning.
"Mel? What's wrong?" He was expecting her voice to be quavering and tear filled, but when she spoke her voice sounded tired and fed up.
"I have to go see my mom" she responded with her head still on the table. She really wished that it wouldn't have to come down to this.
Jim reached over and began rubbing her back. He knew Melinda hated seeing her mother, no matter what the occasion was.
"When are you going to see her?" he asked.
"Tomorrow after work, I'll go talk to her, even if it kills me" Which it probably will Melinda thought to herself.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Melinda picked her head up and looked into his eyes, "No, that's okay. This is something I have to do on my own."
"You sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure"
Jim leaned in and kissed Melinda's forehead, "I love you"
"I love you too"
The two of them stayed like that, eyes locked to each other, for only a few seconds. But to them it felt like an eternity.
Melinda broke the stare by getting up and walking over to the cabinet. She grabbed a glass, filled it with water and looked down at it. Realizing she forgot ice, she opened the freezer, grabbed some ice, and carefully tried to plop it in the water, so that none would go flying out of the cup. After she was satisfied with the amount of water and ice she got, she turned around heading for the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Jim asked while getting up
Melinda continued to walk up the stairs, "I think I'm gonna go lie down for a bit"
Jim walked to the bottom of the stairs, looking up at his wife heading towards their room, "Do you want me to come with you?"
Melinda sighed, "No I think I want to be alone for a little while"
"You sure?"
"Positive"
"Okay. I'll be right down here, call me if you need anything"
"Will do" Melinda walked into her bedroom shutting the door behind her.
When she turned to face her bed, she jumped nearly dropping her water. Jamie was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed acting as if she did this everyday.
Melinda put her hand to her chest catching her breath, "Hey Jamie. Sorry, you scared me"
"I guess I have that affect on people," Jamie responded shrugging her shoulders.
Melinda put the glass down and slowly walked to the bed and sat across from her sister.
"You look….good" Melinda said trying to make conversation. She noticed Jamie didn't have a gash in her head anymore, "How's your headache?"
"Gone now"
"Good. That's ….good" Melinda couldn't believe how awkward it felt just to talk with her own sister. Both of them sat there looking around the room nervously.
"Who is he?" Jamie asked breaking the silence, "the man downstairs"
"Oh Jim? He's my husband"
"When did you get married?"
"Almost a year ago"
"I wish I had a boyfriend like him. He's very nice" Would of made a great brother"
"I'll be sure to tell him that" the two girls giggled, "Did you hear what happened downstairs?"
Jamie looked down at her hands, "Yes and I'm so sorry"
"You're sorry? I was the one who killed you! I took you life away!" Melinda was so sure tears would start pouring out by now, but none came, "I guess I cried every last drop" she thought.
"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing. It's because of me you got in so much trouble"
"Sweetie, you can't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault, it was mine" Melinda grew quiet and looked down at her hands.
Jamie went to go reach for Melinda's hands, but stopped herself. She knew she couldn't touch her, so she brought her hands back to her lap.
"Hey, don't ever think it was your fault okay? It was an accident"
"Jamie, I need to know. Do you forgive me?"
"Melinda, I was never mad you in the first place. There's nothing to forgive."
"Please, I need to hear you say it. I need to know you forgive me"
"Okay, Melinda, of course I forgive you"
Melinda sighed with relief. It felt as if half of the weight she's been carrying around for the past 10 years has been lifted. Hopefully the rest would leave when she saw her mother tomorrow.
"You have no idea how much that means to me" Melinda said with a huge smile. Right now she wanted nothing more then to reach over and give her sister the biggest hug she could give. But she knew she couldn't, and never would.
"Now you have to do something for me"
"Anything"
"I need you to tell her the truth"
"What? Who?"
"Tell her the truth"
"Jamie tell who the truth?"
But in an instant Jamie was gone. Melinda lied down thinking she was going to have a very long day ahead of her.
Well here it is, chapter 12! Sorry if it seemed a little rushed, I just need a way to get to the next day. Melinda/Mrs. Gordon chat coming up soon! Please read and review!