Okay, fair warning, this chapter is pretty short. I would have extended it, but I'm just really happy with how it turned out. So, I hope you guys are, too! And warning: more fluff up ahead.
XxYTTxX: Aw, thank you! So glad you liked the chapter so much!
SingingCupcake: Alright, thanks for your input. But I wasn't planning on having them be the focus, or even chapters without Norma and/or Melvin. I've just been liking their character development so much in this book, if you can call it that, that I wanted to further it more within Norma's story next book.
Scene, lying on Intern 2's couch, sighs. The past few days had been smooth-running, and today was no different. It's Saturday, so she's got all day to lie around with him. Instead of doing that, though, he's filing paperwork while Scene lays with her feet in the air and her head hanging off the edge of the couch.
"Are you hungry?" She asks.
"A little. But I'm almost done."
"Want me to make you something?"
"No thanks."
"Love, you!"
"Love you too."
Scene huffs, although his response makes her heart flutter. She gets up, and reserves herself to dusting just to keep busy. When that's done, as it is a small apartment that he keeps very clean, she decides to take out the trash for him. She grabs the bag, and Melvin's voice stops her.
"Do you even know where the trash disposal is?" He points out. Scene shakes her head. "Down the hall, turn left, keep walking for about ten feet, turn left again, then it's the fifth door in that hall. And by the way, thanks. I haven't taken my trash out in weeks."
He must have a surprisingly low amount of trash, because while it's very full, the one bag is the only trash in the house. As Scene turns the first corner, a man on his cell phone bumps into the bag, causing the cheap plastic to tear. As some of the trash spills out, Scene looks at the man.
"Oh, sorry, miss," He says. "I'll go get you a trash bag." He disappears into one of the apartments, and Scene groans in frustration, when she sees something that catches her eye. A box of cigarettes, and the lid fell open to reveal only about five were used. That means he bought it, and never finished the pack. Before she can decipher what this signifies, the man is back, and helping her pick the trash up.
"So sorry about this." He says.
"It's fine.." She says absentmindedly. When the man isn't looking, she slides the pack of cigarettes into her pocket for further investigation. When everything is cleaned up, Scene thanks him, then takes the trash.
She walks back into Melvin's apartment more harshly than intended, but doesn't regret it. She wants answers.
"Melvin, what is this?" She whips out the pack, and Intern 2 stands up abruptly from his seat.
"Where'd you find that?" He asks, walking over. Norma takes a step back to keep him from getting within reach of the pack.
"It doesn't matter where I found it!" She says. "What is going on with you and your smoking?!" He lets out a sigh.
"I quit." He says. "After I got out of the hospital, the doctors told me if I kept it up, I'd die at least a decade sooner." Scene's eyes fill with tears of worry for him. "And I didn't want to do that to you, Norma. I love you too much."
"So when you were being a meanie-"
"Withdrawal." He says.
"Why didn't you tell me? How can I help?" She asks.
"Well, I pretty much got through the first two weeks, with a lot of effort." He says. "So now it's only small things." She walks over, and hugs him. Tightly. He hugs her back as she cries a little.
"Thank you." She says, trying not to let herself imagine what will happen when he eventually dies. He's older by only two years, but it still could mean he dies sooner. She doesn't let go of him. "I want to spend every day with you. I will make that extra decade worth it."
"You won't even have to try." He says, then kisses her. They return to the embrace, Scene scared of what she could have lost to nicotine.