Melanie & some much needed family time.

So her story continues. I hope you are all enjoying it. This is the story I wrote for NANOWRIMO month in November. It has a lot of Norse in it, which I love. Enjoy!!

                                                                Photo by Pixabay.com

Chapter 25 Family Time

Melanie, her mom, and Lucious went out for the first walk together. They just wanted to wander and see where they ended up. They wanted to just be at peace and enjoy each other. Lucious skipped ahead as Melanie and her mom talked about the move and how their whole dynamic from day to day has not changed. Melanie smiled at her mom because she was happy to have her near especially after losing grandma. Before they knew it they had walked almost an hour and four miles. They ended up at the park and zoo. They decided to take a stroll through the park. It was autumn now and the red, orange and yellow leaves were stunning. The crisp air invigorated all three of them. Lucious had finally stopped skipping and just looked at the trees down the main walkway of the park. The park was surrounded by color. It looked like a quilt with each tree a square of it. Lucious began a collection of colors in his hands and when they were full gave them to his grandma. He told her it was her welcoming present to their neighborhood and that he hoped she would stay. She nodded she was not moving again. They were now stuck with her in their everyday lives. Lucious squealed with glee. 

As they walked on toward the zoo inside the park Melanie and her mom talked about darkness. They never talked about magic out in public. You never knew who was listening. They spoke of being haunted by darkness, remembrance of the realm that contained it all and how it seemed to be seeping back into this world. They spoke of the black feather and other things that have happened since the birdcage. They were not sure what was happening. Had someone taken over Gerd’s role of darkness enchantress? The dark realm was destroyed, but someone or something they collectively thought was trying to restart it. They decided to ponder in the quiet of them walking. Each step they took brought a shudder through their bodies. They did not like when they could not figure out what was going on in the world. They felt a heaviness that no one else felt. Lucious could sense them behind him and he turned to them and said: “As long as we three are together, we are all going to be ok and remain in the light.” They both looked at him stunned. For a little boy, he seemed to know a lot. Lucious smiled at them both and embraced both their knees and hugged them tightly.

After the zoo everyone was famished. They all headed to their favorite café again. Their beloved waiter was there smiling at them when they walked in. He came right up to them to welcome them. They chit-chatted a bit and he seated them. He wanted them close to him for they always made his mood happier. He had heard snippets of their conversations and he always wondered about them. Once he swore the salt went right to Melanie as she picked up her hand. He had a fascination with Melanie and Lucious and now her mother as well. He thought there was always something so extraordinary about them, their energy, and their laughter. He rushed to get them their favorite drinks and an appetizer. They had not ordered anything yet, but he knew. He came back to the table to take their orders and asked how everyone was doing. He told Melanie she looked beautiful today and she said her normal thank you. Her mother asked if the waiter always hit on her. She said, “Mom he does it to everyone to get a fatter tip.” Melanie’s mom knew better. He said it, her daughter blushed, and the waiter talked to no one else like that.  The family ate their lunch and were about to head out when Lucious announced to the whole place that he needed to pee and Melanie’s mom rushed him in hushed tones to the bathroom. Melanie was so thankful for her mom and her presence in their lives now. Melanie moved to go towards the front door and turned around and walked straight into her waiter. She had not seen him go around her. She wondered where he was coming from. She said excuse me and tried to meander around him. He said “Melanie.” She stopped and said “Yes?” And he stammered and stuttered and asked her out almost under his breath. She said,” Excuse me I did not hear what you said.” He spoke with his full voice and spoke “Melanie would you like to go out on a date with me?” She was so stunned and did not know what to say. She saw her mom out of the corner of her eye nodding, yes, so Melanie said “Sure.” He took a breath again and they exchanged phone numbers. He asked how Saturday was and she just nodded again. He told her he would call her to set up a time and get her address to pick her up and he skipped back to work with a lighter heart. Melanie turned to walk and stumbled but then balanced herself. She was taken off guard by her waiter asking her out, but since James, she had not been on any dates. Being a witch and dating is hard enough, but having a witch son too and dating is a bit like walking on shards of glass.

Ryan came to pick Melanie up at 7 pm Saturday night. Grandma had agreed to keep Lucious for the weekend in case Ryan wanted to come up to the apartment. He opened the truck door for Melanie and shut it once she was in. He had managed to tell her how beautiful she looked without stumbling over her words. She wanted to put a relaxation spell on him, but she knew it would do no good. He needed to relax on his own. He drove her to the next town over while they talked about her family. She finally asked him about his. She learned he had lost his dad early on in life. He was a toddler when he was killed by a semi-truck drifting and threw his dad and his car off a bridge and he died instantly. He was raised by his mother and grandma like Lucious. She was touched he equated his being raised to her son’s. He was saying how lucky Lucious was and how he knew he would be an amazing man with two strong women raising him. He did say how he missed having a dad around, but one of his dad’s friends stepped in to play ball with him and others took him hunting and fishing when they went. He asked if he could possibly do something with Lucious and Melanie’s heart dropped. Melanie knew Lucious would do magic around Ryan, so Melanie just said: “We will see.”

Ryan pulled up the truck to this cozy lakeside restaurant. He jumped out of the truck and raced around to open Melanie’s door for her and gave her his hand to help her hop down out of the truck. She said thank you and he continued holding her hand as they walked into the restaurant. From the outside, it did not look promising, but inside everyone knew Ryan, the décor was beachy and comforting. Melanie was welcomed by all of Ryan’s friends. They were walked out to the screened in part of the deck and were the only ones out there. Melanie had to wonder how many other dates Ryan had brought there, but she really was not invested in this date anyways. She accepted on her mother’s nod and thought Ryan was nice that it would lead nowhere. They ordered some drinks and were looking out at the sparkling lake filled with beams of the sunset. It really was a stunning view and Melanie smiled at Ryan.

They ordered their food and then Ryan said: “You are the first lady I have ever brought here.” Melanie smiled a genuine smile for the first time that night. She felt herself relax with Ryan. He had a way of putting her at ease. It was a feeling that Melanie could not remember. She was herself when she was with him. She heard more people coming in the restaurant and then their drinks and an on the house appetizer since it was her first time with them. Maxine was the lady in charge of the place and she came over to hug Ryan. She told Melanie that she has known him since he was a baby. She gave Melanie a little wink as if to say “You are safe here with our Ryan.” Melanie settled into a nice conversation about family and work with Ryan. Ryan was asking her about relationships and Melanie froze. In the doorway to the outside deck was James. Melanie’s mind raced. James came right to their table and smelled of booze. Melanie said hello to him and he went to swing at Ryan but missed miserably. James knocked the drinks off their table, tried to hold onto their tablecloth to make the room stop spinning. She apologized to Ryan and James stumbled back up finally and said to Ryan he wanted to fight for his woman, Ryan was on his feet in an instant. He was not ready to swing at James, but ready to block any hits that James might try and throw at Melanie. Ryan was not a fighter, but a protector. Maxine rushed in saying she called the police. Melanie had to wonder how he knew where she was. James told Melanie “You are my bitch, I own you!” And with that, he fell over, passed out, and when the cops came they handcuffed him and hauled him out. They asked if Ryan and Melanie were ok. Melanie explained who James was to her and they asked if she wanted to do a stalker report and get a protection order. She asked if she could in the morning. The police told her to come in first thing while he is still in custody and she promised. Ryan apologized to Melanie and Melanie apologized to him saying it was her ex that messed up their night. He asked if she wanted to get the food to go and they could go back to his apartment to eat. She sadly told him in a sullen voice that she just wanted to go home. She was to emotionally worked up to eat right now.

When Ryan pulled up to Melanie’s place he did not run out to open her door. He turned off the truck and turned in his seat to look at her. He said, “Melanie I would like a redo, another date, another chance to show you what kind of man I am.” Melanie took his hands in hers and told him she knew already. He smiled at her, his eyes lit up, and his hands stopped trembling in hers. Melanie suggested next time she could cook for him in her place and no one would be following them. He said ok, hopped out to open her door, and she felt unsure and asked him if he would walk her up to her apartment. When they got to her door it had been kicked in and her apartment had been tossed. Even the angry birdcage was rolling around on its side on the living room floor. There was a fire in the hearth and Melanie knew she would never leave one burning while away. In the fire burning was all her favorite items from around her apartment. James knew they were his favorite and he was trying to hurt her for dumping him. Melanie begins to sob and shake uncontrollably and then Ryan wrapped his arms around her and let her sob on his shoulder. Melanie sobbed until she had a massive headache. Ryan took charge and called the police. He told Melanie to not touch anything, but she knew already it was James. It was only treasured items that he knew she loved that were burning in the fire. 

While Ryan and Melanie waited on the police; Ryan made Melanie a cup of tea. It took him awhile to do so as he had no idea where anything was, but he finally did it. He wrapped a blanket around Melanie’s shoulders, handed her the tea and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind her. He kissed her hair and tried to remind her nothing would happen to her while he was there. The police came. Nothing was missing, but they took photos of items burning. Then they went to the apartment and took more photos and cataloged items broken. She said she knew it was James. They reminded her he was in custody. She suggested he did all this before he came to her at the restaurant. They said they would talk to him in lockup about it. They asked if she was ok after about an hour of going to her apartment. Ryan assured the officers he would make sure she was safe and they nodded and headed out.

Melanie just looked at Ryan with lost puppy dog eyes. She looked beaten though no one touched her. Her heart was breaking. James was the only man she dated after her fiancé's death. How could he be so miserable towards her? Ryan told Melanie to pack a bag and she could stay at his place for a night or two. That she should call her mom so she does not worry and then they would head to his place. Melanie called her mom and just said her night ran long so she was going over to Ryan’s as his place was closer and she was sleeping on his couch. Grandma knew something was wrong, but she felt Ryan and Melanie could handle it and then tell her when she was ready. Melanie grabbed her overnight bag, wondered where her cat got off too in this mess, and put food and water out for him, and hopped back into Ryan’s truck.

Ryan and Melanie sat in silence for the twenty-minute ride. Melanie was so frustrated with men and her she was allowing another one to protect her. She was a witch for crying out loud, she could protect herself. She jumped out of Ryan’s truck when they pulled up to his apartment. He was on the second floor. They climbed the stairs in silence. Once inside Ryan informed Melanie that he had a spare room with a lock. She could sleep in there. It had no windows but was gorgeous. She said “ok” and plopped on his couch in despair. He took her bag and put it in the spare room. Normally he would give the grand tour but this was no normal night. Ryan put his arm on Melanie’s shoulder and she hadn’t even notice. She turned to him and he did not try to kiss her, but she said: “Why did you bring me here?” He whispered, “Because I care enough about you to keep you safe.” She nodded and tried to smile. She failed and it looked like a grimace on her face. He spoke softly and said, “Ok young lady bedtime for you.” He got her into bed, she did not want to get changed, but he did get her shoes off. She was all tucked in when he cell phone went off and her mom said “Ok what’s up?” and Melanie begin to cry again and explained it all to her mom. She got off the phone an hour later mentally exhausted and fell fast asleep. She felt unbelievable safe in Ryan’s apartment and slept solidly till 9 AM.

Melanie woke the next morning wondering where she was and then she remembered. A rush of fear attacked her like a giant wave swallowing her up. Then she remembered Ryan and smiled. She was in his apartment. She came out of her room with her hair all over, her curls locked in knots, and her clothes all wrinkled. Ryan saw her and he smiled at her beauty. He wondered if she even knew how beautiful she was. She said “Bathroom?” and Ryan pointed out the way. She walked down to it with her bag and he heard her get in the shower. Melanie was naked in his apartment in his shower and he was thrilled. She came back out thirty minutes later looking glamorous. In all the mess she only threw in a slinky black dress to wear today. She clearly was not thinking when she packed. He smiled at her and handed her a cup of hot black coffee. It had vanilla in it and she wondered how he knew and then she remembered he was her waiter. They sat and ate the breakfast Ryan cooked for her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a piano and thought great another musician. He saw her looking at it and said: “it was my moms and she insisted I take it even though I lack musical talent.” Melanie met his eyes with hers and smiled at him. He leaned into Melanie and murmured “Good morning.” And he kissed her on the cheek. She blushed and they held hands while they finished her breakfast. She would need to leave soon and go to the cops and he offered to come, but she said she needed to handle it alone. She promised she would be ok and she had his number if she needed back up. He dropped it and started washing dishes. She stopped him on her way out and said a heartfelt thank you. She told him how she felt safe with him and this time he smiled at her. For now, she would believe everything with them was ok, but she kept thinking how she felt that way with James, to begin with. Right on cue, Ryan said “I am not him” and beamed at Melanie like she was his whole world. Melanie headed out the door on a cloud of happy. 

Enjoy the Witch,

your storyteller/poet

Debbie :D