Dedicated to derin_becca  💕for following this story as quick as it unfolds.

"Your book is amazing."
She said once. "don't ever look down on it."

...continued 👇

"MELANIE BLAKE!" Verena yelled in a scolding voice when she pulled their apartment door open to find Melanie and a stranger, a boy, standing in the hallway.

Melanie's eyes flew open. Startled, she and Paul separated quickly from each other. She sighed and prepped herself. Here we go...

"I knew I heard you in the hallway." Verena sounded very upset and did not care if her yells disturbed the neighbors. "What is wrong with you, girl? Where the hell have you been? Why did you switch off your phone all day?"

"You live with your mother?" Paul asked in a whisper and was obviously uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping over at Melanie's place since her place is also her mother's place.

"Chill." Melanie told him.

"I and Junior have been worried sick the whole day because of you." Verena said angrily and Paul's discomfort multiplied. She continued, eyes locked on Melanie and frantic. "And yet you come home this late and stay out here with . . .  this boy. What is wrong with you? Do you not care at all?"

Melanie's frown suggested that she was pissed and again, Paul noticed her put up a rigid outer skin. She stood straight and looked intimidating and did not care to listen to what her mother had to say.

"Welcome, honey. Have some food." Melanie mumbled under her breath, imitating the reaction she would rather have Verena have to her safe, exhausted return to home.

"What?" Verena yelled. "You have something to say?"

Melanie sighed and bit her lower lip in exhaustion. Then without a word, she walked and squeezed past Verena at the door.

Verena stood perplexed and watched her. She was still upset but within her she was very unsure of her actions. It was confusing to decide what reaction to have for all the recent frequent rebellions Melanie had. She was afraid that Melanie was not turning into the kind of lady she should be at twenty two. She sighed frustratedly and then turned her attention to Paul who stood awkwardly, alone and completely mortified in the hallway. He is a stranger and perhaps should be treated as a guest, but Verena could not stand the thought that Melanie may have a relationship with such a guy, with his messy hair and total untidiness. It was then she realized how untidy Melanie was too and for reasons she did not know, she blamed the boy for everything, ranging from Melanie's untidiness to her having her phone off all day, only to come home very late. She could not bare the thought of what Melanie could have been doing with him, so she went into the apartment and slammed the door shut.

"What have you been doing with that boy all day?" Verena yelled and Paul could hear their muffled voices in the hallway, through the walls.

He just stood there for a moment, feeling very awkward. Too many drama for one day. He felt tired and disappointed at the realization that rest would not come soon. He walked to the wall on the right of the door and flopped on the hard wood floor. He sat down and the exhaustion made him feel like that floor, even though so hard and cold, was more comfy than even his king-sized bed at the Shere's mansion. He continued eavesdropping on the argument that was fired up in the apartment between Melanie and her mother and he wished they had gone to a hotel instead.

Melanie had replied her Mother. "No! He's my guest and he's staying over tonight."

"That's not gonna happen." Verena persisted. "And why do you look so messed up? Did you get in trouble? What did he do to you, Huh? And why didn't you call me back when you could? Oh God. Melanie, why did you change so much? I miss the sweet, happy girl you used to be." Verena paused and stared at raging, speechless, Melanie. "Yes, I said it." She stated with a clear unapologetic voice. "I feel I don't know who you're anymore." She continued and sounded very emotional. Tears formed in her eyes, but then she looked into Melanie's soulless icy eyes and had the frustrated tragic feeling that she had lost her baby.

Melanie heard those last words and refused to reply. During their frequent bashing, more than anyone, her mother could smoothly reach in, past her strong towering walls and rip her heart apart. It hurt her so much, those words, but she just stood there, motionless and speechless, until she finally and softly said, "Don't worry. I've saved enough . . . I will be moving out of your apartment soon."

Verena's heart broke and for a moment, she felt woozy, so she walked to and sat on the arm rest of their brown leathery sofa.

-

Outside, Paul sneered and shook his head at hearing Verena's comments. All mothers are the same. He thought. Sweet, but clueless and always, self destructively assuming the worst. Then he was startled when a cute voice spoke to him.

"Hi. I'm Michael, but here, they call me Junior." The voice said.

Paul looked up and found Junior peeking out the door. First thing he noticed was the big gap between his two front teeth, his anxious friendly smile, his fading freckles and then his curious hazel eyes. He had a fine curly afro and Paul admitted to his charming cuteness.

"Junior!" Verena shouted and startled him. "Get in here and shut that door." 

His smile dissolved into a down casted look and slowly, he slid back into the house.

"Stay there and keep our guest company." Melanie's voice thundered and Junior was visibly more jerked by it.

It was not a huge dilemma. He decided quickly to follow his choice and Melanie's command, because she had always been more strict and even more intimidating than Verena. He would rather obey Melanie and avoid her wrath, which famously endures forever.

He got out of the apartment and into the hall and then shut the door.  He sat next to Paul, beaming with an excited smile, happy to have a guest in their home, because that did not happen very often.

Paul too was happy to have the company. "Hi, I'm Paul and here, everyone would call me that same thing." He said with a smile.

Junior giggled and the sound made Paul feel welcomed.

"Can I give you a nickname?"

"Um..." Paul pondered over the question and made a goofy face while at it, for Junior's entertainment. "What nickname would you give me?"

Junior shrugged. "You look like a Hancock, but . . . I don't know. I don't know you very well."

"Okay." Paul nodded and smiled "It will be nice to change that. Right?"

Junior nodded like a bobblehead.

"Good! Change it, we will."

Junior smiled more widely, and revealed his full set of teeth again. "okay." Still nodding.

They stayed in an awkward silence for a moment as Junior contemplated more curious questions to ask Paul, while he continued eavesdropping.

Their voices had been reduced to a calm arguments.

-

"I have eaten nothing all day." Melanie said. "...and the last thing my life needs right now is an argument with you. My guests are gonna stay. Period!" Melanie declared. "I owe them that much."

Verena stopped and stared at her daughter and it occurred to her that she may have been insensitive. She felt really sorry for yelling first. "I'm sorry hon'. What happened to you today?" She asked, with concern in her tone.

"Mom, it can wait. I'm back now and I'm fine. Let's just treat our visitors like . . . nice, please?"

"Okay." Verena nodded and then stood to get to the door. On second thought, she stopped. "Visitors? There is just one of..."

She trailed off when Melanie began to shake her head, slowly and expressively.

"No." Verena mumbled in denial and then pulled the door open. She then saw two guys and Junior, instead of one and Junior.

"Hi." Jake smiled and waved at Verena, amidst carrying Junior on his laps and tickling him.

He had arrived on the floor and met Paul sitting out there. Paul explained the reason and he joined him, sitting on the floor. His mood seemed to have improved a lot, after doing whatever he stayed behind to do. He played with Junior and could hardly stop laughing.

Hell no... Verena was stunned, seeing that Melanie was right when she said, visitors instead of the singular. She swiftly slammed the door shut again and spun to Melanie. This time she exclaimed audibly, "Hell no!" And shook her head frantically.

Melanie sighed and without a word she went to the door and gently dragged her mother out from it and then opened it.

"Come on in, you guys." She asked sweetly.

Jake carried Junior on his shoulder and walked in happily, following Paul. He seemed to have already made best friends with the little boy.

"Be careful not to drop him." Verena said, forcing a smile, which was just . . . too obviously fake.

"No problem Ma'am." Jake replied as he slowly let Junior down.

Junior continued giggling and enjoyed being handled that way for the first time.

"I'm Jake and this is Paul." Jake proceeded to introductions, wearing strategically, his charming smile.

"Hi." Paul said to Verena, smiling uneasily.

"I'm Mrs Blake and you are welcome to our home." Verena replied, held on to the smile a little longer and then just spun and walked away.

Please give a merited vote👌
Pity votes are banned🚫
💖💖💖Thanks