Melanie was cleaning her apartment when the doorbell rang. She shut off the vacuum and answered the door. She was excited to see her parents and Jesse again. Her mother and father grabbed her and hugged her as soon as she opened the door, barely giving her time to say hello. Her mother was already checking her place out, and her father seemed happier than usual. They walked in, glancing about the place with amusement.
Jesse smiled but didn't reach to hug her. He didn't touch her in fact. But the look he gave her startled her a bit. His eyes glittered into hers, as though he was happy to see her. She gave him a quick appraisal, noting how he'd filled out. He had put on a little weight, so that he was no longer the gangly teenager she'd known. His hair was still as full rode high and full on his head, and his eyes warm brown eyed penetrated her as he stared at her.
They'd always been good friends, but suddenly he was very quiet, almost distant. Why was he acting that way? Even though they hadn't seen each other in a long while, she counted him an old friend, at one time her best frien, and maybe more.
"Good to see you again, Melanie," He smiled lazily and walked in. He had a natural swagger to his walk now, and his grin was infectious. She'd forgotten just how handsome he was. She felt her heart flutter even though she had schooled it before he showed up.
He almost had to duck to get through the door, he was so tall. He had matured some and he looked better than ever. He was all muscle and brawn now. His gawkish teenage years were gone. He had matured into a handsome man. But her instincts told her something had changed within him. Friendly but distant. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes. He didn't act like the Jesse she knew. What had changed?
Her parents walked around the apartment and smiled at her. Her mother touched the back of the rocker, admiring it. She sat down in it and smiled. "I like this…"
"Thanks." Melanie smiled at her.
"Please have a seat, can I get you all some coffee?" She asked. Her father sat on the fold-up couch with Jesse who seemed to swallow the couch.
"Melanie sat down in the bean bag chair and glanced at all of them.
"Coffee would be nice, did you buy a coffee pot dear?" Her mother asked following her into the kitchen. "I love the color of the counters. You couldn't see dirt there if you were looking for it."
"Yeah, they are nice. As a matter of fact, I did buy a coffee pot mom. I found one at the grocery store." Melanie told her as her Mom glanced about the place. "I picked up several little things for the place. I guess a little at a time will do it."
"I see you took my advice and got some second-hand furniture." Her mother looked at her seriously. Her mother found a crumb on the counter and went to wash it off, as though to say, she needed to clean better. Her mother considered herself an excellent housekeeper, mainly because she had been a housekeeper all her life. Melanie could count on her inspecting Melanie's place. Melanie had grown to expect it. In the dorm she didn't much care, because all the mess wasn’t hers. But now she had her own place, she wanted to think she kept things clean and neat. Still in a way she understood it, because her mother took such pride in her home. Most women worked outside the home, but her mother had considered herself a professional housewife.
"Yes, but I'm afraid I need an interior decorator, as nothing matches." She laughed. "Just got some stuff that looked comfortable and usable for now. I don't plan on having much company for a while. I was really a little shocked that you came up so soon, I mean, I haven't had time nor money to invest in the place yet. I'm just finding out what I'm going to need to make this place livable."
"That's alright, it's functional for now. After you've managed to save a little you can decide what kind of furniture you want. Although you could easily take that money out of your savings and use it for furniture and a new car." Her mother told her. Her mother was all on board for her making her way in life, but her father was angry that she didn't wasnt any financial help. "But I love that rocking chair, it's charming."
"Yeah, I fell in love with it too, Mom. The man said it was hand carved." Melanie sighed. "It was a bit pricy, but I just had to have it."
She noticed Jesse and her father talking up a storm as she got the cups out of the cupboard. "They are sure getting along, aren't they?" She mused.
"Oh yeah, they are buddies these days." Her mother glanced at the two of them and then back at Melanie.
"Really." Melanie eyed Jesse a moment. That was odd too. The last few times her and Jesse had gone out, her parents didn't act as though they approved. Now they were buddies? It made no sense to her. But then, she guessed many things had changed since she'd been home. She'd only visited on holidays while in college and then just for a day or two. She hadn't really been home since she left for college.
"So, have you met any new neighbors?"
"Just one, he wanted to borrow some coffee." Melanie told her. "His name is Dex."
"Dex?"
"Dexter. He lives down the hall. He helped me get my furniture I bought into the apartment. Cal, from the college helped me move my bed and stuff over from the dorm. You remember him?"
"Vaguely."
"Big guy, football player." Melanie told her.
"Oh, oh, yes. Well. That's nice. Are you dating him?"
"No mother." Melanie had already told her she wasn't dating anyone, why did she bring that up? But then she knew. It was her parents dream that she settle down, marry and have a family like most the other girls in town. The fact that she wanted to go to college and become a nurse put a kink in their finely laid plans.
"He's moving to College Station. He's going to play football for Texas A&M. To tell the truth I just haven't had the time for dating. What with moving in, and moving stuff out and finding furniture. It certainly hasn't been on my mind. I imagine once I'm settled into my job and apartment, things might work out for me to date. But right now, I've got other things on my mind."
"I suppose there's plenty of time for that. I thought maybe Jesse might be interested in you again, since he offered to drive us up here. You and he used to really get along well."
"Well mom," she saw Jesse staring at her, "right now, I've got enough on my mind with my new job, and this place. Dating will come later, I'm sure. Besides, Jesse is still long distance from me and I didn't think you liked me dating him a while back."
"Well, perhaps but he was much younger then and hadn't really done much with himself. He's doing very well now."
"Really, good to know, Mom." Melanie rolled her eyes and tried to be patient with her mother, hoping her dad and Jesse hadn't overheard them.
Melanie knew what she was hinting at, but her and Jesse had little in common these days. Besides, his greeting wasn't exactly about a man that was interested in her.
When the coffee was done her and her mother took them each a cup and dragging out her old alma mater tray she presented them with cream and sugar. Her mother doctored her father's coffee to suit, and Melanie remembered that Jesse took his black.
He noticed she remembered and smiled.
"Well it looks as though you've got yourself established here, dear. Do you think you are gonna like working at the hospital?" Her father asked.
"I don't know. I haven't even been up there yet. I've concentrated on getting the place here fixed so I can function and haven't worried with work. I am so glad I'm moved out of the dorm though. I wanted to get settled here before I worry about the hospital. I'll have plenty of time to think about my job once I start. I'm hoping I get Pediatrics, but there was no promise. I'm just lucky to have gotten the job, I'm told. My neighbor, Dex, told me Pediatrics is a good place to be, but I don't know yet. I hope I'm lucky enough to get that station, but who knows. I'm certainly not able to demand it."
Jesse said very little, but he did stare a bit. There was a haunting in his stare that Melanie couldn't quite make out. That first glance he shot her at the door was warm and inviting, but now he stayed so silent.
"How would this Dex know anything about where you work?" Her father asked.
"He works there too dad." Her father's brow shot up in question. "Several people here, work there."
"Really."
"Well, it's just down the street. And I'm told there are a couple of girl's downstairs who work there too. So, a lot of people are familiar with the hospital around here."
"I guess."
Melanie eyed them all. Her mother was dressed in a cream-colored pantsuit that made her look rather elegant, her blonde hair was short but well-manicured. Her father's hair had grayed some from its rich natural brown, but his eyes looked clear blue and he was trim for a man his age.
If she were honest with herself she'd admit she'd been just a tad paranoid about moving and starting her new job and the people around her. She felt strangely as though someone were watching her all the time. It led her to be a bit jumpy and quite uneasy. She couldn't shake the feeling. And men…right now, she had a hard time trusting them. Perhaps Brad had something to do with that, she wasn't sure.
"So, Jesse, how have you been?" She wanted to include him in the conversation.
"I'm doing okay. I opened a plumbing business in town and its holding its own, so far."
"Really, that's great. You must be doing well then, to open your own business. I'm proud for you."
"He's being modest dear, he's doing very well, he has the best plumbing business in town and everyone goes to him from all around. He put George Dupont out of business, can you imagine?"
"Wow, George had been there for years." Melanie surmised with surprise.
"Well it's his own damned fault, he never improved his stock nor renovated the place." Her father glanced at her.
Melanie nodded, "That's a shame. It's sad when a person in a small town goes out of business. I guess because you usually know them better than say a big conglomerate. But George was getting up in age."
Jesse didn't look apologetic though. It was like Jesse to be modest about his success. But what was with her parents bragging on him and making such a fuss over him. That was unusual. She was the one with the new job and new apartment. Her folks seemed to be pushing Jesse off on her and she didn't like that. When she found someone, she wanted to date, she would move forward on it, but right now. Dating wasn't on her agenda. Besides, she didn't want to get close to Jesse and be hurt again.
"So. are you excited about starting at the hospital?" Jesse asked as he flicked a piece of lent from his jeans as though that were important.
"Yeah, and scared." His head jerked up at that comment, she noticed.
"Scared?" He questioned.
"You know, a new job, new place, everything is different now that I'm really on my own.
"You always were an independent person." He smiled again.
That smile, shy, and yet charming. He should do that more often, Melanie thought to herself.
She watched what he was doing. He seemed preoccupied, but with what? Perhaps she was being too suspicious of everyone. It seemed she had been more so lately, and she wasn't sure why.
Oddly though, it was Jesse who made her feel so uncomfortable with her parents. There was no reason she could think of but the tension in the room seemed to magnify.
"I'm anxious to start my new job, but it is a huge hospital and it's going to take some getting used to. I only hope I can get a good station. And living alone, is a new experience for me too. At the dorm, it was loud and always something going on, here it's quiet and you can hear a pin drop."
"You'll do fine, I'm sure." Jesse assured her.
"Be thankful it is quiet. Some places have loud noises and lots of disruptions." Her father told her. "Well, we are famished, why don't we all go out and get something to eat?" Her father insisted.
"Sounds good."
Melanie shut the coffee off, turned the light out and got her keys and purse.
They went to a little Italian place that Melanie had been to a few times and her family seemed to like it.
Her father and mother ordered Lasagna and Jesse ordered spaghetti. She ordered a Spinach Linguini dish she liked. It was all served with salads and home-made French bread.
All during the meal Jesse didn't talk much, but he seemed to stare at her every now and then. Her mother tried to keep her talking but it became strained before they left the restaurant. She didn't want this obvious gap with her folks, but she honestly didn't know how to talk to them any longer. They weren't very interested in her life here. Or so it would seem. Jesse had asked about her more than they did.
Was this secret message that she belonged at home?
"So, are you and Brad still dating?" Her mother asked on their way back to the apartment in the car.
The car grew silent now, for her answer.
Why were they bothering to ask in front of Jesse?
"No, we broke it off. I told you that mother, on the phone." She told her, not daring to look at Jesse.
"How come?" Her father chimed in. "You never said why? I mean you dated the man for four years. What could possibly break you up after all that time?"
"We were going in completely different directions, dad. And I don't think there was much left of the relationship." Melanie explained. "Toward the end, we were both concentrating on maintaining our grade average and passing the tons of tests. There was a lot of tensions for everyone. He was offered a job in Chicago, he wanted it, and I told him to go. And we broke up. You know I don't believe in long distance relationships."
"That's too bad." Her mother didn't sound too concerned though. "Do you still hear from him?"
"No, as I said we broke up, mother. You don't usually call someone when you break up. He's moving on with his life and I will too, eventually."
It grew tense and quiet again.
"How about you Jesse, got a wife and kids by now I'll bet?" Melanie asked, trying to include him once more.
"No, I've been kind of busy getting my business going to worry about dating much." Jesse explained.
"He dated your friend Maureen for a while. But that didn't pan out either. Did it?" Her mother looked adoringly at Jesse who sat in the front seat with her father, who drove his new car, a silver BMW.
"No, and I thought everyone knew I was trying to help her get over Carl. I mean, I liked her, but she really wanted to get married, and it didn't seem to matter to who. If you know what I mean. Not after Carl."
Melanie chuckled. "Maureen was always the homemaker. I figured she'd have married Carl by now. Did they break up or something?"
Her parents glanced at each other awkwardly.
"Oh no, I guess you didn't hear." Her mother's face screwed up in a frown. "I'm so sorry to tell you but Carl was killed in an auto crash six months ago."
"Oh, my God! That's terrible." Melanie sat stunned. The way they told her, hit her hard. She hadn't expected that. Carl was still a very young man. It peeved her a bit that they hadn't bothered to tell her about his death. She would have come home for the funeral.
But then there it was. Her parents didn't like her living here. They really thought their daughter belonged home, and making a home for someone. Surely they didn’t' think she was interested in Jesse now that she'd broken it off with Brad.
It seemed clear that Jesse wasn't interested.
"Jesse was there to console her, and I guess she got a bit pushy. Anyway, Maureen so wanted to marry and have children. But we all knew she wasn't truly over Carl's death yet. Jesse was just there as a friend mostly."
"She always was the home maker. I'm so sorry to hear about Carl though, it's kind of a shock. I wish you'd have told me, I'd have come home for his funeral."
"Well, you were busy with your studies and it was the middle of winter when he died. Not the best time to travel."
"Did Maureen take it hard?"
"Of course, she blubbered about for some time. Then one day Jesse asked her out and she went. She seemed to be getting over him then. At least that's what we all thought. But I'm not sure she'll ever get over him."
"So, you aren't seeing Maureen any longer then?" she glanced at Jesse.
"No."
"She was always dreaming of the day she'd marry and have children. It's hard to put your dreams away sometimes."
"Yes, I know dear. I almost wish you'd been that way."
A deep sense of despair spread through Melanie's body as she tried to clear her throat of the tears. Disappointment lingered for a second, then Melanie squashed it like she had so many times before. Her parents would never understand her need to get away from them. But being an only child they tended to smother her and control her to some extent. Now she was on her own. Even though it was scary, she needed to break away from them, and although school had furnished her a way to do just that, she was no longer in school and she guessed they thought she'd return home.
Melanie glanced at her mother strangely, wondering if she ever really knew her. After all, it had been her mother who had encouraged her to go to college, had that changed too? "You know I've always been interested in nursing Mom. And I'm finally going into the professional world of nursing. I like that. Once I'm settled in at the hospital I'm sure I'll start dating again too, but right now, I've got to concentrate on knowing what I'm doing."
"I know, but going to college and nursing school at night was a heavy burden for you. Even though you managed it. It has left little time for you, dear. Probably why you and Brad broke up."
"Maybe, one of the reasons. You only met Brad a couple of times Mother, and you had very little to say about him. But I'll admit, you are right about that, only, Brad spent the last six weeks of school concentrating entirely on his studies so he could get that fantastic job in Chicago. We're both to blame for the break up, mother, and I'm not sorry I broke up with him." Melanie said methodically, thinking about how little time they had at the end. "But you must sacrifice to get things done Mom. And we both chose to. I just spent four years in college and three in night nursing school. I can't waste that, and I don't want to. Now, I've got a position at one of the biggest hospitals in Houston. I'd think you'd be very happy for me Mom. It was very hard to manage. But I did it. I was determined. It's probably what broke Brad and I up, you're right of course but me going to school so much and him so determined to be at the top of the class graduating created a riff. Brad and I were just not meant to be. We parted friendly though, and I'm glad of that."
"That would break anyone up. But obviously, Brad wasn't who you were meant to be with."
"I agree." Melanie relented.
Heat stole up her face as she realized she was trying to explain too much. "I don't think that gentleman has come along yet, Mother." Melanie informed her.
"Well dear you are twenty-three years old now, and you haven't found the man you want to marry it will be even later when you have your first child." Her mother frowned.
"I know mother, I can count. But lots of young people are marrying later now, wanting to get their education out of the way first." How many times had they had this conversation. But bringing it up in front of Jesse was so out of place. "Let's don't spoil the visit with this. Can't we be happy that we are all together and all doing well?" Melanie asked.
"Of course. I simply worry about my only daughter."
"Well stop, I'm fine." She glanced hesitantly around the room.
She glanced at Jesse, but he wasn't paying much attention to their light bantering back and forth.
She studied him for a moment, out of the corner of her eye. Jesse was the kind of guy who put first things first. He had his business, why didn't he want to settle down with Maureen? She was a sweet girl and very pretty. It wasn't her concern and certainly Maureen hadn't had enough time to get over Carl yet. She just figured in her home town that Jesse would be settled with a girl by now. He certainly knew everyone.
The real shocker though was that Jesse seemed totally uninterested in her or her new life. She wasn't sure why. There was something about his lack of interest that puzzled her. He used to be all over her, wanting her attention. Now, he was standoffish. He'd changed, or she had one! Perhaps it was her as she began to see her parents in a different light now too.