The Mate

Untitled Part 2

Chapter Two

Melody waited and waited for JoAnn to show up to work and as it neared eight o'clock she was suddenly really nervous. She still waited for her boss to show up as the clock hit nine o'clock. She rolled her eyes, not surprised. Around nine thirty the doorbell rang and in popped JoAnn with a large coffee in her left hand, keys and her phone in her right hand. She pulled the sunglasses off her face and looked at Melody.

"Girl, I don't know how you manage to do it." she put her stuff down on the counter at the register.

"Well, it's just what I have to do." a tight smile across her face. "Hey, JoAnn, I actually wanted to talk to you about something." she put her hands behind her back to stop from fidgeting.

"Shoot." JoAnn said as she sipped her iced coffee.

"I've been running the store by myself for the past two weeks and I was wondering if there was a way that you would be able to up my pay?"

"Mmmm," was all she said.

"You don't have to if-"

"Oh no, I guess you're right. I haven't brought anyone in to help you. And you've been running the store pretty damn well if I might add. Yeah, I guess I could give you a raise. How much do you want?"

Melody had never been asked that before. She had never stayed in one place to ever ask for a raise either. "Oh, I- I- umm."

"How about this? I will give you a bonus and a pay raise." she pulled her check book out. "I will write you a check now and then I will also give you a fifty percent raise. You seriously deserve it. Also, use this as a down payment."

"I-"

"I've noticed you've been sleeping in your car and I don't want to hear anything else about it." JoAnn ripped the check out and handed it to Melody. "Go to the bank. Take the day off."

Melody looked at the check and the tears fell down her cheeks. "I- Jo- You-"

"Nope," JoAnn smiled. "Just go ahead and go to the bank. Now, before I make you stay here at work." she joked and pushed Melody out the door.

Melody stayed at the door and looked at the check again. She had never seen so many zeros in her life. She couldn't seem to wrap her head around what just happened. It was so out of JoAnn's character to just give her what she wanted. But this was one time that she needed this. She could see what was happening now. She could finally settle down into this perfect little town in the most beautiful state she had seen.

She began walking to her car, almost floating, got in and drove to the bank. She still felt funny as she sat down in front of the desk of a man named Alex. As she waited for him to show she kept running through her mind of everything that she would need to buy for her place. She didn't care if all she had was an air mattress and plastic drawers for her clothes.

She was pulled from her thoughts when the door opened and she looked at who walked in. Alex stopped in his tracks when he saw who it was. A smile crossed her face.

"Oh, you're John's son." she stood up and reached her hand out to meet him. "I'm Melody." she dropped her hand when she noticed he still hadn't moved. The smile faded when he only grunted.

"What can I help you with?" he asked.

"Well, I have this check from my boss that I wanted to- well I don't know if I need to cash it or deposit it. But I would like to use it as a down payment for a small town house I was looking at."

"Where?"

"Where what?" she asked him.

"House?"