Summer's End - Bucky and Mel Universe 1

Surprise part 2

Mel rushed through the crowd. He was nice, too nice. She knew as soon as he saw her scars that that would be it. Might as well exit now before anything more happened, before a connection was made. It was either that or they were bad. Constantly attracting the wrong kind of men and repelling the good men. Would it had even so bad to have given him a chance, though? Putting the groceries away, she flopped on the couch throwing her favorite afghan over her head. Just let me disappear. I just can't keep doing this.
She must have fallen asleep. Not sleeping at night, it was when things came to a head emotionally during the day that she was able to shut down. Her phone pinged, she had an email from Abdul about her paintings, a man bought three of them. That was really unusual. Well at least some good came out of the day. Now she could afford to take the kids to the museum on a field trip. She walked over to her laptop, opened it and started the litany of forms that needed to take place for this to happen. At least this would keep her mind off how big of a screw up she felt she was.
The sun was going down so Mel had to get dinner ready, but needed to take the trash out to the garbage chute first. Opening her door, she saw a bouquet of flowers outside her door. They were beautiful, not roses or carnations, but wild flowers and sunflowers with honeysuckle vines weaved in. Some paid good money for these, it must be a mistake and was meant for one of the lower floors. Mel reached for them holding them up and found the card. No, they were addressed to her studio. Who would send something to her studio? She opened the card. In very careful script was written: I enjoyed our walk today. Sorry you had to leave so suddenly. Call me, James. And a number was written underneath. Ball was in her court.
He was too nice, too good looking to want to spend time with her. Maybe I was just a curiosity to him, she thought. New in town, well kind of, perhaps he was just looking for a friend. She could accept that. Let's approach it that way. Besides the flowers were too lovely to throw out. Hmm, what to do. She needed a good long think, a drink, and a soak. Maybe not in that order.
She finished cleaning the apartment and the studio. Mel got more of the kids' art together to put up in the restaurant as well. Time for a drink and some roof time. She fixed herself a double Moscow mule and headed to the roof. Living on the top floor had its perks, roof access being one of them. She had set up a roof garden with a patio, hammock, some Adirondack chairs, twinkle lights, and a portable heater for nights like tonight. She grabbed the latest book she was reading and headed up. Setting one of the Adirondack chairs near the heater, she turned it on and settled underneath a throw blanket she brought with her.
Around 11, he stopped by. "Get into any trouble yet?" She asked.
"How did you know it was me?" Matt smirked. "Could have been someone else."
"Yes, because anyone comes along roof tops dressed in red and gold at night with the fancy flips and all."
"Did you just stick your tongue at me?"
Slowly turning a page in her book, "Maybe?"
"Can't sleep again? You could always come with me and you'll be pretty exhausted tomorrow."
"I'm afraid of what I might do. I might not be able to stop." Sadness and regret met her tone.
"Come here," Matt wrapped her in a warm embrace, " you still miss him don't you?"
"Uh hmm," she buried her face in his chest. At least she was no longer crying.
"Eric would have wanted you to move on, he wouldn't have wanted you to be mourning him this long."
"I am getting better, stronger. There is just so much I'm not ready for still after all this time."
"Do you want me to stay and chase the monsters away?"
That earned him a swat in the arm, "No, I know you have real monsters that need tending." Another woman might have asked him to stay, Matt was like a brother. Whether he liked it or not, he was permanently off the table. She continued, "Let me ask you something, I went on a walk with someone, he saw my scars, I freaked out and excused myself. He sent me flowers to the studio with his number. What do you think I should do?"
Matt was taken a little aback by this. Mel never hid anything from him, if she'd had met someone, he'd had been told. He'd have been happy for her.
He kissed her forehead, "I think you should sleep on it, give it a day or two. Worse come to worse, you ended up with some flowers, better case is you give this guy time and a chance."
"Thanks Matt, be careful tonight. If you need to be patched up try to make it back here."
"Going with me, you know you wouldn't need to worry so much. Finish your drink and go inside, don't fall asleep up here like last time."
"Good night, my guardian devil." Mel pecked him on the cheek.
"Good night, angel's advocate." And with that he flipped off the building.
She finished her drink and made her way downstairs. Filled the tub up and continued reading her book until it turned cold. Still not tired. Mel toweled off and wrapped herself into a comfy robe. She grabbed her sketchbook and went to the window seat to look at the stars and sketch, while it did relax her it didn't cause her to sleep. Around two o'clock in the morning she was still there. If she'd had looked out her window and across the street. Someone was watching her.