The cab ride to the restaurant was quiet. Norman wouldn't even look at me on the way here. He kept his eyes glued out the window. We pull up to some pizza place. Norman opens the door and gets out. He doesn't offer his hand to me like he normally does.
I get out and shut the door, "Norm are you okay?" I ask him. "What? Yeah. I'm fine. Come on." He says as he walks towards the doors. Okay something is definitely up. I followed him inside and saw him hugging Helena.
I don't know why it hurts me, but it does. They break apart, "Helena this is Melissa. Melissa this is Helena." He introduces us. I hold my hand out to shake hers. She grabs my hand, "It's nice to meet you finally Helena." I say plastering a smile on my face. She looks me over and gives me a disgusted look, "Melissa your looking old as ever. Tell me how is Carol still alive on the walking dead? You'd think she'd have a heart attack or something by now." She said with a smile.
I stand there with my mouth hanging open, "Mom! Why do you have to be such a bitch!" Mingus yells. "Watch your mouth young man! That is not how you speak to me. I am your mother." She yells back. "Helena you had no right to say those awful things to Melissa. You will treat her with respect when she's with me. I plan on marrying her one day." Norman says.
"Norman, don't. Just don't. And don't lie to her about marrying me. What we have is clearly sickening since I'm so old. And you know what Helena? I might be "old" and I might not be as fit and good looking as you are. But at least I have a heart." I throw in her face. Helena stands there with her mouth wide open and turns and storms off to the bathroom.
"Mel that was so awesome!" Mingus says hugging me. I hug him back, "Thank you. Now you go enjoy your dinner with your parents. I'm not staying. But I'll see you when you visit on set with your dad." I hug him again and walk out the doors.
"Mel! Wait up!" Norman yells running after me. "Why? So I can get attached by Helena again? No thanks Norman. This is exactly why I didn't want to come here with you. I knew this was going to happen." I say with tears forming in my eyes. "Mel would you just stop? I'm sorry for the way Helena acted. But what she said isn't true!" I turned and started walking away. I grabbed my arm and spun me around. His grip on me was like iron.
"Let go of me Norman." I said. He shook his head, "No. It took me five years to finally get you and now that I have you I'm not letting you go." He said staring lovingly in my eyes. "Why me? You could have models and singers and Emily. Why me?" I ask crying.
He pulls me into a tight hug. I bury my face in his chest, "Because you are so beautiful and amazing. You have such a big heart. You care about others before yourself. You are so much better then Emily or the models and singers I've dated. Besides they aren't you. You're one of a kind Mel." He said.
"Really?" I asked looking up at him. He looked deep into my eyes, "Yes, really. I wasn't joking when I told Helena when I said I want to marry you. I plan on making you my wife. I want you to be Mrs. Reedus." He says kissing me.
We finally break apart when we need air, "McReedus." I say. "What?" He asks confused. "McReedus. I want my last name to be McReedus. I wanna keep part of my maiden name and take your last name. So McReedus is the perfect compromise." I tell him smiling.
He smiles back at me, "So you would marry?" He asks. "Depends are you asking me to marry you right now?" I question him. He shakes his head, "No you'll know when I'm going to ask. I'm going to go all out. Right now we're just discussing it." He says. "Well since you put it that way, yes I would marry you. I'd marry you any day." I smile.
He kisses me hard, "Let's go eat." He says. "Uhm no. I'm not going back in there. You go have dinner with your sun and discuss how long you get him for with Helena. I'll be at the apartment when you get back." Norman puts his hand on my cheek, "Are you sure?" He asks.
I nod, "Yes. Now go. I'll be waiting for you Reedus." I give him my seductive smile. "Oh McBride the things I'm going to do to you when I get home." He says and pulls me in for a kiss.
We kiss for awhile until we're interrupted, "Dad! Come on! I'm hungry!" Mingus's yells from the door. We break apart and laugh, "You better go feed the boy. He's a teenager you know. They are always hungry."
He laughs, "Yeah, I know. I'll see you in a little bit okay?" He asks. I nod, "Yes you will. Have fun. I love you." I tell him. He kisses me on the cheek, "I love you too McBride." He says and then walks off into the pizza shop.
I hail a cab and head back to Normans apartment. "Okay, now to find some candles and to dig out my sexy lingerie that will drive him nuts." I say out loud to no one in particular.
I bolt through the apartment and get everything set up. Candles are all over the apartment, the bath is running and filling, and the sexy lingerie is on. Now the only thing missing is Norman. "He's going to go crazy when he sees what I've done."
