The First Catch

Chapter 19: Making Up

"No. I will absolutely not!" Melanie said giving Levi a glare when he came to approach her and asked her about meeting Anthony. He let out a small sigh. "Come on Mel.." Melanie kept her glare as she heard the nickname. "Don't call me that!" She muttered. Levi looked at his friend confused and shocked a moment at her actions. "Look.. I spoke to him about what happened, and he feels really guilty about it.." Melanie bit her lip. "He shouldn't have told you what happened.." Levi looked at her feeling more confused. "Why not? I was worried about you, you rarely tell us anything anymore... Anthony is worried about you too. He told me about the woman, about how you came to her aid." Melanie took a deep breath closing her eyes. "It was nothing really. I was nervous is all. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to remember what I learned in order to help her. I didn't have what I needed either, so I wasn't sure how I was able to help her without the proper equipment, all I knew was I had to do something while we waited for the ambulance."

Levi studied her closely. "But that.. Isn't the only thing he told me.." She opened her eyes hearing Levi's words. "Oh? And what else did he tell you?" She suddenly looked slightly annoyed. She hated all of them. They were becoming too nosy, and weren't allowing her the space she needed, the time she needed to heal. "He said that you seemed to stall while you were trying to help, that you seemed very different after the incident." Anthony had left out about the part of the woman having been pregnant and miscarried. Which was what triggered Melanie's behavior to begin with. "He also told me he got mad at you for finding out that you are a nurse." Which Levi knew now, that the reason why Anthony had been angry about that, was because he thought Melanie already knew about his situation ahead of time about his sister Greta, and had tried to hide the fact. But Melanie had no idea at all, about Anthony's past. Melanie glared at him. "First.. I stalled because when I was helping I... I was thinking of Paul. Of him being in trouble as well. And wishing I could've been able to help save him.." She said the last part quietly. Once again, Melanie had been so worked up, that she had accidentally let a piece of information that she had been hiding from them, slip up. Levi took a deep breath hearing those words. "Melanie.." Perhaps that was part of the problem. Part of what was bugging her. Melanie, because of her position, thought it was her fault that Paul had died, because she wasn't able to be there to help save him. She gave the half lie. It wasn't exactly the memory that she had imagined when she was helping the woman, but she wasn't ready to tell him that other piece of information yet. "And second. Why did you place us together, try to get us together? If you knew he hated nurses and doctors! It would've saved me a whole lot of trouble."

He let out another sigh. He felt like he was repeating himself lately. "Melanie.. Please try.. He is willing to take another chance.. If you are.." Melanie bit her lip. She did want to. She had thought that she could handle things but she changed her mind. She had thought that they could be on the road to becoming friends at least, or maybe something more, but she was wrong. They were very opposite. It wouldn't work. She wished her friends would be able to see that. Besides, he hated her. She shook her head. "I.. I don't know. I thought you said you'd promise to lay off..." Levi stayed quiet a few minutes. "I know I did. But Melanie. He really does feel guilty about what happened. He said he's been trying to reach you, he's been wanting to apologize." He hesitated before continuing. "I can give you his reasoning for why. I mean.. I guess it is somewhat of a valid reasoning. But he should've been the one to tell you, not me." Melanie stared at him in disbelief. "Valid reasoning? So he had a reason for wanting me to step back? And not help the woman and let her die?" Levi could see that she was starting to get worked up again. "Why are you taking his side?"

"I'm not taking his side! That wasn't what I meant!" "It sure as hell sounds like you are!" Levi held up a hand to stop Melanie from talking further. "If you can just give me a moment.. Let me explain." He stated attempting to calm down. "I highly doubt that you're going to make me change my mind.. But go ahead and try." "Anthony has had just as much loss as you have. He didn't lose a spouse. But he had lost a sister at a young age. They were very close. It was very sudden. She got sick for no reason. They tried to do whatever they could to find out what it was. Whatever the disease she had, it was a slow and painful one. They had to sit and watch for days, weeks, before it completely took over her and she passed away. The doctors did whatever they could to find out what was wrong with her. They ran all sorts of tests but couldn't figure out what it was. They didn't find out till later, after her death, that it was something very rare. They.. He.. Blames the doctors for his sister's death because they couldn't figure it out on time to save her. She was only fifteen. Before Greta's death, he supposedly was a different person. Her death changed him."