The Third Catch

Chapter 8: Parental Guidance

The next day after Melanie awoke, she turned slightly to see the time on the clock.  She was rather surprised when she saw what time it was.  It was twelve thirty in the afternoon.  Melanie had rarely slept that late except for when she had been pregnant and on bed rest.  Because of course there was nothing else to do.  Melanie knew that she was tired and exhausted due to the events that happened as of late, so she was sure that her parents had let her sleep in on purpose.  But she wished they hadn't.  She didn't like sleeping in that late.  Even with having been busy or needing the sleep.  But of course, Melanie was stubborn like that.  She was rather surprised that her mom or dad didn't come to wake her up.  When she was in school, they rarely let her sleep in on weekends and summer.  Because they wanted the day, as much free time as possible to spend together as the three of them when they could.  Melanie knew that since she was a grown up, she could do as she liked.  But she just wasn't used to it when she was at her parents.  As they had their set ways of how they thought things should be.

Melanie was still feeling tired and lazy from everything.  Of course she was as it had been just a little over twenty four hours that Beth had been born.  She was born mid morning the day before.  Melanie knew that she should get up and get ready to go downstairs to greet her parents.  Try to play some catch up over the things she might've missed between them this past year, year and a half.  But Melanie was too comfortable curled up under the covers in her old bed.  She smiled a bit to herself.  It did feel good to be back home.  Even under the circumstances.

Melanie closed her eyes choosing to rest for a few more minutes.  Not realizing that a few more minutes turned into another half hour.  As she heard the knock at the door, she flung her eyes open, feeling her heart pounding fast.  She had forgotten where she was.  When she fell back to sleep, Melanie had ended up dreaming.  She didn't remember what had happened, but something about it made her nervous.  She wasn't sure why.  Melanie couldn't remember the events in the dream, but she had been lost in the moment of the dream at first, and had forgotten where she was until hearing the knock at the door.  She wasn't sure why but there was something about the dream, for some reason, Melanie could sense that something was coming, that something seemed to be off.

At the sound of another knock at the door, Melanie turned her head just enough towards the direction of the door.  "Mel?  Are you awake?"  It was her father at the door.  Melanie slowly sat up but didn't crawl out of bed just yet.  "Yeah, I'm fine!"  She called out.  "You can come in."  She watched as her dad opened the door, then closed it behind him.  Making his way over towards her bed.  "Your mother wanted me to come check on you to make sure that you were okay."

She gave him a small smile nodding.  "I am fine.  I didn't realize how late it really was last night when I took off to come here.  I hadn't gotten much sleep as of late.  I was tired so I slept in.  One of you could've come to wake me."  Even though it was her own house, her parent's house.  Melanie always felt awkward sleeping in when she was in other people's places.  Even at first when she had moved in to Victoria's place.  "Your mother suggested to do so, but I figured that you would be exhausted with what you have been through the last few days or so.  She didn't like the idea much, but I told her to let you sleep in."

Melanie glanced at her dad, keeping the small smile on her face.  "Thank you."  She said quietly.  Brian nodded sitting on the ledge of her bed.  Remaining quiet for the time being.  He wasn't quite sure what to say or do, not having been around Melanie in awhile.  Melanie took a deep breath deciding to speak up after it had been silent for some time.  "Do you think mom is really fine with me?  Do you think she is still mad?"  She asked.  She was almost afraid of the answer.

Brian looked at his daughter shaking his head.  "Your mother will be fine.  She just has to get used to the new you.  We both do."  Melanie sighed.  "I'm still me dad.  I'm trying, I really am.  It's hard.  I'm not sure I can do things without him.  I know we didn't hang out till much later, but we have been classmates since kindergarten.  Without him I feel like a piece of me is missing.  We did everything together once we started hanging out.  I'm not sure I can ever get used to doing things without him.  It just feels so strange.  He's..  He's always been there and now he's not."