The Third Catch

Chapter 9: Reuniting with Family

It had been a week since Melanie had come back to Washington to see her parents.  She had messaged Victoria so that she and Levi knew she was okay, to let her know that she was staying where she was for a while to think things through.  She didn't tell her where she was as she was worried that Victoria would tell Anthony and he would try to come after her to bring her back to Tennessee.  Or Victoria herself would try to come to bring her back.  Since she hadn't seen her parents in almost a year, she thought it would be a good idea to stay there at least for a few days to catch up, spend some time with them.  She also wanted to stay to prove to her mother that she wanted to try and reunite with them, become close like they used to.  Melanie wanted to make up to them in how she had been acting lately.  So far, Melanie thought that things were going well, she thought that the three of them were bonding again.  Her mother had taken her out shopping for a few hours the one day once she had felt a little more rested from having Bethany.  Though time to time she still felt tired, and on those days, the three of them stayed at the house to play some games or watched some movies like old times.  Like they used to do when Melanie was in school.  Melanie was planning on staying there a few more days with them before claiming she'd be heading back to Tennessee.  But she was really planning on getting a plane ticket to anywhere but there.  She was hoping that when it was time to announce her visit was over and she needed to be heading back, that the progress they were making wouldn't backfire on her.  She hoped that even with her going away, they would still be able to chat, and Melanie did promise, and mean it when she said she'd stop by and chat with them more often.  She was hoping that her mother wouldn't' be too upset with her when she had to leave again.  Melanie would keep in contact with her parents.  She just wouldn't tell them that she wasn't going back to Tennessee.

Once Melanie had finished getting ready for the day she made her way downstairs, into the kitchen to see if there was any coffee left.  Her father was sitting at the table as he usually was with a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper.  She gave a small smile.  "Morning."  Brian lowered his paper setting it on the table and smiled up at his daughter.  "Good morning.  How are you feeling this morning?'  Melanie walked over to the cupboards and grabbed a cup before grabbing the coffee pot to pour some coffee into it.  "I'm..  Doing better.  I am still a little tired."  Brian nodded watching as Melanie filled her cup with coffee, then came over to the table sitting down in the chair across from him.

"I..  Don't suppose you would be too tired to go to a game this evening?"  He gave a small grin.  It was something that he and Melanie used to do together when she was little.  Brian figured that since Jennifer was doing some daughter mother bonding time with Melanie taking her shopping, he hoped that Melanie would be up to doing one of their favorite past times.  He had been one of those dad's that had originally wished for a son so he could take them to all the sporting events, teach them everything they needed to know about sports.  But he happened to get lucky that when they found out that they were having a girl, that Melanie seemed to be just as interested as anyone else could be.  He didn't even have to influence her.  When she was a little older, she had wanted to go to some of the games.  So for one of her birthdays, he had surprised her with tickets to go.  Since then it sort of had been their tradition.  If there was a game on or around her birthday, he would purchase the tickets and take her.

Melanie gave a small grin at her dad's question.  It had been a very long time since they had gone to a game together just the two of them.  They would sometimes go the three of them when Paul was alive.  Her mother wasn't very fond of sports so when they went to a game, Jennifer would stay home.  "I would love to go.  What time do we need to be there?"  "It starts at seven and it takes an hour to get there.  Think you can be ready by then?"  He teased.  Though Melanie had mostly been a tomboy growing up, if she needed to dress up for going places, it always took her a good hour to get ready, as she hadn't been used to putting on makeup and styling her hair.  She didn't like doing such things.  She preferred to go natural, pulling her hair in a ponytail or messy bun.  She also preferred to wear comfy sweatpants and sporty type clothes.  But things had changed a little when she had begun to hang out with Paul.  Melanie dressed up more when he was around.  It was something her dad would tease her about often.  Melanie laughed.  "I was born ready."  She teased back.  Brian laughed giving a small shake of his head.  It was nice to see his daughter again, to see her in a good mood.  "We can maybe leave early if you'd like we can stop some place to eat?"