The Third Catch

Chapter 11: Reconciling

While her dad and Anthony were talking, Melanie had made her way upstairs to see how her mother was doing.  She was a little nervous since she knew she was with Beth.  She wasn't sure she wanted to see Beth at the moment, because she wasn't sure yet if she wanted to go back with Anthony or not.  With seeing her daughter, it would make the decision even harder.  Once Melanie reached the room, she leaned against the door frame remaining quiet a moment watching her mother with the baby.  Giving a small smile to herself.  "How is she doing?"  She asked.  Jennifer glanced over as she heard Melanie's question smiling back in return.  "She is doing amazing.  She is a very good baby."  Melanie chuckled.  "Well she is just a little over a week old.  She can't do too much.  Wait till a few years from now when she'll be crawling and walking.  She'll be a handful.  If she's anything like me, she will keep you on your toes."  Melanie teased.  "Not even mentioning I don't know how Anthony was like in his teen years.  But if it is any indication from what I have seen from his behavior.."  She smirked.  Jennifer laughed shaking her head.  "You weren't bad at all Mel."  Her mother looked hesitant before saying her next words.  "You're just going through a rough patch right now.  But you'll find your way back again in time."  Melanie bit her lip at the words.  She wasn't so sure at the moment.  She knew everyone was right.  But right now, it felt like to Melanie that it was a long shot.  She stepped further into the room, approaching closer to her mother and her daughter so she could get a better look at Beth.  She had been trying to keep her distance.  But now she was growing curious.  She leaned her head forward slightly to get a better look at her daughter who was sleeping soundly in her mother's arms.  "How is it going downstairs?"  Jennifer asked glancing at Melanie and watching for her reaction.  She let out a small sigh.  "It could be going better.  I..  Probably shouldn't be leaving Anthony alone with dad though."  She narrowed her eyes a little at the thought, knowing how Anthony could be with his temper.

Jennifer glanced at Melanie nodding.  "They will be fine.  It is about time after all that they talked."  Melanie glanced at her mother, shaking her head.  "You don't know Anthony's temper like I do."  She said quietly.  Melanie grew quiet after that watching her daughter sleeping peacefully, oblivious to what was going on around her.  She looked back over at her mother taking a deep breath.  "Why didn't you and dad tell me?  You are angry at me for keeping all of these secrets..  But I never recall you guys mentioning to me of the incident that happened with dad at the factory."  Jennifer looked at Melanie hearing her questions.  "We didn't think it was something you needed to know.  You were just starting off in college.  We didn't want to worry you.  Your father was doing what he could to find another job.  Besides, we weren't completely in the dust.  Though it didn't pay much, I had the job at the clothing store."  Melanie continued watching her mother as she listened to her.  "I could've helped out.  I would've gotten a job to help out if I would have known."  Jennifer gave her a small smile.  "There's the old Melanie we used to know."  She stated quietly.  Melanie gave a small smile back.  "That's why we didn't tell you.  We knew what you would do.  You had enough on your plate taking those classes for nursing.  Anthony only was here for two years for college before leaving.  I am not sure all of the details he told you.  But when he left to go back to his grandparents, he told the boss everything, they handed Brian his job back.  So everything turned out fine."  Melanie nodded.  "I still don't agree with what he did.  That Anthony allowed for it to last as long as he did.  They shouldn't of fired him.  Why did they let him go?  When he's been working there for a long time?  I don't get that."  Jennifer glanced down at her granddaughter as she felt Beth squirm in her arms.  Since Melanie was becoming agitated, Beth was as well.  "Shh..  Shh..  It's okay."  Jennifer whispered quietly, slowly beginning to sway her in her arms. 

Jennifer stayed quiet a moment.  She wasn't quite sure if she should tell Melanie or not.  She thought that it should be Anthony who was the one to tell her.  "There was some parts that needed to be ordered for to put the lawn mower together.  The person who was supposed to order, ordered too much of the parts that they needed to have.  A thousand dollars or so worth of it.  Money that the factory didn't have to begin with.  Unfortunately, they weren't able to return and get the money back for those extra parts.  So the company went in debt.  Almost on the verge of closing.  They had to cut a couple extra people.  So, even with Anthony using your father's idea to save the company, because of that, they still had to do what they needed to do to get back on track.  Cut some of the workers, even those who've been on the line for a long time.  Pay less.  Whatever was needed to do, they did.  When they went back in the records to see who it was that ordered the parts, it showed that your father had been the last one to do so.."  Jennifer said the last part slowly.  Letting the information sink in.  Melanie continued to watch her mother, her face going pale as she realized what had happened.