Morphine

Chapter Eleven

Marceline Anne raced upstairs and stripped out of her church clothes. After church, her family used to go to brunch but after her mother died, her father barely went to church so it was just her and her siblings.

She and her sister had gone to a buffet before coming home. She now chose clothes to wear out with Jeanette. She of course went with jeans but she grabbed a tank top, a band tee, arm sleeves, a thin sweater and a thicker one.

She never used to get cold but she became anemic after getting sick and though it flip-flopped, she still got cold way more than before. So she wore plenty of layers.

After dressing (and keeping on her tights and adding two pairs of socks), she put on her outside gear and opened the front door.

Mercedes Catherine stopped her from leaving. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"With Mrs. Chang." She reminded her.

"Where are you two going?"

"Around."

"You're just spending time with your new mother-in-law?"

"She's not my mother-in-law yet. She might never be."

Mercedes Catherine sighed. "Well don't stay out too late. I want to tell you all about my date with Michael."

"What else would you have left to say?! You talked all through brunch about it!"

Mercedes Catherine pouted.

"Ugh!" Marceline Anne rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll be back."

Mercedes Catherine forced a hug on her before going elsewhere in the house.

Marceline Anne was put out by it but left quickly. She went to her car and got inside. Since she was wearing so many layers, she wasn't cold. So she didn't turn on the heat.

She drove around the corner and stopped in front of the Chang household. She got out and went to ring the doorbell.

Malcolm answered. He tried to pull her closer to kiss her but she kept hitting him. "What have I done now?"

"You know why I'm mad."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I should have called or texted as soon as I got home but I didn't." He would die before he told her he'd done it on purpose. "I'm sorry."

She eyed him darkly. She would die before she told him she'd been worried sick about him. "Whatever."

"Kiss?" He pulled her close.

She licked his bottom lip. "No."

He swooped down to kiss her anyway. Fire burned the both of them and they felt like they were drowning in liquid flames. It was the best intimacy they'd ever had with someone else.

Jeanette showed up a minute later, smiling widely at the passion they shared. She wiped her face and cleared her throat.

They broke apart, beet red.

"Are you ready?" Jeanette's eyes danced.

Marceline Anne nodded.

"Did you walk over here?"

She shook her head and cleared her throat before hooking a thumb at Travis. "I drove."

"Whose car is that?"

"Mine."

"Wow. It's beautiful. Green is such a lovely color."

"Not orange." Marceline Anne eyed her fiancé.

He scowled as his mother giggled. "Not orange."

"Let's go before it gets dark."

Jeanette kissed his cheek before shutting the door on him. She could hear him sputter, "Mom!" but ignored it. "Let's go!"