Missing Melissa

by Pamela M. Kelley

  A long silence hung heavy. Finally Jack broke it by saying, "Get your stuff together, and I'll give you a ride to the airport. An unofficial police escort."

  "That won't be necessary."

  "It's the least I can do. I want to see for myself that you're gone."

  "And if I refuse?" Cooper said defiantly.

  "If you refuse, I will go straight to the station and file charges against you. Melissa said she would support whatever I choose to do, including that. That probably wouldn't be good for business in Boston, I don't think?"

  Cooper’s face paled. Finally he was taking Jack seriously.

  "Fine. Give me just a few minutes to get my things together."

  "I think you're paid through tomorrow. Of course, we'll refund for tonight," Wade said cheerfully.

  Cooper glared at him before going off to pack.

  "Well, that went well, I think?" Jack said with a grin.

  "Almost a happy ending. The two of you can celebrate when you drop him at the airport.

  An hour later, when Jack pulled up to the Lewiston airport and let Cooper out of the back seat, he wished him well and sent him on his way, watching until he was safely inside the airport. He dialed Melissa on the drive back.

  "I'm stopping for a bottle of champagne on the way home. We have reason to celebrate!"

  Melissa didn't even have to ask why. "I can't wait."

  When Jack walked through the door, the first thing that hit him was the smell of roasted chicken. It filled the house and he took a deep breath in to savor it.

  "You cooked dinner?" he asked as Melissa walked over to meet him. He handed her the bottle of champagne and got ready to take Roger for his evening walk.

  "It's just a roast chicken. Easy comfort food. We have mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach to go with it."

  "Sounds fantastic. If you want to pop the cork, I'll be back in a few minutes."

  When he and Roger returned, Melissa had a full bowl of food waiting for Roger and two glasses of champagne poured. She handed one to Jack.

  Over dinner, he filled her in on the events of the day and the drama with Cooper.

  "I can't believe you really gave him a police escort to the airport. Shane didn't mind?"

  "I cleared the possibility with him on the way there. It was his idea to bring Wade with me as a witness."

  "That was smart. I feel bad involving Wade in this mess."

  "He didn't mind. He was already involved by having him stay at the ranch. He wanted him gone, too."

  "Now our lives can get back to normal. You and Roger must be eager to move back into your own place, instead of being stuck here with me."

  "I've never felt stuck. We both like it here. Though maybe you're eager to have the place back to yourself again? I'm afraid you're stuck with us for a few more weeks, until the renovation is done."

  "That's fine with me. I like having you guys around. I'm going to miss Roger. I was almost ready to get a cat, before this whole business with Cooper happened."

  Jack tried not to feel too disappointed that she only mentioned missing Roger. Would she miss him, too, he wondered? He knew he was not looking forward to moving out and coming home to an empty house every night. Since he'd been living with Melissa, he looked forward to coming home and having someone there to greet him. To have a delicious dinner waiting was amazing, but having someone to share it was even more special. He'd be just as happy eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if he was going to share the meal with Melissa.

  "Cheers!" he said as held up his bubbly glass.

  "Cheers! What are we toasting to?"

  "New beginnings."

  "I like the sound of that.

  After they finished eating, Jack insisted that Melissa go relax with Roger while he cleaned up. "It's only fair, as you did the cooking this time."

  "I won't argue with that. Come on, Roger." Melissa topped off their glasses with a little more of the fizzy champagne and brought her glass into the living room and searched Netflix to find a good movie. Jack joined her when they finished and they spend a lovely and relaxing night watching an exciting drama. Before they headed up to bed, Jack shared an idea that occurred to him.

  "On our way to the music festival tomorrow, let's stop by the shelter and see if there are any kittens. If you want to?"

  "Oh, I'd love to. Do you think I should wait, though, until you and Roger move out?"

  "No, cats and dogs can get along fine and then if we do move out, you won't be alone."

  "Perfect. I love that idea, then."

  Chapter 10

  They stopped by the shelter the next day on their way to the music festival. Frances, the volunteer than ran the shelter, was a lovely woman in her early sixties and she proudly showed them around the shelter.

  "We're a no-kill shelter. We take care of these cats until they find their forever family, no matter how long that takes."

  All the cats looked well fed and happy, and had the run of the rooms they lived in.

  "We keep them confined to one room, but within the room they can do as they please. Each of them has their own crate if they prefer to sleep in it or they can nap in the window or play with toys. Whatever suits their moods."

  Melissa thought she wanted a kitten, but as she walked around the biggest room, another cat got her attention. A small, fluffy Maine Coon cat brushed up her leg and meowed as if saying hello. She reached down and scratched the little cat behind its ears.

  "That's Misty. She likes you. She doesn't go to just anyone. If you didn't have your mind set on a kitten, she'd be a lovely choice. She's an older kitty, though."

  "How old?"

  "Five or six years. We're not entirely sure. Her owner died suddenly and a neighbor brought her in to us. She's been here for almost a year."

  "She's so beautiful!" Melissa said as Misty continued to rub against her leg and purr loudly.

  "She's a good girl, too. Super sweet. But most people want kittens or younger cats."

  "She is awfully cute," Jack said as Misty did a figure eight around his leg before coming back to Melissa. She sat still and looked up, and her expression melted Melissa's heart.

  "I think she's picked me," she laughed.

  "The kittens are in the next room," Frances said and took a step toward the door.

  Melissa smiled. "I don't think I need to see the kittens."

  Frances's face fell. "Oh, you've changed your mind about adopting?"

  "No, I've made my decision. I'd like to adopt Misty."

  Frances's eyes welled up. "Really? Oh, that is marvelous, dear. I'm just thrilled. She's one of our favorites. Let's go fill out the paperwork and once you're approved, you can come pick her up." She explained the approval process, that they checked with the local vet to make sure they had a good history of taking care of their pets.

  "I don't have a vet here yet. I'm actually new to the area."

  "But I do. I take Roger to Jess and Jake's clinic."

  "Oh, good. And the two of you are married, right? So that should be perfect."

  Melissa filled out all the forms and as they drove off to the festival, she confessed to Jack that she felt like she was cheating a little.

  "I feel like I'm using you for your vet connections," she said with a laugh.

  "Well, I don't mind. It's for a good cause, after all."

  They met up with Lily and Cody at the fair and made their way to the music area, and had a wonderful time listening to one great band after the next. The next day, Jack spent most of the afternoon at his house, checking on the work that had been done so far, while Melissa puttered around the house doing laundry, picking up a few things at the grocery store and then curling up with her laptop to work for a few more hours on her writing. When Jack returned with Roger, she went for a walk with them and he filled her in on the progress with his house.

  "It's coming right along. They're on track to finish in just about two weeks. It's going to look great. I can't wait for you to see it."


  When they returned to the house, Melissa had a message from the shelter. She'd been approved and could pick Misty up the next day if she liked. She called Anna and asked if she'd be able to close up for her on Monday, so she could leave early to pick up Misty. Anna was happy to do it and Melissa went to bed excited to bring her new family member home the next day.

  Misty looked as though she was expecting her when Melissa showed up a little past three the next day to collect her. Frances was ready for her, and had a bag of cat food and all her papers in a folder.

  "I swear she knew you were coming. She's been keeping guard by the door all day, waiting."

  Melissa scooped up the small cat when she saw her and went to give her a hug, but Misty panicked and flew out of her arms in a hurry. Frances laughed.

  "She's just not used to being picked up. It's been a while for her. Give her time, to get used to you. She'll come around."

  Melissa felt bad that she'd scared the poor thing. She crouched down and held out her hand, and after a minute, Misty walked over and rubbed her head against Melissa's hand and purred.

  "See, she's forgiven you already. Did you bring a carrier with you?"

  "Yes, it's right here." Melissa had set the brand new, soft pink carrier by the door when she came in. She went and grabbed it, and set it on the floor with the door open so Misty could sniff it and maybe walk inside. She did just that after a few minutes of walking around it and sniffing every inch. Then, apparently satisfied, she strolled inside and sprawled out, laying claim to it.

  Melissa laughed. "Looks like she's ready to go home."

  "It sure does. Wish it was always that easy to get them into the carriers. Here you go, dear. Enjoy her."

  When Melissa walked in with the carrier, Roger came running excitedly. Melissa hoped that he'd be as good as Jack had said. She didn't want to scare the little cat too much. She set the carrier on the floor with the door still closed to let both of them get used to each other. Roger walked over slowly and sniffed all around the carrier. Misty cried once and then spit at Roger, and he took a few steps back and sat down, waiting patiently for her to relax.

  Melissa unzipped the opening to the carrier and laid it down, so Misty could easily walk out if she chose to. She stuck a paw out tentatively and then ran out and hid under the sofa. Melissa tried to coax her out and after about ten minutes, gave up, letting Misty come out when she was ready. She went and set a litter box up for Misty in the mudroom, which was next to the kitchen. Once that was set, she made a cup of tea and grabbed her laptop and brought both to her favorite writing spot in the living room.

  Roger curled up at her feet and kept a watchful eye on the sofa that Misty was hiding under. There was still no sign of her. Melissa knew this was normal for cats, though, to hide when they were first moved to a new home. She'd come out when she was ready.

  Two hours later, Melissa's cell phone rang and she was surprised to see how much time had passed. She'd lost herself completely in her story. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see Misty racing around the room, sniffing everything. She smiled as she answered the call.

  "Hi, Melanie."

  "What are you doing?"

  "Watching my new cat run around my living room. What about you?"

  "Oh, you brought her home today! Is she so cute?"

  "She's adorable. I can't wait for you to meet her when you come out."

  "I'm so ready. I'm overdue for a vacation. But, I'm calling just to give you a happy head’s up. I called Cooper's office today, and he's there. Just in case you were wondering. He's really back and this should be over now for you."

  "Thank you. I wasn't worried. Jack said he made things clear and dropped him at the airport himself. But it's still nice to have confirmation."

  "I know I would be wondering. How's the writing going?"

  "Good. I just got a few hours in. It's almost done."

  "I want to read it when you finish."

  "Of course."

  "Okay, gotta go. I'm teaching a class in five minutes. Talk soon."

  Melissa was still smiling as she hung up the phone. She and her twin sister really did have a special twin connection. So many times, they both seemed to know exactly when the other one needed a call or when there was something to celebrate. Melissa was looking forward to having her sister be her first reader once she felt her book was fully finished, edited, revised, and edited again. Only if Melanie gave it the thumbs up would Melissa take the next step and publish it.

  Jack came home an hour later and after walking Roger, they settled in for the night, splitting a frozen pizza and playing with Misty, who was very busy exploring the house. Finally, exhausted, she flopped on the sofa between then and rested her head against Melissa's leg, purring happily.

  "This is nice, isn't it?" Jack said as they flipped channels looking for something interesting to watch.

  "What's nice?"

  "This. Just relaxing at home with our pets, sharing pizza after a long day."

  "Yeah. I have to admit, I love going out, but sometimes it's nice to just stay in."

  Chapter 11

  They settled into a routine over the next two weeks, Melissa wrote on Tuesday nights while Jack was at hockey and the two days that she left early and had Anna close. They went to trivia on Thursday nights and out with friends Friday or Saturday night, sometimes both nights depending on what was going on. Lily often knew of where there were good bands playing. When the two weeks were up and Jack's renovation was done, they were planning to go see it that Saturday afternoon, and then go out to dinner and to see Lily sing with her brother's band that night in downtown Riston.

  Melissa decided to dress up a little more than usual since they were going to have a nice dinner and then see Lily sing. She was looking forward to that. She'd heard that she was a gifted songwriter and had a beautiful voice but she hadn't heard her sing yet. She didn't perform as often as she used to as her main love was writing the songs, but every now and then, her brother Tyler talked her into playing with them.

  She chose one of her favorite long dresses. It had an artsy look to it with a deep purple scoop neck and along flowy skirt in various shades of purple with flowers. She pulled on her purple boots, which matched it perfectly. She curled random pieces of her long hair so that it gave a pretty, slightly tousled, look. A slick of pink lipstick and inky black mascara and she was ready to go.

  Jack smiled appreciatively as she came down the stairs and met him in the living room.

  "You look pretty."

  "Thank you. You look good yourself." He looked better than good, in a hunter green button-down shirt, and his best jeans. The shirt brought out the green in his eyes, which were ordinarily more hazel.

  Figs, the restaurant on Main Street where Lily was playing, was very busy when they arrived. But they had a reservation and were seated quickly. The menu was upscale American, and had a bit of everything. Melissa decided on a piece of salmon with a glass of red wine and Jack got the steak and a draft beer.

  They split a rich piece of fudge flourless chocolate cake with a drizzle of raspberry sauce and then paid their bill and brought their leftover wine with them into the other room to watch Lily. Cody was already there, sitting at a round table near the front, while Lily was helping Tyler and Mark check their equipment. She came over briefly to say hello, then went back to what she'd been doing. Melissa and Jack sat with Cody.

  Ten minutes later, Bernie and David joined them as well. Quite a few people stopped by the table to say hello to Jack. He seemed to know everyone in Riston. Melissa supposed that went with being a police officer. She couldn't help notice that several of the people who stopped to chat were very pretty women who openly flirted with him and he flirted right back. Jack flirted with everyone, though, no matter their age. It was part of his charm.

  The room filled up quickly and people were still coming in as the music started. The band was really good. They played a mix of covers and original tunes written by L
ily. She was surprised by how good Lily was and that she even recognized several of the original tunes. She looked at Cody in confusion and he laughed.

  "Those are her originals that she's sold and that others have made famous. Pretty cool, huh?"

  "Very." Melissa was impressed, and told Lily as much when she went on break and joined them at the table. She introduced her to her brother Tyler and Mark, and they wandered off to visit friends at another table.

  "So, if you think I'm good, you should hear my friend Laura. It's just a matter of time before you hear her on the radio. Mark my words."

  "Really? That's exciting."

  "She's better than I am. At singing, anyway. Her voice is really distinctive and her songwriting is just as good. We're going to go to Nashville soon to visit her. She's making her big debut at one of the well-known clubs. It's very exciting and I want to be there to support her."

  "That sounds like fun."

  A few minutes later, Lily went back for another set and once they were finished playing, they all stayed for another two hours, almost until closing time. Jack and Melissa had another glass of wine each and Clark showed up and joined them. Between Clark and Jack they had everyone laughing non-stop. Melissa couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. Finally, it was time to call it a night and they all said their goodbyes.

  When they got back to the house, after walking Roger, Jack joined Melissa on the sofa where she was lounging happily as Misty bounced around behind her head, playing with her hair.

  "You'd never know she was six years old," Jack said as he sat next to her, close enough that his leg lightly touched hers. He reached over and pushed a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. His touch was soft and gentle and Melissa found herself leaning in toward him.

  "That was fun tonight," she said softly.

  "It was, wasn't it?"

  "And your place looks amazing. You must be so pleased with how it turned out." They'd gone to his house in the afternoon and Jack proudly showed off his new kitchen, which was stunning. It looked like it belonged in a magazine, with the creamy white cupboards, elegant blue-gray island and the breathtaking counters that really did look so much like the marble that he wanted.