by C Zinnia
“I think I will be able to achieve my dreams,” Mel said. “I was thinking about teaching science classes too here.”
“We can discuss that later,” Viola said. “For now, working with Eli and the gym is more than enough.”
Mel loudly yawned. “Excuse me!”
“I think it’s time for bed,” Viola said.
“Yes,” Mel agreed. She put away her guitar.
Viola pulled down the covers so Mel could crawl into bed with her. They snuggled together. “Goodnight, Mel,” Viola said.
Mel said; “Goodnight, Viola.”
Chapter 12
Mel was sitting on the porch with Viola. Viola openly admired Mel as Mel played a beautiful song she had written specially for Viola with the guitar Viola had given to her.
The guitar was ripped from Mel’s hands. The strings popped and one of them viscously sliced the side of Mel’s face.
The guitar shot to Jesse’s open hand. Jesse was staring hard at Mel. “How long will your honeymoon last?” she asked Mel. “Problems are already building beneath the surface. You can see them, can’t you? You can feel them, can’t you?”
Mel frowned at Jesse. “There are no problems,” she said defiantly. “My relationship isn’t yours.”
Jesse shrugged. “It takes two people to create a chaotic relationship, Mel. Even if one person’s only contribution is staying in said relationship.”
“And two people can have a perfect relationship,” Mel snapped.
“No relationship is perfect,” Jesse sneered. “Expecting it to be perfect sets you up for failure. Oh, and Mel, just remember, how anything starts is how it is in the middle and it’s how it ends. How is yours starting?”
The guitar in Jesse’s hand morphed, becoming a bright, fiery red guitar. Jesse swung the bright red guitar at Mel.
As the guitar struck her face, the world around Mel exploded.
BOOM!
Mel gasped when she awoke. She touched her face to find there were no injuries. She looked around and remembered she was in Viola’s bedroom. The clock beside her said 2:22 AM. Mel glanced at Viola to find she was still fast asleep.
It was just a dream, Mel thought. Probably sparked from what happened with Jesse yesterday.
Mel said a silent prayer to push away all negativity from the dream. Nothing’s wrong, she thought. Everything has been starting off fantastic. She’s my mate. We’re supposed to be together.
Feeling soothed, Mel curled into Viola’s arms and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.
~ * ~
Viola woke up before the sun. Mel was fast asleep in Viola’s arms. Viola silently thanked God for this moment. She wanted to stay in bed longer, but she knew she had to get back into the routine of training. “Amor,” she whispered as she kissed Mel awake.
Mel happily sighed. She sluggishly kissed Viola back as she slowly woke up. “Hmm?” she said.
“You want to eat breakfast with me?” Viola asked.
Mel was still half-asleep. “Hmm?” she said. “My stomach isn’t awake yet.” She sat up and looked around. She yawned. “What time is it?”
“Five,” Viola answered.
Mel was flabbergasted. “In the morning?” Mel asked.
“Yes,” Viola said.
“Why so early?” Mel asked, pouting.
“A champion wakes up early,” Viola said. “You have more time to get things done. You know, the early bird gets the worm”
Mel grumbled. “I’m not sure I like your theory. Besides, that means the early worm is the dead worm. And birds eat all day. And not all birds eat worms. And owls hunt at night.”
Viola laughed, but there was an edge to it. “Alright, smart ass. All of the most successful people say they get up early in the morning and I think I’ll side with them. Come on,” she said. “Let’s go eat breakfast.”
Mel knew of plenty of successful people who didn’t wake up early, but decided not to bring it up. Her body was finally ready to sleep through the early morning and she didn’t want to mess that up. “Uh-uh,” she said grumpily. She rolled over, taking covers with her as she bundled up.
Viola wrapped her arms around Mel and covered her with loud kisses. “Come on,” Viola said. “Carpe diem! Let’s go.”
“No,” Mel said as she turned towards Viola’s kisses. “My tummy’s not awake yet. No worms for me.”
Viola laughed when Mel puckered her lips. “I thought you wanted to sleep,” she teased.
“Kisses,” Mel demanded.
Viola gave her more sweet kisses. “Amor, let’s go eat breakfast together. You know you’ll enjoy it,” she said.
Mel grumbled. “Okay. I guess,” she said.
Mel and Viola went into the kitchen. Viola made a large pot of coffee.
“Now you’re speaking my language,” Mel said. She enjoyed the aroma as it poured through the room. The hint of cinnamon made it all the more enticing.
“Help me with breakfast,” Viola said.
Together, they made vegetable omelets. Mel and Viola enjoyed how they moved together in synchrony.
“How is your shoulder feeling?” Viola asked.
“It feels good,” Mel said.
“That’s amazing,” Viola said. “Remember to work on that gift today.”
“I’ll try,” Mel said.
“That’s all I can ask,” Viola said.
By the time they sat down, Mel felt slightly more coherent. “So, you wake up at five in the morning normally?” she asked. She had a feeling there were certain aspects of their relationship she was going to have to compromise on and getting up early was one of them.
“Yes,” Viola said.
“What do you do after you eat?” Mel asked.
“I train. Most mornings Daren joins me. Now that he lives here, it’ll be easier for us to train together,” Viola said.
“What do I do?” Mel asked.
Viola shrugged. “Whatever you would like. You could work on your music or whatever you think is best. I’m normally done with training by eight and get ready to go to the gym by nine. Today, my schedule is a little lighter. I have two classes at the gym and four personal training sessions,” she said. “After Daren and I train, you and I will have enough time to go over some self-defense techniques before your meeting with Eli.”
“Wow,” Mel said. “That’s intense. Is it okay if I join you at the gym this evening? I won’t be able to exercise that much, but I’m sure I could find something to do.”
“If it doesn’t interfere with your meetings with Eli, then yes you are more than welcome to join me,” Viola said. “Though, I’m sure Eli will want to spend all of today with you.”
“It’s possible,” Mel said. She was disappointed they weren’t going to spend as much time together today.
“Don’t be sad, amor,” Viola said. “That’s why we’re having breakfast together now.”
Mel smiled. “I guess I’m glad I got up at five then,” she said.
Viola’s eyes sparkled. “Guess? You guess?” She pretended to be offended. “What do you mean you guess?” She tickled Mel’s sides.
Mel squealed with laughter as she tried to move away from Viola “I was just joking,” Mel said between laughs. “I’m glad! I’m glad! Mercy! Mercy!”
Viola stopped. She gave Mel a sweet kiss. “That’s what I thought,” she said.
Daren walked into the kitchen. “I hope I’m not interrupting y’all,” he said. “I wanted to see if we’re training today, V.”
“Absolutely! We need to get back to our routine,” Viola said.
“I’m all for routine,” Daren said as he made himself a cup of coffee.
“How are you doing?” Mel asked.
He shrugged. “I go through phases of feeling okay and then . . . not. It’s weird waking up here. I’m still getting used to it all. How about you? Still not sleeping?” he asked.
“Actually, I was fast asleep this morning until Viola woke me up,” Mel said with a smile.
&nbs
p; “Have you been having issues sleeping?” Viola asked.
“Yeah, I think I was nervous about being in a new place, so every day I’d been waking up ridiculously early because I couldn’t sleep. The past two mornings, it’s been easier to sleep in,” she said.
Viola grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I hope I had something to do with that,” she said.
“I think so,” Mel said, smiling back.
Nana joined them. “Oh, look at me, being cool and joining the young people! I could get used to this,” she said. “Y’all aren’t having a secrete young people meeting, are you?”
“No, Nana,” Viola said. “And even if we were, you’d always be allowed to be part of it.”
Nana was pleased. “Good morning, Mel,” she said. “How are you doing dear? I missed you yesterday.”
“I’m doing well. Thank you for asking. How was the bakery?” Mel asked.
Nana was pleased Mel asked. “Spectacular,” she said. “It’s always nice to see good people eat good food.” She fixed herself a cup of coffee. “Did Viola coerce you into getting up so early or are you naturally a morning person?”
“In a perfect setting, I’m more of a mid-morning person I suppose. Eight is more my style,” Mel said.
“We’ll get you used to five AM in no time,” Viola said.
“I’m not sure about that. I think some of it deals with the natural rhythms and cycles of our bodies and what works best for it. My family is filled with night owls,” Mel said.
“My parents are night owls,” Daren said. “I feel better getting up early. I get it from my grammy. She was a morning lark.”
“Would you mind washing the dishes, Mel?” Viola asked.
“Sure, I’ll wash them,” Mel said.
“Thank you,” Viola said. “I’m going to get ready to train. Are you dressed to train, Daren?”
Daren gestured to his shorts and t-shirt. “I’m always ready. I’m just going to finish my coffee and I’ll be good to go,” he said.
“I’ll be back before I go,” Viola said to Mel before she kissed her. She gave Nana a peck on the cheek and left.
“How are Lee and Dana doing?” Nana asked Daren.
“Bruce has been getting Dad to help Samuel and him with pack stuff. I think he’s trying to warm Dad to the idea of being a beta,” he said.
“Bruce has wanted Lee to be a beta for a long time and Samuel wants it too,” Nana said.
“Mom isn’t doing quite as well. She’s not used to not going a hundred miles an hour and she’s not sure what to do with herself,” he said.
“Do you think I ought to invite her to come to the bakery with me today? I didn’t want her to feel like she had to, but I know I would enjoy her company and she is so kind and friendly. I know our customers will love her,” she said.
“I think that’s a great idea, Nana,” Daren said. “She’d probably like to get out and about for a while.” He finished his coffee and washed his cup.
Viola came bounding into the kitchen with a huge smile of her face. Her joy lit up the room to the point that everyone else was smiling. She was dressed similar to Daren. “You ready?” she asked him.
“Yep,” he said.
Viola kissed Mel. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay?”
“Okay,” she said. “Have fun.”
“You too,” Viola said. She gave Mel another kiss. She glanced at Nana. “Take good care of my mate, Nana.”
“Of course, I will,” Nana said. “We all like her too, you know.”
Viola grinned. “See y’all later,” she said. She and Daren left.
“Good, I finally get you all to myself,” Nana said to Mel. “Let’s visit a bit.”
“Okay,” Mel said as she washed the dishes. She turned her head so she could see and hear Nana better. “What would you like to know?”
“How are you handling everything?” Nana asked.
Mel hadn’t expected that question. “It’s interesting, I suppose. Memories are coming back from childhood that aren’t the best. But I’m able to look at them with fresh eyes, so it gives me a better objective viewpoint about how every person reacted in each situation. I also have to try to digest a lot of changes in my reality at one time. I guess I’m handling everything well,” she said.
“You seem too. I can only imagine what you’re going through and that’s from seeing Papa go through it,” Nana said. “Do you think your family will be curious about you moving here? I suspect it would appear irrational to them.”
“Yes, especially since I grew up in Arlington,” Mel said. “I don’t know if they’ll be supportive or not. When I spoke to Mom yesterday, she didn’t like the thought of me staying after the fire.”
“That’s more than understandable,” Nana said.
“Mom suggested I come home and have a long-distance relationship first,” Mel said.
Nana smiled. “She sounds like a smart woman and a good mother,” she said.
Mel was shocked. “You agree?” she asked.
“Not necessarily, but I also am coming from a different background than your mom. She’s giving good advice. From what I’ve witnessed in human culture, there is a courting period before people move in together. Even Lee and Dana lived a part for a while even after Dana realized Lee was her mate. Bruce and Silvia immediately moved in together. There’s no right way to go about a relationship regarding progression per se, but it is important to get to know your partner to make sure you’re compatible,” Nana said.
“Even if it’s your mate?” Mel asked.
Nana smiled. “My dear, having the right pheromones is only a piece of the relationship. It doesn’t negate the other stuff. Look at Lee and Dana. Dana’s block prevented her from seeing that Lee was her mate and they grew up together! You could argue that the opposite is possible too. That you could convince yourself a person is your mate due to your personal baggage,” she said.
“What do you mean?” Mel asked.
“If two of our biggest motivators in life are love and fear, then you could end up in a relationship due to either scenario. You could be attracted to a person because y’all have similar positive outlooks and mannerisms. Or y’all both are on the same love wavelength, so it brings y’all together.
“With fear, you could be attracted to a person because y’all have the same negative view points or same fears. If you’re afraid of ending up alone, you could be more likely to attract someone who is also afraid of being alone. At that point, y’all are together due to fear, not love. Or with fear-based, your personal baggage complements each other.
“Look at people who are narcissists and how often codependent people end up with them. Narcissists have an unhealthy relationship with themselves because they put themselves above all others. Codependent people have an unhealthy relationship with themselves because they put others before themselves. Narcissists exploit the relationship and the codependent won’t leave. You wouldn’t call that relationship a love-based relationship, would you?” Nana asked.
Mel felt a twinge of panic. The remnants of her dreams about Jesse threatened to resurface. Mel pushed the memory away. “No, I wouldn’t. Either way, I’ll have to go back home in a few weeks. If nothing else, I need to pack and leave my job on good terms, so either way I’ll have a chance to decide how I want to go about this relationship,” she said. “Though, I’m leaning towards moving here to see how it goes. I don’t think Grandma will be surprised to hear about me wanting to move here. She knows me better than I know myself in some ways.”
“Are you close with your grandparents?” Nana asked.
“I am with my mother’s parents. I never got to meet my father’s parents,” Mel said.
“I hope our grandchild is close to us,” Nana said. “We have two other children, Bryan and Whitney, but they live with other packs in Pennsylvania and New York. They have children, but we hardly get to see them. It’s a blessing to soon have a grandchild so close.”
“Why are they up North?” M
el asked.
“We lived in a pack in Maryland,” Nana said. “But the pack didn’t have a very good leader and it quickly fell apart. We wanted to go more into the country. Silvia was only sixteen, so she went with us. Bryan was twenty and Whitney was twenty-two. Both Bryan and Whitney wanted to stay close to a big city. They met their mates in different packs up North and stayed in those packs
“We ended up here by chance and the moment Silvia met Bruce-” Nana chuckled at the memory. “We quickly realized we were staying here.”
“What happened to Bruce’s parents?” Mel asked.
“They passed away two years after we arrived. A drunk driver killed them in a car accident. Bruce was only eighteen. His father had been the alpha, but Bruce was still challenged for the position. Once he proved he was a great leader, everyone accepted him as the new alpha,” Nana said.
“How did he prove it? Did he fight?” Mel asked.
Nana was stunned by her question. “Goodness no! A good leader isn’t determined by how well he can throw a punch! Even though those buffoons who follow Chris think that’s the case. No, a good leader is someone who is able to bring out the best in the pack as a whole and its members,” she said. “He asked the pack for two years to prove himself. They all agreed it was a fair request. Bruce is the one who had the solar panels installed and the rain water system set up. He has created so many opportunities for our pack to be self-sufficient that no one could protest his capabilities as the alpha.
“After Silvia was done with college, she applied to become an alpha as well. The pack agreed to give her a two-year period to prove herself. She made quite a number of lucrative investments for the pack. They all quickly agreed she should be an alpha too.”
“Why did he and Silvia wait so long to have children?” Mel asked.
“They wanted to enjoy each other,” Nana said. “Silvia saw how I had lost my identity because I never had the chance to fully find myself before I had children. Papa and I had children quickly after the pack approved of him. We didn’t have time to learn and appreciate each other’s quirks and flaws. Sure, we dated for five years, but I had to keep a large piece of who I am hidden during that time, so it wasn’t completely open relationship. We have only been able to truly appreciate one another after our children grew up.”