It wasn’t a big deal, she kept telling herself. He could have minor asthma or a number of other problems. The what-if aspect of the situation was driving her insane. Somehow, she had a deep sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that there was more to Charles than he let on.
Melanie purposefully sighed hard.
“Sorry,” Amber apologized, turning to her friend. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
Melanie tapped her foot impatiently. “Like…?”
Amber giggled a little while shaking her head. “Now I see where I get the nosiness from. It’s all your fault.”
Melanie played I’m-hurt look, then grew serious. “Love,” she nudged her. “What’s going on in that big head of yours?” She seemed honestly concerned.
Within a matter of a few minutes, Amber conveyed her last few weeks to her friend. There were some parts where her friend appeared rather intrigued, and other points where worry etched her forehead.
“What should I do?” Amber asked. She hoped that Melanie might in some way shed some light on the situation.
Here it came, the traditional Melanie advice routine. She sniffed habitually to make her sound more important. Whether it did or not to others, she couldn’t shake the habit. “Well, obviously you like the guy.” I pointed out. “You have a glow I haven’t seen since your first boyfriend in high school.”
Amber blushed at her observation. “Do I,” she touched her face as if she could feel it emanating from her skin.
“Would I lie to you?” She cocked her brow cynically. This was the part of Melanie that showed her lighthearted side. She worked a rather stressful career job as a big time magazine editor. She drove her Lexus and carried a Gucci bag almost as if they grew on trees. But at work, she was known as the red headed bitch. Nothing stood in her way, not even herself. And even her pointed nose would get stuck in things not concerning her.
Amber gave her a quizzical look. Was she serious? “I can’t even believe you just asked me that,” she teased. “Remember the time you lied to me about Tito?”
Melanie tossed her hair and then shook with laughter. Of course she remembered. “Dear goodness I forgot about that tho’,” she giggled. Sometimes she would throw out her own slang version of words, increasing her comical personality even further.
“So don’t even.” Amber raised her finger in defiance. She was happy. Everything seemed right with Melanie around to bring life back to the little group. She had always been the glue that held them together. It was amazing what a good friend could do.
Melanie’s face grew somber. “No, seriously girl. You need to do what your heart tells you to do.” She looked behind her for a second at the little brats rolling around on the floor and grimaced. “Ugh,” she groaned. “I hate kids. But anyways, back to topic.” She adjusted her dress that fell over beautiful slender legs. “Follow your heart. If worse comes to worse, then enjoy every second you have with him. I know you like him. I can see it all over your face. It’s just up to you whether you want to delve deeper in to his life without knowing the outcome.”
She was right. Amber nodded, taking in the advice as sponge does water. She did like him, and that was what scared her. She was afraid of discovering things she didn’t want to know about him. He seemed to harbor a part of himself rather mysteriously. Or so it seemed when she was around him. He was sexy, hot and daunting at the same time. How could a man be so perfect? There had to be something wrong with him. Or something he wasn’t telling her.
A flash of mischievousness played across Melanie’s face. “So how was the sex?” she whispered, nudging her in the ribs.
Amber froze halfway between denial and truthfully admitting the details of that wicked night. Should she entrust them to Melanie? She felt as if she told them to her friend, they might scatter in the wind along with the words to go along with it. The memory might fade too quickly if she spoke of it.
“I swear if he isn’t good in bed, you should just dump him.” Again she mused. She looked so hopeful in squeezing the last little tidbits out of her. It was something she had always done, even way back to her first kiss. Tell me everything, she had begged.
Amber sighed. She might as well. There would be no good in lying to her when it must be absolutely plain on her face that she had slept with the guy.
Melanie’s excitement almost faded to disappointment. “That bad ah?” She was prying hard now out of desperation.
The two little boys in the room were now playing cowboys and Indians. They were making such a raucous that Melanie started to clench her fists. It wouldn’t be too long before she snapped at them…and that might not be too good.