Page 49 of Playing With Secrets
This ridiculous notion she doesn’t want kids anymore is not her true wish. I don’t believe for a second she really means that.
I vow to discover Hunter’s secrets and clean up my own shit show with Lauren. Getting her to work with me toward a resolution will be challenging, but I’m done letting her run the show.
She’s had time to prepare for our final goodbye and she knows it’s coming. I just pray she doesn’t go after Dori when she finds out I’m in love with someone else.
Melanie meanders into my office. “Hey, big guy. What’s got you staring off into space?”
“I was just thinking about life.” I twist in my chair so I can face her.
“Aw, life. It’s a fascinating idea.” She strolls to the window and gazes out at the sky.
Something doesn’t feel right about her. She’s not trying to be witty or abrasive. She seems down about something. I join her at the window and peer out to the blistering cold sky.
“What’s new in your life, Mel?”
“I’ve been thinking that I need to change things up.”
“How so?”
“I have a lot of friends, but you and Dori are my only close friends. With Dori, we’ve been drifting apart.”
I catch Mel’s gaze. “I didn’t know that, but even so, you still have me.”
“You’re around, but it’s different going out with you. I need a new girlfriend. Someone I can tell all my dirty secrets to and they share theirs.” Grief fills her eyes.
“You can tell me your secrets. You know I don’t share, so they’ll be safe. As far as your best friend goes, have you talked to her about drifting apart?”
Mel dramatically sighs. “My secrets are safe with you, but you never share yours with me. Why?”
“I don’t have many secrets. Any I have, you wouldn’t be interested in.” I return to my desk, knowing I just fed her a line of shit.
“Tell me one. Let me decide if I’m interested or not.”
I try to think of a secret I’m willing to share. My mind flips through them one by one. There’s nothing I deem appropriate.
“See, Jami? This is what I’m talking about. I need someone who can get lost in a conversation where we dig deep into it and mix it all up. Even make a mess of it, but where we end up laughing about it because our plan is so far-fetched that it just might work.”
She mopes to a chair in front of my desk and sits with a melancholic glow about her. This Melanie is nothing like the one I’m used to. I’m not sure what to do.
“Mel, what’s this about?”
“I think I’ve upset Dori and don’t know how to make it right with her.”
That explains Melanie’s sadness. She and Dori are close, like Aiden and I are. It’s got to be eating at Melanie’s heart.
“Does it have anything to do with going out with her brother?”
She shrugs. “It could be that, but Dori told me she was fine with it. She even told me to keep him out late. After that, she basically cut me off from any conversations with meaning.”
“Maybe she doesn’t know how you feel.” I get up and sit next to Mel. “Your conversations don’t seem to go that deep.”
Her shoulders roll forward. “Thanks. I’m in here telling you about my problems and you’re telling me I’m shallow.”
“That’s not what I said. What I mean is you usually stay on the lighter side of things. It’s a breath of fresh air in most cases, but Dori’s dealing with heavy issues. It could hurt if you made sarcastic or lighthearted comments about it.”
Mel points at me. “That right there is exactly what I’m talking about. She hasn’t talked to me about anything.”
I pull back. “I wouldn’t take it personally. Sometimes people need to process things internally before they can discuss it with someone.”
