Monday December 10

“Hi Lisa.”

“Hello Ms. Price. How are you today?”

“I am great actually.” This is the first time in years Melanie has really meant that. It wasn’t just the mindless response to someone’s question. She really was doing great. Her life was finally coming together. Her interior design business was getting great buzz within the local community and she was planning to marry the sexiest, most considerate man. What more could a girl want?

“I know you are over the moon about your wedding. I can’t believe it will be in here in two weeks.”

“Time has gone by so fast, but everything is coming along nicely and not having drama helps too.” The thought of marrying Tyler actually made her begin to glow from the inside out. Melanie had her fair share of devastating blows in love and work alike. It was time for her to really enjoy her life and take the good that life has to offer.

“Your party is waiting for you.” As Melanie followed Lisa to their seats she discreetly scanned the room noticing the glances of a few admirers.

A girlish giggled sprang forth as she approached her cousin Lauren with her best friend Stacey. Everyone exchanged hugs and began to catch up on the events from everyone’s hectic day at work.

Before Melanie could take a bite of the piping hot bread the waiter sat before them her efficient always prepared side-kick Stacey presented her with a to-do list. Melanie sighed loudly looking at the detailed list set before her.

Stacey was an up and coming corporate lawyer. She worked for Covington, Wallingford & Blake, a law firm that specializes in taking over companies and feeding them to corporate raiders for lunch. Stacey was their newest and brightest star. She was good at her job and everyone knew it.

“Don’t sigh at me. Have you completed one task on this list? Your wedding is in two weeks and you are acting like you have a lifetime in front of you.” Stacey raised her eyebrows to Melanie knowing she was asking a rhetorical question.

“Actually I have completed half of it. I am way ahead of the game. I only have one job that I am putting the finishing touches on. So I am virtually free for the next two weeks.…so there.”

“I am shocked, well as your wedding planner slash best friend; I have to say that I am proud of you.” Stacey offered as she bit into her salad.

“Why thank you...and Lauren I can’t thank you enough for sending Tom and Joan my way. They have agreed to let me photograph their condo to use in my portfolio. It is coming along better than I expected. I think they are going to be really pleased with the end results.”

“Not a problem…happy to do it. I will send you whatever leads I get…you know family sticks together….so the dresses are back and we are just getting fitted today?” Lauren asked looking at her watch.

“Yeah, it won’t take long. We should be in and out in an hour. Why? Where are you in a hurry off to?”

“Just asking… I have a new client that I am meeting with tonight and it is across town.” Lauren was more like a sister to Melanie than a cousin. Lauren is at the very beginning of starting her real estate career. The client was returning back to town and was referred to her by Tom and Joan her exceptionally pleased clients.

As the friends finished up there lunch exiting the restaurant standing at the valet stand waiting for their cars Melanie turned as she felt someone tap her on her shoulder. As Melanie was facing Stacey; she could see her hazel eyes widen as a slender O shaped formed on her mouth. Her eyes quickly turned to straight slits as a smirk rose on the side of her mouth.

Melanie turned to see Seth standing inches from her.

Melanie instantly felt a queasy tightening in her stomach. Her heart began to pump wildly in her chest almost as if it were freeing itself from the cage she placed it in. Every hair on her body stood in recognition of him. It is true what they say that your body holds every memory in it even if your mind forgets. Her body remembered his touch, his scent, the feel of him inside of her. Melanie’s body instinctively reacted to the numerous all night love making sessions. The lazy Sunday’s full of lying in bed and watching Bruce Lee movies all day. No her body had not forgotten even if her mind had.

Jake reached down to hug her while she willed herself to keep her arms at their side.

“Hi Mel, it is so good to see you…what a surprise running into here…like this.”

“Yeah right…what a coincidence.” Lauren snickered as she turned her face towards Stacey. Stacey looked at Lauren in agreement. They both hated the sight of Jake. They were there through the crying nights and bed ridden days. They both watched as Melanie put her life back together after Seth walked away after ripping it apart. Lauren felt justified in feeling this way. Melanie was getting married in two weeks…damn if this was not a good time for this coincidental run in. Lauren didn’t believe in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy or coincidences. Lauren folded her arms across her chest purposefully rolling her eyes so that Seth could see it.

“It is good to see you too. I didn’t know that you were back in town….you look great.”

“You look beautiful Mel.” He said the words solemnly entranced with her smile. Seth realized his thoughts trailed off. Melanie was captivating.  He willed himself to finish his sentence.  

“I am back permanently. I am starting my medical practice here in town.”

The valet pulled up with Stacey’s car opening the door for Lauren to enter. Stacey walked around to the driver’s side.

“We will see you at the BRIDAL salon for our BRIDE’S MAID DRESS fittings for your WEDDING in two weeks.” Stacey purposefully emphasized those words for Seth’s benefit.

“You are getting married?” Melanie had the distinct feeling that it wasn’t a total surprise to Seth that she was getting married. Melanie still ran into his mother on occasion and both their mother’s belonged to the same country club so her personal information was bound to filter back to him.

“Yes, I am in two weeks.” Melanie reached out her hand showing him the 3 carat princess cut engagement ring that sparkled effortlessly with the slightest move of her hand.

Seth reached out and took her hand in his. Melanie attempted to pull it back feeling what she felt was a small shock shoot between them…pure energy. His hand was hot around hers. He interlaced his fingers between hers. Wishing he could turn back time. Realizing how young, immature, selfish and stupid he had been. How could he tell her that he thought of her often and never called once? Could words explain how he closed his eyes and thought of her while having making love with someone else?

“Do you love him?”

“What kind of question is that? I wouldn’t be marrying him if I didn’t. And, who do you think you are seeing me one time after four years and questioning my relationship…my loyalty.”

“I didn’t mean for it to come off like that. I apologize…I just thought maybe…I don’t know…I guess I am not as over things as you are.”

“Really…you could have fooled me.”

Melanie forcefully pulled her hand out of his hold. The valet pulled up with her car opening the door for her to enter.

“I have to go. Take care of yourself.” Melanie walked away never looking back.

“You never answered my question.” Seth held his breath hoping….

Melanie stopped and stood in between her adjacent door. “Goodbye, Seth.”

 As the valet closed her door she looked at her trembling hands concentrating at the wheel as she drove to The Enchanted Garden Bridal Salon.

Seth stood there watching her speed off. He always told her she drove too fast. The valet stood looking at him like the idiot Seth knew he was. Seth replayed the conversation in his head kicking himself for being a first class ass. He should have known Mel would re-act that way giving the last time that they saw each other. It was a sore spot for the both of them how Seth left things. Mel had every right to be angry with him. He should be thankful that she didn’t slap him on sight.

Seth could see that the sky mimicking how he felt inwardly. It was a drab cloud filled grey which was a sure sign of impending snow.

Seth made his way to the bar taking the barstool against the mahogany wall. He placed his order for a double of Johnny Walker Black straight up. The reality of Melanie’s engagement slowly started to find its way into his acceptance. The knowledge that she would be someone else’s wife in the next two weeks was almost un-believable. His mother called him after she ran into Camille Price at the country club. She told him that Melanie was engaged and proceeded to try and have a heart to heart with him. Even then it didn’t seem real to him. For some unknown reason he always thought that it would be called off. Seth knew that he could no longer pretend like the knowledge of her upcoming wedding wasn’t slowly killing him. He knew that she would eventually move on, but he was not ready for the toll that it would take on him. The thought of never having her again was like a death sentence. That is how he felt, like a dead man walking. You know the date of your execution. You know that your life is going to end and the torture is in the waiting. The thought of Melanie Price belonging to someone else squeezed him until he felt like he was suffocating.

“Come on…what did you expect?” Seth asked himself trying to bring himself back to a place where he could think…think rationally about Melanie and the part he played that landed him right here at this moment.

The couple sitting two barstools down from him turned as he mumbled to himself.

Seth started to quietly laugh to himself as he thought 'What is that saying...it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.No, it's actually worst. It is far worse-having the love of your life; losing it....no make that walking a way from it-only to have them marry someone else. No I would say that was much worse.' Seth mumbled to himself as he held up his glass showing the bartendar that it was empty and to get his ass over here to refill it...quickly.

“Did you honestly think you were just going to walk back into her life? Hey Mel, I know that I dumped you. I felt like a worthless jerk that had no direction and nothing to offer you so I will just pick up and go to medical school on the opposite side of the country as far from you as possible and…so I get to you when I get to you.” Seth asked himself already knowing the answer. No one could beat Seth up better than himself. The excuses of being young, immature and self-absorbed don’t carry much weight anymore.

How could he show Mel that he was a changed man? That the time away from home, his family and her did allow him to grow up and mature. Would she understand that the idea of loving someone as much as her absolutely terrified him? Can Melanie understand that he felt lost inside of her? How can a 23 year old say I feel like I am losing myself in you?

As Seth drank down the JWB while simultaneously ordering another he resigned to the fact that he had to explain himself. Seth thought that ‘If I could just explain how truly sorry I am. How I regret ever hurting her. If Mel knew that I suffered away from her-that I just didn’t pick up and move on. In that time I realized that family and true friends are the only things that matter. That true love is not bountiful. It is a rare treasured gift that is to be valued and protected at all cost. He now knows that your soul-mate comes along only once and that you may never get another chance to find real happiness when you have had it with your soul-mate and now it’s gone.’

Seth knew that he had to try at least to explain himself. He felt like his life depended on it.

___________________________________________________________________________

“I can’t believe that mother-fu.”

“Lower your voice.” Stacey and Lauren were waiting for their attendant to return with their dresses.

“I can’t believe he just accidentally shows up to where we are having lunch. That SOB better be glad we were in a public place.”

“What is taking Melanie so long…she should be right behind us.” Stacey looked at her watch knowing she had a conference call in an hour about a pending merger she was overseeing.

“One word…Seth. She just doesn’t need this right now…not now…not just before her wedding.”

“Mel is a lot stronger now. I know that she loves Tyler…I think this will be just a blip on her radar.” Stacey smiled hoping that was the truth.

Melanie sat in the car watching the light fluffy snowflakes fall from the sky and melt in front of her eyes on her car’s windshield. She tilted her head back as Luther’s velvet voice singing about finding and losing love at Christmas time on her car radio.

Amazing how your life can change in one minute. You look at your life from a series of events of before and after. My life before I met Seth after he was gone. Before I started that new job or after I finished college. Before Tyler and I were engaged now it’s a standard of after I saw Seth at the Chestnut Grill.

The ringing of her cell snapped her out of her self imposed daydream.

“Hi Babe.”

“Hey Sweetie…How are you making out at the fitting. I was hoping we could meet up later tonight. I want to see my favorite girl.”

Melanie loved Tyler’s voice. It was deep and soulful. She always blushed when he call her his favorite girl.

“That sounds great. I will call you when we are finishing up. I am about to walk in to the salon now.”

“Cool….I will talk to you soon. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The call from Tyler is just what she needed to bring her back to what was real and good in her life. This is a new chapter that she was beginning. No more hurt of the past…no more crying all night and trying to rebuild her life. Melanie knew she had a good man with a bright future ahead of her and that is what she was going to choose to focus on.

Melanie opened the door seeing Lauren in the back of the salon with her maid-of-honor gown on. As she approached Stacey came out of her dressing room adjusting her side zipper.

“Woooow! You two look great…just beautiful.” Melanie was proud of her choice of dress. She chose a copper colored taffeta gown with chocolate brown sashes which was her favorite color. The color complemented both their skin tones.

Melanie stood behind Lauren taking the back of her hair and twisting it up.

“You would look great with a sloppy bun in the back…maybe?” Lauren looked back at Mel through the mirror. Lauren stared in her eyes offering a sympathetic smile, knowing that seeing Seth had to have been hard for her. You just don’t see someone you were with for 7 years and it doesn’t through you off your rocker. Looking at Mel she was transported back to 11th grade for their junior prom-Seth and Mel’s first date. Seth had finally got up the nerve to ask Mel out and the two of them went on a double date so that they could be together. Mel and Seth stayed together through the rest of high school. They were voted homecoming King and Queen. They stayed together throughout college and got an apartment right after graduation. Soon after Seth applied to medical school out of state and said he needed space and to move on….out of the freaking blue.

“Honey…are you ok?” Lauren turned to face her.

“Lauren let it go…she will talk when she’s ready.”

“No…it’s fine.” Melanie diverted her eyes to the floor which is her tell tale sign that she is lying. How pathetic did everyone think she still was for Seth?

“He was the last person I was expecting to see today. To be honest I didn’t know if I would ever talk to him let alone see him again. So just the sheer fact of being unexpectedly face to face with him while in the throws of planning my wedding was not on my itinerary for today.”

The attendant sized up Stacey and Lauren giving their gowns small adjustments to that perfect fit. Stacey slid into her jacket adjusting her hair.

“I have to get back for a very important conference call. I will call you as soon as I am done.” Stacey lifted her hand to Melanie’s cheek.

“Sweetie, everything is going to be fine. Let me know how Tyler takes it.”

Stacey rushed out the door waving goodbye to Lauren. Melanie flopped herself down into the plush Victorian style sofa with her head in her hands.

“You do plan on telling Tyler don’t you?” Lauren bent down leaning over so that she was directly in front of Melanie; looking directly into her eyes. “Don’t you….you are going to tell him that you ran into Seth at lunch today…you know Seth…your first love…Seth- your first everything. The man that took just up and left leaving you devastated.”

Melanie lifted her head up annoyed at Lauren for bringing up the past that she had so painfully lived.

“I know what Seth! No, I haven’t forgotten anything. But the past is the past. It is done and over with. I have moved on and am engaged to marry a wonderful man in two weeks. Nothing or no one is going to stand in the way of that. I don’t see a need to get Tyler worried or even concerned about nothing. It was a 30 second conversation that went no where. It’s not worth mentioning”

“Ok… so you are going to keep this a secret???” Lauren placed her hands on her hip not believing what was coming out of Melanie’s mouth.

“I am not keeping this a secret. What is the point in mentioning an accidental run-in with someone from my past? It is not like I am going to see Seth again or have any contact with him at all. So what’s the point? You are making a bigger deal out of this than I am.”

“Because I know you, and I think that you are making a major mistake in not saying anything. You don’t want this to come back and bite you in the ass. But if this is how you want to handle it, I will accept that and keep it moving.”

Melanie stood to her feet. She reached out and kissed Lauren on her cheek while giving her a hug goodbye.

“Thank you. I appreciate you caring about me. But I know what I am doing.” Melanie turned to wave good-bye as she closed the door to the salon.

“I hope you are right.”

______________________________________________________________________

Lauren pulled up to the house that she was showing to a new client that was recommended to her by a couple that just bought a condo in a new high-rise on the north shore. Lauren arrived 30 minutes early to give the house a once over before the potential customer arrived. Lauren hoped that the client was serious about buying this home; if she could get the asking price it would prove to be a considerable commission bonus in this for her. The real estate market was dead on its feet and she needed this sell really bad.

Lauren buttoned her jacket as the doorbell rang. She opened the door to the last person she was expecting to see- Seth Gallagher.

“Oh hell!”

Lauren brought her hand up to her forehead her mouth agape.

“You are friends with Tom and Joan?” Lauren stood in the doorway not moving aside to let Seth in.

“Actually my parents are....aren’t you going to let me in?” Seth smiling at Lauren taking delight in her surprise.

“You knew I was the agent on this house.” Extending her arm so that he could walk by.

“Yes, I knew.”

“And you didn’t mention it when you saw me earlier?”

“We weren’t exactly set up to have small talk.”

“Listen Seth I don’t know what kind of game you are playing, but I don’t have the time or the interest.” Lauren turned to walk out the door.

“Lauren calm down…just give me a second to explain.” Seth reached out and held onto Lauren’s arm as she opened the door.

“This is my livelihood. Don’t mess with my money.”

“I really am in the market to buy a house. You really were recommended to me by Tom and Joan. I knew that you were the agent and thought I would throw a possible sale your way. I told them not to mention my name because I knew you would not talk to me.”

“You got that right.”

“Are you going to show me the house or not?”

Lauren proceeded to walk away from Seth. “This is the living room. Right there is the dining room and back there is the kitchen. Ok...I have shown you the house.”

Seth started laughing. “Lauren am I that bad?”

“Do you know the position this puts me in…hell do you know the position you put Melanie in by coming back here…now?” Lauren turned on her feel to face Seth directly.

“The same old selfish Seth; thinking of no one but himself.”

“I deserve that. That may be true of me a few years ago but not today.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

“Yes, you will see; and by the way I am taking the house.”

“You are just going to buy the house without seeing the rest of it?”

“I like it…it has character.”

“What am I suppose to tell Mel?”

“You can tell her the truth. I bought a house from you today. I am moving back here. My medical practice will be a five minute drive or a twenty minute jog away from here. It is close to the restaurant and museum district and not far from my parents. I couldn’t ask for anything better.” Seth smiled knowing that Lauren was not in a position to turn him down. This was an offer that would be difficult for Lauren to refuse.

“Why here…why now Seth?”

“It was time for me to come home. I belong here. Everything and everyone I love is here.”

“Does that include Mel?”

“Everyone makes mistakes Lauren. Haven’t you ever done something that you have regretted? Have you ever looked back over your life and called yourself a fool? How long am I suppose to live in this web of what-ifs? How much longer do I have to torture myself for being young and immature? I am not a monster Lauren. You have known me since we were 16. You know that….you know me.”

“You didn’t answer my question Seth. Does that include Mel? We all thought we knew you until you up and left. You feel guilty about that…well that’s all well and good. But this is here and now. Things have changed…times have changed. You know that Mel is my family and I love her. I don’t want to see her hurt. Granted you were young and you made a mistake leaving her like you did, but that does not mean that you can just stroll back here trying to put together what you broker apart. It took years for Mel to pick herself up and move on and find happiness with someone else. I am not going to let you or your guilt gets in the way of her starting her new life. As long as we are clear on that fact- you and I are fine.”

“I didn’t leave because I didn’t love her. I left because I did love her. I never stopped loving Mel.”

“I am going to say this one time. Stay away from her.”

“Lauren – that is not your call to make. Melanie can tell me that.” Seth turned to walk out the door. He turned back to look at Lauren knowing he told her what she didn’t want to hear.

“Call me at my parents when all of the papers have been drawn up for me to sign.” Seth turned as he closed the door behind him.