The Second Catch

Chapter 7: Coming To Terms

Anthony let out a small sigh, seeing Melanie take off out of the house, glancing at Victoria and Levi.  He knew he shouldn't of said those things, but he still had.  Perhaps she had been right about him being cold.  But she was just as cold as he was.  "I am going to go and find her."  Anthony said starting to make his way towards the door.  "No, I will."  Levi stepped up standing between Anthony and the door and glaring at him.  "I don't think that is a very good idea.  You're just going to upset her more.  Melanie can't have that right now.  She is going through enough.  If she keeps adding more stress, she most likely will end up having another miscarriage and troubles with the pregnancy.  She doesn't need anymore.  If she loses anyone else, I am not sure we can get her back this time.  Victoria and I thought you would be good for her, but we were very wrong."

Anthony glared at him, shoving past him to open the door.  "You don't get to decide that!  Besides, the child she is carrying is mine, I have to try."  He didn't let Levi grab him back or stop him this time, he exited out of the house, closing the door behind him.  He took a deep breath glancing around.  Now where would Melanie go..

Not taking very long to figure it out, he began to walk towards the park's direction.  Finding her sitting at the park bench where they first met.  She seemed very intent on whatever she was thinking about that she didn't even hear him approach her.

"Mel?"  She took a deep breath, opening her eyes, glancing up at him.  "I'm sorry, I.."  He wasn't used to needing to apologize to anyone, and wasn't quite sure what to say.  He wanted to make it up to her somehow for what he did, but he never was any good with such things.  He didn't do apologizes well.  Anthony wasn't even sure if she would accept it.

She gave a small shake of her head.  "You, you don't need to apologize."  She said quietly.  "If anything,  I should be apologizing to you."  This threw Anthony off guard and rather surprised him.  He wasn't exactly expecting it from Melanie.  "What do you mean?"  He crosses his arms across his chest watching her curiously to see what she would say.

"You were right."  "But that doesn't mean that I should've said what I did.  I..  Let my anger get the best of me when I shouldn't."  Melanie bit her lip going quiet a moment.  "But I shouldn't of lead you on either.  But I didn't want to lose you as a friend.  And I knew how much you cared about me.  I was afraid that if I said I didn't care for you that way, I thought it would make things too awkward for us to hang out and be friends anymore."  She whispered.  "Next to Victoria and Levi you are the closest friend I have made in awhile.  You got me out, you got me to have fun again.  I was afraid at first to do those things, hang out with you, because I was having fun, and then I felt guilty because of it, so I chose to keep my distance."  Melanie for now chose to leave out the fact that being with Anthony had triggered her dreams of Paul.  All he knew was that being with him made her feel guilty, he didn't know the complete reason why.  She chose to keep out her theory of having those dreams because she felt guilty that she was trying to move on, and they were trying to tell her that she shouldn't be.  She wanted to add that she felt like there could be a possibility of them being together, but she didn't.  It was still too soon, and she didn't want to keep getting his hopes up.  She went quiet a moment and turned her head looking straight, facing away from Anthony again.  Anthony glanced at her watching her closely before slowly reaching his hand out and placing it over hers.  "It isn't anybody one's fault.  I know that, I do know that now.  I mean what I said that I wouldn't pressure you to doing anything you don't want to do.  I don't mind waiting, even if it took a long time, because I have a feeling it would be worth the wait."  He smirked.   Melanie glanced at him taking a deep breath.  "But that wouldn't be fair to you to make you wait that long.  I, I don't even know myself yet, what I want to do.  How can you be so certain?  I wouldn't want you to put things on hold waiting for me.  I'm definitely not worth it."  She mumbled.  Anthony studied her a moment before speaking.  Shaking his head.  "You might feel that way now, but I have a feeling you will change your mind.  At some point.  You won't know when or how it will happen.  But someday you'll end up learning to feel differently." 

Anthony grew quiet after while allowing her some time to think, then spoke again.  "You know I would never want to replace your husband right?  Or take his place?  I certainly wouldn't want you to forget him.  I would be happy enough to be just your friend.  My offer still stands for coming to stay with me.  I want to help, be apart of the child's life.  But I can understand if you choose you don't want to.  If you choose to stay, then great.  We can figure out an arrangement of some sorts for going back and forth.  If you don't, we can file some papers stating for me to keep the child here with me."  He took a deep breath.  "I'll let you call the shots on what you want to do."

Melanie closed her eyes trying to think.  She wasn't sure what she wanted to do.  She felt like she was too under pressure, she couldn't handle all these choices and decisions.  ""I know you don't.  I know you wouldn't take the place of him."  She whispered.  "Nobody could ever do that.  Are you sure we really could do that?"  Anthony glanced at her curiously.  "Do what?"  She opened her eyes glancing at him.  "Going to being just friends?  When we are going to be having a child."  Anthony held his breath a moment as he heard her say we.  Before it had always been I.  It meant she was slowly starting to accept.  He wasn't even sure if Melanie realized the change of word she used.  "I'm not sure.  I would like to think that we can, because I don't want to lose you as a friend either."  Anthony admitted.

Melanie remained quiet looking hesitant before continuing.  "I, that Isn't what I really want."  She said quietly.  He looked at her rather surprised.  "I do want to be a mother, I did want to be a mother.  I thought that that was what I'd get to do when I was with Paul.  He..  He was the one who I really wanted to be with."  She began to ramble.  "And I feel guilty.  I feel guilty because, I enjoy being with you when he hasn't been gone long.  I also feel guilty when I'm with you, because all I think about when I'm with you is.."

She went quiet not wanting to finish the sentence.  Anthony continued to watch her as she began to ramble.  "Is that I'm not Paul."  He muttered finishing the sentence for her.  Knowing exactly what she was trying to say.  He noticed the tears starting to fall more freely down her face.  "I'm, I'm so sorry."  She whispered.  "I didn't say anything because I was afraid that, if I told you, you'd be mad, and that I'd lose you.  But I guess doing what I did, made the situation worse anyways.  I'm going to lose you either way."

Anthony let go of her hand, lifting his hand to wipe the tears off her cheek.  "Hey.."  He was surprised as he watched Melanie lean into him letting her head rest on his shoulder, burying her face in her hands as she began to cry.  He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close to him, remaining quiet as he watched her.  "It's okay.  It'll be okay.  You're not going to lose me." 

He glanced down at Melanie once he noticed she had grown quiet and noticed she had fallen asleep.  He lifted his hand to wipe the dry tears, then gently lifted her up in his arms to carry her back to the apartment.  Gently laying her in his bed and pulling the covers over her.  He watched as she switched positions curling up under the covers, smiling a bit as he noticed she seemed to be a bit more peaceful.  He slowly leaned forward giving her a kiss on her forehead.  "I love you Mel."  He whispered not wanting to wake her.  He shut off the light and closed the door once he exited out of the room.  Missing the small smile that had formed on Melanie's face after hearing his words.