Turning Pages

Chapter Nineteen

"True." Melanie got her suitcase from where she'd left it in the hallway and followed me to my room. She didn't say much as we got ready for bed and I unrolled my sleeping bag on the floor for her, but as we lay there in the pre-dawn purple, she said, "Addie, what would you have done? If Rob had asked you to run away with him, back when you were still in love with him, would you have gone?" 

I knew she wanted my honest answer, so I thought for a minute before I replied. "No, I wouldn't go, and I know Rob would never ask. He's not that kind of guy." 

She was quiet for a minute, then said softly, "That's the key right there, isn't it? To fall in love with someone who would never ask?" 

"Yeah, I think it is." 

She fell quiet, and a moment later I heard her breathing turn deep and rhythmic. I turned my face to my pillow and cried, so grateful to have her home safe.

@ ??1 

I rapped softly on the office door, then stuck my head inside. Blake had another stack of papers in front of him, or maybe it was the same stack and he'd never finished them-I couldn't tell. What I did see were the dark circles under his eyes. 

"Hey." I plopped down in the chair across from him. I didn't know where to begin. What he'd done was so selfless, I couldn't think of the words to explain how grateful I was. 

"Hey." He put the cap on his pen and set it down. "How's Melanie?" 

"Tired. And embarrassed. She just wants to make the whole thing disappear." 

"I'm glad she'll have that option." 

"Yeah, me too." I played with the hem of my shirt for a minute. "Listen, I just wanted you to know . . . I really appreciate what you did, trying to find her that way." 

"It really wasn't that big of a deal. Chase needed a navigator, I was free-" 

"I'm sure sleep was boring and you really wanted something better to do." 

"That sounds about right." He picked up his pen again, but I didn't feel right letting him shrug this off so casually. 

"It might not have been a big deal to you, but it was to me, and I just needed to tell you thanks." 

"We didn't find her-she came back on her own. We really didn't do anything."  

I fake-growled in frustration. "Will you just shut up and let me say thank you?" 

"Um, okay, if you're going to get all pit-bull about it." 

"I am. So, thank you. And stop arguing with me and just accept it. Okay? Can you do that?" 

Blake's slow grin worked its way across his face. "Okay. And you're welcome." 

@ ??1

When my best friend walked into the library that afternoon, it was all I could do not to race over and hug her, even though I'd seen her just hours before. The library patrons would be sure to wonder why I was so glad to see her-they had no idea she'd been gone. I tried to act casual. "So, how's it going?" 

"I took a long nap and a hot shower, ate a whole lot of cookies and ice cream, and now I'm at work." Melanie took a deep breath. "I think I'm about as good as I'm going to get for now." 

"And how shall we proceed? Treat you like you're made of glass and tiptoe around you, or laugh and make all kinds of anti-Luke jokes, or shoot for a happy medium and not talk about it unless it comes up naturally?" 

"I like that last option. This isn't something I want everyone to know, but there's no need to make it totally taboo. I'm okay, really. Just don't bring it up in front of random people."