In The Dark

59 - October 31st (Continued)

A few people took notice of Simon as he stood at the door of the ladies' toilets, but majority of the people in the room were watching as the Disney First Aid staff attended to an elderly woman on a bench across from the sinks. The woman had collapsed, suffering from exposure to the heat outside. Melanie was a few feet away with a toddler in her arms and a young child clutching her leg as they watched the First Aid crew attend to their grandmother. When the woman had collapsed, Melanie had stepped in and offered to mind the children so their mother could attend to the grandmother. The children were both crying and Melanie was gently assuring them that everything was fine.

Melanie glanced back at Simon and looked at him with shock, confused as to why he was in the ladies' toilets. He looked at her sheepishly and slowly approached her and the children.

"Simon, I don't think you're supposed to be in here," Melanie whispered, clutching the toddler tightly as it sobbed into her shoulder.

"Sorry," he replied awkwardly, looking over at the grandmother who was trying to assure the First Aid crew and her daughter that she was fine as they worried over her. He looked back at Melanie to find her looking at him with exasperation.

"I told you I was fine," she said, sounding slightly irritated. "You don't have to keep worrying about me."

Simon apologized again, not knowing what else to say. He watched as Melanie tended to the children, clutching the toddler tightly and kneeling down to the level of the other child to assure them their grandmother was going to be all right. The little girl wrapped her arms tightly around Melanie, still keeping a close eye on her mum and grandmother.

Feeling increasingly more awkward the longer he stood in the ladies' toilets, Simon casually made his way back outside to wait for Melanie. He avoided making eye contact with the women entering the toilets and he went back to the bench he had been sitting on earlier.

He watched as the grandmother was taken out of the washroom in a wheelchair, followed close behind by her daughter and Melanie with the children. The woman turned and thanked Melanie profusely for helping with the children as she took the toddler from her. The little girl let go of Melanie's hand and hugged her tightly around the waist before following her mother and grandmother to the First Aid building at the entrance of the park.

Melanie walked back toward Simon and crossed her arms, looking at him smugly. He shrugged as he got to his feet, apologizing once again for being overprotective.

"What happened?" he asked as the two of them walked toward New Orleans Square where Andy had let Simon know the group would wait for them.

"That lady was really dizzy and was having a hard time standing up," Melanie replied. "They think it was maybe heat stroke or something." Simon nodded and waved at Andy, catching sight of him over at the Haunted Mansion.

"We should get you something to drink," Simon stated, seeing a snack vendor across from the ride. "And get you out of the sun for a bit."

"Simon!" Melanie groaned irritably. "I am a grown up, you know. I don't need you babying me all the time."

Simon smiled sheepishly and shrugged, apologizing once again. Melanie rolled her eyes and joined Brian, AJ, and Emma, assuring them she was fine as they observed the bandages around her elbows.

Vern looked at Simon with amusement and shrugged.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Apparently, I need to start treating her more like a grown up," Simon replied with amusement as he rolled his eyes. "She was basically a child just a few weeks ago. I can't help it."