Chapter 5: Eager (short)
After being put on probation with the studio, Melinda and Dean kept their relationship a secret. Since Dean was an actor, he used his skills to his advantage and kept everyone guessing. They went to the beach, they played with Dean’s dog until she ran out of energy. They partied with other Hollywood socialites, they always managed to give paparazzi the slip. Before long they planned a vacation to St. Barts for the week.
Their first couple of months together wee magical. They drank and danced and spent time together like normal couples. They never really fought, argued or disagreed on anything. Melinda was still skeptical about Dean and his obsessed fans but so far it didn’t seem like a problem since no one knew. They prepped for their flight and Dean let his friend Matt take care of his dog for the week.
On the plane, Melinda was excited to sit next to Dean, who hated planes from a really bad incident he experienced. Melinda never got to experience first class. The plush seating, the 5 star flight attendant service. It was quiet in first class. Melinda loved flying through the wispy clouds, away from the rest of the world and its troubles. Away from her past. There was something about Dean that made her vulnerable and open like book.
Melinda sighed as she rubbed Dean’s bare chest and laid next to him while he stared at her laying in his arms.
“So can I ask you what you hate so much about love? ” he asked
“Well… When I was 21 I met this kid. I fell so hard for him. We were together for 3 years, until he left me when I told him I was pregnant. It was ironic because after I had that stupid abortion he came back to me with baby clothes 3 months later. ” she responded. She closed her eyes and listened to his breathing.
“You gave up your baby for a deadbeat. I’m sure you felt like shit. I hope he felt like trash.” Dean said.
“I don’t know. I left him and he never bothered to apologize. I know the baby wasn’t planned but… I wanted it. Though I knew I couldn’t handle it alone. So I did what I thought was best. I regret it. I was finally moving on with my life and here comes Dean, chiseled good looks and charisma.” Melinda said smiling.
“Here I come and there goes your panties.” Dean said laughing while Melinda lightly hit him on his chest.
“Shut up! ” She said giggling.
Melinda rested her head on the window and put her headphones in her ears. She chewed gum and ignored the world with her eyes closed. Before she knew it an hour had passed, she looked to her right and Dean wasnt stirring so she figured he was asleep. She got a sudden uneasy feeling building in the pit of her stomach. She raised from her seat and quietly slid into the bathroom. The feeling made its way towards her esophagus. She doubled over the sink and dry heaved a couple times. She remembered that she hadn’t eaten anything since the night before. She still managed to cough up clear phlegm. Her stomach felt heavy.
“Oh please no.” She thought to herself. She poked her head out the bathroom door and whispered to a passing by flight attendant.
“Do you need help miss? ” she asked Melinda, who nodded.
“Can you please go to my seat and get my bag from underneath, I brought… a pregnancy test in it with me. I think…i need to take it…now.” Melinda struggled.
“You were sitting in A-2 correct? Next to that actor? In business class? ” the attendant asked. Melinda nodded again.
The flight attendant slyly dug through Melinda’s toiletries bag and pulled out the pink and white box, and slowly made her way back to the bathroom. She knocked lightly and Melinda peeked out and took the box.
“Thank you so much! ” She said closing the door. She ripped the box open and sat on the toilet. She started her timer as she waited to be done with the stick which she set down on a paper towel.
She flushed and the timer on her phone beeped after 3 minutes. 2 bold pink lines. Positive.
“Oh…Shit.” She uttered to herself.
Velveteen Wabbitt 