Point of View Matters

Melissa Leaves

Melissa dragged the blanket and pillow back to the spare room and dumped them on the bed. She then headed towards the shower with a change of clothing.

She stood in the shower, running her hands over her bump. How had she managed to convince herself that it was just weight gain. It seemed now that she knew, the tiny thing inside was trying to make up for lost time by moving around and making sure she knew it existed.

She had chosen a long dress that had a square neckline that concealed her chest. Slipping her feet into a comfortable pair of flats she headed back downstairs to find her phone. She found it easily because it had started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Melissa, darling, how are you?"

"Morgana, good morning, I'm so sorry—"

"—No sorry required dearest," Morgana said, "I'm not calling to chase, just to worry. You've only been delayed in replying to email when something was dreadfully wrong. Spill!"

Melissa closed her eyes, breath wavering, "Jared asked me to leave."

"Where are you?" Morgana asked.

"Home," Melissa said, "but I have a doctor's appointment at the hospital in two and a half hours. I'm pregnant."

"Holy shit," Morgana said.

"Yeah," Melissa said. She could hear a bunch of noise on the other side of the call.

"You don't plan on driving yourself, right, darling?" Morgana asked.

Melissa smiled. Morgana was the type of woman who called everybody pet names. It always warmed her heart. She also knew that Melissa hated driving. The person who had taught her to drive had been fond of yelling - she could, if needed, drive. But she hated it.

"We'll be there shortly, pack a bag, you're staying with us."

"No..." Melissa said, she didn't want to put them out.

"Yes. We're in the car already so spit spot."

Melissa stared at her phone. The call had been disconnected. She dumped her phone on the kitchen counter before she headed back upstairs. She grabbed her favourite suitcase - which was rose pink and had wheels, and hurriedly stuffed in underwear, socks, and enough dresses for a few days. She stuffed in her favourite pair of slippers and fluffy robe as well. Oh, and nightgowns. Eep and shorts - chub rub was a problem when one wore dresses.

She then headed to her office and grabbed her laptop which was put directly into the backpack style bag made especially to keep it safe. She paused, looking at the empty bottles on the ground but decided to leave them right where they were.

She headed downstairs and towards the front door just as she heard someone knocking.

"It's just us, darling!"

Melissa opened the door and as expected was pulled into a cuddle by the red head, who then grabbed her bags and shooed her towards the car.

"Hey, Melissa," Anastasia said, "You're staying with us. We are not letting you stay alone in that apartment, not in your condition."

Melissa simply smiled in response before climbing into the backseat.

Morgana stashed her things in the boot and then opened her door, "You're in the wrong seat, Missy."

Melissa shook her head, "I'm fine right here."

Anastasia grinned, "does the seatbelt fit?"

Melissa tried. It did not.

"Front seat, Ma'am."

Melissa climbed out of the back and then sat in the front passenger seat whilst Morgana climbed into the seat behind her.

"I gotta ask," Morgana said, "Who's the daddy?"

Melissa sighed, "Probably Reece."

"The fuck?" spat Anastasia.

"Fucker!" declared Morgana, at the same time as her wife.

"Jared doesn't know," Melissa said, quietly, "Well, he knows I um was with someone else. Just not who. I chickened out."

"Was it by choice?" Anastasia asked, equally as quiet.

Melissa shook her head, "no."

"He forced you?" Anastasia said.

"N... no. Well, maybe. He gave me a drink and I think it had something in it. Things are really fuzzy."

"What do you remember?" Anastasia asked.

"I didn't remember any of it, until last night. I had a dream and bits came back," Melissa said, "it was the big launch party."

"You hate parties." Morgana said.

"Yes, so I was hiding in the kitchen making real food," Melissa said, "He found me and handed me a drink and then mentioned the photos that my cousin has been using to blackmail me for years. So, I drank it."

"Your cousin sucks." Morgana said.

"Yes, yes he does," Melissa said.

"Then what?" Anastasia said.

"I turned the oven off. I was heating quiche."

"Uh huh." Morgana said.

"Then he might have kissed me, I don't know. But he grabbed my arms and then made me walk up the back stairs and into the spare room on the second floor," Melissa paused, she'd never said it out loud before.

"It's okay honey, he can't hurt you now," Anastasia said.

"I said no. I asked him to stop. I begged him to stop. But he wouldn't. I remember the smell of him as he was on top of me, inside me, and grunting like a pig." Melissa said, "I woke up alone and naked and I couldn't remember anything, maybe didn't want to. Instead of telling anyone, I just cleaned the bedding and myself and tried to pretend nothing had happened."

Anastasia pulled the car over to the side of the road and when stopped, she leaned over and gave Melissa a hug while Morgana leaned forward and hugged both the seat and her friend.

They didn't let go until her breathing had returned to normal and she'd stopped crying.

Anastasia squeezed Melissa's knee before starting the car and pulling back into traffic.

"Please, let's talk about something else. Any news on the movie idea?" Melissa asked.

Morgana groaned, "I want to say no."

"Does that no have to do with the scriptwriter choices?" Melissa said.

Morgana coughed, "Yes."

"No matter what, Jared's good at what he does," Melissa said, "And he will listen and respect you and your original text."

"She's worried about our friend who is you, not him," Anastasia said.

"Oh," Melissa said, feeling both grateful and touched. "Better him than someone who would change the story too much. That would be a crime."

Anastasia snorted, "Told you so, Butterfly."

Morgana laughed, "Yes, you did, Buttercup. I've also been approached by a traditional publishing company though which would mean they would want me to work with their editors. I told them I already have an editor," Morgana said, "They are willing to offer you a job."

Melissa wrinkled her nose. She liked her job the way it was - getting to pick her own hours and choose which projects she worked on.

"They are going to contact you," Morgana said, "but zero pressure, darling. Just be a dear and hear them out, okay?"

"Okay, I guess I can do that," Melissa said, "I would miss getting to read your stuff before it's published. Having to wait that long would be painful!"

"Oh, psssh darling, you know I'd always sneak you a copy of the first draft," Morgana said, chuckling.

Anastasia snorted, "Do I get the first draft? No."

"Well... it's not at all polished at that point Buttercup!" Morgana said, "You are the only one who I read the completed thing out loud to."

Anastasia purred in response.

Melissa chuckled. He hadn't done it in a while, but Jared had used to read her things he was writing. He said reading it out loud made the errors way more noticeable. He wasn't wrong. Sometimes, she would sit and read what she was editing - as long as she was certain nobody would overhear.

Melissa closed her eyes, just for a moment.

"Sweetness, where's your appointment?"

"Wakey, wakey, we have no eggs or bacon!"

"Oh shoot," Melissa said, "My doctor wanted to meet at the hospital."

"Excellent, we assumed as much and are here with twenty minutes to spare," Anastasia said.

"We're coming in with you," Morgana announced.

"Thank you," Melissa said. She didn't want to go in alone. There was a very good chance she'd run into her mother-in-law. Elizabeth Wakefield was one of the leading obstetrician-gynaecologists in the country.

Melissa had always found her to be an incredibly impressive woman. Her family had money, old money, and she could have been a socialite but instead had chosen to work hard, focus on her career and made a name for herself by being brilliant and remarkable.

Reece had always said that Jared's parents hated her. It had been so easy to believe. Especially since her own parents had cut all ties before Emma was born. Melissa hadn't even been able to stay in touch with her brother and sister who had only been eight when she'd left home at nineteen. Left home being code for got kicked out for getting pregnant while unmarried.

Scandalous and unforgivable.

Still, Melissa couldn't imagine Emma doing anything that would ever mean that she didn't complete love and adore her daughter. Unconditionally.

Too Many Parents

Multiple Point of View

"Fuck."

Melissa spun around and walked smack into Morgana, who had been directly behind her. They had just reached the waiting area and two of the last people she had ever expected to see there, were in fact right there. Hopefully they hadn't seen her.

"Darling, what is it?" Morgana said.

"Someone you don't want to see?" Anastasia murmured.

Melissa nodded, "My parents are sitting next to the fish tank." She clenched her hands together and pressed them to her mouth. Why were they there? They lived on the other side of the freaking country!

"Let's just sit," Morgana said before helping Melissa in the closest chair. Noticing that her friend sat, facing her.

Anastasia went in search of tea, knowing that Melissa loved the smell of coffee but adored the taste of a decent cup of tea.

Melissa grumbled a little, sitting sideways was not comfortable. She straightened her position but stared at the ground, willing herself to not look in their direction.

"When's the last time you saw them?" Morgana asked.

"Two days before Christmas, nineteen years ago," Melissa said. They didn't like Jared and hated that she'd had sex without being married and decided that they didn't want her in their life anymore. So, they had packed her bags and sent her on her way.

She hadn't even been given time to say goodbye to her siblings, eight-year-old twins: Mark and Rose. Melissa had no idea what the twins had been told. But she assumed it was something that made it all her own fault.

Why were they there?

"Hey, breathe." Morgana said, squeezing her friends knee, "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Melissa sighed, "Too much. I don't know why they are here. I doubt they know I live nearby. But they live on the other coast. I just... I don't know if I want them to notice me or not. I don't know how they would react. Part of me wants them to want me... that's really stupid, right?"

"Nope. They're stupid." Morgana said.

Melissa snorted, unintentionally.

"What was that noise?" Morgana asked, pretending to be shocked. The best way to help Melissa get out of her head was to make her laugh.

"Nothing," Melissa said, digging through her purse for a tissue, "Crap, I forgot my phone."

"Do you need it?" Morgana asked.

"No, but nobody can reach me." Melissa replied.

"Well, they can wait," Morgana said.

Anastasia returned and handed Melissa a cup of tea and a muffin - white chocolate and cranberry. She also had a muffin for herself and Morgana but hadn't wanted to balance three hot drinks so had grabbed a soda to share with her wife.

Melissa looked up, gratefully, "Oh, thank you."

Anastasia sat next to Morgana as they sat and ate quietly.

Melissa took a sip of her tea, closing her eyes. The café was relatively new, and their hot drinks were next level delicious.

"Melissa? Is that really you?" a male voice popped up.

Melissa froze. Damn. She opened her eyes and stared at a younger man... clearly her brother. She shook her head without thinking. She didn't want to lie but she did not want him calling attention to her presence.

She was scared of her parents - especially her mother. Memories of the things her mother had said still haunted her nightmares and when that little voice in her head was being especially nasty, it was always her mom's voice.

"You look exactly like Rose, well older of course..." the voice trailed off, "Melissa? You just left without even saying goodbye."

Melissa sighed, glancing over at her parents who were both busy looking at their phones, "Hey, Mark. What brings you to this part of the country?"

"Hey." Mark said, "It's been like eighteen years. I was eight years old, and I get home from a friend's birthday party to learn that you just up and left. And now, here you are, clearly pregnant while also being old as balls..."

"Watch your mouth," Morgana snapped, "you don't know the whole story so just mind your manners."

"OH, I'm sorry, are you her wife?" Mark sneered.

"No, she's my wife," Morgana said, indicating Anastasia, "She's my best friend and you're being a jerk."

Melissa glanced over at her parents again, grateful that they were still completely focused on their phones.

Mark, noticing that she looked, laughed, "don't want them to notice you, huh?"

"Please, don't make a scene. Nobody needs or wants that," Melissa said.

Mark scoffed, "Mom. Dad. Look who I found."

Melissa wanted to disappear when they heard him yelling and looked right at her. Fuck.

However, they simply looked and then went back to their phones.

"Guess they don't forgive you for running off either, slut." Mark hissed.

Morgana went to leap up and smack him right in his smug little face but was hindered as the women on each side held down her arms.

"Just go away," Melissa said, "leave me alone, please."

"No, I want to know why you just left? Why you couldn't just admit to what you'd done and repent," Mark insisted.

"Repent this, doorknob," Morgana said, flipping him off. It made no sense, but she did not care. Old as balls... Morgana was five years older than Melissa.

"She was kicked out, you ass. Your parents didn't like the choices she was making so they packed her shit and kicked her out," Anastasia said.

Melissa went bright red. Anastasia had been loud enough so that people were now looking at them. Including her damn parents.

"No..." Mark said, "she lied to you. Edward showed me the pictures of your dear, sweet friend in the middle of a lesbian orgy. When asked about it, she got all pissy and decided to leave and never come back. Isn't that right, sister?"

Melissa shocked even herself when she laughed, those damn pictures, "It was hardly an orgy. It was just kissing."

"So that makes it okay?" Mark said.

"It wasn't a crime," Melissa said. If she could go back in time, she'd treat that damn cousin of hers quite a lot differently to how she had. He would have heard the word "no" loud and clear and repeatedly.

"The bible—"

"—Shut up right now with that, thanks," Morgana said, "go back to your parents and behave, little boy."

Melissa shifted in her seat, uncomfortably. The room had gotten really quiet, and everybody was looking now.

"Mark, come away now. These people are not worthy of your time or attention. No need to make a scene."

Melissa bit her lip, scootched back on the chair and stared down at her hands which were clasped together on the top of her bump.

Morgana squeezed Melissa's knee while Anastasia moved to sit in the empty seat on the other side of their friend.

Melissa smiled, and looked up at her own mother, "Mom, you said you'd rather die than exist on the east coast. Are you actually capable of changing your mind? Fascinating."

"Don't talk to me," her mother said, "and do not call me that. You're no child of mine."

"Rose lives here, with her husband. The one she married before having coitus and becoming with child," Mark said, "She's the good daughter."

Morgana wanted to smack the smug look right off both their faces.

Anastasia pondered climbing into Morgana's lap so that her wife couldn't get up. These assholes would most certainly involve the law.

Melissa's dad walked up and put his hands on both his son and wife's shoulders before gently leading them to the other side of the room. He didn't' even bother to say anything.

Melissa took a deep breath. That had been shitty. She focused on her breathing, listening as the room regained that hum of noise that occurs when people are busy trying to talk quietly to each other.

She finished her muffin and the tea. Occasionally, she'd glance over at her parents. They were still looking at their phones. Her brother was staring at her with a look of disgust. Awesome. Feeling rejected felt super great.

"Melissa Wakefield?"

A female with a clipboard had called her name. She stood and headed towards the woman.

"You want us to come with?" Morgana asked.

"No, I'll be fine. You two must be hungry - the wedges with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce are delicious. I highly recommend them," Melissa said.

"You sure?" Anastasia said.

"Yeah, darling you good or just pretending?" Morgana said.

Melissa nodded, "I promise, I'm good. If I'm done before you return I'll head directly for the café."

It was a short walk to the examination room.

"Melissa?" a young man asked.

Melissa nodded. Feeling instantly nervous.

"Did you get the message regarding your appointment?"

Melissa frowned a little, "no. I forgot my phone."

"Ah, Doctor Wilson had a family emergency, so you're stuck with me today, I hope that's okay."

Melissa wanted to say no but that seemed unreasonable. Instead, she merely nodded again. His smell reminded her of Reece - they must wear the same aftershave or deodorant or something.

"You're thirty-nine? How far along are you?" he asked.

"Almost thirty-nine yes," Melissa said, "I think about seven months. But I didn't realise... I didn't know that I was pregnant." She again went bright red. Feeling incredibly foolish. Now that she knew, she didn't understand how she had missed it.

"Ah, that actually happens more than you might think. Especially with women who are older and perhaps suspect peri or actual menopause."

He patted the table.

She sat on the side of it, feeling a strange sense of fear. She could feel her heart racing. She tried to tell herself that she was just being silly, but it wasn't working.

"Have you never had an ultrasound before? You seem really nervous," he leaned forward and ran a hand down her arm.

It had surely been intended as a calming move, but Melissa mind slammed right back to the night with Reece. She let out a cry and moved off the table and into the corner where she sank down onto her bottom, wishing she could curl up and hide behind her knees. She sat shaking and sobbing. Feeling completely embarrassed but yet unable to control herself or stop.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry," she stammered, between sobs.

He left and went looking for her friends and his boss. This was way above his pay grade.

Melissa Again

Melissa pinched the end of her nose, forcing herself to slow her breathing. She needed to calm down. She may not have been exactly thrilled to be pregnant, but she did not want to lose the baby all the same.

"Melissa?"

Melissa swallowed. She knew that voice. Doctor Elizabeth Wakefield. Her mother-in-law.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out," Melissa said.

Elizabeth knelt down next to her, "is it okay if I put my hand on your knee?"

Melissa looked up and met her gaze before nodding.

"Right now, you're showing signs of having been abused," Elizabeth said softly, "Was it Jared?"

Melissa shook her head vehemently, "No. He would never."

"His friend Reece wears the same cologne as our young doctor," Elizabeth said, "I find it awfully overwhelming at times. It's too woodsy. Almost trying too hard."

Melissa twitched. She didn't want to think about that.