"OK that's everything," Meg told the movers as they finished hauling in the rest of the furniture into her and Melissa's new apartment in Florida.
Melissa stood by herself leaving against Meg's car. She had wanted to stay in New York City but AJ had told Meg about the apartment in Florida which was close to where he and Nick lived and Meg decided that it would be great to move closer to AJ.
It isn't fair, Melissa told herself. She was just finally starting to get the hang of counting the steps around her old apartment in New York City and now she had to get used to a whole different apartment.
Plus now since they lived so close it was inevitable that she would bump into Nick but what would she say? She still loved him but knew that letting him date other girls was only fair.
It wasn't just that she was scared of how awkward it would be when they did meet up. It was something bigger. It was the secret she'd been keeping to herself for about 2 weeks now. After her last doctors check up she got a call from the doctor asking to see her. She thought it was only because of her blindness or maybe they never did get all of the tumor out but it turned out to be something completely different.
"How have you been feeling lately Melissa?" the doctor had asked her.
"I guess OK," she had told him with a shrug.
"Any feelings of nausea lately?"
"Well, yea I have felt pretty nauseous and usually wind up throwing up but I thought it was an effect from my operation or something."
"Let me ask you something else. When was the last time you had sex?"
"About a little over a month ago when my boyfriend came to visit," she had answered nervously wondering what could be wrong.
"Did the two of you use protection?"
"Umm I think so." She never usually let Nick touch her without a condom. "What are you trying to say Doctor?"
"Well, according to your tests you're pregnant."
"That's impossible!"
"Actually it's not impossible. Condoms do break sometimes you know."
These past two weeks she hadn't told a soul, not even Meg. She had no idea what shows going to do. How was she going to have a kid and raise it on her own when she was blind? She could barely take care of herself never mind a kid. Plus now things were going to be worse because now that she was living so close to Nick she would have to tell him sooner or later.
Why does all this happen to me? Melissa wondered. I've only actually had sex what 3 times? Meg has probably done it a million times more than I have but why am I the one to get pregnant?
"C'mon Mel!" she heard Meg yell. "Let's check out our new place!"
Yea, Melissa thought. Like I can really check it out when I can't even see.
Later that evening there was a knock on the door. Meg got up and answered it and was happy to see AJ and Nick. "Hey guys! Come in! Mel!" she called "We got visitors!"
Melissa emerged from one of the other rooms and as soon as Nick saw her he felt a pang of loneliness. He had missed her so much and still couldn't figure out why she hated him so much. She looked a lot better than the last time he had seen her. By now her hair had grown long enough to go out without wearing anything over her head, but it was still very short. It looked really good on her though. It made her look older somehow. She was wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a lime green tank top with thin straps. Nick had to admit she looked good.
"Who's here?" Melissa asked Meg.
"It's AJ and Nick," Meg told her.
"Oh joy," Melissa said sarcastically.
"You realize they are both standing right here, right?" Meg asked her.
"Oopps my bad! You guys weren't supposed to hear that. Please forgive me. I'm blind," Melissa told them still in a sarcastic tone.
She's still bitter, Nick realized. It had been about 2 months since their breakup and she still hated him even though he hadn't really done anything to hurt her.
Meg lead AJ over to the couch where they started talking, leaving Nick and Melissa alone.
"Hey Mel," he said.
Why is he calling me Mel? she wondered. He never used to call me that. He always used to call me Babydoll. Then she remembered that day in the hospital where she told him never to call her that again.
"Oh umm hi Nick," she said, not knowing what to say as she nervously ran her hand through her short hair.
"You look great."
"Yea, well I'd hope so. I mean I looked like crap the last time you saw me."
"Yea." There was a long awkward silence where they both fought for words to say. Tell him, Melissa told herself but she couldn't bring herself to say the words.
"So has there been anyone new in your life?" he asked.
"No," she answered simply. Who would want to date a blind girl anyway? she wondered. "What about you?"
"No one special. I've been dating but..." but no one else comes close to you, he added silently.
"Oh I see," she said slightly sad. Why should she be upset that he was dating other girls? They did break up. Finally she couldn't take anymore of this. It was like they were playing a game. She quickly mumbled an excuse about having a headache and ran to her room, flopped across her bed and cried.
"She hasn't gotten much better has she?" AJ asked Meg.
"Nope. She keeps getting worse and worse. It's been hell especially these past 2 weeks."
"Why especially these past 2 weeks?"
"I don't know. Something big has been bothering her."
"Did you try asking her?"
"Yea, a couple of times but she refuses to tell me."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to find out no matter what it takes," Meg promised and she definitely meant it.