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"Yeah." Duke answers in a sigh, his body language suggests he wants to be anywhere, but walking out that door.
"Hot date?" She wiggles her eyebrows, trying to get him to lighten up. He has been so serious lately, taking his fatherly role seriously, a little too seriously.
"More like an itch that needs scratching.” He responds. “You know I would rather be here." His eyes pleading. Begging her to let him stay.
She pushes him out the door. "Go, Duke. Go have fun. We will be okay."
"Fine.” He circles around her to give Ollie a kiss on the forehead. Marisol throwing daggers at him the whole time.
"You're lucky you were there for her when she needed it, or I would have cut your balls off." Marisol says to Duke as he walks out the door. He rolls his eyes and pulls Melody in for a kiss on her forehead.
“See you later tonight, okay?” He calls out before the door clicks closed.
“He is going to be hard to get rid of, isn't he?” Marisol asks. “I think he really wants to play daddy to your mommy.” She sing-songs, her gaze softening when she looks at Oliver. Doting on him.
"You look like me, little one, well more like your daddy, huh? Gah! Look at that smile! Melody, he even has the dimples!” She says excitedly. "I wish I had gotten Mami's dimples."
Melody looks over Marisol's shoulder. Yep, those dimples are show-stoppers.
"Have you talked to him?" Marisol asks her softly, treading lightly probably, trying to spare her feelings.
"No." Melody admits. "Have you?" Hoping for a little bit of news.
She forces herself not to look at his social media, afraid of seeing him with another woman. That would gut her, even though that's precisely what she wants him to do. She wants him to enjoy his college years. Drink too much and screw around. She wants him to achieve all his goals in life. He won't be able to do that with a baby in tow. He just won't. Then he would resent her or, worse, resent little Ollie.
"A little. He is busy.” She pauses. “I'm a little worried that he is going to overdo it. He is trying to fast-track his graduation. He already applied to some physical therapy school back home for early admission."
Melody nods in understanding. He wants to get away from here, away from her.
"He had a birthday recently, didn't he?” Melody asks, trying to change the subject.
"Yes! Officially 21. I actually need to give him his gift. Are you sure you don't want to come?”
Melody laughs. “Is that a serious question? Look at me, Marisol, I’m a whale, and everything still hurts. And to make matters worse, I seem to perpetually smell like baby puke."
She finishes her rant, pity party mode engaged. "Sorry.” She apologizes, “I can’t rant like this to Duke. He just says I’m beautiful and shit, and I don't like hearing it. Not from him. He is my friend, best friend here at least, but I don't want him to think we can just step right back into relationship mode."
"Well, you failed." Says Marisol, holding up a fussy Oliver to her. "Duke is getting awfully comfortable here.”
Marisol surveys the house. Duke's shoes are by the door, his school bag on the hook next to Meody’s purse. “He is already playing house. If you don't want him to get confused, you better be careful." Settling Oliver in Melody’s arms to nurse. "But, I get it, you need the support right now, and like it or not, he is good at it."
Pulling out her breast for Ollie, Marisol shrieks. "Damn, girl! Your tits are giant, what happened! Did the baby really do that? Shit, do you pull these puppies out when Duke’s here? No wonder the poor sap doesn't wanna leave.”
Melody huffs out a laugh. “This is why I can't go out in public. I’m huge in every sense of the word, and this kid eats like 12 times a day. I'd be whipping out my boobs all over the place, and no one needs to see that." She really hadn't been out of her apartment since Oliver was born. Aside from going to the local bookstore, which she frequents often, even at two weeks postpartum, she walked her ass down to the bookstore. It was her happy place.
"Well, I, for one, am glad you don't want to see Graham today. He'd be all over that in a second, and I wouldn’t be able to stop him from accosting you in a public place." Marisol gestures at her chest with her finger.
She sits there watching her nurse with a strange look in her eye. "Are you ever going to tell him? I mean, what’s your plan?” Marisol asks quietly. “I feel weird keeping this from him. I get it, I really do, girl, but that's his kid.” Her face drops a little.
“I will tell him, eventually, once he gets to a place where this whole thing won't affect him too much.” She responds. “I really have no idea what I am doing, Marisol. I don't know if I’m making the right decision. I don't know if I'm making a huge mistake by not telling him.” Melody’s eyes tear up suddenly. “Am I? Doing the right thing?”
“I don’t know girl. I just don't know.” Marisol pauses, letting the quiet overtake the room for a few minutes, keeping her gaze focused on the tiny little baby in her arms.
“Did you always want to be a mom?" Marisol asks.
"No." Melody sighs, answering honestly. "The thought literally never crossed my mind, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. And this little boy is even more special than I could have dreamed." She gazes at the little life she created.
"Well, okay, then, that’s enough of that emotional shit. Where do I put my stuff? I am staying for a month and need my space."
