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They were walking through the aisles. His mother’s few items were more like ten. Half weren’t needed for today either, but he let it go. He knew she got groceries on Monday and hated going more than she had to.
They were halfway through the store when he heard his name called and turned.
“Melanie,” he said.
“Brent, I thought that was you.”
Melanie’s eyes started to fill and she rushed toward him and pulled him tight to her chest. He’d forgotten she was a huggie type of girl. Always wanting to touch him when Rob was alive too.
When she finally let go of him, he asked, “How have you been?”
“Hanging in there. You know how hard it is. You look great. Wow. I’d heard you were struggling, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen you look this good.”
He flushed. He didn’t like the fact that people might have been talking about him and not in a positive manner either.
“Thanks,” he said. “I’m doing well. It’s not easy, as you know. Melanie Frasier, this is Vivian Getman.”
“Nice to meet you,” Melanie said. “Callie is going to be so upset now.”
That was the last thing he wanted brought up. “I’m sure she’ll be just fine.”
“But she had such high hopes for you. Unless this is the same type of relationship you had with her. If it is, then when you’re done, give her a call.”
He wanted to growl at her when she’d said that. There was no way to avoid this now. “I won’t be calling her, you can let her know that if you want.”
“You don’t have to be mean,” Melanie said, pouting. “That was always Rob’s bad trait.”
“Don’t go there,” he said. “Not for either of us.”
He grabbed Vivian’s hand and walked away, rushing through the store to finish getting the items on the list.
When they were in his SUV, Vivian finally said, “Are you going to share what that was all about or leave me hanging?”
There was no way out of this. “That was Rob’s old girlfriend. They’d been dating for months before he was killed. She was high strung and needy and he didn’t always give in.”
“What was she needy about? Wanting more time with him or wanting you out of the apartment so they could live together?”
“Both,” he said. “I’ll admit I’m blind at times. Even those things right in front of my face, but with Rob I knew most of what was going on in his mind. He didn’t want to live with her. He didn’t want to do much with her other than have a good time. She wanted more and he didn’t. He’d told her enough times.”
“Hence her comment about being mean?”
“Yes. Rob told it the way it was. Always. He was unapologetic about it and those close to him were fine with it. I never had a problem.”
“I would have probably liked him,” she said.
“You absolutely would have. I think the two of you would have gotten along well. Most likely better than we do.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she said. “I think we do well together.”
“We do, don’t we?”
“Two misfits,” she said. “So...Callie?”
“Yeah. Didn’t think I was going to get away with you forgetting that.”
“Sorry. What kind of relationship did you have with her? Or don’t I want to know?”
“It’s what you guessed I’m sure. We hooked up and that was about it. She was friends with Melanie and came to the apartment a lot.”
