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He bid his parents farewell and headed to the gym. Evening climbing was off the table until this ridiculous play was over, so when he departed his apartment this morning for church, he came with gear and a change of clothes in his trunk.
While he changed in the locker room, his phone notification went off.
Melody: Hey there. Just me, no family here. Then my mom lives in Chicago last I knew. Anyway I was busy too, composing the music with TJ. It’s coming great! I haven’t felt this good about it before so maybe it won’t be a disaster after all.
TJ was happy to be the reason for Melody’s joy. She needed it.
Jeremy: Glad to hear that. You’ve been way too stressed about this play. You’ll need a vacation after this.
He wanted to poke and prod about her lack of family since he knew so little. But then she would naturally askhimmore questions. And he needed to steer their conversations far away from him.
Melody: As if. My next vacation will be spring break at the community college, but Artisan’s Hope will still need me.
This was it. The whole reason he’d started this online dating scheme. It was time to bring up the wedding.
Jeremy: Maybe I can take you for a date, then. Are you open to meeting in person?
Melody: What are you suggesting?
He measured his words carefully. He could blow his cover so easily. But this was one thing he had to be honest about if he had any hope of ending up with Melody at his side.
Jeremy: I’m invited to a wedding the Saturday before Valentine’s Day. Philipp Benson. I’d love to meet you and take you to the wedding with me.
Melody: No way! He’s marrying TJ’s cousin. TJ will be there, too.
Jeremy: Small world. What do you say?
Melody: I don’t know… My mom decided she’s going to show up that weekend to visit.
TJ eased down onto the bench in the men’s locker room, pushing his climbing shoes aside. This was news to him. He didn’t know much about Melody’s mom, but he knew they weren’t close. Other than that, all he knew was that Melody absolutely and positively did not want to talk about her mom and never had.
ButJeremydidn’t know that.
Jeremy: I see no problem with that. The wedding will only be a few hours.
Knowing his cousin’s tendency for extravagance, it would be a few hours too long.
Melody: Uh…yeah probably not. It’s not that I don’t want to meet you…just bad timing.
Should he push? If he was TJ, he wouldn’t when he knew he should. But since he was Jeremy at the moment, he was going to push when he knew he shouldn’t.
Jeremy: Do you get along okay with your mom?
Her reply took so long, he wondered if she’d decided she was done with Jeremy. Then, finally…
Melody: No
Jeremy: Why not?
He waited again for what felt like an eternity. Should he go home and forget about climbing?
Melody: My mom wasn’t very nice to me as a kid. I probably deserved it but I still don’t like to be around her. She’s still not nice.
TJ’s breath expelled from his mouth. Melody had never said a word.
Jeremy:How not nice? Are you speaking of abuse?
Melody:Yeah I guess
