~Chapter Five~

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It had been a week since the accident. Melanie was pushing her cart through the grocery store checking items off her list that she would need for her first week back to work. Tammy had agreed to stay at her home during the two weeks that she needed to start work to set up her classroom and begin attending faculty meetings. Melanie was truly thankful for the bond Tammy had with her children and the relationship that she had with the woman. Patty had often shared horror stories about the things her mother-in-law had said and done to her, but Melanie could honestly say that Tammy was one of her closet friends. The bond between the two women had only intensified during her and David's second year of marriage when Melanie's parents had been killed in a car accident while Melanie was still pregnant with Jessica. Yes, at times like this Melanie was truly thankful for the bond she shared with her precious mother-in-law.

Scanning her list, Melanie turned the corner and bumped into another cart. Glancing up to apologize, Melanie's breath caught in her throat as she found herself staring into the light blue eyes of the very handsome Dr. Chris Waters.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," Chris stated with a smile on his face. Melanie couldn't help but noticed how his eyes crinkled giving him almost a boyish look. He was dressed casually in an old band t-shirt and dark jeans.

"Umm, yeah, hello" Melanie stammered as she felt her cheeks redden slightly. "I'm sorry I bumped into you."

"No harm, no foul," Chris said smiling wider glancing behind her he noted the absence of her kids. "No kids this trip?" He questioned still disarming Melanie with her smile.

"No, Jessica and Thomas are with their dad this weekend," Melanie replied her lips drawing down in a slight frown. "I'm just getting a few things to make my return to work easier for Tammy over the next few weeks."

"Returning to work?" Chris questioned his eyebrows going up slightly.

"Yep," Melanie smiled sounding excited at the prospect of returning to the classroom again "I teach kindergarten at Ben Jackson Elementary School. I start back tomorrow."

"A kindergarten teacher huh?" Chris' smile grew even wider. "My first crush was on Mrs. Blackwood my kindergarten teacher." Chris smirked at her. Melanie laughed lightly at his facial expression. He was so sweet and easy to talk to.

"Well, I guess I should resume my shopping, I'm almost done with my list," Melanie stated glancing down at the paper she clutched in her left hand. Glancing down, Chris noticed the indention where her wedding rings once sat. She must have just taken them off recently. He hated the heartache he saw in her eyes as she looked down to see what he was looking at.

"Hey, it's almost lunch time. Want to join me for a quick bite at the bistro across the street?" Chris hoped Melanie would say yes. For some strange reason she was really drawn to this beautiful woman and wanted to do whatever it took to make her smile.

"Oh, oh my!" Melanie exclaimed looking quite shocked at his proposition and feeling her cheeks heat again. "I appreciate the offer, I do Dr. Waters, really but"

"Chris, my name is Chris," Chris cut her off with his charming smile. "I promise it's not a date, just two people getting to know each other as friends Ms. Thompson."

"Melanie," she automatically responded glancing down and looking back up through hooded eyes. "Just a friendly lunch, no strings attached?" Melanie questioned softly shifting from one foot to the other.

"Yes Melanie, a friendly lunch between two adults who will hopefully become good friends." 

"Um, okay, I guess so. I am a little hungry," Melanie responded with her cheeks flushing lightly again.  "Let me just grab a few more things and I can meet you there, say in 15 minutes?" 

"Perfect!" Chris exclaimed beyond thrilled that she hadn't said no. If there was one thing Chris knew for certain it was that he desperately wanted to get to know this beautiful woman. "See  you shortly then," he nodded as he pushed his cart around her smiling as he passed by.

Finishing her shopping up quickly, Melanie felt nervous and excited at the same time. She knew this wasn't a date, but at the same time she felt drawn to the good looking doctor, maybe even more than she was to David when she first met him. These emotions were confusing her slightly, her divorce wouldn't be finalized for at least six more weeks and here she was thinking about another man. Knowing she needed to be cautious, especially because her children were involved too, she almost backed out of heading to the restaurant after loading her groceries into her SUV.  It was the words of Patty from their previous conversation that stopped her.

Patty had reminded her that she was still a young vibrate woman.  At only 28 she was far from an old maid and deserved some happiness too. Maybe, just maybe getting a new friend, even if he was a young handsome doctor wouldn't be that bad. Melanie's eyes drifted close as she fought the doubts that began to assail her again. Closing the trunk of her Explorer, Melanie glanced both ways before crossing the street to the little bistro Chris had mentioned. Taking a deep breath she pulled open to restaurants door and looked around. Spotting Chris' dark hair she slowly walked towards he table with a light smile.

"Hey," Chris's greeted her standing up while Melanie sat down across from him.

Taking a deep breathe smiling lightly Melanie responded "Hey, this place smells amazing".

"Yeah, they have the best chicken and spinach panini in town. Josh, a friend of mine's wife brought us some to work one day. I've been addicted ever since".

Melanie smiled at that. She couldn't imagine such a big handsome man enjoying a sandwich from a small bistro, yet here she was. About to reply she was interrupted by a perky waitress.

"Hey, I'm Bethany. Can I start y'all off with something to drink?" The young woman smiled at not only Melanie but Chris as well. "Oh hey Dr. Waters, good to see you again".

"Hey Bethany, how's your little brother feeling. Did he get his cast off yet?" Chris responded with a smile of his own.

Melanie glanced at the two of them, a light smile on her face. Not only was he a good looking man but he was genuinely a nice guy too. Maybe getting to know him as a friend would be a bad idea. After placing their drink and panini orders, they began to chat about things like the weather and kids returning to school. As their food was served they began to talk about how their lives were growing up, even chuckling at each other as they laughed at the antics Chris did as a young man.

"I mean it!" Chris said a big smile gracing his handsome face, "My mom insists all her gray hair is from me and my brother. To this day she insists that our sister is an angel and we are the bane of her existence". He chuckled at the thought.

Melanie laughed lightly. "I would've loved having a brother or sister to have gotten into mischief with, I was the perfect innocent only child," she stated with her own smile. "I never got I trouble. And if I did I blamed Mr. Dingle, my black lab." 

"Mr. Dingle?" Chris questioned his eyes crinkling as he laughed.

"Hey, I was four when we got him. He was the best dog ever. Don't hate on his name," Melanie responded laughing slightly herself.   All of a sudden the lights in the bistro flickered causing both her and Chris to glance outside at notice the darkening skies as a thunderstorm was quickly approaching.  Glancing down at her watch Melanie noticed that they had been chatting for almost two hours.

"Wow," Melanie said "I didn't realize we had been talking for so long. I lost track of time, I've got to head home. David will be dropping the kids off soon and I need to make their supper."

"Of course," Chris smiled at her. "I've had a great time visiting with you. I'd love to do this again soon."

Melanie's cheeks immediately reddened as she pondered his words. "Oh, um, I'm not ready to date yet Chris, I don't want to do that to the kids."

"Friends Mel, we are just friends". Chris replied  cutting  her off. He had honestly had a great time talking to her and didn't want to let her go.

"Friends, right," she responded. Glancing down. "I can do friends, but I'm serious about not wanting anything more."

"Perfect," Chris replied, "You can't ever have too many friends." 

Smiling as they payed their separate bills something Melanie was very grateful Chris didn't protest over, Chris handed her a piece of paper while saying goodbye to Melanie as she got into her Explorer. Glancing down, Melanie smiled. He had given her his phone number putting the ball in her court. Melanie couldn't help the smile that graced her face as she began her drive home. Maybe having Chris as a new friend wouldn't be too bad after all.

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