010:

She barely made it to the bathroom and threw up her whole dinner, feeling sick and nauseated and angry and sad all at once. Tears did come to her eyes, but from effort. She hated to throw up. She sat on the floor next to the toilet and wiped her mouth with toilet paper, staring across the floor at the mirror where she could view herself looking emaciated and worn. She would have to stop this throwing up perfectly good food. And why, when she worked out so hard, did she still have that damn baby tummy? Did Mom have that baby tummy?

Why had he brought up the bread? Of course, she could make bread! Stupid bread anyway! She put it in the bread machine before she left in the morning and ate it when she got home that night and fed the rest to the ducks out back in the duck pond. I don't want to remember the bread memory.

And why had she suddenly felt the need to kiss him goodbye? Because he was Jared's friend? Or was she trying to reassure him? Because it was obvious he was thinking she was a little unstable.

She cleaned up, checked the baby, put on her fluffiest over-large sweater, and curled up on the computer chair and flipped the desk-top on. Distraction. That's what she had been doing the night she met Ryan right here in this very room, the night the porn stuff had come on her email. But tonight there would be no porn stuff, because Jared Patrick had made the world safe for her again.

Her first new email was an invitation to audition for a part in a movie coming up with Robert DeMarco and Sam Cassetta. Big Names, both of them, and why would they want her? But her agent thought they would like her, so she accepted. That was coming up soon. There were three more similar invitations. Seriously? She'd barely put out her marker so to speak. She accepted them all and put the dates in her planner.

There were a couple of event invitations as well, charities.... Accept, accept, accept.

There was a political meeting they wanted her to speak at. Pro-Life rally. Sure, she could do that. She was Pro-life.

There was a women's conference and they wanted her to sing and speak. Wow! That's cool. Of course, I will.

Maybe Jared was right. Keeping busy is a good thing.

And the last email was a note from an actor she'd once met. Tom Roberson. He was married to Annette Whitcomb, they had a couple of kids. But he wanted her to be his date at a charity function he had to attend. What? Why?

She emailed him back. What? Why?

Immediately the instant messenger popped up and he answered her. Hello there.

Melia flinched back. Tom Roberson was answering her right now? Email was supposed to be more anonymous than that! Her fingers remained poised over the key board, and she stared in fascination and trepidation at the message. Should she answer it?

What's up with the invite?

I need a date for the evening.

Excuse me? Aren't you married?

Separated.

Oh, sorry, I didn't know.

She left me recently, I thought everybody knew, it's all over the tabloids.

Been busy, don't read tabloids.

So, will you accompany me?

Seriously? Why me?

Heard you were recently separated also. Thought we could do each other a favor.

I'm not separated. He died.

I know. Isn't that separated?

Yes, if you think about it that way. What favor do I need from you?

Get out a little.

That's fairly flimsy. What's the real reason?

I want you to do a movie with me, thought we could hang out and see if we're interested in working together.

That makes more sense. Thanks for being honest.

I'm always honest.

Are you? When's the function? What kind of dress?

It's a weekend. Formal on Friday night, picnic on Saturday.

I have a baby.

I have two kids.

Will they be there?

Yes.

So you really want me to babysit?

No, I have a nanny. I really just want to spend a little time with you.

Purely platonic time. You're still married. This would be business, correct?

For the most part. Come on, Melia. We're not strangers. We've met before.

Barely.

We've been to at least three of the same functions and we spoke and sat by each other all three times. That counts.

Okay. It counts as 'not strangers'. It counts as acquaintances.

You are as stubborn as I remembered. What do you say, will you go?

Yes. Because you asked so nicely.

Good. It's this weekend.

(She glanced at the calendar. She was really busy this weekend. Could she fit it in? Perhaps. If he didn't mind sharing her a little.)

I have obligations we might have to work around.

Figured. Text me your schedule and I'll see what I can come up with.

Okay. ( She glanced at the calendar again and then placed it on the scanner and faxed it to his number.)

She waited till he got it.

His reply came back. Wow, you are busy. Thanks for even considering me.

You're welcome. I'm not that busy. You mean so much to me, right?

Now that we're friends, yes.

Melia closed her laptop and sat there with her hands resting on it lightly.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep cleansing breath in anticipation of such a heavy load.

If this was what Jared wanted, then she hoped he was happy watching her from heaven.

******