Remembering how it was

Melissa hadn't really expected to see her sister with Steve. Immediately, it took her back to thoughts of Alfie which was part of the reason why she moved to Kansas City, after all. Oh, she would have loved to have known him. Only, there was her roommate who had messed everything up. In fact, their friendship broke up. Of course, one might think her roommate was more than a friend. They had known each other since the early days of college and somehow ended up getting their own apartment.

And maybe Melissa would still be here if she hadn't met Alfie. She didn't want to be sad now, except she couldn't help it.

"So..so how's that friend of yours, Alfie? Right?" Melissa wanted it to sound as if she vaguely remembered him when she mentioned it to Steve.

"Good," he nodded. "He's with Poppy now." Steve held on to Victoria's hand, swinging it gently. "We see them sometimes." He nodded.

"Yeah, I like Poppy." Her sister smiled. Melissa slightly grimaced as if she didn't really want to know. 

 Of course, Melissa never called nor texted Steve. It was part of her final agreement with Remi. Neither would associate with Alfie again. Their friendship was broken. Perhaps, even silenced.

"What about you?" Her little sister asked. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"I'm too busy for that," Melissa winced with a smile. Feeling she might be alone forever now. "I wouldn't dare date, anyone, I worked with." She didn't mean to sound that she hated her job at the university library, but it wasn't as great as it was cracked up to be. Not even full-time, but they kept her busy with the Maker Space (where she helped people with the 3-D printer and other special computers for crafting) at almost thirty hours a week. So she was making enough, but it was no picnic. Yet, she said nothing about this. It was as if her world was fine, and didn't everyone want her perfect world?

"I really wish you wouldn't let it bother you," Steve tried to keep it light with Victoria, and all her little problems with her older sister. "So you think she liked me, do you?" He let a grin slip. "I only worked with her at the library for a short while." In his wildest dreams, he never thought he'd impress someone such as Melissa. He didn't know. Really.

Victoria nodded as if there was too much of a lump of emotion lodge in their throat that she couldn't speak.

Steve gritted a smile as they held hands taking their walk after dark since it was much too hot to walk in the daylight. Even now the humidity was excruciating, but he knew they needed to talk, and he really wasn't one to take a drive. It might take forever to talk then.

"Maybe, I'm just an excuse," he nodded about Melissa and how she kept stressing it would be impossible for him and Victoria to be together. 

"What?" Victoria stopped dead in her tracks as he pulled her along.

"She..she had this thing." He winced, thinking that was the wrong way to explain it, but he didn't know if he should mention his friend or not.

"What thing?" Victoria wanted to know.

"She hooked up with Alfie." He knew he had to be honest with Victoria. After all, he would want her to tell him everything. He looked away then. "And..and that might have been my fault."

"How could it be your fault?" They went on with their walk.

"Alfie takes chances." He nodded and then told Victoria it hadn't worked out because Alfie got mixed up with Melissa's roommate in the process. Of course, all this was foreign to Victoria.

"Melissa probably doesn't want you to make any mistakes. She might make more of them than you'd ever know, but that's how she is." This he knew. "She's very reserved. After all, she's the one who probably had the girlfriend."

Victoria remained even lipped. 

"Just don't let her make you unhappy," Steve said as he put her arm around her. "You have your life and she has hers." He kissed the top of her forehead.