Melanie couldn't sleep that night and when she woke up in the morning, she was knackered. Thankfully it was Saturday morning, she could stay in bed and feel sorry for herself or she could do a few errands like stocking up the fridge and going shopping. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen where she drank what was left of the juice in the carton and plumped herself on the sofa and put on the TV. She should really hit the gym or something, she thought, she hated feeling like an absolute slob. She started comparing herself to Gloria. Gloria was tall, leggy and blonde and she was, well she was Melanie. She was a petite five foot five and she held a good job and she was above the average earning bracket, but was it enough? She had been questioning her position for a while now, was she getting the job satisfaction that she was owed and deep down, she knew she wasn't. Fighting people's battles for them with the media circus was a thrill to begin with but now it was tiresome... boring and she wanted something else to do, something more exciting, something that would benefit the community... she sounded like bloody Mother Teresa, but she wanted more out of life.
She got up from the sofa and had a quick shower and decided to go for a jog to combat the blues that seemed to be attached to the hip, grabbing her Ipod and slipping into her trainers, she made her way out only to stumble into flashing light bulbs and a crowd of milling journalists left right and centre. She held her hand before her and retreated back inside. Securing the door and leaning against it. Shit! She was used to dealing with this junket for other people, the attention away from her but they were on her doorstep, what the fuck was going on. She ran into the living room and grabbed the phone, only to have it ring in her hands. She picked it up and spoke into the voice piece, "It's Mel,"
"You fucking bitch... you fucking liar, how could you do this to me... how could you screw with me..." Gloria said angry and frantic.
"What are you talking about?" Melanie said, hoping the lie would hold.
"Don't continue lying to me, I have proof you slept with Sam... I have pictures... you don't think I'm smart do you, some peroxide blonde, only after getting a leg over but no... no... I had you followed and I had Sam followed and you know what... kill two birds with one stone and you know where they end up? At your apartment..." Gloria poison tongue hissed down the phone.
"Gloria, we really mustn't be speaking on the phone... we really ought to talk in person." Melanie said.
"Do you think I want to be near dirt..." Gloria began and Melanie intervened.
"Now hang on a minute... that is no way to talk to me..."
"Nooo but you are the dirty bitch who slept with my husband..." Gloria said.
"Ex-husband!" Melanie hissed back.
"Don't get sarcastic with me bitch, I know people who can make your life a living hell," Gloria threatened.
"And I have a media circus outside who are happy to lap up a story about the whore I'm speaking to," Melanie bit back, "So before you start threatening me, maybe someone needs to take a look in the mirror and make a change... na na na nanan na na na."
"You humorous cow, you think this is funny, well you wait and see," and with that comment, she hung up.
Melanie put the phone down, her hands shaking ever so slightly and she took a breathe and the shrill of the land line shook her. She picked it up, only to hear Charice's voice on the other end, she was coming over. Melanie hung up and decided to put on something more appropriate and wait on Charice.
When Charice came over, she had security to separate the hordes of paparazzi to get into Melanie's flat. As she entered the room, Charice wiped a hair that had gotten out of place from her face and set her bag on the side.
"I had a very threatening call from Gloria Worthington this morning accusing us and you of malpractice, she is planning to sue us," Charice said and sat down opposite Melanie, "Perhaps you can enlighten me with what's going on hmm?"
It took Melanie three quarters of an hour to explain to Charice everything and with that new information, Charice exhaled and took a breath. "This is not the first time, something like this has happened. It happens all the time, but sometimes we turn a blind eye on love, of the perfect man..." Charice began.
"I'm not in love with Sam," Melanie interrupted and shut up with the expression on Charice's face.
"Love doesn't come around very often and when it does, we ought to grab it with both hands and not let it go... don't make the same mistake I did," Charice exhaled, "When I started this company, I had two choices, a career or the love of my life... and I chose a career because what could love possibly bring without money and now, in my fifties, I realise I've missed out so much... I come home to an empty house, all my mess and my own problems and no one to talk to..."
"What are you trying to say Charice? I thought we were trying to work out how to deal with this?" Melanie said a little nerved.
Charice walked to her bag and withdrew an envelope and handed it to Mel, "I would like you to take a break, you have been working far too much for far too long and I think you deserve a break."
Melanie opened the white envelope and there were two tickets to Italy, "Two tickets?"
Charice closed her bag and stood up, "Yes. The other one is for Sam, but of course he doesn't know that just yet, it's up to you, whether you choose to ask him or not. Leave Gloria to me."
"Is this reasonable? Asking Sam to come with me?" Melanie asked unsure, "I mean, I hardly know him."
