I'm so glad people're actually reading this one for a change!!!
Thanks for your wonderful reviews; I really appreciate them! Keep it up!
I've got a chap or two more written, but since you're enjoying it I'll have to get back on and write more!!!
FYI: Time has passed... xox

“Ben! Time for school!”

“Right, Mum. I’m ready.”

Ben ran into the living room carrying a green backpack. Mel kissed him on the forehead.

“Alright, baby. Have a great day!”

“I will, Mum. Bye.”

“Bye, Mel.” Paul kissed her on the cheek and grabbed his keys of the table.

“Bye, Paul.”

Mel sighed as the door shut, then got her things together. She found her coat and keys, and called Charlie away from the foot of Ben’s bed. It was sunny out, and the sidewalk was crowded. A little bell tinkled as they entered the coffee shop.

“Good morning, Mel!” said a familiar voice.

“Good morning, Sam. How are you?”

“Excellent! How’s that boy of yours,” she laughed, “not to mention that brother of mine?”

“They’re both just fine. Actually, it’s Ben’s birthday today.” Sam ‘Ooh’ed “I know! It’s the big one-one.”

“What’re you doing to celebrate?”

“Paul and I are taking him to a movie.”

“A movie!”

“Yeah, he’s always begging me to come with them. I always tell him ‘what’s the point?’, but since it’s his birthday, I might as well indulge him.”

“Have you any idea what you’ll see?”

Mel thought.

“Well, there’s this movie he’s been begging to see. I don’t remember what it’s called but he said it’s something about a tragic love story, which isn’t like him at all! It’s usually explosions and annihilation all the way.”

“Hmm... A love story, eh? He’s not getting interested in the girls yet, is he?” They both laughed. “Here’s your coffee.” Sam handed Mel the tall caramel mocha, and she left the shop.

~*~

The door slammed.

“Mum, we’re home!”

“I noticed,” Mel laughed as Ben came bounding into her room.

“So, what’re we doing tonight?” he asked.

“Tonight? What’s tonight?” she replied, pretending to be oblivious of his birthday.

“Aw, c’mon Mum...” He put his head on her shoulder. “You can’t fool me! What’ve you got planned for us?” Mel laughed.

“You’re just to smart for me! Paul and I thought it might be fun to go to the movies-- all three of us.” Ben jumped up.

“Really?” he asked. He turned to Paul, who was standing in the doorway. “Really, Paul?”

Paul laughed.

“Really-really!” he said.

“Aw, you guys’re the greatest!” Ben said, hugging Mel, then running and hugging Paul. “Do I get to pick the movie?”

“Of course, birthday boy!” said Mel.

“Brilliant! There’s this one that just came out last week Maggie and I have been dying to see. She thinks I look like the leading male.” He said. He brushed back his hair trying to look suave.

“Alright, Mr. Movie star,” said Paul, ruffling Ben’s hair back to where it was, “go do a bit of homework before we head to the movie.”

“Right!” Ben replied, and ran from the room. Paul sat down beside Mel. Ben stuck his head back round the doorframe holding his hand over the receiver of the phone. “Mum, can I invite Maggs to come with?”

“Of course, sweet. Tell her we’ll pick her up on the way.”

“Thanks Mum.” He uncovered the phone. “Maggs? Yeah, she said you’re welcome. Yeah. Ok. We’ll pick you up on the...” His voice faded out as he walked out of the room.

“You’ve done a great job with that boy, Mel,” said Paul when Ben had left.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” She kissed him on the cheek. “So, what’re we doing for dinner? Cook? Order in? Catch a bite on the way?”

“Can’t you smell it?”

“Smell what?”

“Dinner!” Paul laughed. “Jeez, I thought blind people’s other senses were supposed to get stronger without their sight!” Mel smacked him on the leg, as was the only place she could reach when he’d dashed from the bed knowing she’d come after him. “C’mon,” he said from the doorway, “we stopped for Chinese on the way home.”

“I’ll get you sooner or later, Marazzi!”

“Oh, it’ll be later,” he called from the living room, “WAY later!”

Once Mel go to the hallway, indeed, she could smell the food. She made her way to the kitchen.

“What do we have here?” she asked.

“Ah... Fried rice, sweet and sour shrimp, and garlic chicken!” said Ben from beside her.

“Ooh... Our favorites!”

“You betcha. Lemmie guess; some of everything?”

“Right on the nose.”

Ben piled some of every dish onto a plate for his mother, then carried both their meals to the living room. The two of them and Paul sat on the couch and ate.

~*~

Paul shut the car door and started the engine.

“Thanks for letting me come, Mel,” said Maggie as she buckled her seat belt.

“Always a pleasure,” Mel replied with a smile.

Maggie and Ben had been best friend ever since either of them could remember. They were, of course, teased at school for having a best friend of the opposite gender, and heard many a chorus of ‘Ben and Maggie sitting in a tree--’, but they’d always turned the other cheek and seen each other through it all.

The four of them thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the theater. They sang to the radio all the way there, and there was no traffic, allowing them to arrive a half hour early.

“May we get popcorn, Mel?” Maggie asked.

“Certainly,” she replied, “lead the way!” She held out her hand. Maggie took it and ushered her off to the concessions. Paul took Ben to buy the tickets. After standing in a short line they reached the counter.

“Two adults, two children,” Paul said.

“For...?” the girl asked.

“Ah...” said Paul and turned to Ben.

“Twist of Fate,” Ben replied grinning.

“Oh!” said the girl and furrowed her brow, when she looked down at Ben. “...Ok then.” She typed in the rest of the information. “You do know that movie is PG-13, don’t you?”

Paul nodded, paid, and got their tickets. Maggie waived at them from across the plaza, and they went to meet them.

“C’mon, Mum!” said Ben as he grabbed her hand and headed for the theater, nearly spilling her popcorn all over himself.

“Woah there!” Paul said, taking the popcorn and avoiding a potential mess.

They found the theater and got seated even though the movie wasn’t due to start for another fifteen minutes. The theater was near empty, so they talked and laughed loudly until the lights began to dim and the opening credits came on. Mel leaned over to Ben.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

“Just the beginning-- studios and directors names. Nothing interesting yet,” he replied.

“Will you read it to me?”

“...Alright then... Melissa Hudson...” he read, “Steve Montana... Diane LaSalle... and Ben Adams in...”

“That’s the one you look like, Ben,” whispered Maggie excitedly from his other side.

“Twist of Fate,” Ben continued.

The film panned out through a city in autumn as the credits rolled and focused through an open apartment window as they ended, zooming in on an alarm clock which began ringing. A hand waived around and turned it off. Two feet landed on the floor and stumbled about the room getting dressed. It was then revealed that the feet belonged to a tall brown haired man, who left his apartment in a hurry and went out to the street below.

“What’s happening?” Mel asked Ben.

“Ah... A guy just woke up...”

The scene cut to a woman walking down the sidewalk with a chocolate lab. She went in to a coffee shop, and the scene went back to the man, who was still walking.

“...And a lady just went to get some coffee. She has a dog. The guy is still walking down the sidewalk...”

The woman paid for a cup of coffee, but as she left the shop her dog began to run, dragging her outside and straight into the man with the brown hair.

“The two just collided,” Ben whispered, then the movie dialogue took over.

“Aw, gosh, I’m sorry,” said the woman from the sidewalk. The man took her hands and lifted her from the ground. “Oh, no. I’ve spilt my coffee all over you, haven’t I?”

‘Now, where have I heard that before?’ Mel laughed to herself.

“Connie? Connie! Here Connie!” yelled the woman in the movie. “Oh, where has that dog got to this time?” The man looked around and scratched the back of his head. The street was crowded, and the lab was nowhere in sight. The woman stood there looking helpless. “Connie, come back, girl!” The dog came running from off screen-right somewhere. “I’m quite sorry for running in to you like that, sir.”

“Think nothing of it,” the man said, flashing a smile. “It’s not every day one is run it to by such a beautiful woman.” As the man spoke something in Mel’s mind suddenly connected. She gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. Paul leaned over to her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Ah, nothing important. I’ll tell you later,” she said quickly.

The movie continued. The man escorted the woman back to her apartment. She insisted on cleaning his shirt for him.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” the man asked as they sat on the couch.

“Toni,” said the woman, and then he kissed her.

Other happenings were suggested, as in most 13-rated movies. The man got his shirt back and hurried from the apartment, late for something. Toni ran out after him.

“I’ve given you my name,” she yelled, “don’t I get yours?”

“The name’s Dan,” he called back up the stairs. “Sorry I couldn’t stay longer. It was a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps you and your Connie will run into me again some day.”

Toni laughed.

“Good bye, Dan,” she said, but he was already gone.

Dan ran to the street and hailed a cab. Lots more dialogue occurred introducing several more characters, including a sister, an agent, and a homeless man asking for change, but then there was no talking.

“What’s going on now?” Mel asked Paul.

“It’s a year later,” Paul responded between mouthfuls of popcorn. “Dan has been pining for that girl from the beginning. You know, Toni.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, and now he’s going back to her apartment.”

“Can I help you?” asked a man in just his boxer shorts.

“I-I’m sorry to disturb you,” said Dan, “but I’m looking for a woman named Toni. Does she still live here?”

“I’ve only lived here a couple months. Go ask the lady down tha hall. She knows everything what goes on around here...” The man slammed the door. Dan walked down to the next door and knocked. A little old lady answered it.

“Good afternoon Ma’am. I’m looking for a woman named Toni.”

“Oh, goodness, child. Toni moved away nearly three months ago.”

“Oh... Well, would you happen to know where she went?”

“I’m sorry Dear, all I know is a man moved in with her a couple weeks before she left, and when he left, Toni and her baby went with him...”

Mel tried with all her might just to listen to the movie and not say anything; not do anything, but it was so hard to not think what she was thinking. She sat in thought and completely tuned out the rest of the movie. She didn’t really care what happened.