Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

It was a bustling June in the lab, and Roseanne had been going nonstop for two weeks before finally getting a day off.

She had just finished feeding her fish early in the morning when Norris called.

"Is Anne up?"

"Yeah, I'm up."

"Why not sleep in? I thought you said you had the day off from the lab to rest."

"My internal clock's set, I guess. How's mom?"

"In her study."

"Working on her novel again?"

"Yep! You know her; mornings are when her muse speaks loudest."

Roseanne's thoughts drifted to the matter of the contract, her gaze intensifying, "Dad, has mom's publisher been around lately?"

"Not that I've seen. Why? They do most of their communicating online these days."

"Just curious."

headed to the kitchen to

busied himself in the backyard tending to his

her study, fingers flying over the

calm

suburban home, in the faculty housing area where their old house stood, a woman

clutching a Louis Vuitton handbag, her

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

a

Madge's contract nearing renewal, she wouldn't have bothered

avoiding this hassle. But after their last argument, Madge had blocked all

at the memory. They'd had their spats over the years, but Madge always came crawling back, ready to compromise. This time, she wanted

would eventually give way

was just a matter of

I know you're

"Open up!"

our professional disagreements, but where's your basic courtesy and respect?" "Madge-If you keep this up,

the door remained unresponsive. "Knock, knock, knock,

next door, Louisa emerged in her pajamas, her hair

her yard, hands on hips, glaring