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."

the kitchen to

Norris busied himself in the backyard tending

her study, fingers flying over the keyboard, crafting line after line into

calm

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

Chanel suit, clutching a Louis Vuitton handbag,

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

than a dog's

nearing

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

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

confident. Resistance would

just a

know

"Open up!"

your basic courtesy

effort, but the door remained unresponsive. "Knock, knock, knock, first thing

door, Louisa emerged in her pajamas, her hair

hips, glaring at