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

busied himself in the backyard tending to

flying over the keyboard, crafting

calm and

them, not far from their cozy suburban home, in the faculty housing area where their old house stood, a woman was

the nines in a Chanel suit, clutching a Louis Vuitton handbag, her heels sinking into the

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

a dog's

Madge's contract nearing renewal, she

hassle. But after their last argument, Madge

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

confident. Resistance would eventually give way to

a

know you're in

"Open up!"

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

furious, her hands reddened from the effort, but the door remained unresponsive. "Knock, knock, knock, first thing in the morning-are you the Grim

door, Louisa emerged in her pajamas, her hair

glaring at Nadine through the iron