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."

Roseanne headed to the kitchen to whip

busied himself in the backyard tending to his

over the keyboard, crafting line after

calm and

housing area where their old house stood, a woman was growing impatient as she knocked on the door. "Hello?

dressed to the nines in a Chanel suit, clutching a

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

than a dog's

not been for Madge's contract nearing

But after their last argument, Madge had blocked all her

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

was confident. Resistance would

was just a matter of

I know you're in

"Open up!"

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

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

her pajamas, her hair a mess, clearly just woken

on hips, glaring at Nadine through the