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 whip up

himself in the backyard tending

study, fingers flying over the keyboard, crafting line after line into thrilling narrative

was calm and

where their old house stood,

a Chanel suit, clutching a Louis Vuitton handbag, her heels sinking into the muddy ground,

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

a

been for Madge's contract nearing renewal, she wouldn't have bothered with this

after their last argument, Madge

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, which probably explained the prolonged

confident. Resistance would

was just a

I know

"Open up!"

disagreements, but where's your basic courtesy and respect?" "Madge-If

hands reddened from the effort, but the door remained unresponsive. "Knock, knock, knock, first

hair a mess, clearly just

glaring at