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."

to the kitchen

Norris busied himself in the backyard tending to his

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

was calm

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

dressed to the nines in a Chanel suit, clutching a Louis Vuitton handbag, her heels sinking into the muddy ground, visibly

Such surroundings!

Such conditions!

a dog's

Madge's contract nearing renewal, she

have renewed online, avoiding this hassle. But after their last argument,

always came crawling back, ready to compromise. This time, she wanted Madge to venture

was confident. Resistance would eventually give

was just a

know

"Open up!"

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

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

her pajamas, her hair a mess, clearly just woken up,

yard, hands on hips, glaring at Nadine through the iron fence separating their