Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Thirty seconds later, with a ding, the notification sound chimed.

Mamie swiped back to her phone's home screen, glanced at it, and sure enough, it was a deposit alert.

On the other end, Duke messaged, "Sweetheart, did you get it?"

"Yep, got it, got it."

Not a million, but one and a half million.

Wowza- Duke had tossed in an extra half a million!

"Don't skimp on the good stuff, eat well, drink well, and if you ever run short, you just holler at Duke, got it?!" "Yep! Got it, Duke!"

Call ended, she pocketed her phone.

Turning around, she caught Scales and Roseanne staring at her.

Blinking in confusion, Mamie asked, "...What? Just because I got money, you're giving me the eye?"

Scales narrowed his eyes slightly, arms crossed, "Mamie, you're not being straight with us."

Mamie was puzzled.

"Living in a small town?"

Mamie replied, "Yeah, we're smack dab in a vibrant area, surrounded by business districts and upscale residences. It's lively, to say the least!" Scales just sighed.

Roseanne questioned, "Your folks are out of work, managing a building?"

rent life. Tenants have any issues, like a burst pipe or a tripped

Roseanne was speechless.

"And this fishing

chuckled, "Ah, my mom loves throwing parties on the yacht, and

Yacht...What an exotic word!

your family isn't

"Why would you

a once-over, finding it hard to

T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops...

flip-flops like they

really

was incredulous. Where

That's summer attire where I'm from. My dad wears flip-flops all year round! And he

Scales exchanged looks, opting

out, a pair of flip-flops had set their

we've got the money,

device?" Mamie's eyes

we going

sparkled.

for a moment, "This is a group project, we can't let you foot the bill

three ways." Scales had been eager to suggest, "That would

Roseanne nodded, "Sounds fair."

Mamie blinked, then suddenly

"And

was, thinking I was t one. Turns