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?"

over eighty buildings, they're all Duke's. He's all about that rent life. Tenants have any issues, like a burst pipe or a tripped fuse, they call him. He's basically

Roseanne was speechless.

asked, "And this fishing

loves throwing parties on the yacht, and my dad's all about deep-sea fishing. They're

Yacht...What an exotic word!

concluded, "So... your

"Why

gave her a once-over, finding it hard to put

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

rocking flip-flops like they were going

don't really

was incredulous. Where was the

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

Scales exchanged looks, opting for

pair of flip-flops had set their imaginations

that we've got the

device?" Mamie's eyes

going shopping

sparkled.

for a moment, "This is a group project, we can't

been eager to suggest, "That would

Roseanne nodded, "Sounds fair."

Mamie blinked, then suddenly

"And

I was, thinking I was t one. Turns out