Painting

MArried To AIDS

Melinda fingers her bouquet as she waits in line to walk down the isle.  She can smell the paint on her lips -  it is sweet but not as sweet as her perfume.  She thinks about the sweetness for a moment as she dazes inside of her mind as she remembers the moment when her and Seth took a stroll along the sea shore as the day closed to sunset and he tells her he loves her -  her heart metls.  Melinda is distracted and when she comes to light the wedding organizer taps her on the arm.

"Your time to shine!"  he cues which also means her time to walk.

Melinda holds her breath as she peers through the door to the crowd which fills up the church -  it is daunting and for a moment her heartbeat skips a beat.  Melinda wants to back her feet away as she feels a warped moment when her feet wish to lift off the floor and her head to the floor, however she blinks her eyes as she is urged forward with a push.  Melinda walks, and when she enters the room all eyes are glued on her -  she freaks out, however then she sees Seth up ahead and all the hairs on the back of her spine settle and she is able to breath again.


Seth looks to Melinda whose blush shines red from the wedding cake she had eaten.  He had wanted to tell her that he had added alcohol to the cake but she seemed to catch on to its presence after one large bite and held on to her wits as her heart-murmur broke out.  Seth wants to laugh but he can only look concerned.

"How's your heart?"  he asks as he glares at the young woman who had had a mental crash after having had roused the wrath of her family when she had declared she wished to be married before college graduation.

"It's fine;"  tells Melinda as she glances at Seth wondering if he is ever going to not glare as though she is a stranger.  "Why are you concerned about it now, it was hammering throughout the whole entire wedding;"

Seth blinks -  he is unsure if Melinda is referring to the wedding or the cake.  He wants to ask her however there is some stiff coldness in the air as Melinda looks away and he knows that her spine has been made stiff.  Seth wants to itch his neckline, however he rubs his face instead before he turns away.

"So are you happy your married me?"  he asks as he glares at the silver brush on the oak table before him.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"  asks Melinda as she shrugs.

"Because you had a drag of a time after eating cake;"  tells Seth as he winces on the inside.

"I knew it would!"  scoffs Melinda as she begins to play with her hair.  "I was waiting for it -  I thought I would faint by the reception though so I didn't want to worry about it until I was there;"

"It's amazing that you made it through -  your parents were staring at me carefully;"  tells Seth as he smiles at the memory of the way her parents laughed when Melinda's fingers began to shake in an obvious way to let them know she was feeling well under the weather.

"They wanted to blame you for taking me away from them;"  tells Melinda as she laughs.  "They wanted to stop the wedding, however they knew that it was too nice to stop;"  she adds.

"They told you they were going to stop the wedding?"  asks Seth.

"Several times;"  tells Melinda as she shrugs.  "But they didn't -  that means they approved;"  she smiles before she blinks to Seth.

"I am glad for that;"  tells Seth as he picks up a comb and fingers it for a while.  "I am very glad;"  he adds.  "I wanted to marry you;"  he tells.

"Really?"  asks Melinda.  "Why?"

"Because..."  mutters Seth as he swallows on the words I love you.  "I wanted it that way;"  he adds.

"Why?" asks Melinda willing to challenge.

"No reason why;"  tells Seth as he shrugs.  "Just because...."

Melinda smiles as Seth turns around to take a look at her -  she is still wearing her wedding dress and it looks used and crinkled.  Seth wants to tell Melinda to take it off, however he decides to refrain from asking.

"Do you want dinner?"  he asks as he glares at Melinda in a vacant manner.

"Dinner?  At eleven pm?"  asks Melinda as she raises her brows.

"Well we've only eaten cake and campaign so far;"  tells Seth as he grows a catch over wanting food more then bed.

"I was going to wait for breakfast;"  tells Melinda as she shrugs.

"I can't wait;"  tells Seth as he glares.  "I feel sick from hunger;"

"Okay then we can have dinner;"  mutters Melinda as she catches a tightness inside of her throat -  she knows that tradition says that they should have slept together by twelve am otherwise their marriage could be on the rocks, however she lets it go to allow Seth time to make a meal and eat it.

"Great!  I will go downstairs to cook!"  tells Seth before he fast leave.

"You're dressed in your tuxedo!"  complains Melinda -  however the door slams closed and she is left to grow sullen over having a marriage on the rocks so early.

Melinda whistles over the fact that her marriage is doomed from the beginning as a storm brews over her mind -  she does not know what is going to happen to her world; marriage was like a whirlwind that kept rotating around her even when she wanted it to stop, she couldn't do anything but look at it as it roated past her eyes and so she stood there dumb until it ended.

"What an awful beginning!"  gasps Melinda before she flops onto the bed.  


Melinda toys with the dishes which she is not too enthusiastic to wash.  She yearns for a dishwasher however Seth is not comfortable with the technology.

"Dishwashers don't work -  trust me, best to do it by hand;"  he tells her before he leaves for work.

Melinda grimaces as she pulls her soapy hands out of the water -  even she had a dishwasher at home, and her parents did not have even half of Seth's bank account.

"I hate washing dishes!"  complains Melinda before she dries her hands on a tea-towel.  ""I am going for a walk;"  she adds before she picks up the house-keys and leaves.


Melinda walks down the street and finds a park.   The day is hot and so she sighs as she wanders under the shadow of the canopy.  Melinda feels good -  but in her heart she feels heavy, and she does not know what.
"What is the matter with me today?"  she asks as she sits on the damp ground.  "I haven't slept with Seth yet and so I can't say I've already gotten pregnant!"  she mutters as she fingers the blades of grass which stand by her side.  "I am depressed;"  she admits with a nod.  "I never thought I would feel this way so far from my home, but I do;"  she adds.  "I don't know what is wrong with me -  I married the person I love;"  she adds before she thinks.

Melinda recalls Seths proposal -  it was after the prom and he was drunk and stoned; when he offered her a ring she laughed like it were candy and she flaunted it on her finger for five minutes before Seth told her he was serious.

"I am very serious;"  he added as he stared at her with stoned eyes that looked so bright Melinda grew nervous.

"I don't know if I'd want to marry you;"  she muttered inside of her mind in retort to how stoned he seemed.

He was normally sober -  however at the prom he had decided to get drunk, and when he drank he popped pills; then after prom he drove to the bottle store to collect champaign and wine, and then he popped more pills as they had shared a flask or two.

"I want to say yes;"  Melinda heard herself say as she continued to stare at the dark vacancy before them.

"Great, that's all I need to hear!"  told Seth before he kissed her cheek and turned his head to talk on the phone.

Melinda's ears picked up the words 'I am engaged' and she felt trapped -  she needed to get out of the car but her dizzy mind stitched her to her chair.  Melinda smiled at Seth as he looked across to her, but inside of her heart she felt guilty -  she hadn't meant to say yes, and she wasn't sure it was the right time to admit it.

Melinda blinks her eyes and shrugs as she leans back against a tree.

"Maybe I should have told Seth I wanted to wait;"  she adds as she stares at the perfect day around her.  "But I didn't know how;"  she adds.  "I just wish I could make my feelings right;"  she adds before she grows cross with herself.  "Who cares, I was dating him any way!"  she adds as she pouts.  "So what if I wasn't ready for it!"  she mutters.  "It's been done!"


Melinda returns home and watches television all afternoon.  She doesn't feel drawn to any show in particular, she just stares as an outsider and wastes time.  When Seth returns home it is with some take-away burgers and together they eat over the television table.  After dinner Seth forgets about her as he retires to bed early -  he has had a long day, and he sleeps like a log.

Melinda creeps into the bedroom and pokes at Seth's shoulder.

"Seth!"  she mutters out loud.

However Seth is too far in his sleep to hear her, and so Melinda leaves him alone.


Early the next morning Melinda wakes to see Seth as he leaves to go to work.  She smiles at him in her decrepit state, and he winks -  the movement makes her heart blink, however her face grows pale as though it is a turn off.

"What are you doing?"  she asks in her state of half-mind which has broken out of her subconsciousness.

"Going to work;"  he mutters before he walks away.

Melinda feels her heart crumble once again and she leans back heavily on the couch she has made her bed.  Melinda grimaces under her pout.

"When are we going to sleep together?"  she asks as she hears his car drive away.


Melinda spends all of the morning and afternoon watching television.  The shows made her moody, and she turns off the television with a headache on the top of her brain.

"Stupid shows are stupid!"  she mutters as she rakes her hair behind her ears.  "What kind of stupid director wrote those stupid shows?"  she asks.

A knock on the door breaks Melinda's attention and she moves towards the front door with interest.  Melinda opens the door and sees Seth's father Lester at her front door. He looks fresh and vibrant under the rays of the morning sun, and Melinda smiles.

"What are you doing here?"  she asks.

"Just checking out the place;"  tells Lester as he tries to look behind her head.  "May I come in?"  he asks.

"Sure;"  tells Melinda before she opens the door.

Lester strides into the house and looks around -  the house is neat and tidy, the kitchen dishes are clean thanks to Seth's help, the upstairs bedroom is well-tucked.  Lester sees the house in order and he smiles at Melinda.

"Keep up the good work;"  he cheers before he leaves.

Melinda glares at Lester's car and narrows her eyes at it departs.  She thinks the old man strange, and she shivers inside of her skin as she recalls the way he lingered over her underwear drawer.

"Well the first inspection gave me the green card!" she sighs.  "But it's strange;"  she adds before she closes the door.

When Melinda looks at her hands she sees them trembling, and she knows she had been shaken up by the visit.

"What kind of person inspects their sons house?"  she asks before she moves to watch television once again.


Later that evening Seth returns home.  Melinda raises her eyes as he turns the lounge-room light on and she smiles as he steps to stand in front of her.

"Hey there;"  he mutters as he glares at her.

"Hey;"  tells Melinda as she sits up.

"Did Lester visit today?"  asks Seth as he fingers a letter he has picked up from the mail box.

"Yes;"  tells Melinda as she feels pins poke at her skin.

"What did he say?"  asks Seth.

"The house looks good;"  mutters Melinda as she chews on the queer moment when she caught him leering at her underwear.

"That's good;"  tells Seth as he sighs.  "That means he likes us;"  he tells before he moves to go upstairs.

Melinda sighs and stops him with a call of his name.

"What?"  asks Seth as he turns to face her.

"When are we going to have sex?"  asks Melinda as she raises her brows.

"Whenever;"  tells Seth as his face grows a shade pale.

"Because the marriage isn't authentic until you do it;"  tells Melinda as she grows fevered from the stress of having to point out the simple facts of marriage out to someone who was probably going to ignore her every day until she mentioned it.

"Yeah, I know;"  mutters Seth as he crooks his head.  "Tell me when you are ready and we'll do it;"  he adds.

"I want to do it now!"  tells Melinda as she calls his words a bluff.

Seth pauses and shrugs before he scratches his head.  He doesn't look as though he wants to agree, however he puts down his work suit-case.  Seth rolls his eyes as he takes off his tie, and Melinda feels her blood turn cold as he takes off his shirt.

"You don't look like you are ready;"  tells Seth as he flicks off the lounge room light with his right finger.

"I know;"  mutters Melinda as she feels her throat turn dry.  "But I am;"  she adds even though her whole entire head tells her that she should run before it is too late.

"Then I am too;"  tells Seth as he walks towards her.  "It's going to be magic;"  he adds before he offers Melinda a heart-warming kiss.


Over the next few days Melinda lays in bed -  she doesn't feel well, and whenever Seth returns home from work he makes her feel ever more unwell by sleeping with her once again.  The world is a pornographic commercial for the next five days before eagerness for her body wear off.  Melinda feels gross and full, and in her weak state she goes for a walk, however she doesn't get far before she returns home.

""I feel sick;"  she mutters at the door before she faints.


Later that evening Seth wakes up Melinda who is tucked in bed.

"What happened?"  asks Melinda as she rubs her sore head.

"You fainted;" tells Seth as he glares at her.

"Oh is that what happened?"  tells Melinda as she rolls her eyes.

"What's the matter?"  asks Seth as he fingers some of her hair.

"I don't know -  I don't feel well;"  tells Melinda in complaint.

"Well maybe tomorrow you should see a doctor;"  tells Seth as he raises his brows.

"Maybe;"  mutters Melinda as she grows cross with herself for having had fainted.

"Do it;"  tells Seth as he glares at her.  "Please, for me;"  he adds.

"Okay for you;"  tells Melinda before she gives Seth her best grin.


The following day Melinda goes to the doctor.  She is given a blood test which proves that she has AIDS.  Melinda crosses her brows as the doctor tells her, and she grows hate inside of her body.

"What do you mean?"  she asks.

"I mean you have AIDS;"  tells the doctor with a grin.  "It's easy to treat now;"  he adds as he writes her a prescription.  "One per day, and don't mind the vomiting;"  he adds.

Melinda takes the prescription and leaves -  she is quite upset and she does not know who to turn to.  Quickly she buys the medicine prescribed and takes it, however it does not make her feel well at all!  Within an hour she needs to throw up, and it does not stop until later that afternoon when she grows dizzy until she faints once again.


Seth wakes Melinda up with a slap on the face -  she is startled, however her startle subsides as she sees Seth's seething glare.  She wants to shrug, however the energy to shrug is taken away as she feels pins and needles race up her right arm.

"What's the matter with you?"  she asks with doughy lips.

"You've taken medication;"  tells Seth as he raises his brows.  "For AIDs;"

"I know I must have caught it after having sex with you;"  tells Melinda as she sulks.

"I don'thae AIDS!"  wars Seth as anger makes hsi face turn bright pink.  "You don't have AIDS too!"  he tells.  "You're just getting pregnant;"  he tells.

"That's not what the doctor said;"  tells Melinda as she feels her stomach grumble.

"Well he is wrong!"  tells Seth as he grows evermore upset.  "He is wrong, and you are wong believing him!"  he gasps.

"Then you go visit him and see if you are wrong, about you;"  tells Melinda as she feels her brain turn into a thump which spells out her heartbeat.

"Are you trying to tell me that I should check myself out for AIDS?"  asks Seth as he glares.

"Yes;"  tells Melinda as she feels more tingles race over her skin.

"Well I don't need to -  I don't have it!"  tells Seth as he glares at Melinda iwth concern.  "I don't have it!"  he repeats before he leaves the room.

"Well I do, and I didn't have it before;"  tells Melinda as she grimaces.


Two days pass and Seth is hardly home.  Melinda cannot find her medication and when she goes to the doctor she finds that she cannot pay for the medicine -  Seth has taken all of their joint money out of their joint account!

"I had all my savings in that;"  mutters Melinda beore she sulks once again.  "What am I going to do?"  she asks as she sheds a tear before the ATM.


Melinda walks home and when there sees a car parked in the drive-way.  It is Lesters car, and Melinda sees chance of getting her hands on her money.  Melinda walks up to the car and sees Lester inside of the car.

"What are you doing here?"  she asks as he rolls down the window.

"I came to see if it is true that you have AIDS;"   tells Lester.

"The doctor said I have it, but I have no money for medication!"  tells Melinda as she feels her chance for being greedy rise.

"You don't need medication;"  tells Lester.  "You wait until your hair falls out, and then you have a baby;"  he advises.

"Who does that?"  asks Melinda as she grows alarmed.

"Everyone in my family;"  tells Lsster as he smiles.  "It's sort of in the genes -  but you can live a long life as long as you keep having babies;"

"Oh;"  tells Melinda as she feels her mind faint.  "I wish I knew, I didn't know;"  she adds.

"Maybe I should have told you;"  tells Lester.  "But not many people want to grow alarmed about such things, so I didn't bother;"

"Well I wish I was told!"  gasps Melinda as she feels age crimson her cheeks.  "I would have stopped the wedding and married someone else!"  she declares before she moves for her front door.

Lester sighs and slips out of the car.  He follows Melinda to the front door and then he follows her inside of the house.  Melinda turns around to face Lester and he stands there with hard set on his face.  Melinda wants to scream - he looks so menacing she wants to call him evil!

"Go away!"  she forces through her throat.

"No;"  tells Lester as he glares at her.

"I don't want to see you!"  declares Melinda.

"I don't think you should be left alone;"  tells Lester as he furrows his brows.

"Well I want to be left alone!  I want to sulk!  You've ruined my life!"  tells Melinda in war.

"I said you'll live long;"  declares Lester as he raises his brows.  "You'll live long.  We all live long.  You're not going to die.  It's just AIDS.  Your blood gets cold, that's it;"  he says.

"I feel my head spin!" rages Melinda.  "I fainted!  I almost died!"

"You fainted!"  tells Lester with a laugh under his breath.

"I almost died!"  tells Melinda as tears wet her eyes.  "It's horrible!  You're horrible!"  she adds before she turns to leave.

Lester follows Melinda to the lounge and there he grabs her arm; as she turns to look at him he slaps her once on the cheek.

"You can stop soiling our good reputation any time now;"  he drawls as Melinda finally breaks down in tears.

"I'm sorry;"  mutters Melinda.  "I don't know what to do;"  she adds.

"You sit and watch television;"  tells Lester as he gives her back a rub.  "You live well;"

"Okay;"  mutters Melinda as she shrugs.  "I can do that;"  she adds before she flicks on the television.

"You do that when I am not here;"  explains Lester.  "While I am here you can make me something to eat;"  he tells before he smiles.

"I can do that;"  tells Melinda as she grows a little sour over the fact that he should be so gender biased.


When Seth comes home Melinda is asleep on the couch.  Seth doesn't disturb her -  he needs to go to the pub to meet with his father Lester and brother Brad.

"We need to drink!"  declares Seth before he pulls on a casual shirt and leaves.

On the way out Seth looks at Melinda and stops for a second.  He wonders if he should wake her, but he doesn't seem to see the need for it.  Seth shrugs and leaves, and he doesn't return until he is drunk.


Melinda wakes up to the sound of a crash -  it is the head of the car slamming into the closed garage door!  Immediately Melinda grows alarmed and she heads for the front door and opens it.  Melinda sees Seth by the garage and he laughs hard.

"Are you okay?"  asks Melinda as she feels her heartbeat hard.

"Yeah, it's the garage door that was hit!"  tells Seth before he walks towards the front door.

Melinda sees Seth stagger more then once, however he makes it to the door without a trip over a single plant-pot.  Melinda smiles as Seth walks up to her, however he doesn't see her and he walks into her.  Seth feels the bump and laughs as Melinda stumbles -  she feels foolish to think he was going to greet her with a hug and she races back inside of the house with a bump on her brow.  Seth closes the front door and he rubs his eyes.

""I am drunk!"  he declares to an empty foyer.

Seth looks around and sees blur -  he knocks a couple of them over before he gives up and lays himself onto the carpet.  With quiet all around his brain he picks up on the sound of sobbing.  He immediately grows placid and he rubs his brow to try and erase some of the drunk.

"I'm just drunk!"  he declares to the ceiling.  "Go to your room;"  he adds before he begins to snore.

Melinda bites on her fingers and then she races upstairs -  she doesn't want to meet Seth drunk, and she locks the door behind her.


In the morning Seth rubs his eyes awake and he peels himself off the floor.  He knows he has a hangover and he scolds himself for having had gotten drunk.  Seth clears his throat and he wanders through the house to scope out the damage -  there is none.  Seth smiles and heads upstairs and it takes all of his brain to collect the right key to be able to open the locked bedroom door.

Inside of the bedroom Seth finds Melinda asleep on the bed, and his skin grows red hot.

"All you do is sleep!"  he gasps annoyed before he gives her cheek a slap.

Melinda wakes and her wits curmble as she sees Seth in his after-drunk state.

"What are you slapping my face for?"  she asks as she rubs the soreness on her cheek.

"To wake you up -  all you do is sleep!"   tells Seth as he glares.  "Wakes up, get up;"  he mutters.

"No I don't feel like it;"  tells Melinda as she brings the blankets up to her neck.

"Get up!  I want to take you somewhere for a drive;"  tells Seth as he frowns.

"You crashed the car into the garage!"  tells Melinda in war.

"Oh I did did I?"  asks Seth as he raises his brows.  "Let's see about that!"  he gasps before he races downstairs and out of the house.

By the driveway Seth sees the nose of his car crumbled against the face of a damaged garage door.  Seth feels the color drain from his face as shock floods through his eyes.

"So that's what happens when I have had a good nigh out?"  he asks as high tones pierce his ears.

Seth thinks he hears the sound of screaming and then he blanks out.


Seth wakes up in his bedroom and he grimaces.  He feels sore and he tosses his stare around the room to figure the soreness out.  Brad greets him at the bedroom door as he eats candy from a dish.

"Are those my jelly jubes?"  asks Seth.

"Yeah;"  tells Brad as he shrugs.  "I know you keep a bucket in the pantry cupboard!"  he adds.

"What's happened?  My head is sore!"  complains Seth.

"I kicked it;"  tells Brad as he shrugs.  "You ruined my car!"  he declares.

"That's my car;"  tells Seth as he tries to gather his thoughts enough to see the license plate inside of his head.

"No,we have the same car and you said 'wouldn't it be fun to trade for the night?';"  tells Brad as he wonders if Seth was conscious when he had mutters those memorable words.  "Drunk it seemed like a good idea;"  he adds.  "But not now;"

"I am sorry;"  tells Seth as he recalls the moment when Lester's let-down about them having the same car began to pick at his anger.  "I just wanted to fill in the gap that goes with being let down!"

"I don't know what you are talking about;"  tells Brad as she shakes his head.  "But you owe me twenty grand;"  he mutters.

"For what?"  asks Seth.  "That's a three grand bump;"

"Replacement, paint, polish, and handling charges;"  tells Brad as he glares at Seth with seriousness.

"I don't have the money;"  tells Seth as he furrows his brows.

"Sure you do;" tells Brad as he grows firm over the decision of draining money out of Seth.

"Take Melinda to bed and drop ten grand;"  tells Seth as a split headache slices is brain in two.

"What?" gasps Brad as he feels his nerves tighten.  "No way!  Twenty grand!"

"And a divorce!"  tells Melinda from behind Brad;s shoulder before she darts out of the house.

Seth snorts and rubs his temples as Brad feels his heart-beat elevate.

"Do you want me to run after her?"  asks Brad.

"Only if you drop ten grand for it!"  tells Seth before he moves to the bathroom to throw up.


Melinda sits at the park and sulks for a couple of hours.  She feels cheap and her marriage a cheat and she continues to let the minutes pass as cement sinks her heart.  Melinda doesn't bother to cry, she jsut stares at the birds and the grass with vacancy over her mind, and then after a long time she bothers to return home.


At home Brad meets Melinda by the kitchen as he helps himself to a sandwich.  Melinda scoffs, however she catches her scoff and bothers to smile.

"That's a welcoming gesture;"  tells Brad as he glares.

"I know;"  mutters Melinda as she feels her heart and mind drop.

She doesn't feel like being polite to Brad and so she goes to the lounge-room couch to sit.  However when sitting she grows more depressed and that is when she bothers to cry.  She feels sad for a moment before Brad enters the room to turn the television on.  Brad puts the volume on high as Melinda rubs at her temple, and then they sit.  Melinda stifles her tears as she runs fingers through her hair -  she doesn't feel happy at all.

Seth enters the room and he clears this throat as he glares at Melinda who leans too heavily to the side to be good company.

"Just go to the bedroom!"  he states sharply.

Melinda ignores him as Brad laughs.

"She's fine -  we're watching the game;" tells Brad.

Seth shrugs and walks to the kitchen to cook himself some toast -  he no longer wants to be hung over.


In the evening Seth pokes Brad on the shoulder to wake him out of his doze.  Brad becomes alert and he looks up to Seth who smiles.  Seth waves a check over Brad's face and Brad fast snatches the check.  He reads the amount of twenty grand and with a skip in his step he gets up from his chair.

"I am going to check that this is valid; when I get the thumbs up I will call to thank you;"  tells Brad before he leaves.

Seth waves and then he looks to Melinda who has also crashed.  He smiles at her and he leans over to poke her shoulder.  Melinda wakes and she shivers as she sees Seth.

"What is the matter?"  asks Seth as he glares.  "What you scared of?" he asks.

"Nothing;"  tells Melinda as she looks to Seth.  "I just thought you might be hitting on me or something;"  she mutters.

"So what is wrong with that?"  asks Seth as he leers.  "It's okay for me to hit on you;"  he mutters.

"No it's not!"  steams Melinda who fast sits up to repel any advance Seth could make.  "You've given me AIDS!"  she gasps.

"There is no such thing;"  tells Seth as he grows impatient for Melinda to cheer up.  "There is no such thing -  just you see, you will!"

"I don't want to wait and see!  I want to leave!"  cries out Melinda as her iris's grow wet.

"Then leave;"  tells Seth as he steps back.  "Leave!"  he steams.

Melinda looks to Seth for a quiet moment and then with some reserve she stands.  She looks to Seth who steps aside to let her pass, and Melinda shudders.  She doesn't actually want to leave the house she just wants out of the marriage -  she wants to go back home.

"I could have gone to college;"  she mutters.

"Then go to college;" retorts Seth.

"I can't!"  gasps Melinda. "I threw the entrance away!"

"So stay here;" tells Seth as he shrugs.  "I don't mind;"

Melinda smiles as she blushes -  she likes the way Seth says that, it makes her feel special.  Melinda shrugs and then she lingers as Seth stares.

"I don't mind that you stay;"  tells Seth as though Melinda is a visitor to a bachelor pad.  "I would like for you to stay;"  he adds.

"You would?" asks Melinda as she feels herself blush over the argument which would have led to a divorce if she had the nerve to walk out the front door.

"Just let me hit on you a little;"  tells Seth as he grins.

"Okay;"  sighs Melinda seconds before her heartbeat stats to hammer as Seth approaches her for a kiss.


Melinda feels her body crash the next morning -  she and Seth had been intimate for a whole evening and she feels tired and sore all over.  She thinks about his disease and she feels depressed -  she is sure to be filled up with what doctors term as AIDS, however she doesn't feel too bad.

Slowly Melinda rises up from the blankets to have a shower.  The morning draft makes her skin prickle, however as soon as the shower is on her she feels good and prickle-free.  Melinda slowly washes herself all over and then she moves back to the bedroom to dress.  Her skin is glowing and she still feels fine, and she is able to smile at her reflection when dressed.

"I can now go for a walk!"  tells Melinda before she leaves the house.

However when walking to the store the wind begins to chill Melinda and she is forced to return home once again.  When home Melinda pours herself some tea and then she moves to the lounge.

"That breeze just runs right through you!"  she gasps as her fingers sore after turning blue.  "Maybe I will have to stick inside of the house!"  she adds, however then Seth enters the house and forces her to take a drive with him.


In the car Melinda feels her energy lag as Seth drives along the highway to a friends house out of town.  Seth looks to Melinda over and again, and he even wipes some hair off her face.  Melinda smiles, however her mood darkens as she sits there and in the end she can keep her eyes open no longer.

Melinda sleeps and when she wakes she is in a hospital bed.

"What's happened?"  asks Melinda to the nearby machine.  "I fell asleep;"

"Coma actually;"  tells Seth as he approaches the bed.  "You may have been riht, you have AIDS;"  he whispers before he pinches her cheek to make the pale skin show a purple bruise.  "It's bad -  you should have taken your medication;"  he adds.

"You suck!"  gasps Melinda as her heart-beat murmurs.

"You're going to look old from now on;"  tells Seth as he raises his brows before a doctor steps forward to give Melinda a needle with so many drugs her skin wrinkles and her hair turns grey.