The Writers Christmas Vacation

chapter 4

Three days later, on December 16, Melissa was back home.

She was still numb from the loss of her mother. Unfortunately, her father was also missing.

The police had stopped looking for him. They'd come to the conclusion that he had run away because the grief was too much for him to handle.

But Melissa knew that wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Her father had always been able to handle difficult emotions. He was the strongest person she knew in her family - both emotionally and physically.

Her phone dinged as a new email came up on her phone. There was only one person it could be from - Aliza. Her editor had not answered Melissa's last email yet.

Melissa,

I'm so sorry for your loss and that you were not feeling well. I hope things get better for you soon. Don't worry about the deadline. The last thing I want you to worry about is rushing the conclusion to the story. Send me the next chapter when you are ready. Please contact me as soon as you receive this message. Thanks for letting me know what happened.

-Aliza

Melissa let out a small sigh. What should she do? The last thing she wanted to do was inconvenience Aliza. Or to be late on her publishing deadline.

She picked up her phone and dialed the editors phone number. Aliza picked up after the third ring. "Hey, I need to talk to you." Melissa said with determination.

In fact, Melissa was having a difficult time handling anything these days.

"Sure," Aliza replied, "What's up, Melissa? You can talk to me about anything."

Melissa knew this was true. Aliza had been there for her since Melissa had started writing. Still, she held back on what she actually wanted to say to her editor.

"Aliza, I can't do this alone. He's still missing." Melissa didn't have to say who she was talking about. Aliza already knew about Melissa's father.

"I know. Just try your best. That's all that matters. How about just sending me what part of your chapter you currently have written?" Aliza suggested. She sounded concerned about Melissa. This was unusual for Aliza.

Melissa nodded. She didn't care that Aliza couldn't see her. "Alright. I'll send it to you right now." Melissa opened up her email. She copy and pasted the chapter into the email and sent it to Aliza.

"Sounds good. I'll try to get it to you on or before the 19th." Aliza informed her.

"I appreciate the help, Aliza. Thanks so much."

"No problem. Do you need anything else?"

"Not right now. IF I do, I'll contact you later." Melissa hung up the cell phone.

She looked around her office. She felt lonely. What was she doing with her life? Nothing interesting, she was convinced.

Or maybe it was an interesting life. She couldn't decide whether or not she should enjoy herself. Couldn't stop second guessing herself.

The journal she had written over the summer, when she had writer's block, sat on her desk. She picked it up to get an idea. This journal was full of unused ideas.

Dear journal,

All I can think of is...

Why was this entry incomplete? She looked at the date.

November nineteenth.

A month ago?

She had written that entry during National Novel Writing Month?

How could she have forgotten about it?

She flipped through the journal to an earlier date. June twelfth. The day her life had changed. The day she had decided to write the Christmas story.

"What?" Melissa was shocked by this fact. She thought she'd come up with the idea later in the year.

A knock on her front door startled Melissa and interrupted her thoughts. Who could be visiting her at this time? She looked at her clock. It was 7:30 at night.

She answered the door. The mailman stood there. At this time of night? Odd. Still, Melissa opened the door to see what he wanted.

"Melissa?"

"Yes. That's me. How can I help you?"

"I have a package for you." The mailman handed her a box. She looked at the postage stamp. It had her father's name on the box.

"Thank you." She closed the door behind the mailman and went back into her office.

Carefully, Melissa opened the package. Inside was an adoption form for a cat - and it was already filled out. She gasped.

"He....he ....." She couldn't complete her thought. That was as far as Melissa got before crying from joy.

She calmed down a little later. "He adopted a cat for me. I can't believe it!" She said out loud, surprised. She loved animals so this was probably the best Christmas present her dad could have gotten her.

Her home phone rang and Melissa ran to the kitchen to check the caller ID. It was her father. Should she answer it after he had abandoned her?

Perhaps he was calling to apologize. She sighed and sat down at the kitchen island.