The Writers Christmas Vacation

chapter 10

The phone call at the airport. Melissa realized she still hadn't looked to see who had called her then.

She looked at her phone for the first time since she had come on the retreat. She had a voicemail from her brother.

Wait, what? Her? brother? He'd left her a voicemail?

She had an inkling of a suspicion that Perry calling her could not be good. The added fact that he'd left her a voicemail worsened her suspicions.

Melissa listened to the message:

"Melissa,

Dad called me at the office today. It sounded urgent. Apparently he has some news to tell us. It's about Mom - and you. That's all he told my secretary.

I realize you're busy with your retreat. So, I apologize for inconveniencing you with this.

Please call me as soon as you get this message.

Love you!"

Melissa erased the voicemail. She didn't want anyone else on the retreat - particularly one of the nosy girls she shared her room with - to listen to the message.

Rumor might pass from one person to the next throughout the entire group. Then where would she be?

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She returned to the lobby for the retreat party. Her second draft was half done. She had gotten so into writing it that she didn't know how soon the party was until she looked at her computer clock.

It was 4:57 when she looked at the time again.

"Oh s**t. I'm going to be late." Melissa said out loud. She ran to the lobby. How could she do this?

She'd sworn to herself that she would be to the party in time. Yet her she was, close to being late.

She tripped over someone's foot when she got to the lobby. She landed face down. Luckily, she was still holding her manuscript in her hand.

Looking up, Melissa recognized who had tripped her. Mike. Her ex-boyfriend. What the hell was he doing here?

Last she knew, Mike was still in prison. For drunk driving - with her in the car. He was supposed to be in jail for ten years, yet here he was, out of jail seven years too early.

Jacob had noticed Mike trip Melissa. He offered her a helping hand. Melissa grabbed it and thanked him when she was finally standing up once more.

The party flew right by. Melissa thought they were just reading their stories to the group.

But Jacob had other ideas. Two members of the retreat were going back to their homes on December 27.

He gave those two members writing supplies. Then, he gave everyone else gifts.

Melissa was surprised what she found in the box she received. She hadn't seen anything like it in several years.