Melanie

I sit at my desk, fingers tapping away on the keyboard, trying to focus on work despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. Last night's texts with Marcus still linger in my mind, providing a comforting warmth that I'm both grateful for and wary of. Marcus has a way of making me feel wanted, loved, and cared for, even if it's just through a few simple words on a screen. 

I pause in my typing, my thoughts drifting back to last night. I was torn, so torn. Part of me longed to see Marcus, to invite him over and bask in his comforting presence. His sweet words melted away my worries, if only for a moment. But I can't let his influence sway my decisions, just as I can't let Daniel's.

But then again, Daniel is already worming his way back into my mind, so why shouldn't Marcus?

Lost in my thoughts, I don't notice Evie standing in front of my desk until she clears her throat, her hands on her hips, glaring at me.

I look up, caught off guard by her sudden appearance. "What?" I ask, my confusion evident in my tone.

Evie's expression softens slightly, but the frustration still lingers in her eyes. "Did you call Daniel's therapist?" she demands, her voice tinged with impatience.

I shift uncomfortably in my chair. "Not yet," I admit sheepishly, avoiding her gaze.

Evie throws her hands up in exasperation, a scowl forming on her lips. "What the fuck are you waiting for, Melanie?" she snaps, her tone sharp with frustration.

I raise an eyebrow at her, feigning innocence. "Language," I chide gently, though there's a hint of amusement in my voice.

Evie rolls her eyes, unimpressed by my attempt to deflect. "Call her, now," she insists firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I let out a sigh, knowing she's right. I can't keep putting this off. I need to face Daniel's therapist and get this over with, no matter how daunting it may seem.

"Fine," I concede, reaching for my phone on the desk. "I'll do it now."

As I dial the number, my heart races with apprehension. What will Daniel's therapist say? Will she support my decision of breaking up with Daniel, or will she paint a different picture altogether?

The phone rings once, twice, before a voice answers on the other end. "Hello?"

"Hi, this is Melanie," I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the nerves fluttering in my stomach. "I need to talk to you about Daniel."

There's a brief pause, and then she speaks, her voice hesitant. "It's Melanie, huh? What did you want to talk about?"

I swallow hard, gathering my thoughts before I continue. "Daniel has been having a hard time accepting that we're broken up," I explain, trying to keep my voice even. "He's been spiraling, and I'm worried about him."

There's a moment of silence on the other end of the line before the woman speaks again. "Spiraling how?" she asks.

I sigh, the memories of last Friday night flooding back to me. "Last Friday, he called me in the middle of the night, completely wasted," I recount, my voice trembling slightly. "He begged me to come get him, to drive him home. And when I did, he was crying because I turned him down again."

The woman lets out a heavy sigh. "I see," she murmurs. "We should meet in person and discuss this further."

Relief floods through me at her words, and I glance over at Evie, who's watching me curiously, and I give her a thumbs up. "That would be great," I say eagerly.

"Does tomorrow work for you?" she asks.

"Yes, tomorrow works," I reply. "Where should we meet?"

There's a brief pause before she responds, her voice calm and collected. "What's the name of the bar that Daniel was at last Friday?" she inquires.

"The Juke Joint," I reply, a note of confusion in my voice.

"Perfect," the woman responds, her tone decisive. "I'll see you there at 7:00 pm."

"Thank you," I say earnestly, gratitude swelling within me for her willingness to help.

I end the call, my fingers gripping the phone tightly as I take a deep breath to steady myself. Turning to Evie, I relay the news, my voice tinged with uncertainty. "I'm meeting Daniel's therapist tomorrow at the Juke Joint," I say, watching for her reaction.

Evie scrunches her nose in confusion. "The Juke Joint?" she repeats, her brow furrowing. "That's... odd."

I nod in agreement, a furrow forming between my own brows. "Yeah, I thought so too," I admit, feeling a sense of unease settling in the pit of my stomach.

Evie offers a suggestion, her tone speculative. "Maybe it's some therapist crap," she suggests, her lips twisting in distaste. "You know, going back to the place where Daniel got drunk and called you."

I shrug, not entirely convinced by her explanation. "Maybe," I concede, though doubts linger in my mind. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

As Evie turns to leave, she pauses and looks back at me, her expression softening. "I'm proud of you, Mel," she says earnestly.

I offer her a half-smile, feeling a warmth spread through me at her words. "For what?"

Evie meets my gaze, her eyes filled with warmth. "I know all of this is hard on you," she says softly, "but you're handling everything really well."

"Thank you, Evie," I say softly, gratitude filling my voice.

Evie returns to her desk, leaving me to my thoughts. I try to focus on my work, but the euphoria I felt since last night has evaporated, replaced by a knot of anxiety and dread in my stomach. Tomorrow's meeting with Daniel's therapist looms over me like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over everything.

"It's all going to be okay," I repeat to myself, trying to push aside the doubts gnawing at my mind. But the words feel hollow, and I struggle to convince myself of their truth.

As I delve back into my work, I can't shake the nagging feeling that something isn't right about this meeting. A sense of unease settles over me, and I can't help but wonder if I'm the villain in Daniel's story. Is his therapist going to lay out point by point how much damage I've caused to him?

The thought sends a shiver down my spine, and I can feel the weight of guilt pressing down on me. What if I've made a terrible mistake in breaking up with Daniel? What if I've irreparably damaged him in the process?

I push these thoughts to the back of my mind, trying to focus on the task at hand. But no matter how hard I try, the doubts continue to linger, casting a shadow over everything I do. Tomorrow's meeting can't come soon enough, and yet I find myself dreading it more with each passing moment.

Marcus

My phone buzzes, pulling me out of my thoughts. I snatch it up and see a message from Evie. "Melanie is meeting the therapist tomorrow, I thought you should know."

Relief floods through me at the news. Finally, it's all coming to an end. I type back a quick "Thanks, Evie. I appreciate it," before setting my phone back down.

A few moments later, Evie responds with a simple "Anytime, Marcus."

I toss my phone onto my desk and lean back in my chair, closing my eyes and scrubbing my face with my hands. It's been a long road, filled with uncertainty and doubt, but now it feels like the end is finally in sight.

I sit at my desk, my mind buzzing with thoughts of Melanie's upcoming meeting with Daniel's therapist. I can't help but wonder what the therapist will tell her. She couldn't possibly suggest that Melanie should get back together with Daniel, could she? That's just crazy.

Daniel is the one who needs to be on his own right now, not Melanie. He needs to work through his fucked up head and stop confusing her so that Melanie can come back to me. It may sound selfish, but it's the truth. Melanie deserves to be with someone who can give her the love and stability she needs, and that person is me.