My visit to Mel's place was just a scare tactic. I wanted to let David know that I had my eyes on him; I don't think it worked. He didn't look intimidated in the least when I told him that I wanted to visit Mel every day. The only time he lost his cool was when I told him what Janice thought of him.

Perhaps his obsession with Janice was more than I had anticipated. It made me uncomfortable that I was once again sending my Mel in the lion's den, but I had no choice. It was a battle Mel had to fight on her own.

When we had left for Drew's residence, Mel had joined me in the van. "Alex, you need to start addressing me as Janice from this point on." She had requested, and I had agreed immediately. She was right. I had already addressed her as Mel in front of our mutual friends. Though they were surprised, they had attributed it to the fact that I was worried about my closest friend's health. I didn't expect David to think like them. He knew me too well.

As we near our destination, I look at Mel's unconscious form. I push a stray copper curl off her cheek. I still couldn't believe the things that had happened five nights ago. It was too much to take in.

I look at the person sitting in front of me, and she smiles. "I will be fine, Alex." Mel...no not, Mel, I had to stop thinking of her as Mel; for now, she was Janice.
"Janice," I start; the name feels alien as it rolls off my tongue. I am sure that she must feel strange hearing me call her like that, but she doesn't show it. She nods and squeezes my hand. I continue. "I don't know what David is planning, but you need to remember that under no circumstances can you let him affect you. He doesn't deserve it."

He doesn't deserve you.

Janice smiles. "Ai. Ai. Doctor!" She salutes and pats my hand. "I won't be alone. The kids will be there, and so will aunty Kimmy. He won't do anything to tarnish his reputation."

"What about nights?" I can't help but ask. The thought had been bothering me no end.

"Alex, we discussed this already." She reminds me, trying to put me at ease.
We had decided to place cameras in the room that would house Melissa's body.  It went without saying that Janice would occupy the same one as well. It would serve to kill two birds with one stone. We could keep an eye on David,  and if he were to cross his limits, we could implicate him.

Soon, we are at Drew's residence. I stay back in the van with Melissa's body while she knocks on the door. We needed him occupied till everything was in place.

I hear the door open.

"Yes?" I hear aunty's voice.

"Hello, I am Janice. Doctor Reed must have filled you in, I suppose." Mel introduces herself and looks over her shoulder.

I wave at aunty, who beams and approaches the van. "Young Master!" She exclaims,  taking my hand, and looks at Melissa's body. "She looks so peaceful like this." She adds, cupping her face. Then, looking at me, she reassures. "She will be fine. I know she will. Young mistress has a strong will. She will pull through."

I hate that I was hiding things from her, but it was for the best. The fewer people knew about what we were trying to pull, the better chances of success we had.

"I know she will." I agree and add. "Aunty, I will count on you to take care of Janice as well. She is a great girl, and she is very good at her job."

Aunty nods and reassures me that I had nothing to worry about before she escorts Mel inside.

Our plan depended on how well we could manipulate David. All I was hoping for was that he restrain himself from coming on to her too hard, too soon. Though Mel had complete control over Janice's body at the moment, there was no way to tell how long it would last. Mel needed to remain calm and composed while trying to get David to confess as soon as possible.

We only had a week.

David's voice pulls me out of my reprieve as he greets Mel.
'Welcome to my humble abode, Janice.'

'Thank you, Mr. Drew.'

'Please call me David.'

'I don't think so. We are not yet familiar.' I hear Mel respond in an ice-cold tone and can't help but feel proud of her. She was the gentlest soul I knew. I can't begin to comprehend how much she must be hurting right now for her usually soft voice to have taken an edge as sharp as a samurai sword.

'I am sorry.' David apologizes in a voice dipped in honey. 'I will keep that in mind, Ms. Monroe.'

'I am here to set up the room. Doctor Reed is watching over your wife.' She informs formally. A moment later, David walks out the door, looking surprised.

"Reed?" He calls, and I turn to catch his eyes; they narrow. Anger flutters across his charming countenance, but before anyone can notice it, it gone, replaced by a sugary sweet smile. "What brings you here again?" He demands.

Mel joins us. Her electric blue eyes come to rest on David. "He is the one handling Mrs. Drew's case. I am sure you know the rules, Mr. Drew. Doctor Reed needs to verify everything before I can take over the assignment officially."

David gives a tight smile. "Of course. It's just that I was not aware that I would be seeing him again so soon." He turns to me and chuckles. "Reed, your obsession with my wife only seems to grow fiercer year after year. You will never find a wife at this rate."

David misses the way Mel's eyes flair up at the jab and continues. "My man, you are not getting any younger. Find yourself a woman. If Melissa were here, she would have agreed with me."

The way he says the words, making them sound like Mel had already left us, makes my stomach coil. "The day she tells me to find someone, I will, David. You needn't concern yourself with my life. Your plate is full."

David nods solemnly and looks at Melissa's body in the ambulance. "My love, did you hear that? Your childhood sweetheart will only move on when you let him go." He climbs into the van and strokes her brow. Anger washes over me in waves. I am about to manhandle him out of the van when Mel speaks. "Mr. Drew, please refrain from touching the patient."

"Excuse me?!" David balks.

"Those are the rules, Mr. Drew. Mrs. Drew's condition is delicate. We can't let anyone near her without making sure that they are free of infection. Her immune systems are compromised. She runs a risk of contracting an infection." Mel elaborates and holds her hand out to David. She smiles. Beautifully. "Once we have made sure that you are clean, you can do as you please."

"Oh." He mutters and turns to me. "How come-"

"Her condition has worsened." I lie. For a moment, David's mask slips. His eyes twinkle. I pretend to miss it and continue, "The next few days are critical. We need to be extra careful. I will hand over a list of precautions to aunty while leaving."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asks, taking Mel's hand and getting out of the ambulance.

"I didn't want to worry you. I would appreciate it if you don't mention Melissa's deteriorating condition to aunty or the kids. I think it's better if they are in the dark about Mel's condition."

David wipes his eyes and nods. "In that case, I will make the most out of every second I have left with her."

Pretentious bastard!

I look at Mel from the corner of my eye to see if his fake ministrations were affecting her; I am glad to see nothing but anger in them.

None of your tricks are going to work on Mel anymore, David.

Even as I try to reassure myself that David won't be able to enter her heart as he did all those years ago, a part of me is still apprehensive.

Can one truly hate someone who meant the world to them once?

Can I ever, for any reason whatsoever, stop loving Mel?

The answer to that question scares me. What if David wins her over again?
After all, he was the father of her children. They were a family. A real family.

"With God's grace, Mrs. Drew will return to us safe and sound, David." Mel offers. The ice in her tone melts. "I will do my best to help her return to you." She adds sweetly and caresses David's arm.

"Thank you," David mutters in a choked voice and wanders back inside. "I have things to take care of." He looks over his shoulder. "Reed, let me know once you have settled everything."

"Rest assured," I call back and get to work moving first the pieces of equipment and then Melissa's body to the bedroom as discussed previously with David.

Meanwhile, aunty escorts Mel to the kids' room to get them acquainted with each other.

Oh, the irony!

An hour later, with the help of the hospital staff that had accompanied me, we finish setting up the room and make Melissa's body comfortable on the bed.
I ask them to wait for me in the ambulance,  and when they leave, I set up the cameras. I check their angle and feed on the phone. Satisfied that I had not left any blind spots, I leave the room and find aunty Kimmy in the kitchen. She informs me that David was expecting me in the study.

I knock on the door before entering. David's eyes look swollen, giving the impression that he had probably cried a river shut in the room all by himself for his comatose wife.

Our eyes meet. The way he looks now: his lips quivering, his cheeks tear-stained, a tint of red at the corner of his eyes and lips pulled up in a sad smile, he could melt glaciers.

What about a human heart?

I walk inside and take a seat in front of him. "David, I have set everything up. All I need to do is fill Janice in on a few minor details, and then I will be off."

David nods and looks past me as the door creeks, and Mel peeks inside. "Is it a good time, or should I return later?"

"Ah, Janice, please come in." He replies, turning away and wiping his fake tears. "Don't mind me. The news of Melissa's deteriorating condition..." he leaves the sentence unfinished and shakes his head. "Look at me crying like Melissa is already gone." He joins Mel and takes her hand gingerly. "Thank you for agreeing to take on this role."

"I have seen Mrs. Drew around Mercy. She is much loved. I am sure everyone is praying for her quick recovery."

"Yes, my Melissa is precious." He takes a deep breath. "Reed, I won't see you out. I can't risk running into the kids looking like this."

"No worries. I will visit tomorrow." I inform and turn to leave. "Janice, could I talk to you for a moment, please?" I gesture Mel to follow me out. She obliges and closes the door on her way out. I take her to the bedroom. I had converted it to look like a VIP ward at Mercy. I show her where I had placed the cameras.

"Alex, I met the kids." She gushes as soon as I have explained everything about the setup. She sits next to the bed. "I think they liked me. Sandy even asked me if I knew how to recite stories and poems."

"And?"

"I told her that I did and that I would do it as soon as I had taken care of their mom."

"I am glad. I knew that Sid and Sandy would like you."

She smiles. It's infectious. "Alex, if we fail and even if a week is all I am going to get with them, I am still thankful for it."

I shake my head. "I will have none of that pessimistic talk, Mel. It will work. It has to." I reply confidently, and holding myself back from pulling her into my arms, I mouth 'love you' and leave Drew's residence.