direct question, but she answered anyway. “Like I
said, I knew John had nowhere else to go. With no family or friends, he didn’t
have anyone to help him get back on his feet. I just wanted to help.”
Turning
back to the camera, Melinda seemed to forget them completely. She was focused
on impressing the anchorman. “Well, Jim, there you have it. These two have gone
from tragedy in the middle of the desert to a budding relationship. It might
not be the ideal way for two people to come together, but sometimes real life
fairytales don’t play out exactly as they do in books.”
She seemed
to be listening to something Jim was saying, then smiled and wrapped up the
interview with, “We would like to remind our viewers that this man is
desperately searching for anyone who might know who he is. If you recognize
this man or know anything about the assailants who attacked him, please call
the number on the bottom of your screen. This is Melinda Velasquez. Back to
you, Jim.”
Tossing the
microphone to her assistant, Melinda took a rubber band in return and deftly
looped her hair up into a bun. “And we’re all done,” she said proudly. “Thank
you for letting us into your home.
“Thank you
for covering the story,” Gretchen said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Well, it’s
not everyday something like this happens,” Melinda said. “Viewers love these
kinds of stories. Tragedy, love, and a little bit of danger. They’ll eat it
up.”
Gretchen
cocked her head to the side at Melinda’s comment. “I guess.”
Melinda
nodded and proceeded to herd her crew out the door. John and Gretchen watched
them pile into the van with surprising efficiency. John was glad to see them
go. He maneuvered his crutches so he could turn when Gretchen huffed next to
him.
“What’s the
matter?” he asked, turning around. Her eyes were focused to the side, and when
he followed her gaze John was startled to see a very large man lumbering up the
driveway toward the front door. He looked angry. John wasn’t sure what use he
would be, but he tried to move himself in front of Gretchen. Gretchen put a
hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
“John, why
don’t you go sit down and rest?” she said. It wasn’t a suggestion.
“Gretchen
…” John started.
“Now, John.
I can handle Carl on my own.”
She was pretty
angry herself, by that point. The look on her face convinced John she could
indeed handle the overgrown tantrum thrower.
“Go, John,”
Gretchen said, pushing him back and shutting the door in his face.
Suddenly,
John was worried less about Gretchen than he was Carl.
Chapter Sixteen
Fairytales and Fights
Gretchen
stalked across the grass right up to Carl. She couldn’t believe he was doing
this. At least the news van had already pulled away. Being on the news
screaming at her neighbor was the last thing she needed. Although, Melinda
would have loved the follow up. First Gretchen was this kind and caring woman,
then she was a total nutcase. Gretchen really didn’t need that right now. She
didn’t need Carl fighting with her in her front yard about John again, either.
“What,
Carl?” Gretchen demanded.
“What the
hell was all that about, Gretchen?” he demanded right back.
“What are
you talking about? I told you two days ago that they were coming to do a story
about John. Don’t you remember standing right here, arguing about whether or
not it was a good idea, like I needed your permission or something?”
Was he
really that thickheaded? Gretchen wanted to slap him. She suspected it would hurt
her worse than it would him, or she might have actually done it. Instead, she
settled for jabbing him with her finger and saying, “This has nothing to do
with you. It was about John trying to find out who he is.”
“A story
about John, Gretchen, not about you and him meeting up like some kind of
twisted fairytale. What was that about your budding relationship with John?” he
asked. His
said, I knew John had nowhere else to go. With no family or friends, he didn’t
have anyone to help him get back on his feet. I just wanted to help.”
Turning
back to the camera, Melinda seemed to forget them completely. She was focused
on impressing the anchorman. “Well, Jim, there you have it. These two have gone
from tragedy in the middle of the desert to a budding relationship. It might
not be the ideal way for two people to come together, but sometimes real life
fairytales don’t play out exactly as they do in books.”
She seemed
to be listening to something Jim was saying, then smiled and wrapped up the
interview with, “We would like to remind our viewers that this man is
desperately searching for anyone who might know who he is. If you recognize
this man or know anything about the assailants who attacked him, please call
the number on the bottom of your screen. This is Melinda Velasquez. Back to
you, Jim.”
Tossing the
microphone to her assistant, Melinda took a rubber band in return and deftly
looped her hair up into a bun. “And we’re all done,” she said proudly. “Thank
you for letting us into your home.
“Thank you
for covering the story,” Gretchen said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Well, it’s
not everyday something like this happens,” Melinda said. “Viewers love these
kinds of stories. Tragedy, love, and a little bit of danger. They’ll eat it
up.”
Gretchen
cocked her head to the side at Melinda’s comment. “I guess.”
Melinda
nodded and proceeded to herd her crew out the door. John and Gretchen watched
them pile into the van with surprising efficiency. John was glad to see them
go. He maneuvered his crutches so he could turn when Gretchen huffed next to
him.
“What’s the
matter?” he asked, turning around. Her eyes were focused to the side, and when
he followed her gaze John was startled to see a very large man lumbering up the
driveway toward the front door. He looked angry. John wasn’t sure what use he
would be, but he tried to move himself in front of Gretchen. Gretchen put a
hand on his shoulder and stopped him.
“John, why
don’t you go sit down and rest?” she said. It wasn’t a suggestion.
“Gretchen
…” John started.
“Now, John.
I can handle Carl on my own.”
She was pretty
angry herself, by that point. The look on her face convinced John she could
indeed handle the overgrown tantrum thrower.
“Go, John,”
Gretchen said, pushing him back and shutting the door in his face.
Suddenly,
John was worried less about Gretchen than he was Carl.
Chapter Sixteen
Fairytales and Fights
Gretchen
stalked across the grass right up to Carl. She couldn’t believe he was doing
this. At least the news van had already pulled away. Being on the news
screaming at her neighbor was the last thing she needed. Although, Melinda
would have loved the follow up. First Gretchen was this kind and caring woman,
then she was a total nutcase. Gretchen really didn’t need that right now. She
didn’t need Carl fighting with her in her front yard about John again, either.
“What,
Carl?” Gretchen demanded.
“What the
hell was all that about, Gretchen?” he demanded right back.
“What are
you talking about? I told you two days ago that they were coming to do a story
about John. Don’t you remember standing right here, arguing about whether or
not it was a good idea, like I needed your permission or something?”
Was he
really that thickheaded? Gretchen wanted to slap him. She suspected it would hurt
her worse than it would him, or she might have actually done it. Instead, she
settled for jabbing him with her finger and saying, “This has nothing to do
with you. It was about John trying to find out who he is.”
“A story
about John, Gretchen, not about you and him meeting up like some kind of
twisted fairytale. What was that about your budding relationship with John?” he
asked. His
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