OVER EASY

BY

ALI VALI

Ebook by
PDAFiction.com

Disclaimers: The characters in the following story are of my own creation. Any similarities to anyone living or dead are purely coincidental. This work my not be used or reproduced in any manner, or distributed for profit without the express written permission from me, the author.

I want to thank my beta for the time she spent with this story. Lenore, as always you are the best. I bow to your grammatical knowledge and for your continued dedication and support.

I would like to also take the opportunity to thank all the wonderful people who take the time to read these stories. Thank you for all the great notes you have sent. I appreciate them all.

Any comments can be sent to me at

terrali20@yahoo.com

February 2007

This is dedicated, as always, to the one woman who holds my heart.

I love you and I always will.

Happy Valentine's Day, honey.

OVER EASY

PART ONE

"YOU'RE TAKING COOKING lessons?"

"Every Wednesday night."

Peter Lindsey looked at his friend Yancy Allemond as if she'd grown horns and a tail in the produce section of the grocery store. "You don't cook."

"I know I don't, thus the lessons." He stood stunned for a minute then had to break out into a trot to catch up with her at the cantaloupes. "Did you know that if you smell these right here," she pointed to the top of the melon, "and they smell like cantaloupe, it means it's ripe?"

"Yancy, you're starting to sound domestic and it's scaring the shit out of me."

"Should I tell my sister now that the thought of domesticity scares you?" She picked up four different melons before deciding on one. "The wedding's in a month so you might want to get with the program."

"Domesticity doesn't scare me, and I love Andy. What concerns me is you becoming domestic." He accepted a cantaloupe from her even though Andy hadn't put that on her list, but felt obligated after Yancy had sniffed through the bin in search of the perfect one. "I just want to keep going to work after I get married and have you regale me with stories about all the women you're seeing. Better yet, the women who cook you dinner then insist you sleep with them."

"Have I ever mentioned to you, that you're a pervert?" Yancy was now squeezing tomatoes.

"I'm not a pervert." This was on his list so Peter stood there with an open produce bag waiting for the sudden culinary expert to find the perfect specimens for him to take home and impress Andy with.

"Not a bad sick kind of pervert, but the harmless voyeuristic kind."

"Peeping Toms are not harmless. You know as well as I do they continue to escalate in their behavior more often than not." Once she'd picked three tomatoes he checked that off his list and moved to the cucumbers. "I need three of these too."

"Please don't talk shop and you're on your own when it comes to these."

Peter glanced at the bin full of cucumbers like his fiancée had asked him to buy a box of tampons while he was out with his buddies and then demand a price check. "What? They didn't cover these in class?"

"Last week as a matter of fact."

"So? Let's get going with the picking."

Yancy ignored him and handed him a box of black berries instead. "I happen to hate cucumbers so rather than pay attention to something I'm never going to eat; I decided to study the teacher's ass instead. I exhibited the same behavior sitting in my ninth grade geometry class since I figured I'd never need that in my life again either. As usual I was right. You actually don't need geometry to balance your check book or figure out how much cucumbers are if you buy two pounds of them." She pointed to his basket. "Bring the berries home instead, trust me. Andrea loves black berries enough that she'll forgive you forgetting the cucumbers."

"You were checking out some guy's ass? I don't need to pencil you in for some couch time do I?" This was a constant joke between them from the time they met during their fellowships at LSU Medical School.

The shiver that Yancy suffered after his comment made her prematurely white hair fall into her eye and Peter laugh. "And I should sign you up for sensitivity classes. There are female chefs, MCP."

"I'm not a chauvinist pig, thank you."

"And no matter how many times you ask, I'm not lying on your couch and telling you my problems. After starting my practice and listening to how twisted some people are, I don't have any problems of consequence."

Peter moved to the onions and held open another bag. "The real reason you don't want to put in any couch time is so I won't figure out how crazy you are, admit it." He made a mental note to find out when Yancy did her grocery shopping so he could tag along from then on. The whole process was a heck of lot less painless than it usually was. "Tell me about the female chef in your life."

"She's teaching me to cook--end of story."

"Come on, you were checking out her ass," he whined.

"Because she was talking about cucumbers, not because I was interested. Call it a reflex action on my part," she said making it sound as if he were mentally challenged for not getting that point in the first place. They slowed in the next department to study steaks. "Besides she's with somebody I think."

"That's never stopped you before."

She threw a pack of ribeyes into her basket and started walking again. "That's the old Yancy. My New Year's resolution is to strive for the new and improved Yancy. I say if Tide detergent can make that claim every couple of months it should be fairly easy."

"What's wrong with the old Yancy?"

They headed for the dairy section next and Peter felt comfortable enough to pick out milk and eggs by himself, so Yancy moved down to the butter. "My baby sister's getting married in weeks and it made me think that I don't want to chase nurses around for the rest of my life. You should be proud of yourself--you've made domesticity sound so enticing I'm willing to give it a chance."

"That whole nurse thing is ass backwards and you know it. When have you ever chased any woman who didn't want to get caught?"

She took the list from him and handed him a pack of unsalted butter. "That's not the point."

"What is?"

"The chase, no matter who's doing it, gets tiring after awhile." They started for the register making a run through the bakery. "Now I'm more interested in chasing the same woman and find the thrill in catching her waking up next to me morning after morning."

"Any girl would be lucky to finally settle you down, just don't tell her what you do for a living right away."

Yancy scanned the candy bins and grabbed a Crunch bar and added it to Peter's purchases. "We'll get to your insights in a minute Dr. Freud, but add this to your pile there."

"Are you crazy? You know how nuts Andy gets about junk food."

"You're about to marry the girl so I figure it's safe to tell you that Andy is a freak for these things." She grabbed his hand when it landed on the candy as he went for another one. "The secret to using these to get you out of trouble, i.e. not bringing home cucumbers, is to use them in moderation. Never bring home more than two a month. To keep the mystique alive think the opposite of the Pavlovian dog theory."

Peter slapped her on the back and nodded. "It's nice to know you'll still look out for me even after I got together with Andy."

"Just remember that if you hurt her, I'll kill you by feeding you one of these laced with so much arsenic it would take out a herd of elephants." Peter laughed and stopped when she didn't join in. "Now tell me why I should keep my job a secret."

"It either freaks women out because they feel like you're trying to analyze them, or they're dying to burden you with their problems."

The cashier started laughing when Yancy rolled her eyes. "I'm almost afraid to ask what category Andy fell into. My question to you is how in the hell are you getting married while I'm single with comments like that?"

"I'm cuter than you are, and your sister is a lot smarter than you'll ever think to be."

"Not from where I'm standing," the cashier said as she weighed Yancy's tomatoes. "I'm sorry; did I say that out loud?"

"Are you sure you want to retire?" Peter whispered as the girl continued to smile at Yancy.

"As sure as I am of wanting to learn to make Crème Brule."

"Come by my office tomorrow--you definitely need meds."

*  *  *

"Mel, the produce and seafood is here."

The kitchen of Jacqueline's was already chaotic and it wasn't even four in the afternoon. Melody Brendan, or Mel as her employees referred to her as, was slowly stirring a reduction sauce she'd been working on for two hours. She came from a long line of restaurateurs who had always preached that slow and consistent was the secret to keeping your dining room full.

Jacqueline's was the family's newest endeavor and already they were receiving rave reviews for the creations coming out of Melody's kitchen, which in New Orleans, a city known for food, was a miracle of sorts. To achieve the darling status she had, Melody had put in long hours and a grueling pace that had left her drained but she was starting to feel like she and her staff deserved the praise being heaped on them.

That feeling was sealed when her grandmother, Jacqueline Brendan, who had finally agreed to give her name to an establishment, stopped dropping by every afternoon to look in her pots. Mel figured she had earned her approval the afternoon she tasted everything, nodded and walked out the door. It was like receiving a private blessing from the pope since Jacqueline Brendan, the matriarch of the family and owner of the Brendan restaurant empire wasn't one to dole out praise for no reason.

Mel stepped to the back door as the vendors unloaded boxes from their trucks. Both men sighed and stopped what they were doing as soon as she opened the first box.

"I think these fish belong in a museum, Ricky," Mel said after skimming away the ice covering the chest of red fish.

"Sorry, Mel, I didn't think you'd be here today. I must've mixed your order up with someone else's." He put the chest back and retrieved three new ones.

"Uh huh," the ice came away again only this time it wasn't rows of clouded eyes she was staring down at. "If I'm not here and you try that again, you'll lose more than Jacqueline's business. Just keep in mind how many restaurants this place's namesake owns in the city. That's a lot of sales to lose trying to be sneaky."

He laughed as she handed over the invoice. "Thanks, Mel. You're a lot nicer than the dragon lady."

"Gran's unique in her approach, I'll give you that."

"That's being generous."

"Generous about what?" Jacqueline Brendan asked from the end of the loading dock.

Ricky glanced at Mel in a panic and swallowed visibly hard. "Nothing, Mrs. Brendan, have a great day," he mumbled as he tripped on the way to the driver's side of his van.

"That wasn't very nice." Mel waved her staff to take charge of the deliveries as she moved to help her grandmother up the steps and inside.

"A vendor in a little fear is a vendor who is much more honest, Mel. That's the first lesson you should learn if you don't want to start an epidemic of something in the city, or get stuck with lettuce that's one minute away from turning to liquid." Jacqueline opened her arms and gave Mel a hug when she was close enough. "I missed you, sunshine."

"It's the middle of convention season so we've been a little crazy. You look good though." They made their way into the kitchen arm in arm and the talking came to a sudden halt.

"I'm old, rich and eat well, so I should look good," Jacqueline joked. "But all that doesn't make up for not seeing my favorite granddaughter more often."

"Gran, I'm your only granddaughter, but you're right. I promise I'll make time at least once a week to come by Brendan's and have lunch with you. That is if you can pencil me in."

One of the kitchen workers laid out a set of spoons on a linen napkin near the stoves and went back to tearing lettuce. Systematically Jacqueline went from pot to pot and tasted what was on the night's menu. "Wonderful as always, my love." When she was done and turned around Jacqueline laughed at the way the staff was frozen in place. "Is that your father's recipe for cream of crabmeat soup?"

"He shared his with me, but I tweaked it a little."

Jacqueline picked up a fresh spoon and tried the dish again. "First off there's no crabmeat in it, that is a refreshing tweak, but false advertising don't you think?"

"The tweak is a cup of shrimp broth added to every quart of heavy cream along with a different proportion of the spices to bring out the flavor of the crab more. The crab meat is added as the orders go out to keep the lumps whole and prevents them from getting overdone." She guided Jacqueline to the chef's table she kept in the kitchen and placed a bowl in front of her. "It can't be all bad, Gran. We usually run out before the final seating."

"Always leave them wanting more--you learned your lessons well." The first spoonful garnered those present with a moan of enjoyment from Jacqueline. "We'll have to send the twit we hired for Brendan's over here for lessons. He thinks the spicier something is, the more Creole it makes it. Your Uncle Alexander has started the search for someone new to make up for that colossal mistake. How unfortunate for us that Alexander inherited none of the famous Brendan culinary genes."

"You came to complain about Uncle Alex and Stewart?"

"Stewart will do fine frying chicken at McDonald's since I figure that's where his career will take him next."

"They don't fry chicken at McDonald's, Gran."

"Exactly my point. The only thing the man excelled at cooking up was his resume, but you're right, that's not why I'm here."

"Should I bribe you with tonight's fish dish before you go on?"

Jacqueline's face relaxed completely when she laughed. "I love the way you think. Maybe I should send your uncle over here as well so he can not only learn about good food but learn how to handle the dragon lady as well."

"Uncle Alex is doing great without my help so cut him some slack."

"Stop trying to take up for that boy and let me get to why I'm here." The fish placed in front of her seemed to be too good to pass up so Jacqueline stopped to take a bit. "Where in the world did you find enough red fish to sustain a nightly special?"

"I'm a Brendan and I know people."

The tease made Jacqueline laugh in between bites. "How are you handling all this, sweetheart?"

"I won't lie and tell you it's not hectic, but I love it."

After one last bite Jacqueline pushed away from the table and offered her hand to Mel. "Walk me through your place."

"It's got your name on the door, Gran."

"True, but it's got your soul in the most important place--the kitchen." They stopped in the center of the dining room watching the wait staff set up for the night's business. The room was broken into three sections so they could accommodate private parties if they had to, and also to keep the intimate dining experience intact. There was a bar coming in from the hotel lobby where the restaurant was located. "I remember my mother creating magic in her kitchen when I was a little girl. Every day she put together the most wonderful meals and it didn't occur to me until she was gone that the most important thing she made every day was a sense of place. You know, someplace warm and safe that smelled of cinnamon and spice."

"I remember the same things when I sat in your kitchen on Sunday afternoons. You might not have grown up with the Brendan name, but you do the name and the tradition proud. And after going through the old family recipes I think your mom's renditions of some of the dishes are much better, but don't tell Granddad I said so." Mel put her arm around her grandmother and searched her face for anything out of the ordinary. "Is everything all right?"

"Just a little melancholy on my part and it made me want to check on you. I wanted to make sure you aren't spreading yourself too thin."

"I'm okay, Gran. No need to worry."

"Still teaching those classes to the culinary inept?"

"Every Wednesday night."

They kept going until they reached the bar. "Why is it that you do that? I'd think this place would keep you busy enough."

Mel waved to the bartender and nodded when he held up a couple of bottles of Perrier. "It's a good change of pace and it's only a six week course. I did it to help Sheila over at the university so the classes would catch on, but I really like it. It gives the staff some good experience having me gone and I'm helping out the culinary inept as you said."

"Are you dating anyone?"

Mel thought a person could get whiplash her grandmother changed the subject so abruptly in the middle of every conversation. "Maybe some time soon, but I don't really have time for one more thing in my life much less someone."

"There's always room for someone, Melody. If you don't believe me, just check out the hierarchy of needs."

She stayed silent thinking Jacqueline would elaborate but she didn't. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Our basic needs are more than good food, sweetheart. Sex has to fit in there somewhere." Jacqueline looped their arms together and started for the door. "With the right person it might even be better than your crabmeat soup, but that would take some doing."

"Gran," Mel said stretching out the word. The heat radiating from her ears only got worse the louder Jacqueline laughed.

"Just remember to have fun, that's the main thing I wanted to tell you today. All the reviews in the world don't mean anything in the end if you don't have anyone to share your success with."

"Thanks, Gran."

Jacqueline's car was waiting in the front of the restaurant and Mel walked her to the door and kissed her as the driver opened the door. "You're welcome, and don't forget what I said."

"About sharing?"

"About the sex, don't forget that."

She didn't have to look in a mirror to figure out just how badly she was blushing, and to Mel it was a dead give away to her grandmother that she wasn't having sex. Instead of teasing her about it though, Jacqueline just kissed her cheek again and smiled.

"Mel, the meat delivery is here," one of the staff poked his head out the door and yelled.

It was time to get back to work and put aside the avalanche of thoughts her grandmother had started. To her left clouds were starting to gather over the river, and there was a heaviness to the air that promised rain. "Damn," Mel said as she walked to the back again knowing rainy Wednesdays made people stay home. People staying home meant she'd have a load of red fish and crabmeat to feed her cat when the choice was that or throwing it away.

*  *  *

The rain started at four-thirty as Yancy was with her last patient in the hospital. "I'm telling you they were here again last night. Now you promised no meds if I told you the truth."

"I remember how you feel about medication, don't worry." Yancy took notes as the seventy-year-old woman paced near the bed so she could use it as support. "Did the aliens tell you anything?"

"For the last time, Dr. Yancy, they aren't aliens, they're Martians."

"Sorry about that, what did the Martians tell you last night?"

The patient stopped and just stared out the window acting as if a space craft would come into sight at any minute. "They said not to listen to anything Pat Robertson says."

"Then they are definitely creatures of higher intelligence like they've been portrayed in all the movies."

The look of fear left her and Yancy made another note of just how elated the woman appeared now. "You believe me?"

"I've never personally seen a Martian, but I'm not in a position to say they don't exist."

"My daughter says I'm just crazy."

It was Yancy who frowned now and she put her notebook down and gave the lady her full attention. "You aren't crazy, Charlotte. You might get a little confused at times but in my professional opinion seventy years is a lot to keep track of. So you tell me, do you think the Martians are dangerous to you, or will make you dangerous to other people? Do they tell you to do things besides not listen to Pat Robertson?"

"They steal my thoughts is all, and I don't want to run out of them. If that happens I won't be able to remember Harvey. That would make me sadder than I don't know what."

Yancy stood and guided Charlotte back to the chair she'd been occupying and knelt before her. "Would you like to try an experiment then?"

"Can I leave here if I say yes?"

"How about if we let you check out of the pink ward and move you to the regular hospital until we see how it goes? I don't want to send you home just yet until I know you and your thoughts will be safe."

Charlotte's hand shook and was twisted from arthritis, but it felt warm against Yancy's face. "You're a nice person, Dr. Yancy. I trust you, so what would you like me to do?"

"I want you to take a pill that'll help you relax."

"You said no meds."

She reached out and took hold of Charlotte's hand before she retreated back into her depression. "It's just a little bit of meds that will help keep Harvey alive in your thoughts."

"It'll help me remember Harvey?" She leaned forward as if wanting to hear more. "But what about the Martians?"

From her lab coat Yancy pulled out a bright red knit cap. Of all the ones she had to choose from at the store that morning it was the one she thought would go best with Charlotte's coloring. "From now on if the Martians come back I want you to call me before you call your daughter. Do we have a deal on that?"

"Deal."

"Good, and if you wear this special cap I got from NASA, then your thoughts will be safe. It's made from special thought saving material so you'll be fine, and if you lose it, the man told me to just call and he'd send you another one."

Charlotte took the hat from her like she was accepting the Holy Grail. "So I'm not crazy then?"

"Do you think you're crazy?"

"I never thought I'd see Martians so maybe I am."

"Or maybe they didn't have anything to say until now. But until we know for sure, how about if we try what I'm suggesting and see what happens. Maybe if we try the little bit of medication it will make your thoughts so strong that you won't see the Martians anymore."

"You have a deal," Charlotte said as she stuck out her hand.

"Thanks for trusting me, Charlotte. That means a lot to me," Yancy said meaning it. They had moved from Charlotte not wanting to take anything but her daily regimen of aspirin to trusting Yancy with her mental care and a bit of Paxil. "Now you get some rest and enjoy the rain. I'll send the nurse in and we'll get started on making you feel better."

The nurses just waited as Yancy stood at their station writing notes in the file she had for Charlotte. The silence she was sure was just curiosity on their part to what new treatment options she was willing to try now. From the time Yancy had started her practice she strived to find the best way to get a patient to accept the reality around them with as little medication and treatment as possible. With a patient like Charlotte she was willing to bet that with one little pill and a red hat she would be fine. That wasn't always possible and sometimes the reality of heavy medication that kept the patients almost comatose was the only option, but she'd left that reality behind after her residency.

"I see Charlotte looks happy and is sporting some new fashion," said the blonde nurse leaning toward her and pointing to Charlotte who was now walking the halls with a huge smile instead of resting.

"Her new thought saving hat, so make sure no one takes it away from her. Also start her medications as soon as possible," she handed over the file with her notes. "Once she stabilizes then move her to the regular ward and tell them I want a bed for at least three days before I sit and speak to her daughter again."

"You got it, doc. Are you free later on tonight?"

"Actually no, I'm taking a cooking lesson." Yancy waved over her shoulder and started for the elevator.

She came close to laughing out loud when she overheard the woman comment to the other nurse on duty, "She can turn me down if she wants to, but she doesn't have to lie about it."

There were going to have to be changes in her life if she was going to make people perceive her differently from now on. Maybe like Charlotte it was time to trust a little and hope for big results that were just short of wonderful.

Charlotte popped into her head again as she drove out of the hospital parking lot, and it made her ponder what it would be like to reach that age and worry about losing the memory of someone so special it made your heart hurt. What would hurt more would be to reach that point and not have that worry at all because of never taking a chance on a relationship.

She glanced at her watch and even though the weather was raging she didn't make up any excuses not to keep her New Year's resolutions to try new things. Cooking was just something easy to start with, and she found it more enjoyable than she would have thought.

"And it isn't because I think the instructor is outrageously cute either," she said to the steering wheel of her car as an image of Mel and her blonde hair materialized in her mind.

Mel was someone Yancy would describe as spunky, but she was so energetic that it made you open up to new possibilities. She'd never been that discerning about the things she put in her mouth, but Chef Brendan had such a passion for food it had changed Yancy's outlook on eating after only two weeks of classes. What she needed though, was for that to spill over into other parts of her life.

By the time she reached the University the rain was coming down in torrents and the streets were starting to flood so Yancy doubted they'd be having class, but she was there already and figured she'd ride out the weather inside the building reading cookbooks or something until it blew over.

When she made a run for it the wind picked up and the rain came down even harder soaking her before she was three feet from the car. Yancy was dripping by the time she made it to the classroom, shocked to see Melody sitting in the front staring out the windows.

"I thought I was the only nut out in this tonight," Yancy said as she shook her head trying to get the water out of it.

"I'm glad I'm not and won't have to waste all these ingredients they put out," Mel answered laughing at the puddle Yancy was making as she stripped off her sweater. "You must really be dedicated to learning how to cook."

"Something like that. Up to now it's been easy just eating out and buying TV dinners."

"Sounds serious if you're willing to kill yourself with all the ingredients they put in those things."

"Food that can kill…I've heard it all before and I'm still around to tell the tales of the bad frozen dinner," Yancy joked back. "But after seeing the pile of ingredients you have there it would've been a pity to have them go to waste, so I'm glad you're just as dedicated." Yancy accepted a roll of paper towels and tried to dry off as best she could.

Outside three bolts of lightning struck in succession and in the distance Yancy and Mel saw a brief shower of sparks before the electricity went out. "In hindsight though, maybe this should've been one night when we shouldn't have shown so much dedication after all," Yancy said.

"This is the main classroom of the culinary school and they host dinner every so often, so why don't you go in the storeroom and look for some candles."

"What are you going to do?"

Mel laughed as she grabbed her purse and headed for the hallway. "I need to make a call, but I promise I'll be right back. You aren't afraid of the dark are you?"

"Being in the dark is sometimes the safest place to be."

The answer stopped Mel halfway to the door and made her turn around. "What an interesting thing to say. Like I said, I just need to make a call, so don't run off on me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Yancy said it in such a way that made Mel feel like she'd asked for her to take her clothes off.

The restaurant still had power so Mel felt better about her deliveries not going to waste. In the room behind her she watched Yancy light the candles she'd found then stand in front of a six burner stove trying to warm up and dry her shirt. Mel listened to her second in command run down what was going on, but her eyes never left Yancy's back.

All she knew about Yancy was her name and that she obviously didn't care for cucumbers since she'd paid more attention to her ass then her explanation in that first class. After that night Mel had formed an opinion of her, and fair or not, it had stuck. To Mel, Yancy was one of those tall, strong, good looking types who knew they were tall, strong and good looking.

In Mel's opinion anyone that arrogant was someone who never looked beyond themselves, and that made them the bad egg in perfectly good batter. Just because she felt that way didn't mean she didn't enjoy sneaking a peek when she could because Yancy had the good looking part sewn up.

"Do you feel better now?" Mel asked as she walked back in.

Yancy turned around and crossed her arms over her chest. Her sweater had actually plopped to the floor when she'd stripped it off, but now that Mel was back she felt warmer.

"Is everything all right?" Yancy asked in return pointing to the hallway Mel had stepped out to.

"Don't tell me you're afraid to answer my question, or to admit you're afraid of the dark?" With a candle in her hand, Mel opened the industrial refrigerator and pulled out a bowl. "I promise not to tease you about it, and if you want, I'll admit my fears first."

"You don't strike me as someone who has too many fears."

Mel continued pulling out ingredients. "Really? I wouldn't think that would be an easy thing to guess about a person. Actually I have two."

"Not bad considering," Yancy said with a lot of humor in her voice. The banter made her inordinately happy that she'd kept to her resolutions.

"Considering what?"

Yancy placed her hands flat on the work station across from Mel. "When you consider all there is in the world to be afraid of. It's not bad if you've narrowed it down to just two things."

"I never thought about it like that."

"And you shouldn't. No one should ever concentrate on the things there are to be afraid of." Yancy picked up the recipe Mel was preparing to make and nodded in apparent approval.

"What should I concentrate on then?"

"That's easy. You should think about all the things that make you happy and the things that bring an abundance of joy into your life. Do that and I promise it'll keep the willies away better than anything else you can do, and it also helps make the things you can't change that much easier to get through. So let's hear them."

"Roaches and salmonella." Mel shrugged when Yancy laughed. "I can't help it, I'm a chef."

"Don't worry it wasn't a test. You didn't get points deducted for not saying something like nuclear holocaust or terrorism." When Mel laughed it made Yancy notice how beautiful her blue eyes looked in candlelight.

"Ooh, I didn't even think of those."

"That's okay too. I'm fairly sure the government pays people to worry about that stuff for you." Yancy enjoyed Mel's laugh again as she held up the recipe. "So special chicken?"

"I promised good and easy."

"You did, and that sounds just like me."

"Does it now?"

When Mel laughed yet again, a little harder this time, Yancy could fee her face get hot. Another stupid comment and she'd be able to dry her clothes without a problem. "Good one, Ms. Brendan."

"I have a feeling that doesn't happen to you often, so you don't have to worry." She combed a strand of hair behind her ear. The action appeared to Yancy to be a self conscious one so she dropped her eyes to the uncooked food not wanting to make Mel feel uncomfortable.

"Ready to cook, Chef."

The question and Yancy's actions made Mel realize that maybe her assumptions had been off base. Reaching that conclusion made her grandmother's visit pop into her mind. Would Yancy be better than a bowl of the cream of crabmeat they were serving at Jacqueline's that night? She pressed her hands to her face as if to hide her thoughts.

"Ms. Brendan are you all right?" Yancy asked.

"I'm fine, and I think we should get started since we're on our own tonight I'm afraid." Mel was right since the rain wasn't letting up. "But that could be fun."

"Private lessons usually are."

Mel's eyes turned back to Yancy from the window at the flirtatious tone in her voice. "It's just that with a group you have to follow these down to the teaspoon," she held up the recipe trying to get their conversation back on track. "If you want I could teach you to adlib."

"I'll be happy to learn anything you want to teach me," Yancy said softly.

"Mel, you made it," Shelia Freeney, the coordinator of the non-credit curriculum, said from the door. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

If there was any kind of mood building, the interruption brought it to a close as Mel saw Yancy smile and drop her head a little. "We're fine. The electricity went out but the gas is working fine. Want to learn to make an easy chicken dish?"

Yancy turned around and waved. "Hi, Shelia, how are you?"

"Dr. Yancy," Shelia said moving forward quickly. "I didn't know you were in this class. I would've stopped by before now."

"You made it sound so good I thought I'd check it out. So far my future brother-in-law is impressed with my ability to pick out fruits and vegetables."

"If you're going to learn to cook you picked a great teacher."

Yancy looked at Mel and let the corner of her mouth turn up slowly in a smile. "You couldn't be more right." Just because Mel was taken didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun. Because the private call in the hallway, she was sure was to check in with her other half and you didn't do that if you weren't officially in the taken column. The fact that Yancy was still willing to flirt anyway, made her realize it was going to be a long road to change her past behavior.

The three of them spent the rest of the evening leaning to cook by how a dish was suppose to look and taste instead of militarily following the recipe. To Mel, it was the best way to learn because it gave you the freedom to experiment and have fun. The whole while she studied the interaction between Yancy and Shelia as well as how the food was coming together, wondering what history lay between them.

"Now we just have to bake it, then we'll broil it to crunch up the topping we added." Mel slid the pan into the oven then cleaned her hands on the apron she'd put on.

"Let me go make sure we aren't going to float away in the mean time then," Shelia said.

Yancy grabbed a candle and opened the refrigerator again. They'd been preparing the main course for over thirty minutes and the electricity hadn't even flickered again. "I was searching for a bottle of water, but this would go better with chicken don't you think?" She asked holding up a bottle of wine.

"I don't imagine that's included in your tuition, Dr. Yancy." Mel put emphasis on Yancy's name and title.

"Don't tell me, let me guess--you're afraid of shots?" Yancy was opening drawers obviously in search of a cork screw.

"Is that how you know Shelia? Is she a patient of yours?"

"I'm sorry answering that isn't like sharing a recipe." She moved to the next set of drawers.

"Here before you slice your hand open or something," Mel pulled out a waiter corkscrew from her pocket. "And I don't think answering if someone's your patient is a violation of doctor-patient privilege."

"Thanks," Yancy pulled the blade section out first. "I must have missed that day of medical school when they went over the information sharing with friends part. So if you came to see me professionally, you wouldn't mind me sharing that with whoever asks me?"

"If it was a friend asking you, I wouldn't mind." While Yancy finished opening the wine, Mel started another search for glasses.

"If Sheila's a friend of yours then ask her. I'm sure she won't mind."

She put two glasses down in front of Yancy and took a seat on a work stool. "Is that your fear then? Someone asking you to rattle off a list of patients?"

Yancy made no comment that Mel had only taken out two glasses. "What, that doesn't rank up there with insects and food borne illnesses?"

The teasing remark drained any tension that had built up in Mel. "Touché," she raised her glass and tapped it against Yancy's. "That reminds me though, you never did tell me what you are afraid of."

"When it comes to fears we have something in common."

"You're afraid of roaches and salmonella too?"

Yancy snorted down a sip of wine when she laughed at the wrong moment. "We have only two fears on our list is what I meant."

"Let's hear them then."

"Alcoholics and silence."

The answer stunned Mel into closing her mouth as she went to make another smart comment. While her answers to the same question had been more of a jest, she had a feeling Yancy's response was the honest truth. Shelia came back in turning the beam of her flashlight on them before Mel could say anything else.

"I don't get any?" Shelia asked turning the beam to the bottle of wine. Yancy went to the cabinet and got another glass and poured her some. "Did I miss anything?"

"Just waiting for the chicken to finish," Mel answered. From the expression on Yancy's face, she was sure Yancy hadn't meant to be so honest.

"This sure beats the sandwich I brought," Shelia said before taking a sip of wine. "And it's kind of romantic with all the candles."

No sooner had she finished than the lights came back on making them all start blinking furiously. "You were saying," Mel said.

"I'm sure that'll taste as good under fluorescents as it would have with candlelight," Yancy said when Mel pulled the pan out and placed it on the counter. "And this time there's enough that I won't go home hungry."

"Mel's letting you go home hungry?" Shelia asked as she accepted her plate. "Not very good marketing, Mel."

Yancy tried to keep her laughter in check when Mel blushed furiously, but failed. Her saving grace was her phone ringing. "Excuse me, ladies, but I'm on call tonight."

As the admit nurse explained the situation Yancy saw the end of a pleasant evening. A young girl being transferred from the emergency room after being treated for shock from watching her father get shot wasn't something to be ignored.

"I hate to say this, but I have to go."

"In this weather?" Mel asked.

"And my shirt just dried too," Yancy joked. "I really would prefer to stay but duty calls. Hopefully though, my chicken will come out looking that good when I make it again at home."

After she left Mel and Shelia ate quietly, both thinking about Yancy. Something about the exchange Mel had with Yancy about Shelia kept her from asking her friend about how she knew Yancy.

"It's a shame Yancy had to leave, she's really great," Shelia said.

"Seems like it," Mel tried to sound nonchalant as she asked. "How do you two know each other?" So much for my resolve thought Mel.

"I realize we went to college together, but a lot happened to me after graduation when we lost touch."

Mel put her fork down and reached across the table for Shelia's hand. "Did you get sick?"

"No, I got engaged," Shelia said, confusing Mel even more.

"Why'd you need a doctor for that?"

"Mel," Shelia said with a laugh, "Yancy's my psychiatrist, not my gynecologist."

"She's a psychiatrist?" Now Yancy's refusal to discuss her patients made sense. "God, what happened? If you want to tell that is."

"Will was in the Marines and was killed in a training exercise. When it happened I thought my life would shatter apart, then I met Dr. Wonderful." Mel poured them a little more wine just to give herself something to do. "Yancy was great to talk to, and encouraged me to build up my other strengths to give my heart time to heal."

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of staying home and crying over a situation I couldn't change like I did for months, I accepted this job and threw myself into making it a success. After a hectic year of working nonstop and talking to Yancy, I started to feel better, or at least not as numb." She laughed and shook her head. "I wanted to curse her for being right, but hell if she wasn't."

That didn't compute to Mel. If you were trying to forget something bad Yancy had gone about it all wrong even if she was a professional. "Wouldn't talking about Will all the time make it worse?"

"That's just it--we hardly ever talked about him. When I'd start she'd change the subject so we spent our session talking about my job and how to handle the new stress I was under." Shelia pushed her plate away and sighed. "She never pushed and just listened to me go on about wine tasting courses, enrollment numbers, and my parents until one afternoon she pinned me to the mat and made me talk about it. It was like all the other stuff she wanted me to do was like a Band-Aid over a bad wound, and when I was ready and wouldn't bleed to death, she ripped it off. The day she forced me to accept that I'd lost Will was painful at first, but it got better faster than I thought. I'll always miss him, but I'm strong enough to pick up the pieces and move on. I'm sure it'll take another ten years of sessions before I'm ready to date, but I am ready to move on."

"I'm glad you found Yancy then."

"Me too. If it wasn't for her I'd still be roaming around my apartment in my pajamas feeling like the despair of losing him was going to swallow me whole. In so many ways Yancy showed me what a wonderful person I am and how much I deserve to be happy, even if that happiness comes on my terms and at my speed. I just love talking to her so I'm still upset she had to leave." The rain outside finally slowed to a drizzle. "Leave this stuff and I'll have the morning cleaning crew take care of it. Let's make a run for it while we can."

"Where does Yancy practice?" Mel asked ignoring Shelia's request to leave just yet.

"Her offices are close to Tulane Hospital, but most of her patients are at Memorial," Shelia said with a knowing smile. "Just let the door close behind you and it'll lock automatically."

"Thanks, and be careful going home."

A quick search garnered her some foil and a disposable plate that Mel filled with the chicken they'd made. On the way out she also found the sweater Yancy had eventually hung on a chair to dry so she folded it and brought it with her.

The only thing she didn't anticipate in trying to see someone in a psychiatric unit of a hospital was that it was a locked ward. After asking for Yancy the nurse eyed her from head to toe and told her to sit and wait because Yancy was talking with a patient.

"What are you still doing here, Mel?" she asked herself an hour later when there was still no sign of Yancy.

"Talking to yourself, Chef Brendan? You know what they say about that," Yancy said as a joke. She put her hands up when her sudden appearance made Mel jump and turn around quickly.

"That I'm crazy?" Mel asked in return once she'd recovered her composure.

Yancy laughed and waved her into one of the chairs in the small waiting room. "You've come to the right place if you are, but talking to yourself isn't a sign of mental illness."

"It's not?"

"Considering I do it all the time, I certainly hope not. If they lock me up in there," she pointed to the double doors she'd come out of, "I'd never finish learning how to cook. Besides, the hospital's chocolate pudding is horrid."

"Chocolate pudding, huh? Maybe I'll have to add that to the list of things we'll learn to make this year."

"Pudding I got covered. You just add milk and stir, even I'm capable of reading the side of the Jell-O box." She took a seat next to Mel and turned slightly so she could look her in the eye. "So did you ask Shelia how she knew me, or did you Google me?"

"Google you?"

Yancy nodded as she laughed. "You must have something to hide, Ms. Brendan." The plate Mel had brought with her was sitting on the next chair so Yancy reached over and picked it up. "You really like me and you don't want me to know."

"Like you?" Mel said trying to sound as indignant as possible. Almost without her permission she handed the fork in her shirt pocket over.

"It must be worse than I thought." The first bite she took made Yancy moan.

"What's worse than you thought?"

"You must really like me." Yancy offered Mel a bite and bit the inside of her lip to keep from laughing at the glare Mel was shooting her way.

"Why in the world would you think that?"

"It's a known fact that people who answer every question with a question have something to hide."

"What?" The question came out almost as a yelp.

"See, that's what I'm talking about."

"I was trying to be nice," Mel stood up but didn't take a step.

Before she could, Yancy stood as well after putting down the plate. "Would it be too late to apologize for being a jerk? It's been a long day and I was just having a little fun with you." Her apology didn't seem to sway Mel so Yancy sat in an effort not to make her feel hemmed in. "Please stay."

"I'll stay, and you don't have to apologize for being a jerk. That seems to be a natural state for you, but it goes with the gigantic ego."

"Guilty as charged. I'm a jerky egotist."

"That was too easy to get you to agree with me on. What's the catch?"

Feeling that Mel wasn't going to bolt, Yancy picked up her plate again and took another bite of chicken. "I'll agree to whatever you want. Any woman who cooks like this would be hard to disagree with."

"Should I remind you that you had a part in making this?"

"Does that mean you'll have a hard time disagreeing with me then?" This time Mel accepted the bite she was offering.

"Is it true answering questions with more questions means you're hiding something?"

"Let me look into my divining crystal ball." Mel laughed when Yancy pulled a clear marble out of her lab coat. "Hmm, all I see is that Shelia told you the whole story of how we know each other, you brought me my sweater, and because you're a nice person--you brought me dinner as well. How'd I do?"

"How'd you guess all that?"

"Shelia's really proud of the progress she made for one, and rightfully so, and my sweater's on the chair next to you."

Mel punched her in the arm and smiled. "And how'd you guess I'm a nice person?"

"No mental analysis needed there, just call it a hunch."

"My grandmother is a huge fan of instinct and hunches."

With a sad expression Yancy put the last piece of chicken in her mouth taking the time to savor the moment. "She must be a huge success then."

"You're kidding right?"

"No, people are usually frightened by their hunches and it stymies their decision making. It's the stuff regrets are made of."

"Not about that, about my grandmother."

"She's not a success? What, she wasn't ambitious? Just one of those stay at home and bake cookies and give really good advice kind of people."

Mel laughed so hard her eyes watered. "Oh my God, Jacqueline would smack you with her cane if she heard you say that about her." The blank look on Yancy's face made her laugh harder. "My grandmother is Jacqueline Brendan and ambitious is too light a word when it comes to describing her."

"I'm sorry again; I have a feeling I should know who you're talking about."

"This is refreshing." Her entire life Mel's last name had been a curse almost, especially when it came to her education and what was expected. When it came to dates, eventually the empire she was poised to inherit became a problem. "Don't you ever eat out?"

"Considering I'm taking cooking lessons, it means I eat out all the time, why?"

"And you've never eaten at a Brendan restaurant? I don't know whether to be insulted or call you a liar."

"Maybe if you hum a few bars I'd know what you're talking about," Yancy joked. "If I did, I don't remember or it wasn't pointed out to me. It's like this," she started then stood up and offered her hand to Mel. "Better yet, why don't I show you."

"Show me what?"

"My theory about food." Without dropping her hand she waited patiently. "I promise I'm not a serial killer if you get in the car with me."

"That makes me feel so much better then," Mel said as she accepted her hand.

They walked to the parking lot without Yancy letting go of her hand. As she treated Mel to her sharp wit, it was as if Yancy didn't realize she was doing it, but Mel did. Yancy's hand was soft, and her fingers were long and warm.

"You drive a Shelby GT 500? Is this the 1967 model?" Mel asked when they reached Yancy's car.

"A girl who knows her cars, now that's refreshing. It belonged to my father and he finally relented and gave it to me after years of begging since all it was doing was rusting in his back yard."

"Relentless are you?" Mel reluctantly let go of her hand when Yancy opened her door for her.

"When something is important enough, yes I am."

"So what's your theory of food?"

The powerful engine came to life and Yancy put it in gear. "Trust me, I won't poison you, but this has to be experienced instead of talked about."

"Lead on then."

It was still raining just not as heavily as they pulled out of the parking garage and Mel turned slightly in her seat so she could watch Yancy as she drove. The driver's seat was pulled all the way back to accommodate Yancy's length, but even in this relaxed setting despite the weather and the layers of clothes Yancy had on, Mel could tell that she was in really good shape. There was only one thing that didn't compute with the whole picture.

"Do you mind me asking how old you are?"

"I'm thirty-seven, and before you ask, since I have a feeling I know what you're going to ask, my hair's been like this since I was twenty." The way she ran her hand through the white hair at the side of her head made Mel feel bad for bringing up the subject.

"It's just that it doesn't fit the image of the rest of you, and I realize how shallow that sounds." To make both of them feel better Mel reached across and combed some of the hair the wind had put in disarray. The completely white locks felt like silk and when she looked closer there were still a few strands of the original black mixed in as well.

"Family trait from my mother's side I guess, only I'm the first one not to run to the first hairdresser in horror. In my line of work it makes me appear wise and philosophical."

"Are you saying you only look the part?" Mel ran her hand down her shoulder next until it came to rest on Yancy's forearm. She would've held her hand but Yancy needed it to shift.

"I guess that depends on who you ask." She started to slow down a block from the light when she saw the signal turn yellow so as not to go into a skid. When she was able Yancy turned and looked at her. "Some of my patients just think it makes me look old."

"Then they really are crazy," Mel said, feeling the heat in her ears as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Thank you," Yancy said with a blush so deep it made her hair stand out even more.

One more turn and they were now headed downtown and when Yancy slowed in the front of the Lowe Hotel, Mel looked at her through slightly closed eyes. "Why exactly are we here?"

"We're here for a lesson in food, don't you remember?" Yancy put her finger up to get the valet to wait.

"And I thought you were serious? If all you've been doing all this time is making fun of me, then I guess I was right about you all along."

Yancy opened her door and waved the doorman away from Mel's. "I could pretend to know what you're talking about, but it's getting late. So our choices are you can get out and join me, or I can bring you back to your car." She stepped away from the door to give Mel some room. "What's it going to be?"

Without any help Mel got out and stepped through the door of the hotel and stopped in the bar of Jacqueline's. The place was full of tourists Mel figured were stuck inside due to the weather, but the dining room was relatively empty as the crew finished up with the last seating.

"Dr. Yancy," said the hostess after waving to Mel. "Need something sweet to chase away the blues?"

"Just something quick, Gail," Yancy said as her phone started ringing again. "Could you set us up, I'll be right back."

"She's kidding right?" Gail asked Mel.

"Does she come here often?" Mel asked ignoring Gail's question.

"At least twice a month for dinner, but a couple of times a week for dessert since we've opened. The staff says she's about the easiest customer to wait on, she's a great tipper, and easy on the eyes."

"Any station you usually put her in?" Mel was starting to sound as miffed as she felt.

"Rose usually begs me, and she's hard to say no to. Why?"

"Same thing for tonight only tell Rose she doesn't know me and to pass the word. Something's off and I want to know what it is."

"Have fun, Dr. Yancy," Gail said when Yancy made it back getting a nod in response.

"The usual, Dr. Yancy?" Rose asked when she sat down. "Your friend ordered the beignets."

"Sounds great," Yancy rested her elbows on the table and just stared at Mel for the longest time. "When I was little I remember going to this bakery with my mother whenever she was up for it that made these great sweet rolls they called chick de fams. No matter what horrible things my little pea brain came up with as being wrong, sitting with one of those things just brightened my day."

"Sounds good," Mel said as their desserts were put down with coffee. In front of Yancy, Rose had their Cane Syrup Crème Brule. "But what does that have to do with tonight?"

"Those rolls were the one happy thing I remember from my childhood aside from my sister, so it's been my quest ever since to duplicate those times walking with my mother to that bakery and the anticipation of getting my hands on one of those treats. I passed by here when this place first opened and I ordered this dessert, and it made me feel like that again. Of all the other things I could've ordered, this one is maybe the simplest they have on the menu, but you can tell whoever thought it up wants you to enjoy it. I tried it and it's what made me want to learn how to cook. "Yancy finished and took a bite.

"You're taking cooking lessons so you can learn to make Crème Brule?"

"That's what I told my future brother-in-law, but I don't ever want to learn to make this."

"That doesn't make sense to me."

"Does it have to, as long as it makes sense to me?" Yancy cut the last piece in two and offered one to Mel. "I'm sure even someone like me who's an idiot in the kitchen could learn to make anything if I tried hard enough, but it'd kill off some of the magic of why I love it. It's sort of like finding out there's no Santa Clause, and why do that if you can avoid it." She put the last piece in her mouth and closed her eyes in obvious enjoyment. "The loss of innocence is something that can't be undone no matter how hard we try to go back."

"You have a unique outlook, I'll give you that. Can I ask you why your childhood was so unhappy?"

"Both my parents were alcoholics so it wasn't exactly a normal household. They didn't beat us or anything but it was like growing up being invisible."

Mel felt bad for asking the question, and worse after hearing just how honest an answer Yancy gave her. "I'm sorry."

"Survival is nothing to be sorry for, Ms. Brendan, especially if you come out the other end relatively unscathed. It's the lesson I try to teach people like Shelia. Can I ask you something now?" Yancy stayed quiet until Mel nodded. "What did you mean you were right about me all along?"

"It's not important now. Just an impression of you I had but I was wrong."

"Remember your grandmother and what she said about hunches. Maybe you should go with yours. First impressions are sometimes our most insightful."

Mel shook her head and kept her eyes on the table. "I just thought you were one of those people who realizes how good looking they are and it's gotten you through life. When you brought me here for some reason I thought it was to make fun of what I do."

"Wow my crystal ball and my own intuition must really be off tonight when I said you liked me. Sorry about that." Yancy cursed under her breath when her phone rang again. "And sorry about this too, but I have to take it."

While Yancy paced in the empty section of the restaurant, Mel had Rose pack up another Crème Brule to go as an apology for acting like an ass. Yancy had gone out of her way to make her feel good and she'd repaid that by being as insulting as she could.

"I'm really sorry but I have to go," Yancy peeled off enough money for the check and tip and dropped it on the table. "I hate to rush you, but we have to get going so I can drop you at your car."

"If you have to go it's not a problem, I'll catch a ride later on. I actually don't live far from here." She held out the container, "For later when you're not so rushed."

"You keep it since I'd hate for it to go to waste. I have a feeling I'm going to be tied up for a while." The hostess called over that her car was outside. "Are you sure I'm not stranding you?"

"I'll be fine, I promise. Are you sure you don't want it?" Mel held up the container again.

"Ms. Brendan, you're really passionate about what you do, I've seen that in the classes I've taken from you, so I'm not turning down your gift to make you feel bad. I want you to enjoy it because that's how I feel about that dessert. I don't go into restaurants because of who's in the kitchen or whose name is on the deed. That's not going to make the experience better for me. What does is someone who puts a lot of themselves in what they do to create something this good." Yancy tapped her finger on the box. "Considering what you do I just thought you'd enjoy it. I'm not sure where I went wrong and made you think this was about having a laugh at your expense, so accept the dessert as a token of my apology because that really was the last thing I wanted to do. I really do need to get going."

"Isn't' she great?" Rose asked when Yancy left.

"She seems to be." It didn't escape Mel's notice that both Rose and Shelia felt the same way about Yancy but she had a feeling she'd blown any chance to find that out for herself. "Thanks, Rose."

*  *  *

"How're the cooking lessons coming?" Peter asked a week later. Without any prompting from Yancy he picked up a pack of black berries and put it in his cart.

"Fine."

"I see," he said as he stood next to the tomatoes and held up an empty bag and four fingers. "How's the teacher?"

"Fine."

"Work?"

"Fine."

"Your outlook on the world in general?" he tried again.

"Fine."

"Has snorting cantaloupe softened your brain or something?" The joke finally made her smile and it was then that he noticed Yancy hadn't really done much of that lately. "What's wrong, buddy?"

"Not much, I'm just having trouble with my New Year's resolutions."

"Did you flunk sautéing or something else equally horrific?" He stopped at the bin full of artichokes after noticing it on Andy's list. "How do you pick these out?" The one in his hand was pinched between his fingers as if it would come alive and bite him.

"Go with the general rule that unless it's kiwi, most things in this department should not be brown. Put that back." She took his list away from him and found the number Andy wanted. "Did you share with my sister the fact that I picked out all your stuff for you last week?"

His foot shuffling meant he was thinking of lying. "I wasn't going to at first."

"But?" She waved her hand at him to make him finish.

"Then she started thinking I was talking up girls at the grocery so I had to come clean." He picked up some bananas while Yancy got garlic. "At first when I told her you'd picked it all out, she still accused me of trying to cruise women at the store."

They both took a number at the deli and stood off to the side to wait. "Why's that?"

"Face it, Yancy, you're an idiot about this stuff too, or at least you used to be. That you can suddenly do all this right is like teaching a cat to golf. I had to hurry up and tell her you were taking cooking lessons."

"Did she believe that?"

"Eventually," he stopped to place his order. "Once she figured I wasn't kidding she wanted me to pass on a message to you."

"Get more homeowner's insurance for all the fires I'll be starting?"

"No, she wants you to stop by her office for a physical. If you're learning to cook and it's not a court ordered mandate, then she figured there's something wrong with you."

"You two are made for each other I swear," she said laughing.

"She just said that while you did a great job of juggling school, raising her and keeping up a home for you both--you avoided the kitchen like the plague." He took his ham from the woman behind the counter and added it to his cart. "I didn't tell her anything about the other stuff you said about settling down with one woman."

"Because you didn't want it to be true, or you didn't think it was any of her business?"

"Because you told me that in confidence," he said throwing his hands up.

His tone made her shake her head and laugh again. "I told you that while we were grocery shopping, Dr. Clueless. Thanks for not spilling the truth about that just yet since it might not work out."

"Is it because you've reconsidered what a crimp in my enjoyment of your stories that decision on your part was going to cause?"

"Yes, I'm sure that's what it was," she thumped him on the back of the head. "It's more because I think I can only attract women who are interested in knowing me for about two hours then move on."

"You decided this in a week?" He ducked before she could connect again. "You were more committed to trying to get tickets to the last LSU game."

"Let's just say I tried and leave it at that. I did all the stuff you're supposed to and the girl walked away with the impression I was trying to make fun of her because I'm good looking and have the ego of a successful gigolo."

"She said it in those exact words?" His brows disappeared into his hairline. "If she did you need to run in the opposite direction as fast as you can. She sounds like she has issues."

"She doesn't have issues, she just got that gut feeling about me."

"After dating you how long?" He aimed them in the direction of the frozen foods. "A week, a month--what?"

"It technically wasn't a date. More like dessert and a little conversation."

"So you've based your whole future happiness on something some woman told you over a piece of cake?" He threw a container of Cherry Garcia in then decided on another one.

Yancy laughed and grabbed it out of his hand before he could put it in his cart. "Andy's PMSing isn't she?"

"Don't change the subject, and stop making fun of me. I'm suffering enough already."

"It wasn't a piece of cake, it was Crème Brule."

He grabbed his ice cream back and pointed his finger at her. "Oh well, if she told you that over custard then it must be true. It's a proven fact that when you use a torch to make something it turns that food into a truth serum.

"Yance, you can't tell what a person's like in that short a time even if you're more in tune with someone's upper plumbing like we are. It takes time to figure out if you're full of yourself or crazy as a loon, you know that." He looked at his list again and shivered, which had nothing to do with the giant freezers around them. "Could you please?" He pointed to the paper in his hand.

"Maybe it's you who should be lying on my couch so we could discuss this aversion you have to tampons, you big weenie."

"I'm not a weenie, I'm just--"

"Yes?"

"All right, I'm a weenie," Peter said then put up his finger when his phone started vibrating on his belt. "Hi, babe," he paused and took off after Yancy when she tried to escape. "Sure I got it--like I'd forget," he said as she grabbed Yancy by the back of the collar. "Sure, she's right here just dying to talk to you."

"Hey, Andy," Yancy sounded cheerful but she was glaring at Peter. "It's been a busy week and Peter said you were just as swamped." When Peter pretended to play a violin she rolled over his foot with her cart. "I can't tonight, I've got my cooking class."

"Your class lasts until two in the morning?"

"Andy, I don't want you waiting up for me," Yancy said sounding like the whining little sister.

"And I don't want you moping around anymore, and before you go into deny mode, you should resign yourself to the fact that Peter tells me everything. He knows it would be his ass if he didn't come clean so don't cause him any bodily harm."

"Traitor," Yancy said to Peter, who then quickly stuck his tongue out at her. "All right, I'll come over tonight but I'm fine."

"Sure you are. People mope around for no reason all the time."

"Do you remember that I'm a mental health professional?" She followed Peter into the personal hygiene aisle and snorted when he stood next to the tampons and just stared up at the ceiling.

"Oh like that's an argument for sanity. I happen to live with a mental health professional and it doesn't keep you from being crazy. Just come over when you're done, and you should really think about it before you think of canceling on me."

"However could I stay away after that reasoning?"

Peter put his hands up as if to defend himself as soon as Yancy ended the call. "I had no choice, so don't hate me. You know how Andy is."

"Oh I don't hate you…but the tampons," she handed his phone back and flicked the corner of the list. "You're on your own with those."

"Come on, I'd buy condoms for you," he said as he stomped his foot on the ground.

"Like that's ever going to happen." Despite her threats she picked up the pink box and threw it in with her stuff. "I'm getting them, but I'll deliver them myself when I come over tonight."

"That's low, buddy." They moved toward the checkout lanes as Yancy just laughed. "But I'm sure a Crunch candy bar will pave the way to forgiveness for me."

"That depends," Yancy smiled at the girl that had checked them out the week before.

"On what?"

"On if these will needed these right away when you get home," she said holding up the pink box. She really started laughing when he turned a few shades darker than the box.

PART TWO

"IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED in making up for last week, I'm willing to reschedule the class," Mel said as she stood in the front of the room with the ingredients of the night's lesson spread out before her. "If not I have the recipe available at the back of the room."

She scanned the room again hoping to find Yancy's tall form in the crowd, but so far she was a no show. After calling her a few times during the week to try and get in touch with her about their botched outing, she still hadn't gotten a return call. If there was any doubts as to whether Yancy was still upset with her, the fact that she wasn't there confirmed them for her.

"Tonight we're making something different with more of an international flare so you can impress your friends the next time you have them over for dinner.

"If you have any friends that is," Yancy joked from the back of the room.

Mel whipped her head up so fast she had to hang on to the counter. "We'll go on the assumption that most of us do." She pointed at Yancy then crooked her finger to make her step forward. "And since you spoke up first you can help me out tonight. We're making Cuban peccadillo with plantain casserole everyone, so let's get started."

It didn't take long to put the dish together so the class broke off into groups to talk while it cooked. At the front Mel just stared at Yancy for awhile not saying anything.

"Something you're just dying to say?" Yancy asked.

"Why didn't you call me back?"

When Yancy smiled it made Mel sigh. "Considering you think I'm a self-centered egotist, why would I?"

"I didn't say that."

"What conversation were you involved in?"

"What was it you said about people who answer every question with a question? What are you hiding, Dr. Yancy?"

Yancy put her hand on her chest and opened her eyes as wide as she could. "Me trying to hide something?"

"It's worse than I thought. You like me and you don't want me to know it." Mel had her hand captured by one of Yancy's before she could slap her across the stomach.

When Yancy bent down and whispered in Mel's ear, she didn't miss the way it made Mel shiver. "Even if I like you, I'd be sadly disappointed."

Mel swallowed hard when she looked into Yancy's light gray eyes. "Why would you think that?" She answered in a whisper then glanced to where Yancy was pointing discreetly.

The sight at the end of Yancy's finger was of a male student who had his pants hitched just a little too far up, his shirt appeared to be polyester and he was valiantly trying to start a conversation with the woman closest to him. From the set of her shoulders and the way her eyes were glued to her pot lid both Mel and Yancy could tell she wasn't buying.

"I'd think you'd be more interested in lover boy over there."

The shiver Mel experienced this time had nothing to do with pleasure. "I'm sure he's okay, but why would you think I'm interested in him?"

"He obviously hasn't gotten through life on his looks, or so I'm speculating."

This time Yancy wasn't able to catch Mel's hand before it connected with her stomach. "Not funny and dead wrong."

"So you're superficial and really are interested in looks?"

"You must not date much," Mel said as she stirred her dish and directed everyone to do the same. "Am I right?"

"Lots of first dates, not a whole lot of second ones."

"A player... I see I was somewhat right about you. Are you on call tonight?"

"No, and I didn't see your car in the parking lot when I came in. Need a ride?"

Instead of answering, Mel went back to teaching her class, taking her time as she layered the fried plantains in the pan followed by the peccadillo. Since the course promised quick and easy it didn't take long before they were tasting the final product. After the students finished asking their questions, Mel was alone with Yancy again.

"Tell me why you didn't call me back."

"The truth is I was embarrassed." Yancy took another bite of casserole as if to delay saying anything else.

"Embarrassed about what exactly?" Mel stepped closer. "Like you said it was me who screwed up last week by being rude and totally off base with my assumptions."

"Embarrassed about what exactly? You're kidding right?" Using her fork as an imaginary pen, Yancy started ticking off her list. "You're the head chef at Jacqueline's. Jacqueline Brendan, your grandmother, owns six of the top ten restaurants in the city according to the Zagat Guide. And the reason you were given the kitchen at Jacqueline's was because you won some international competition on your first try."

"How do you know all that?"

"I Googled you."

Mel bent over she was laughing so hard because she just knew Yancy wasn't kidding. "Tomorrow night at seven I want you to come to the restaurant so you can have dinner with me. I want to properly apologize and show you I'm not a total social nincompoop. And try your best to leave your phone at home."

"How about tonight?"

"I do need a ride home, so if you'd be so kind, you're going to drop me at my door, then say goodnight and go merrily on your way."

Yancy helped her on with her coat and carried her bag for her. "How about a drink first then we renegotiate the drop off at your front door?" The long pause on Mel's part made Yancy think she'd get her way.

"A malt and that's it."

"No kiss goodnight?"

"The Google search I did on you was rather informative as well, so no." Mel laughed at the shocked expression on Yancy's face but there was no way she was giving in so quickly after her talk with Shelia and her limited but insightful accounting of the rumors about Yancy flying around the hospital when she was a patient.

"You'd make an interesting--"

"You weren't going to say patient were you?" Mel asked with her hands on her hips. She'd stopped so short that Yancy slammed into her back.

"Of course not."

"No analyzing me, so consider yourself warned."

Yancy reached over Mel's head and pushed the door open. "Is that because there's nothing mentally wrong with you, or is it because you're bonkers and you're afraid I'll have you committed?"

"I'd like to think it's because you're interested in something else."

"Then in this case it's you who read my mind because I am."

The fists didn't drop as Mel looked at Yancy skeptically. "What?"

"It's true that you obviously have a great mind but your butt is a thing of beauty." A gust of wind blew the door closed when Yancy let go and pressed her hand to Mel's cheek. "I'm sorry, sometimes I don't know when to quit."

"No need to apologize. I figured that might be something you were interested in when I realized you don't like cucumbers." The weather had chilled Yancy's fingers, but Mel was sure they'd warm up quickly if her blush was as bad as it felt in her ears.

"I didn't think you'd seen that."

Mel snorted as she pinched Yancy. "I did, Ms. Roving Eyes."

"What are you hoping for here then?"

Mel leaned into Yancy's hand and in her gut she knew this wasn't a question Yancy asked often if she'd asked it at all. "You want to cut a deal with me?"

"Does it involve me eating cucumbers?" The joke made Mel shake her head and laugh. Before Yancy had the chance to pull away Mel brought her head down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I thought you said no goodnight kiss."

"You owe me a malt so this isn't goodnight, and I promise no cucumbers. What I want from you is that you take some of that advice you probably dish out, and take it one day at a time."

"I'm willing to do that." She opened the door again wanting to sit and just talk with Mel all night. "But why me? You obviously found out a little bit about me, and I can't imagine it was very flattering."

"My grandmother will be happy because I decided to take her advice this time with no argument. I'm going with my gut when it comes to you."

"What's your gut telling you?"

Mel reached for Yancy's hand and led her outside to the car. "You're a dog, Dr. Yancy, but usually if you give a dog a chance it'll prove itself in the loyalty department."

"And you say I have an interesting way of putting things."

*  *  *

How's it going, Charlotte?" Yancy asked her patient the next morning as they walked through the gardens of the hospital. The weather had turned colder but since the sun was out, Charlotte had asked to go out, her new red hat helping to keep her thoughts in her head as well as keeping her warm.

"You were right about those pills. The Martians have visited a couple of times since I saw you last, but my memories of Harvey are so strong I didn't want to bother you."

Taking smaller and slower steps to accommodate Charlotte's petite frame, Yancy put her hand over Charlotte's where it rested in the crook of her elbow. "You're never a bother so please give me a call whenever you feel the need. As for your visitors, did they have any new messages for you?"

"Just two but one thing didn't make sense to me."

"We'll get to that in a minute, but I want to ask you something first. Did you tell your daughter about the visits?" Yancy led her to a bench under one of the old oaks on the property. From her pocket she pulled out a bag of peanuts and handed them to Charlotte so she could feed the squirrels. Within minutes she had a crowd begging for a treat.

"Not since we had our deal. I love her but she doesn't understand."

Yancy nodded as she handed Charlotte another bag knowing the first one wasn't going to last long. "Do you want to stay here for a few more days?"

"I want to stay here as long as you want me to, but after that I don't want to go home."

"Where would you like to go?"

"My sister said I could stay in her guesthouse. I'd rather do that so I can sit in peace and talk to whomever I want."

There was something about this woman that touched Yancy so if it was safe she was going to try to do everything to give Charlotte what she wanted. "You certainly deserve that. So tell me what your visitors told you."

"First they said that they believe the president is still smoking pot, but they didn't have definite proof."

The comment made Yancy laugh, and wished these insightful aliens would start visiting her too. "What else did they say?"

"They had a message for you." Charlotte threw her last peanut out then turned and held Yancy's hand. "They said for you to ask for your eggs over easy."

"My eggs over easy? Did they say why?"

"Something about it being the secret to your happiness. I'm sorry they didn't say more because that's the one I didn't understand."

"That okay, I don't understand it either. Do you mind if I take a look at your sister's place just to make sure you'll be all right?"

"We could go now," Charlotte said clapping her hands together.

Listening to Charlotte's directions they ended up in front of one of the nicest houses in the uptown area. If there was any doubt to Charlotte's lucidity the welcoming house staff put them to rest. In less than an hour Yancy had been introduced to the whole staff, and Charlotte had shown her the spacious guesthouse, as well as her and Harvey's wedding album. The only one not home was Charlotte's sister, but it was plain that the woman had gone through great lengths to make Charlotte feel welcome.

"Looks like you're going to be fine, Charlotte, so just tell me when you want to leave the hospital. I'll still see you once a week, but I have a feeling you'll be happy here."

"Today would be good, and you don't have to worry about me. My little sister said she'd take good care of me. Besides, you need to work on deciphering the message I gave you." Charlotte opened her arms and smiled when Yancy didn't hesitate to hug her. "And you deserve to be happy so I hope you figure it out quickly."

Yancy made sure Charlotte's seatbelt was on before closing the car door smiling at her generous nature. On the way to the driver's side Yancy's phone started ringing and she was surprised to see Mel's name on her caller ID. "Did you put a toothbrush in my medicine cabinet too?" she joked, considering the only way the name was in her phone's memory was because Mel put it there some time the night before.

"I just wanted to see if you'd screen your calls if you knew it was me." The bar at Jacqueline's was empty because of the early hour, so Mel was enjoying the quiet while she waited for her bookkeeper.

"Did I pass my first test then?"

"When a nurse stands in front of you in only a garter belt and all you do is walk way, then you'll pass your fist test, Dr. Yancy." She waved to her bookkeeper then put her hand up to put him off for a few more minutes. "I didn't scare you off last night did I?"

"Not yet. Are we still on for tonight?"

"It'll be a different kind of date, but we sure are. So get back to work, doc, so you can get out in time."

"See you at seven then."

After dropping Charlotte off at the hospital with her discharge papers, and calling Andy to apologize for standing her up, Yancy decided to take the rest of the day off. For the first time in her life she wanted to do everything she could to impress a girl enough so that the next date would be a given.

*  *  *

"Welcome back, Dr. Yancy," the hostess said when she spotted Yancy coming in with a large bouquet of yellow roses. "Mel said she was expecting you, and she's going to love those."

"I hope so since I don't usually buy flowers unless there's been a death."

"Would you like a drink? If you have a seat at the bar I'll go back and let Mel know you're here."

As Gail stepped into the kitchen, the back door opened and Jacqueline walked in. It seemed surreal since the kitchen was going full throttle for the overbooked Thursday night, but for a split second everything came to a halt. Before Mel could say anything one of her crew came over with a set of spoons for Jacqueline to do her usual tasting.

"I'd say you aren't happy to see me, but you've set a beautiful table," Jacqueline said referring to the chef's table as she started taking her gloves off.

The table was set for two and Mel had come in early to start some things so she could sit and enjoy it once Yancy arrived. "Gran, what are you doing here?" Mel asked them then snapped her mouth shut appalled at how she imagined that sounded.

"I was coming for visit, but I have a feeling I'm interrupting something."

"Mel?" Gail pointed in the direction of the bar.

"You're not in the way, Gran, so have a seat." She pointed to one of the waiters, "Freddie, set another place please, and Gail could you get Yancy for me."

"Yancy who?" Jacqueline asked as the waiter laid her napkin on her lap.

"My date for tonight so please try and behave."

"If it was your mother you'd have a reason to worry, but she's with you father in Florida enjoying the fruits of our labor."

"He was about to have a heart attack from the stress, Gran, and I don't want to get into that argument with you right now."

"I can come back later if you want to duke it out, but if there's going to be a food fight I'm staying," Yancy said from the door. She handed the roses over when Mel came closer and kissed her on the cheek. "Want to reschedule?"

"Not unless you do, but I didn't plan this so don't feel obligated."

"Are you kidding me, lady? I bought flowers and a new shirt so you owe me dinner. Just tell me who I'm having dinner with."

Taking a deep breath to settle her nerves, Mel pulled Yancy into the kitchen. "Gran, this is Yancy Allemond." She reached for Yancy's left hand as Jacqueline stood up. "Yancy, I'd like to introduce you to Jacqueline Brendan, my grandmother."

"Ma'am, it's a pleasure," Yancy held out her hand and reluctantly let Mel go when Jacqueline pulled her forward and into the chair next to hers. "Mel's spoken so fondly of you."

"Please, if you're in Melody's kitchen then she likes you, so no need to butter me up."

Looking at Mel as she answered, Yancy smiled and it made the skin around her eyes crinkle. "A woman who doesn't mince words, I like that."

"Only garlic and nuts need to be minced," Mel said as she smiled back. "That's what Gran always says." She accepted the flowers back from one of the staff after they'd put them in water for her and placed them at the center of the table. "I believe I promised to feed you," she said to Yancy. "Will you be okay?"

"You promised different, and having your grandmother here certainly is that." Yancy rested her hand over Mel's where she'd rested it on the table. "I'm kidding and I promise it'll be fine."

"Why are you here, Yancy?" Jacqueline asked as soon as Mel stepped away. She spoke softly since they were as alone as they were going to get.

"I'm having dinner."

"Nuts and garlic, remember what Mel just said, so don't try to bullshit me." She nodded to the waiter who put down the soup bowls.

"I took cooking lessons as a way to break out of my normal routine, and as a promise to myself."

"There's something so wrong with your life that you need to change it?"

The soup looked so good she tried a spoonful before she went on. "Change doesn't just come about because something's wrong, Mrs. Brendan. It is imperative to learn new things to make us grow. If not, what's the point?"

"How lucky for you to have found not only a good teacher but such an affluent one," Jacqueline said before taking a taste of soup herself. Yancy's laughter wasn't what she was expecting.

"You think I'm after her money?" She kept her voice low but couldn't help but let an incredulous tone bleed into her question.

"You wouldn't be the first."

"If that's what you're worried about you can sit back and enjoy you soup. I like Mel because she's not afraid to kick my ass when she thinks I need it, and she's only known me three weeks. She's only spoken directly to me for one of the three, and she was quite frank about laying down a firm set of ground rules. So give Mel some credit. She's quite capable of taking care of herself and her bank account."

The soup dishes were cleared away and Mel walked the next course over herself. "How was it?"

"Spectacular," Yancy said accepting the salad Mel handed her.

"Good, start on our house salad with our house dressing and I'll be able to sit down with you two for the next course." She turned when she was about three feet from the table and said, "And I promise--no cucumbers."

Yancy laughed and shook her head as she picked up her fork and took her first bite. The combination of different greens Mel's staff had put together was delicious but there was something slightly off that was causing a tingling in her mouth. Without trying to be rude Yancy started turning over lettuce trying to find the only thing she could think it could be.

"Problem?" Jacqueline asked.

"No, just curious as to what they put in here," Yancy took another bite to put Jacqueline's fears to rest. It was like eating ants but it was strange because the only thing that caused this reaction was the one thing she couldn't find in the plate.

"Are you sure you're all right?"

Yancy pulled at her collar and tried to drink some water, which mostly dribbled down her new shirt as her mouth started to go numb. She clutched at her belt until she found her phone and pressed her speed dial for Andy. Jacqueline had to take the phone from her when Yancy's speech was slurred and her tongue appeared not to fit in her mouth.

"She said no ambulance, and back door," Jacqueline repeated what Yancy was muttering.

"What's wrong?" Mel asked in a panic.

With each passing minute Yancy's tongue got bigger and she drooled more. "Andy tell you," she was able to get out so they'd understand.

"Who's Andy?" Jacqueline asked just as the back doors of the restaurant burst open.

The young woman with jet black hair didn't ask questions, just scanned the room, found Yancy and stuck a syringe into her. "Breathe, Yance, breathe for me." Andy shook her head as she searched for what had set off Yancy's bizarre food allergy. The salad had to be the culprit so she took a bite. "My God, this is delicious. Is it cilantro in the vinaigrette?"

"It's an effusion of cilantro, kiwi, balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil," Mel answered, thinking it was strange conversation to be having considering what was going on.

"Cilantro and kiwi, Yance? Either the girl is trying to kill you or you didn't mention this rather entertaining side effect when you eat those particular items," Andy scolded as she kept an eye and her hand on Yancy's chest.

"She's allergic to cilantro and kiwi?" Mel asked.

"She is, and she's going to have to cut the evening short for a little trip to the emergency room I'm afraid." Andy stood up as Peter came in. "A little help here, babe."

"Sorry," Yancy got out as Peter and Andy practically dragged her through the door. The injections Andy had given her had drained the color from her face and the energy from her body.

"Here, Mel," Jacqueline handed over Mel's purse. "Get going and I'll take care of things here. I asked, they're headed to Tulane."

Two hours later Andy jotted some notes in Yancy's chart and smiled at how Mel was fast asleep on the stool with her head on the bed next to Yancy's hand. "You should've known after the first bite," she whispered.

"Sorry, Andy, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

"Either you're an idiot or you're in love, I haven't decided yet."

"People don't fall in love in a week." Yancy could feel Mel's breath on the back of her hand every time she exhaled, and Mel's hand felt really good on her forearm since she'd fallen asleep wanting to touch Yancy's skin.

"One of these days the brilliant but clueless Dr. Yancy will have to figure something out."

"Not to eat cilantro?"

"No, that people who belong together fall in love overnight all the time, and, Dr. Yancy, not even you are immune to that."

Their conversation was low but it still stirred Mel. "Are you all right?" she asked as soon as she was coherent.

"It's a little strange but the allergy medicine makes her heart beat erratically so I didn't have a choice but to bring her in," Andy said.

"What exactly are you allergic to again?" The way she was intently staring at Yancy was a clue to the fact that she didn't want the answer sugarcoated.

"Cilantro and kiwi."

"I thought that was right. Cilantro is one of the most distinctive flavors I cook with."

Yancy stared blankly at her, but blamed her lack of understanding on the loop the night had thrown her for. "Ah, true," Yancy took a stab at the conversation, making Andy hold the folder up to her mouth to try and cover up the snort that escaped.

"You're a complete idiot," Mel raised her voice as she came up off her stool. "Why in the hell didn't you tell me?"

"It's not really something that comes up in normal conversation."

Mel took a deep breath and glanced at Andy. "Will I kill her if I slap her on the head?"

"What did I do?" Yancy asked.

"You ate something that could've killed you, that's what," Mel's voice rose a little higher. "Why'd you do that?"

"I felt bad since you went through all that trouble. It was worth a little discomfort on my part not to be rude."

"Honey, your tongue swelling to ten times its normal size is not a little discomfort." The way Mel sunk back down to her seat made it seem like the air had been let out of her sails.

The use of the endearment put a smile on Yancy's face that Andy echoed because of what she was seeing. "Now that you have the use of your mouth back, would you like to introduce us?" Andy asked. Yancy did as she was told then cocked her head toward the door when Mel wasn't looking. "Finish the drip then I'm taking you home, so don't even think about trying to make a run for it."

"Whatever you want," Yancy agreed just to get Andy out quicker. "I'm really sorry for ruining your night," she said to Mel.

"You're washing dishes for me if my grandmother scares away any of my staff."

"I'll be happy to." Yancy sat up and opened the drawer of the cabinet next to the bed and pulled out a Band-Aid.

"What are you doing?"

The IV catheter came out smoothly and Yancy tore the Band-Aid package open with her teeth. "I'm checking myself out."

"Andy said you had to finish that," she pointed to the bag hanging over the bed.

"That's more of a suggestion like, try the fish it's really good," she swung her legs over and scanned the room for her clothes.

"You're not leaving."

"I promise it's all right. If you remember I'm a Dr. Allemond too. I actually had to attend medical school before they allowed me to move on to head shrinking school." Her clothes were in the small closet by the door and Yancy didn't waste any time stripping off the hospital gown.

The sight of Yancy standing there in her underwear knocked the fight right out of Mel. Yancy might have been a sweet idiot in her opinion, but she was also a well proportioned one.

"Why are you wearing underwear with hearts on them?"

"Andy buys them for me on Valentine's Day every year," Yancy hopped around trying to get her clothes on as if realizing just how uncovered she was.

"I didn't realize you were so close."

"Eww," Yancy experienced a full body shiver that made Mel laugh. "She fell in love with my practice partner Peter and she feels sorry for me because I never have a Valentine. It's her favorite day of the year, so much so that she picked it as her wedding day. Corny I know but that's Andy."

"Are you saying you have no romantic notions, Dr. Yancy?"

"You'll have to keep going out with me to find out. How about dinner tomorrow night?" She tucked her shirt in then wrote out her discharge papers.

"Tomorrow's Friday and I have a full house until closing."

"Then I'll have to think of something else." With a quick peek to make sure no one would stop their leaving, Yancy pointed Mel toward the exit. "Did you drive?"

Mel had parked illegally close to the emergency room, but her car was untouched by the constantly hovering security guards. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Why me?"

"Why you what?" Yancy was as confused as her question sounded.

"Never mind." The way Mel shrugged made Yancy think she was hiding something.

"You don't have to be afraid of any answer that I give you. If you want to know something then just ask and I swear I'll be honest."

"Compared to the women fawning over you in there, I'm kind of plain. So why me?"

"I remember asking you the same thing, so I wouldn't think you'd be unsure of yourself. The real question you should ask is why not you? And you're anything but plain. You're not only beautiful, but you're unique."

Mel slapped her again then started the car. "Buttering me up still won't get you a date tomorrow."

"Ah, a challenge. I do love those."

*  *  *

"If this woman sends her food back one more time I'm going to spit in it," the waitress said as she handed the plate back to Mel.

"What's wrong this time?"

"It's got crabmeat in it."

"Of course it's got crabmeat in it," Mel hissed. "It's fish with lump crabmeat like it says on tonight's menu. Did she think we were kidding about that?"

"I didn't say she wasn't crazy, I'm just passing on what she said."

The word crazy made Mel think of Yancy, and the list of reasons she'd come up with as to why she hadn't called. Leading the reasons was death by cilantro, but she figured one mad rush to the emergency room was enough for the week for Yancy to chance doing something else to jeopardize her health.

Mel grilled another piece of fish and served it without any extras. "Make sure she knows it's fish and not chicken that we describe on the menu as fish with crabmeat."

"Just think, she's the last one and it's not quite midnight," the waitress joked on her way out.

"It's a good thing because I don't feel like cooking another thing."

"Have a good one, Mel," her second chef told her as she headed for the back door.

"See you guys tomorrow." On the weekends she parked in the loading dock since there were no deliveries brought in, but tonight in addition to her Honda she found Yancy sitting on her hood in a pair of old jeans.

"Hey there, Chef Brendan, how are you feeling tonight?"

She closed the door not wanting an audience then leaned against it wanting to just enjoy the view. "I'm guessing I should be asking you that question, Dr. Yancy."

"I'm great. Anything that was wrong with me was cured by fifteen hours of sleep, but now I have a dilemma." She spread her arms out then let them drop to her thighs.

"What's that?"

"Actually I have two dilemmas, or is that dilemi?" she joked. "I'm wide awake for one, and I was sitting at home missing you."

"Since you're here I'd think that would take care of the second problem," Mel said sounding inordinately pleased with Yancy's proclamation.

"True, but now that I see you I just realized I have one more thing I should really be upset about."

Mel didn't move from the door but her eyes followed Yancy the whole way up the stairs. "Anything I can do to make that better?"

"Maybe," Yancy stopped about five feet from her and cocked her head to the side. "You see last night, I was really looking forward to spending time with you, but there was something I was really looking forward to and my idiotic actions robbed me of the chance."

"What, the entrée?"

"I'm sure it was fabulous, but no." She closed the gap by a foot.

"The dessert?"

"Lord knows I fell for your desserts before I met you, but no." Another foot between them disappeared.

"The stimulating conversation?"

"You are stimulating all right, but wrong again." One step closer left them a foot apart.

The cold steel of the door bit into Mel's hands when she pressed harder into it to keep from reaching out and touching Yancy. "I give up then, what are you upset about?"

"The goodnight kiss I missed out on." Yancy put her hands on either side of Mel's head.

"It must have not been memorable then because I did give you one when I dropped you off."

"Then it must be that I'm upset about the fact I haven't gotten to kiss you again." Not thinking she'd be rebuffed Yancy lowered her head and stopped right before her lips reached Mel's. She got the reaction she was hoping for when Mel reached up and pulled her the rest of the way down.

"I can see your point," Mel went back and kissed her again. "That is something worth getting upset over."

"How tired are you?"

"Actually you're like a vitamin shot, so I can go on for a little while longer."

"Good, I know just the way to relax you before you retire for the night."

They took Yancy's car down to Lake Pontchartrain, and held hands as they walked up the levee and down the other side until they were close to the water. Yancy had brought a blanket and thermos with her and Mel was content to sit and put her head on Yancy's shoulder after she was handed a mug of hot chocolate.

"You were right about something you told me," Mel said after they'd been sitting there for awhile.

"What's that?"

"Sometimes being in the dark is the nicest place to be," she lifted her head and could just make out Yancy's face from the little sliver of moon there was out that night. Even though the city was right behind them she felt totally alone with Yancy and it was the nicest thing that had happened to her in a long time.

"Who knew learning how to cook would be so life changing," Yancy said before kissing her again.

"The question that remains is how many semesters are you in for?"

Before Yancy could answer a seemingly disoriented gull flew right toward her opposite side and embedded its beak into her shoulder. The sudden stabbing pain made her howl and knock Mel out of the way to get the thing away from her. In the sudden commotion, Yancy jumped and started swatting the bird as it headed toward Mel. In the excitement she tripped over her feet, falling and landing on her back. As soon as she landed, the pain in her shoulder was replaced by the pain of hitting her head on a rock as she landed.

"I hate to say this, but I think we need to make another trip to the emergency room," Yancy said as she ran her hand along the back of her head. When her hand came back wet and sticky it made her breathing deepen.

"Oh Jesus, what happened to your head?" Even in the dark Mel could see the blood staining Yancy's hair and the back of her LSU sweat shirt.

"I hit a rock, and the rock won."

When they got back to the car, Mel hanging on to Yancy the whole way since she was dizzy from the fall, Yancy handed over the keys to her car. "You're letting me drive?"

"I don't want to get us in an accident so yes. Just keep in mind the three years it took me to get this car to look like this," she joked.

The powerful engine was too much for Mel to pass up and she sped her way to the hospital. Since the car had parking tags given to the doctors on staff, she was able to park right in the front. She ran around to help Yancy out and flagged down one of the orderlies to get a wheelchair not wanting Yancy to fall again.

Two of the nurses came in and cleaned both wounds and called for Andy who happened to be there seeing one of her patients. From the appearance of her head wound, it was going to need just a couple of stitches to keep it closed.

"When I said it wouldn't kill her if you hit her on the head, I'd have thought you'd have been gentler in your approach," Andy said to Mel when she walked in. "I don't know about this one, Yance," she joked as she prepared to start suturing.

"Take a girl out to look at the stars and get attacked by a rabid seagull. I could write a book I tell you." Yancy reached over to Mel who was sitting next to her and took hold of her hand. "Maybe it's the Martians."

"What did you say?" Mel asked.

"Nothing, just forget I said anything. What I need to be concentrating on is planning a date where we don't end the evening with my sister administering some sort of medical assistance."

Andy finished up on the back of her head and came around to examine her shoulder. "I don't mind really, remember we have a wedding to pay for," Andy kept up her teasing. "Do you have a date for next weekend yet?" She smiled sweetly at Yancy and squeezed the wound gently to remind Yancy to be nice.

"What's next weekend?" Mel asked sounding like a woman who if Yancy was willing to ask someone else out on a date there would be more mending to do on Yancy's body once she got through with her.

"Andy and Peter's engagement party his parents are throwing them, and I haven't had a chance to ask you. Are you free next weekend? I know Saturdays are probably not good for you, but I thought you might like to go with me."

"I'll work something out because I'd love to go with you," Mel said pretty much sealing their fate to another trip to the hospital.

*  *  *

"What happened to you this week, Dr. Yancy?" Charlotte asked as she poured two cups of tea. She'd convinced Yancy to start having their sessions in her sister's garden near the pool and Yancy had agreed finding it a nice respite from the hospital and her office. The reason she'd asked the question this week was because Yancy was on crutches. They'd been meeting here for four weeks and every week Yancy came with some new injury.

"I fell over a horse trough in the French Quarter and sprained my ankle."

"I'm not going to ask but that's quite a list of injuries you've accumulated."

Yancy picked up her cup and nodded. "I've gotten more stitches, and been wrapped up more in the last month than I did growing up."

"Are you having fun though?"

The weather had turned colder making it a little uncomfortable to be outside, but the garden was still full of color from the blooming camellias Yancy noticed behind Charlotte's head. And the relaxed atmosphere seemed to put Charlotte in the mood to chat more openly. "These sessions are supposed to be a time we set aside to talk about you."

"Oh phooey, I'm an old woman who has nothing interesting to say that I need an hour a week to do it in. I'm taking my pills, haven't disinherited by daughter for thinking I'm crazy, and I talk to Martians. Hardly worth your drive over here if you ask me, so I like hearing about you because I worry about you and you're my friend. Aside from my sister and my great niece I don't feel like I have too many of those."

"Does it help that as your doctor I can honestly tell you that you're one of the sanest people I know?"

"You should get married and have children, Dr. Yancy. I think you'd make a wonderful spouse." Charlotte stood up and held out her hand after Yancy had drained her cup.

After walking the gardens for weeks, Yancy was still amazed that someone had been able to amass such a large parcel of land in the middle of Uptown New Orleans. If she had to guess the yard of the grand old mansion took up an entire city block. Aside from a menagerie of plants and trees, the yard held two guest houses one of which Charlotte was living in.

"Why do you think so?"

"When I met Harvey, the man was a clumsy fool. Ended up breaking four bones in the first five months of our relationship, but he kept coming back for more. Sound like anyone you know?" She squeezed Yancy's arm and laughed. "Turned out that every fall he took threw him further in love with me. You have the same look he did, and I already know about your good heart, so it's a given that whoever this lucky girl is, she'd be a fool to let you get away."

"How'd you know it was a lucky girl?" Yancy asked while thinking she was going to have to start bringing her checkbook to pay Charlotte for her time.

"You have your bust of Freud, and I have my little men from outer space. They tell me all I need to know."

"That's your reason for me getting married, but why do you think I should have kids?"

The long sigh Charlotte let out made Yancy realize she'd be making this weekly outing for some time to come. "Because they will prove to you just how mentally strong you are. If they don't drive you nuts when they're small, then they'll drive you to drink when you're old."

"Give it time, and I'm sure she'll come around. After all my talks with your daughter I do believe that she has your best interests at heart. She just needs to learn to not be so set in her ways and give allowances for certain things."

"Like what, accepting the fact that I'm nuts because I talk to Martians?"

"I was thinking more along the line of her having faith in you, and accepting what you're saying on that same faith. Like I keep telling you, I can't prove you're talking to Martians, but I can't prove you're not. What I am worried about is your overall well being and that you're as comfortable and happy as possible." She waved her arm around the garden. "And from the looks of this place, you're doing pretty good. When am going to meet your sister?"

"Do you need to?" Charlotte stopped suddenly pulling them both to a stop.

"Not necessarily but since she's taken over your care I thought she might have some questions for me. If she's taking good care of you though, and you don't want us to meet, then we don't necessarily have to."

"It's just that she's a busy woman and I don't want to be a bother."

"Does she give you that impression?" Yancy turned them around to head back to the guesthouse Charlotte was staying in.

"Heck no. She comes down every morning and every afternoon to have a chat. It's just like old times."

"Well you just call me if you need me and I'll see you next week."

Charlotte squeezed Yancy's hand and smiled when she leaned over and opened the door for her. "You take care of yourself and have fun with your girl."

"Thanks, I'll try and pay attention to keep my bones intact," Yancy joked.

Yancy let out a curse when she tripped over one of her crutches and hit the side of her car when her cell phone went off. "I should've known it was you, menace." She tried to bleed the pain out of her voice since her ankle was now throbbing again.

"How's your foot?"

"About the same as the last time you asked me an hour ago. Stop feeling guilty, Mel. It's not like you knocked me over the horse trough on purpose." Very carefully she eased into the car after putting her crutches in the backseat. "You didn't by chance knock me down on purpose did you?"

"Stop joking about that, I feel horrible enough as it is."

The sounds of yelling and pots being moved around meant Mel was at work already. "If I'd been paying attention, I would've caught you when you jumped off the carriage, I'm just glad I broke your fall. What's on the menu tonight and do you need any advice?"

"You just completed one cooking class you're ready to give advice?"

"Considering my fantastic teacher, I feel comfortable answering yes to that," Yancy kept up her teasing.

"What do you want if you're buttering me up this much?"

"I want plenty of things believe me, but we actually have to make it through a date without getting hurt before we can get to that." The beautiful homes of the uptown area gave way to the buildings of the warehouse district as Yancy maneuvered downtown. "Are you busy?"

"I'm cooking but I want you here like you promised me."

"Don't worry, I'm hungry and I'm close."

"Just like I like you, Dr. Yancy," Mel said before the line went dead.

*  *  *

"Do you have everything?" Peter asked two weeks later during their walk through the grocery.

"I've got everything you put on the neatly typed list you gave me, yes."

"Do you think it's weird that I'm getting married tomorrow and I'm at the grocery?" He just went through the motions of taking whatever Yancy handed him and putting it in his cart, but she seriously doubted he was all there.

"No," Yancy started ticking off things from the list Mel had given her at lunch. The accidents during their dates had gotten better in that they didn't require a visit to Andy afterward, but they were still happening. It didn't prevent them from having lunch together every day and Mel from coming over on her days off and cooking her dinner. All that time together and having given up sex meant that Yancy had gotten to know Mel better than any other woman in her life aside from Andy.

"You don't?"

"Not any weirder than the fact you're getting married on a Wednesday. Maybe I'm just used to going to weddings where they give me the weekend to recover from all the fun I've had."

"So did you get everything?" He asked again as if their talk had just started.

"Come along, big boy, and let's get you home and into bed so your brain will come back from wherever it's run off to."

Yancy brought him home and picked him up the next day so she could help him get dressed. Peter's severe attack of nerves was making him have trouble with things like buttons and stringing words together so Yancy was glad she was there for him. In a generous move, Mel offered to do the same for Andy considering Yancy couldn't be in two places at once.

The ceremony was beautiful with Yancy giving away the bride then standing up for Peter as his best woman. Every so often Yancy's eyes would stray from the couple to Mel. As her feelings for Mel grew, she could see herself taking the leap Andy and Peter had embarked on.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest said shaking Yancy from her thoughts.

"They make a great couple," Mel told Yancy as they danced at the reception.

"He's a lucky guy, but then again so is Andy. I've known Peter since med school, and while he can't grocery shop by himself to save his life, he's deeply in love with my sister."

Mel lifted her head from Yancy's shoulder and peered up at her. "How about you, Dr. Yancy? Are you the marrying kind?"

"Had you asked me that a few months ago I would've had no problem saying no."

"But now?" The music stopped and the band's lead singer made an announcement about something that neither of them heard.

"Now I see it's not something to fear, but instead something I need." Yancy answered softly right before Andy's bouquet landed between them and Mel reached for it before it hit the ground. "It's a good thing too, huh?" Yancy joked as the rest of the guests applauded while she kissed the girl.

Jacqueline's driver had brought Mel to the church so she gladly followed Yancy to her car when their urge to be alone was greater than their urge to stay and have fun at the reception. "We're closer to my place, so would you like to come over for a drink?"

Their short drive was quiet except for Mel's directions. Yancy didn't say anything but the streets were very familiar. When Mel pointed to the drive they needed to pull into, Yancy stopped in front of the house first and waited for Mel to make eye contact with her.

"Is there a problem?" Mel asked.

"You live here?" She pointed to the large house.

"Gran actually lives in the big monstrosity with my grandfather, and us peons live out back. Why?"

"Do you know Charlotte?" It was a stupid question but this was just too bizarre.

"Of course, she's my great aunt. Aunt Charlotte is Gran's older sister." Mel reached over and put her hand on Yancy's cheek. "How do you know... wait... you're the wonderful doctor she keeps going on about. Aren't you?"

"You all aren't interested in who she's seeing?"

"Of course we are, but she's close to seventy-one-years old and she told us her head was her business. Just like the person helping her with the wiring was her business so we decided not to push."

"Sounds like Charlotte."

Mel laughed at the assessment. "That's not a problem is it?"

The gate opened when Yancy punched in the code she used every week, then came around, opened Mel's door and scooped her out of the car. She stepped carefully through the garden in the moonlight, but never let go of Mel until she reached the door of the second guesthouse across the courtyard from the one Charlotte occupied.

"I'm experiencing only one problem right now," Yancy said as she placed Mel on her feet.

"Anything I can do to help? Or better yet, maybe I should ask what it is?"

"I think I might rupture something if I have to go another minute without touching you."

Even though all Yancy wanted to do was start unbuttoning the black dress Mel had on she took her time and looked around the room they were in. There were a multitude of what appeared to be family photos scattered among the hundreds of books on the shelves along the walls. The furniture was a deep brown leather, that looked comfortable, especially the one chair close to the large bay window that had a commanding view of the gardens. Next to the chair was a stack of old, well used cookbooks with papers sticking out the sides as if marking pages.

"What do you think now, Chef Brendan?" Yancy closed the door and locked it.

"Think about what?" The bouquet Andy had carried was beautiful but Mel dropped it on the coffee table freeing her hands to put them on Yancy's chest.

"That first night we went out you had a definite opinion of me, so what do you think now?" Before Mel could reach anything interesting, Yancy grabbed her gently by the wrist and reversed their positions so Mel was pressed against the door. "Surely you've had a chance to revise your initial findings."

"It might require more research but I think I was wrong about you, but not completely," Mel got out before she moaned as Yancy kissed along her neck.

"Decided that have you?" Yancy held both of Mel's hands with one of hers so she could lower one of her dress straps.

"I was wrong about you being an egotist, but I wasn't wrong about the good looks," Mel pulled one of her hands free so she could run her fingers through Yancy's hair. "That I was dead on right about. You're so beautiful it makes me crave looking at you."

"Crave? I don't think anyone has ever told me that before, so thank you." Yancy lowered the other strap and placed a kiss on the naked shoulder. "And I think you're wrong about that. Compared to you I'm marginally attractive. The real beauty in the room is also the most talented in the kitchen."

"You are good, Dr. Yancy. Such a charmer wrapped in such a delicious package, but you don't have to try so hard. This isn't our first date and I'm so looking forward to more than just a good night kiss."

The zipper of Mel's dress filled the silence as she reached back and lowered it herself. Her bra came next, followed by the black panties. As soon as the dress had hit the floor Yancy had let go of her.

The guest house had the living room they were standing in, a small kitchen and dining area, and a small sunroom in the back. Even though Yancy had seen a glimpse of every room when she came in her eyes were now glued to the spiral staircase at the back of the room. Mel had her foot on the first step and she appeared to be enjoying the way Yancy's eyes roamed over her nakedness.

"Do you think you can make it up the stairs without killing yourself?" Mel asked as she moved to the next step. "I really need you in one piece and Andy's most probably starting her honeymoon by now."

Yancy's suit jacket hit the ground adding to the pile of clothing on the floor, but before she could unfasten the first button Mel crooked her finger at her. "Leave the shirt?"

"For the moment," Mel reached for her hand then started up the stairs. At the top was a loft bedroom with almost a tree house feel to it because of the windows and sky lights. When Mel opened her mouth to say something else Yancy kissed her.

Slowly she ran her hands from Mel's shoulders down her back until she reached the butt she'd admired from the first day of class. When she squeezed, Mel ran her foot up her leg almost as an encouragement for Yancy to keep going. As the kiss deepened, Mel's feet came off the ground and wrapped around Yancy's waist.

Without breaking their kiss, Yancy turned and sat on the bed so she could move her hands more freely without dropping Mel on the floor. They both moaned when Yancy ran her fingers up Mel's sex finding the abundant evidence of just how turned on she was.

"Wait," Mel grabbed her by the wrist sure that if those magic fingers reached her throbbing clitoris it would be over too quickly.

"Wait?" Yancy sat back and put her hands on the bed in an effort to control herself from touching Mel. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, honey," Mel reassured her by framing Yancy's face with her hands. "I just have something for you and I wanted to give it to you."

The walk across the room made Mel feel self-conscious but one glance at the bed boosted her ego considering the way Yancy's eyes stayed glued to her the whole time. Finally having Yancy here was something she'd been fantasizing about, but the reality was more intense than she'd imagined.

After all the time they'd spent together, Mel knew just how good Yancy was at making you feel like the center of her universe, but it wasn't some come on or play acting. Mel was sure it had something to do with her profession, but whatever it was, it didn't matter. She rather enjoyed being the focus of Dr. Yancy's attention, because right now, the intensity of her stare was making her nipples painfully hard.

"Can I convince you to look for whatever it is later so you can come back and sit on my lap?"

Mel walked out of her closet with her hands behind her back and a smile. "Only if you answer one important question for me." She was teasing and about to bring her hands forward when something stopped her when Yancy cocked her head to the side.

"Yes."

When heartbeats passed and Yancy said nothing else Mel took another step closer. "Yes... what?" she asked sounding confused.

"I love you."

"You love me?" The usually oh so confident Dr. Yancy now looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights at Mel's question. It made her ache to have put such doubt in the one moment she'd been waiting on for what seemed like forever.

Before Mel could reverse the mood, Yancy tried damage control. "I know you might not be ready for that so I'm sorry."

"You don't love me then? If you don't I'm not sure I want to ask you my question then."

Yancy blinked as if realizing she'd revealed her feelings without having to, but from the size of her smile it also appeared as if she felt good about it. "I adore you, but more importantly I love you so ask away."

When Mel brought her hands forward what was in them solidified the fact that she not only wanted the same things as Yancy but that she was able to read between the lines of the conversations they'd had so far. As much as Yancy loved her sister, there was a void in her life that only a committed partner could fill.

"Would you be my Valentine?" Mel asked as she handed her a pair of boxers with hearts all over them wrapped with a red bow. "You can only answer yes," she gave into Yancy's wish and sat back down on her lap, "if you love me."

"Yes."

"Thank you and so you don't think it's all one sided, I love you too. The other thing is I only want you wearing the underwear I pick out for you from now on, but don't worry, I've already informed Andy of that as well."

Mel would have kept up her teasing, but the teasing Yancy was now doing after putting her gift down next to her was driving Mel's passions more than her thought process. Yancy had spread her legs just far enough so that she could run her fingers through her wetness stopping just where Mel most wanted Yancy, but only long enough to make her want to start begging.

"If you really love me you'd go inside," Mel was finally able to pant out. It felt like she would just shatter apart if Yancy didn't finish what she'd started.

The plea only made Yancy slow down even more. That meant every pass over her

stone hard clitoris was longer but not nearly long enough to bring the relief Mel wanted. "I do love you, and I want to make it last long enough so that you'll know it."

Mel let out a moan and dug her fingers into Yancy's shoulder at the declaration. For some unexplained reason the thought of Cream of Crabmeat soup popped into her head and her grandmother's thoughts on what could be better.

The wetter she got, the faster Yancy started to go, with each pass her fingers delving deeper to the place Mel wanted her and the walls of her sex clutching at her like they wanted Yancy to stay and fill up the want and sate her desire. It was as if every cell in her body came alive but she narrowed her focus down to just a precious few things--how the fabric of Yancy's shirt felt under her hands, how beautiful Yancy's eyes looked as she tried to focus on her face, and the sound of her own breathing raging in her ears as she tried to make the moment last. And that she did.

The orgasm though couldn't be held back anymore and she reached down for Yancy's wrist again, but this time stopping her was the last thing on her mind. What she wanted was for Yancy to just stop a minute so she could enjoy the fullness of having Yancy coming home to where she belonged. While New Year's resolutions may have brought them together, it was with her that Yancy belonged. Mel's new resolution was to do everything she could to build a home for them so that Yancy never left. As the spasms ended she'd found her answer to what was better than Cream of Crabmeat soup, and Yancy was that hands down.

"What's the smile for?" Yancy asked.

"If you have to ask that, then obviously the women who came before me weren't very articulate when it came to telling you just how fabulous you are."

Yancy's laugh shook her but Mel was glad to see that she was smart enough not to move her hand. "Thank you, and if it's all the same, I'd rather not talk about anyone who came before you."

"You're right because there's never going to be anyone who comes after me. There's one thing you should remember above all else, Dr. Yancy." Mel let go of her wrist and started to unfasten the buttons of Yancy's shirt.

"That once you declare that you love someone then you have to commit?" Yancy got through most of the question but hissed when she got to the word commit when Mel pinched her nipple between her fingers.

"That's a given, but no."

"Then what?"

"That the first thing you purchase when you become a chef is a really good and sharp set of knifes. A set of knives I know how to use well, so if you don't want me to bone you in less than five minutes, you'll just go ahead and agree that there'll never be anyone after me," Mel joked.

"Good thing that's my plan then." The rest of the night Yancy found the reward of sticking to her resolutions and for taking a chance with her heart.

*  *  *

Yancy woke up alone the next morning relaxed in the knowledge that she didn't have to work for the rest of the week, but a little put off that Mel had wandered off. The upset lasted about a second when the smell of bread baking made its way up the stairs.

"I hope you brought some of whatever's in the oven with you," she said as she heard the footsteps on the stairs. When she peered over her shoulder she smiled at how cute Mel appeared in a big terrycloth robe with her hair in complete disarray.

"If you're like me it's coffee first then breakfast," Mel put the coffee cup down on the nightstand and stripped off the robe before stretching out along Yancy's back.

"Sounds like caffeine is an addiction we share then," Yancy sighed when Mel kissed her shoulder. "I'm not a big breakfast eater but after last night I think I might have to eat something before you get any further than what you're doing right now."

"That's why I brought you coffee in bed."

"Because you thought I couldn't get out of bed without it?"

Mel's fingers trailed down Yancy's body until she reached her butt then she stopped and caressed before pinching as hard as she could. "Considering I could barely walk this morning I'm not buying what you're selling, honey. I brought you coffee in bed because that's all you're getting while you're lying down. My family doesn't eat in bed no matter what, it's not proper."

"Considering what we did in this bed last night I beg to differ," Yancy laughed when Mel blushed so deeply it disappeared both into her hairline and down her chest as far as she could see.

"God, my grandmother is going to have a field day with you and what you can do to me."

Yancy turned around and took Mel into her arms. "Your grandmother is not going to have an ally against you, my love, but more of an ally who's going to protect you at every turn. Just because I can tease you doesn't mean anyone else can. So tell me why you brought me coffee in bed."

"To entice you to come downstairs and tell me how you want your eggs." Mel squealed when Yancy scooped her up and stood. Whatever she'd said it earned her a kiss and a very playful Yancy. "What was that for, so I can do it again?"

"It's the joy of having something proven to me."

"It's just eggs, honey."

Yancy put her down and helped her with her robe before bending down to get her pants. "I want them over easy, and because I do, it means that Martians really do exist."

"This I can't wait to hear." Mel said as she helped Yancy on with her shirt. "I'd say you're crazy but I figure your fellow doctors would have weeded you out by now if you were." They both heard the door from downstairs open and close and someone yell out good morning. "I hope we don't reek of sex."

"Is Charlotte a regular in the mornings?"

"She usually has breakfast with me after she has coffee with Gran, but if you mind, I'll tell her to come by tomorrow morning."

Mel fell into her when Yancy pulled her forward into a hug. "Of course I don't mind, and I'll let her explain what I'm talking about if she doesn't mind, but I'll give you a hint. A wise woman once told me that the secret to my future happiness lay in how I took my eggs. She was right; I like them over easy, but what she didn't mention was that the secret wasn't in the way I took my eggs."

"It wasn't?"

Yancy shook her head as she kissed Mel's forehead. "No, it wasn't. The secret is who I was lucky enough to get to fix the eggs for me. Since it's you that not only makes me lucky, it makes me glad I waited to fall in love."

"It's as simple as that?"

"It's as simple as making crème brule, or so I've been told," Yancy teased her before taking her hand and leading her down the stairs and into their future.

THE END

Comments to:  terrali20@yahoo.com

Ali Vali is the author of The Devil Inside, Carly's Sound, The Devil Unleashed, and the upcoming Second Season. For more information please visit Bold Strokes Books at

www.boldstrokesbooks.com

Table of Contents

    PART ONE

    PART TWO