Dr. Rosenbaum nodded. "She was very
alarmed."
"I know. I didn’t mean to scare her."
"Have you seen Jareth since?"
Melanie shook her head. "No. Not even once. I don’t
know what to do…It’s like the moment I told someone
about him he just disappeared." She sighed, shrugged.
"What do you think? Am I crazy?"
"No…I wouldn’t say that. Sometimes, Melanie, we do
things to help ourselves adjust to new situations. We create very
vivid fantasies. Sometimes so much so that we believe them."
She just stared at the carpet.
"I’d like to keep meeting. Together, maybe we can work
all of this out. What do you think?"
"Seeing as how you and Mom already set up another
appointment, what I think is sort of moot, isn’t it?"
"I wouldn’t say that. I’d like to know your
thoughts on this."
"I think you don’t believe me. I think you think
I’m crazy. Maybe not totally looney tunes, but definitely in
need of medical assistance. And I think you may be right."
Melanie stood up slowly, gathering her jacket and her backpack.
"But the thing is, I don’t mind being a little nuts. As
a matter of fact, I like it just fine. Don’t get me wrong.
You’re a real nice guy, and I think you really do want to
help me." She flashed her smile, the little dimples winking
on her round face. "Thanks but no thanks. I’ll see you
next week. But don’t make any big plans."
She strolled out of the office, and took the elevator down. In
the lobby, David Barnes was waiting, leaning on a wall, playing
with a quarter, walking it back and forth across his knuckles
idly.
"Shit," she muttered.
"Hey!" he called, snapping to attention and hurrying
over to her. "Your mom said you were here…what are you
seeing a shrink for?"
"I have delusions," she said.
"Cool."
She stared at him. He shrugged. She laughed.
"So…why haven’t you talked to me?"
"Ick. I don’t want to discuss it."
She began to walk away out into the parking lot. He followed her
through the double glass doors. "Are you mad at me for
kissing you? Look, I’m not going to say I’m
sorry." He was frowning darkly. "Because I’m not.
But I promise I won’t do it again, if that’s what you
want."
That stopped her. "You’re not sorry?"
"Hell no." He grinned. "And I’d do it again
if you’d let me."
"Why?"
"I’ve had a crush on you ever since I saw you fall on
Carrie Ng’s party table."
"Oh God," she muttered, blushing and closing her eyes
with the memory of that awful party.
He laughed a little. "No, no, it’s okay. It’s
just…you were so cute. And I watched you walk out with Brian
and he was such a jerk to you and all I could think was that if I
was your boyfriend how different I would have done it…"
David trailed off, looking down. "I…well, you
know…I mean…anyway…then I saw you walking home and
the way you sat beside me in my car and do you remember when we
were first learning to dance for the play? You were so funny, and
your laugh was so sweet…I always have a good time with you.
You’re…you’re my best friend, Mellie. And I
don’t want to lose that. So no more kissing if you
don’t want it. Just talk to me again, okay?"
"Kiss him." Melanie blinked. Jareth was speaking.
"What?" she said aloud.
"Huh?" asked David.
Jareth appeared over David’s shoulder. He rolled his eyes.
"Really, I have to do everything for you." He pushed
David forward slightly, into Melanie. She had to catch him, and
they ended up hugging.
And then kissing.
It just sort of happened, and didn’t stop for a long time.
When it did, Melanie looked around. Jareth was gone. But David
was still there. She smiled at him.
"So you want to do something tonight? Movie? Dinner?"
"Please. I’m a sensitive artist. I’m so much
better than your average movie/dinner date. I’ll pick you up
at seven; wear a dress. The blue dress. You look so hot in
blue…"
As he walked her to her car, Dr. Rosenbaum looked down on them
from his window. "That’s nice," he said aloud.
Although…he could have sworn David looked like he’d
been pushed.
*****
Two nights later, Melanie sat in front of
her computer, reading emails. She felt a soft little breeze, and
she glanced around.
"J!"
"Hello, Melanie."
She looked at him carefully. "You’re going to leave,
aren’t you? I’m not going to see you again."
"You don’t need me now."
"That’s not true…"
He smiled softly, touched her cheek. "You have David, you
have your friends. And you’ll always have me. I’m in
you, I’m part of you. Even if you can’t see me…you
can feel me."
"I’ll miss you…" Tears slipped down
Melanie’s cheek, she brushed them absently away.
"No you won’t. Believe me."
"I don’t."
"You’ll see."
He leaned down slowly, and kissed her, a chaste, soft brush of
his lips against hers. And then he was gone.
She smiled to herself through her tears. "Thank you,
J."
Melanie turned back to her email. She didn’t miss him.
He was right. He was still with her. And he always would be.