Chapter 4
OUTSIDE BO & HOPE'S HOUSE
NIGHTTIME HOPE: Roman? I...I forgot to pick up something of Ciara's and I was just getting it back. What are you doing here at this time of night?
ROMAN: Well, ever since the attack on Bo's life the other night, I've had everyone down at the station taking shifts guarding the house to make sure the mugger doesn't try to strike again here. You haven't seen any suspicious activity, have you?
NIGHTTIME HOPE: No, I haven't seen anything. I was just talking to Bo and he's fine. He's a bit tired though, so he thought he would try and go to sleep. But, please, if you hear anything, let me know.
ROMAN: All right. I'll let you know.
Hope walks away
AMERICINN
Melanie is sitting in the hot tub in the pool room of the AmericInn. Adam walks up and gets in the hot tub.
ADAM: So, we meet again, Melanie.
MELANIE: Hi, Adam.
ADAM: Mind if I join you?
MELANIE: Please do. So, I was wondering, you said you had family in Illinois? Whereabouts in Illinois?
ADAM: Oh, just this tiny little town called Salem. You've probably never heard of it, though. It's not even on the map.
MELANIE: Get out!
ADAM: What?
MELANIE: Salem? You're from Salem?
ADAM: Well, no. Originally, I'm from Europe, but my mother is currently living in Salem.
MELANIE: Cool!
ADAM: Yeah. So, would you like to go swimming?
MELANIE: I'd like to...but there's a little problem with that.
ADAM: What's that?
MELANIE: Well...I...I can't swim.
ADAM: Really?
MELANIE: Yeah. I never exactly learned how to.
Adam gets out of the hot tub.
ADAM: Come on.
Melanie gets out of the hot tub.
MELANIE: Where are we going?
ADAM: We're going in the pool.
MELANIE: The pool? Adam! I just told you, I can't swim!
ADAM: I know. But you won't have to.
MELANIE: What do you mean I won't have to?
ADAM: You'll see.
Adam jumps into the pool. He then swims over to where the steps to get in are.
ADAM: Come on in.
Adam hold out his hand. Melanie takes it. She then, carefully, gets into the pool.
ADAM: See? You can stand at this part. Put your arms around me.
Melanie puts her arms on Adam's shoulders. Adam lifts Melanie up a little bit and puts his arms around her waist. Then, holding Melanie, Adam slowly swims over into the deep end. Adam continues to hold Melanie once he gets there.
ADAM: Here we are.
MELANIE: Don't let go of me!
ADAM: I won't. Trust me.
Adam, holding Melanie, slowly begins to walk across the deep end of the pool.
MELANIE: This is kinda nice. Just, please, don't let go of me.
ADAM: Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Melanie Layton. I'll never let you go.
Adam continued to hold Melanie and swim around the pool for a while. They both had a great time. After a while, they got in the hot tub again.
ADAM: So, I've already told you where I'm from. But, what about you, where are you from?
MELANIE: Well, I spent most of my childhood in France, but a year or two ago, I moved to Salem with my brother. I also learned, shortly after arriving there, that the man I thought was my father really wasn't, and that my real parents were living in Salem.
ADAM: Well, since we're both going to Salem, would you like a ride back?
MELANIE: Sure. When will we be leaving?
ADAM: Any day you want. We can go back any day at any time you want.
MELANIE: How about tomorrow?
ADAM: Tomorrow sounds good.
MELANIE: Okay, thanks.
ADAM: No problem.
The two of them started getting closer and closer to each other. Finally, they looked right into each other eyes...and they kissed each other for the first time. Melanie and Adam spent the rest of the day together. It was clear to see that, even though they had just met each other a day or two ago, they were both falling in love.
LADYSMITH FAMILY RESTAURANT
After Melanie and Adam had finished swimming, the two of them went to the Ladysmith Family restaurant and had a nice dinner together.
ADAM: The food is really good.
MELANIE: Yeah, it is. Thanks for taking me here. I'm having a great time.
ADAM: You're more than welcome, my sweet Melanie.
MELANIE: So, either tonight or tomorrow, before we go, can we stop at Wal-Mart? I need to pick up a few things.
ADAM: Of course we can. We can do whatever you want to do. It's up to you.
MELANIE: Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, you barely know me. Why do you go along with everything that I say?
ADAM: Because you seem like a nice girl. I'm usually a good judge of character, and you seem to have a pretty good one. You're nice, smart, funny, caring, and very pretty, might I add.
Adam takes Melanie's hand.
ADAM: Oh, Melanie Layton, where have you been all my life?
Adam kisses Melanie's hand and then lets go of it.
ADAM: That, and I like you. A lot.
MELANIE: Aw, that's so sweet! I like you a lot, too. But, I don't think I'm ready for another relationship just yet. Not after what happened with my ex-husband.
ADAM: Oh, yes. Him. Any man who would hurt you like that is a fool! When I think about what he did to you...I could kill him!
Melanie gets a shocked look on her face. Adam chuckles slightly.
ADAM: It's a joke, Melanie. I could never kill anybody.
MELANIE: Oh, well, that's good.
Melanie and Adam continued there dinner. They had a wonderful time. Melanie enjoyed spending time with Adam. Maybe, sometime in the near future, she would be ready to tell him how she felt about him.