Plum Blossom | Completed

Chapter Twenty-One

As promised to her daughter, Mellisa had started planning their vacation to Disneyland. Amanda insisted on helping, and although this was a fruitless endeavor – Amanda didn't know the first thing about Disneyland or planning a vacation – her excitement was contagious. Mellisa had found herself looking forward to the trip as well. She planned on giving her daughter the whole extravagant experience. Emily, Connor, Ryan and his kids were, of course, joining them.

Emily and Ryan continued to be awkward around each other, but Mellisa suspected that neither of them knew how to advance their relationship.

Mellisa had finally met Ryan, as well as Emily's family when she had been invited over for a Sunday barbecue. She got to observe what a loud, boisterous, and loving family was like. She herself hadn't had one in so long. Even now, she was still picking up the pieces of the past decade.

She watched Emily's family with a sad smile. Amanda had inserted herself amid their shenanigans quite seamlessly. Mellisa wished she had her daughter's tenacity. But she was just relieved to see Amanda mingling.

Mellisa shifted her attention to Emily and Ryan who were off to a corner, talking in hushed tones. She could tell how nervous they were around each other. But there obviously was a spark between them. She couldn't ignore how each one gazed longingly when they thought the other wasn't paying attention. Mellisa found it sweet. They were acting like teenagers.

It was this interaction that Mellisa used to finally convince Emily and Ryan to go on the vacation with her. 'For the sake of the kids,' she had said, and all four children had played their part in incessantly annoying the pair till they finally gave in.

The group had travelled to Anaheim a week later. They were staying for five days, so that they could relax and explore the place at their own pace. That was needed when one was toting around four children under the age of eight.

Early mornings and late evenings, when the sun wasn't as harsh, were spent on ride, shows, parades and meeting characters. The afternoons were dedicated to pigging out on junk food, frolicking in the pool and then crashing hard for an afternoon siesta. The naps were meant for Amanda, but Mellisa went doing with her just as fast.

Just as she had promised, Mellisa had taken charge of keeping the children occupied as much as she could, which was usually for most of the day. But when the sun set for the parades and the volume of people in the park grew, it had taken all three adults to help the children together.

It was on their third day of vacation that Mellisa finally found a moment to talk to Emily. The two women were lounging by the pool while Ryan had all four kids splashing around in the water.

"So.... How's it going?" Mellisa asked her friend in a teasing manner.

"It's been fun hanging out with Ryan. But we mostly end up falling asleep. We have three energetic kids between us. It's tiring. I honestly don't know how you've been managing all four of them." Emily let out a sign.

"Oh, I don't mind. But all of it will be fruitless if you don't buck up and do something about it. Or have your feelings changed?"

"No. If anything, I like him more now. I could easily see myself being with him for a long time, kids, career and all."

"Then what's keeping you from making that happen?"

"I don't think he likes me like that. He continues to be an absolute gentleman. At this point, I think I've been friendzoned."

"That's ridiculous. You don't see the glances he sneaks at you when he thinks no one's looking. He stares at you like he could do it for the rest of his life; as if you'll disappear if he doesn't," Mellisa said in a whimsical tone.