Guava 23, Blue Raspberry 25: Fading
Title: Fading
Main Story: In The Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Guava 23 (more than you can chew), blue raspberry 25 (better luck next time), rainbow sprinkles, butterscotch (four-fifths is prior to Aaron's birth), malt (Back to school 33 : Nathan watching on a stage), pocky chain.
Word Count: 550
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Nathan and Melanie's marriage, from start to finish.
Notes: For the limbo, from one hundred words to ten.
Melanie is wonderful. He loves her dry sense of humor and the way they are together, the long quiet evenings out on his boat, fishing in companionable silence. He loves the funny little quirk of her smile and the freckles on the tops of her breasts, and the clever thing she does with her tongue. Mostly he just loves her, and so he proposes, one summer evening out on the boat.
She says yes, laughing and wiping at tears, and he's never been happier in his life.
They get married within the month. They are happier than he ever dreamed.
--
He can't wait for children. Now is obviously not a good time; he's still in college, they don't make much money, and anyway Mel wants to wait and he respects that. But he can't wait to hold his own child. He's lacked a family since his father died. He can't wait to have one again.
Melanie sometimes looks at him oddly when he talks about this, a mix of amusement and worry, with a hint of fear. He always asks what's wrong.
She always shakes her head, and says nothing.
--
He joins the Navy right out of college. He has to; they paid for college. He doesn't mind; he loves to sail, and there's something about the armed forces that draws him, the potential in defending his nation. He packs up for the move to the base with pleasant anticipation.
Mel helps, sort of, but half the time he finds her staring out the window at the woods behind their house.
He always asks what's wrong.
She never tells him.
--
He loves the Navy. He belongs to something bigger than himself now, and nothing is more important than that-- except Melanie. He'd give it up for her if she asked him to. She never does. She never says anything, actually, just looks at him with sorrow in her eyes.
It frustrates him, a little bit, that she won't talk to him. How can he help her when she won't talk?
--
Melanie's pregnant. He's overjoyed.
Lately he's felt cracks in their marriage, little distances that weren't there before. A child will change that. They'll be happy again, like before.
And soon he'll have a child, his own child, someone to love and hold and care for. A perfect blend of him and Melanie.
She seems quiet. He's too happy to ask.
--
He misses most of Melanie's pregnancy.
He's sorry, but there's no helping it. He goes where the government sends him. And they send him home, to hold his newborn son and marvel at the tiny miracle.
Melanie doesn't seem amazed. She actually looks sick.
He puts it down to labor.
--
He misses most of Aaron's infancy, too. Melanie sends pictures, but it isn't like being there. He misses his son fiercely: Mel not quite as much, but then he's used to being apart from her.
He should worry.
He doesn't.
--
Mel's calls get increasingly terse, then stop altogether. He's definitely worried now, but she won't answer.
Finally he calls Connie, desperate for news.
"They're fine," Connie says.
She sounds uncertain.
--
He knows what's coming. It's not any easier.
"I want a divorce," Melanie says.
There's nothing to do but agree.
--
Reason for discharge:
Kendall is now his son's sole guardian.
Main Story: In The Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Guava 23 (more than you can chew), blue raspberry 25 (better luck next time), rainbow sprinkles, butterscotch (four-fifths is prior to Aaron's birth), malt (Back to school 33 : Nathan watching on a stage), pocky chain.
Word Count: 550
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Nathan and Melanie's marriage, from start to finish.
Notes: For the limbo, from one hundred words to ten.
Melanie is wonderful. He loves her dry sense of humor and the way they are together, the long quiet evenings out on his boat, fishing in companionable silence. He loves the funny little quirk of her smile and the freckles on the tops of her breasts, and the clever thing she does with her tongue. Mostly he just loves her, and so he proposes, one summer evening out on the boat.
She says yes, laughing and wiping at tears, and he's never been happier in his life.
They get married within the month. They are happier than he ever dreamed.
--
He can't wait for children. Now is obviously not a good time; he's still in college, they don't make much money, and anyway Mel wants to wait and he respects that. But he can't wait to hold his own child. He's lacked a family since his father died. He can't wait to have one again.
Melanie sometimes looks at him oddly when he talks about this, a mix of amusement and worry, with a hint of fear. He always asks what's wrong.
She always shakes her head, and says nothing.
--
He joins the Navy right out of college. He has to; they paid for college. He doesn't mind; he loves to sail, and there's something about the armed forces that draws him, the potential in defending his nation. He packs up for the move to the base with pleasant anticipation.
Mel helps, sort of, but half the time he finds her staring out the window at the woods behind their house.
He always asks what's wrong.
She never tells him.
--
He loves the Navy. He belongs to something bigger than himself now, and nothing is more important than that-- except Melanie. He'd give it up for her if she asked him to. She never does. She never says anything, actually, just looks at him with sorrow in her eyes.
It frustrates him, a little bit, that she won't talk to him. How can he help her when she won't talk?
--
Melanie's pregnant. He's overjoyed.
Lately he's felt cracks in their marriage, little distances that weren't there before. A child will change that. They'll be happy again, like before.
And soon he'll have a child, his own child, someone to love and hold and care for. A perfect blend of him and Melanie.
She seems quiet. He's too happy to ask.
--
He misses most of Melanie's pregnancy.
He's sorry, but there's no helping it. He goes where the government sends him. And they send him home, to hold his newborn son and marvel at the tiny miracle.
Melanie doesn't seem amazed. She actually looks sick.
He puts it down to labor.
--
He misses most of Aaron's infancy, too. Melanie sends pictures, but it isn't like being there. He misses his son fiercely: Mel not quite as much, but then he's used to being apart from her.
He should worry.
He doesn't.
--
Mel's calls get increasingly terse, then stop altogether. He's definitely worried now, but she won't answer.
Finally he calls Connie, desperate for news.
"They're fine," Connie says.
She sounds uncertain.
--
He knows what's coming. It's not any easier.
"I want a divorce," Melanie says.
There's nothing to do but agree.
--
Reason for discharge:
Kendall is now his son's sole guardian.