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10
Melanie walked through the open door of Amy's small house, and the small woman's arms greeted her cheerfully. They embraced. "So why did you want to come around?" Her voice was sweet but strong, the psychiatric nurse’s tone dripping a mixture of compassion and assertiveness. Although Amy was a walking contradiction in her occupation, at least she had a steady job.
"I'll tell you soon."
"Coffee?" Melanie nodded, following her friend to the kitchen and sat down on a breakfast stool.
"Melanie, tell me what you're so happy about, or I’ll put drugs in your coffee." Melanie pouted, indicating to Amy that she wasn't happy with that notion, but it couldn't trick Amy.
"Come on Mel, I know you're happy I can see it in your body language. The long strides you took walking through here, the straight angle in your back as you sit... It's all there. Happiness. Self-Satisfaction."
Melanie shook her head, smiling.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to hide it from you."
Amy smiled, slamming the coffee down on the bench in front of Melanie, in a failed attempt to startle her.
"Spit it out." Amy ordered this, wanting to get to the point of everything. She was only twenty-four, and her short career as a nurse had erased most of the patience she had possessed.
What, the coffee, or the news? Melanie giggled at her own joke.
"Okay... I got fired."
Amy gawked in shock, but Melanie didn't let her get any words continuing in rapid, short sentences. "I also got a visit from my landlord." Amy frowned, touching Melanie's hand as if to reassure her that everything would be fine.
Melanie shook her head, now laughing. "Bad luck comes in threes. You want to hear the best of it?" She didn't wait for a response before informing her friend. "I've got an appointment to see the manager of Python Publications." Amy squealed out in happiness for her friend, wrapping her arms quickly around her. "Oh my god! You're actually going to achieve your dream... Oh! I'm so happy for you... Congratulations!"
It was Melanie that should have been that happy.
"Yeah... Enough with the formalities Amy. Have you got a cigarette?"
"So this could actually be your big break. How much do you think you'll make from it?" Melanie shook her head, not knowing. She thought to herself, perhaps I don't want to know. Money was always a nagging and annoying contribution to her depression. "I'll be happy if I get two grand for it. Hell, I'll be happy if I get five hundred for it. I don't really care if I don't make major money from it, all that matters to me is getting the thing published."
"I should have known better than to ask you about money. Sorry." Melanie looked up towards Amy, slightly sarcastically, but with enough sincerity to indicate that she wasn't offended.
"Remember when we were teenagers still living at home? Always thinking that we would never achieve our dreams due to constraints, the biggest being our parents and their so called caring?" Amy continued the story while Melanie took in another drag of the cigarette in her hand, the chemical mixture shortening her life with every lung-full. "Yeah... Their ways drove us both into depression. There’s smothering, and then there’s mothering, right?”
"That's not all I remember. Do you still remember the first time we smoked weed?" Amy fidgeted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable at the mention. "Um... Melanie... I have a confession to make. I never stopped smoking the stuff. I still do today. Don't get mad... I only have it to calm me down, to get rid of the voices in my head. Without it in my system, my fuse is so short, I blow before it even gets lit."
"Oh you rebel!" There was sarcasm and humour to Melanie's voice, along with a rarely expressed happiness. "You got any on you?"
Amy nodded, perplexed. She was probably stoned as Melanie was talking to her. "Okay then Amy. Pack me a cone, and then roll me a joint for later. Let's see if it can have the same effect after four years of staying clean."
Amy extracted a small bag of cannabis from a concealed location behind the kitchen counter as she removed a small pipe from her pocket. Her tiny and frail fingers were experienced, and had no trouble quickly packing the pipe with the substance. She handed it over to Melanie, her hand shaking slightly. "Thanks." Melanie produced a lighter from her own pocket, placing the pipe in-between her lips as she sparked the lighter, unsuccessfully lighting the contents at first.
"Here." Amy now had her lighter in her hand, lighting the pipe for Melanie as she breathed in heavily, as if to ensure the drug would work. She coughed slightly, not accustomed to regular use of a pipe. Amy had already rolled the joint for her, and handed it over to Melanie, smiling. "Congratulations, and Welcome back."