Melody tried to go through the next several weeks like normal. However, they were anything but normal. Relations between herself and Dr. Hyden were understandably strained. After all, DNA test results would determine whether or not he was her biological father. The fact that this was even possible made Melody uneasy.
On top of everything else, there was Stella. Stella seemed to be everywhere, even in Melody’s private papers. “So, you’re beaming reports about me to the mothership, am I correct?”
Stella nodded.
“Why am I the subject of this experiment?” she asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Stella snapped, “ask the pod leader. He shipped me down here to watch you. Frankly, I haven’t found anything interesting.”
“I don’t have time for this, Stella,” Melody shouted, “I’ve got school, and homework, and I’ve got a business to run.”
“Business?”
“My father’s toy company, Tinker Toys. When he passed away last fall, he left the business to
me.”
“Okay, okay, don’t get all hyper about it. Who told you to beam a flashlight in the sky?”
“It was an experiment.”
“You all say that ‘an experiment’ like you’re playing with a toy. We’re not toys. We live and breathe just like you do.” Stella was aghast as she saw Melody's eyes wandering towards what she'd been writing. "What are you looking at?" she asked angrily.
“Well, you’re ‘toying’ with us the exact same way, aren’t you?” Melody left Stella’s room in a huff, slamming the door angrily.
On top of everything else, there was Stella. Stella seemed to be everywhere, even in Melody’s private papers. “So, you’re beaming reports about me to the mothership, am I correct?”Stella nodded.
“Why am I the subject of this experiment?” she asked.
“Don’t ask me,” Stella snapped, “ask the pod leader. He shipped me down here to watch you. Frankly, I haven’t found anything interesting.”
“I don’t have time for this, Stella,” Melody shouted, “I’ve got school, and homework, and I’ve got a business to run.”
“Business?”
“My father’s toy company, Tinker Toys. When he passed away last fall, he left the business to
me.”“Okay, okay, don’t get all hyper about it. Who told you to beam a flashlight in the sky?”
“It was an experiment.”
“You all say that ‘an experiment’ like you’re playing with a toy. We’re not toys. We live and breathe just like you do.” Stella was aghast as she saw Melody's eyes wandering towards what she'd been writing. "What are you looking at?" she asked angrily.
“Well, you’re ‘toying’ with us the exact same way, aren’t you?” Melody left Stella’s room in a huff, slamming the door angrily.
Chester had woken up from a deep sleep when the doorbell rang. It was Melody, paying him an unexpected visit. “My class this morning got cancelled,” she said, “so I thought I should see how you were doing.”He was glad to see her. While he turned on his Gamecube, she gently needled him about his expanding waistline. “Any more pizza and burgers and you’ll look like your buddy Ed,” she teased. “You probably should lay off of them.”
“And what do you eat, tofu and salads and bran cereal?”
“Well, yeah,” Melody said. "They're good for you. Did you know that one slice of pepperoni pizza has 366 calories, 15.6 grams of fat, 41 grams of carbohydrates, and 668 grams of sodium?"
"Really, Mel?" asked Chester.
"Do I need to go on with those burgers? They're worse, believe it or not."
"Um, nah, never mind," Chester grinned.
She’d brought over a new game, and Chester squealed. “No! Do NOT tell me that’s Fallout 3!”
“It sure is!” Melody exclaimed.
“How’d you get it? It’s not even out yet!”
“The folks at Microsoft sent me a copy when I told them I was from Tinker Toys.”
“Must be nice, to be able to snap your fingers and get whatever you want,” Chester mumbled, halfway laughing as he said it.
For Melody, though, it was just like old times -- no Jessica, no hangers on, no pressure. Just like it used to be. Just like it should be. She was just a girl hanging out with her best friend -- who just happened to be a guy.
But even she could feel the distance that had grown between them over these last several weeks -- a gulf had opened up that even this day couldn’t completely close. Sure, Jessica’s presence in Chester’s life was part of it, but so was the fact that Chester was nearing graduation and was spending a lot of time preparing for that inevitability. “You know, Chester, I haven’t been seeing very much of you. I mean, I know you’ve been busy -- but -- but you haven’t called or anything. I’ve -- I’ve been worried.”
Chester’s reaction was strange. “Worried? About me?”
Melody tried to laugh it off. “No, I don’t mean that -- I just mean -- you know, I’ve been concerned, that’s all. I thought maybe aliens might have abducted you or something --”
Managing a chuckle, Chester remembered that was a joke only they could comprehend. Turning his attention to the death ray flying across the TV screen, he shouted, “Aaaah! You’re dead, sucker!”
“I’ll get you next time!” promised Melody, shouting into Chester’s ear.
“You’re nervous about that paternity test, aren’t you?” Chester said.
Melody shook her head. “Nope,” she replied firmly as she pressed on her game controller. “I’ve taken it, I’m done. I’ve got it out of my mind.”
“Really, Mel? Seriously, finally knowing the truth about your father could answer some questions you’ve had for awhile.”
“I’ve known the answers to these questions for awhile. It doesn’t really matter anymore. Stephen Tinker was the one who raised me, therefore he was my father, whether by blood or not.”
The subject then turned to life at the dorm. "Now everyone in the dorm thinks I’ve gone coo-coo for cocoa puffs.”
“They’ve suspected that for awhile, Mel,” Chester teased, “but I know better.” He gave a sly wink.
“I wish things would be like they used to be. Things would be a lot easier that way.”
“Would you want to go back where YOU came from?” teased Chester.
“Bluewater Village?” Melody laughed. “Of course not! Maybe to visit, but to live --”
“Speaking of live --” Chester’s expression turned serious. “Would you like to live here?”
“Chester, are you serious?”
“I’m dead serious. It’s been too quiet in here lately. Sure, Jessica comes and visits, but most of the time I’ve been here alone. I like it sometimes, but sometimes it just gets lonely. I’ve even had a few visits from the social bunny.”
“C’mon, Ches, it can’t be that bad.”
“Believe me, it’s been that bad. Edwin’s been mostly with his fiancée --”
“Hey, what did you think about that, huh? When Marla told me, I was shocked.”
Chester then turned deadly serious. “The graduation ceremonies are next week.”
“I know. Time sure does fly, huh?”
“I’m thinking -- I’m thinking we ought to do something before then.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. All of us. We can bring Ed and Marla too.”
Melody was puzzled. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about one last blast, with all of us together. C’mon, Mel, say you’ll do it. Please? For me.”
Melody placed her index finger on her cheek in a thoughtful pose. Chester had always thought it looked adorable. “Mm -- I’ll think about it.”
She’d brought over a new game, and Chester squealed. “No! Do NOT tell me that’s Fallout 3!”
“It sure is!” Melody exclaimed.
“How’d you get it? It’s not even out yet!”
“The folks at Microsoft sent me a copy when I told them I was from Tinker Toys.”
“Must be nice, to be able to snap your fingers and get whatever you want,” Chester mumbled, halfway laughing as he said it.
For Melody, though, it was just like old times -- no Jessica, no hangers on, no pressure. Just like it used to be. Just like it should be. She was just a girl hanging out with her best friend -- who just happened to be a guy.
But even she could feel the distance that had grown between them over these last several weeks -- a gulf had opened up that even this day couldn’t completely close. Sure, Jessica’s presence in Chester’s life was part of it, but so was the fact that Chester was nearing graduation and was spending a lot of time preparing for that inevitability. “You know, Chester, I haven’t been seeing very much of you. I mean, I know you’ve been busy -- but -- but you haven’t called or anything. I’ve -- I’ve been worried.”
Chester’s reaction was strange. “Worried? About me?”
Melody tried to laugh it off. “No, I don’t mean that -- I just mean -- you know, I’ve been concerned, that’s all. I thought maybe aliens might have abducted you or something --”
Managing a chuckle, Chester remembered that was a joke only they could comprehend. Turning his attention to the death ray flying across the TV screen, he shouted, “Aaaah! You’re dead, sucker!”“I’ll get you next time!” promised Melody, shouting into Chester’s ear.
“You’re nervous about that paternity test, aren’t you?” Chester said.
Melody shook her head. “Nope,” she replied firmly as she pressed on her game controller. “I’ve taken it, I’m done. I’ve got it out of my mind.”
“Really, Mel? Seriously, finally knowing the truth about your father could answer some questions you’ve had for awhile.”
“I’ve known the answers to these questions for awhile. It doesn’t really matter anymore. Stephen Tinker was the one who raised me, therefore he was my father, whether by blood or not.”
The subject then turned to life at the dorm. "Now everyone in the dorm thinks I’ve gone coo-coo for cocoa puffs.”
“They’ve suspected that for awhile, Mel,” Chester teased, “but I know better.” He gave a sly wink.
“I wish things would be like they used to be. Things would be a lot easier that way.”
“Would you want to go back where YOU came from?” teased Chester.
“Bluewater Village?” Melody laughed. “Of course not! Maybe to visit, but to live --”
“Speaking of live --” Chester’s expression turned serious. “Would you like to live here?”
“Chester, are you serious?”
“I’m dead serious. It’s been too quiet in here lately. Sure, Jessica comes and visits, but most of the time I’ve been here alone. I like it sometimes, but sometimes it just gets lonely. I’ve even had a few visits from the social bunny.”
“C’mon, Ches, it can’t be that bad.”
“Believe me, it’s been that bad. Edwin’s been mostly with his fiancée --”
“Hey, what did you think about that, huh? When Marla told me, I was shocked.”
Chester then turned deadly serious. “The graduation ceremonies are next week.”
“I know. Time sure does fly, huh?”
“I’m thinking -- I’m thinking we ought to do something before then.”
“We?”
“Yes, we. All of us. We can bring Ed and Marla too.”
Melody was puzzled. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about one last blast, with all of us together. C’mon, Mel, say you’ll do it. Please? For me.”
Melody placed her index finger on her cheek in a thoughtful pose. Chester had always thought it looked adorable. “Mm -- I’ll think about it.”
