43
Inside a photography studio, Melanie is seen posing in front of a camera. Her body is clad in a short sleeve coral long dress that hugs her body tightly. She crosses her arms over her chest and quivers vigorously as the camera records her pose. She stops shivering when a thick fur coat is thrown at her.
She smiled and flung the coat on her body. She flashes out her shiny teeth and blows a kiss to the camera.
“And that’s a wrap! That is a fantastic first shoot!” The Cameraman says, retreating the camera as he gives Melanie a thumbs up.
Melanie nods happily. She couldn’t believe she just modeled a designer fur coat that hasn’t been seen anywhere. She put down the coat and March rushed towards her with a bottle of water.
“That was amazing!” March smiles, handing over the water to Melanie before picking up a band from the drawer and scooping Melanie’s hair in her hand.
“Thank you, March.” Melanie smiles, flicking the lid and gulping the water down her throat. She notices that March is struggling with her hair, she chuckles as she bends her head slightly, giving March access to her hair.
Melanie’s hair was packed in a tight ponytail. She strides inside the mini room that is inside the studio and changes back into her dress.
March takes Melanie’s purse from the table and walks up to her. “I am your assistance,” March says with a beautiful smile on her face. “My name is March Tyler, I’m at your service.” She bows respectfully to her.
Melanie smiles back at her. “I’m Melanie Watson.” Melanie smiles, bringing out her hand for a handshake.
“It will be an honour to work with you.” March smiles shyly as Melanie shakes her hand warmly.
“Take the box to the Director’s office.” One of the workers at the studio says, and the box is being hauled out of the studio.
March tightens her grip on the purse in her hands. “Let me escort you to your office.” She proposes and Melanie nods her head, agreeing to what she said.
They both walk out of the studios after the workers there have already bid her goodbye.
Melanie walks down the corridor of the first floor that leads to her office. March trail behind her, telling her the names and position of the staffer that walks them by.
“March!” She calls out to her assistant.
“Yes, ma’am Director.” March giggles. She steps beside Melanie as she awaits what she is going to say to her.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
“Were you born in March?” Melanie asks with a muddled look on her face.
March smirks at her question. She is not surprised that Melanie could ask such a question. everyone she comes across asks her the same question at their first encounter.
“I was born in December.” She laughs hysterically. She jiggles Melanie’s purse in the air.
Melanie stares at her in surprise. “Then why were you named ‘March’ when you were born in December?” Melanie couldn’t help but ask.
“Well,” March coughed slightly, not minding that she is chit-chatting with the Director. “My father was a military man.” She shrugs her shoulders.
“Was?” Melanie asks and March nods her head slowly.
“He was late.” She mumbles slowly. Clutching tight at the purse in her hand.
“I’m very sorry about that.” Melanie clasps her lips together in guilt. She regrets asking the cheerful lady such a question. She noticed the sadness on her face and she couldn’t help the guilt that cramps her mind.
March understands the atmosphere and quickly replaces her once sad face with the most robust front. “Don’t be sorry, none of it was your fault.” She beams. She bashes her eyelashes together as she blinks repeatedly.
“I’m over it though,” She scoffs. “Not like I even know him.” She laughs widely.
Melanie watches March as she shrugs her shoulders as she tells her story. “Oh!” She mumbles.
“Ahh, back to my story.” March grins. “I was named after my parent’s anniversary month.” She giggles.
Melanie wondered how the vibrant lady found the whole story funny. She is talking about her late father, yet she is this cheerful. This is delirious… Isn’t it?
“So, are you saying your parents named you March because you were born on the month they got married?” Melanie asks and March wiggles her head.
“They never get married.” She whines and stops walking when they get to the front of a large door.
March turns around to face Melanie, she intends to finish her story before they get to the Director’s office. She knows that they are likely to start up another story once they are inside. She is not the type that finishes a story halfway. She is going to tell the Director how thoughtless her parents were.
“My father met my mother on the 31st of March,” She tilts her neck sideways, thinking about the year it was. “Sorry I can’t remember the year.” She smiles absurdly at herself.
Melanie laughs and moves closer to the wall. She rests her elbow on the wall and stares at the funny lady in front of her.
“You can skip the date and year. I’m only curious about the reasons why you were named after a month that is not your birth month.” Melanie utter with interest.
March grin happily knowing that Melanie is following her story. “March happened to be the only meaningful month in my parent’s lives… More like the month matters in their courtship.” She stops and gulps down a lump of saliva.
“My parents were high school mates and they graduate from high school in March. They both wrapped up with College in March. They became lovers in March. My father joined the military in March. My mother got pregnant in March, and my father died that same month of…”
“March!” They both chorus and March laugh shyly while Melanie shakes her head in disbelief.
“Before my father died… He died while serving the nation. His comrades sent a message to my mom that my father had named the child in her womb, which is me. That he had named the unborn me, March, and she should take it as his last wish.” March finishes her story with an audible sigh.
Melanie stares at her for a while, not saying anything after the unbelievable story her assistant just told her. She is still trying to digest what she just heard.
“How did you feel about the name?” Melanie threw the question at her, and March didn’t let it withers as she rolled her eyes.
“Not like I have a choice though.” She laughs. “Since it was my father’s last wish, and it seems like the name is the only memory of my dad that I possessed. I somehow have no choice but to love and cherish the name.” She says, moving her blonde hair to the back.
“That is…”
“Absurd right?” March laughs weirdly and Melanie shakes her head.
“Not that.” She removes her elbow from the wall. “It was unbelievable and emotional.” Melanie clamps her lips together.
“That was what I also thought before I realised that it was also my father’s birth month.” She says and Melanie smiles at what she says.
“Fair enough.” She says as she has her eyes moved to the large door behind March.
“Oh, this is your office ma’am,” March says with wide eyes as reality falls on her. “Welcome to your office.” She smiles and rushes away from the door.
“Took us long enough to remember that we have work to do.” Melanie jokes, faking a sad face.
“Sorry about that ma’am…”
March gets interrupted by the ringing of her phone. She takes the phone out from her pant pocket and moves the phone to her ear as soon as she beholds the caller.
“Yes, I will be there now.” March’s eyes widen in alarm. She quickly hands over the purse to Melanie and asks for permission before she scrambles away.
She tells Melanie that there is a problem in the design room. She is the coordinator there since she will be reporting to the Director. She needs to know every detail about welfare.
Melanie opens the door and a light gasp escapes her mouth. “This is heaven.” She smiles as she strides toward her seat. She takes a seat on the swirl seat and grins happily at what she is doing.
Suddenly, her mind drifts off to March and she lets out a grunt.
March is jovial and fearless. She is open-minded and has a free heart. But, she talks too much.
If she is her assistant, that means they would be seeing every day and they would interact.
“I’m in trouble.” Melanie cries out and lets her head fall on the backrest.