The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts

 

"He always seems to fall for the wrong ones, you know," Kevin shook his head as he sat there on the patio out back with Mel, who never went by Melissa. As luck would have it, his neighbor knew a lot about yard work. Kevin watched for the most part, but did what he could when she pointed for him to move something out of the way while she mowed.

Of course, she had a professional lawnmower, and she had a little business on the side in the neighborhood. He usually paid her about eighty bucks a month to keep his lawn manicured. However, at the moment, she was done, and they were out drinking a light beer and munching on nuts and pretzels.

Naturally, she told him early on he was ruining her diet, but that hadn't stopped her from crunching on a pretzel or two.

Somehow, she or maybe Kevin brought up Jared. Mel was in maintenance, too. Jared and Mel worked together.

"Oh, you're one to talk. Look who left you high and dry," she reminded him, she knew. "Vada's the sort who likes a project. It makes her feel good that she's the one who made a difference in someone's life."

Kevin laughed. Yes, Mel had a way of knowing people, especially Vada.

"I guess I just made it too easy," he shook his head and finally confessed. "I knew it was a lost cause a few weeks in, but you know, I kept trying. And as long as we did everything her way..well-"

"Didn't you feel empty, though?" Mel was quick to ask as she sat in the nice lawn chair that Vada and Kevin had personally picked out at Home Depot. Vada did love to shop.

Kevin smiled. When he tried to laugh, it hurt. "You're right, it did."

"I remember when I almost married that fellow my mother had a crush on. Oh, he was a man's man. Played college football. Was going to make it big at something. But really, I felt it would end badly, and it did. He left me at the altar when all along, I wanted to, but I couldn't do that to my mom."

"Well, what about Jared, are you two..you know.. dating?" Kevin was curious. He didn't want to look back at the past.

"No," she cracked with laughter. "We're in the same department. That is a NO-GO. Don't you know?"

Kevin nodded. He wished he'd had that rule with Vada.

"But I know someone," she said. "Who's seen him and I don't know. I don't have any way to really fix them up."

"I have tickets to a football game coming up. We could all go together," Kevin offered.

Mel smiled. She liked that idea.