Archive of Our Own

Now she's here, shining in the starlight

Now she's here, suddenly I know

If she's here, it's crystal clear

I'm where I'm meant to go

Mel always knew that no matter where she ended up, she wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. As a kid she would stand in front of the old chalkboard in the basement, scribbling letters, numbers, sight-words, and math problems across the dusty surface, Becca watching from the floor with a toothless grin, playing her part as Mel’s student.

As they got older, they went from playing school to sitting in waiting rooms, Becca gripping Mel’s hand tight, trying her best to hold herself together as she waited to be called back for yet another appointment.

It was in those exam rooms—sitting on what seemed to be the same uncomfortable squeaky leather chair every single time—watching in horror as the doctor either completely failed to take the time to understand her sister, or watching in awe as they met her with nothing but patience and respect, that Mel decided she wanted to be a doctor.

To say it was a struggle to balance her education and her newfound role of caretaker to her twin sister would be an understatement. When their mom died her sophomore year of college it felt like her life was put on hold. Sitting next to the hospital bed—that familiar squeak of black leather under her thighs as she shifted her weight—she promised her mother that she would do whatever it takes to give Becca the best life she possibly could.

So, the grind never ceased.

Her senior year she took a course in childhood development, and was given an assignment to make a video that would provide comfort to a child going through a tough time. Her peers chose things like read-alouds of books about starting school, puppet shows to help kids through grief, and singing songs about divorce to the tune of classic nursery rhymes. 

Mel, who was long-since bound and determined to become a Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician, came up with a plan for her video as soon as the assignment was posted.

She sat in front of her webcam, a bright smile on her face, a twinkle in her eye, and a small teddy bear wearing an oxygen mask in her hand. Putting on her best kid-friendly voice, she explained—in an easily consumable way—what a child may experience if they were to get a tonsillectomy. Still being pre-med, she didn’t have all the facts, but she knew enough to make, what her professor called, the best submission for that assignment that she’d seen in years.

What came from that video was an A+ in the grade-book, and a youtube channel—her professor insisted that she was “sitting on a goldmine” and would be missing out on something great if she didn’t take advantage of it.

So, when she finally started med-school—worried about the possible backlash if she started giving “medical advice” to children while still being pre-med—she started it up.

Dr. Mel - Medicine for Young Minds

She decorated her channel with bright colors and happy designs, and uploaded her original video.

It took a while for it to garner any attention, but by her second semester she received her first comment.

This was great! My son is unfortunately undergoing a tonsillectomy in a few days and this video has really eased his mind. You have such a warm and kind energy. Keep it up! 

Mel couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face as she read it. Knowing that she helped a child going through a scary time without ever even meeting them made her feel a whole different kind of fulfillment she’d never experienced before.

So, she stuck with it. 

She started making time between lectures, labs, and Becca’s appointments, to sit in front of her second-hand camera stacked atop several of her thickest textbooks, talking to the lens as if it was actually a child. 

She would go to the library on campus and check out books to go along with her videos. 

She spent many days with Becca on the couch making props out of their extensive collection of crafting supplies. You could always count on one—or both—of them walking away with a hot glue induced blister.

By the time Mel started her Pediatric Emergency Medicine internship at UVA Health her channel had already surpassed 150k subscribers. Every once in a while a child would come in and their eyes would light up at the sight of her familiar face, and their parent’s shoulders would instantly drop, trusting that their child was in good hands.

From a very young age, all Frank wanted to do was take care of the people he loved. 

When his oldest sister fell off her bike and dislocated her shoulder, he was the one who sat with her in the back seat of their dad’s pick up truck, her free hand squeezing his so hard he was sure it would break. 

But he let her hold as tight as she needed and didn’t complain once. Because his pain wasn’t nearly as bad as hers, so who was he to say anything about it.

One day, baling hay on his family’s farm, he started complaining that his elbow was bothering him. Slowly over the next month the pain gradually became worse. His father would always tell him, “Suck it up pussy, my back’s been killin’ me since before you were born and you don’t hear me complainin’.” 

So he did. 

Until he stepped up to the mound and threw his first slider of the season, effectively tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and ending it before it had a chance to begin. His elbow was never the same. 

When his baseball career flew out the window, it sunk its talons into the athletic scholarships he had lined up and brought along with it any chance of not having crippling student loan debt for the rest of his life. But Frank Langdon was never one to give up easily—and he knew he wanted to become a doctor—so he would sit in the computer lab after school for hours, applying to every single scholarship he thought he had even a small chance of qualifying for.

His senior year of medical school, Garcia called to tell him that she invited a friend to tag along with them for drinks. “Be nice,” she said, a stern look in her eyes, “her boyfriend of like, six years broke up with her last week.”

A week later Abby asked him to come inside after walking her home. He knew exactly what was happening when she looked up at him and whispered, “Take care of me?” through her red lips. Knew that she was choosing him—of all people—to be her rebound. 

But her eyes told him that she needed this. Needed something to make her feel better, even temporarily. 

And how could he say no to a pretty girl in need?

A month later, his heart pounded against his sternum as his mind registered the two lines on the little pink plastic test that would effectively tie them together and change the rest of their lives. 

And three years later, he sat in the uncomfortable squeaky leather chair in the corner, staring down with tears in his eyes as Tanner sat in his lap, Penny sleeping peacefully in her brother's arms. He swore to himself that he would spend the rest of his life making sure his children always felt cared for, no matter what.

“Why didn’t you just hire someone like I asked you to,” his mom scolded from the corner of his childhood living room, “I told you we’d pay for half.”

Frank grunted as he lifted another box full of ceramic chickens. “Because,” he huffed, “Abby wants a Mercedes.”

“What is wrong with what you have now, Frank?” she questioned as she followed him outside to the UHaul that would drive his childhood hundreds of miles away.

“Abby wants—” 

“Frankie,” his mom interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder, “being married makes you a team. It’s not only about what Abby wants—”

“Mom,” he scoffed, setting the box in the back of the truck, “I really don’t want to have this conversation for the thousandth time. Will you please just drop it already?”

“I just—”

“Fuck,” Frank hissed as he attempted to lift an especially heavy box of generations worth of cook books, his back screaming at him in protest as he tried to straighten, his hand coming around to press against the origin of the searing pain shooting up his spine.

“That’s it,” his mom declared, “I’m calling your father.”

“No,” he grunted, trying his best to ignore the fire spreading across his lower back as he crouched down and lifted the box with his legs this time, “I will take care of it, mom. Don’t bother dad.”

“I know you will, you always do,” she said, following him outside once more, “but you need to know when to stop and take care of yourself. It’s not healthy.”

He didn’t stop. 

His insistence to take care of things earned him a back injury that followed him everywhere he went.

He struggled to lift his kids. He struggled to carry groceries in from the car. He struggled to lift patients at work.

“You gotta get that back figured out Langdon,” Robby said when he found him stretching, looking for any sense of relief. “I need to be able to rely on you, and I can’t rely on you if you’re hunched over like Quasimodo.”

So, he got in with Dr. Hagan and was prescribed a regimen of pain killers and muscle relaxers. 

Which then led to an addiction to benzodiazepines, which he rationalized as "weaning himself off”. 

Unfortunately, one of the new med students saw right through him. 

And Robby—the one who told him he needed to “get that back figured out”—wasn’t hearing any of his excuses, after rummaging through his locker and finding a bag of Librium he’d taken from a patient earlier that day. 

When he woke up the morning after what he would forever remember as the darkest day of his life, he rolled over to stare at the ceiling of their guest room, willing his body to do something. Anything. He didn’t know how, but he’d have to tell Abby.

Tell her that he got caught stealing drugs from PTMC.

Tell her that he just ruined everything he’d spent so long working for, and that everything she’d sacrificed to support his dream might have been for nothing.

Tell her that there would be more things she’d need to sacrifice if she’d choose to support him through this.

Tell her that their lives were going to be very different for a while.

“That’s not funny,” Abby deadpanned.

“Jesus Christ, Abby,” Frank groaned, wiping his hands down his face, “I’m not joking.”

Abby just stared at him, chewing her protein bar, unable to swallow down the bile rising in her throat.

“I’m so fucking sorry,” Frank said, moving around the island to reach for her hand, but she pulled it away, “I’m gonna take care of this, Abs, I promise. Robby’s gonna help me out. I’m gonna take care of everything.”

“Yeah, cause you’re always so good at ‘taking care of things’.” she scoffed, walking over to the trashcan and throwing her half eaten protein bar in with a loud thud.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean—”

“Get out, Frank,” she said, making her way to her office.

“Abby, please—”

“Come back when you’ve figured stuff out with Robby. I need time. I’ll have a bag packed for you to bring to rehab,” she said, her tone calm in a way that frightened him, before slamming the heavy door behind her.

When his kids finally came to see him they brought along their smiling faces, their unconditional love, and a handmade card that brought tears to his eyes. 

“When are you coming home?” Tanner asked as he gave one last hug goodbye, Abby watching from the doorway, her face unreadable.

“Hopefully soon,” was all he could muster.

He went to bed that night feeling like he failed his children. He was in this place to take care of himself, but how could he take care of himself knowing that he wasn’t home to take care of his own kids.

Frank walked into his kitchen, returning home from his first shift back after ten months of recovery. His eyes immediately landed on a pink sticky note stuck to the counter.

I was hoping you’d be home by now. Took the kids to see the fireworks. I tried calling but you wouldn’t answer. We’re staying at my parent’s tonight. We will talk in the morning.

-Abby

He just sighed, crumpled the passive aggressive note, and tossed it in the garbage before making his way to the guest room. He flopped down on the bed with a groan, and that same persistent pain in his back.

After weeks of discussing the logistics of their divorce—who would keep what, who would take the kids when, what was best for everyone involved—they finally agreed on a 70/30 split. Abby would keep the kids during the school week, and Frank would pick them up Friday night and drop them off at school Monday morning.

It worked best for everyone involved.

Abby forgave, but she’d never forget. 

She understood that addiction wasn’t something that he chose. He didn’t choose to get addicted to benzodiazepines as a result of his back injury. She tried her best to understand that the things he did were a symptom of his addiction, but she could never get past the months of lies.

They stayed in touch during the week—Abby sending pictures and videos of things she knew he would want to see. Frank went to all of the school events and soccer games he could, and the kids were always so excited to see him, running up to him and wrapping their little arms around his legs.

They did everything in their power to make sure that Tanner and Penny felt absolutely nothing but love coming from both sides, even if there wasn’t any left between them.

At least, not the love of a husband and wife.

One night, as Abby buckled a sleeping Penny into her carseat in Frank’s car, they talked about how the kids were struggling with regulating their emotions. Tanner had started throwing tantrums the second anyone told him no, and Penny always quickly followed suit.

“Monkey see, monkey do,” Frank laughed as he set their bags in the trunk.

“Usually,” Abby said, before brushing Penny’s hair off of her forehead and placing a gentle kiss there, “when they get like that, I put on Dr. Mel and they decompress enough to just relax a little.”

“Who’s ‘Dr. Mel’?”

“They seriously haven’t asked you to watch her at your place?” she asked, her eyebrows lifting in surprise.

Frank just shook his head.

“I’m surprised, they’re absolutely obsessed with her,” she said, moving behind him to do the same with Tanner, “She’s this super sweet doctor on youtube who makes videos about medicine for kids. They’re super under-stimulating and actually educational, so I don’t feel bad sitting them on the couch with her on the tv while I get a few minutes of peace to get stuff done.”

“Oh,” Frank said, settling in the driver's seat and starting his car, “I’ll have to try that next time one of them throws themself on the floor. Does she have any videos about going deaf from screaming children—”

Abby cut him off with a playful slap to the side of his head from the backseat. 

“Hey,” he laughed, his hands coming up in surrender, “I’m joking. Seriously though, I’ll check out…” he snapped his fingers, trying to remember the name Abby had told him.

“Dr. Mel.”

“Right,” he sighed, “I’ll check out Dr. Mel. Thank you, Abby. Have a good night.”

“You too. Oh and don’t forget—”

“Yeah, yeah. No ice cream for breakfast. Don’t worry, I won’t forget.”

“You better not,” Abby commanded, earning a salute from Frank, before he backed out of the driveway of what used to be their family home.

The next day when Frank told Tanner and Penny to move their pool noodle sword fight from the kitchen where he was trying to clean up the aftermath of a bottle rocket science experiment, they both immediately returned his request with quick refusal.

And of course, when he doubled down, they both decided they were experiencing severe injustice, and threw themselves to the ground, their little fists pounding against the linoleum. 

“Alright,” Frank said, not yelling. Just loud enough to cut through their screams of protest, “who wants to watch Dr. Mel?”

The fits stopped as soon as the familiar name left Frank’s mouth. Tanner and Penny looked up at him with smiles on their faces as they hopped off the floor, their voices overlapping with Me’s and I do’s.

“Wow, that was way too easy,” he sighed, “what’s so special about this ‘Dr. Mel’? You have a doctor standing right in front of you, ya know.”

He followed behind his kids as they made their way to sit on the couch. They waited patiently, their legs bouncing against the cushions as their dad slowly typed the magical tantrum stopping name into YouTube on the TV.

When he hit search, the warmest smile he'd ever seen filled the screen. A pair of simple black framed glasses sat atop her freckled nose, her deep brown eyes twinkling slightly behind them. In her profile picture she wore a snoopy scrub cap, but in most of her thumbnails her hair was either neatly braided or flowed in long waves around her shoulders.

He’d be lying if he said his heart didn’t jump a little at the sight of her. 

She was cute. 

Undoubtedly cute.

“Daaad,” Tanner dragged from the couch, “aren’t you gonna pick a video?”

“Right,” Frank said, scrolling through her videos before landing on one about getting a yearly physical, “here you go. I’m gonna clean up a bit while you watch. Yell to me if anyone is bleeding, throwing up, or choking.”

As he stood at the sink, huffing as he tried to scrub spaghetti sauce stains out of Abby’s tupperware, he couldn’t ignore the sweet voice that filled his apartment. She was singing a song about the importance of going to the doctors to the tune of ‘Going On a Bear Hunt’ and he couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his lips.

After he deemed his cleaning ‘good enough’ he made his way to the living room and settled on the couch between his kids. They quickly nestled against him, their arms settling against his stomach as they watched Dr. Mel explain—with the help of her puppet, John Doe—what getting swabbed for strep is like. 

After a while, Frank looked down and realized that they both fell asleep against him.

He could’ve woken them up. It was only six o’clock, their bed time wasn’t until seven. Besides that, he could’ve carefully reached for the remote that sat just barely out of reach on the arm of the couch, and changed the TV to something else.

But he didn’t.

He sat there.

For an hour.

Watching videos, intended for children, of a woman explain various medical procedures.

But he couldn’t ignore the way he felt when her face filled the screen, and her sweet voice filled the room. He felt a sense of comfort. A sense of familiarity. This woman he’d never met made his body relax and his mind slow down.

He completely understood why his kids loved her so much.

Dr. Mel quickly became a staple on the weekends.

You couldn’t waterboard this information out of him, but sometimes during the week—when he got home after a particularly rough shift—he’d flop down on his couch and listen to her gentle voice explain grief in the most eloquent way he’d ever heard. 

It seemed to come naturally to her. 

Like she’d gone through it enough that explaining it was just like teaching a child to spell their own name.

He wondered who she really was underneath her kid friendly facade. 

Who was the real Mel—hiding beneath the title, the colorful character scrubs, and the cheerful smile?

She ended every video with a wave, and a “Always remember, friends. Take care of the people you love, but never forget to take care of yourself.”

He didn’t know her—not past what he saw on his tv. But for some reason he felt like there was something similar about them. Something similar in the way they held themselves. In the way they talked about the difficult things. In the way she seemed to put so much care into everything she did and everyone she crossed paths with.

He wondered what experience—besides being a doctor—she had with taking care of people.

He wondered if she had anyone to take care of her.

Tanner and Penny hopped, skipped, and jumped along the colorful chalk-drawn path outside of the library. Frank brought the kids there every weekend, letting them choose a few books to read before bed while they were with him, and they’d return the next to do it all over again.

“I want Fancy Nancy,” Penny said excitedly, grabbing Frank’s hand as they reached the end of the sidewalk.

“You have that one already. It’s in your hand Pen,” Frank laughed, pointing to the stack of books tucked under her arm. “How about we pick a different book—or at least one of the other Fancy Nancy books—so someone else can check it out?”

“Nooo,” Penny whined, “I want to keep this one. Can I just keep it daddy? Can we just take it?”

“No, my girl,” he laughed, ruffling the hair at the top of her head, “but if you return it this week so someone else can have a chance to read it, I will get you your very own copy to keep forever. How does that sound?”

She just looked at him skeptically for a moment, like she was deciding whether she wanted to make his life more difficult, or take what she can get.

“Fine. But I want ice cream too.”

“Sure,” he laughed, grabbing the books from under her arms and placing them on the counter before turning to Tanner, “How about you big guy, what do you want to sign out?”

“Hmm,” Tanner hummed, deep in thought as he placed his books next to his sisters, “I want the new Captain Underpants book.”

Frank sighed. He was not very fond of those books. Especially since he was the one who had to read the ridiculous stories out loud. 

At least he’s reading, he always told himself. 

And despite his dislike of them, he always read the characters in different voices, doing the absolute most with his sound effects, so he could soak up his son’s laughter just a few minutes longer.

“You have such beautiful children,” the woman smiled from behind the counter, her white hair twisted in a neat updo, her bifocals barely hanging on to the tip of her nose.

He looked down at his two kids standing beside him, looking all around the library like kids in a candy store. He’d be lying if he said he was happy with how much he saw them, because how could he be? If it was up to him he’d be with them every minute of every day. But that’s not their reality.

There was a time when he thought he’d never see them again. When Robby listed off all of the parameters for the PHP all he could think about was how long he would go without hearing their voices. 

There wasn’t a moment that passed, staring at the drop ceilings in the rehab facility, sitting in the uncomfortable squeaky leather chairs, that he didn’t think about them. 

And every night before he lays in his own bed, he peeks his head into their bedrooms, and his heart breaks at the sight of theirs.

Empty.

“Thank you,” he said finally, choking down the tight feeling in his throat.

“These are for you,” she said, leaning across the counter, holding out a lollipop to each of them.

“No way,” they both exclaimed at the same time, smiling from ear to ear. “Thank you!”

“Such nice manners as well,” she cooed, “great job, dad. It’s so nice to see your smiling faces every week. It makes my heart happy to see families here.”

Frank smiled as his hand landed on the shoulders of his children—his entire world personified in two chaotic bodies—and he pulled them against him with a gentle squeeze. “Thank you,” he laughed as they wriggled underneath his arms, trying to free themselves from his hold, “I try my best.”

And that was the truth.

“Daddy, daddy,” Penny tugged on his arm, “can we go pick our books now?”

“Yes, sweet girl,” he smiled, looking down at his daughter, who was looking up at him with her big bright blue eyes peeking out from below her pitch black bangs, “lead the way.”

He followed his kids as they walked up the spiral staircase to the children’s section.

It was a beautiful space. The walls, decorated with paintings of storybook characters—not too cluttered, just enough to bring some magic to the space. String lights hung from the ceiling, giving the cozy area a calm warm lighting, different from the rest of the building. An artificial tree stood tall near the back, creating a forest themed reading corner, which some weekends hosted special guests who would come read to an audience of wiggling children.

He walked up and down the aisles a few times, scanning the stacks for a sign of anyone that his children could bother—and anyone who could bother his children—and when he decided the coast was clear he sent them off to search for their books, taking a seat on the uncomfortable squeaky leather chair near the stairs, his attention split between the sounds of his children giggling between the shelves and the John O’Donohue book balanced between his fingers.

For a while, nobody came up to join them. 

Eventually though, Frank’s eyes lifted to a neat, blonde braid that disappeared quickly behind one of the many shelves. 

A few seconds later Tanner rounded the corner, a stack of books blocking his vision carefully balanced in his arms.

“Jeez, bud,” Frank laughed when he sat the stack down on the table with a loud thud, “you know you can’t check all of those out, right?”

“I know,” Tanner huffed, trying to catch his breath from the heavy lifting, “I need your help picking.”

“Okay, but first I need you to find your sister—”

“Daddy!”

Well—

“Nevermind,” Frank laughed, standing to make his way towards his daughter’s voice, but before he could take a step she came bounding out of the shelves, her eyes wide and full of wonder. “What is it my girl?”

Penny stood in front of him for a moment, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

“Dr. Mel is here! Right now! She’s back there,” she exclaimed, pointing back towards the corner she came running from. “Can we say hi? Please, please, pleeease?”

“I highly doubt Dr. Mel is spending her weekend at a random library in Pittsburgh, Pen,” he chuckled, crouching down to meet her at her level.

“No, dad,” Penny groaned, crossing her arms over her chest, “It’s her. I saw her with my own two eyes. Come on,” she whined, grabbing her dad by the hand, almost tugging him down to the ground before he could get his balance, “see for yourself.”

“Penny,” Frank huffed, whispering as she pulled him behind her, “what did your mom and I say about bothering strangers in—oh, shit.”

As he breached the end of the last shelf, he saw her, scanning one of the many sections.

That familiar blonde braid resting over her shoulder, the same black glasses perched on her face that might as well have been burned into his tv by now. And instead of the fun character scrubs he was used to seeing her in, she wore a pair of denim overalls with a pink top underneath, and purple converse peeking out from under the lace hems.

“Don’t tell your mother I said that,” he said quickly, looking down at his kids who were giggling at his involuntary reaction.

“I told you it was her,” Penny sassed, her hands on her hips as her head wobbled side to side.

A mini Abby through and through. All but those icy blue eyes—those were his contribution. He kicked himself for the effect they had on him. The definition of a taste of his own medicine.

Before Frank could decide what to do with the situation he’d been thrusted into, Penny made a decision on his behalf.

“Dr. Mel!”

His heart felt like it fell straight out of his ass at the sound of his daughter’s voice echoing off of the books, reverberating in his ears. He watched in horror as her head shot up, looking over at them in surprise, like she wasn’t planning on getting noticed.

“Penelope Lane,” Frank scolded lightly, looking down at his daughter, “again, what have we said about bothering—”

“Oh, it’s not a bother,” her sweet voice floated through the air, pulling him in like a cartoon character floating towards a pie cooling on a window sill, “I love to say hi.”

His eyes met hers then—and holy fucking shit. It was nothing like seeing her through pixels and artificial lighting. He could make out her features so much better here. The freckles that spattered across her cheeks, the mole that set under her eye, the crinkles around them as she smiled at him, then at his children. The way the twinkling fairy lights gave her face a warm glow. Like she was shining in star light. 

She was so naturally beautiful. Radiant. And he could tell she didn’t need to make much of an effort.

“I’m so sorry,” he sighed, “are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt you if you’re busy.”

“I’m never too busy to say hello to such beautiful friends,” she beamed, “don’t apologize.”

“Okay,” he huffed, letting go of his kids hands, watching as they took off towards her, “careful, they’re quite a handful.”

She just laughed, crouching down as they approached, wrapping her arms around them in a warm embrace. She stayed there, holding on for as long as the kids did, not pulling back until they both decided to break it. 

He stood there for what felt like an eternity, his heart pounding against his chest as he watched his children’s salvation—and sometimes, his own—tenderly holding them in her arms, a warm smile on her face.

“It’s so nice to meet you, friends,” she cooed, holding their hands in each of hers, “what are your names?”

“Tanner—”

“Penny—”

They said at the same time, their voices overlapping with their excitement.

Mel giggled, her eyes lifting to where Frank stood a few feet away.

Their eyes met and she couldn’t hold back the flutter of her heart, jumping against her ribcage. She’d never seen eyes so blue. So captivating. She couldn’t stop the heat that rose up from her chest.

Frank noticed. Noticed the way her eyes held his for a moment longer than necessary. Noticed the way she batted her eyelashes at him. Noticed the crimson blush that spread up her neck, and across her freckled cheeks.

She coughed, trying to shake away the fuzzy feeling she felt in her stomach, turning her attention back towards the sweet children in front of her. 

Yup, she thought when she caught their matching blue eyes. Definitely his kids.

“Tanner and Penny,” she breathed, “those are such lovely names. Well, my name is Dr. Mel—”

“We know that, silly. That’s why we said hi,” Penny interrupted.

Frank’s stomach sunk at his daughter’s bluntness. He groaned to himself as his hand wiped down his face.

Mel just laughed, her head dropping and her shoulder’s shaking slightly as she assured him that it was fine. “Trust me,” she said, “I’ve heard much worse. I don’t mind some literalness. Honestly, sometimes I prefer it.”

“Then these are the perfect kids for you,” he laughed, earning a sideways glance from Tanner, “That sounded weird, I meant—”

“You’re fine,” she assured him again, standing to meet him, “I know what you meant.”

She extended her hand out to him then, a simple gesture that made Frank feel like his heart was gonna beat right out of his chest.

“I’m Mel,” she said with the softest smile on her face. She was so close now. He could see the individual hairs in her eyebrows. The individual eyelashes, perfectly wisped on her eyelids. He could make out every single freckle that sprinkled her flushed cheeks.

“Frank,” he replied, his voice coming out thin and choked.

Their hands met then, sending what felt like a jolt of electricity through both of their arms, the hair standing up as if they’d just touched a light socket.

Mel couldn’t stop the swirling feeling in her stomach at the feeling of his hand enveloping hers. His ridiculously large, rough, warm hand, sending goosebumps up her arm.

They lingered there for a second too long, just holding, until Penny gasped, pulling their attention away from the indescribable feelings that rushed through every inch of their bodies. They pulled back quickly and snapped their heads toward the sound just as fast, watching as she cupped her hand around her mouth and whispered into her brother’s ear.

“Oh, yeah,” Tanner perked up, “Daddy is a doctor too, Dr. Mel,” he exclaimed, looking between where the two enamored adults stood above him

“Really?” Mel mused, one eyebrow lifting as she looked him up and down. “What’s your specialty?”

“Oh, um,” Frank hummed as he rocked back and forth on his heels, eyeing Tanner as he felt the heat rise to his cheeks, “emergency.”

“Very nice,” Mel’s lips curled into a smile as she nodded slowly. “That makes sense.”

Frank’s eyebrows pulled together at her comment, laughing quietly to himself. "What's that supposed to mean?” he asked playfully, his lips matching hers with the same smirk.

The giggle that escaped her lips was like music to his ears, sending a tingle from the nape of his neck shooting down his spine. Her eyes met his in a way that made him feel like she could see right through him, and the warmth in his cheeks only grew hotter.

“Nothing just,” she laughed, her eyes landing on where Tanner and Penny had started quietly bickering, doing the exact same heel rocking motion as their father, “you seem like a very ‘on the go’ kind of guy.”

“What gave you that impression?” Frank smiled, looking down at his fidgety kids, a hand landing on each of their shoulders.

“Oh, nothing in particular,” Mel joked, smiling up at Frank once more, “just had a feeling.”

Frank nodded, pulling his kids slightly closer to him, looking down at their smiling faces as they looked up at the glowing presence before them, “I’m assuming you’re in Peds?”

“You assume correct,” Mel smiled, nodding her head lightly, “do you work here, in Pittsburgh?”

“I do,” he smiled back, crossing his arms over his chest, “I’ve been working at PTMC going on—” He paused briefly, calculating the time in his head, “seven years now? Holy shit, I’m old.”

Mel laughed again, ducking her head down and tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear, “Not old,” she joked, “experienced.”

Frank’s head tipped back in laughter, “Sure,” he said, “If that’s what you wanna call it.”

“Well,” Mel said, her hands clasping tightly in front of her. Frank could see her knuckles go white from the tight squeeze she held on herself. He crossed his arms tighter, fighting his body’s instinct to reach out and give her something else to hold. “At least now I’ll have a familiar face when I start next week.”

“No way,” Frank exclaimed a little too excitedly, clearing his throat of the embarrassment that quickly clawed its way up, “you’re gonna be joining us?”

Mel just nodded, a smirk tugging at her lips and a blush creeping slowly up her neck.

“Well,” Frank sighed, “to say I’m excited to work with the Dr. Mel would be an understatement.” he whispered teasingly—although deep down, he truly meant it. “What brings you to the Pitt?”

“My sister—” Mel started, but before she could finish Penny started tugging on Frank’s arm. He looked down to see what was wrong and Penny exclaimed, “I gotta go potty,” shifting her weight faster now.

He looked back up at Mel, offering her an apologetic smile and another handshake. For good first impressions, of course. 

Mel’s eyes caught on his ring finger, her breath catching slightly in her throat at the realization that there wasn’t a band there.

“It was really nice to meet you,” he said, his blue eyes meeting hers with a look that told her he truly meant it, “I’m looking forward to working with you.”

“Likewise,” Mel smiled, dropping his hand as her shoulders pulled towards her ears, a kind smile spreading across her lips and a flush across her cheeks, “and it was so wonderful to meet you, friends. Always take care of yourselves and each other. Brothers and sisters are so important. Never forget that.”

She smiled and held her arms out once more, inviting them into a hug that they accepted full force, all three of them giggling as she was almost knocked over. Frank watched with a smile on his face as her hands settled on the backs of their heads and she closed her eyes.

“Okay,” Mel breathed, pulling back from the hug, “Dr. Mel isn’t really following her potty advice right now,” she laughed, looking up at Frank as he laughed and a giggle bubbled up from Penny’s chest, “so nice to meet you guys. Have a great rest of your day.”

“You too,” Frank smiled, “Dr. Mel is right Penny, we gotta go potty right away,” he said, grabbing his children’s hands as they made their way downstairs. No matter how hard he tried, he could not wipe the smile off his face.

Unfortunately, the family restroom was in use and there was no way Penny could hold it any longer. Slowly, Frank opened the door to the women’s restroom and announced his presence before wrangling his kids inside, ushering Penny into a stall, and waiting by the paper towel dispenser with his eyes glued on Tanner, who was showing him his best dance moves.

Penny had mastered her bathroom routine months ago—Abby and Frank gave all the credit, ironically, to Dr. Mel’s potty time series on her channel—so she handled everything herself. When she was done she walked out and straight to the sink to wash her hands, singing the hand washing song she also learned—of course—from Dr. Mel.

As they stepped out Frank’s eyes landed on Mel, smiling brightly at the librarian as she handed her books over. Her eyes caught on his over the woman’s shoulder and her smile somehow grew even brighter. He couldn’t hear her but he could make out—can you excuse me for a second—on her glossy lips, before bending over to pick up a stack of books off the floor and making her way over to them with a light wave. 

“You guys left these upstairs,” she smiled, crouching down to hand them their stacks of books they had chosen and quickly abandoned for gentle hugs, “I had to make sure you left here with all the books you wanted.”

Tanner and Penny took the stacks from her and said their thank you’s before Mel leaned forward, beckoning them closer with her finger. 

“Would you guys want to pick the next book I read?”

Tanner and Penny gasped then, jumping up and down as their books tumbled into a pile by their feet.

“Okay,” Mel laughed, “I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s pick up your books and you can join me at the checkout counter and I’ll give you some options, how does that sound?”

The kids nodded their heads, crouching down alongside Mel to collect their books, before turning to their dad and holding them out for him to take. Somehow, he ended up with an armful, while his children walked off hand in hand with the woman who practically lived rent free in his apartment without ever even stepping inside.

He couldn’t stop the flutter he felt in his chest. He couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that, soon, he’d be working with her. Chances are, he’d interact with her every day.

Honestly, he couldn’t wait to work with her. Couldn’t wait to get to know her. He hoped she’d let him.

He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to wait until she officially joined them to start.

After a moment of just watching he made his way to join them. 

Mel checked her books out and thanked the librarian before stepping off to the side with Tanner and Penny, letting them pick her next read-aloud book while Frank checked out theirs, unable to stop the smile spreading across his face as he heard Penny say, “Can you read Fancy Nancy?” which earned her a “Fancy Nancy doesn’t have anything to do with medicine, Pen.” from Tanner.

“Ya know what,” Mel smiled, setting the books she’d offered them on the floor, understanding now that they had other plans, “I actually do have a Fancy Nancy book where she plays doctor with her toys. I can read that one. Just for you.”

“Really?” Penny gasped, and Frank turned to look at them then. His kids' backs were turned to him, but he could tell by the gentle sway of their bodies that they were more than content. He watched Mel’s eyes widen as Penny wrapped her arms around her neck, tucking her little head into her hair, before fluttering shut. “Thank you, Dr. Mel.”

He watched Mel’s smile grow, and could hear the deep breath she pulled into her nose, sighing as she pulled back and said, “Of course, sweet girl,” before turning her attention towards Tanner. “How about you? What do you want to see me read?”

“Hmm,” he hummed, dramatically lifting his hand to scratch at his chin, the other resting on his hip as if this was a very important decision that required much deliberation, “Do you have any books about doctor pirates?”

Mel’s smile grew and a soft laugh escaped her lips as she nodded, “Yes, actually,” she said, looking up at Frank, who matched her smile, “I have multiple.”

“Sweet,” Tanner whispered, pumping his fist in celebration.

“I’m sure your collection is insane,” Frank teased, walking over to join them, balancing the stack of books in his hands.

“It takes up most of my office if I’m being honest with you,” she blushed, collecting her small stack of books before standing to meet him, “I’m glad I could get you guys your books. I’ll be sure to look for your choices when I get home, I’m so excited to read them for you,” she smiled down at the kids again, giving them soft pats to the tops of their heads before Frank leaned down so they could grab their own stacks.

“It was nice to meet you,” Mel said, meeting his eyes once more and holding him there. He felt like he couldn’t look away. “I guess I’ll see you next week.”

“Yeah,” was all he could say, before she turned to walk away.

She only made it a few steps before Frank spoke, grabbing her attention before she could slip away.

“Hey, uh,” he said, and she turned to look at him, “would you—” he looked down at his feet, deciding if he was actually gonna do this or if he’d just make something else up instead.

“Would you want to get coffee, or—or dinner sometime this week?” he blurted, forcing the words to leave his throat. “I could show you around Pittsburgh, and I can give you a rundown on what it's like to work at PTMC? If you want? If not it’s fine, I just remember feeling nervous when I started at the Pitt, and I had no idea what I was walking into, so I just thought—”

“I’d love that,” Mel smiled, gently interrupting his spiral before it could get any deeper, “that would be very nice.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she assured him, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone before handing it over to him with a new message thread open.

He typed his number in and handed it back to her, their fingers brushing slightly, sending goosebumps up their arms as they both pulled back. A few seconds later he felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he checked it, a smile on his face as he read her message.

Mel, from the library.

Like he’d ever forget the moment her met her.

“I’ll see you soon, then?” Mel smiled, and Frank couldn’t help but flush at the sight of the crimson on her cheeks.

“Yeah,” he breathed, “looking forward to it.”

She shot Tanner and Penny another sweet wave, and her eyes lingered on Frank’s a second longer, before turning and making her way towards the doors.

When Frank turned around he was met with the judging looks of his children, who had just silently watched the entire interaction.

At least, Frank thought they were silent. Little did he know, they’d long since mastered the art of sibling whispering, and had actually been commentating the entire interaction behind his back.

“What?” he asked, bending down to take their books.

“You like Dr. Mel,” Tanner said, as blunt as ever.

“That’s—” Frank choked, the heat rising quickly up his cheeks, “that’s not appropriate Tanner.”

He watched Penny turn her head towards Tanner, cupping her hand around her mouth and whispering imperceptibly into his ear again, earning a head tipping belly laugh from her brother.

“What did your mother and I say about secrets?”

His children sighed, rolling their eyes dramatically at him before reciting in unison, “secrets don’t make friends.”

“That’s right,” he said, “However, I honestly don’t want to hear what you said just then, so you can keep that one to yourself. Let’s go. It’s almost lunch time, we gotta get home.”

As he sat on his patio that night, a cigarette balanced between his fingers and his phone balanced between the others, he stared at the message she’d sent. He typed, then deleted, then typed again, trying to make himself sound as absolutely chill about this as possible.

Finally, he landed on a response.

Hey, it’s Frank, also from the library. Thank you again for taking the time to say hi. Tanner and Penny can’t stop talking about it. I think you made their whole year.😂

He sat there for a while, drumming his fingers against his phone as he waited for a response. By the time the bubble appeared he’d already lit another cigarette. He sat up a little straighter, leaning forward against his knees as he anxiously waited for her reply.

Hi Frank! It was so nice to meet you guys. Your kids seem like such kind little humans. I’m always happy to make time to spread a little joy.☺️

As he re-read the message for a fourth time, completely unable to form a sentence, the bubble appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs.

Are you free Wednesday?

He was sure his heart stopped beating all together. His thumbs moved faster than he could even process, tapping against the screen, life if he didn’t respond quick enough she’d change her mind.

I’m free that evening!

He smacked his hands over his eyes at the realization that he’d added an exclamation point to the end of that sentence.

Yeah, he thought. You seem very chill.

He stared at the screen, the crickets giving a soundtrack to his internal spiral as he watched the bubble once more. Teasing him like a cat with a red laser.

Awesome!

The message popped up, and he smiled, slightly relieved at the matching punctuation.

I like boba!

His chin tucked to his chest as he laughed fondly, his phone falling against his lap as he balanced the cigarette between his lips, looking back up and using both hands to type now.

Boba it is. Then, I’ll show you a few of the hidden gems Pittsburgh has to offer.

His knee bounced aggressively, anxiously awaiting a response. He felt like he might throw up. His eyes scanned her response, taking in her message just as quickly as it had popped on his screen.

I’d love nothing more. Send me the address. I’ll meet you there at 6?

He couldn’t fathom the feeling that surged through his body. He hadn’t felt like this in years. Close to a decade. His heart fluttered in his chest and he had to choke down the embarrassingly giddy sounds that threatened to escape his throat.

6 works for me! I’ll see you then.

He went to google, searching up the name of the boba place he’d been to with Tanner and Penny a few times, and sent it along with one final message, typed with trembling hands.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you.

As soon as it went through, his screen went black, accompanied shortly with a small white loading wheel.

“Fuck,” he spat, putting his cigarette out in the little pinch pot Tanner made in art class, before standing and making his way briskly inside and upstairs to his room.

He collapsed against his bed and plugged his phone in with shaking hands, trying to catch his breath from the mad dash he’d just made.

He felt a little ridiculous. Telling a girl how he felt, then panicking, like he was some middle school boy whose confession had been intercepted by a cranky teacher or a teasing friend. 

When his phone buzzed and lit up, he grabbed it off the bedside table and read the message, a shaky sigh escaping his lips.

Me too!😊

He fell back against his pillows, staring at the blue bubble for a moment longer, his cheeks sore from all of the work they’d done just to hold his smile up for what felt like that entire day. He held down on the message and sent a heart reaction, before turning his phone off and finally rolling over to sleep. 

It was only when rest fully settled over his body, that the smile left his face. 

When Frank walked into the boba shop—fifteen minutes early—his eyes landed immediately on the neat, blonde braid at the back corner.

Of course she’d gotten there even earlier than him.

He sucked in a shaky breath at the sight of her. 

Well—

It was just the back of her, but it still made his heart flutter.

He walked in, every step reverberating up from his feet, his heart pounding harder every inch closer she became.

The closer he got the better he could see what she was doing, and he smiled fondly at the sight of the crochet project carefully balanced on her lap.

“Hi,” he said, a little quieter than he had intended.

Her eyes, practically sparkling, locked on his. She didn’t have her glasses on. The smile that spread across her face was so soft and kind, it almost made his eyes water. She had on a pair of dark blue jeans with embroidered flowers scattered across the ankles, and a pastel yellow halter-top lined with lace.

When she looked up, she couldn’t help but gawk at the sight of him. His hair fell in dark strands over his forehead. It didn’t look intentional, but it still made her heart flutter. His eyes—somehow even more blue than they were when she met him a few days ago—pierced hers with so much heat that she could feel it spread through her nerves, like molten metal spreading through a cast.

He was wearing a pair of light wash jeans, a worn out Styx T-shirt, and a backpack slung over one shoulder.

She couldn’t help but notice the way he looked at her. The way his mouth hung open slightly when their eyes met, before he caught himself and snapped it shut, replacing the gape with a smile that crinkled his eyes and warmed her heart.

“Hi,” she replied finally, setting what will soon be a crocheted honey bee down carefully, and gesturing to the seat across from her, “you’re early.”

Frank chuckled lightly as he lowered himself onto the squeaky, but surprisingly comfortable leather chair. “You say that as if you’re not also early.”

“When I looked at the pictures online it seemed like a nice place to relax, so I figured I’d get here early and crochet while I waited.”

“Yeah,” he smiled, looking down at where his hands rested in his lap, “what are you working on?”

“Oh,” Mel smiled at his interest, reaching into her bag and pulling out two finished stuffies before handing them to him, “I make these little honey bees to hand out to patients. For some of these kids it’s the scariest day of their life, ya know? It’s nice to bring them a little comfort.”

“That’s—” he smiled fondly, “That’s very sweet,” he held them back out towards her, but she held her hand out, stopping him.

“You can keep those,” she said, like it was nothing, “for Tanner and Penny.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyebrow cocked, slightly caught off guard by her kindness, as well as the fact that despite all the interactions she was sure to have had, she somehow remembered his kids names. 

Little did he know, she’d spent many moments just rereading their messages, and very early on committed their names to memory, tucking them away in a little drawer labeled “Frank”, which she had quickly grown very excited to fill.

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” he smiled, unzipping his backpack and tucking the black and yellow bees safely amongst his things.

“Shall we?” Mel asked, pointing her thumb over her shoulder to the counter where they’d then deliberate what they’d get.

“I think I’m just gonna get a green tea,” Frank shrugged, scanning the menu.

“This is a boba place, Frank,” Mel scoffed, “and you’re not getting boba?”

He smirked, not taking his eyes off the menu as he admitted, “I don’t really like boba.”

“What?” Mel squeaked, “Why are we here then?”

“Well, cause you like boba,” he said, shrugging again, as if it was no big deal.

“I do,” she smiled, “but we could’ve gone somewhere that both of us like.”

He just shrugged again, stepping up to the counter and making his order, before she did the same.

Frank paid, despite Mel’s protest.

They got their orders and found their way back to their table, settling back against their seats and sipping on their drinks.

Almost instantly they fell into what felt like the easiest conversation both of them had ever had. It flowed so naturally. There was never a moment that they found themselves unable to come up with something to talk about.

Frank learned that Mel had a sister—Becca—who she was a part-time caregiver for. She told him that they had moved to Pittsburgh because she got into a very nice care facility only a few miles away from PTMC.

Mel learned that Frank has two older sisters, who made his life “a living hell” growing up, but he was always thankful for the lessons they taught him. Although, he would've preferred different teaching methods. 

They talked for hours, although it felt like it had only been a few minutes. They felt so comfortable with each other. Like they could be themselves, wholeheartedly, without fear of being “too much” or feeling like they might say something wrong.

The eye contact Frank held with her, from anyone else would usually make Mel shy away, but the way his eyes searched hers was like he was scanning the night sky for constellations. She felt like he could see into the depths of her soul. But she liked it. She liked the way he made her feel like every word that came from her mouth was the most vital information that he needed to memorize.

And he did. Every single detail he learned about her settled into the folds of his brain, branding him permanently with Mel.

He learned that she lost her father when she was young, and her mother when she was in her sophomore year of college. He gave her his sincerest condolences, but let her change the subject when she clearly didn’t want to say more.

She learned that his dad was “kind of an asshole” and that the pressure he felt growing up had bled into his adult life. He didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t push. She just listened, hanging on to his every word.

When Frank finally looked down at his watch and realized what time it was, he suggested they leave the small shop and make their way to the first place he wanted to bring her.

After about an hour of walking around the city, stopping in random little places Frank frequented and was excited to show her, they stopped at the entrance of the park.

“Isn’t that—”

“Sure is,” Frank smiled as PTMC came into view between the trees, leading Mel to the circle of benches at the opposite end of the park, “I figured it would be nice for you to meet some more people.”

“What do you—”

Mel’s confusion was interrupted when she heard a voice cut through the dark. Her eyes caught finally on the people that occupied the benches. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Well it’s nice to see you too, YoYo,” Frank smirked back, “everyone, this is Mel. She’s starting at the Pitt on Friday.”

Mel smiled, waved, and gave a cheerful greeting to everyone who introduced themselves.

“You want a beer?” one of them asked—Mateo, she remembers—but she held her hand out and politely declined.

“I don’t drink,” she smiled, “thank you though.”

“Well you’ll fit right in with Langdon,” he replied.

“I’m sorry,” Mel laughed awkwardly, slightly embarrassed thinking she’d already forgotten one of their names, “which one of you is Langdon again?”

Frank laughed from beside her and Mel could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Suddenly she felt him get closer, his breath ghosting over her ear as he whispered, only loud enough for her to hear, “that would be me, sweetheart.”

“Oh,” Mel squeaked, the words clawing up her throat as it tightened from the way his husky voice settled into her, “sorry.”

She couldn’t stop the heat spreading up from her chest like wildfire. Every nerve in her body lit up. The hair on her arms stood up, and goosebumps covered every inch of her skin. She shuddered. Not from the cold, though it was, but from the pet-name he’d given her. 

She felt like she should be uncomfortable, or turned off by his forwardness, but she wasn’t. It felt natural. Like it was just how it was, despite only knowing each other for a few days, and only actually talking for a few hours.

They stayed there for a few more minutes, everyone asking Mel way too many questions, her hands wringing tightly in front of her.

For someone with so much online presence she sure seemed like she had zero interest in being perceived.

“Alright, guys,” Frank interrupted, his eyes glued on where Mel’s knuckles turned white from her own grip, “we’re gonna head out.”

Mel’s eyes lifted to his, and he could see the silent gratitude behind them.

“It was nice meeting you, Mel,” a voice chimed from the small group, she recognized it as coming from Samira, and everyone followed suit.

Neither of them said anything until they made it back to the other end of the park that they’d entered from.

“You okay?” Frank asked, pulling Mel out of her spiral, wondering if she’d been off putting or said the wrong thing. But then again, how could she have really said the wrong thing when someone asked a question before she could even finish answering the first one.

She just looked at him, her mouth opening, then closing, then opening again, smiling through a simple, “Yup.”

But Frank could tell by the way her hands wound tightly in front of her, looser than before, but still too tight, that she wasn’t.

Before he could think too much about it, he reached out, taking her hands into his and giving her something else to hold. She took them with zero hesitation, letting the warmth of his hands surround hers. She felt instantly grounded, despite the buzzing in her head.

“I don’t know why I thought that was a good idea,” he sighed, shaking his head and looking away from her eyes down to where her hands disappeared beneath his, “they’re vultures. I’m sorry, Mel.”

“It’s okay,” she shrugged, her thumbs tracing over his knuckles, “at least now I have an even better idea of what I’ll be walking into on Friday.”

“Yeah,” Frank snorted, “Hell.”

“It can’t be that bad,” Mel rolled her eyes, “besides, I'll have you. You’re not so bad.”

“I’m honored,” he blushed, his hand resting over his heart.

They walked side by side along the sidewalk, their shoulders brushing every few steps, but neither of them tried to make space. They didn’t mind the contact.

“Well,” Mel sighed as they stopped in front of the path to her apartment, “this is me.” 

They turned toward each other, their eyes meeting one last time.

Frank’s heart fluttered at the sight of hers under the street light, glowing like amber beneath the warm illumination, the prettiest brown eyes he’d ever seen. Standing there, with her, her felt like the world had somehow shifted. She was warm, and real, and bright. The epitome of heart stuttering perfection.

Mel couldn’t help but notice that despite the light shining down on them, Frank’s blue eyes were almost completely swallowed whole by his pitch black pupils. Her heart pounded against her chest when she realized how close they were.

Before she could stop it, her arm reached out and her hand settled against his bicep, her thumb stroking softly against the toned muscle, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

“Thank you,” she smiled, her eyes dropping to his lips before raising back to his eyes just as fast, “this was really nice.”

His words caught in his throat, and he tried desperately to swallow down the nervousness that kept him from speaking.

“Of course,” he said finally, “I had a really nice time with you.”

Mel tried desperately to douse the fire spreading across her cheeks, but it was no use, especially when his eyes fell to her lips, lingering there for a second too long.

“Me too,” she breathed.

They stood there for a second, just looking at each other, neither of them wanting the night to end.

“I’ll see you on Friday,” Frank said finally, although if it were up to him, he’d like to keep their time together going as long as she’d let him.

“Yeah,” Mel said, turning to walk towards the entrance, her attention still on him, “I’ll see you on Friday.”

“Goodnight, Mel,” he said, shooting her a light wave and a smile.

“Goodnight, Langdon,” she said over her shoulder, a knowing smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth, “text me when you make it home?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, laughing despite himself, “I will.”

Mel nodded back then turned and disappeared into her apartment building.

For a few seconds Frank just stood there, smiling to himself as his eyes stayed glued to the door she’d disappeared behind.

He couldn’t believe the night he’d had. He’d only known her for a few hours, but she’d quickly made a spot for herself inside his heart.

He couldn’t wait to see where this would go.

Epilogue

Frank stood in his kitchen, rummaging around in the junk drawer for the lighter that he’d tossed in the back when he finally decided he’d quit smoking for good.

“Finally,” he huffed when his fingers wrapped around the cold plastic.

He made his way to the sliding glass doors that led to his patio, flicking the lighter a few times before it finally ignited, sighing in relief at the sight of the small flame.

He looked at his reflection in the glass and couldn’t help but smile at the sight of himself. He was the happiest he’d been in years, and it showed in every aspect of his being.

When he slid the door open his reflection was replaced by the backs of his children, standing on the lawn, their necks craned towards the sky as they scanned the stars. Penny had a small crown on her head and a purple Rapunzel dress that almost swallowed her whole, with a flower adorned braid going down her back.

“Hi,” a sweet voice floated through the air from the side, like music to his ears.

His head turned and his eyes landed on the beautiful woman the greeting had come from, standing at the table with five small paper lanterns lined up in front of her.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he hummed as his arms snaked around her waist, his hands settling where her belly was exposed, his wedding band a cold contrast to the warmth of his skin, pressing a soft lingering kiss to the crook of her neck, “sorry I took so long. I couldn’t find the—”

“Mellie!” Penny yelled as she ran towards them, her plastic heels clicking against the brick.

“Yes, birthday girl,” Mel cooed, carefully crouching down so she could give Penny her full attention, trying her best to not lose her balance. She didn’t have much grace these days, what with being heavily pregnant, set to pop any day now.

“Are those really just like the lanterns from Tangled?” she asked, eyes wide, leaning down to get right in Mel’s face, their noses almost touching.

“They sure are, sweet girl,” Mel giggled, leaning in the rest of the way to brush her nose against Penny's, scrunching her face before placing a quick kiss to her forehead, “just for you.”

Penny didn’t say anything, she just leaned in the rest of the way, gently wrapping her arms around Mel’s neck and pulling her in for a lingering hug.

“Thank you, Mellie,” she whispered, “thank you for joining our family and being so nice to us.”

Frank’s eyes caught Mel’s, and he instantly spotted the tears welling in the corners, before she quickly wiped them away.

She had already tried to convince him—and honestly, herself—that she wouldn’t cry today. “It’s Penny’s day,” she had said that morning, “everytime I cry, which is a lot right now, you guys always stop what you’re doing to take care of me and I don’t want it today. So I am not going to cry.”

Well, look at where that got her. And it definitely wasn’t going to be the last tears that fell that night.

When Penny pulled back she pressed a quick kiss to Mel’s cheek, then leaned down and pressed a longer kiss to Mel’s baby bump.

“I can’t wait to finally meet you, Charlotte,” Penny whispered to her sister, barely loud enough for Frank to hear, “you’re gonna be the coolest baby ever.”

Charlotte Louise King-Langdon.

Charlotte—of course—for Charlotte’s web. 

And Louise, was Mel’s mother’s name.

Frank’s eyes started to sting despite himself, and he caught sight of the tears streaming down Mel’s face now.

“Alright, big sister,” Frank announced, trying to get Penny’s attention before she could notice that Mel was crying, “go hang out with your brother while we get the floating lights set up, okay? We’ll be out there in just a minute.”

“Okay,” Penny sang as she skipped down the lawn to where her brother laid in the grass, his arms and legs sprawled out around him.

Frank walked over to Mel then, holding his hand out for her to take, and she did. He pulled her up, and just as quickly pulled her back flush against his front, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her belly slightly as she cried but sighed in relief, her head falling back against his shoulder. He kissed away her tears as they swayed back and forth.

“Thank you for having such amazing kids,” Mel said through sniffles, “I hope Charlie grows up to be just like them.”

“Well, sweetheart,” he whispered, placing a kiss to her forehead before turning her around in his arms, his warm hands settling against her cheeks to pull her eyes to his, “our girl’s got the Langdon genes in her, so there’s a good chance she’ll follow closely in their footsteps. Plus, she’s a King, so she’s already destined for greatness.”

A watery laugh bubbled up from Mel’s chest as she wiped her tears against Frank’s shirt.

“I thank the universe every day for bringing us together,” she whispered as her teary eyes met his, “out of all the places I could’ve ended up, I ended up here. And I know we would’ve met at the Pitt either way, but I’ll never forget that day at the library,” she sniffled, turning her head toward where Tanner and Penny were twirling through the yard, “I’m so glad Penny got your brazenness, because if she hadn’t yelled at me I might not have you.”

Her eyes turned back towards him then, locking with his. The blue was almost electric, accentuated by the red brought on by his own tears. Her hand settled against his cheek, soft and warm against his stubble, her thumb tracing slow circles there.

“I love you so much,” she whispered, another tear falling down her cheek.

He smiled through his tears, dropping his forehead to rest against hers as he whispered, “I love you so much more,” and placed a lingering kiss to her lips, his fingers threading through the loose hair at the nape of her neck.

After a while of just holding each other, Mel finally felt ready to continue with the celebration of Penny’s sixth birthday.

They carried the lanterns down to where Tanner and Penny had finally settled, sitting side by side, Penny’s head resting on his shoulder and his head settled against hers.

“Alright,” Frank said, pulling their attention away from the stars, “who’s ready to live their Tangled fantasy?”

Tanner and Penny both shot up then, excitedly claiming their lanterns and waiting patiently for Frank to light them.

Tanner would never admit it but the amount of time he’s spent watching the movie with his sister and Mel had caused him to actually really enjoy the movie. His favorite character was Vladimir. He always laughed until his stomach hurt when he tinked his ceramic unicorns together.

“Daddy, why do I have two?” Penny asked, her eyebrows pulled together.

“One is for you,” Frank answered, lighting the lantern on the left, “and the other,” he whispered, moving to light the one on the right, “is for Charlotte.”

Penny smiled brightly as the flame went up, giving the paper a warm glow from the inside, her eyes and face lighting up. She looked so perfect. His perfect girl.

He then moved to Tanner, then to Mel, and finally to his own.

No matter how badly Mel wanted to stop the tears from coming, they fell hard and fast, like a dam busting in one fell swoop. 

Thankfully though, only Frank noticed. Tanner and Penny were too focused on the bright orange glow of the lanterns in their hands.

Frank walked up beside her, his arm settling around her shoulders and pulling her against him. She buried her face into him, letting the tears fall freely. She never thought she’d be as happy as she was at that very moment.

He leaned down and pressed a long kiss to her hair, softly humming sweet nothings into her ear as they swayed slowly.

“Are we ready? Don’t forget to make a wish.”

Everyone sang their confirmations, and together they counted down.

“One…two…three…”

“Happy birthday, Penny!” they all said as they lifted their lanterns in the air.

They all looked up, watching as they slowly floated away, the glow getting smaller and smaller. The warmth disappeared, leaving them standing together in the darkness of their backyard.

Frank’s eyes scanned between his kids before settling on Mel, watching her eyes as they shined in the star light, reflecting the slow ascension of the glowing lanterns. He couldn’t wish to be anywhere else. 

As soon as they disappeared fully, they joined together around Penny, encircling her with all the love they had for her on her very special day.

That night, they all cuddled up in Penny’s bed to read Fancy Nancy, Mel trying her best to get comfortable on one side while Tanner and Frank laid on the other.

“You should come read this to my class, Mellie,” Penny yawned.

“I don’t know, Pen,” Mel laughed, thinking about the last time she stepped foot in Penny’s classroom and was bombarded by thirty screaming iPad kids, “I love you very much but there’s a reason I don’t do meet and greets.”

“What’s a meet and greet?” Penny asked, looking up at Mel with a raised eyebrow.

She was blessed with Frank’s caterpillars. Mel hoped Charlotte would have the same, but that wasn’t really a worry. They both had very nice eyebrows, so it was pretty much a given.

Frank snorted, his hand clapping over his mouth as Mel shot him a glare over the cuddled children’s heads.

They finished the book, everyone wishing Penny one last happy birthday, before peppering her cheeks with kisses and moving to Tanner’s room.

They nestled into Tanner’s bed, lying on top of his Spiderman comforter as he nestled himself against Mel’s side, his little hand sprawling over her belly.

“Kids at school say they wish they didn’t have siblings, because then they’d have their moms and dads all to themselves,” he whispered, looking between Mel and Frank, “but I think that’s lame, and I love being a big brother.”

Frank could hear Mel’s breath get caught in her throat and he looked up at her then, catching the tear that had already slipped out despite her restraint. For an eight year old Tanner was ridiculously well spoken. Frank gives credit to himself for that, attributing it to the poetry and medical textbooks he read to him whenever he had the chance.

“That’s very sweet, Tanner,” Mel choked, before placing a kiss to the top of his head.

“Go lay down, baby,” Frank whispered, his arm resting on hers as his thumb lightly brushed against it.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Mel laughed, “goodnight, Tanner. I love you so much.”

“Goodnight Mellie,” Tanner smiled, before leaning down and pressing a kiss to her belly, and whispering, “goodnight, Charlie.”

The dam fully broke then. Mel rolled out of bed and hobbled to their bedroom, sniffling with shaking shoulders as she retreated. 

“Is Mellie okay?” Tanner asked, concern threaded through his voice. 

“Yeah, bud, she’s okay,” Frank assured him, snaking his arm under his head and pulling him against him, “what would you like to read tonight?”

“Nothing,” he answered, shaking his head against his dad’s chest, “you should go be with Mellie.”

“It’s alright Tanner—”

“I want you to.”

Frank looked at him then, and he could tell that he really truly meant it. His children were never really the type to say things unless they actually meant it.

“Okay,” Frank nodded, placing a kiss on Tanner's hair and standing up off of his bed, “Goodnight, buddy. We love you very much.”

“I know,” he said plainly, rolling over on his side, “I love you guys too.”

Frank leaned over, turning off the small lava lamp on Tanner’s bedside table before stepping out of his room, closing the door gently behind him.

When he walked into his and Mel’s room, all the lights were off, the only glow coming from the night light in the bathroom.

“Baby?” he whispered into the darkness.

“I’m sorry,” she responded back, and he crossed the distance between them in two long strides, flopping on the bed beside her and pulling her back flush against his chest, peppering every inch of her skin he could reach with feverish kisses.

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for,” he said, before pressing a kiss to the back of her neck, earning a little squeal like it always did, “and don’t even try to come up with a reason because they’re all baseless.”

Frank smiled at the feeling of her giggling against him. The laugh that filled the room was bright enough that he felt like he could see, even in the pitch black.

“I love you, Mel,” he whispered against her hair, “we all love you so much and you could literally do no wrong,” he placed a kiss to her ear, “ever.”

She struggled as she rolled over towards him, abandoning her pregnancy pillow for Frank instead. Her belly kept her from being as close as she wanted to be, but it would have to be good enough.

Their eyes met even through the darkness and Frank could see the twinkle of the tears that filled hers. His eyes stung with his own.

Her hand rested against his cheek before pulling him towards her, pressing their lips together in a kiss that was full of nothing but the love and care they had for each other. 

Their lips moved perfectly against each other’s, matching the rhythm she set as she made pretty sighs and whimpers against his lips. His hand slipped under the thin fabric of her nightgown to rest against her belly, trailing up to palm her breast, earning a soft moan from Mel’s throat.

He loved her just as much before but Jesus Christ. Pregnancy had put her up three cup sizes and it had become almost impossible to be around her and hold himself back from lifting whatever top she had on and nestling his face between them. Even at work.

After a while the kisses grew slower, and longer, as they grew more tired every minute.

Mel pulled back, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth before resting her head against his shoulder.

“I can’t even put into words how much I love you guys,” she whispered, “or how grateful I am that I have you as my family. For so long it was just me and Becca, but you guys invited us in with zero hesitation and I couldn’t be more thankful.”

His hand settled against her belly now, tracing lazy shapes against her skin. After a while, Mel grunted, her hand coming up to settle against her ribs, where Charlotte had just given a swift kick.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Frank chuckled, “she’s got Tanner’s soccer skills,” he joked, leaning down to press a kiss to her belly, his arm snaking around to settle against her ass, “be nice to momma, Charlie,” he whispered against her skin, “I love you, my girl. Daddy can’t wait for you to get here.”

“What the hell is wrong with you,” Mel whispered, her words watery through her tears caused by his. 

Frank just laughed, leaning back up to press a lingering kiss to her lips. His hand still rested against her belly, but the other came up to rest against her cheek, wiping away the tears that cascaded down from her eyes. 

“If loving my girls is wrong,” he whispered against her lips, “I don’t want to be right.”

The sounds that pushed itself out of Mel’s chest made Frank’s heart clench. He pulled her as close as he could, burying his nose in her hair, the smell of her lavender shampoo filling his senses. She cried into him, and he let her. Giving her something stable to hold onto and ground herself. 

After a while, the body shaking sobs released the grip they had on her, and Frank could feel her relax against him. 

“Okay, honey,” Frank whispered against her hair, “if you want me on camera tomorrow I need to get my beauty rest.”

Frank started appearing in her videos after they had been together for over a year. She never pushed him to join her, just offered him the opportunity if he wanted to take it. Tanner and Penny were the ones who did all the pushing.

Mel giggled against his chest, the sound seeping through his skin and straight into his heart. 

“Fridays,” she yawned, long and deep, rolling back over to cuddle back up against her pregnancy pillow, “with Dr. Frank are some of my best videos.”

“What can I say,” he said, wrapping his arm around her belly as he pressed himself against her back, “I have great camera-presence.”

Mel laughed, her hand settling over his, “I’m pretty sure you have a fan club made up entirely of single moms who think you’re hot,” she yawned, pulling his hand up to her lips and placing a kiss to his knuckles, “which for the record, I totally get it.”

“I was gonna say,” Frank laughed, “you’re married to a single dad who thought you were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Dr. Mel.”

“And I couldn’t be happier with where that’s taken me,” she said with another yawn, her head settling further into her pillow, “Dr. Frank.”

Frank spent the next few minutes tracing lazy shapes against her back, placing lingering kisses there every few seconds, waiting for her signal that she was ready to let sleep take over. 

They’d fallen into this routine early on in their relationship. Mel always struggled with falling asleep, but having Frank there to lull her made it exponentially easier. Her insomnia had only gotten worse with pregnancy, so he did all he could to help. 

“Okay,” Mel whispered, and Frank stopped the comforting rubbing to settle his hand against her belly instead, “Goodnight, Frank. I love you so much.”

“Goodnight, honey,” Frank whispered back, sitting up slightly to lean over her and place a kiss against her belly, “goodnight, Charlotte.”

He laid back down then, closing his eyes and soaking up the warmth of her pressed against him. 

“I love you more than there are stars in the sky.”

They fell quickly into the depths of sleep, happy knowing that here, pressed up against each other in the comfort of what had quickly become her home just as much as it was his, was where they were always meant to go.