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I woke up and, rolling over, grabbed for the note on my nightstand without even opening my eyes. I knew it was going to be there. Melanie had the simultaneous talent of making me feel loved and not deserving of said love at the same time. Sans dirty details, the note read  that she loved me, she was going to work.and that she had a special surprise for me when she got home for her lunch break, which was in half an hour.

I quickly took a shower and got dressed in my traditional garb of sweats and a t-shirt. Melanie came gliding in soon after. Without speaking she bent down ever so slightly and planted a kiss on my cheek. She was slightly taller than me, and in her heels she wore for work she was just tall enough for it to be emasculating.

She moved to the fridge and threw her lab coat off to the side in the same motion.

"So hows the job search going?" she asked abruptly.

"Uh, not so well," I managed to blurt out. She gave me a pouty face from around the fridge door.

"Aww, I'm sorry honey."

"So what's this surprise you have for me?" I asked.

"Well," she began, placing the food she had removed from the fridge to the side and taking my hands, "from now on, I'm working from home."

"Wait, what do you mean? Just a week ago you were telling me about how you were just about to start a big experiment." I responded.

Melanie began to pout, "yeah, and now that it's set up in the lab, we can monitor it from here. I thought you were going to be happy about this!"

Now it was my turn to do some hugging. I wrapped her in my arms.

"I'm sorry honey, I was just confused."

There was a sudden knock on the door.

"Oh yeah," Melanie said "my lab assistant is coming to stay with us for the duration of the experiment. Come in!"

For a split second I was worried, no matter how irrational it was, but then a tall, rather attractive woman rounded the corner to our kitchen and my stress melted.

"Hi Dr.Johnson! Where should I put my bags?"

Melanie turned to her, "just throw them in the guest room, Katie."

"So uh, this is Mark?"

"Nice to meet you Katie," I replied diplomatically.

"Go on Katie, put