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Frank Langdon was never a one-track-minded person. His mind was scattered, always jumping to new ideas, new ways to go about something. Rarely has anything become routine for him, besides his children.
But he needs to find Mel and he needs to find her soon before who knows when.
He spent hours. An entire shift until 7 pm to finally find her. He had checked high and low and was actually going to give up. He didn’t want to of course but if she didn’t want to be found, he could take the hint.
But there she was, right on top of the roof, staring up at the sky from where she leaned against the railing. She had no suicidal tendencies like Robby, or at least Langdon hoped not. But she seemed serene enough, so he’d take what he could get.
Mel didn’t jump when she heard his steps but she did shoot him a happy look, confusion fleeting across her face for only a moment.
“Have I missed anything?” Frank asked as he leaned next to her, staring down the street below. The helicopter pad was at an awkward angle, blocking some of the view.
“I don’t believe so but I think fireworks do start soon,” she replied happily but not looking at him.
Did he really fuck up that badly?
“I’m sorry about that hug today,”
That’s a lie. He wasn’t entirely apologetic. If anything the hug was the best thing he got in a long time. But he did make it awkward because in fact, it wasn’t suppose to be a hug.
Mel had explained in the moment she was trying to pat his shoulders. The side hug he pulled her in for, in front of everybody nonetheless, was embarrassing to say the least. He had no intention to make her so uncomfortable to the point she avoided him during the day.
“What?” She said, finally turning to look at him, “It was completely fine. I’m sorry for putting you on the spot like that Dr. Langdon,”
He smiled to himself at that, happy he hadn’t bothered her.
“If anything,” she started quietly, and in the corner of his eye, she looked away and out of view, “it was really nice. I like hugs but I don’t get them often,”
Langdon could relate. Abby could hardly look at him. His children used to be generous with their affection but after his 90-day rehabilitation, they, especially Tanner, grew a bit more reserved. A bit more distant. He was so hurt that his dad was gone for so long.
“Yeah,” he replied, thinking of how simple touch was so nice, “me too,”
The night was quiet for a few minutes surprisingly enough. The park in the distance seemed to relax.
“Would you,” Mel started, her voice cracking slightly, “want another?”
He looked over at her immediately. Her glasses were falling slightly down the bridge of her nose and her once neat braid was fraying. Her jacket was long since discarded.
She looked so warm.
He couldn’t speak. He could only nod in agreement.
It was quiet, then tense, then all seemed right when they went in for it at the same time. Odd for only a quick second, their height gap came between them briefly. But then they started to fit perfectly.
Her arms around him seemed like she didn’t want to let go, like she couldn’t. But he agreed with the sentiment; he felt himself finally, for once, relax.
Her touch was sweet. Despite being in the hospital all day she oddly enough smelled amazing. Like lavender and lemon. She was soft and fully embraced him.
“Jesus H Christ,” he snapped in fear as fireworks began in the distance, scaring him. She had said her own string of profanity along with him, but masked due to the noise.
It was sort of cliché but the second they grew used to the noise all it took was a look at one another before they ended up laughing.
“Guess you could say that hug sparked fireworks between us,” Langdon said as he reached down to pass her her jacket, having felt goosebumps on her arms. He nodded towards the exit, a silent question to see if she wanted to head out.
The blush on her cheeks was rewarding as he led her off the roof, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t have butterflies from just looking at her.