The morning at the grocery was slow and Ivy was starving. She wandered the aisles of the grocery a few times before stopping at the register to talk with Melanie. "You know what I want?"Ivy asked as she leaned against the counter. Melanie looked up from the magazine she was reading, "huh?" she replied. "I'm starving and I want a hamburger from Andy's. If you go pick it up you can order what you want and I'll pick up the tab." Closing her magazine Melanie straightened herself up from the slouching position she had been reading in. "But it is only 10:00 AM are you sure you want all that?" Ivy nodded an emphatic YES. "In fact I want a hamburger with salsa and extra pickles and a side of onion rings. Just tell Andy I am having a craving crisis and I want my usual with onion rings, he will know what I want."

Melanie taped the note on the front door as she left. It was nice to get out of the store for a bit Melanie thought to herself as she crossed the street. The last few months had been filled with activity to prep the Braddock household for the coming baby. Jim's baby. A pang of loss settled in her stomach at the thought of Jim being in the States. She hadn't even cut in the last few months, Jim calmed her somehow. She felt a deep connection to him deeper than she had ever felt with anyone before.

She would wait for his return, the opportunity would present itself and she would tell him how she felt and they would be together, she would be patient... for him. For now she had to concentrate hard on staying calm and focused on that goal and figure out what she wanted to eat.