Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Murray had no desire to stick around for another lecture. He made a beeline for the stairs, tuning out the noise. Hertha called out to him. "Tomorrow, 2 PM, at Thyme & Seasons. Mom's set you up on a blind date. Don't be late!" "Cut the crap," Murray said without looking back.

Hertha stuck her tongue out at Murray's retreating figure before she finally left. She was well-versed in this routine. After all, sneaking around with Roseanne didn't clash with meeting potential matches her mom approved.

Murray had been dragged into these setups for years, mostly just going through the motions to appease their mother.

After shooing Hertha away, Murray retreated to his home office to tackle some company work.

He had ventured out on his years ago, eager to break free from the family's clutches. The first three years were a struggle without their help, with only Roseanne by his side. Only in the recent two years, he had finally made a name for himself and his company, shaking off the "rich kid" and "playboy" labels.

As Murray's success grew, his family's attitude softened, moving from outright opposition to his relationship with Roseanne to a begrudging acceptance.

After wrapping up his work, Murray realized the sun had set. The evening lights were on, and he felt the pangs of hunger.

He picked up his phone and called his girlfriend, "Hey, what's up?"

Her voice was a whisper on the other end. "Babe, sorry, I'm in class. I'll come see you afterward, okay?"

The way she said "Babe" made Murray's skin crawl. "Yeah, sure. You do you," he said before abruptly hanging up and tossing his phone aside.

A call came in moments later, but Murray ignored it, focusing on his work until his stomach protested loudly.

He texted Cliff and the gang to grab dinner. Then he changed his clothes and was about to head out when he noticed a girl sitting by the door, who jumped up at the sound, turning with a shy, bright smile. Murray was surprised. "Millie?"

"Sorry, I knocked, but you didn't hear. So, I waited," Millie said, glancing at the blazer draped over his arm. "Heading out?"

Murray frowned, not answering her question but asking, "How did you find this place?"

Millie looked a bit guilty. "I asked a friend..."

"Cliff?"

"No, York."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Murray sighed. "Come in first."

Millie's face lit up with a smile as she bounced inside, taking in her surroundings while playfully complaining, "You hung up and didn't answer my calls. I'm so worried..."

Murray cut her off. "Weren't you supposed to be in class?"

"I skipped. You're more important," Millie grinned.

Roseanne would never do something like that. When he pursued her, she was just a freshman with a heavy course load, never skipping class for him. Roseanne found time for him after they got together, and her schedule lightened up in her senior year.

Millie tried to say something. "Hey, have you eaten yet? I could..."

"Do you know how to make Blueberry almond oatmeal?" Murray asked out of the blue.

Millie was confused. "Blueberry almond oatmeal?"

"Yeah."

Millie tried to please Murray. "No, but I can learn."

...

After declining Millie's hint at staying the night, Murray ate the takeout she brought and drove her back to her dorm. Then he headed out to meet Cliff and the others.

He glanced at his phone at a stoplight, remembering Hertha mentioning she saw Roseanne at the hospital earlier that day. Even though they had broken up, the affection lingered. As a friend, he felt he should check on her.

He opened his messaging app. [Are you sick?]

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