"I can't do it." She mumbled to herself. "I can't fly this stupid LA to Columbus route again." Melanie had been stuck on the same boring route for the last six months and it seemed like forever since she had been anywhere exotic or interesting. "No more fat, drunken, lecherous businessmen. Please." She wanted to curl up and stay under the covers all day but the alarm next the bed let her know it was 3:30 a.m. and time to go. The sound didn't wake the slumbering Mitch. He wouldn't be up for hours yet but she needed to start looking good for her long day as a Drummond Airlines flight attendant.
She swung her legs out of bed and began searching for her clothes. Now she regretted not going back to her own place last night. It was nice to hang out at Mitch's sometimes. The guy atmosphere meant that kicking back and drinking beers while watching a movie was relaxed. But then she only had her overnight bag to get ready for work.
Where had she left the damn thing last night?
It wasn't in plain view, so she began searching under the bed, quietly, so as not to disturb her boyfriend.
"There it is." She whispered. She slid her hand along the floor and felt something lacy, small, and feminine under her fingers.
"What the--?" She pulled her hand back and then went into the bathroom to take a look at what she had found. What Melanie saw made her blood boil.
She stormed back to the bedroom and turned all the lights on.
"Wake up, Mitch." She said tensely. He didn't move. She looked around the room again and then saw what she needed: Mitch's baseball bat. He liked to keep it in the bedroom for protection in case of intruders. She picked it up in her right hand and then walked to the bed. The lacy black underwear was in her other hand.
They weren't hers.
"Wake up, Mitch." She said louder now, but still he didn't move. She pulled the bedclothes off his body and watched him huddle up in the chilly nighttime air. He began to come to, slowly rubbing his eyes until he could see Melanie standing over him. She was still in her underwear.
"Hey, baby." He said with a smile. "What's up?"
She thrust the bundled panties into his face. "What are these?" She demanded. He stared at them bleary eyed, confused. Melanie shook them out and let them dangle in front of his eyes.
"Oh, those." He said. "Those are uh... a present. Yeah, a present for you."