Her car pulled up into the driveway. Was she really doing this? There was no backing out now. They would recognize the car. She had to go inside. But the thoughts of backing out still lingered in her mind. Maybe they didn’t see her yet. Maybe they weren’t home. Maybe they moved.

Nonetheless, she stopped the engine and climbed out of her car. The slam of its door resounded through the rich-looking development. I wish we had money for these kinds of houses. She looked across the well-cut lawn to the rising mansion. Columns guarded the front door, and a sidewalk curved across the grass. A black fence stood out front, enclosing the property. It’s like a miniature White House. The grass was wet with afternoon rain, and the sidewalk was slick with debris brushed off the driveway by the shower. Up the sidewalk she walked, up the stoop, and under the overhang.

The doorbell was set in the wall, adorned with gold plating and a pearl-white button. It felt so wrong for her to be here. She wasn’t worth this overdone lifestyle. Nonetheless, she reached up and pressed the button.

She heard the muffled ring emanate through the house. Then the door opened. A very familiar-looking man stood there, looking towards her. He seemed shocked. He searched for words, and all that came out was: “Melony?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” She felt oddly humbled by the puzzled stare.

“Well, what are you doing? Come in.” He let her in, and ushered her towards the living room, where he guided Melony to sit on a white couch. She took off her dirty coat, and looked for a place to put it. But she felt confused of where to rest her wet coat– everything was so prim, proper and white that there seemed to be no place for it at all. She certainly didn’t want to put it on the couch- she’d feel that it would ruin the whiteness. There was white everywhere. It was as if she just stepped inside a dentist’s dream.

“Here, I’ll take that,” the familiar-looking man said. He saw her nervously looking for a spot, and he took her coat. He grinned and disappeared into the next room.

The familiar-looking man’s wife rushed into the living room. “Melony? Oh my lord, what are you doing here? It’s been so long.”