Free Hot Fudge Fraud by Anisa Claire West Page A

bed and dressed for a day of sightseeing.  “Hope you brought some rain gear,” Keith called from the bathroom where he was brushing his teeth.
    “Plenty of it!  My mom used to tell me all kinds of stories about how rainy it is here in Ireland.  She said that’s why everything is so green!” Melanie hollered back, slipping into a rain slicker.
    “So what should it be today?  A tour of the city or country?” Keith asked amiably, meeting her by the door.
    “You mean you’re letting me choose again ?”
    “Yes, I aim to please,” he said huskily.
    “I know.  And you certainly did last night,” she cooed as he chuckled.  “So hmmm, let’s see.  We could traipse around Dublin in the rain.  Or?”
    “Or we could take a taxi to the Irish countryside.  Maybe visit a family farm.  Get some ice cream mixed from fresh milk.”
    “Oh, well if there’s ice cream involved, I’d have to say let’s go to the countryside,” she replied sweetly as they took the elevator to the lobby to get a cab.
    The ride out of Dublin brimmed with old world charm and sights of endless pubs and cathedrals.  Reaching the countryside, the landscape transformed into a panorama of pure jade magic.  Even though it was still drizzling, Melanie rolled down the window to inhale the refreshing air.  Keith kept his eyes fastened on her face, savoring her delighted reactions more than any tourist landmark or natural wonder.
    By noon, they arrived at a renovated farmhouse set on sprawling acres of land.  Cows and goats roamed freely on the property, and the smell of manure was pungent.  “So much for the fresh country air,” she laughed, pinching her nostrils.
    “Tell me about it,” he rolled his eyes, trying not to inhale.
    Keith generously tipped the taxi driver in advance and asked that he wait while they explored the farm.  The old Irishman agreed pleasantly and turned the radio on to a Gaelic station.  Plodding through the mud, Keith and Melanie held hands and tried not to breathe as the animals surrounded them.
    “They’d be so adorable if they didn’t stink so much!” Melanie joked, petting a friendly goat.
    “Let’s go over that way.” Keith indicated a café in the distance where several couples were having lunch.
    As they walked towards the café, the intrusive sound of a cell phone ring tone interrupted the moment.  Keith glanced down sheepishly at his pocket, then realized that the source of the ringing wasn’t his phone.  “I think that’s your phone, Melanie,” he said on a note of relief.
    “Really?  Oh you’re right.  Let me see who’s calling me.” She dug the cell phone out of her purse, unsettled to see her father’s mobile phone number on the screen.  Instantly, she felt that something was amiss.  “Hello?  Dad?”
    Through waves of static, her father’s voice reverberated eerily.  “Melanie, oh sweetheart, I have some awful news!”
    Stopping dead in her tracks in the mud, Melanie asked shakily, “What is it, Dad?  Please tell me what happened!”
    Keith stopped alongside Melanie and listened to her end of the conversation with concern.  Mr. Bradley’s voice cracked with emotion as he struggled to convey the news.  “I can’t believe I have to tell you this, Melanie.  It’s killing me to say the words out loud.  Oh, I don’t even know how to say it!”
    Heart beating wildly, Melanie pleaded, “Dad, please calm down and just say it.  Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
    “Your ice cream parlor burned to the ground!” He burst out. “I arrived early this morning to clean up the place a bit, but when I got here, there was nothing but soot and ashes!  I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” he cried remorsefully.
    Melanie clenched her eyes shut and tried to process the horrific information.  Mr. Bradley’s outburst had been loud enough for Keith to hear every word.  Placing a sturdy arm around her shoulders, he stayed respectfully silent as tears streamed down her