When Alan arrived at Melopomene's place, the door was wide open.
There was a moment, just a moment, of sheer horrible panic. Of the image that he would walk in and find her dead or gone, and no know which would be worse.
But he forced himself to stop assuming and pushed through the panic, glad that he did when he quickly saw Melpomene inside. But his muse wasn't alone. Instead she was sitting with some boy he didn't recognise, the two of them looking like they were caught together in some intimate moment that Alan felt he shouldn't be seeing.
He cleared his throat for their benefit and then said, "I think I might be early."