When she first opened her beautiful bright eyes, she was cradled gingerly in her mother's eager arms. Then the name finally came to us. Of all the tens of thousands of names, somewhere between a guttural American 'Brittany' and the smooth tones of 'Gabriella' she smiled and 'Melissa' just sounded right. I didn't pick it, but I definitely liked it. She gripped my finger tight and cooed.
The crying won't stop as she slams down the last stack of her papers. I can go to hell, she said. Work was more like torture anyway, she didn't want it. Little Melissa screeched at the noises. Quiet now, everything's going to be alright. Daddy's not going far.
In a panic I burst through the door and feel the fool. A happy family home. Nothing's wrong, no one's hurt. Melissa's just under a stone and already a full head of beautiful brown hair. She clutches at her mother's scarf as she storms out. I'm unbelievable.
Maybe things aren't safe anymore. Moretti becomes Sangster. Harkness is out of the question and out of the picture. No more Melissa.
Alice's first birthday as 'Alice' is full of screaming children and crooning mothers. The hurtful father keeps to the wings where he can't muck things up worse than they are already. A new, normal life is ready for them. Smile and pretend it doesn't hurt to see a gray hair in Lucia's bangs. She's still beautiful.
Kids grow fast and suddenly she's tugging at my coat, asking for a pony and a piggyback. I don't come as often as I'd like. I come too often for her liking. Alice's perfect little bow keeps her thick curls back as she clings to my neck tight. Don't let go, baby.