A/N AU Mellitz, some show canon thrown in, but mostly my own version of their history.
"Woodrow I don't want her with that California hippy. We can do better for our daughter."
"He's a solid guy. Headed to law school once he's done in the Navy." Maeve scoffed at her husband.
"Todd Ewing would be a much better fit for her." Woodrow put down his paper and looked at his wife skeptically.
"You know how those Ewing's are. They would never accept Melody." Maeve sat up straight and looked straight into her husband's bright blue eyes.
"The same way the Rosemont's are?" She said raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow, that framed her deep blue eyes. Woodrow sat back in his seat and regarded his beautiful wife.
"And look how your father treated your mother. No one even knew about you until after he died. I don't want that for Melody. I want someone to accept her for who she is."
"And who she is, is a spectacular young woman who is beautiful, intelligent and an asset to any man. I just don't want her with that man. And he's much too old for her."
"He's only six years older than she is." He was not going to budge on this issue.
"Melody is impressionable, and a virgin this Fitzgerald character has probably bedded more women than I've had suppers." Her slight North Carolina accent slipped through.
"And if we are lucky she will be his wife and he can bed her." Maeve clutched her pearls not believing her husband would be so crass. He smirked behind his newspaper knowing he'd gotten underneath her skin.
"Well I'm not going to discuss this any longer if you are going to be that way." She pushed herself away from the large Mahogany table and walked out of the room. He'd gotten exactly what he wanted.
Maeve headed upstairs to look for her daughter. Her only child, apple of her eye. She didn't know why Woodrow was acting like he was, he was more protective of his little girl than she was. He had to be trying to get a rise out of her and it worked. Maeve entered Melody's room, whom some called Mellie, but not Maeve. She'd given her little girl a beautiful name and she wanted that name used.
Melody was sitting in the window seat of her bedroom. Her legs drawn up underneath her with a book sitting in her lap. She looked up when she heard her mother enter, a smile spread across her face and her blue eyes -that she'd gotten from both her parents- lit up. She was a mama and daddy's girl.
"What are you reading honey?"
"Great Expectations." Maeve nodded.
"Charles Dickens." She said as she sat next to her daughter. She reached over and tucked a chestnut lock behind her ear. At first glance no one would ever guess that Melody was her daughter. When Melody was a child, Maeve was often mistaken for her nanny by people who didn't know just who she was, ignorant people who didn't matter. She would proudly correct them and let them know that the beautiful cherub baby was in fact her daughter. Maeve was born to a white father whose family had a long history including slave ownership. They owned tobacco plantations and had old money. Her father was the only surviving child. He was married, but his wife never produced an heir and they divorced after five years of marriage. On the outside he was a Republican who fought against segregation and Civil Rights on the inside he was a man in love with his black maid. He had a child, Maeve with that maid and when he died he left everything to her. Melody was a quarter African American, but she passed. She didn't inherit her mother's mocha color skin. She did have the blue eyes of her parents and her mother's thick curly hair.
"Is everything ok mom?" Maeve smiled at her daughter.
"You know your father wants you to meet Fitzgerald Grant?" Mellie nodded slowly.
"How do you feel about that?" Mellie shrugged and hung her head. Her mother closed her eyes and shook her head. "Melody a proper lady does not shrug." Mellie looked up at her mom.
"If you and papa want me to meet him I will." She said softly.
"I don't want you too, but it is important to your father." Mellie nodded.
"I don't want to get married right now mom. I want to be a lawyer and have a career."
"And you will. He's off in the Navy right now so we don't have to worry about this right away, but when he comes back stateside your father would like for you to meet him."
"Ok." She said softly.
"Enunciate Melody."
"Yes ma'am." She said louder. Maeve smiled and leaned over kissing her daughters cheek and running her fingers through her hair. She stood, smoothing down the front of her silk skirt.
"Don't stay cooped up in this room all day. Get out and get some sun."
"Yes ma'am." Maeve left her daughter. She was still uneasy about Fitzgerald Grant, but what harm could come of her daughter if they just met each other.
4 Months Later
Mellie walked into her home. She had just gotten done with her last final of high school. Her graduation was in less than three weeks and she was beyond excited. She would be attending Yale in the fall and was the Valedictorian of her class. She was also the youngest in her class having skipped the 5th grade.
"Mom!" Mellie called. Their maid appeared and told Mellie that her mother and father were in the drawing room waiting for her. Mellie walked toward the drawing room. She heard voices she didn't recognize. She tentatively opened the door. Her parents didn't usually have her visit with their friends. They believed that a child should stay in a child's place and that was not mingling with grown folk. Mellie entered the room and everyone turned towards her, she suddenly felt self-conscious. She was still in her school uniform. She put her hands behind her back and softly rubbed her saddle shoe covered feet along the hardwood floors.
"Mellie dear come in." Her father spoke. She noticed a grey haired man smiling at her and a younger man in a Navy uniform. She knew it was him. He stood to greet her. "Mellie this is Senator Fitzgerald Grant II and his son Fitzgerald Grant III." Mellie shook both their hands.
"Please call me Fitz, Mellie." He smiled at her. She just nodded and went to sit next to her mother. Her mom patted her leg. Both the Grant men sat down.
"Your parents tell us that you're going to Yale in the fall."
"Yes sir." She said quietly. She noticed her mother cutting her eyes at her, but she couldn't help being timid she was not comfortable in this situation.
"My Fitzgerald graduated from Yale, Suma Cum Laude. He's also a Rhodes Scholar and is working on his masters in Criminal Justice. When he's done with his tour of duty he'll be enrolling in Harvard law." Big Jerry, as he liked to be called stated with pride or at least with the air of being proud.
"He's very accomplished." Woodrow spoke up.
"Mellie what are you plans?" Fitz stated looking her straight in the eyes. Mellie had to admit he was an attractive guy, tall, gorgeous curly brown hair and deep stormy blue eyes. She just didn't feel comfortable with this situation, she felt like her family was selling her off.
"I'm going to Yale to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice. I have not decided what law school I would like to attend."
"It would be just fabulous if you two entered Harvard together. Fitz will be finishing his tour right around when you will be done with school Mellie." It was something about Fitz's dad that Mellie did not like, something that made her uneasy with him.
"Melody has not decided what law school she will attend." Maeve spoke up. She was not at all happy with her husband for bringing these folks into her home and bartering off her daughter. Her husband looked at her not happy with her attitude towards the Grants. Mellie glanced at the clock.
"Mom I have to get ready for my riding lessons." Maeve looked at the clock and nodded.
"Go ahead honey." She stood to leave.
"Fitz you should go with her." Big Jerry spoke up. "You two can get to know each other." Fitz made move to stand.
"I have to go change first." She didn't want him to go with her, but she didn't want to be rude. He waited for her to return from changing and they left together. Mellie drove them to the stables.
"I'd have thought you would have stables on the grounds with a house that big."
"My mother doesn't like horses. She likes the idea of me riding."
"She doesn't like me either." He said softly.
"She's not sold on the idea of what ever my father and your father is trying to cook up."
"Neither am I." Mellie wasn't sure how to take that and Fitz could feel her reaction. "Not that you aren't absolutely stunning, but you are 17 years old. I'm sure you will meet a nice guy at school, it doesn't make sense to attach yourself to me. Especially because I'm a stranger and this isn't the 18th century where people arrange marriages." Mellie smiled. She parked at the stables and she and Fitz walked to her horse.
"I'd ask you if you want to ride, but you're not properly dressed." He began to unbutton his uniform coat.
"I can ride." She smiled at him surprised.
They took horses out and rode for an hour. He wasn't terrible at it, she could tell that he'd be on a horse before. When they entered the house her mother rushed to her. She stroked her daughter's hair and looked her over. She was ready to cause bodily harm to one Fitzgerald Grant if one hair was out of place on Mellie's pretty little head.
"Melody go shower and change for dinner."
"Yes ma'am." Mellie left her mother standing with Fitz.
He shifted from foot to foot. There was something about Maeve Sinclair that made him uneasy.
"I don't like you Fitzgerald." She was straight to the point.
"I gathered that ma'am."
"You aren't good enough for my baby. And you are much too old."
"Honestly I am probably not good enough for her. She seems like an exceptional young lady. Ma'am none of this was my idea. My father met your husband while conducting some business he saw a picture of your daughter and he just got it in his head that we would make a great couple."
"He got it in his head that you would make powerful couple. That my daughter's southern panache and old money would lessen the stink of your nouveau riche."
"Ma'am I have no intentions of using your daughter."
"Good because I have no intentions of letting you. Your father went back to the hotel. I can have a driver take you back as well."
"Yes thank you." She walked away, leaving him standing in the foyer. Mellie or Melody as her mother called her was a beautiful girl, but her mother was not someone he wanted as a mother in law.