FOUR:
"Melody can't you stand still just for a moment?" Aunt Sara asked impatiently. She was measuring me for my dress, but I was waiting for Cary to come home so that he could give me my first driving lesson. I'd decided to drive over to the Judge's house, so I could speak to him about how to go about getting the house sold as soon as possible, and starting Cary's business. I also knew that with the marriage coming up we would have to look for a home of our own. As much as I loved Aunt Sara and May I knew we couldn't stay there forever-especially after the wedding!
"Sorry Aunt Sara." I apologized. "It's just with the wedding in a few months and all we don't have much time to do all the things we need to do. I can hardly believe it's already September!"
"I know the feeling. When I married Jacob I was so worried about all the little things. Of course Olivia took care of it all-even the little details." She smiled fondly.
"You mean Grandma Olivia organised your wedding?" I asked shocked. Wasn't it every girl's dream to get married? And to let someone take over the wedding and run it as if it were their own? Of course I remembered Aunt Sara telling me about how it had been decided that she and Jacob would make a good couple, and then the subsequent romance (if you could call it that) awhile back, and I did realise that there was a great difference between us. After all Cary and I had fallen in love on our own, and Cary had asked me to marry him because he loved me, not because his parents thought it would be a good idea!
"Of course dear, but she was so much better at those sort of things than me." Aunt Sara said. I made a face. I knew what Grandma Olivia's personal opinion of Aunt Sara had been, even if Aunt Sara didn't. But that, I decided pretty quickly, was one thing Grandma Olivia had been wrong about- Aunt Sara was a lovely woman, who had shown me only kindness and love!
"So tell me; what did your mother have to say the other day?" Aunt Sara asked, surprising me. The other day she'd thought Gina Simon was a school friend, and now she remembered that she was my mother, and that I'd spoken to her. It made me nervous, and I swallowed before speaking.
"She rang to tell me that she thinks she might finally have made it in Hollywood." I replied. "She's in a movie with Mel Gibson, and her agents got her convinced that she is going to hit the big time now. For Mommy's sake I hope he's right."
"You don't sound too excited dear." Aunt Sara said perceptively.
"Well it's just when I told her I was getting married to Cary she told me I was making a mistake. She seems to think women shouldn't be tied down by husbands, children and marriage." I said.
"Haille wasn't always like other women." Aunt Sara said tactfully.
"No?" I asked.
"She never wanted to get married and settle down, that's why we were so shocked when she and Chester ran off together. I always felt sorry for him because I was sure that Haille would make his life miserable." Aunt Sara said.
"He wasn't miserable." I said. I remembered the way he spoke of my mother even when she had done something to hurt me or him: "Your mother's the prettiest woman in this town-for miles and miles around it too."
Aunt Sara didn't reply, instead she concentrated on making sure the measurements were right.
*****
After lunch Cary and I got in the truck for my first driving lesson.
"Now, " He told me. "Let the clutch out slowly. Ease it out gently."
I let the clutch out, and we jumped a yard or two before we stalled. I moaned, and Cary laughed.
"See what I mean-you've got to do it slowly, or we'll bunny hop all the way down the road." He told me.
I frowned, and put the car back into neutral and started it again. This time I changed the gears all right, although not entirely smoothly. Once I was going along though I was fine, and I couldn't keep the grin of my face.
"See, you'll be getting your permit in no time soon." Cary promised me. "With a little more practice!" He added this as I stalled the truck at a set of traffic lights.
We finally reached the judge's place-Cary hadn't let me go very fast-and went inside. His butler, Morton, opened the door for us, and then led us to the sitting room where the judge was.
"Miss Melody, and Mr. Cary." He announced us to the judge, who had been napping with a newspaper spread out on his lap. The judge jumped up to greet us. "How are you?" He asked. "How's Sara?"
"She's fine." I said. "She's getting over Jacob's death, but I think she still cries about it sometimes when she thinks we're not there."
"Yes, well she was very devoted to him." The judge said. "Do you two want something to drink or something to eat?"
"No thanks, we've just had lunch." I said.
"Well sit down, make yourselves comfortable." The judge said.
Cary and I sat down side by side on the couch, and the judge sat back in the chair he had been sitting in. As he sat down I felt myself studying him furtively. I still wasn't entirely used to the idea that he was my Grandfather. But he'd treated me well after Grandma Olivia died, he'd been perfectly happy to explain the will and everything to me. And I also knew that Kenneth and he had spoken on the phone at least once in the last week or so. Maybe they were going to finally rebuild some of those bridges?
"Well what can I do for you two? I heard about you getting engaged the other day. Holly told me all about it." The judge said. "If there's anything I can do to help let me know."
"Actually, I was wondering whether or not you would give me away. My stepfather is dead, my real father is someone I don't want to be associated with, and even if I didn't know it until recently you are my grandfather." I asked.
Cary's eyes widened in shock-he hadn't known I was going to ask the judge to give me away. In fact I hadn't known it either until then, but by the way Cary squeezed my hand I knew he approved.
The judge's eyes teared up. "Melody, I would be proud to give you away. So far you're the only grandchild I have, and it would be an honor!"
I smiled. "Thank you." I said. "Actually that's not the only thing we came to see you about. We want to sell Grandma Olivia's house as soon as possible so that Cary can start his business. Of course I have no idea how to go about it all, so I thought I would get your advice."
The judge nodded thoughtfully. "I know a few people who might be interested in buying the place. Are you sure though, that you don't want to keep it? It's a marvelous home and I am sure that you don't want to live with Sara and May when you're just married."
"We will want somewhere to live, but we wont need somewhere that big for just the two of us." I admitted.
"You know, of course, that you wont get the money until you're twenty-five. You've still got another seven years to go until then." The judge reminded me. "You might need the estate for purely monetary reasons."
"I'm sure Cary's business will be enough of a success to support the two of us." I said loyally, and the judge grinned.
"Yes, I saw the boat you made for Kenneth and I have to admit I thought it was the work of a professional. Maybe sometime you might consider making one for me?" The judge asked.
Cary swelled with pride. "I would be proud to sir." He said.
"In the meantime I suppose the profits of the house will be enough to allow you to buy a small place of your own and start the business." The judge said thoughtfully. "I just wish that there was some way you'd be able to get the money sooner."
"That's alright sir, we don't need it all." Cary said.
The judge smiled. "I'm sure you don't." He said. "I was considering giving you something for your eighteenth birthday the other week Melody. I was considering helping you towards your college money, but considering college should already have began I am assuming you're not going."
I went red. I wondered whether everyone thought it was a big mistake for me to get married and not go to college?
"So maybe I should make it a eighteenth birthday present and a wedding present combined." The judge mused. "Wait here a moment can you?" And he left the room.
"Cary, do you realise my own mother didn't even remember my eighteenth birthday?" I asked, suddenly realising it myself. At the time things had been happening to occupy my mind, but now that I thought of it, it hurt!
Cary frowned. "Well the people that matter didn't forget it, did they?" He asked.
I smiled and leant against him. "No, they didn't."
"We really will be alright for money Melody." Cary assured me. "And then when you're twenty-five we can retire and live in luxury."
I laughed. "You know perfectly well Cary Logan that you'll be working until you're old and wrinkled and loving it."
He laughed too. "What can I say? I'm obsessed. I hope that Dad's looking down on me and he's not too annoyed that I'm practically letting Roy run the lobster business, and that I don't want to do the cranberry harvest myself."
"I'm sure once he sees what a success the business is going to be any anger or doubts he has will go." I assured him. In my own mind I wondered whether that was true? More than likely Uncle Jacob was currently looking down in fury at not only his son's plans for building boats for a living, but also the fact that we were getting married.
The judge came back then. He held out a checque to me, and I looked at the amount and gasped.
"You can't give us this much money Judge Childs." I said, trying to hand it back to him, but he waved it away.
"I don't have much to spend my money on, and I'm an old man Melody. Let me do this thing for you. I know you don't know me very well, but I hope that before I die you'll come to think of me as your Grandfather." The judge said.
"I do think of you as my grandfather!" I assured him. I didn't like to think of him being old and dying soon-after all he was the same age as Grandma Olivia and Grandpa Samuel, and they hadn't seemed old at all. At least Grandma Olivia hadn't up until the stroke!
"Maybe you could call me Grandfather? Or Pop even?" The judge asked.
"Sure, Grandfather." I said, and his eyes lit up.
"Melody, Cary, I know you two are going to be very happy together. And I wish you both all the best!" The judge, sorry my grandfather said. I squeezed Cary's hand in silent agreement. I had no doubts about that! Life was going to be better than ever!
"Melody can't you stand still just for a moment?" Aunt Sara asked impatiently. She was measuring me for my dress, but I was waiting for Cary to come home so that he could give me my first driving lesson. I'd decided to drive over to the Judge's house, so I could speak to him about how to go about getting the house sold as soon as possible, and starting Cary's business. I also knew that with the marriage coming up we would have to look for a home of our own. As much as I loved Aunt Sara and May I knew we couldn't stay there forever-especially after the wedding!
"Sorry Aunt Sara." I apologized. "It's just with the wedding in a few months and all we don't have much time to do all the things we need to do. I can hardly believe it's already September!"
"I know the feeling. When I married Jacob I was so worried about all the little things. Of course Olivia took care of it all-even the little details." She smiled fondly.
"You mean Grandma Olivia organised your wedding?" I asked shocked. Wasn't it every girl's dream to get married? And to let someone take over the wedding and run it as if it were their own? Of course I remembered Aunt Sara telling me about how it had been decided that she and Jacob would make a good couple, and then the subsequent romance (if you could call it that) awhile back, and I did realise that there was a great difference between us. After all Cary and I had fallen in love on our own, and Cary had asked me to marry him because he loved me, not because his parents thought it would be a good idea!
"Of course dear, but she was so much better at those sort of things than me." Aunt Sara said. I made a face. I knew what Grandma Olivia's personal opinion of Aunt Sara had been, even if Aunt Sara didn't. But that, I decided pretty quickly, was one thing Grandma Olivia had been wrong about- Aunt Sara was a lovely woman, who had shown me only kindness and love!
"So tell me; what did your mother have to say the other day?" Aunt Sara asked, surprising me. The other day she'd thought Gina Simon was a school friend, and now she remembered that she was my mother, and that I'd spoken to her. It made me nervous, and I swallowed before speaking.
"She rang to tell me that she thinks she might finally have made it in Hollywood." I replied. "She's in a movie with Mel Gibson, and her agents got her convinced that she is going to hit the big time now. For Mommy's sake I hope he's right."
"You don't sound too excited dear." Aunt Sara said perceptively.
"Well it's just when I told her I was getting married to Cary she told me I was making a mistake. She seems to think women shouldn't be tied down by husbands, children and marriage." I said.
"Haille wasn't always like other women." Aunt Sara said tactfully.
"No?" I asked.
"She never wanted to get married and settle down, that's why we were so shocked when she and Chester ran off together. I always felt sorry for him because I was sure that Haille would make his life miserable." Aunt Sara said.
"He wasn't miserable." I said. I remembered the way he spoke of my mother even when she had done something to hurt me or him: "Your mother's the prettiest woman in this town-for miles and miles around it too."
Aunt Sara didn't reply, instead she concentrated on making sure the measurements were right.
*****
After lunch Cary and I got in the truck for my first driving lesson.
"Now, " He told me. "Let the clutch out slowly. Ease it out gently."
I let the clutch out, and we jumped a yard or two before we stalled. I moaned, and Cary laughed.
"See what I mean-you've got to do it slowly, or we'll bunny hop all the way down the road." He told me.
I frowned, and put the car back into neutral and started it again. This time I changed the gears all right, although not entirely smoothly. Once I was going along though I was fine, and I couldn't keep the grin of my face.
"See, you'll be getting your permit in no time soon." Cary promised me. "With a little more practice!" He added this as I stalled the truck at a set of traffic lights.
We finally reached the judge's place-Cary hadn't let me go very fast-and went inside. His butler, Morton, opened the door for us, and then led us to the sitting room where the judge was.
"Miss Melody, and Mr. Cary." He announced us to the judge, who had been napping with a newspaper spread out on his lap. The judge jumped up to greet us. "How are you?" He asked. "How's Sara?"
"She's fine." I said. "She's getting over Jacob's death, but I think she still cries about it sometimes when she thinks we're not there."
"Yes, well she was very devoted to him." The judge said. "Do you two want something to drink or something to eat?"
"No thanks, we've just had lunch." I said.
"Well sit down, make yourselves comfortable." The judge said.
Cary and I sat down side by side on the couch, and the judge sat back in the chair he had been sitting in. As he sat down I felt myself studying him furtively. I still wasn't entirely used to the idea that he was my Grandfather. But he'd treated me well after Grandma Olivia died, he'd been perfectly happy to explain the will and everything to me. And I also knew that Kenneth and he had spoken on the phone at least once in the last week or so. Maybe they were going to finally rebuild some of those bridges?
"Well what can I do for you two? I heard about you getting engaged the other day. Holly told me all about it." The judge said. "If there's anything I can do to help let me know."
"Actually, I was wondering whether or not you would give me away. My stepfather is dead, my real father is someone I don't want to be associated with, and even if I didn't know it until recently you are my grandfather." I asked.
Cary's eyes widened in shock-he hadn't known I was going to ask the judge to give me away. In fact I hadn't known it either until then, but by the way Cary squeezed my hand I knew he approved.
The judge's eyes teared up. "Melody, I would be proud to give you away. So far you're the only grandchild I have, and it would be an honor!"
I smiled. "Thank you." I said. "Actually that's not the only thing we came to see you about. We want to sell Grandma Olivia's house as soon as possible so that Cary can start his business. Of course I have no idea how to go about it all, so I thought I would get your advice."
The judge nodded thoughtfully. "I know a few people who might be interested in buying the place. Are you sure though, that you don't want to keep it? It's a marvelous home and I am sure that you don't want to live with Sara and May when you're just married."
"We will want somewhere to live, but we wont need somewhere that big for just the two of us." I admitted.
"You know, of course, that you wont get the money until you're twenty-five. You've still got another seven years to go until then." The judge reminded me. "You might need the estate for purely monetary reasons."
"I'm sure Cary's business will be enough of a success to support the two of us." I said loyally, and the judge grinned.
"Yes, I saw the boat you made for Kenneth and I have to admit I thought it was the work of a professional. Maybe sometime you might consider making one for me?" The judge asked.
Cary swelled with pride. "I would be proud to sir." He said.
"In the meantime I suppose the profits of the house will be enough to allow you to buy a small place of your own and start the business." The judge said thoughtfully. "I just wish that there was some way you'd be able to get the money sooner."
"That's alright sir, we don't need it all." Cary said.
The judge smiled. "I'm sure you don't." He said. "I was considering giving you something for your eighteenth birthday the other week Melody. I was considering helping you towards your college money, but considering college should already have began I am assuming you're not going."
I went red. I wondered whether everyone thought it was a big mistake for me to get married and not go to college?
"So maybe I should make it a eighteenth birthday present and a wedding present combined." The judge mused. "Wait here a moment can you?" And he left the room.
"Cary, do you realise my own mother didn't even remember my eighteenth birthday?" I asked, suddenly realising it myself. At the time things had been happening to occupy my mind, but now that I thought of it, it hurt!
Cary frowned. "Well the people that matter didn't forget it, did they?" He asked.
I smiled and leant against him. "No, they didn't."
"We really will be alright for money Melody." Cary assured me. "And then when you're twenty-five we can retire and live in luxury."
I laughed. "You know perfectly well Cary Logan that you'll be working until you're old and wrinkled and loving it."
He laughed too. "What can I say? I'm obsessed. I hope that Dad's looking down on me and he's not too annoyed that I'm practically letting Roy run the lobster business, and that I don't want to do the cranberry harvest myself."
"I'm sure once he sees what a success the business is going to be any anger or doubts he has will go." I assured him. In my own mind I wondered whether that was true? More than likely Uncle Jacob was currently looking down in fury at not only his son's plans for building boats for a living, but also the fact that we were getting married.
The judge came back then. He held out a checque to me, and I looked at the amount and gasped.
"You can't give us this much money Judge Childs." I said, trying to hand it back to him, but he waved it away.
"I don't have much to spend my money on, and I'm an old man Melody. Let me do this thing for you. I know you don't know me very well, but I hope that before I die you'll come to think of me as your Grandfather." The judge said.
"I do think of you as my grandfather!" I assured him. I didn't like to think of him being old and dying soon-after all he was the same age as Grandma Olivia and Grandpa Samuel, and they hadn't seemed old at all. At least Grandma Olivia hadn't up until the stroke!
"Maybe you could call me Grandfather? Or Pop even?" The judge asked.
"Sure, Grandfather." I said, and his eyes lit up.
"Melody, Cary, I know you two are going to be very happy together. And I wish you both all the best!" The judge, sorry my grandfather said. I squeezed Cary's hand in silent agreement. I had no doubts about that! Life was going to be better than ever!