SEVENTEEN:
"Billy? It's me. I don't have long as I am just about to catch a plane." I said, cradling the phone between my shoulder and ear. I'd been lucky to get a seat on the flights I needed since it was the Christmas season and people were flying everywhere to see relatives.
"How was your mother?" Billy asked.
"The same as usual. It's funny you know. When I was younger she used to annoy me and there were certain things she'd do that would strike me as selfish, I just never realised how selfish she really was." I said with a sigh. And then I related the entire visit. Billy didn't interrupt, he was just silent and listening. I ended up with "So now I'm waiting on a flight back to the Cape."
"I hope everything goes all right for you. If Cary loves you as much as you love him I'm sure it will be fine." Billy said.
His supportive words caused a lump to form in my throat, and a few tears to slide down my cheeks. How could he be so nice? I'd treated him so shabbily, and all he did was support me. I couldn't speak.
"Melody? Melody? Are you still there?" Billy asked.
"Yes." I managed. "I am so sorry Billy."
"Melody don't be sorry. Being sorry means you have regrets and I don't have any regrets. You've given me the best gift I could ever have wanted: you've shown me how to love again." Billy said.
Of course this just made me cry harder, and then my flight was announced and I had to go. "That's my flight. I've got to go." I said. "Thanks Billy. For everything."
"That's all right. Bye Melody." Billy said.
"Goodbye." I echoed, and then I hung up, and went over to board my flight.
The stewardess who was taking tickets looked at my tearstained face and smiled sympathetically. "Christmas can be hard, can't it?" She asked.
"Life can be hard." I replied.
"Hmm." She said. "Well enjoy your flight."
My flight was spent with images of Cary being delighted to see me and hugging me and everything being all right, and images of him telling me to get lost. I knew I couldn't just go back to Aunt Sara's and expect them to put me up, so I decided I'd stay at Holly and Kenneth's place. They wouldn't mind I was sure.
*****
Holly must have heard the taxi come up the driveway, since she came out of the house to see what was going on. Or maybe she heard his complaints about the road and driveway? When she saw me get out of the taxi she beamed and came over to hug me. My eyes kept straying to her stomach.
She noticed and laughed. "I've still got another five months to go and I'm already huge." She said. "Kenneth thinks I'm having twins."
I didn't know what to say, but it made me realise that by running off instead of confronting the truth I'd missed a lot. "Where's Kenneth?" I asked, suddenly realising he wasn't there.
"He's gone away for a few days. He sold some artwork to a collector in LA and he's gone there to discuss a further business deal with him."
I nodded. "That's great."
"I knew you'd be back." Holly told me as we walked back towards the house, with the dogs cavorting round us excitedly. "The stars told me. You and Cary belong together."
"I wish I'd known that earlier." I replied with a sigh.
"What made you leave?" Holly asked as we went into the living room and sat down.
I told her why I'd left, why I couldn't tell Cary and why I was now back and her eyes widened. "I can't believe your own mother would do something like that."
"She's my mother in name only now." I replied. "I'm going to transfer the money to her account and that's it. I never want another thing to do with her."
"I can't say I blame you." Holly said, trying to make herself comfortable on the chair. "And they say blood is thicker than water."
"Holly," I said deciding it was time to get to the point. "How is Cary?"
What was that strange look in Holly's face? But it disappeared so quickly I couldn't even be sure I'd seen anything. "He got a loan from the bank to buy that house you were going to buy, and he's started his business." She said.
"He has?" I asked surprised. "But I transferred money from the sale of our grandparents estate into his account for that. The bank was going to call him- they must not have done it! I was quite happy to just have the money from my grandfather and leave the rest for him!"
"They did." Holly replied. "He came round here to see me a few times after you first left. He just didn't want the money."
"Oh." I said not sure what to say.
"Look Melody, I won't tell you this is going to be easy, but I will tell you one thing: despite what Cary might think, say and even do he loves you more than anything." Holly said. "Go to him. Tell him what you told me."
"Now?" I asked in shock. Despite my eagerness to have Cary's arms around me again I was nervous. I was also tired. It was hard to imagine that it was only two days after Christmas and that so much had happened in so little time!
"There's no time like the present." Holly replied. "Take my car."
"Okay." I said softly.
*****
I don't know how I managed to drive to the house, I was so nervous I was shaking. But I arrived there and got out. There were noises coming from the shed, so I assumed that was where Cary was. I took a deep breath, and walked down the short hill towards it. I walked through the large doors which were flung open and then my breath caught in my throat. Cary was hard at work, his face a picture of intense concentration, his shirt flung off showing off his chest. Maybe he heard me, maybe he sensed me, but he looked up then. His eyes widened in shock and I smiled tentatively. But when he didn't smile back my smile faded.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, putting his tools down and coming over to me.
"I just got back. Holly told me you were here. She said you'd taken out a loan and got the place after all. I don't know why you didn't use the money I left." I said.
"I didn't want your damn money." He snapped. "Look Melody, I'm really busy, I don't have time for this at the moment."
Holly's words echoed in my head: she'd basically said that despite how he might act I shouldn't give up. "Cary, we really need to talk." I said pleading.
"What's the point Melody?" Cary asked with a sigh. "Why are you even here? Why did you even come back?"
"I came back because of you. I love you Cary, and-" I began but he interrupted me.
"-You love me so much that you just disappear one night leaving a note telling me nothing?" Cary snapped. "I don't know about you Melody, but in my eyes that's not love!"
I winced. "I deserved that I know." I said. "But Cary you've got to listen- you've got to know the truth."
"Can you even tell the truth Melody?" Cary asked. "If you ask me I think you're a lot more like your mother than you care to admit. She was a coward and a liar too."
That angered me. "Cary Logan!" I yelled. "I am nothing like that woman and I never, EVER, will be."
Cary looked surprised at my vehement objection. In fact he even looked interested, but before he could speak and before I could speak, there was a sound at the open doors, and we both turned around. Theresa Patterson was standing there, a picnic basket in her hands.
"Melody!" She said surprised. "I didn't know you were coming back."
"I didn't either." I said, glancing over at Cary's face. To my surprise he'd gone red. I glanced back over at Theresa and it all clicked: Cary and Theresa.
"Oh." Theresa said, and then she came over with the basket. "I brought your lunch down Cary. I know that you sometimes get so involved in your work you forget to eat. Oh, and Melody can join us can't she sweetie?"
Cary had gone even redder if that was at all possible. "Uh.sure.." He muttered.
"I'm not hungry." I said, taking a deep breath. "I better get back. Holly needs the car to do some shopping."
If Cary or Theresa saw through my weak excuse they didn't say so. Instead Theresa nodded. "Tell her I said hi." She said.
"Right. Bye Theresa. Bye Cary." I said, and I hurried from the shed.
It wasn't until I was in the car driving away that I let my tears flow. I was too late. Cary didn't care about me anymore.
Holly looked up when I entered the house and shook her head. "It didn't go well did it?" She asked.
"How come you didn't tell me about Cary and Theresa?" I demanded.
"I thought you should find out for yourself." Holly admitted. "But he doesn't love her Melody. He's just trying to forget about you."
"Yeah right," I snapped. "Coming back here was such a mistake. I'll leave."
"And where are you going to go?" Holly asked. "Back to Billy?"
"No." I said knowing that there was no way I could do that. I wondered, briefly, whether or not Holly knew what had happened between us. "I think I might go back to Sewell, back to the place I know."
Holly sighed. "Melody, I wont deny I was angry at you for leaving, but now I know the truth I can understand how confused and upset you must have felt. All I want is for you to be happy. Will you really be happy in Sewell?" She asked.
I sighed. If I was being honest I wouldn't be happy anywhere anymore. My entire life was ruined!
"Look, just stay a few days." Holly asked me. "At least go and say hello to your Aunt and cousin."
"Fine." I said, flopping onto the couch. "I'll stay four days, but then I'm leaving."
"Billy? It's me. I don't have long as I am just about to catch a plane." I said, cradling the phone between my shoulder and ear. I'd been lucky to get a seat on the flights I needed since it was the Christmas season and people were flying everywhere to see relatives.
"How was your mother?" Billy asked.
"The same as usual. It's funny you know. When I was younger she used to annoy me and there were certain things she'd do that would strike me as selfish, I just never realised how selfish she really was." I said with a sigh. And then I related the entire visit. Billy didn't interrupt, he was just silent and listening. I ended up with "So now I'm waiting on a flight back to the Cape."
"I hope everything goes all right for you. If Cary loves you as much as you love him I'm sure it will be fine." Billy said.
His supportive words caused a lump to form in my throat, and a few tears to slide down my cheeks. How could he be so nice? I'd treated him so shabbily, and all he did was support me. I couldn't speak.
"Melody? Melody? Are you still there?" Billy asked.
"Yes." I managed. "I am so sorry Billy."
"Melody don't be sorry. Being sorry means you have regrets and I don't have any regrets. You've given me the best gift I could ever have wanted: you've shown me how to love again." Billy said.
Of course this just made me cry harder, and then my flight was announced and I had to go. "That's my flight. I've got to go." I said. "Thanks Billy. For everything."
"That's all right. Bye Melody." Billy said.
"Goodbye." I echoed, and then I hung up, and went over to board my flight.
The stewardess who was taking tickets looked at my tearstained face and smiled sympathetically. "Christmas can be hard, can't it?" She asked.
"Life can be hard." I replied.
"Hmm." She said. "Well enjoy your flight."
My flight was spent with images of Cary being delighted to see me and hugging me and everything being all right, and images of him telling me to get lost. I knew I couldn't just go back to Aunt Sara's and expect them to put me up, so I decided I'd stay at Holly and Kenneth's place. They wouldn't mind I was sure.
*****
Holly must have heard the taxi come up the driveway, since she came out of the house to see what was going on. Or maybe she heard his complaints about the road and driveway? When she saw me get out of the taxi she beamed and came over to hug me. My eyes kept straying to her stomach.
She noticed and laughed. "I've still got another five months to go and I'm already huge." She said. "Kenneth thinks I'm having twins."
I didn't know what to say, but it made me realise that by running off instead of confronting the truth I'd missed a lot. "Where's Kenneth?" I asked, suddenly realising he wasn't there.
"He's gone away for a few days. He sold some artwork to a collector in LA and he's gone there to discuss a further business deal with him."
I nodded. "That's great."
"I knew you'd be back." Holly told me as we walked back towards the house, with the dogs cavorting round us excitedly. "The stars told me. You and Cary belong together."
"I wish I'd known that earlier." I replied with a sigh.
"What made you leave?" Holly asked as we went into the living room and sat down.
I told her why I'd left, why I couldn't tell Cary and why I was now back and her eyes widened. "I can't believe your own mother would do something like that."
"She's my mother in name only now." I replied. "I'm going to transfer the money to her account and that's it. I never want another thing to do with her."
"I can't say I blame you." Holly said, trying to make herself comfortable on the chair. "And they say blood is thicker than water."
"Holly," I said deciding it was time to get to the point. "How is Cary?"
What was that strange look in Holly's face? But it disappeared so quickly I couldn't even be sure I'd seen anything. "He got a loan from the bank to buy that house you were going to buy, and he's started his business." She said.
"He has?" I asked surprised. "But I transferred money from the sale of our grandparents estate into his account for that. The bank was going to call him- they must not have done it! I was quite happy to just have the money from my grandfather and leave the rest for him!"
"They did." Holly replied. "He came round here to see me a few times after you first left. He just didn't want the money."
"Oh." I said not sure what to say.
"Look Melody, I won't tell you this is going to be easy, but I will tell you one thing: despite what Cary might think, say and even do he loves you more than anything." Holly said. "Go to him. Tell him what you told me."
"Now?" I asked in shock. Despite my eagerness to have Cary's arms around me again I was nervous. I was also tired. It was hard to imagine that it was only two days after Christmas and that so much had happened in so little time!
"There's no time like the present." Holly replied. "Take my car."
"Okay." I said softly.
*****
I don't know how I managed to drive to the house, I was so nervous I was shaking. But I arrived there and got out. There were noises coming from the shed, so I assumed that was where Cary was. I took a deep breath, and walked down the short hill towards it. I walked through the large doors which were flung open and then my breath caught in my throat. Cary was hard at work, his face a picture of intense concentration, his shirt flung off showing off his chest. Maybe he heard me, maybe he sensed me, but he looked up then. His eyes widened in shock and I smiled tentatively. But when he didn't smile back my smile faded.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, putting his tools down and coming over to me.
"I just got back. Holly told me you were here. She said you'd taken out a loan and got the place after all. I don't know why you didn't use the money I left." I said.
"I didn't want your damn money." He snapped. "Look Melody, I'm really busy, I don't have time for this at the moment."
Holly's words echoed in my head: she'd basically said that despite how he might act I shouldn't give up. "Cary, we really need to talk." I said pleading.
"What's the point Melody?" Cary asked with a sigh. "Why are you even here? Why did you even come back?"
"I came back because of you. I love you Cary, and-" I began but he interrupted me.
"-You love me so much that you just disappear one night leaving a note telling me nothing?" Cary snapped. "I don't know about you Melody, but in my eyes that's not love!"
I winced. "I deserved that I know." I said. "But Cary you've got to listen- you've got to know the truth."
"Can you even tell the truth Melody?" Cary asked. "If you ask me I think you're a lot more like your mother than you care to admit. She was a coward and a liar too."
That angered me. "Cary Logan!" I yelled. "I am nothing like that woman and I never, EVER, will be."
Cary looked surprised at my vehement objection. In fact he even looked interested, but before he could speak and before I could speak, there was a sound at the open doors, and we both turned around. Theresa Patterson was standing there, a picnic basket in her hands.
"Melody!" She said surprised. "I didn't know you were coming back."
"I didn't either." I said, glancing over at Cary's face. To my surprise he'd gone red. I glanced back over at Theresa and it all clicked: Cary and Theresa.
"Oh." Theresa said, and then she came over with the basket. "I brought your lunch down Cary. I know that you sometimes get so involved in your work you forget to eat. Oh, and Melody can join us can't she sweetie?"
Cary had gone even redder if that was at all possible. "Uh.sure.." He muttered.
"I'm not hungry." I said, taking a deep breath. "I better get back. Holly needs the car to do some shopping."
If Cary or Theresa saw through my weak excuse they didn't say so. Instead Theresa nodded. "Tell her I said hi." She said.
"Right. Bye Theresa. Bye Cary." I said, and I hurried from the shed.
It wasn't until I was in the car driving away that I let my tears flow. I was too late. Cary didn't care about me anymore.
Holly looked up when I entered the house and shook her head. "It didn't go well did it?" She asked.
"How come you didn't tell me about Cary and Theresa?" I demanded.
"I thought you should find out for yourself." Holly admitted. "But he doesn't love her Melody. He's just trying to forget about you."
"Yeah right," I snapped. "Coming back here was such a mistake. I'll leave."
"And where are you going to go?" Holly asked. "Back to Billy?"
"No." I said knowing that there was no way I could do that. I wondered, briefly, whether or not Holly knew what had happened between us. "I think I might go back to Sewell, back to the place I know."
Holly sighed. "Melody, I wont deny I was angry at you for leaving, but now I know the truth I can understand how confused and upset you must have felt. All I want is for you to be happy. Will you really be happy in Sewell?" She asked.
I sighed. If I was being honest I wouldn't be happy anywhere anymore. My entire life was ruined!
"Look, just stay a few days." Holly asked me. "At least go and say hello to your Aunt and cousin."
"Fine." I said, flopping onto the couch. "I'll stay four days, but then I'm leaving."