[A/N. As per usual it has been a long time since I've updated this story..or any story for that matter, but I am trying to be a bit better. I really want to go on to my next story, the third one in the series which will be called "The Oriole's Opera" but I realise I've got to finish this one first, and luckily I still have some ideas for this one. And like I've said in the past I am determined to finish this one before beginning the next one. Anyway, I hope you're still enjoying this and I apoligise if this chapter isn't as good as it could be.]

TEN:

After the boat launch Cary received three more orders for boats and he spent hours down in his workshop in the next few weeks. Sometimes he didn't even come up for lunch, so I'd take something down for him, with Lara on my hip. I couldn't put her down with the floor being so dirty and there being too much for her to get into now she was beginning to crawl a little bit, so I didn't stay down there long. Most of my time was spent up in the house, and when Lara was sleeping I began to play the fiddle again.

It took me back to when I was a child and I'd play for my mother, the man I thought was my father, Papa George and Mama Arlene. I remembered especially one night in particular, not too long before my stepfather was killed in the mining accident. It was getting cold, but I was on a roll and I didn't want to go inside. Mama Arlene got up and told me that she'd love to stay out and listen but her arthritis was killing her so she'd have to listen from inside. Soon my stepfather and Papa George also ventured inside, but my mother stayed there, gazing off into the distance almost as if she were in a trance. In fact her zombie like state began to creep me out a little, so I stopped and said it was too cold. She came back to the moment then. "With a talent like that Melody one day you are going to be famous. One day you're going to get away from here- from us- and show everyone what you're made of." I'd shook my head earnestly. "No Mommy, I don't want to go away from here, from you or Daddy." I assured her. She'd grabbed my arm then as we were walking back towards our trailer, and we'd stopped. In the moonlight her eyes glittered as she spoke. "Melody, you're better than this, than here! You might not think so now but you are. Don't get stuck here Melody- go and get the fame that I never had." I was surprised. "Did you want to be famous Mommy?" I'd asked. She'd sighed, a tired sigh. "Doesn't everyone?" She'd asked. "I wanted to be an actress or a model when I was growing up Melody, but it never happened. I don't want the same thing to happen to you- don't get married and have children too young. Promise me Melody? Promise?" And like any child I'd promised. I sighed and shook my head to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts. I hadn't spoken to my mother since I'd left LA and decided I'd have nothing more to do with her. Obviously they'd received the money I had promised them because I hadn't heard from her.

Lara's cry brought me out of my melancholy thoughts. I hurried upstairs to get her. As I held her against me I vowed that I'd always be there for her no matter what happened, and that never, ever would I act like my mother had done. Even though I'd had Lara early in life it hadn't affected me like my mother had told me it would. Cary and I had a nice house, enough money to live comfortably, and a gorgeous child. What could possibly have been bad about that?

*****

The phone's ringing meant I had to put down the vegetables I was preparing for that night's dinner and hurry to answer it. "Hello?" I asked, a little breathless.

"Melody- something terrible has happened." Holly was crying through her words and I felt my heart jump into my throat.

"Calm down Holly, tell me what's happened." I said, praying that nothing had happened to her, Nelson, Kenneth or my grandfather.

"It's Billy." She managed to get out. "Billy's had an accident and he's in hospital- but it doesn't look good. They don't think he's going to make it."

I dropped into the chair near me in shock.

"Marina called me. He was in a car accident in the van and the other driver ran a red light, and collided with the van. Marina was hurt but not badly. Billy's side got the majority of the impact." Holly continued.

I still couldn't speak. I felt as though my tongue had swollen up so that even if I tried to speak I was incapable of words.

"Melody? Are you there?" Holly asked.

"I'm here." I croaked.

"The thing is- Billy's been asking for you Melody. That's why Marina rang me, to get in touch with you. He wants to see you." Holly said.

I shook my head, even though Holly wasn't able to see it. "I can't go to New York. Cary's very busy with his boats at the moment, and I don't want to take Lara there..."

Holly was silent a moment. And then she asked "Don't you think you owe it to Billy to go Melody?"

I was shocked. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on Melody, Billy and I're friends- we tell each other things. I know all about what happened between you two, and I think you should go and see him. He's dying Melody and he wants to see you." Holly's voice was harsher than usual. I'd only ever heard her speak to me in this tone once before, and I realised that also had something to do with Billy.

"What do I tell Cary? What do I do with Lara?" I asked.

"Tell Cary you're going to see a friend who might not survive. He knows you were in New York with Billy even if he doesn't know the full details. And as for Lara I can look after her during the day- Nelson would love the company." Holly replied.

"Looks like you've got it all worked out." I said a touch bitterly.

"Melody," Holly sounded more like her usual self. "I know it might be hard for you- but it's his dying wish. And even though you're married to Cary now you once had feelings for Billy- or thought you did- and it's only the right thing to do."

"Okay." I said softly. "I've got to go speak to Cary. I'll call you back."
We hung up and I took a deep breath. I knew that going to see Billy was the right thing to do, but that didn't make it any easier. Although we'd managed to part on fairly good terms I knew what I'd done wasn't fair to Billy, and I didn't much like the idea of having to face the music. I got Lara from the living room where she'd been lying, and I went down to the workshop where Cary was so busy hammering away he didn't hear me until I was right next to him, and then he jumped a mile.

"You wouldn't want to sneak up on me would you?" He asked, putting down his hammer and taking Lara from my arms.

"Um Cary, I've got to go to New York for a few days." I blurted it out, not really sure how to broach the subject.

Cary raised an eyebrow. "New York?" He repeated. "Why?"

"Well you know when I was there last-"

"-Not exactly the time I want to think about." Cary interjected. "When you could have been here with me. You're not thinking of running away again are you? Because I'm pretty sure we're not related."

I laughed weakly. "No I'm not running away. Do you remember I told you I stayed with a friend of Holly's called Billy? She left him in charge of her shop when she married Kenneth and moved here. And then I met him when I went to see my mother the first time?"

"Vaguely." Cary replied, smiling as Lara gurgled at him. "He was in a wheelchair wasn't he? I remember you saying you were impressed at how strong a person he was. That the one?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, that's Billy. The thing is- I just had a call from Holly- and Billy was in a car accident. They don't expect him to live."

"That's terrible." Cary said. "The poor guy. And that's why you need to go to New York?"

I nodded.

"Well you have to go don't you? You can't not. I guess I'll just have to arrange something for Lara, or I could take some time off work I suppose.." Cary said.

"Oh Holly said she can look after him during the day. Company for Nelson and all." I said.

"She's not going?" Cary asked surprised.

"No, well he's asking for me so I thought I better go." I said.

Cary's eyes narrowed slightly. "He's asking for you?" He repeated.

I bit my lip. I hadn't meant to say that. "Apparently. Who knows? Maybe he wants to leave me his vegan cookbooks since I was the only one who really loved that food?" I asked, making light of the fact that Billy had asked for me.

"I guess so. When are you planning on going?" Cary asked.

"Tomorrow." I replied, glad that Cary had accepted my flimsy explanation.

"Okay." Cary said handing Lara back to me. "I hope he's all right- do they really think he won't live?"

I nodded. "They seem pretty sure of it. Although I've no idea of his injuries. I'll call you from New York though and let you know what's going on. I shouldn't be there more than a few days." I explained.

"Take as long as you need." Cary said. "I can't think of anything worse than lying there knowing I'm going to die..I hope when I go I go quick."

I shuddered. "Don't even talk about such things Cary Logan." I scolded him. "It's going to be a long way off yet so I don't even want to think about it."

"Yes Mam." He teased me.

"I better go and get some things organised. And don't be late for dinner or it'll be cold like it was last night and you'll complain about it again." I said as I left the workshop and hurried back to the house. As I phoned the airline to make a reservation I wished I was going anywhere but New York, and to see anyone but Billy. I knew it was wrong of me to think like that, but I had tried to put that part of my life out of my mind once Cary and I had married, and I didn't want to think of how much I had hurt Billy by doing what I had. But on the other hand I knew there was no possibility of me not going: I had to tell him I was sorry, and there was something else he had to know as well.