Chapter 17
"She won't see them." Kevin said solemnly.
"What do you mean she won't see them?"
"I mean exactly that Michael. Katherine wants nothing to do with her daughters."
"But how can she do that?"
"That was a bad time in her life. She doesn't want to be reminded."
"That's a bunch of shit! There are her children!"
"Were her children." Greg said, emphasizing the were. "She has moved on with her life. And I suggest Melissa and Anne do the same."
"They are going to be heartbroken. Especially Melissa."
"They'll be fine.as long as they know there are people out there that love them."
"Can you get Anne. I should tell them together."
"Of course."
Kevin returned shortly with Anne and Melissa following him. "Sit down." Michael instructed. "We have something to tell you."
Michael took Melissa's hand and squeezed it lovingly. He gave a nod of his head and Kevin began his tale. "I found your mother."
"So she really is our mom?" Melissa asked excitedly.
"Yes. Katherine Sullivan is your mother."
"I told you!" Melissa exclaimed." I just knew it."
Seeing the glum tone of Michael and Kevin, Melissa calmed down. "What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"She said that she is glad to hear you are happy and safe. And she's sorry for any pain you might have had because of her. But Katherine is insistent that she did what was best and stand by that decision. I'm afraid however, that she doesn't want to see you.ever.
"What's best for us!?" Melissa shouted while at the same time, Anne gasped, "Ever?"
"I know it's hard to understand, but she's moved on with her life. You're the past to her. A past she doesn't want to remember."
"I've got to go." Anne said.
"Go? You're leaving now?" Melissa cried.
"I have to go home. And be with my family. I can't stay in this house."
"You're just like her! Leaving your family!"
"It's precisely because I don't want to be like her that I'm leaving. My son needs me. I've been gone enough."
Anne grabbed her purse and left. Melissa ran after her, but before she reached the door, Michael grabbed her arm to stop her. "Let her go." He instructed.
"She needs to face this! To face me!"
"She's facing it the best way she can. By going to her family, those that love her."
"And what am I? I'm her family too. What about me?"
"I'm here for you." Michael said.
"You did this! You got my hopes up. You let me believe."
"You're the one who was going to run off on some wild goose chase. I found what you wanted. Don't blame any of this on me."
"Did you do this just to hurt me?"
"Hurt you? I would never hurt you. I love you more then I can say. I found Katherine because it's what you wanted, more then anything you wanted to find her. So I found her."
"What good did it do?"
"I waned you it might not turn out like you wanted."
"Oh great so know you, sir Michael, know everything."
"I didn't say that."
"I can't live like this!"
"Like what?"
"With you acting like you're better then me, felling lost and confused, not knowing who to trust, not having anyone to love me."
"I do love you. And I always will. But you're right. We can't live like this. Just know that when you're ready, I'll be here."
Melissa rushed out of the house as fast as her legs would carry her. Which, considering she still used a cane, was not very fast. Michael left her alone. She would come back when she was ready.
Hours later, Melissa had yet to return. Michael went looking for her. He found her by the old pine tree, the one that had caused her to remember. Melissa had heard him approach. "This was the tree he found me by. It was here that he was able to capture me."
"That's all over now." Michael said. "Forget about it."
"She doesn't know.all that I went through."
"Forget her too. What matters now is what we have.not the past."
"She should know Michael. She should hear all the pain she caused me!"
"I think Katherine has enough guilt."
"I just wanted a family." Melissa sobbed.
"You have one.with me.we'll have children and raise them right.and you still have Anne."
"I don't think I can be with you right now."
"What are you talking about?"
"I need to be alone."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I want you to leave!" Melissa shouted. "I don't want you here."
"I told you once I'd never leave you.and I stand by that now."
"If you don't leave, I will."
Michael knew she was upset and just wanted some time alone. She would come around soon enough. "I'll be at Greg's." he told her. "When you're ready."
*** The thunder roared through the valley and lighting streaked across the sky. The storm was moving closer by the minute. Melissa sat by the bay window watching the clouds roll in. She felt more alive with every clash of thunder, every flash of lightening. This storm was speaking to her soul. The turmoil in the sky equally matched what was going on in her heart.
Was there nothing that would calm the storm? Nothing to stop the pain and discord? Melissa continued to watch the sky. The reds and purples of sunset tried to burst through the clouds, but to no avail. The sky was quickly darkening and only the lightening could light the way.
Lightening. It was getting closer, brighter, stronger. She was so much like the lightening, lashing out against the thunder. Why was it so hard to forgive and forget? Why were things so complicated, and yet so simple? The feelings of turmoil returned. The fight in the sky was worsening. It seemed complex to an outsider. But the thunderstorm was also simple. It was after all, only rain.
Rain. It was bound to start soon. By the look of the clouds, Melissa knew the storm was right above her. They were bursting with water, waiting for the perfect moment to release it.
Needing to be closer to the turmoil and eventual resolution, Melissa went outside to sit on the large porch. She opened the door and grabbed a jacket from the coat hanger. It didn't matter that it was the middle of July. She was always cold and the rain was sure to cause the temperatures to drop. Taking a seat on the porch swing, she continued to wait for the rain.
And then it came. A huge burst of light near the edge of the property. Melissa ran to the site and saw that fateful pine tree blazing with fire. Seeing the tree that had been a constant reminder of her pain burning made Melissa realize something. Those things that happened in the past were over and done with. They were memories and only memories. They could bring happiness or be forgotten. Just as this tree crumbled to ashes, so did all the painful memories.
The lightening brought about destruction of that pine tree, and with it, destruction of Melissa's pain. From it, the pine would release seeds and grow new life. So too could Melissa now continue a life of happiness, no longer tortured by the discoveries she had made into her past.
As she was running back to the house, the rain began to pour. Heavy droplets fell, quickly wetting her hair. Stopping, Melissa looked up to the sky. She let the drops fall onto her face, washing away her pain. The cool water was refreshing. Soon her clothes her soaked through. But that didn't matter. Melissa was alive again.
Michael found her like that, staring up to the heavens, rain beating down on her face. "Melissa!" he called. "Melissa!"
But she could not hear. Something had called him back that night, an entire week after he had left. Michael ran out the house and to her. Shaking her out of her reverie, he took her in his arms. "Don't you worry. We're gonna be fine." He whispered.
Melissa sank into his embrace momentarily before pulling away. "Of course we will be." She whispered back. "You're all wet." Melissa said louder.
Michael laughed. "So are you."
Melissa broke out of Michael's embrace. Spinning around in the rain, she shouted. "It felt revitalizing!"
"Have you gone mad?"
Melissa stopped at looked seriously at her husband. "Far from it. I'm as sane as I've ever been."
"What are you doing out here."
"I was thinking. And I realized something very important."
"What's that?"
"It doesn't matter if Katherine refuses to see me. What matters is we are husband and wife and we're going to share the rest of our lives together. We can't live in the past, but in the present, and for the future."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."
Dripping wet, the happy couple locked arms and walked to their home. It hadn't been an easy journey, but they were finally together. Through it all they and remained and into the future they will continue. To love, to trust, to live.
"What do you mean she won't see them?"
"I mean exactly that Michael. Katherine wants nothing to do with her daughters."
"But how can she do that?"
"That was a bad time in her life. She doesn't want to be reminded."
"That's a bunch of shit! There are her children!"
"Were her children." Greg said, emphasizing the were. "She has moved on with her life. And I suggest Melissa and Anne do the same."
"They are going to be heartbroken. Especially Melissa."
"They'll be fine.as long as they know there are people out there that love them."
"Can you get Anne. I should tell them together."
"Of course."
Kevin returned shortly with Anne and Melissa following him. "Sit down." Michael instructed. "We have something to tell you."
Michael took Melissa's hand and squeezed it lovingly. He gave a nod of his head and Kevin began his tale. "I found your mother."
"So she really is our mom?" Melissa asked excitedly.
"Yes. Katherine Sullivan is your mother."
"I told you!" Melissa exclaimed." I just knew it."
Seeing the glum tone of Michael and Kevin, Melissa calmed down. "What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"She said that she is glad to hear you are happy and safe. And she's sorry for any pain you might have had because of her. But Katherine is insistent that she did what was best and stand by that decision. I'm afraid however, that she doesn't want to see you.ever.
"What's best for us!?" Melissa shouted while at the same time, Anne gasped, "Ever?"
"I know it's hard to understand, but she's moved on with her life. You're the past to her. A past she doesn't want to remember."
"I've got to go." Anne said.
"Go? You're leaving now?" Melissa cried.
"I have to go home. And be with my family. I can't stay in this house."
"You're just like her! Leaving your family!"
"It's precisely because I don't want to be like her that I'm leaving. My son needs me. I've been gone enough."
Anne grabbed her purse and left. Melissa ran after her, but before she reached the door, Michael grabbed her arm to stop her. "Let her go." He instructed.
"She needs to face this! To face me!"
"She's facing it the best way she can. By going to her family, those that love her."
"And what am I? I'm her family too. What about me?"
"I'm here for you." Michael said.
"You did this! You got my hopes up. You let me believe."
"You're the one who was going to run off on some wild goose chase. I found what you wanted. Don't blame any of this on me."
"Did you do this just to hurt me?"
"Hurt you? I would never hurt you. I love you more then I can say. I found Katherine because it's what you wanted, more then anything you wanted to find her. So I found her."
"What good did it do?"
"I waned you it might not turn out like you wanted."
"Oh great so know you, sir Michael, know everything."
"I didn't say that."
"I can't live like this!"
"Like what?"
"With you acting like you're better then me, felling lost and confused, not knowing who to trust, not having anyone to love me."
"I do love you. And I always will. But you're right. We can't live like this. Just know that when you're ready, I'll be here."
Melissa rushed out of the house as fast as her legs would carry her. Which, considering she still used a cane, was not very fast. Michael left her alone. She would come back when she was ready.
Hours later, Melissa had yet to return. Michael went looking for her. He found her by the old pine tree, the one that had caused her to remember. Melissa had heard him approach. "This was the tree he found me by. It was here that he was able to capture me."
"That's all over now." Michael said. "Forget about it."
"She doesn't know.all that I went through."
"Forget her too. What matters now is what we have.not the past."
"She should know Michael. She should hear all the pain she caused me!"
"I think Katherine has enough guilt."
"I just wanted a family." Melissa sobbed.
"You have one.with me.we'll have children and raise them right.and you still have Anne."
"I don't think I can be with you right now."
"What are you talking about?"
"I need to be alone."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I want you to leave!" Melissa shouted. "I don't want you here."
"I told you once I'd never leave you.and I stand by that now."
"If you don't leave, I will."
Michael knew she was upset and just wanted some time alone. She would come around soon enough. "I'll be at Greg's." he told her. "When you're ready."
*** The thunder roared through the valley and lighting streaked across the sky. The storm was moving closer by the minute. Melissa sat by the bay window watching the clouds roll in. She felt more alive with every clash of thunder, every flash of lightening. This storm was speaking to her soul. The turmoil in the sky equally matched what was going on in her heart.
Was there nothing that would calm the storm? Nothing to stop the pain and discord? Melissa continued to watch the sky. The reds and purples of sunset tried to burst through the clouds, but to no avail. The sky was quickly darkening and only the lightening could light the way.
Lightening. It was getting closer, brighter, stronger. She was so much like the lightening, lashing out against the thunder. Why was it so hard to forgive and forget? Why were things so complicated, and yet so simple? The feelings of turmoil returned. The fight in the sky was worsening. It seemed complex to an outsider. But the thunderstorm was also simple. It was after all, only rain.
Rain. It was bound to start soon. By the look of the clouds, Melissa knew the storm was right above her. They were bursting with water, waiting for the perfect moment to release it.
Needing to be closer to the turmoil and eventual resolution, Melissa went outside to sit on the large porch. She opened the door and grabbed a jacket from the coat hanger. It didn't matter that it was the middle of July. She was always cold and the rain was sure to cause the temperatures to drop. Taking a seat on the porch swing, she continued to wait for the rain.
And then it came. A huge burst of light near the edge of the property. Melissa ran to the site and saw that fateful pine tree blazing with fire. Seeing the tree that had been a constant reminder of her pain burning made Melissa realize something. Those things that happened in the past were over and done with. They were memories and only memories. They could bring happiness or be forgotten. Just as this tree crumbled to ashes, so did all the painful memories.
The lightening brought about destruction of that pine tree, and with it, destruction of Melissa's pain. From it, the pine would release seeds and grow new life. So too could Melissa now continue a life of happiness, no longer tortured by the discoveries she had made into her past.
As she was running back to the house, the rain began to pour. Heavy droplets fell, quickly wetting her hair. Stopping, Melissa looked up to the sky. She let the drops fall onto her face, washing away her pain. The cool water was refreshing. Soon her clothes her soaked through. But that didn't matter. Melissa was alive again.
Michael found her like that, staring up to the heavens, rain beating down on her face. "Melissa!" he called. "Melissa!"
But she could not hear. Something had called him back that night, an entire week after he had left. Michael ran out the house and to her. Shaking her out of her reverie, he took her in his arms. "Don't you worry. We're gonna be fine." He whispered.
Melissa sank into his embrace momentarily before pulling away. "Of course we will be." She whispered back. "You're all wet." Melissa said louder.
Michael laughed. "So are you."
Melissa broke out of Michael's embrace. Spinning around in the rain, she shouted. "It felt revitalizing!"
"Have you gone mad?"
Melissa stopped at looked seriously at her husband. "Far from it. I'm as sane as I've ever been."
"What are you doing out here."
"I was thinking. And I realized something very important."
"What's that?"
"It doesn't matter if Katherine refuses to see me. What matters is we are husband and wife and we're going to share the rest of our lives together. We can't live in the past, but in the present, and for the future."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea."
Dripping wet, the happy couple locked arms and walked to their home. It hadn't been an easy journey, but they were finally together. Through it all they and remained and into the future they will continue. To love, to trust, to live.
