Dinner With Death
Chapter 4
Melody leaned back and closed her eyes. She inwardly hoped it would take Alex a while to return with the promised ice cream, for she felt she needed some time to herself. Perhaps she needed some time off—a vacation. Her mind began to wander back to her Vermont home when the sound of a clearing throat brought her back.
Opening her eyes, a flood of memories overwhelmed her.
"Hey darlin', thought you'd be happy to see me after all this time."
"Tyson, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" Mel asked, her jaw tensing as he closed the door and stepped closer.
"Now what kind of greetin' is that, honey? I thought you'd be happy I got out early. Now we can get married just like we planned." Paley grinned taking her hand in his own.
"No Tyson." She pulled her hand away. "I already told you I won't ever marry you. Leave me alone Tyson. There was a reason I never wrote back to you. Why don't you just go back to Texas where you belong?"
"I ain't gonna take that from you. You're gonna marry me and you're gonna be happy." He grabbed her elbow and forced her towards him.
"Leave me alone. I'm not your girlfriend and I'm not your property!" She turned towards the burly man.
"Now you listen here…"
The sound of an opening door cut off his sentence. "You okay, Mel?" Alex asked, a worried look spreading across his face.
"Get him outta here." Tyson whispered into her ear, through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, I'm fine Alex. Just talking to an old friend. Could we have a few more minutes?" Melody tried to smile but could barely force it past the pain.
"Are you sure?" Alex asked, reluctant to leave, noticing her tense body. He sensed something was not right.
"You heard the little lady." Tyson swung around and looked down at Alex. "She said to leave."
"Alex, please." Mel begged. A tear slipped down her cheek and fear crept into her eyes. "Just turn around, shut the door, and walk away."
Tyson drew himself to his full height and stepped towards Alex.
"Alex, please!" Melody pleaded, afraid of what Tyson would do if pushed much further.
The young man backed up. He shut the door and Tyson and Melody were again alone.
"You got a perdy boyfriend there, he is your boyfriend, isn't he. How long have you known him?" Tyson's hand clasped her upper arm.
"I just met him less than a half-hour ago." The tears came freely now.
"That's a lie." His grip tightened like a vice.
"No it's not! Please, Tyson, leave me alone. Go home. I won't marry you." Melody cried.
"You've not seen or heard the last of me!" Tyson ground out then turned and disappeared out the door after slamming it hard, leaving a distraught Melody in his wake.
Moments later, Alex made his way into the room. Seeing the tears and hurt in her face, he moved forward and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Her head jerked up and she looked at him. "Alex, you've got to promise not to breathe a word of this to anyone. Understand?"
"But Mel, Steve can…" Alex started.
"No. You can't tell anyone. You've got to promise." Melody bit her lip.
"Well can I at least hear the whole story?"
"I…" Melody faltered. "I don't know if I can."
"You don't have to…" Alex offered, pushing a stray lock of hair back behind her ear.
"No." She cut him off. Melody took a deep breath, then began. "I met him my senior year of high school. We became friends and he asked me to the senior prom. I spent that year in Texas with my uncle; he died soon after I went to college. Well, then we didn't see each other again till my junior year at University of Indiana. After a while, we got a bit more serious and the end of my junior year, he proposed. I refused. It was about then that the law tracked him down. They sent him to prison on charges of grand theft auto and robbery. He'd managed to pull off three bank jobs and held up a gas station mini mart and avoid the law for a year. After I finished college, I went back home to Vermont and lived in an apartment for a few months. Then I flew here to audition for the LA Philharmonic. I met Jesse and Dr. Sloan at Bob's. That's about all." She paused for a moment. "I though I was safe. Him being in prison for a few years. I thought I could make myself a life; move on from what I'd been through. But I guess I can't ever get away from him."
Alex pulled her closer to him and she rested her head against his shoulder as her body shook with sobs. The crying slowed and eventually stopped, but Melody did not push away. She felt safe. For the only time in her life since her father had died, she felt cared for; even loved.
Growing up in a house-full of other foster kids had been hard on her. Never receiving extra attention outside the amount the foster parents could afford to give out individually. Even living with her uncle had not provided enough loving attention to make up for her younger years. He was busy with the farm and although he loved his niece dearly, he never had much time to spend just hanging out or talking. Melody had learned to live without. And she had most likely forgotten what real feelings were when she had stumbled across Tyson Paley. She had felt something, but nothing like she felt from being in Alex's arms.
She pulled away suddenly and forced a smile at the young man. "Look at me. Here I am giving you my whole life's story, then breaking down and sobbing all over your shoulder." Melody wiped her face.
"It's alright. As long as you're okay." He paused, not sure if he should pursue what his mind told him too. "Are you sure you don't want to speak with Steve about him?"
"Yes Alex, I'm sure." She looked at him with a serious expression. "I'm afraid that if I tell Steve, I'll just be making more trouble for him and Mark and Jesse…and you. Tyson's already suspicious. I'm scared to think of what he's capable of."
"What do you want to do now?" Alex asked.
"This was my only chance. I guess I'll just have to stick it out and stay here. My parents set up a trust fund with my mother's inheritance, so money's not a problem. I suppose I'll start looking for a place to stay…and I know I have a backup job playing for a recording studio." Melody turned away and gazed out the window.
"There's an empty apartment in my building." He offered.
"That'd sounds wonderful, Alex." She looked back to him and smiled.
