Chapter 4: The Year According to Steve

The year began with the obvious "getting to know you stage," and at first it was actually somewhat pleasant for Steve, but now it was somewhat irritating. At first Melody's attention to detail was fascinating and somewhat flattering, but now it was getting in the way of Steve's day to day operations, it had only been 6 months and Steve was at the end of his rope. He didn't know what did it, whether it was her persistence or her inexplicably timed interruptions, but today, today he'd had enough.

"Melody, that's enough! I've tried to put up with your obviously lack of common sense for long enough, I'm sick of you disrupting my schedule and causing lags in production, would you kindly just LEAVE ME ALONE!" Steve shouted, feeling immensely relieved at the sudden weight off his chest. And then immediately felt the guilt when he looked at Melody's obviously broken expression.

"I…I…understand, please forgive my rudeness…I won't bother you again…I'm…I'm so sorry…" Melody said with a forlorn look, then turned toward the door to Steve's office and left.

Steve could almost swear he saw tears in her eyes, and the beginnings of sobbing send her shoulders trembling as she fled the room. Steve was stunned, he'd been frustrated before, but never had he been left with the feeling of having been almost…no unquestionably cruel. The kicked-puppy look Melody had on her face after he'd yelled at her had been excruciating, but he'd be darned to say another woman had frustrated him the way Melody had. And yet, the aching almost agonizing feeling in his chest wouldn't subside, he knew he had to apologize. However, as if his deepest wish from months past had come true, Melody disappeared from his day to day life, production had gone up and in 4 months they were caught up and even early on production schedule. So why, Steve thought, do I feel so empty? He tried talking to Melody, tried multiple occasions to apologize to her, but each time he even got within 10 feet of her, she dashed off and disappeared at every turn. If he knew that yelling at her had been the key to getting her to avoid him, the person he had been 10 months ago would have been thrilled, but now he only felt an aching loneliness. He hadn't realized how much her tender and sincere smile meant to him each day, or the sound of her soft melodic laugh, or even her quiet speech, until it was no longer present in his life. Finally, one day after trying to catch Melody for a better part of the day, there was a knock on his bedroom door; it was Melody. At first he didn't know how to react, part of him was glad to see her and part of him was furious for her avoidance, but before he could utter a single word she sealed her lips against his. All at once it felt like the universe was blazing, like every single fiber of his being was aflame and all at once his once perfect control slipped. He secured his fingers in her hair and placed his hand at her back and pulled her in to deepen the kiss, his tongue probed at her lips for entry which she willingly obliged. She ground her body into his and her undeniable softness against his male hardness was too much, his member stiffened and began to get harder and harder with each erotic gyration of her lush body. When it became too much he tore her clothes from her body, ripping the tight fitting bodice of her shirt and tearing open the denim trousers she wore. He practically tore her panties and bra in half and barely was cognizant of the skimpy and sexy design she wore. He feasted upon her lust breasts, stroking and caressing the soft flesh he found there, nipped at the taught points of her rosy nipples, while he stroked her slick crease. As they continued their erotic dance, with Melody bucking into his touch, she stroked his length with a passion he'd never experienced before. Then finally he could take no more and pushed her down upon his neatly made bed and thrust into her liquid core. He saw stars at the back of his eyes and was satisfied by the moans of ecstasy she made, he began to move with an uncontrolled ferocity that both frightened and excited him. He knew she was close as her opening tightened around him and he began moving even more fiercely into her until he could no longer hold back, then as suddenly as their passion had ignited, the two screamed their release. And Steve surrendered to the oblivion of sleep, knowing now more than ever what he'd fervently denied, he loved her. He was almost completely unconscious when she slipped out of his bed and into her discarded clothes. He barely even felt the tears falling from her eyes as she kissed his cheek and stroked his hair, then with the heavy feeling of resignation growing in the air she whispered into his ear with the rest of his consciousness fading away.

"Goodbye, I will always love you and wish for your happiness, even if it means a life without me in it. Be safe, my love."

And with those final words, Melody and his consciousness faded away into the blackness of slumber.

"Wake up, you no-good sack of garbage!" A voice bellowed, bringing Steve into a state of complete wakefulness.

Steve looked around completely confused, his bed was warm all but for the spot where Melody had laid beside him, his clothes were folded and placed neatly on his chair and both Melody and her clothes were nowhere to be seen. What he could see was a very nervous looking Arthur, a disapproving Mother, a slightly bemused Father, a demented Grand Santa, and a VERY angry looking Mallory standing at the foot of his bed. The latter was what concerned him the most.

"What on earth are all of you doing in my bedroom?" Steve said in a disgruntled tone.

"Don't give me that crap! I want to know what you did to my sister! I went to her room this morning and found this on the dresser and all of her things missing, now I want to know, what in the name of all that is good and jolly is going on! Explain. NOW." Mallory fumed looking every bit as shrill and terrifying as her personality led people to believe.

"What on earth are you talking about? Where is Melody?" Steve said concern beginning to grow by the second.

"Don't play dumb! My sister goes to your room last night to talk to you and today she's gone! If anyone's getting an answer it's gonna be me! So start talking!" Mallory exploded.

"Wait, first of all I have no idea what you're talking about, second you said there was a note, and third and most importantly WHERE IN GOD'S NAME IS MELODY?" Steve exclaimed finally going from concern to panic.

"Wow, babe your brother is an idiot. Let me spell this out for you, SHE IS GONE AND NEVER COMING BACK. Which was stated in her note, since you obviously don't have either the brain power or hearing to decipher the basics of our little back and forth. So here read for yourself."

Steve scanned the neatly printed note, noting tear stains and smears, it said:

"Dearest Sister,

I know the agreement was for 1 year but I can no longer lie to my heart and knowing I love Steve Claus and having him despise me is more than I can bear, so I'm leaving. Sorry that I left without saying anything, but I couldn't stay here 1 more minute. Please give my regards and apologies to the elder Claus 'and Arthur I hope one day they'll forgive me. And finally tell Steve…that he's free, no marriage required. I hope to see you soon, good luck with Arthur, you two are perfect for each other, please understand if I don't come to your wedding, okay?

All my love,

Melody."

Steve could barely believe his eyes, he read through the note again and again and still couldn't believe it. She loved him and believed he hated her, and he couldn't blame her. What had he done to prove otherwise? He'd all but told her she was an annoyance to him and had seemed to rejoice in her suffering. How could he have been so foolish? He took one look around the room and then consequences be damned, he leapt from his bed and quickly dressed. Ignoring the questioning looks he received, he retrieved his H.O.H.O. and grabbed to keys to the S1, this was a race against time and he only hoped he wasn't too late.

Racing the S1 through the strong gusts of the store his eyes scanned for Melody's familiar shape, it seemed like hours before he spotted a tiny flickering light coming from a cave in an outcrop of rock. He turned the S1 into camouflage mode and slipped into the cave, the sight he saw turned him to stone and a rock sank into the pit of his stomach. She was lying curled up on the cave floor, eyes closed and puffy from crying, her body curled into a broken huddled mass, he'd done this to her. What had he done? He crept to her side and just as began to reach toward her, Melody's eyes snapped open, darting around until they met his face and then she sat up and quickly scuttled to the back of the shallow cave. Her eyes showing the shadows of her grief and fear, slowly tears in his eyes he began to creep his way toward her. When he reached her, he drew her into his arms, shaking he murmured countless whispers of love and apology. Slowly she began to relax in his arms, he pulled back and looked into her beautiful eyes and said:

"I love you and I'm sorry it took so long to realize it. I never knew how important you were to me until you were gone. I know I'm a hard and unforgiving man, I don't deserve your love, but… please…please come back to me…I need you in my life, I couldn't imagine it without you…I promise from now on I will love and cherish you like you deserve. So please make eternity worthwhile to me, fill the emptiness in my life. Melody, marry me, become my wife, make me the happiest man in the world." Steve said shaking with the emotions he'd suppressed for so long.

Melody looked into his eyes and stroked his silver hair from his passion crazed eyes and said:

"Yes"

Tears in their eyes, they embraced and shared a passionate kiss that seemed to melt the ice and cold around them, enveloping them in a soft, warm and endless light.