Okay! Here is the long awaited update. I am half way done with school! I have to go back Monday! Of all the days!! I plan to do MAYBE 2 more updates, but not sure which stories first! Anyway... Please let me know what you think and I am sorry for making you all wait so long!
ENJOY!!!
"What do you mean he kissed you?" Evie asked as she followed Mal into her office and shut the door.
"Not that hard to understand, E," Mal said as she put her purse behind her desk and threw her phone on the top. "I was here with Melody last night, he was banging on the door, I opened it, and he picked me up and kissed me."
Evie stood there with a gape in her mouth and she had no clue what to say. She had known Mal since she was new to the city and moved into her spare bedroom. She thought she knew everything about the girl after the amount of time they had spent together, but apparently not. The pair had gotten close, while living together, and she had never mentioned a boy, making her wonder who Ben was to Mal.
"Mal?" She looked up at her best friend, knowing what was going to be asked. It didn't take a rocket scientist to put this puzzle together. "I don't want to assume anything, but I am going to ask a very far fetched question, that I hope I am not overstepping my bounds, but is Ben Melody's father?"
Mal squirmed before she plopped in her chair, not noticing that Evie's eyes were bugging out of her head.
"Mallory Drakos," Evie said as she walked around and turned Mal's chair to face her. "Ben, is Melody's father?"
Mal nodded her head and looked like she was going to puke. She had avoided talking about Melody's dad to anyone, other than her mom and dad. They were furious when everything with Leah happened, but she begged them not to do anything rash. Which was her mom and step mom holding her dad down so that he didn't kill anyone.
"I thought you said…"
"I thought he was still in California," Mal said, cutting Evie off and slumping further into her chair. "I didn't keep up, obviously, but apparently they moved here a year ago."
"Well, are you going to tell him about.."
"No," Mal said as she looked at Evie with a pointed look. "He does not know about Melody, and I am not going to tell him, because I am not going to be seeing him anytime soon."
"Mal…"
Samuel stuck his head through the door, not aware that it could have been closed for a reason. Mal rolled her eyes, before turning her chair to look at the young boy.
"Yes, Samuel?"
She tried to maintain her composure. Her head had been on a whirlwind since last night, and she needed to get herself together.
"Someone is here to see you," he said, making all the hairs on Mal's body stand tall.
She stood and walked around her desk, before looking at Samuel and smiled.
"Will you please let him…"
"It is not a he," Samuel's said, cutting his boss off. "She is an older woman. She said she would like to sit and talk with you."
Mal wondered for a moment who this lady could be, but she couldn't think of anyone. Maybe her mom or stepmom, but everyone knew who they were and they would have just walked into the back. She stood there for a moment, before looking like a deer caught in the headlights. She couldn't have known where Mal was, nor would she try to start a scene in public.
"She also said that you would probably be happy to see her," Samuel said, making both girls look at him with confused looks. "Whatever that means."
Mal took a breath, before looking at Evie and nodding her head. She knew if Leah was here, she couldn't start anything because Mal had kept to her word. She was just lucky that Melody was at school and not at the cafe today.
She walked out of her office, and through the kitchen, before walking out though the double doors and looking around the lobby. She spotted a brown haired woman with her back facing Mal, and she knew exactly who was asking to see her.
Mal sighed in relief, before a giant smile formed on Mal's face. Excitement radiated over her body, before she started to make her way over to the older woman.
"Belle?" Mal said, making the woman turn to look up at her.
She looked just as Mal had remembered. Her hair was a beautiful brown, her eyes were a beautiful hazel green, and her cheeks were as rosy as ever.
"Mal," Belle said as she stood up and took Mal into her arms.
Belle hugged onto Mal as if she were going to disappear again. She had missed her so much, and after what Ben had told her last night, she knew she had to see Mal.
"My girl," she said as she kissed Mal's cheek. "Where have you been? I have missed you so much"
Mal returned the hug effortlessly. She had always been close to Belle and even loved spending evenings with her when Ben was in meetings with his dad. They used to have so much fun baking and reading in the den, which was just a huge library for Belle.
"I have missed you too," Mal said as she held on tight to the older woman.
It was true, Mal had missed Ben and his parents very much. They were family to her, and there had been so many times she wanted to fly back with Melody, but didn't. Even though it had been years and Mal has more of a backbone than she did then, the fear of something happening to her baby was her worst fear.
"Sit with me," Belle said as she pulled away from Mal. "Please. I know you are probably…"
"I can sit," Mal said with a kind smile. "I have about two hours, before I have to run an errand."
Belle didn't know that her smile could grow anymore from just three words. She had longed to see Mal since that dreadful day. Longed to look for her. Longed to bring her son and her together again. Longed to bring her home.
The two sat at the small table in one of the cafe corners and just smiled at each other, not saying anything.
"This is quite a place," Belle said as she looked all around the cafe. "I had been in here a couple times, and thought you would have loved it here, but I never thought it was yours."
Mal laughed at the comment. Belle knew her very well.
"Well, to be fair, you didn't know I lived in the state," Mal said with a small chuckle.
"When Ben told me about yesterday, and how he had seen you, I almost leaped out of my chair to come, but he was giving me a look of disapproval."
Mal pondered what Belle had said, and wondered how Ben could have that much control over his family. He had never been like this before.
"So, I would like it, if you would keep us meeting a little secret," she said, making Mal look at her with furrowed eyebrows. "He doesn't know I am here, and it would make him upset to find out."
Mal nodded. "I won't say anything, but I don't even know…"
"Oh, he will be coming back," Belle said as she looked at Mal. "If I know my son, and I do, he will be."
Mal breathed out, not knowing how to feel about what Belle had said. She didn't want to see Ben, because yesterday was hard enough, but now that she had seen him, she didn't know if him leaving would hurt just as much as it did when she left.
"I'm not keeping you right?" Belle asked. "I know you said you had an errand to run, but I am not keeping you from work?"
"No," Belle said as she shook her head. "You know I like to get things done ahead of time, so I am here just as support if they need me."
"Good, I would hate to keep you."
"They can't fire me," Mal said with a laugh. "I'm the boss."
"Feisty as always," Belle said with a laugh of her own.
"I guess things never change," Mal said with an amused laugh.
Belle gave Mal a small tight smile, before following with a small nod. Mal did not mean to make their talk awkward, but in the long end of it, she knew that Belle was going to ask what had happened.
As they made conversation, Belle and Mal were both bringing back so many good memories. Trips they had taken, family dinners they had, holidays, and so much more. Mal felt as if she and Belle talked everyday. Like time did not pass. She loved this. She didn't even think about what had happened yesterday… or even last night. She was just enjoying talking to Belle.
"We have been talking so much about the past and my business," Mal said as she sat up and shook her head. "How have you and Adam…"
"What happened?" Belle said, cutting Mal off. "I am sorry, and I do not want to be rude, but I have wondered this for years." Belle tangled her fingers together, twisting them and playing with her nails. "Mal, was there anything going on that we could have helped you with? Were you and Ben fighting? Adam and I have been going back and forth and we could not come up with anything."
Mal and watched as Belle went on. She knew that this was going to turn into a long conversation, but she was hoping that it would be over by the time she would have to pick up Melody.
"Whenever we tried to talk to Ben about it, he would shut us out," she went on. "He had completely changed. He was not the same after you left. Could you clarify anything for me, just so I can understand, because we thought that you and Ben were happy together."
That was fair, Mal thought to herself. She didn't have to mention Melody, but she could say a couple things… but maybe not the truth about everything.
"Belle, everything was perfect between Ben and I," Mal said as she took Belle's hand into hers. "I love Ben with everything that I am…"
"You still love him?"
"Of course," Mal said in a hushed tone. "Ben will alway hold a special place in my heart. He was my first everything. Boyfriend. Date. Kiss. Everything," Mal said, making Belle chuckle slightly.
"Then what was wrong? You left out of nowhere."
"The thing is…"
"I'm sorry, boss," Samuel said as he walked up to the table. "I thought you two might like some water and something to snack on."
Samuel always had impeccable timing, and it was starting to get on Mal's last nerves.
"Thank you, Samuel," Mal said through her teeth. "If I need anything, I will flag Evie down."
Samuel gave him a clueless smile before nodding and walking away from the table. She scanned the room to look for Evie, but she wasn't anywhere. Mal turned her attention back to Belle and sighed.
"Belle, if we are going to keep these meetings between us, I will tell you the truth," Mal said. She knew that Belle was going to look right through her, but she wasn't going to talk about Melody. "I never wanted to leave."
Belle looked at Mal with an astound expression.
"I loved Ben with my entire soul, I never wanted to hurt him."
Belle was confused. She assumed for years that it was something Ben had done. That it was something that made her run away.
"Mal, what happened?" She asked as she took Mal's hands into her own. "What made you leave? Ben, Adam, and I could have helped you. We…"
"MOMMY!!!"
Both Mal and Belle turned to see a little girl running over to their table with a huge grin on her face. Her light brown hair was pulled up into a half up ponytail, her dress was flowing behind her, and her backpack was hanging off one of her shoulders. Mal beamed as she saw her daughter before looking at her watch and noticing that Melody had gotten out of school 30 minutes ago.
Belle watched as Mal held her arms out to the girl and scooped her up in a loving embrace. And it wasn't until Mal had sat back down that the little girl, who was now in Mal's lap, took her breath away.
"Belle, this is Melody," she said as she introduced the two. "Melody, this is Belle. She's your other grandma. This is your daddy's mommy."
Belle had crocodile tears in her eyes as she looked at the little girl. She looked like the perfect combination of her son and Mal. Her eyes were Ben's, but her face was the shape of Mal's. She was beautiful and everything was starting to become clear to Belle.
"Hi," Melody said as she gave Belle a small wave.
Belle slowly stood up and crouched down in front of Melody. Her eyes glistened like Ben's do, and her heart melted.
"Hi, sweetheart," Belle said. "You look just like your mommy and daddy. You are so beautiful."
Melody blushed, and hid behind her hair as she started to sway her legs back and forth.
"Melody, I know we just met, but couldn't have a hug?"
Melody looked up at her mom, asking permission, before hugging someone she had never met before. Mal nodded her head and Melody jumped out of Mal's lap and wrapped her tiny arms around Belle's neck.
"Oh my…"
Belle was speechless. She couldn't believe Mal was a mom, let alone that Mal's daughter was her granddaughter. She had always dreamed of Mal and Ben having kids together, but after Mal had gone, she thought that it would never happen. But here Belle was, holding her granddaughter.
"It's nice to meet you, nana," Melody said, making Belle's tears finally fall.
"It's so nice to meet you too," Belle said as she hugged Melody tightly.
"Your name rhymes with my middle name," Melody said as she pulled away to look at the older woman.
"It does?" Belle asked with a smile. "What is it?"
"Isabelle."
Belle looked at Mal with wide eyes, and all Mal could do was smile. Even though she was not there for any part of Mal's pregnancy, she wanted belle to be a part of Melody in some way shape or form.
"Baby?" Mal said, gaining the attention of her daughter. "Why don't you go and get a snack from Auntie Evie? Nana Belle and I have to talk."
"Okay, mommy," Melody said as she looked back at Belle. "Bye nana. I hope to see you soon."
Melody skipped off toward the back room, before Belle could even say anything. She just looked up at Mal and stared.
"I will explain," Mal said as she held her hand out to the seat Belle was sitting in. "You may want to sit."
Belle sat back down with no hesitation, before Mal opened her mouth to start talking.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Belle asked before Mal could say anything. "You could have…"
"I wanted to," Mal said, cutting the woman off. "I was going to tell the three of you the night I left, but…"
"But what, Mal?" Belle asked in concern. She was not upset that Mal did not tell them. She knew that there had to be a good reason for her to leave and not say anything and she just wanted to know what it was.
"Belle, I will tell you, but you cannot tell a soul," Mal said. "I don't want anyone knowing about Melody."
Belle looked at Mal with wide eyes, but froze. She saw fear in her eyes. Fear of a mother for her child.
"I will listen, Mal," Belle said, before she took Mal's hands. "But there is going to be a point where Ben is going to have to know about her. I love you very much, dear, but Ben needs to know and as his mother, I don't know how long I will be able to keep this from him."
"I understand, and with everything that has happened, Ben coming here with Audrey, you coming here today, I wasn't planning on ever telling him, but I am going to have to now."
"Mal, honey? I have no clue what you had gone through to make you think that you couldn't come to Ben, Adam, or I, but I am going to hear you out," Belle said as she took Mal's hand in her own. "Maybe I could help now, and maybe we could come up with a solution."
"I just hope you understand," Mal said as she looked at the older woman sitting in front of her.
She took in a deep breath, before squeezing Belle's hand and telling her everything that happened that day… between her and Leah…
"Mal…" Belle said, making the young woman look at her with tears flooding her eyes. "What Leah said was wrong. You belong with us, because we love you. You were everything to us. You are our family." Belle said as she cupped Mal's face in her hands. "That crazy old bitch is going to pay for what she did to you…"
That was when Belle noticed the small little cut scare across the side of Mal's neck. An anger arose in Belle that she had never felt before. After hearing the threats Leah made to Mal, and knowing the person Leah is, she knew that Mal was not lying. She envisioned all of the pain Mal had gone through, and thought if she was in her shoes if she would do the same if her baby was being threatened, and to be honest with herself, she would. She would have done anything to make sure of Ben's safety, and she could never fault Ms for that. She was a mom. She would move the mountains for her child.
"But I do understand how you were torn," the older woman said as she moved her thumbs to wife Mal's eyes. "And I now understand the predicament you are in."
"Yeah," Mal said. "You know. I am being selfish by not telling Ben, but I will…"
"No," Belle said as she moved her hands and placed them on the table in front of her. "You do not have to tell him soon. You need time to process this. This is a lot for you, and I need a way to get Leah out of the picture so you are not afraid of her."
"Well, Audrey is her granddaughter…"
Belle huffed in frustration. She knew Audrey was a very sweet and kind girl. She was always respectful and nice to them, but she knew Ben was not in love with her. He was only marrying her to get Leah off his back. Leah had been Adam's father's friend for many years. Though Ben and Adam despise her, Adam had promised his father that he would keep her employed. She had gotten worse through the years, and even more so when Ben was starting to take over. She felt entitled. She walked around their home like she owned the place. Bossing people around, being rude to the staff, and even ordering Belle's family around. It was getting to a point where Belle was going to lose it, but she just kept her distance because she respected her father-in-law's wishes.
"I am letting you know right now," Belle said as she took Mal's hands again. "Leah will never touch you or Melody."
The words made a lump grow in Mal's throat. Fear radiated over her body, because she did not know what was going to happen once Ben found out about Melody.
"I will not tell Ben anything until you are ready, but I would love to spend time with Melody if it is okay with you," Belle said.
"You may come and see Melody whenever you would like," Mal said with a smile on her face. "And I do appreciate your understanding of where I am coming from. I will tell Ben, I just… I don't know how he is going to react. He seemed different from the last time I had seen him. He's cold now."
Belle's mouth turned into a grim line. She agreed that he was not the same as he was, but she didn't want to tell him that she was the cause. She didn't know how she would take that.
"He is very stressed," Belle said as she tried to play off Ben's new demeanor, though Mal could see right through her. "He's been under a lot of pressure."
"I could only imagine," Mal told her. "I saw what Adam had gone through, and with Ben taking over, I would only assume he would have the same pressure."
"It's been a difficult journey for him," Belle added. "Adam and I have tried to help him, but he said he just wants to figure it out by himself. He doesn't even let anyone in his office," she said, making Mal look at her with a confessed look. "He keeps it locked up when he's not in there and he locks it when he's in there. He just shuts everyone out now."
Mal couldn't help but feel a weight being put on her shoulder. She started to think about it being her fault that Ben was different. She thought maybe her leaving was harder for him than she had originally thought.
"I am sorry," Mal said. "I do not understand what you three have gone through, but if you would like, Melody gets out of school early on Wednesdays," she said, making Belle smile. "And if I remember right, Ben and Adam always had meetings on Wednesdays."
Belle laughed at the young woman in front of her. She knew Mal was trying to make light of a topic she did not like to talk about.
"I would love that," Belle said as tears started to flood her eyes again.
"My mom or dad usually come by…"
"They are more than welcome to come too," Belle said. "I have always loved your moms and dad. They are wonderful people and I think of them often."
"I was going to tell them about what happened and that you wanted to spend time with Melody so you can get to know her," Mal said with a laugh. "But I will let them know you extended an invitation to them."
Belle laughed before she heard Melody running toward her and Mal.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, baby?" Mal said as she pulled Melody into her lap.
"Are we going to auntie Evie and uncle Doug's house for dinner?"
"Yes," Mal said as she kissed the top of her head. "That's why auntie Evie used my car to pick you up."
"Oh," she said before she looked at her newly found grandma. "Are you coming too, nana?"
Belle smiled and shook her head. "No, sweetie."
Melody frowned at the answer. She wanted to spend time with her grandma, now that she had three of them.
"But I will be here on Wednesday to spend the afternoon with you, if you would like," she said, making Melody bounce in Mal's lap.
Seeing Melody's excitement made Mal so happy. She had always dreamed of Melody having a relationship with Ben's side of her family, and now she was. She just hoped that when Ben found out he would not be too mad.
"Okay," Belle said as she crouched down in front of her granddaughter. "It's a date. Every wednesday."
"Is my daddy coming with you?"
Belle's eyes shot toward Mal's, and she saw how wide they grew. She took Melody's hands into hers, and shook her head.
"No, sweetie," she said in a soft tone. "It's just going to be me for now. Maybe later, but is it okay if it's just me?"
Melody nodded her head, before she threw herself at the older woman. Mal smiled at the pair, happy that they had met. This was never a sight she would have imagined to happen, but she was just hoping that when Ben eventually learned about Melody he wouldn't be too mad.
Until next time my Lovies! Xoxo GM