Melody: A Novel Part 2

"Let me fill you in on something in case you've forgotten. I took you in when Aunt Lucia went bonkers, Mel. I've been supporting you all this time. Don't you think I deserve a little respect? The least you could be is happy for me. "

"This isn't about respect, Sarah! Baby, something is off with him. Keith is a creep!"

"Oh yeah, like, Tom was a creep? And Mitch was a creep? And Benjamin was a real creep?"

Melody sighed. "Sarah, listen to me. I'd never say something just to hurt you but I got a feeling about him that's not going away."

"Well, let me tell you what to do about your feelings, sis. You can sit on them because they don't matter when they come to Keith, okay? So just mind your d.a.m.n business, and stop trying to make my life as lonely and pathetic as yours!" She ran upstairs to her room. Melody stomped in a second later.

"You won't listen because you know I'm right, Sarah! I know you've seen some signs but you won't admit it!"

Sarah got on her knees in the closet. "Pa.s.s me my black heels."

"Sarah, I..."

"Pa.s.s me my shoes."

Melody threw them at her. "Sarah, I don't think I said anything wrong. It's not my fault you can't take an opinion different from yours. Why are you being such a b.i.t.c.h about all this?"

"Maybe I've had it up to here with your disapproval! If I like a guy, it shouldn't be up to you. You don't even know Keith. How can you judge him like this? What could he have said or done already that makes you dislike him?" Sarah held her hips. Melody knew from that moment on it didn't matter what she said. Sarah's mind wouldn't budge when it came to Keith.

"Fine Sarah, f.u.c.k it, okay." She gaped. "It's your life, isn't it? And you're right. It shouldn't be up to me to choose the men in your life." Sarah nodded. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Melody, what in the h.e.l.l are you talking about?" Sarah squinted.

She shrugged. "What does it matter, huh? I'm through with it. I just want you to be happy."

"If that were true, you'd lay off and understand how much he means to me, Mel." She exhaled. "I'm not trying to be b.i.t.c.hy. I just want you to understand that Keith's different from the others, Mel. Please give him a chance. I feel he could be the one. I've never felt like this before. Please don't take this away from me now."

"Like I said, I'd never hurt you, Sarah." Melody sighed.

"Please come to dinner with me, Melody. Let Keith prove to you how wrong you are about him." Melody looked at her. "I know you just got the wrong impression. First impressions are a b.i.t.c.h." Sarah chuckled. "Once you get to know him, you'll love him just as much as I do. Mel, you're twenty-three. Don't you want to see what life has to offer you with Lucas?"

She knew Sarah told the truth. Melody had to start living a life of excitement before it was too late. Maybe Lucas would be the key. She'd endure one night with Keith just to see where things would lead with Lucas Lawson. They'd always been close, even though Melody felt she hadn't been in his league. Lucas had been the richest boy in school. h.e.l.l, he'd been the richest person she'd ever known. He came from a long line of successful people. She had nothing to offer Lucas.

She wasn't the greatest catch. Melody had dealt with deep problems in her life. She even thought of herself as crazy sometimes. She amazed herself at how she could live with the mental setbacks she'd had in the past. She'd always been known for taking the easy way out when things got hard. She'd dropped out of school without a second thought because it had been difficult juggling schooling while combating the ha.s.sles of teen life. She'd never been one to deal with trauma. Sometimes she ended up paying for the consequences. What would the fabulous Lucas Lawson think about that?

Sarah shook her. "Earth to Mel." She laughed. "Boy, you got this daydreaming down to a T, don't you? Anyway, Lucas told me that he wants you to see his father about a job at Caper Enterprises."

"No, Sarah."

"I told him you'd definitely consider it."

"d.a.m.n it, I don't need you to keep running my life, Sarah!"

"You aren't in a position to say no since you haven't had a job in I can't tell when. I can't continue to pay for everything on my own, Melody. You aren't getting any answers from the jobs you've applied to, so I took the initiative. As long as this is my home, I think I have the right to ask you to contribute the best way you can."

"Bulls.h.i.+t, Sarah. You just want me to start seeing Lucas. This also means I'll be working with Keith if I get the job. So I suppose you think it would help my opinion of him? Fat chance. I've seen what I need to see, and my opinion will never change."

She slipped into her black silk dress. Melody had always been obsessed with that dress. Sarah always pointed out Melody's lanky, long frame to discourage her from borrowing it. "You're just afraid you won't be able to contain yourself when you're working with Lucas. How would it look if his father walked in and caught you two doing it on Lucas's desk?"

"Sarah, you must have forgotten that you're the fast one and not me."

Sarah laughed. "Funny, but you know what he told me when I saw him the other day, Mel? He said he's looking for someone to 'share' his future with. You know, like a wife? Could be you." Melody turned away. "Please, little sis, come with me. You and Lucas can discuss the job and you can get to know him, again. I bet he hasn't changed."

Sarah flipped her hair off her shoulders. "You're going."

Melody chuckled. "Excuse me? Since when do you tell me what to do?"

"I'm ordering you to come with us and accept that job. That's final."

Melody sighed. "I don't believe I'm doing this."

"Believe it." Sarah winked.

Chapter Two.

The guys picked them up right on time. Thank goodness Albany's nighttime traffic took pity on them. Melody discovered some interesting qualities about Lucas on the way to Jayson's restaurant. He'd grown from an interesting teenager to a very charming young man with a strong head for business. They spent the ride catching up on his life. He looked das.h.i.+ng in his black s.h.i.+rt and slacks. They reached the restaurant too early in Melody's opinion.

She couldn't fathom anything being more interesting than talking to Lucas. The way he looked at her told her he felt the same way. Maybe Sarah had been right. Maybe them meeting up again had been fate. Melody couldn't figure out how she could feel so close to someone she hadn't been around in years. It seemed only yesterday that they were teenagers running through the school courtyard.

Now they were adults making lifelong decisions. Melody antic.i.p.ated where the night might lead. She'd let down her guard and enjoy the night with no further worries. She'd also do her best to ignore Sarah's new boyfriend along the way.

"You ladies look as scrumptious as the food." Keith kissed Sarah's hand. He seemed to hold it too tight, Melody thought. She tried to figure out if they were sleeping together or not. If they weren't, something told her it wouldn't be long. Melody faked a smile for Lucas despite being disgusted by Keith. Keith flashed Melody that gorgeous smile. Charming or not, she wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt about today's incident.

"Melody, you look so beautiful. Man, I can't believe we're sitting here like this after all this time." Lucas smiled through perfect teeth.

He hadn't changed a bit unless you count the fact that he'd grown more gorgeous. He ran his hands through his dark hair. Those magnificent half-Italian features ran rampant to anyone he pa.s.sed. He reminded Melody of those suave men from cla.s.sic films. She loved to curl up in front of a Cary Grant film every now and then. She wondered what tickled Lucas's fancy when it came to relaxation.

Melody smiled at Lucas's compliment. "Thank you, Lucas. It took me a while to figure out what to wear, seeing how I didn't know I was even going out tonight." She glanced at Sarah. Sarah obviously caught the hint in Melody's voice. Melody ignored Keith's cunning glance. Already she had the capacity to hate this man beyond belief.

"Luke, I believe we got the two most beautiful women in the restaurant." Keith laid his arm on the back of Sarah's chair. "What more could a man want, huh?"

Lucas shrugged. "I can't see anything else better than this, Keith." He looked at Melody. "So Melody, how's life living with Sarah?"

She giggled. "Has its ups and downs. It's pretty cool. I really am glad for this little arrangement."

"And a fine arrangement you two have." Keith smirked. Melody ignored him.

Lucas took her hand. "Melody, I think working at Caper will surprise you. Believe me, my father will want to take you on. Sarah told me how depressed you've been lately and..."

"What? I haven't been depressed!" Melody sighed. "I've been stressed out lately, that's all." Keith grinned. "Look, why is everyone so wrapped up in what I do?"

"Mel, calm down, okay?" Lucas looked at Sarah. "Did I say the wrong thing?"

"No, Lucas." Sarah sipped wine. "Mel's just having one of those days. You gotta excuse her. Nuns know how to have more fun than she does."

"Mel, we should get the ball rolling. Sarah told me how you've searched for a job for months and haven't come up with anything. I remember how smart and resourceful you were. You had a great mind for technology and bookkeeping. I'm sure that a job at Caper could..."

"Lucas, not now, okay?" Melody sipped wine.

"I want you to talk to my dad as soon as you can." He sighed. "Sorry if I pushed."

"Oh, you gotta push Mel or else she won't do a d.a.m.n thing." Sarah walled her eyes.

Melody set her gla.s.s on the table. "I know something I want to do right about now. It involves my foot and your a.s.s."

"Ladies, it's okay." Lucas grunted. "Didn't expect the job to offend you, Mel."

"Lucas, I'm not offended." She took his hand.

"So, I've been catching the latest news reports." Keith sipped. "On that rapist."

"Oh G.o.d," Sarah moaned. "They talk about it enough on television that I'm sick to death of it."

"It needs to be talked about in order to catch him, Sarah." Melody sighed. "It's amazing how someone can terrorize an entire city, yet the police don't have any clues."

Lucas chewed. "I bet they would work a little harder if the victims weren't black women. You know how the police are."

"Tell me about it." Sarah smirked. "If they were white women they'd have the f.u.c.kin' National Guard down here looking for the guy."

"All the women have been black?" Keith raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Melody thought of Aileen. Being black, beautiful and alone most of the time made Aileen Andrews a perfect candidate for the s.a.d.i.s.tic violator.

"So, is it a black guy or..." Keith gaped.

"No, they say it's a white guy with some strange obsession for black girls." Sarah walled her eyes. "And you'd think the police could come up with something, right?"

"You think it's racially motivated?" Lucas wiped his mouth. "I mean, like, the man is really racist or something and this is how he takes out his frustration on black women?"

"I don't care what his reasons are. He needs to be locked up, that's for sure. Before he hurts someone else." Sarah sipped.

"Uh, let's not talk about rapists, okay?" Melody sighed. "I'm jumpy enough as it is."

"They already nicknamed him." Keith chewed. "They call him the 'Albany Predator'."

"Keith, I said I didn't want to talk about this anymore." Melody sighed.

He nodded. "Point taken. So Melody, are you interested in working at Caper? I find that a great idea. Don't you, babe?" Keith leaned against Sarah.

Sarah scratched her back with her fork. "Oooh," she moaned.

"Are you okay?" Lucas grimaced. She nodded unconvincingly. Lucas continued, "Keith, Sarah and I figured working at Caper would be good for Melody, you know?"

Keith smirked. "Oh really?" He stared at Melody while he caressed Sarah's lap.

"As in, work with us?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Lucas looked at her. "But I see me mentioning it only spoils the mood, so I won't mention it again."

"I just need to think about it, that's all, Lucas." Melody smiled. She watched a waiter sit an attractive couple at the table next to theirs.

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it!" Sarah slammed the fork on the table. People momentarily looked up from their meals. Two waiters shrugged at each other.

"Sis, what's the problem, huh?" Melody grinned.

"s.h.i.+t, my bra's practically eating me alive. I'll be right back, gentlemen." She gestured to the ladies' room. "Mel, could you come with me, please?" Melody followed, grinning.

Lucas shook his head. "Sarah's something else, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Keith stared at Melody. "So, tell me how well you and Mel know each other again, Luke." Keith smirked.

Sarah high-tailed it to the mirror. She nearly ripped her dress off to get to her bra snaps. Melody strolled in grinning.

"Well, it's not such a perfect night for you after all is it, Miss Sarah?"

"Mel, this is no time to be funny." Sarah exhaled. "This d.a.m.n bra is killing me, I swear!"

"Hold on, let me help." Melody noticed red marks underneath Sarah's straps.

"Whoa." She rubbed the marks. Sarah flinched. "G.o.d, your bra's so tight I'm surprised you could breathe."

"I just bought this d.a.m.n thing for ninety dollars."

"Ninety dollars for one bra?" Melody shook her head. "Just like you, sis, living above your means and everyone else's."

Sarah smirked. "Won't have to for long with Keith in the picture. He's fantastic, isn't he, Melody? And he's so nice to you. Wonder how he'd feel to know you been d.o.g.g.i.ng him behind his back. Maybe I should tell him."

Melody shrugged. "Tell him. Maybe it'll be a surefire chance of getting rid of the son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h. You sure you got the right size bra?"

"Yes, I got the right size!" Sarah looked in the mirror.

"Oh, is someone touchy? Is someone perhaps gaining weight?" Melody grinned.

"This has nothing to do with weight, believe me." Sarah rinsed crumbs from her mouth. "Okay, let's go."

Melody blocked her. "Wait, I need to talk to you."

"Later, Keith's waiting."