Page 4 of A Family Affair: The Ring
“What do you know about commitment and the strain marriage takes on you, or the responsibilities that land on your chest, whether you’re ready or not?”The barrage continued.“Whether you want them or not?You’re twenty-two years old; you can’t even take care of yourself let alone a wife and wait until the kids start coming.”A harsh laugh, a shake of his head.“The stress will bury you alive.”
Melanie squeezed Will’s hand.She had to stop the accusations before they went any further.Kisses?Sleeping together?It was no secret Will didn’t get along with his father, but that didn’t mean he had to believe the worst, especially in connection with her mother.Yes, this whole situation was off and if you just looked at the optics, they weren’t great…but that didn’t mean anything happened.“Will, maybe you need to take a minute.”
“Take a minute?And what?Try to erase the kiss I saw or how they were hanging all over each other?”Those blue eyes flashed with anger and disgust.“Iknowwhat I saw and if you’d turned two seconds sooner, you would have seen it, too.”
“Will.”Her mother offered the smile she used when she was trying to convince her family to try a new recipe or do a chore they didn’t want to do.“Surely, you must know we would never harm our families, especially that way.”More smiling, a clearing of her throat.“Please, you must believe us.”
He stared at her mother so long Melanie almost jumped in with words likeOf course we believe you, but then Will spoke.“I always knew you were a great English teacher, but now I see your abilities extend to fiction as well.I think you have a second career in the fiction department, but don’t expect Melanie and me to fall for your stories.We don’t lie or make up tales because that’s not who we are.”He reached for Melanie’s left hand, held it in front of them.“Wearegoing to get married, and we are going to move away from Magdalena and have a life together.We arenotgoing to be like either one of you, telling lies and pretending.”His next words blasted his father with a warning.“You’ve got until tomorrow to tell Mom what’s happening and if you don’t, I will.You are not going to do this to her.Not again.”
“I’ll deal with your mother.That self-righteous attitude of yours is going to land you in a lot of trouble.”Joe Callahan’s blue gaze narrowed, his jaw twitched.“It won’t end well.”
The threat that flashed through the older man’s words made Melanie uneasy.Maybe this was why Will never wanted to talk about his father.We’re not close, he’d said.We have nothing in common.
“Tomorrow morning or I spill,” Will repeated.“And then I pay a visit to Mr.Russell.Somebody’s got to let him know he’s being played for a fool.”
“What?”Melanie pulled her hand from Will’s, turned to face him.“You can’t do that to my father.”She pictured her father in his favorite recliner, reading glasses perched on his nose as he worked the crossword puzzles he insisted kept his brain sharp.Such a kind, gentle soul who deserved to be loved, respected, honored.
Her mother finally spoke after long minutes of silence and unshed tears.“Melanie’s right.Ward does not deserve this.”She squared her shoulders, raised her chin to a level of superiority and delivered what Melanie would later realize was her mother’s greatest performance.“You think he’ll believe your lies?”
“They aren’t lies,” Will bit out.“Anybody with half a brain and decent eyesight can see that.”
A small laugh covered in amusement.“Oh, Will, you are so naïve.What will you say when he asks why you and Melanie were at the hotel?”A tilt of her head, a smile.“You’re such a proponent of the truth, so I’m curious as to your answer.”Those hazel eyes glittered.“Melanie has always been his princess.Do you think he’ll give his blessing to this marriage when he learns you’re trying to destroy his family?”
“I know what I saw.Do you hear me?”He jabbed a finger against his chest, snarled, “I know.”Then he turned to Melanie, those blue eyes fierce, his voice firm.“Come on, Melanie, let’s get out of here.”
She should have followed him, should have trusted the man she loved.He’d never lied or pretended or accused.But what he’d threatened to do would destroy her family, and she could not let that happen.Melanie stared at the man who’d asked her to share his life, and shook her head.“I can’t do that, Will.I won’t ruin lives and you shouldn’t either.”
“You don’t care that everybody’s living a lie?”His handsome face burst with color, his words dripping disbelief.“What are you doing?What about standing for something, no matter how hard it is?Were those just words?”
If only she had grabbed his hand and clung to him, but she didn’t.She couldn’t.She needed time to think.“Please don’t tell my father.You’ll destroy him.And if you do that...you’ll destroy us.”
One more hard stare and then he turned and walked toward the elevator, leaving her behind with the parents who might not be telling the truth and a heart full of dreams that may never happen.
Melanieno longer believed in destiny or meant-to-be, even though her mother still loved to toss around those words.But of course, she could afford to do that becauseeveryonecatered to her, made sure they createdherreality, even if it wasn’t true.
Destiny has a way of pointing us in the direction we’re intended to go…
Destiny will guide you toward your place in life.
If you open your heart, destiny will find you.
Trust in meant-to-be...
Right.Any hope of destiny or meant-to be shriveled when she refused to side with Will and what he claimed he saw.He’d been so insistent on exposingeverything, even when he didn’t have 100% proof and she’d been equally insistent on giving their parents the benefit of the doubt.There was a lot to consider: her father’s struggle with depression, her mother’s reputation, the well-organized life they all led.How could Melanie destroy all of it with an accusation she couldn’t substantiate?
Will didn’t see it that way.He said he’d gotten all the proof he needed the second he spotted his father and her mother together.Through all of this, Joe Callahan had remained strangely silent, eyes locked on Melanie’s mother as though all he cared about was her and her reaction.
Why hadn’t Melanie questionedthat?Why had she listened to her mother’s tearful claims about family and how much she loved their father, and the disastrous upheaval this would cause him?Your father will not survive these lies and it will be on you, Melanie.You and Will Callahan.Who will you choose?
The last time she saw Will, he’d stood outside her house—the day after a miserable Christmas—snow falling on his longish hair, jacket open, disbelief smearing his face.I told my mother what I saw, he said.All of it and my old man had the nerve to deny it.
Can’t you let it go?Can’t you let them live their lives so we can live ours?
Of course, she should have known the answer because Will Callahan did not back down from anything, especially what he saw as the truth.I can’t let it go, and I don’t understand how you can.And then the words that scorched her soul.Who are you?
They might have been able to get through it if Will hadn’t contacted her father and told him what he’d seen.The only way to save the familyandher father from a deeper slip into depression was for Melanie to repeat the story her mother prepared for her.Susannah Russell was after all a very good storyteller.Mr.Callahan was helping Mom check out a surprise for you.I knew about it and that’s why Will and I stopped there.
Her mother insisted they had to massage the truthfor your father’s sake.Ever since he lost his job, he’s become convinced that I’ll leave him.I would never do that.We must protect him, Melanie.We both know nothing happened, but in his state, he might not see it that way.
