Page 14 of Melbourne
After getting as much done as he could, Melbourne went to the website that listed homes for sale.There were plenty of them in his price range, but he knew that they were going to need something bigger than the condo that they both owned.He didn’t know what Sammy was going to do with hers, as she owned the entire subdivision where she lived, but he was going to put his on the market as soon as they found a house they could both live in.
After finding several that he liked, he called the realtor that all of the family had been using and asked her to set up some times on Saturday morning to see the ones he’d asked about.Two of them he was ready to write off but there were three that he thought would be perfect for the two of them.He’d pick up Sammy and they’d see the houses before she had to work that evening.Melbourne was about as excited as he’d been in some time.
Going to see his parents, always a treat for him, he handed his dad the list when he told him why he was there.Dad said he could answer most of them as he’d heard the questions before from his brothers, but not all of them.He would have to see his mom or grandma to see if she could get him the information that he might need.
“I didn’t know that Grandma was home.I thought that she was at an amusement park having fun.”Dad told him that she’d gotten bored with that after the first day.“It really isn’t as much fun to see one of those parks alone.It’s always better to take someone with you.”
“We told her that, but she said that she didn’t know who she’d bring with her.I told her that I’d go with her and have a day of it, but she wouldn’t hear of taking me away from work.I think this job is too easy for your mother.I look for her every day to say she can’t stand the boredom anymore.Your grandmother ran such a tight ship here that the place practically runs itself.I myself enjoy all the creatures around and have the best time when it’s time to open up the faerie blooms.”
“I’ve seen that once.It is a beautiful time of the year.To see all the new faeries born out of theblooms is the most exciting thing I’ve ever witnessed.And when they have to test their wings, it’s just too beautiful to describe in mere words.”Dad agreed with him.“I might have to bring Sammy here when that’s happening again.I’m sure that she’ll enjoy it.”
After Dad answered his questions, he went to find Grandma.He was thinking that he’d take her to the park with Sammy and they’d make a day of it.She’d enjoy spending time with him, and he’d love just watching Sammy and Grandma get to know one another.
Chapter 4
Now that she knew he was looking for her, Sammy watched out for her dad.Sometimes she’d see him with Mom, but most of the time he would be alone.She didn’t approach him, but she did keep an eye out for him when she was out doing things.Most of the time, she would pretend not to see him, but after a while, it got to be too much for her, and she’d make sure that when she did see him, she’d go into another shop just so he couldn’t get to her.
It’s not that she didn’t believe Melbourne when he told her what her dad’s intentions were; she was just cautious about him coming around her.She remembered the beatings that she had taken as a child, and her mind made up all kinds of excuses not to be around him.She was tempted to just walk right up to him and ask him what he wanted.Nearly bumping into him on the main street, she did just that.
“I just want to talk to you.”She asked him about what, she had her life just the way that she wanted it.“I’m sure you do.You always were one to get what you wanted when you saw it.I swear I don’t want to hurt you again.I think that I did enough of that when you were a child.And you can’t imagine how terrible I feel about that.”
“Then why did you do it?”He seemed startled by the question, so she asked him something else.“Why did you have us if you only wanted to starve us most of the time or beat us.I think I asked you that once when I was a child, and you never answered me.”
“No, I wouldn’t have back then.I would have just back-handed you and been done with your questions.But I want you to know that I’m a different man than I was back then.And I wanted to tell you and your sister how sorry I am for the man and father that I was.You’ve no idea how many sleepless nights I’ve had just thinking about talking to the two of you.Is Justine all right?Is she getting her life together, too?”
“She’s fine when she thinks that you two were in prison.Right now, she’s very stressed out, thinking that you’re going to come back and start on us again.I have no reason to believe that you won’t, so I don’t know what to tell her.”She saw the tears well in his eyes and felt bad about them.She’d caused them by being cruel, and she didn’t like that of herself.“I’m sorry.I had no right to talk to you like that.Even though I think you might be all right around me, I just don’t know anymore.Do you need a job?”
“It’s difficult to find one with my background.People take one look at the prison term and send me on my way.I heard that the place where you work hires ex-cons, but no one who has abused their partner or children.I’m certain I know the reason why you don’t want them around you.We were never good at being parents.”
“No you weren’t.”She thought about what she was doing and decided to take a chance.“Would you like to have lunch with me?I don’t know where Mom is right now, but I’d like to take you to lunch.We can talk then.”
“I’d like that.I surely would.”She pointed to the deli/hamburger place close to where they were standing, and they went there.There were plenty of people around that she didn’t have to worry about him hurting her, and it was an open space so that she could get away if he had other things in mind while eating with her.After they both ordered, she told him that they’d get something for her mom for him to take back with him.“She’d like that, I’m sure.”
He hesitated, and she wondered what that was about and asked him.He gave her an excuse that she might be upset because she couldn’t talk to her as well.Just as she was going to say then forget it he smiled brightly at her and said he’d enjoy just the two of them having a meal.In fact, he’d been thinking about her a great deal.
Once they ordered, the two of them scoped out a picnic table for them to use.Since they had a number that they picked up their food with, the two of them sat down under the biggest tree she’d ever seen.The cool breeze felt good coming from the shade, and she put her face up to catch a few rays.Her dad told her that she was beautiful.Without looking at him, she frowned.
“You’ve never said that to me before.”She looked at him then.“In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard you say that you loved me either.Not that it matters now, I suppose, but that just occurred to me.”
“I’m sorry.I truly am.I suppose telling you now that I love you is a little too late.”She said she didn’t know if she believed him or not.“Fair enough.I never deserved your love or your respect.I still don’t.But I’d like the chance to earn that right again.”
“We’ll see.I’m not trying to be cruel or anything, but I don’t know this new you, and it’s difficult to trust you right now.”Again, he said that he understood.“I’m not going to bring up the past right now.What did you want to talk to me about?”
“The past.I’m sorry for the way that I treated you.And if you were to walk away right now, it’s no more than I deserve for the way that I treated you and your sister.While I understand that, my heart would like to make amends to you.Given the chance, I’d like to be able to try very hard to earn your love and trust.”She asked him what Mom wanted to do.“I don’t know, to be honest with you.And I plan on doing that from now on, to be honest with you and Justine.”
“What does she say?”She thought about it and shook her head.“It doesn’t matter.I’ll give her whatever I can until she hurts me again.Then there will not be any second chances with me.I’ll close that door so fast that you’ll never be able to get to me again.Neither of you.”
“Is that what this is?A second chance for me?”She told him it was until he messed up again.“You believe that I will.That I’ll mess up like I did before and hurt you.I won’t.I’m working on trying to regain a relationship with you, and if you continue to act like you are now, then yes, I’ll give you whatever you need.Within reason.You’ve had a long time to think about what you wanted to do, and I’ve only had the last hour.”
“Yes, I have.And again, I’m sorry about that.”He looked up when they called their number and went to get their lunch.She made sure she knew where all the places were that she could hide if he were to get violent with her again.When he returned, he set the sub aside for Mom and opened the waxed paper around his.“Your mother will be so jealous.Not for the food, though, that will please her a great deal, but that I’m getting to have a nice lunch with you.Tell me about yourself.I want to know it all.”
She started with Melbourne.“He’s my mate.I’m assuming you know what that is?”He said that he did and congratulated her on finding him.“He says that I found him, but I don’t know what the difference is.He’d be here now, but I didn’t tell him I was meeting with you.He’s very protective, I’ve noticed.”
Sammy didn’t tell him about the lottery that she’d won, nor the fact that she owned the restaurant where she worked.These were things that she wasn’t ready to share just yet.Instead, she told him about her adulthood from the time they were in prison, not keeping anything back about how she’d struggled hard to make sure that she had a roof over her head and money enough for emergencies in the bank.By the time they’d finished their meal, she was exhausted.She’d been so tense since she’d first spoken to him that she’d worn herself out just stressing about whether or not he’d hurt her.When she looked around again, she noticed that Melbourne was at another table having lunch with two of his brothers, and she could have kissed him.He was there in case things went south, yet far enough away that he wasn’t crowding her while she had a long conversation with her father.She was going to have to figure out a way to thank him for his kindness today.
When he looked her way, she waved him over to meet her dad.After introducing the two of them, Melbourne sat down but didn’t take over the conversation.Instead, he waited for her to include him in whatever they were talking about.Melbourne was a good man, and she thought perhaps she’d missed that when she’d first met him.
It was then that she realized that the man she was falling in love with knew more about her than her own father did, and that saddened her.Just as Melbourne was getting up to leave, he had a lot of work to do, he told her.He took her father’s hand into his much larger one before speaking.
