Home Again

Chapter Two Realization

“Brad?” She grabbed his arm “Why just tell me why you’re doing this? I love you Bradley. Doesn’t that count for anything.”

“Of course, it does but The future of the Firm and this family relies on me.” He stared over the cliff at the large ranch below him. The wooden fences and the horses grazing were so peaceful, but it couldn’t distract him from the pain reeling through him. He was breaking Melanie’s heart and he did not know how to fix it. “Mel, my family’s fortune is at our feet. I don’t want some high and mighty city boy or one of my younger cousins taken over.” He took in the blue green grass and watched the sun setting over the mountain peaks sending a shower of pinks and purples shooting across the sky, “Our future, a career that would enable you to go shopping every day and never have a care in the world. My trust is large but not endless. My taking over the firm would mean an abundance of funds...”

She interrupted him grabbing his arm “I don’t want your stupid trust or pointless shopping trips. I just want you Brad; just you. This ring...” She looked at the large diamond wrapped in sapphires, “This ring is impressive and expensive but that isn’t why I loved it or why I said yes. I love you Bradley Wayne Singleton and I just want you.” He wrapped his broad arms around her waist pulling her to him and crushing her against his chest. She gazed up into his emerald eyes and smiled as he bent to her kiss.

He continued to look into her eyes, “That ring is a promise, that I love you...”

“Brad planes waiting!!!” Another male voice yelled from behind them.

He closed his eyes releasing her and taking a breathless step back.

“Brad”

“Mel, I have to be responsible enough. I have to be a man, and This is what I have to do. It’s what is right.” He turned quickly making long strides back toward the house.

“Brad, I will not stay in this ring a ding town waiting four years for you to come home, I love you, but I have a life to live too.” Tears began rolling down from her blue eyes bringing long smears of Black with them.

He didn’t bother to turn around he just pulled his large hat a little lower covering his eyes as she had seen him do a million times when he needed to shut the world out. “We all have thangs in this life we need to do and thangs we feel are important. As my paw would always say, we all have choices to make and you do what you deem appropriate.” His pace picked up and the spurs on his boots sounded through her heart and branded her soul as her life strode away from her and the very felt like it was cracking beneath her feet. “Clink… Clink… Clink…” The echo was relentless and seemed to haunt her, “Clink… clink… clink…”

“MEL... MEL... Wake up Mel” Faith shook her.

“I’m up, I’m up. What?”

“You were sobbing and screaming!”

She wiped the tears from her cheeks “Sorry, I just...” she blew her nose. Taking in the dark room with pale walls realizing she was at the hotel, “It was so real” She sobbed hugging her blanket tighter as if she feared it would run away, “I was dreaming of Brad and the last day I saw him again.”

“Oh, it was a bad ending, huh? You never really told me what happened?” The woman Sat a little taller as if she were getting

ready for story time.

“It’s a long story Faith. One of love, loss and betrayal.”

Bradley

“I think it’s time to go, don’t you squirt?” He looked down on his nine-year-old daughter.

“No! Mel hasn’t even performed yet.” Her brown eyes peered at him so much like her mother, he thought.

“Who is Mel?” He questioned. There was a draft in the old gym. If he were a superstitious man, he would think the universe was trying to tell him something and the thought made him uneasy. He tried to shake the eerie feeling but seemed to have trouble; the small hairs on his neck were standing on end; almost like he was at the theatre watching a horror film instead of in a gym with a bunch of preteens at a scream fest.

“Only the most awesome musician in the whole entire world, uncle Brad. Where have you been?” Jessica looked up combing her red curls out of her face.

“Yeah uncle Brad, where?” a woman startled him.

“Dena”. He fidgeted toward the woman, suddenly very glad to see his baby sister.

“Hey big brother,” She tip toed to kiss his cheek, “Jessica, I said you could stay the night only, if you behaved.”

“Sorry mom” The child looked at the ground biting her lip. “but…” She grabbed her mom’s hand. “Ann and I have been waiting for this concert like our entire lives.” The two girls smiled over dramatically.

“Oh, wow eight and nine long grueling hard years, so

terrible.” Brad and Dena both laughed.

“Please Dad! if I don’t get to see Mel, I’ll… I’ll die… I’ll just die,” they stuck there lips out and pouted “look at those seats”. She waved her arms around them.

“They are nice seats.” Dena said looking back at the endless number of people that were still piling in.

“Fine” Brad threw his arms out “It would appear I’m outnumbered” He flopped down beside the two. the girls who had begun to jump and scream “But you’re staying for this chick fest, right” Pulling Dena down beside him.

“You kidding?” Yelling over the cheering crowd “I wouldn’t miss this one for the world,”

“You a Mel fan?” He jabbed

“Yep,” She bobbed her head to the beat as the band began tuning up, “Always have been even before she became famous.” The music picked up and the two girls beside them joined everyone to their feet yelling. “Mel… Mel… Mel…”

“You truly don’t know, do you?” she was astounded.

“Don’t know what?” He yelled as the band was tuning up and the arena volume went up twenty octaves.

Dena bit her lip, staring at him in disbelief. How could he not know? Did he ever watch television or anything? The beauty beyond comparison jetted on stage. And the fans, including the two children at their side, applauded. This was going to be good, she thought. She the tempo picked up. “Look”. She pointed toward the stage and followed his line of sight. She knew the moment the realization hit him and she thought he might get sick. He was

turning the prettiest shade of blue, was he breathing? If this had been any other situation she would have laughed.

“Good Evening Pikeville!!!” her voice rang like a thousand Christmas bells in December. “Melanie” he thought, “what do I do?” “You watch her”. The lights and the sound faded away from her. The pricey clothes and the glamour were gone. To him it was just Mel, his Mel, his heart was beating so hard inside his chest he couldn’t feel anything but it pounding his ribs to death. As she turned and threw the flower from her hair into the crowd, his heart stopped; he could have sworn she looked at him and he felt her gaze on him; she did. He was sure of it but wait. The show went on. If she saw him, she would have acknowledged him right... or at least showed a flicker of something, but alas, she was solid on her cues and routines, as if nothing in the world could throw her off her game. She was rock, a force; the same Melanie but now so assured of herself and still so gorgeous. It made him hate the other men in the room. They didn’t deserve to be watching her performance, although he couldn’t fathom why, after all, she wasn’t his anymore, but deep down something still longed for her.

“Dad... Dad!” Ann screamed “I caught her flower. I caught it. It smells just like her perfume.” She held it out him.

He took it, smelled it so quickly and so deeply, as if that one little rose held all the oxygen in the world and he was smothering to death. Annie and now Jessica stared confused even though they still danced to the music. “Is he ok?” Jessica ask her mom.

“Yea, I’ll explain later.” Dena chuckled “Hey, Bub need some air? Wanna take a walk?”

“No... I mean yes... No! I just want to watch her... I mean the show; I want to watch the show… just the show…” He stammered.

and sat back down, not realizing he had even stood up. He watched her sway and rock on the stage while every other person in the room faded away. She was dancing and singing for him; it was his own private show. He wanted her to see him. Why wouldn’t she just look at him? It was almost like she ignored him on purpose and was intentionally trying to annoy him. At one point, she hit her knees right in front of him on the stage and threw her hair back. He was suddenly very glad he wore a heavy coat…