by Sydney Logan
“You’re right. She would say that.”
“I know. That’s why I made her stay in the house.”
Melody managed a grin. “I appreciate that.”
“You know, Brody stopped by this afternoon after the service,” John said. “Brought a cherry cheesecake. He hung around for a while. A lot longer than most of our neighbors. I think he was hoping to see you.”
“I have no idea why. Just running into him at the funeral was awkward enough.”
“He’s a good man, Mel. Doing a lot of good in the community. He just moved back home from North Carolina.”
“North Carolina?”
“Med school. He graduated from Duke with honors and finished his residency or whatever they call it. He’s Dr. Myers now. Everybody calls him Dr. Brody, though.”
“He’s the new pediatrician in town? Funny, you guys didn’t mention that.”
“You didn’t ask.”
“So that’s what he meant when he said the lawyer’s son was his patient.”
Her father laughed. “Every kid in town is his patient. When you’re the only pediatrician, you’re bound to stay busy.”
Melody couldn’t believe it. A doctor? All Brody had ever wanted was to be a farmer or a preacher like his father.
“Dad, can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
“Why didn’t Brody become a preacher? That’s all he ever wanted.”
John smiled softly at his daughter.
“You’re wrong, Mel. That’s not all he ever wanted.”
They grew quiet then. John gazed at the mountains in the distance while Melody tried to make sense of how quickly her life had changed in just two short days. Her father, with his easy demeanor and quiet wisdom, remained silent but stayed right by her side until the stars began to twinkle in the sky.
“It’s getting late. Coming in?” he asked, stifling a yawn.
“I couldn’t sleep if I tried.”
“Try anyway. Don’t make a decision tonight. Who knows? Things may be crystal clear in the morning.”
Melody couldn’t imagine any scenario where that might be true, but she nodded anyway and kissed his cheek.
“Thanks, Dad. Goodnight.”
“Night, Mel.”
Chapter 4
Bright sunlight spilled through the curtains. With a tired groan, Melody covered her eyes against the punishing morning glare. Stupid dreams had kept her up most of the night. A never-ending loop of Brody, Trish, and her mother. She dreamed of babies, too, although it was impossible to know if any of them were actually Macy since she’d yet to see a picture of her.
She grabbed her phone off the nightstand. It was just after six, but between the crazy dreams and her constant anxiety, Melody knew that going back to sleep was impossible.
A good run is exactly what I need.
Melody dressed quickly and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She was surprised—and a little thankful—to find her parents’ bedroom door still closed as she made her way downstairs. Heading outside, she jogged down the front steps and out onto the dew-covered grass.
Melody smiled at the sun. It really was a beautiful spring morning. Even the birds were singing, happy and oblivious to her inner turmoil.
For the next few miles, she was going to be oblivious, too.
In the city, Melody liked to jog in the park near the studio, but nothing could compare to the fresh air of the country. The trail she’d loved to run as a kid led behind the house and past Mr. Harper’s pond. As she sprinted past it, she noticed the water was a little low—a sure sign of the spring drought. Mr. Harper used to keep it stocked with fish, and she and Brody had spent many summer days right there on his dock. Brody had taught her how to bait a hook, and on one rainy afternoon, she’d caught the biggest trout in the pond.
Brody had been so jealous.
She shook her head and ran faster. The last thing she needed was to be thinking about Brody. He was the past, and she couldn’t devote attention to her past. Not when her present and her future were causing such havoc in her heart.
After a while, Melody reached a clearing in the woods, filled with a sea of wildflowers and surrounded by thick, green trees. With a smile, she jogged across the grass and stopped right in the middle of the field. She dropped to the ground and soaked it in.
Mountains, as far as the eye could see, surrounded her.
Melody loved living in New York, but deep down, she would always be a country girl at heart. Peaceful, quiet serenity was unheard of in Manhattan. Maybe that was why she loved the seclusion of the studio so much. It was as close to home as she could ever feel.
She gazed at the hills around her. In just a few months, the trees would be splashed with red and gold, but today, they were lush, green, and beautiful. The mountains were the perfect place to sit, think, and gain a little perspective. There, in the middle of a field of wildflowers, it was easy to remember that she was a very small part of the universe . . . a seemingly inconsequential piece of the gigantic puzzle of life. She was nobody important. Just a woman who wrote songs for other people to sing. In the grand scheme of things, she was a dime a dozen, as her dad liked to say. Regular. Ordinary. Truly nothing special at all.
But that all changed yesterday. She was now the legal guardian of a nine-month old. To that little girl, Melody was now the most important person in the world.
But do I want to be?
Sighing softly, Melody gently laid against the grass. The sun felt nice against her skin, and she closed her eyes.
* * *
“Mel, wake up. You’re gonna be a lobster.”
She hummed softly. After a night of crazy dreams, this one was so much better. Brody’s voice was sweet and deep, with just a hint of his Southern drawl. Granted, his voice wasn’t usually this crystal clear in her dreams, but she’d take it.
But why is he talking about seafood?
“Mel, I’m serious. Your skin can’t handle this much sun. It never could. Remember that summer when we were thirteen? We spent the day at the river, and you came home with that awful sunburn. Your mom made you sit in an oatmeal bath . . .”
Melody’s eyes snapped open. All she could see was blue sky overhead.
“Brody?”
She blinked rapidly and turned toward the sound of his quiet laughter. He was sitting in the grass, right by her side.
“Hey, Green Eyes.”
It had been more than a decade since he’d called her that. How could a nickname conjure so many memories?
“I fell asleep.”
“So I noticed.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Your mom invited me over for breakfast. She didn’t tell you?”
Of course she didn’t tell me.
“Sharon sort of panicked when you weren’t in your room. She calmed down a little when I told her your rental car was still in the driveway.”
With a snort, Melody rose up beside him.
“It would serve her right if I skipped town.”
Brody laughed. “We figured you went for a run. I told them I’d track you down.”
“What’d you do? Follow my scent?”
“Well, your scent always was pretty distinctive.”
Melody rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t keep from smiling.
“It was easy, really. This was our favorite trail. And here you are, scorching your skin.” Brody pointed toward her exposed shoulder. “Seriously, you’ll need to put some aloe on that.”
“I’ll do that, Doc.”
His eyes twinkled in the morning sun. “Ah. So, my secret’s out.”
She pulled her knees close to her chest. “I always wondered how I managed to avoid you whenever I came home.”
“I was at Duke.”
“I know that now.”
“Your folks never told you?”
“No. But I didn’t ask, either.”
His face flickered with disappointment, but he recovered quickly.
�
�I enrolled a few months after you moved away. Everything in this town reminded me of you, so . . .”
She nodded and fixed her gaze on the mountains.
“But you came back.”
“Yeah. I thought about staying in North Carolina, but Dr. Rowland was ready to retire, and Meadow Creek needed a pediatrician. Besides, this is home. So, I opened my practice about six months ago. I had no idea this little town had so many kids, and they’re all clumsy.”
“And school’s almost out,” Melody said. “If these kids are as clumsy as I was, you’re facing a summer full of broken bones and orthopedic casts.”
They laughed, and Brody’s arm accidentally brushed hers. Melody’s skin flamed, but it had nothing to do with the blistering sun. Instinctively, she leaned closer, and she heard his sharp intake of air as he dipped his head toward hers.
It had always been like that between them.
Natural. Instinctive. Magnetic.
And dangerous to her heart.
“We should go,” Melody said softly.
“Why?”
His blue eyes flickered to her mouth.
That’s why.
Desperate to break the spell, she quickly climbed to her feet.
“Come on, I’ll race you back to the house.”
Disappointment flashed in his eyes.
“You’re always running, aren’t you?”
Melody didn’t miss the double meaning behind his question. She simply chose to ignore it before sprinting off toward the house.
* * *
Platters of eggs, bacon, sausage, and fruit had been passed around the table. Brody and John were on their second helping while Sharon sipped her coffee and watched the two of them with a contented smile. Everything smelled great, but Melody only managed to eat a few strawberries thanks to the knot in her stomach.
I can’t believe Mom invited him to breakfast.
“How’s the doctor business?” John asked.
“Busy,” Brody replied. “There’s a nasty stomach virus going around, and all the spring sports are keeping my office packed. Kids break a lot of bones. Were we that accident prone?”
Sharon laughed. “Don’t you remember the summer you broke your arm, thanks to that rope swing down by the river? And Melody practically lived in a cast that one spring. I can’t remember which sport . . .”
Melody speared a slice of cantaloupe with her fork. “Gymnastics. I fell off the balance beam.”
“That’s right! That wretched balance beam.” Sharon’s smile faded when she noticed her daughter’s untouched plate. “Aren’t you hungry?”
No, I’m not hungry. I’m aggravated that you invited my ex-boyfriend to breakfast. And I’m annoyed that we’re all sitting around the table like one big, happy family as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
But Melody didn’t say that. She just popped the cantaloupe in her mouth.
Brody cleared his throat and placed his napkin on his empty plate. “I appreciate breakfast, but I should probably get going. My first appointment’s at nine.”
“I’ll walk you out,” John said, standing up from the table. “I wanna check the mail, anyway.”
“It was good to see you, Mel. Don’t forget that aloe,” Brody said.
“I won’t forget.”
Brody gave Sharon a hug before following John out onto the porch.
Exhaling a deep breath, Melody started to fill her plate.
“So you are hungry.”
Melody took a bite of her eggs and glared at her mom. “I don’t appreciate this little matchmaking scheme of yours. Do you have any idea how awkward that was?”
“Why would it be awkward? Brody has been a member of this family since you were kids. Did you really expect us to desert him just because you did?”
Melody winced. Her mom could’ve slapped her, and it couldn’t have possibly hurt worse.
“I’m sorry,” Sharon said softly. “That was cruel of me. I know you had your reasons. But he’s here, and you’re here, and—”
“And you think we’re going to just pick up where we left off?”
“There’s still love there. Don’t try to deny it.”
“Love was never the problem.”
Melody shook her head. She knew staying in Meadow Creek for an entire week was a bad idea. She was tempted to call Claire and ask her to switch her flight so that she could get back to Manhattan and away from everyone—her parents, the baby . . . and him.
Brody’s words suddenly echoed in her ears.
You’re always running, aren’t you, Mel?
She took a deep breath.
“Brody Myers is my past, and the sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”
Her mom smiled sadly and rose from the table. Reaching down, she gently touched her daughter’s cheek.
“I’ll accept it as soon as you do, sweetheart.”
* * *
The sound of her ringtone jerked Melody awake. Through blurry eyes, she glanced at the screen, ignoring the text and noticing the time instead.
I slept all afternoon?
After arguing with her mom, Melody had resisted the urge to call Claire and opted for a nap, instead. She hadn’t meant to sleep long, but according to her phone, she’d slept the day away. Truthfully, it was probably for the best. She hadn’t rested well since arriving in Meadow Creek, and if she had spent the day with her parents, no doubt she would’ve faced more ridicule and criticism.
And guilt. So much guilt.
It made her sad. Most people find comfort in coming home and spending time with family. But not Melody. It was impossible, when everything and everyone reminded her of the mistakes she’d made, the relationships she’d destroyed, and the love she’d lost.
The loves she’d lost.
Growing up, her parents never doubted that she and Brody were in love, but there were still rules to be followed. Finding out Melody was pregnant was undeniable proof that they’d broken every single one of them.
Shell-shocked, the two teens had been too naïve to fully understand the enormity of the situation. They didn’t think much about the future. They were too busy dealing with the present—which included confessing to their parents and facing their church. Premarital sex was, obviously, the biggest sin of all in the eyes of their parents, and Melody and Brody had no idea how everyone would react.
So, they prepared themselves for the worst, and they got it.
Brody’s parents practically disowned him. And their pastor—Brody’s father—used them as an example of the misguided, fornicating youth he loved to preach about on Sunday mornings. Melody had been mortified, but the cruel words of his father had deeply hurt Brody. He’d always loved going to church, and to now be the focus of his father’s fiery sermons was more than he could bear.
By the end of the first trimester, the stormy waters had calmed to the point that Melody’s mom was calling the baby a blessing and the congregation’s whispers had begun to subside. Brody and Melody had just started to accept the fact that they were really going to be parents when, during a regularly scheduled ultrasound, the doctor couldn’t find the baby’s heartbeat.
In that moment, Melody had been sure she was being punished for her sins.
The doctor tossed around a lot of medical terms that she didn’t understand then and still didn’t understand now, but when he told them that Melody only had a ten percent chance of ever carrying a baby to term, it was the most devastating news of her life. She’d been in no hurry to become a mom, but to be told that her chances of ever having a child were slim to none sent Melody spiraling into a depression so deep that she didn’t think she’d ever escape. Her mom dealt with her own grief by saying that “God had a plan,” but those words weren’t comforting to Melody at all. If anything, they only made her angrier.
How could her broken heart be part of His plan?
For the next year, she and Brody tried to make sense of it all. Faithful to the core, Brody buried his nose in his
Bible while Melody channeled her grief into songwriting. She forced a smile, but deep down, she was suffocating. As much as it killed her, she realized she’d never find true peace in Meadow Creek.
If there really was such a thing as God’s plan, she hoped to find it in Nashville.
It was the perfect solution . . . for her. But leaving Brody behind would always be the most selfish thing she’d ever done.
Unless you send Macy to a group home. That may just take first place on the list of Melody Mitchell’s Selfish Acts.
With a heavy sigh, Melody climbed out of bed and sat down at her old desk. Opening the top drawer, she found a notepad and pen. She’d spent so many nights doing homework or writing songs in that chair. She never dreamed she’d be sitting here years later, making a list of all the reasons why she should or shouldn’t become a mother.
But that’s exactly what she did. Melody drew a line right down the middle of the page.
Pros on the left. Cons on the right.
She wrote until her fingers cramped.
When she finally finished, she glanced at the list.
In the positive column, there were only two.
Mom would be thrilled.
This might be my only chance to be a mother.
She couldn’t deny the little flutter in her stomach when she considered that possibility.
Is this it? Is this my chance? My only chance?
Melody had given up on the dream. No husband. No kids. And she’d made her peace with it. She wasn’t unhappy. She truly believed she could spend the rest of her life in Manhattan, writing and producing, and be completely content, surrounded by her friends and the beautiful city she now called home.
But what if I’m wrong? Could this be my baby?
Melody glanced down at the list once again. She could never show it to anyone. All the cons seemed selfish now that she’d written them in ink.
What about my career? Would I still have time to write? Could I baby-proof the apartment?
