by CF Frizzell
A million more things need to be said, but not if they’ll fall on deaf ears.
With not another word between them, Mel helped Nana out of the car and into her recliner. Tempted as she was to resume their discussion, she mentally logged all her points, and hoped, given some indication that Nana was willing to talk—and listen, that she’d be able to express them.
But Nana made her unwillingness quite evident throughout Mel’s supper preparations, and Mel’s patience dwindled as rapidly as her frustration and anger mounted. If I don’t get out of this house right now, I’ll lose my mind.
Twenty minutes later, Mel sat staring at the creek flowing beneath the old stone bridge. She downed an entire bottle of water, unable to remember driving, Nana’s desperate whining still loud in her ears. Too bad it’s not in me to show her the same pathetic respect.
Mel chuckled through her blank stare, hearing Nana humph and tsk-tsk around Mel’s every other word. “Your father told me you’d outgrown that fad in college! Is this how desperate for companionship you’ve become? Cooped up with your damn newspaper? Maybe Robert should sell it just to bring you to your senses!”
The only thing Mel salvaged from their confrontation was Nana’s exasperated refusal to call her son for reinforcement. Nana had sobbed hard at the prospect of telling him that all of Tomson now knew of his deviant daughter.
Mel cracked the seal on a second bottle and drank. His ultimate nightmare. My ultimate nightmare. What a naïve fool I was, so young, trading the personal life for the professional. She tipped her head back against the headrest. Thirty didn’t seem so far away then. If only it wasn’t so far away now.
As long as he was unaware of this firestorm, the Chronicle was hers to run, complete with its own set of political and financial woes; hers to own outright, as long as… She knew keeping him in the dark about herself until the end of March was unrealistic, at best. Maybe ride this for just a few months? Hot heads will be cooler by then. The Heights opening will help soothe tempers, too. Can I hold him off till then? Till January? His Christmas visit should be lovely.
She wondered, again, if he kept in touch with any townspeople, he knew so many long-timers. Did they exchange email? Did his friends here go to vacation with him in Miami? He received the Chronicle by mail every week, so he was well up on its content, but what personal conversations could reveal was another matter.
He’ll call by the beginning of August. Somehow, I have to lure back Home Depot and Dick Turner, and, hopefully, others will follow like sheep. If not, page reduction will strike Dad like a blow to the face. Jesus, if he shows up…
She drank heavily and wished it was stronger stuff. How the hell do I stand my ground and keep it all quiet? The Chronicle will be lost. The calm and security of Shay’s embrace, her support and companionship called to her. What was I thinking? Hard to imagine having you and the Chronicle, especially when you learn my whole pathetic—shameful story.
Mel took another blast of water, primped a little in the rearview mirror, and drove to the ranch with as much determination as possible, thoughts tumbling out into the breeze. “You’ve no idea what this stupid, scared college girl did, Shay, how stuck she is now. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to just get the hell out.” She wondered if it was too late to be honest, if she could take Shay aside, explain well enough to make her understand.
Her mind far from where she now stood, Mel worked her way through the crowd to the blanket Misty and friends shared at the rear of the concert venue. She was desperately eager to escape and destress, even for a couple hours, and welcomed the group’s laughter and upbeat mood.
Chapter Twenty-five
“Oh! I love this song!” Keary wiggled with glee, and a wave of her beer sloshed onto Mel’s thigh. Doran tossed extra napkins across Keary, onto Mel’s lap.
“Down, girl!” Misty said from Mel’s other side.
“The band’s really happy to be here, too,” Mel reported. “The bass player grew up in Cascade, did you know that?” Keary spared her a surprised look. “They’re doing three shows in Helena next weekend.”
Doran pressed forward to see around Keary. “She’s preoccupied.”
“I’d worry if I were you,” Coby told Doran from the far end of their blanket. “That lead singer is a knockout.”
“Not my type,” Keary injected absently. “Now, the banjo player, she’s…”
Doran elbowed her and knocked her into Mel. More beer spilled.
“Will you finish that before I wear it all?” Mel laughed. “I’m getting all wet.”
Coby leaned forward again, but Misty poked her shoulder. “Don’t even go there.” She reclined on her elbows, angling her head to see through the crowd. “Can’t believe you got to sit and talk with them, Mel.”
“Neither can I. After five minutes, I just forgot about my notes and we just hung out.” She bent close to Misty’s ear. “Don’t say anything now, or I’ll wear the rest of Keary’s beer, but the banjo player is family.”
“I love it. Is she out?”
Mel nodded. “I met her girlfriend, too. They said nobody makes a big deal of it in Nashville anymore.”
“Wonder what Tomson would say if it knew.” Misty raised an eyebrow when Mel simply nodded again. “Times have changed, Mel.”
Mel had begun to give that serious thought, but Shay arrived in broad, easy steps over and around legs, chairs, coolers, and blankets.
Keary whispered, “You don’t really need to hear this, Mel, and don’t you dare tell Doran I said it, but Shay makes me hot.”
“Hot doesn’t even come close.”
She heard Keary chuckle and wished Nana could muster an ounce of respect for Mel’s happiness. It’s okay to go after what you want, regardless of Nana’s tears. This is my life, my heart, and if it was wrong to give it away to Shay, it wouldn’t feel so…
Hard to stay on point, with Shay reaching their blanket. The low-cut jeans practically made Mel drool. She was startled to actually feel her thighs enclosing those hips, those shoulders. Her eyes shut briefly, and she squirmed a bit at the all-too-tangible recollection of Shay’s mouth, ravenous at her center. Deep, wet arousal forced Mel to adjust her butt on the blanket.
She exhaled heavily. “Jesus.”
Keary teased her with an elbow to the ribs. “Oh, you got that right.”
Sitting on the ground, Mel had to look a long way up to meet Shay’s eyes, and she deliberately took her time. The body-hugging burgundy shirt with its top three buttons undone was nothing short of criminal.
This time, Keary elbowed Doran, who looked past her to Mel and then up at Shay.
“Hey, Don Juan.” She hissed at her and tugged on her pant leg. “Friggin’ take a seat or we’ll have to chain your woman down.”
Shay quickly settled in beside Mel and leaned back on outstretched arms. She pressed one against Mel’s back, and Mel offered a knowing smile.
She whispered over her shoulder. “Is it unladylike to be this turned on?”
Shay’s breath warmed her ear. “Nothing you could do would be unladylike.”
“Wish I dared lay my head on your shoulder.”
“It’s better this way,” Shay answered, her voice low, “otherwise we’d definitely miss the show.”
Mel knew that to be a fact. Sitting so close made resisting Shay nearly impossible. “Nice shirt.” She slipped a finger between two buttons to feel Shay’s bare stomach. “Delicious body.”
“Don’t tease the tiger, young lady.”
“Hey, Mel.” Coby pointed to the edge of the crowd. “That your guy Mike, waving like a lunatic?”
Mel craned her neck to see Mike hopping over people to reach her. She felt Shay grip her arm.
“What’s got him so wound up?”
Mike stopped some fifty feet away and yelled. “Mel!” He waved her toward him. “Come on! Hurry!” He turned and rushed away.
“Shit.” Mel scrambled to her feet. “Kear, I’m deputizing you for this show.” She du
g a pen and small notepad from the side pocket of her satchel and dropped them onto Keary’s lap. “Play reporter for me.” She took off after him.
Shay stood up and watched for several seconds. “I can’t stay here.” She high-stepped her way through the gathering.
Mike’s Volkswagen skidded to a halt as Mel ran up, and he shoved open the passenger door. “Get in!”
“Wait!” Shay called. “What’s up?”
Mike sent Mel a desperate look and then shouted to Shay. “Fire at Mel’s!”
Mel gasped and Shay stopped dead at the car.
“Fuck! I can’t leave the fair, goddamn it!”
“Send the others,” Mike yelled, and put his foot to the gas just as Mel shut her door.
They flew along the isolated country road to the source of flickering red and blue lights and the fog of black smoke, while Mel feared for Nana and struggled to absorb this nightmare. Mike wove through the collection of volunteers’ cars, onto the front lawn, right up to the ambulance, and Mel raced to Nana, who sat in a porch chair with an EMT crouched alongside.
Nana peered up at Mel around the heavy-gauge plastic of an oxygen mask, her eyes watery and blank with shock, and Mel dropped to her knees and took the frail arms in her hands.
“My God, Nana! Are you all right?”
“She’s okay,” the technician said. “This is just a precaution. She smelled smoke and called us right away. I guess then she went outside to see what she could see, and it’s a good thing she did.”
Smoke and mist drifted across them in the shifting breeze, but Mel just blinked away the sting, refusing to take her gaze from Nana. Then the questions, self-doubt, and guilt set in. What happened? How? Supper was baking. The timer should have shut the oven off automatically.
And they’d fought. A lot. About her “personal choices,” her reputation, the family’s “good name.” She’d left in a blinding rage, craving Shay’s support…and wasn’t here for Nana when the ultimate fear took hold. Thank God she called, got herself outside. How did the poor thing ever manage? How terrified she must have been.
Mel broke into tears and lunged forward, taking Nana in her arms.
“Thank God, Nana. I’m so glad you’re okay!”
Breathless from the run from her car, Misty set her palms on Mel’s back.
“We’re here, hon.” She asked the technician for some water for Nana.
Coby gripped Mel’s shoulder. “I’m going to see what I can find out and call Shay.”
Misty nodded and knelt next to Mel, slid a steadying arm around her waist. “Mrs. Baker. I’m a friend of Melissa’s. My name is Misty.” She patted Nana’s shoulder and gave Mel a squeeze. “I’ll stay with her, Mel. Go with Coby.”
Mel nodded numbly, still staring at Nana’s face.
“Nana? You let Misty know if you’re not feeling well, all right? I have to talk to the firefighters, but I’ll be back in just a few minutes.” She stood and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you, Misty.”
She hurried around the house, stricken by the activity, the surreal sight. The ladder truck, two engines, and a pumper truck occupied the well-groomed lawn, and firefighters bustled about with hoses and axes. Sparks and shrapnel filled the air, shreds of asphalt shingles, tar paper, and wood littered the shrubs, the ground, flattened her flower beds.
Mel was taken aback by the pile of blackened wood and the charred lawn tractor where the oversized shed had stood until a few hours ago. And it literally pained her to see firefighters with axes widen the hole in the roof on the house, one story above her bedroom. A solid cable of water bridged the gap from the extended ladder to the black chasm on the roof while three-inch hoses fired into upper windows from the ground.
Coby hustled to meet her, put an arm around her shoulders, and the security made her tremble. Fire Chief Madden approached, and Mel nearly broke down at his sympathetic expression.
“So sorry, Mel. From what we can tell, it started in the shed.” They turned to the pile of black, steaming rubble. “Jumped to the house roof here. Overall, though, you’re pretty lucky. This end of the house took the brunt of it, but for the most part, it’s workable. I suspect what Elsie smelled was the shed.”
Through her tears, Mel watched clouds of black become streams of gray, then white as firefighters tamed the flames.
“There were some gasoline cans in the shed for the yard tools and stuff,” Mel mumbled.
Madden nodded. “Well, something sparked it. I’d say the inside was pretty well soaked down for the thing to go up like it did. The cans old? Could they have leaked across the floor?”
“Ah, um, no. Not old.” Mel shook her head and leaned into Coby’s shoulder. “I bought them last summer. Two five-gallon plastic ones. And they were full.”
“We’ll have the investigation up and running real quick, Mel, but it seems pretty suspicious. When’s the last time you were in the shed? Past few days? This week?”
“Just last night.” She wiped her cheeks with her fingers. “It was locked. I always locked it.”
“I’m sure the investigation will prove that,” Madden said, “which means there’s a good chance we’re looking at arson.”
Mel stared up at the house, her bedroom, and that upper corner of the structure blackened and mauled. Her head dropped as tears began in earnest.
Coby gathered her into her chest. “Hang in there, hon. It’s going to be all right. Chief said it’s fixable, so that’s really good news. And your grandmother is okay, Mel, and that’s the most important thing.”
Mel sobbed against Coby’s shirt, hearing the words and struggling for their comfort. Through it all, her mind kept returning to one face.
“Shay will be going crazy.”
“Shh.” Coby steered them toward the front yard. “Let’s get back to your Nana and Misty, and I’ll call her. You can talk to her.”
*
Shay took a deep breath and knocked softly on the hotel suite door. When Mel opened it and threw herself into her arms, she felt the tension in her chest subside, despite Mel’s instantaneous flood of tears. She held her tightly, as fully as she could, inhaling the scent of wood smoke off Mel’s hair and clothes.
She let her cry right where they stood, but wanted to take them inside. Nana was there at the River House, too, Misty had said.
Mel straightened and tried to brush the wet spots from Shay’s shirt. She tugged her in and shut the door quietly.
“Nana’s asleep in the other bedroom,” she said, leading Shay to hers.
Shay closed the door, dropped the duffel she’d brought on the floor, and took Mel to the bed. The smell of smoke was pervasive and made her temper rise. She drew Mel to sit beside her, took her wet face in her hands, and kissed her softly.
“It’s going to be all right.” She enclosed her in her arms again.
“I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t know where to start.”
“Shh, honey.”
“I-I feel so…lost. What a m-mess this is. My whole life is a m—”
“Sh.” Shay ran her hands over Mel’s back, pressing her close. “You need sleep. It’s very late.”
Mel shook her head against Shay’s chest. “There’s no w-way I could. First the window, now my house, and Nana, and I need to talk to y—”
“First, you’re going to shower.” She took Mel up with her as she stood. “Misty threw some clothes in a bag for you. Some sweats and stuff, a toothbrush, so you’ll have something in the morning. Tonight, you’re sleeping with me, and we’re not wearing anything for that.”
Mel caught her breath and looked up, tears still trickling. Shay lightly rubbed them away.
“Don’t argue, Ms. Baker. I don’t give a damn if Nana finds out. Of course, I’d rather she didn’t, for your mental state right now, and I hope to be gone before she wakes, but if she does, she does. You’re what matters to me, and I intend to see that you get a good night’s sleep. Now come on.”
She went to the duffel and pulled out a sm
all toiletries bag, then took Mel’s hand. It was cool and weak in hers as she led her into the bathroom and locked the door. She started the shower and unbuttoned Mel’s shirt.
“I have to admit,” she whispered on the tip of Mel’s nose, “I never envisioned taking your clothes off under such circumstances.”
Mel blurted out a chuckle as her shirt and bra fell away, and she kneaded her hands into Shay’s hips. “That makes two of us.”
Shay knelt and pulled down the rest of Mel’s clothes. She kissed her stomach, nuzzled into her hair, and hugged her around the hips. “Smoke isn’t the scent I enjoy from you, my goddess.” She stripped quickly and took Mel’s hand again. “Let’s go.”
Shay lathered every inch of her, shampooed her hair patiently, thrilled for many reasons. She couldn’t wash away the despair and worry, but she could provide comfort and security, and love. More than anything, she wanted to convey love. Mel stood vacantly still, blinking through the cascading water.
“I am in such awe of you, Melissa Baker, your strength, your beauty. Your heart. I’m so grateful you’re a part of my life.”
“There’s so much I need to say to you.” Mel combed Shay’s wet hair back with her fingers.
Shay hardly heard her. “Shh.” Tingling raced from her scalp to everywhere else.
Mel cupped her face. “I didn’t think knights in shining armor existed anymore.” The half-smile pulled at Shay’s composure. “Guess I never thought I’d ever need one, but I do.” Her arms slid around Shay’s neck. “And she’s you.”
Mel’s heartfelt words sent Shay’s emotions reeling, glazed her mind and body as thoroughly as the water raining from the wall. Reality became the surface of her skin, of Mel’s skin, where their bodies met, where passion and desire passed between them. She swallowed hard and heard herself speak.
“We all need someone who’ll…How did you put it once? Take your heart into her hands?” She kissed Mel lightly. “I cherish yours. And you have mine to hold, Mel. I love you.”
Mel blinked, and Shay saw sadness slowly rinse away. She held her breath as Mel brought her mouth close and spoke against her lips.
