Forever and Always

by Beverley Hollowed

  “You’re not mad” Melanie asked completely taken back by her Dad’s reaction.

  “No I am not mad” Alex laughed. “Melanie you are a beautiful grown woman. You have every right to do what makes you happy. And I have known for the last seven years the only thing that could make you happy is Sam. Of course you know Sarah is going to go postal but we can handle that”.

  Melanie felt as if a hundred ton of bricks had been lifted off her shoulder. She knew no matter what else happened she would have her Dad behind her. She quickly jumped up off the sofa and wrapped her arms around her Dad.

  “Thank you” she whispered as tears pooled in her eyes.

  “Hey don’t cry” he said and pulled her closer to him.

  “They are happy tears” she sniffed and hugged him tighter.

  Sam watched Melanie with her Dad and finally he got it. He could see the special bond between this Father and Daughter. Now he knew just why Melanie had been so upset and hurt by what happened between her and her dad all those years ago. But he knew Melanie had been wrong when she believe her Father thought she had ruined his life. This man loved his daughter unconditionally and without regret. It was a very touching thing to see.

  Alex made them all a coffee and Melanie told him all about how she and Sam at been reunited, well not quite all. She decided to skip the bit about the incredible sex. She felt her Dad didn’t need to know that part. She told him about Simon calling to Lucy’s the night before and how he had freaked out. She could see Sam wincing as she spoke about this. She told her dad how she had gone to Sam’s the night before to do the right thing and end it with him but how she just couldn’t do it.

  He asked Sam about himself and his family and about the future. They seem to instantly hit it off and it struck Melanie she had never seen her Dad and Simon so comfortable with each other.

  The only thing Alex seemed upset about was their plan to go the States and back to the beach house on Saturday. And he wasn’t happy about her not facing Simon either.

  “Dad I just can’t” she explained. “You saw him this morning, he is all over the place. I know I am going to break his heart. And I know this is the coward’s way out. But I just can’t do it”.

  Alex didn’t reply for a few minute. He just sat there and appeared to be deep in thought.

  “Alright then” he sighed finally. “I will do it”.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “I will tell Simon” he said. “I will go to see him on Saturday once you are on your way and I will tell him how sorry you are but that this was something you had to do”.

  “Really?” Melanie and Sam replied in unison.

  “On two conditions” he said seriously.

  “Ok” she replied nervously.

  “Firstly I want you to go on your hen’s night Friday night” he said firmly. Melanie looked from him to Sam and back again in confusion.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Melanie you have a lot of great friends” Alex explained. “There are a lot of people that are going to be hurt that you never said goodbye. I think going out with all your friends on Friday will leave things on a high before you leave on Saturday. It could be you secret goodbye party”.

  “I guess I could do that” Melanie agreed not really sure if she wanted to do the whole hens night thing. “What’s the second thing?”

  “I don’t want you to tell your Mom before you go” Alex said much to both Melanie and Sam’s surprise. “She is going to be mad as hell. You know how she feels about Sam”. He looks at Sam feeling a little embarrassed. “No offence”.

  “None taken” Sam quickly assured him.

  “I will tell her too “Alex explained. “Give her a chance to calm down before you speak to her. I don’t want her to say things she will regret in the heat of the moment. I couldn’t stand to see you two falling out”.

  Melanie hugged her Dad once again. She knew he was right and what he suggested was the right thing to do.

  When Melanie and Sam left the house an hour later she kissed her Dad and hugged him so tightly.

  “Thanks Dad” she whispered.

  “I love you kiddo” he replied. “You never forget that ok”.

  “I promise”.

  Then he turned to Sam and offered his hand again. Sam took it and shook it firmly.

  “You take care of her, you hear me” Alex said suddenly sounding very fatherly. It made Melanie smile.

  “I will Sir” Sam replied. “I love her so much”.

  “I don’t doubt that at all” Alex replied. “And please, it’s Alex”.

  “Ok, Alex” Sam smiled and shook his hand again.

  They walked to Melanie’s car and she turned and waved at her Dad. Her heart almost burst with the love she felt for him in that moment. She knew no matter what happened her Dad loved her.

  Now she just needed to get through the next few days.

  Chapter 22All day Thursday, Melanie was in her bedroom packing what she needed to take with her when she and Sam left on Saturday.

  The past two days had gone by so much easier than Melanie had expected. Simon did as she asked and gave her the space she needed. She hadn’t spoke to him since Tuesday morning other than a couple of text he sent telling her he loved her and he was sorry for being an idiot. Melanie felt guilty about what she was doing but she knew she didn’t belong with Simon.

  Sam had spent the last two nights with her and they were amazing. She loved him so much it truly scared her. She still hadn’t told her about what happen the night of her birthday. She tried so hard to tell him so many times but she just couldn’t seem to find the words.

  Much to Melanie’s horror her Mom had rang on the Wednesday night and insisted she and Simon dropped by her place for dinner the following evening. She was arriving home early afternoon with Tom and she said she couldn’t wait to see Melanie that she missed her so much.

  Melanie tried to get out of it saying that she thought Simon might already have plans but Sarah insisted that she would call Simon and ask him herself. And Melanie knew Simon would agree the minute Sarah called because he was trying desperately to get back into Melanie’s good books.

  Sam wasn’t happy about Melanie’s plans for the night but she explained there was no way she could get out of it. He felt a little happier when she told him that Alex was going to be there and he knew Alex was on their side. She promised him she would meet him back at his apartment once she had dropped Simon home.

  She collected Simon at half seven from his apartment and was heading straight to her mother’s place.

  “Hi” he said nervously when he slipped into the car next to her. He reached over and kissed her softly on the cheek. Melanie felt a bolt of guilt charge through her body. Despite how angry Simon had made her the past few days she knew deep down he was a good guy and he really didn’t deserve what she was about to do to him. But she loved Sam so much there was just no competition. She smiled when she thought about Sam. The image of his perfect face jumped into her head and instantly she felt stronger.

  “Hey” she replied softly as she put the car in gear and pulled out away from the building and head north towards her Mom’s.

  “Melanie I am really sorry” Simon said as they drove towards the motorway. “You can’t possible imagine how ashamed of my behaviour I am”.

  “Let’s just forget it Simon” Melanie smiled. She didn’t really want to get into it tonight. If he started asking questions she didn’t know what she would even say to him to explain her own behaviour. “Let’s just have a good night”.

  “Ok” he replied and smiled brightly at her and it nearly broke her heart.

  “Bitch, Bitch, Bitch” she said to herself in her mind. This evening was going to be a nightmare, she knew it.

  When they reached her Mom’s place she pulled into her usual parking spot and climbed out of the car. As she stepped up on the path Simon hurried to her side and quickly took her hand. Instinctively she wanted to pull it away but s
he knew she couldn’t. They walked to the door and were about to press the buzzer when a car pulled up behind them. Melanie turned and was relieved to see it was her Dad and Grace.

  She realised Simon’s hand and hurried to her Dad as he climbed out. She quickly wrapped her arms around her Dad’s shoulders taking him completely by surprise.

  “Hey Kiddo” he said hugging her tightly. “You ok?”

  “Yeah I am good, just glad you’re here” she replied and gave him a warm smile then she turned to Grace who was now standing next to them and kissed her on the cheek. “Hi Grace”.

  “Hi Mel” Grace smiled warmly. “Won’t be long now until the big day”.

  “Hi” Simon finally said nervously from behind the trio.

  “Hi Simon” Grace replied brightly. Simon looked nervously at Alex. Melanie wondered exactly what had happened that morning in her Dad’s house. She hadn’t wanted to quiz Alex in front of Sam. But there was definitely an air of tension between them tonight.

  “Simon” Alex nodded his voice a little harder than his usual tone.

  “Alex” Simon replied nervously fidgeting unable to meet Alex’s stare.

  Grace looked from Alex to Simon and back to Alex but she didn’t say anything.

  “Well we should go up” Melanie said breaking the awkward moment and headed for the door and pressed the buzzer for Sarah’s apartment. Melanie didn’t like using her key here either. Not since Tom, Sarah’s husband moved in. She thought they were entitled to their privacy and didn’t want her dropping in unexpectedly at any moment.

  She learned that lesson the hard way when she dropped by unannounced about five months after Sarah started seeing Tom. She walked into the apartment one afternoon and came face to face with a completely naked Tom, holding a can of spray cream he had just taken from the fridge and was heading back to her Mom’s room with it.

  Melanie still blushed even after all this time when ever that thought came into her mind.

  When they reached the apartment they were greeted warmly by Tom, who said Sarah was cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

  Melanie hugged Tom and quickly headed to the kitchen to see her Mom. She found Sarah working happily in the kitchen. She stood and watched her cooking for a moment and thought how beautiful her Mom looked. She looked much younger than 43. She could easily pass as Melanie’s older sister.

  “Hey Mom” Melanie said brightly. “You look great. Your tan is fab”.

  “Thanks Mel” Sarah said as she turned to Melanie and her face dropped. “Are you ok sweetheart? You look tired and have you lost weight”.

  Melanie had noticed she had lost weight too when she was dressing earlier that evening. When she slipped on her favourite black dress she noticed it didn’t cling to her curves the way it used to. She had tried not to dwell too much on it. She had hoped no one else would notice but she should have known her Mom wouldn’t have let it go unnoticed.

  “I am just fine Mom” Melanie replied trying to sound as positive and she could.

  “Well you certainly don’t look fine” Sarah said looking at her daughter from head to toe. “Are you sure everything is ok sweetie. You look, I don’t know, you look a little lost”.

  “I am fine Mom” she replied and smiled as she thought about Sam and how if he were here he would say that when a woman says she is fine, it’s never a good thing. “Anything I can help you with?”

  “No sweetheart” she replied. “I am all good to go, if you can just tell the others to take their seats”.

  Melanie joined the others back in the main living area and told them dinner was ready. Tom offered to take her coat and as she slipped it off there was audible gasp from Simon.

  “Jesus Mel how much weight have you lost” he blurted out without thinking. Melanie could feel her face flush bright red as everyone’s eyes suddenly turned to her.

  “Umm... “she said unsure of what she should say. “A couple of pounds is all. I told you I had a bug the weekend. I guess I was sicker than I thought”.

  “Sweetheart you should have said” Simon said pulling her into his arms. “I would never have left you if I had known you where feeling so unwell”.

  Melanie wanted to scream. How had she become such an awful liar? She couldn’t bear to have Simon’s sympathy. She certainly didn’t deserve it.

  “I thought you looked a little under the weather when you dropped by on Saturday” Grace said. “And you didn’t touch your lunch. You should have said and you could have stayed so we could have looked after you”. Melanie held her breath. She had told Simon she was spending the week with her Dad. She hoped Grace’s comment would remind Simon. If he mentioned it she would have been caught out in her lie.

  Before Melanie could reply Sarah appeared from the kitchen carrying plates and greeted everyone happily. They all took their seats at the table and Melanie sighed with relief that the attention was no longer on her.

  She looked at the chicken and mushroom vol-au-vent on the plate in front of her but her stomach turned. Her appetite was non-existent. But after the weight loss comments she knew she had to eat something so she tuck in to her food.

  The dinner was going fine and Melanie felt herself relax until half way through the main course of roast beef, baby potatoes and roasted vegetables.

  “So where is Jamie tonight” Sarah asked Grace.

  “He stayed in Wexford with my mother” she replied and she sipped her wine. “His cousins are staying for the weekend too. Since Mam moved to the beach the kids are more than happy to visit. I wish I could just run away to the beach sometimes myself”.

  Melanie sprayed the gulp of red wine she had just taken all over Simon, who was sitting next to her, when she heard what Grace said. She began coughing as everyone’s eyes were on her.

  “I am so sorry” she coughed and quickly grabbed a napkin and started patting the red wine that was dribbling down Simon’s shocked face and dripping all over his beautiful crisp white shirt.”It just went against my breath”.

  “It’s fine” Simon snapped as he shot up from his seat abruptly and stomped off towards the bathroom. Melanie sat back down in her seat and nervously folded the napkin. The rest of the table remained silent.

  “I am sorry about your table cloth Mom” she final said when she could bare the uncomfortable silence no longer.

  “Don’t worry about it sweetheart” Sarah replied. “It wasn’t like you did it on purpose”.

  Melanie smiled at her Mom and nervously glanced toward the direction of the bathroom.

  Simon returned to the table and Melanie cringed when she spotted his ruined shirt. If there was one thing Simon was fussy about it was his clothes. He had more clothes than any other person she knew. She knew he was angry when he returned. He had a big smile on his face but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  Everyone returned to their dinner in silence. Melanie glanced up at her Dad and he gave her an encouraging smile and a wink. She thought of Sam and wished she was with him right then and there.

  After dinner they all sat and looked at pictures of Sarah and Tom’s trip when Tom attached the laptop to the TV. Melanie was now only drinking water as she was only allowing herself one glass of wine with her dinner as she was driving even though Simon now had most of that glass dried into his ruined shirt. She excused herself to go and use the bathroom. When she finished in the bathroom room, instead of returning to the others in the living room she turned and walked into her old bedroom. It was just as she left it.

  The same pale furniture and the lavender curtains and bedclothes she had loved. Her Justin Timberlake posters on her wall and the Pussy Cat dolls poster behind her door. She sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. She wondered how long it would be before she would be able to come and sit in her room again. She wondered if she ever would. Maybe her Mom would never speak to her again for just running away and not telling the truth to her face. But she knew her Dad was right. She knew he was afraid her Mom would say something she didn’t really mean
and they would fall out just like he and Melanie had all those years ago. She thought about their argument. How stupid she had been. She knew he had only ever wanted the best for her. Even now. She was amazed by her father’s support. She knew it was hard for him because he didn’t want her to leave and she knew he would have a lot of questions to answer but he just wanted her to be happy.

  “Hey” Alex’s voice startled her. She looked up and saw him standing in the doorway. “Can I come in?”

  “Of course” she said and smiled as she moved over on the bed so he could sit next to her.

  “How are you doing?” he asked.

  “I’m doing ok” she replied. “I just wish Saturday would hurry up and get here. I don’t know how much more of this pretence I can deal with”.

  “Are you nervous about going with Sam” Alex asked looking straight into her eyes.

  “No” she replied. “That’s the one thing I am not nervous about. The one thing I have been sure about for the last seven years is just how much I love Sam”.

  “I am so happy your dreams are finally coming through kiddo” Alex said pulling Melanie closer to him. “I am sure Sam was shocked when you told him about you ...you know...losing the baby and all”.

  Melanie didn’t reply. What could she say?

  “Melanie you have told him about what happened” Alex asked.

  Melanie shook her head.

  “Why ever not” Alex asked, the surprise clear in his voice.

  “I guess I was afraid he would change his mind” she said suddenly feeling as small and vulnerable as she did all those years ago. “I can’t give him everything he wants and I am afraid he won’t want me anymore”.

  “Mel that boy is 100% crazy in love with you” Alex replied. “But you need to tell him the truth. He won’t thank you for keeping this from him”.

  “I promise I will tell him” she replied she knew she could put it off no longer.

  “Here you are” Sarah said from the door way making the both jump with fright. “We were wondering where you both got to”.

  “We just having a Father/ Daughter chat” Alex said standing up. “Come on kiddo, our public awaits”.