Melody sighed with relief.
“What about you?” he asked.
“What about me?”
“How are you, Mel?”
“Terrified. Can’t you tell?”
Brody grinned. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure what you’d decided to do. About Macy, I mean. You took off so fast.”
“Yeah, I had to get back to Manhattan. Work stuff.”
Brody nodded as if he believed her. Which he didn’t. It was their kiss that sent her packing, and they both knew it.
“But then the temporary guardian had a heart attack. So, I had to decide. Quickly.”
Brody tried to ignore how beautiful she looked with Macy in her arms. Natural. As if she’d been a mom for years, instead of mere hours.
“Well, it looks like you made the right decision,” he said. “She adores you.”
“You think so?”
“I do. Babies don’t snuggle close to your chest like that unless they feel safe. You’re doing great, Mel.”
“But I panicked over a low-grade fever.”
“That panic just means you care. It’s not a bad thing,” he said softly. “Besides, you’re gonna panic over a lot of stuff. You’re a mom. That’s what moms do, especially new mothers.”
Melody gasped softly.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “It’s just the first time someone’s called me that. Mom. It sounds . . . weird. Great. But weird.”
Brody nodded. “So, what are you gonna do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going back to Manhattan soon? If you’ll let me know the name of her pediatrician, I’ll get Cathy to send Macy’s records.”
“Oh. I’m, uh, not sure yet.”
“Okay. Just let me know. And don’t hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions.”
“Do you really mean that?”
“Of course.”
Brody made a few more notes in Macy’s chart before closing the folder. He headed to the door, but then he realized that Melody was still sitting there, cradling the little girl close. Macy’s eyes drooped as she rested her head against Melody’s chest.
“Did you have any more questions?”
“What?” Melody blinked rapidly. “Sorry. I think exhaustion has hit me. I didn’t sleep a wink.”
“But you said Macy slept all night.”
“She did. I didn’t.”
Brody nodded and sat back down on his stool.
“Why didn’t you sleep?”
“Because I was afraid.”
“Of?”
“Everything. Afraid she’d stop breathing. Afraid she’d roll over and suffocate. Afraid she’d cry and I wouldn’t hear her. Afraid she’d need me and I wouldn’t be there.” Melody took a deep breath. “This level of anxiety can’t be normal.”
“Would you believe me if I told you that it absolutely is? That every new mother experiences this?”
“Does it ever go away? Because if not, I’m going to need to visit my own doctor. Or a shrink.”
Brody smiled softly. “I don’t think it ever goes away. But I think you become more confident. You learn when to worry. You learn when to let go. It just takes time.”
“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours and I’m already at the pediatrician’s office.”
“It’s okay. My advice?”
“Please.”
“Call your mom. Ask her to babysit for a few hours so that you can get some sleep.”
Melody nodded. “A nap sounds good. I promised we’d come by for lunch.”
“Man,” Brody chuckled. “I’d love to see the look on your mom’s face when she finds out she gets to babysit her granddaughter.”
“Yeah.” Melody sighed heavily. “You could, you know. Come over for lunch. See it for yourself.”
He nearly said yes. The word was right on the tip of his tongue. But something stopped him. He could handle seeing Melody and Macy in his office. That was professional. But seeing them together—and seeing them with her parents—would be very, very personal, and he just wasn’t sure he was ready for that.
“I’ll have to check my schedule,” he said. “Mondays are usually pretty busy.”
With a slow nod, Melody stood up from her chair.
“I understand. We should go. I’m sure we’re keeping you from kids who are really sick.”
“Mel, that’s not what—”
“It’s okay. Come to lunch if you want. Don’t come. It’s fine.”
Brody sighed. It hadn’t been his intention to hurt her feelings.
“Thank you for the invitation. And I’ll have Cathy get you that information.”
“I appreciate that.”
He followed Melody and the baby to the receptionist’s window.
“No charge,” he said to the woman behind the glass.
“Oh, Brody, that’s not necessary,” Melody argued.
“Nonsense. All we did was take her temp.”
Melody thanked him before he headed to the nurse’s station. Cathy was sitting there, sipping her coffee and typing on the computer.
“Cathy, would you print—”
Suddenly, the printer roared to life.
“Already done,” she said, reaching for the documents. “I’ll deliver these. You have a wicked case of poison ivy waiting for you in Exam Room #3.”
Cathy handed him the chart. With a tired sigh, Brody headed to his next patient.
* * *
After a morning filled with sore throats and nasty rashes, Brody was ready to get out of the office for a while. Thankfully, his next appointment wasn’t until two, and with an empty lobby, he decided to take Melody up on her lunch offer.
“This is a bad decision,” he whispered as he knocked on the door. He’d been saying that a lot lately, but that didn’t seem to stop him from making the same mistake, over and over again.
Why can’t you stay away from her?
It was a good question. He wished he had a good answer. But he took comfort in the fact that Melody would put him out of his misery soon enough. Brody knew she wouldn’t be in Meadow Creek for long. Her life was in Manhattan, and she’d made it more than clear that she didn’t plan to uproot her life simply because Macy was now part of it. Just a few more days, and she’d be gone. Back to the city. Hundreds of miles away from her family and him. He wanted her to go. He needed her to go. If for no other reason than that he, obviously, couldn’t stay away from her.
“Afternoon, Brody.”
He hadn’t even heard Melody’s dad open the door.
“Hi, John. Hope it’s okay I dropped by.”
“You’re always welcome here,” he said, waving him inside. “Sharon made chili. I’ll get you a bowl.”
“Thanks.” Brody followed John inside and sat down at the empty table. “Where are—?”
“The girls?” John chuckled. “Melody and Macy are taking a nap. And my wife is upstairs. Watching them.”
“She’s watching them sleep?”
“Son, I wish I could explain it, but I gave up trying to understand my wife a long time ago. I love her, but I’ll never understand her. Make you a sandwich?”
“The chili’s plenty. Thanks, John.”
After placing two bowls of chili on the table, John poured them some milk and sat down next to Brody.
“Melody said you might come by,” he said. “I’m sure she’s sorry she missed you.”
“I should’ve called first.”
“Nonsense. You’re family. You never need an invitation.”
“I appreciate that.” Brody took a long drink of his milk before continuing. “Speaking of family, congratulations.”
John smiled. “It’s something, isn’t it?”
“It really is.”
“You sort of resign yourself to the fact that some things will never be,” he said wistfully. “In time, you come to accept them. Sharon and I never dreamed we’d have a grandbaby. I hate the circumstances, but we sure are grateful to
Trish. It’s a gift.”
“It’s a gift for Macy, too. She had a wonderful mother. Now she’ll have another one. And two great grandparents.”
The men fell silent and finished their lunch. Brody always thought one of the great things about John was his quiet strength. He didn’t say much, but when he did, it was meaningful.
“I think I get it,” Brody said after a while. “Why Sharon’s watching them sleep.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because she can’t believe it’s real.”
“Could be,” John said, nodding. “I bet you felt the same way this morning. Walking into your exam room and finding Melody sitting there with a baby in her arms.”
Brody swallowed convulsively. “It was . . . yeah. It was something. Like you said, you sort of accept the fact that some things will never happen. And then—”
“And then they do.”
“Yeah.”
“Like Melody coming back into your life.”
“She’s not in my life, John.”
“But you’re here.”
Brody sighed heavily.
“Yeah. I’m here. I must be crazy.”
“Well, you always were a little crazy when it came to my daughter,” John said softly. “And now she has a daughter. That’s bound to conjure up some old feelings.”
“And a whole lot of memories.”
John nodded thoughtfully. “There’s still love there, I think.”
“Love was never the problem.”
“No, but after ten years apart, you’d think that emotion might’ve faded a little. But I don’t think it has. For either of you.”
“She made her choice a long time ago, John.”
“Things sometimes change.”
“Not this. And it doesn’t matter. Melody will be back in Manhattan soon enough.”
“Hmm. Not so soon.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re staying in Meadow Creek for a few months. She told us this morning. Melody thinks the baby’s been through enough. She hates to take her away from the only home she’s ever known. They’re gonna live in Trish’s house, which upset Sharon because she wants them here. But I think it’s good. Melody needs her space. She’ll take this time and get used to being a mama. We’re gonna get used to being grandparents.” John gazed thoughtfully at the young man he’d always considered a son. “And you’re going to have to get used to having Melody around again.”
Brody didn’t know what to say. He’d been banking on the fact that Melody wouldn’t stick around for long. That everything would go back to normal soon enough.
He was devastated.
He was thrilled.
Mostly, he was confused.
“But her life’s in New York.”
“And she’ll probably get back to it someday,” John said. “But I think she’s made a selfless, mature decision. Melody’s putting the baby first. That’s what a mother does.”
Brody could hear it in the man’s voice. John Mitchell was proud of his daughter.
Just then, Melody’s mom emerged from upstairs. The quiet joy etched on her face was undeniable.
“Did you hear?” Sharon asked softly, her voice trembling with happiness. “She’s staying. They’re staying in Meadow Creek.”
Brody smiled.
“I heard. And I think it’s wonderful.”
And he meant it.
* * *
At Sharon’s insistence that the baby still felt a little warm, Brody crept upstairs to Melody’s bedroom. He had a hunch that Macy was fine, but the new grandma convinced the pediatrician that one could never be too careful when it came to fevers.
It didn’t take much convincing.
He tried to ignore the avalanche of memories that hit him when he stepped inside the room. It looked exactly the same as the day Melody packed her bags and broke his heart. Even the pale blue comforter on the bed hadn’t changed. She and Macy were curled beneath it, their soft snores echoing in the dimly lit room. With her arms wrapped protectively around the baby, Brody couldn’t deny that Melody was a natural.
After tenderly touching Macy’s cool forehead, Brody sat down on the edge of the bed. As he watched them sleep, he couldn’t help but think about their baby. An unexpected surprise that turned into their greatest heartbreak. Their child would be almost twelve years old now, and while they’d never learned the gender of the baby, Brody had a feeling it’d been a girl, with Melody’s chocolate hair and deep green eyes.
From the moment they learned they were pregnant, Brody had felt nothing but peace. Yes, their parents had been devastated, and certainly, the town gossiped and whispered, but none of that had mattered to him. And even though he knew God probably wasn’t happy about their teenage fornicating, he just couldn’t believe what they’d done—and what they’d created—was sinful.
He was a man in love. And he loved their child.
Then he lost them both.
He couldn’t—he wouldn’t—go through that again.
And yet, here he was, watching Melody sleep with a baby in her arms. A baby that was a living, breathing reminder of what could’ve been. What should’ve been.
What could be?
It was dangerous to think that way, but the thought entered his mind, anyway.
Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand take his.
Without thinking, he laced his fingers with hers. Because he knew she needed the kind of comfort only his touch could bring. And he needed hers.
“I’m sorry, Brody.”
He smiled into her deep green eyes. “What are you sorry for? I’m the one who’s watching you sleep like some crazy stalker.”
“Twenty bucks says my mom put you up to it.”
“You’d win that bet.”
Melody smiled.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I’m sorry for showing up at your house during the storm. I’m sorry for taking off after you kissed me. I’m sorry for coming to your office at eight o’clock this morning for something that I could’ve just as easily called my mom about, and she would’ve told me it was fine.”
“I’m a doctor, Mel. That’s my job.”
“But I didn’t come to you because you’re a doctor.”
“Then why did you come?”
“I came because you’re . . . you. And I’m me. And because when I’m here, in this town, next to you is where I always want to be.”
Her emerald eyes—the eyes he’d loved since he was a kid—gazed at him with so much sincerity that it nearly brought him to his knees.
“Next to you is where I wanna be, too.”
A tear trickled down her cheek. “Still?”
“Always.”
Melody sighed and sniffled softly.
“At least I’m not running away this time.”
Brody smiled. “I heard. Your parents are thrilled.”
“What about you?”
He decided to be honest. “I’m not sure yet.”
“That’s fair. I’m not sure how I feel about it, either. But I think it’s the right decision for Macy.”
“That’s what’s important.”
“Brody,” she said, “I can’t make any promises. About anything. I have so much to figure out. I have to arrange things at work. I have to go back to New York and pack or hire someone to pack for me. I have to get moved into Trish’s house. I have to learn how to be a mom. I don’t know—”
“Stop,” Brody said, gently squeezing her hand. “I don’t expect promises. I don’t expect anything. Let’s just . . . stop being so stupidly awkward around each other. Let’s get to know each other again. Who knows? You might hate me now.”
Melody snorted. “I highly doubt that.”
“I might hate you.”
“Well, that’s very possible. I’m a Yankee now, you know.”
“Don’t let your father hear you say that.”
She grinned.
“Let’s just . . . take our time.”
“That’s the
thing, Brody. I don’t have time. My life is wonderful and crazy. I have a schedule. I like my schedule. And now that schedule is going to change dramatically. I still have to make time to write. To produce. My artists and my music publisher depend on me. And now I have a baby. A baby. I don’t know that I have time for . . . whatever may or may not be happening between us.”
“Mel, take a breath. I’m not going anywhere. And you’ll figure out everything else.”
“What if I don’t?”
“You will. One thing at a time. Make a list. You used to love to make lists.”
Melody took a long, steadying breath.
“I can do that. I can make a list.”
“You can hire movers. Don’t you have an assistant? I bet she can have you packed and moved in no time at all.”
Melody grinned. “Claire is pretty fantastic.”
“I’m sure she is. And we’ll all help. That’s why you’re staying in Meadow Creek, right? So that Macy can be comfortable and so that your family can help? We’ll figure it out.”
“Okay.” Melody exhaled a deep breath before gazing down at the child in her arms. Brody watched, mesmerized, as her breathing calmed and her face softened.
“I have to ask . . . will she always sleep like this?” Melody asked. “So peacefully?”
He chuckled. “I really wouldn’t count on it, but maybe you’ll get lucky.”
With a contented smile, Melody tenderly touched the little girl’s cheek.
“She’s really beautiful, isn’t she?”
Brody knew she was talking about the baby, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the love of his life, lying in her childhood bed, beneath the pale blue comforter.
“She really is,” he whispered.
Chapter 10
“Be careful with that box!” Claire barked orders at the movers. “Those are fragile. See that label on the side? FRAGILE.”
Melody stifled her laughter as she sat at the kitchen table with Macy. She kind of felt sorry for the guys. Claire had been on their case since they arrived that morning. Honestly, they were being a little rough with her breakables, but Melody just couldn’t muster the energy to care. She was too busy trying to get Macy to eat her cereal.
No Time for Lullabies: No Brides Club, Book 2 Page 9
