Love Inspired April 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 47
Melody met Clay’s gaze. The situation was becoming clear. Clay rested his forearms on the table and leaned toward his son.
“So you wanted to prove to him that what you were saying was true. Why did you show him that article and not the other photos?”
Eli squirmed in his chair. “I just took it that morning. I showed him after school. He liked that it was about our soldier. We all know about him.”
Melody sensed it was time to leave the two alone. “I need to take Barney for a walk. I’ll be back shortly.” Clay gave her a grateful nod.
She stayed close to the cottage, keeping an eye on the door and praying Clay wouldn’t be too hard on the boy. He’d had no idea that sharing that photo would cause trouble. She knew he must feel awful about what he’d done. Her heart ached for him.
When her door finally opened, Eli emerged first, hands in pockets, head bowed. He trudged across the lawn toward home. Melody searched Clay’s face for a clue to the outcome of his father-son talk.
“How is he?”
“Upset. He feels really bad. And angry at Parker.”
“Did you punish him?”
“No. But I did stress how important it is for an employee to guard the information of his employer.”
She smiled at the twinkle in Clay’s eyes. “So he can still help me? I really like having him around.” Clay’s eyes clouded.
“I guess. He seems to enjoy it.”
“Would you object to me paying him a small amount each week? Whatever you think appropriate.” He took a long time answering but finally nodded.
“I’ll think about it and let you know.”
“Good. In the meantime I need to get back to work and see what else I can find out about our soldier.”
“Right. We still have a powder keg to defuse. Only finding the truth will stop it.”
* * *
Melody saw Eli trudging toward the cottage from across the drive the next afternoon. His shoulders were slumped and his hands were in his pockets. His dejected body language touched her heart. Poor boy. Apparently, he was still burdened with remorse for sharing the news article. She was determined to make his first day back with her as pleasant as possible. The thought of him feeling responsible bothered her deeply.
She raised her hand and waved when he looked at her. His half-hearted response made her sad. She smiled as he tromped up onto the porch. “I was hoping you’d come today. I have a lot of pictures for you to take.”
“You still want me to do that after—”
“Of course. That wasn’t your fault. I should have explained the situation to you.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
“No. But I think it best if we keep our work here to ourselves. At least until this thing with the article is cleared up.”
Eli nodded. “Okay.”
They went inside and Eli started toward the spare room, where he did most of his work. “Miss Melody, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to get you into trouble. I would never do that.”
Melody saw the glint in his blue eyes and her heart melted. “Oh, Eli. I understand.” She pulled him into a hug. “It was an innocent mistake. We’ve all made them. We learn from them and do better the next time.”
Eli’s shoulders sagged. “I’ll bet you never did anything this dumb. You’re smart and you’ve been all over the world.”
She laughed ruefully. “I’ve made so many mistakes it would take the rest of my life to list them all.”
He smiled up at her. “I’m glad you’re not mad. I like being here and taking the pictures for you. I like you.”
“I like you, too, Eli. If I had a son, I’d want him to be just like you.”
“I wish you were my mom.”
Melody’s breath caught in her throat. It took her a second to find her voice. “Oh, Eli. That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever received. Thank you. I would be honored to be your mother.” She gave him a hug relishing the moment.
She would never have this feeling again.
CHAPTER NINE
Clay glanced over at Melody, who was leaning close to the window of his Cessna and taking pictures of Blessing below. She’d been so excited about flying over his hometown and taking photographs. She claimed her plans for including the aerial shots in the Blessing history book would give the locals a whole new perspective of their lovely town.
With each pass over Blessing, she had spotted another landmark, and her joy had brought a happy giggle as she snapped a barrage of pictures. He had to admit he was enjoying being her pilot guide. He’d been reluctant at first, but now he was glad he’d agreed. It was like the adventures they used to have when they were together.
He found himself wishing he could keep on flying, enjoying her laughter and the closeness. But he had obligations.
He taxied and stopped the plane in its usual spot, then shut down the engine. He smiled over at Melody. She was so close he could see her pulse beating in her neck. He cleared his throat. “Did you get everything you need for the book?”
She smiled broadly, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, yes. More than I expected. Thank you for taking me up.”
“You’re welcome.” He swallowed around the tightness in his throat. “If you need to go up again, just let me know.”
“Thanks, but I doubt I’ll need to. My biggest problem now will be which photos to use.”
“How’s the book coming?” He didn’t really care, but he wasn’t ready to end their time together. His feelings for Melody were growing despite his attempts to halt them. When it came to her, he was weak. His heart took over every time.
“Wonderfully. I have the first draft of the text all worked out. Of course, I need to edit it a few more times. I keep finding new tidbits I want to include, but I can’t use all the research I’ve collected. The book would be two thousand pages long.”
He smiled and watched as her excitement illuminated her being.
She brushed her hair from her cheek. “I wish I could put all the family histories and all the anecdotes and cherished memories into the book. The residents are so proud of their heritage and their contributions to the town. It would be nice for them to be able to share their stories with everyone.”
She stopped and stared at him, her eyes wide. “Oh! I just had an idea. What if someone started a blog about Blessing? It could be a place where people could go online and read each other’s histories and share their own.”
“We have a website for the city.”
She nodded. “I know, but this would be different, interactive so people could add to it.” She reached over and laid her hand on his arm. “Clay, there are so many sweet and inspiring stories that need to be shared. It needs to be special.”
Her enthusiasm had her vibrating with life and energy. More than he’d seen since she’d arrived in town.
“Sounds like a big job. And many of our residents are older and don’t use the internet.”
“I know, but I could work around that.”
“You could?”
She blushed and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. I know I get carried away. I like the idea but someone else will have to do it. I’ll be gone in a few weeks.” She reached for the door handle. “Thanks again, Clay. I really enjoyed flying with you.”
The realization that Melody would be leaving soon lodged like a stone in his chest. Instead of being relieved that her stay was ending, he found himself wishing there was more time. He wanted to straighten things out between them. He wanted, no, he needed to tell her the truth about Eli. The secret was gnawing at him more every day. His father was right. He couldn’t keep this up. It would destroy him.
Clay climbed out of the cockpit, relieved to have some distance between him and Melody. Being in the air, in the cramped space of his aircraft, he had been too close to her for comfort. As much as he wanted to deny it, being near her dredged up all his old feelings. Feelings he’d ignored for a long time. He walked around to the other side of the plane to help Melody out, but she was already standing on the wing. As she made the small jump onto the ground, the sleeve of her blouse caught on something and ripped open. She gasped and grabbed her left arm, trying to pull the fabric back into place. Emotion filled her eyes and she turned away, but not before he saw her bare arm covered in horrific scars.
His throat seized up. What had happened to her? “Melody?”
She kept her back to him, retrieving her camera and small backpack while still trying to cover her arm. He took her right hand and gently turned her toward him. “What happened?”
She pulled away, her eyes lowered, but he could see her lip quivering. His heart filled with an icy chill. The thought of her being seriously injured was intolerable. He may have issues with her behavior, but he never wanted her to suffer. The scars told a story of great pain and he had to know what had caused it.
“It’s nothing. It’s old news.”
He couldn’t take his eyes from the horror of her scars. All he wanted to do was hold her close and protect her from harm. “Melody. Please. I need to know.”
The pain in her eyes turned to determination. “Life.”
“What does that mean?” She stood quiet and rigid for a long while. He wondered if she would tell him or not. Finally, she spoke, her voice so soft he had to lean closer to hear her.
“My last assignment was in Shanghai with a world news agency.”
“Your big dream.”
She shook her head, looking at her hands. “I was an assistant news editor, hardly the star. There was a lot of unrest over human rights issues and a certain faction was against us being there. They...they set off a bomb in our hotel offices.”
Clay exhaled a groan. “Melody.”
“I don’t remember much before waking up in the hospital. My arm and shoulder had third-degree burns. I had a severe concussion and several other injuries. I didn’t get to go home for several months.”
Clay’s mind did a quick inventory of past events. Something about her story rang a bell. “How long ago was this?”
“Two years.”
His heart skipped a beat. “The International Shanghai Hotel? I remember reading about it. That was a terrible tragedy.”
“We lost so many. Only two of us survived.” She swiped at her tears. “My best friend didn’t make it.”
Clay attempted to draw her into his arms, but she resisted. She was still attempting to cover her scars. He took her hand instead.
She shook her head. “Don’t look. I’m so ugly.”
“No. You could never be ugly.” He tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her, careful not to brush against her scars for fear of causing pain. When she relaxed against him, he kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek on her silky hair. The gesture unleashed a torrent of tears that quickly became sobs. He held her, praying for some way to comfort her, asking the Lord to heal her pain.
Slowly her crying eased, but he kept her close, her head resting against his chest and over his heart. His mind told him it was where she belonged. Always.
If only...
Melody lifted her head, her brown eyes glistening with remnants of her tears. Their eyes locked, and for a brief moment they were back in time. They were in love and happy. He remembered her kisses. Her lips parted and he lowered his head.
What would it hurt? One small kiss. Not of passion but of comfort.
“Clay.”
She breathed his name and reality crashed in around him. He touched her chin with his fingertips, then kissed her cheek. He couldn’t claim her kiss yet. Not until he told her the truth.
The warmth in Melody’s eyes faded and she stepped away.
Clay secured the plane, then helped her to his car. “Would you like to go somewhere and get a bite to eat?”
“No. I want to go home.”
Her tone held a harshness he’d never heard before. She huddled near the door, staring out the window as he drove to the cottage. He walked her to the door. She grasped the knob, then paused, looking over her shoulder. “Could you stay for a while? I don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course.” Her request surprised him. He’d expected her to hurry inside. He wasn’t sure what to do or how to help her. Did she want to talk or did she simply need a quiet companion for a while? He stood inside the door as she placed her backpack and camera on the chair.
“I’ll be right back, I want to...” She tugged on her sleeve.
When she returned a few minutes later, she was wearing a fresh shirt with long sleeves. She curled up on the sofa. He took a seat at the other end. “Can I get you something to drink?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Clay studied her eyes, now filled with regret. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She tucked her hair behind her ear. “No one wants to see my scars. I don’t even like to look at them.”
“It wouldn’t have mattered to me.”
“Maybe not, but you would have asked questions, wanted an explanation. It’s easier to keep myself covered. It spares everyone embarrassment.”
“Is this the life event you’ve referred to? The one that changed you?”
She nodded, staring at her hands a long while before continuing. “I was so confident that I could direct my life. That I was in control. Only nothing went the way I’d planned. The opportunities never came. The positions I applied for never opened up. The Shanghai job was my last hope.”
“I don’t remember you being low on hope. You always saw the bright side of things.”
She gave him a small smile. “I find my hope elsewhere now, thanks to Mama Kay. She led me to faith. But you’re right. The bombing changed everything. My best friend, Rachel, had just turned up the volume on her phone because her favorite song was playing. It had become an office joke. Most of us hated the song, so she did it just to tease us. She glanced over her shoulder at me and then—”
Melody shifted and rested one hand at her throat. “I heard that song the day of the porch crawl when I was waiting for you, and—”
“It triggered a flashback.”
“How did you know?”
“My uncle Paul suffers from PTSD. He has moments like that occasionally. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I wish I could help somehow.” He hated feeling useless.
She shrugged. “This is just something I have to do myself.”
“I get that. But you can still go after your dream, you know.”
“No.” She picked up a pillow and clutched it to her chest. “I was failing at that job. I wasn’t cut out for the international news corps. I ended up here because it’s taken me two years to get back to a relatively normal life, mentally and physically. I needed a job I was reasonably sure I could complete successfully. The Blessing history book was the perfect solution and Blessing the perfect place since Sandy was here for moral support.” She met his gaze. “I’m still learning about the new me. The one who looks at life differently, more compassionately. The way you always did.”
Clay looked away. He’d been lacking in that area toward Melody. He rubbed his hands together. “Melody, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Her eyes grew wide and she pushed up from the sofa. “Not right now, Clay. Please. I’m tired. I want to lie down. It’s been a...busy morning. Can it wait?”
Clay stood. “Sure. I need to get to work.” He started toward the door, then took one last glance at her. She’d wrapped her arms protectively around her waist. Her eyes were moist in her pale face. He wanted to go to her again and hold her close, but he knew this wasn’t the time.
He turned and left the cottage. He had a lot to think about. Melody truly had changed, and he needed to reassess his assumptions about her.
* * *
Melody took her coffee onto the front porch the next morning and sat in the wooden rocker. Sandy smiled patiently from the wicker chair Melody had added. She’d called her sister first thing and asked her to come over for a heart-to-heart.
“What’s going on that you need to talk so early in the morning?”
Melody held her cup between her palms, allowing the gentle sway of the rocker and warmth of the caffeine to calm her anxiety. “Clay saw my scars yesterday.”
Sandy’s lips formed a silent oh. “I see. And what did he say?”
“He hugged me.”
“I guess that means he didn’t run away screaming in horror.”
Melody had to smile at that. Sandy knew it was her greatest fear that people would see her damaged arm and turn away in disgust. “No. He was upset that I’d been hurt. He was sweet and compassionate.”
“Did you tell him the whole story?”
She nodded. “He was shocked and concerned. We, uh, almost kissed.”
Sandy leaned forward. “Really? Maybe I wasn’t so wrong after all.”
“What are you talking about? Wrong about what?”
“I’ve noticed a change in your attitude the last few weeks, and a softer tone in your voice when you talk about Clay. I think you’re falling in love with him again.” She shrugged. “And it sounds like the feeling might be mutual.”
Melody waved off the observation. “No. That’s not happening.”
“Why not? You said it was love at first sight. Maybe that kind of love doesn’t die over time.”
“It did for Clay. We’ve developed a working relationship but that’s all. Besides, now that he knows, he’ll only feel pity for me.”
Sandy rolled her eyes. “You don’t know that. I don’t know Clay well, but I know he’s a man with a kind heart. He wouldn’t pity you. He’d more likely admire your strength.”
She had a point. Clay would never feel sorry for her. Melody had sensed his concern and his sadness over her ordeal, but she hadn’t sensed pity. Of course, he hadn’t followed through on that kiss. She’d wanted him to, desperately, but at the last minute he’d kissed her cheek instead. What did it mean?
