CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - MELODY
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
MELODY
Hidden Treasures had come a long way since Melody had arrived in town. She glanced around the shop now, waiting for her real estate agent to arrive and make her acceptance of the buyer’s offer official.
Jo had never been one to keep things tidy necessarily. That wasn’t her way. When Melody had inherited this place, it’d been a mess. Melody thought that was likely the appeal to some—digging through the mounds of donations to locate the one perfect item for an individual. She’d found quite a few items here herself, including the shoes she was currently wearing.
Melody glanced down at her feet, clicking her heels together like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. There’s no place like home. Where even was home for her?
A knock on the glass door got her attention. Abigail Winslow waved from outside. Melody made a gesture to invite her inside. The door was unlocked even though the sign was turned to CLOSED today.
Abigail looked around as she entered. “You sure about this?”
Melody exhaled a breath. Her mind told her she should be sure, but her heart begged to differ. Even though Jo hadn’t had this store when Melody had lived in Trove Isle, this place was sentimental to Melody. She could feel Jo’s presence here. Letting go of the store felt like losing Jo all over again. “I’m sure,” Melody lied. Selling was the most rational thing to do. She didn’t live here and the buyer was offering a lot of money.
Abigail nodded. She laid a briefcase on the glass display case and leaned against the wall. “The buyer’s agent is bringing the paperwork. I’m just here as moral support to make sure you understand exactly what’s going on. If you have any questions . . .”
Melody nodded. “I’m just ready to get this done.” And get out of town. As soon as Melody signed the paperwork, she intended to drive to Charlotte. She’d already told her father goodbye for now.
A knock on the door got both of their attention.
“Speak of the devil,” Abigail said with a frown. “I know her. Be glad I’m here. This woman is the Cruella de Vil of real estate.”
Melody hesitated, but waved the woman inside. She wasn’t surprised that Candy had hired a hard-edged agent.
“Well, hello there.” The woman looked at Abigail. “Abby,” she said, lifting her chin a notch and looking down her nose at Melody’s agent. “Good to see you again.” Her gaze flicked to Melody. “You must be Melody Palmer.”
“I am,” Melody said, watching the woman approach.
“I’m Wendy Mattis.” The woman stepped closer and offered her hand.
Melody shook hands with the woman, already disliking her. There was a clear look of distaste on her face. “Nice to meet you.”
“You as well.” Pulling her hand back, Wendy made a point of assessing the store. “This is some place,” she finally said in a tone that implied that she didn’t mean anything good by that comment. “You know my buyer doesn’t want any of this stuff, right?”
Abigail rolled her eyes. “We’re well aware of that, Wendy.”
Wendy offered a plastic smile, keeping her gaze fixed on Melody. “It’s all going to be thrown out. If there’s anything you want, best to take it.”
Did she have to rub it in that all these things, these treasures, would be taken out like trash? Jo was probably rolling over in her grave, or wherever she was. Melody would do her best to get the things inside Jo’s store donated some place. Maybe Christopher could help.
Wendy rubbed her hands together. “Okay, then. Let’s sign and get this deal done, shall we?” she said, looking between Melody and Abigail.
Abigail gave Melody a pointed look and lowered her voice. “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Melody led the two women to the small table in the back room and gestured for them to have a seat. “Can I offer either of you some coffee?”
“No time for that.” Wendy placed a pen on the table along with a stack of papers. “There are Post-Its marking where you need to sign.” She sat back, crossed one leg over the other, and folded her hands over her knee.
On a nod, Melody pulled the stack toward her and picked up the pen. It felt abnormally heavy, along with her heart. This is just a thrift store. I never even wanted it to begin with.
“Sign right there, sweetie,” Wendy said, tapping the paper. “Do you see the line?”
“She sees it,” Abigail said, giving Wendy a hard stare. “We’re in no hurry. Take your time, Melody.”
Melody nodded and then continued. Her hand shook as she scrawled her name. Once she got started, she just kept going, barely taking a breath. Just get this over with. Sorry, Jo! Finally, she exhaled and set down the pen. “Done.”
Wendy smiled. “See? Quick and painless.” She collected the stack of papers, dropped them in her briefcase, and stood. “I’ll see myself out. I’m serious. Keep whatever you want in here. My buyer doesn’t want any of it.”
Melody didn’t get up to see Wendy to the door. Abigail waited until after Wendy left.
“You okay?” Abigail asked as she stood.
“Yep,” Melody said, even though she wasn’t sure that was the truth. “Thank you for your assistance. I really appreciate you meeting us here this morning. I’m not sure I would have wanted to be here alone with that woman.”
Abigail laughed. “Of course. Call me if you need anything else. You have my number.”
Melody nodded. “I will. Thank you.”
Abigail grabbed her briefcase and saw herself out as well. Melody sat there numbly, waiting to hear the jingle of the bell up front, announcing that both women were gone and she was once again alone. She considered remaining at the table and crying. That’s what she felt like doing. What good would that do though? It would just make for red, puffy eyes as she drove to Charlotte in a little bit. Taking Wendy’s advice, she decided to walk around and see if there was anything she wanted to keep. She’d been the one to put all the items out on the shelves. If there was something here that she wanted, she would have found it by now. Even so, she walked around, perusing clothing, shoes, well-read books, and toys. Finally, she stopped at the glass case below the register. The photograph of the little child was there along with Jo’s pink broach. Melody slid the case open and took those items out. They didn’t belong in the trash. The broach really wasn’t her style, not by a long shot, but she pinned it to her purse anyway. Then she looked back down into the glass case and gasped. Were her eyes deceiving her? How did it get here?
She quickly reached inside the case and picked up a charm bracelet. Her hands were shaking so much she could barely get a good look at it. There was the muffin charm. The dress. The little car and the shooting star. The wave. The butterfly. They were all here. This was her charm bracelet! Hers and Liz’s and Bri’s. What was it doing here? Liz had tossed it at her feet at the high school and it had been lost. She’d thought it was gone for good.
Tears rushed to Melody’s eyes. Who cared about them being red and puffy later? The charm bracelet wasn’t lost. She slipped it over her wrist, savoring the feel of the cool metal against her skin. “I don’t know how you did this, Jo. But thank you.”
She had to tell Liz. Liz would never believe this.
Hurrying toward the door, Melody stepped out onto the sidewalk and locked the shop up behind her. She turned toward the pink polka dot awning a few stores down and practically jogged all the way.
“Welcome to The Bitery,” a woman’s voice said as Melody stepped inside. It wasn’t Liz. “Are my eyes deceiving me? Melody Palmer, is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me. Hi, Mrs. Dawson.” Melody approached the counter.
“Lizzie told me you were back for a little while, but I didn’t dare hope I’d get to see you before you left town. How long are you staying?”
Melody was supposed to be leaving today. Right now. But she desperately needed to do something first. “I’m not sure. Is Liz here?”
Mrs. Dawson shook her head. “She doesn’t work here anymore, you know?”
Melody’s jaw dropped.
“I guess you didn’t know,” Mrs. Dawson said on a small laugh. “Lizzie quit. Well, I mean, she’ll still help out around here until I can hire Brianna in a few weeks. I still can’t believe Brianna is finally coming home. You four were like sisters.” Her smile faded. “I know you miss your sister.”
“Yes, I do.” More than she’d allowed herself to realize all these years. “If Liz isn’t here, do you know where she is?”
“She’s working a photography gig today. Oh, she was so excited. I even let her borrow my car to get there.”
Melody blinked back tears. “She drove? By herself?”
“She did. I go away for one summer and everything changes. For the better, of course.” Mrs. Dawson leaned over, her elbows on the counter. “The event she was working should be over soon. Knowing her, I’m sure she’ll go straight home to start editing the photographs. If you want, you can wait for her there.”
“That’s a good idea,” Melody said. “Thank you. It’s nice to see you.”
“You, too! Don’t be a stranger, Melody!” Mrs. Dawson called after her.
Melody left The Bitery, got in her car, and drove the short distance to Liz’s home. She pulled in the driveway and got out, deciding to wait on Liz’s front porch. The weather was nice today. Perfect for making up with a long-lost friend.
Melody glanced down at the charm bracelet encircling her wrist. This little piece of jewelry had defied all odds to get to her and Liz again. Yeah, she knew it was just a bracelet. It wasn’t magical or anything, but it had been lost—twice! How could she explain that without entertaining some divine intervention?
“Melody? Is that you?”
Melody blinked and noticed Matt walking up the driveway with his little dog on a leash. “I’m just waiting here for Liz,” she said.
His brow furrowed. “Does she know you’re coming?”
Judging by his tone, Liz had told him about their quarrel. Of course she had. “No.”
“Should you maybe text or call instead?” he asked.
Melody didn’t blame him for being overprotective. “I have. She won’t respond. She’s ignoring me.”
Matt stopped walking when he was a few feet away from the front porch. His little dog sat at his feet, its tail wagging. “Can you blame her?”
Melody was taken off guard by his directness. “I understand that she’s upset, but the offer on Hidden Treasures was a lot of money. If Jo had wanted the thrift store to remain a thrift store, she should have known not to leave it to me. She could have left it to Mr. Lyme. Surely, he would never sell that place.”
Matt shielded his eyes with his hand. “I don’t think this is about whether you sell that store, Mel. That’s not why Liz is upset with you. I think you know that.”
Melody swallowed. “She doesn’t trust that I’ll come back. But she’s always known I’d leave.”
“You didn’t even tell her when you got the offer on the store. You kept it a secret. The thread of trust you’d built back with her is gone.”
“I was going to tell her.”
“When?”
“After prom. It was an important night. I didn’t want to ruin it. But it got ruined anyway.” Melody sighed and looked down at her bracelet. “I signed the paperwork to sell the store this afternoon.” She blew out a breath. “I don’t know. I thought it was the right thing to do, but maybe that was just my emotions talking. The prom hit me harder than I expected it to. It wasn’t our prom so I didn’t think it would matter, but my emotions just rose to the surface. I sold the store and just planned to get back to real life in Charlotte.”
“But?” Matt asked.
Melody shrugged. “But now I’m second-guessing that decision.”
“Guilt?” Matt asked.
Melody looked up and considered his question. “No. Regret. Maybe that place meant more to me than I realized.” Tears surfaced in her eyes. They were quick and unexpected. “Maybe Charlotte isn’t real life. Perhaps it’s just the fake life I’ve created to avoid real life.” She swallowed hard. She’d only wondered that thought, but saying it out loud, she knew it was the truth. “I’ve got to go.”
“Thought you were waiting for Liz.”
Melody hurried down the steps. “If you see her, tell her that . . . tell her . . .” There were so many things that Melody wanted to tell her. But they had to be said in person. “Just tell her that I’ll be back.”
Melody got into her car and reversed out of the driveway. She didn’t like regrets. She’d had too many in her life, and if selling Hidden Treasures made her feel even an inkling of remorse, she was going to do whatever it took to un-sell it.
To: Melody Palmer
From: Bri Johnson
Subject: Get it together
Melody,
You can’t come back if you’re going to just run away again. I thought we were clear about that. Liz needs you. I need you. But what we don’t need is a repeat of losing you for the next decade. I never cared about a lost charm bracelet. I cared about a lost friend. Alyssa, yes. But also you. And I know that I’m one to talk because I got myself locked up and left Liz as well. I guarantee, once I’m released, I’m not leaving her again. You can live in Charlotte. That’s not what this is about. It’s about being here for one another. Through texts, calls, emails. Just don’t disappear. Friends forever, no matter what.
B