27. Melanie
Almost Thirty-Seven Years Ago
As much as Melanie had done her damnedest to fit in for the past three years, she couldn’t find a place for herself with Henry’s family.
Could she help it if everyone was jealous of her?
That her tastes were more sophisticated than theirs?
Take, for instance, dinner tonight, when Henry’s mom served something called coke awe van?
What kind of name was that? And why was the chicken… purple?
“Chicken shouldn’t look like that,” she complained to Henry while surrounded by a tableful of Livingstons. What was with this family, always having dinner together? Growing up in Florida, she ate with her mama and sister, like, maybe once a week.
“It’s good, Melanie. Just try it. It’s one of my favorites!
” Everything was her husband’s favorite, and that was part of her problem living back in his hometown.
Even though his plans had busted apart, he seemed content to be here.
Maybe he just hadn’t cared as much about his dreams as she had about hers?
If she couldn’t convince him that Clover Lake was too small for them, he’d never leave.
“You know why Mom made this, don’t you?” Over the glow of the tapered candles, Henry’s brother glared at her.
Both brothers were tall, but where Henry was slender, George was burly, like their dad, William.
George’s perfect wife, Nora, had recently graduated from some piddly college with a degree in business, which sounded completely boring to Melanie, but the family made a huge potluck picnic in the park last month to celebrate.
Catherine, Henry’s mom, even asked her to make something for it.
Like Melanie had the time or inclination to cook?
In her opinion, George and Nora always got treated like royalty, she thought sullenly, like when they got married last year.
Huge wedding, with the extended family invited, plus it seemed like everyone in town was there, too.
Big whoop. Nobody had bothered to hang up streamers for her and Henry when they got married three years ago.
All they’d gotten as a congratulation was a microscopic picture in the town’s newspaper.
Henry put his brother on a pedestal far too often, like when George graduated from a mechanics program in Beverley.
What a joke that place was. Everyone around here treated it like it was a bustling metropolis, but there were barely even ten thousand people there.
Melanie thought it was stupid that George took classes to be a mechanic, yet Henry did it, no problem.
Nobody threw him a party. “It’s Henry’s birthday.
” George’s voice mocked her, “But I bet you knew that, right?”
Like, no duh. Of course she knew it was his birthday…
it had just slipped her mind. Uncomfortable with his family’s eyes on her, she tried to defend herself.
“I just…I just thought Henry and I would celebrate by ourselves later.” Judging by their nasty looks, no one believed her.
Except for Henry, who squeezed her knee under the table.
When the family members individually handed Henry birthday presents, the knot of dread in Melanie’s stomach grew until it was her turn.
Everyone looked expectantly at her. How could she have forgotten to get him a present?
Why couldn’t she remember what she’d gotten him last year?
Oh, right, she’d bought him a bag of fancy coffee because he was always complaining the stuff from the grocery store didn’t sit right with him.
“What? Obviously, I…just…like I said, we’re celebratin’ alone later,” she sputtered, unable to control the Panhandle accent she worked so hard to hide.
“It’s back at the apartment.” Their apartment, the microscopic space above his parents’ garage.
When they had moved in, Henry promised it would only be until the baby came, then they would get their own house.
Only, there had been no baby. Only Melanie had been relieved when her period came a week after they were married, unlike Henry, who’d actually seemed disappointed.
He reasoned that, without a baby, it made sense to continue living rent-free above the garage so they could save money.
Even if he never said it, she knew he had to remember her dream of moving to California.
That’s pretty much all she thought about, which was why every week she took a little money out of the bank and squirreled it away.
Stares from Henry’s family caused a wave of shame.
Everyone sat there, acting as if not having a gift for him meant she didn’t love him.
She did, desperately, which was why she wanted them to get the hell out of this place.
He deserved better than coming home every night with oil staining his fingers.
His beautiful hands should belong to a doctor, not a grease monkey.
He’d make the most perfect physician, with his grace and his polite ways.
Even now, blond hair smoothed to the side of his head and blue eyes sparkling with laughter, she couldn’t imagine him crawling underneath some hunk of junk like he did six days a week.
The doorbell rang then, and Nora, of all people, jumped up.
Why was she rushing to get it? Her sister-in-law didn’t even live there.
No, she and George were lucky to have their own house one town over, where she was sure they got plenty of privacy, away from the prying eyes of the family.
On her way out of the dining room, Nora called behind her, “I forgot to mention that DD might stop by tonight.” Surely she didn’t mean the famous DD?
Melanie had heard nothing but rave reviews for Nora’s best friend, whose parents were loaded, she had surmised, but not as much as Nora’s family, who owned a bunch of car dealerships.
Must be nice for Nora to have those connections, because she got a job there pretty much right after graduating.
Fine for her, but you wouldn’t catch Melanie working all day long in some stuffy office.
Or anywhere else, really. She’d tried working at the grocery store in town, but the boss, Dirk, was a little too touchy-feely, so she’d quit after two weeks.
Just as well, because with all her free time, she spent her days reading entertainment magazines to stay current with Hollywood.
Nora reentered the dining room with two of the most gorgeous people Melanie had ever seen outside of a movie screen.
“Hi everyone, sorry if we’re interrupting tonight.
” Melanie gulped. This couldn’t be DD. With brown eyes tilting up at the corners and glistening brown hair streaked with gold, she was stunning, and something shriveled inside Melanie as Henry tensed next to her.
No one, aside from Nora, seemed pleased by their surprise guest, and silence hung for a second or two until Catherine rose. “Of course. Nora is family, so you’re welcome here.” Her mother-in-law pulled out two chairs. “Won’t you stay for some cake and ice cream?”
DD gave a small smile. “Thanks, but we can’t stay. Mother is expecting us for a late supper.”
Her father-in-law asked, “In town for the holiday weekend, then, DD?” This family loved a holiday, and the Fourth of July was no exception.
“Yes. We’ve been so busy, with our wedding, and school, and then the baby.
We haven’t been back at all. In fact, this is Nathaniel’s first time here,” she announced, drawing the handsome man forward.
With deeply tanned skin and shoulder-length black hair, his eyes were the most unique shade of golden brown.
In his muscled arms was an adorable infant, a replica of Nathaniel, down to her jet-black hair and golden eyes.
“And my parents haven’t even met Euphemie yet.
” For a moment, a pang of sympathy rose in her for DD.
Yes, Melanie’s relationship with her own mother hadn’t been perfect, but the wariness she read in the other woman’s face worried her.
How had DD’s parents not met their grandchild until now?
Her generosity ended when DD put her hand on Henry’s shoulder.
“Happy birthday, Henry,” the other woman practically sang before following Nora into the living room.
Afterwards, Henry’s deafening silence haunted her on the climb up to their apartment.
During their three years together, she had, of course, heard about his infatuation with DD in high school, and how his heart had been broken by her at their senior prom.
Yet Henry’s intense affection for Melanie, along with his many declarations of love, led her to believe he was over her.
Tired of his silence, she snapped, “You never mentioned how beautiful DD is.” She watched him for a reaction, but he barely blinked. “Did you know she was comin’ tonight?”
“What?” He shook his blond head. “Of course not!”
“You’re sure defensive about it. You barely said anything after she got there. And now you’re actin’ all mopey and sad.” Melanie narrowed her eyes. “Do you still have feelings for her?”