Chapter Twelve
Flashback to a Girl With a Song in Her Heart
It had been weeks since Melanie Wilkes had been to the BAU. After Johnny's death, no one had seen Melly. She had spent days alone, in her home. She spent time with Charlie and Phillip. Neither was the wiser to what she had been doing with the MLB player, and both assumed she was victim. Spencer, Penelope, and Emily took turns driving by Melanie's house. Every night the light was on and every night Melly walked past the curtains to turn off the light at 9:05 on the dot. A few others drove by the house to check on the girl, but only the former three were aware.
It was a shock when Melanie entered the Quantico office four weeks after her secret fiance's death. It was twice as shocking when she entered with a smile, laughing on the arm of her future husband, the Vicomte Dufour. Melly held a little coffee cup in her pale hands, her gold engagement ring with the ruby on her left ring finger. She had her black woven blanket strewn across her shoulders over the black dress she was wearing. Her hair was up in a roll at the nape of her neck, and her white teeth were gnawing at her crimson lips.
The Vicomte was a tall man with a boy's face. His skin wasn't pale like Melly's nor dark like Johnny's. It was a peach with lily colored cheeks. His eyes were crystal blue and his lips were pink in his perfect Prince Charming smile. He had broad shoulders and biceps smaller than Morgan's but bigger than Charlie's. His blonde hair fell to his neck and sometimes tempted at his shoulders. Some days it was light as a budding daffodil, others it was the color of spun brass. It looked lovely next to Melanie's pure gold hair. Their children would be perfect.
They waltzed into the conference room laughing and smiling and her team merely stared.
"Well, this has got to be the weirdest case. This guy's a total...freak..." Penelope stared wide eyed as she walked in behind her friend. "Melly..."
Melanie jumped, wrapping her arms around the technical analyst. They were both squealing like school girls.
"You're back! You're back! ...You're back! Aw! If I had known I would have had balloons and cupcakes and-"
"And I would've hated the attention," Melanie crooned, hugging her friend again.
"I guess I should go," sighed Phillip, kissing his fiance on the forehead. "Where are you going?" he asked.
"Where are we going?" Melly asked.
Hotchner glanced at the file on his lap. "Coney Island."
Melanie didn't respond as Phillip stared at his fiance. Melanie started to wobble as her knees gave out. "Coney?" she breathed.
"There's been a series of murders-"
"Let me guess. A theme park/freak show? All hanged?" her team mates stared at her. "It's him," Melly whispered to Phillip.
"How did you know that?" Hotchner asked.
Melanie didn't answer as she took a seat on the couch in the corner of the room.
Phillip sighed. "Melanie ran away when she was very young...she joined a freak show. On Coney."
"So you know this man?" Hotchner asked the silent girl.
Her eyes were rimmed red when she answered,"He was my master and my teacher. He was practically my...father..." Melanie choked out the word. "He loves me..."
*****************************************************************************************************************
Phillip had fallen asleep on the plane. He insisted to go with them, to insure Melly's safety. His head was on her lap and she was toying with his hair. She sat ridged and straight and she hadn't said a word since boarding. Garcia was with them because Melly informed them there was an odd thing on Coney where nothing really worked or went your way when you wanted it to.
"Melanie?" Rossi asked. "In order for us to understand this man, you need to tell us what happened. We need to profile you in order to do this. Let's start from the beginning. Why did you run away?"
"...My father died...when I was 12. It tore me apart. He and I were so close, but that's not what started everything. I just...couldn't do it anymore."
"What?"
"...Live."
"Tell us everything Melanie."
"...I was 13..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The oldest class would be the last for the day, and it would last till 1 o'clock or so. The teenagers were always tired by the end of the day, and Mr. Rickman was working with the main cast at this point and the chorus was growing bored. They all sat in circles, cliques, as was expected of the children their age.
But this was theatre, and all the children were really alike. Some were more popular, some had more money, others were nerdy and bottom of the food chain.
One group of younger girls sat hidden behind the stage curtain. One had tan skin, she was skinny and dark blonde hair. It fell in curls over her brown eyes and swirled toward her high cheek bones. Her braces glinted in the lights over head when she laughed and smiled, which occurred frequently.
The other girl had copper brown hair, falling straight down her back. She held it back with a green ribbon, matching her cotton top. It made her chocolate eyes glow as well as contrasted her pink lips and white teeth. She was skinny about the waist but curvy around the hips and bust.
The third girl had gold hair which hung to her waist. Two strands had been gathered from the front of her head and pulled back together with a black lace ribbon in a bow. Her watery blue eyes were blinking in the lights and her nose and cheeks were dotted with freckles. She had on a tulle white dress with white tights and black jazz shoes. Her ruby red lips made her look a little funny. Her eyes were a bit to big and her arms were too skinny, but a group of boys across the room kept glancing over. One blonde boy never took his eyes off the golden haired girl.
"Hey," a brunette boy with a mousy face and thin frame came up to the group. The dark blonde haired girl frowned.
"What do you want, Tommy?"
"Easy, Aud. Calm down. Just wanting to talk."
"Can't we talk?" asked a tan boy with black spikes for hair.
"Leave, Zayn," the brunette huffed.
"You girls are lucky," Zayn cried,"me and Niall and Tommy come over her to grace you with our presence, and what do we get?"
"A high heel up your rear end if you don't can it. And get that Phillip to quit staring over here! It's creeping me out!" Audrey cried.
"He's only looking at your blonde beauty over there," Tommy said, throwing his script toward the golden haired girl.
"Me?" she asked, looking at Phillip, biting her lower lip.
"Doesn't he always look at ya?"
"Don't answer him, Melly!" urged the dark haired girl.
"...India!" Melly cried, gripping her friend's arm. The blonde haired boy from across the room was walking toward them. Tommy, Zayn, and Niall began to pester the other girls to keep them away from Melanie as Phillip came up to her. He didn't say a word and his eyes never left her face as he sat with a sigh next to her.
"Hey," he said, facing her. Melanie stared wide eyed at the crystal blue eyes, thinking how beautiful they were. Phillip smiled at licked his lips at her expression. "I'm Phillip Dufour. I live about 3 miles from your estate?"
Melanie stared, then remembered how to speak again. "Oh...oh, yes. You live at Ramblings with Mrs. Graywald and her daughter."
"Charlotte," he reminded.
"Yes. Charlotte. She's had a few play dates with my sister. Charlotte is just a few years older than my sister. Victoria is nine."
"Charlotte's eleven. You're brother is Charlie, right? He's just a year younger than me."
Melanie's eyes went wide again. "You're sixteen?" she gaped.
"Yes," he chuckled. "And you're thirteen."
"Yes," she whispered.
"You live at Ardely Tower, correct?"
"Yes," Melanie whispered, twisting the charm on the necklace she always wore. A key and gold cross. Phillip boldly reached across, trying to touch it, but Melanie yanked away.
"It was your father's," Phillip stated.
"Yes...It's the only part of him I have left that is totally mine. I'm sorry, I just..."
"It's okay. If I had ever met my father, I guess I'd feel the same way."
"He's dead?" Melanie asked, staring caringly at the boy.
"No. My parents don't live in America. They're politicians in France. When I was 5 months old they sent me to live here. It's not that bad, but that's because it's all I've ever known. Here I have a mother and a sister and friends."
"Why did they send you?"
"My father is an ambassador to America. He wanted me to be in the culture so I could do it too, one day."
"What if you don't want to do it?"
"...I never thought about it."
"You're here, don't you want to be on Broadway?"
He shrugged. "This is more of a hobby for me."
"This is my life," Melanie sighed.
"This is my life," Melanie sighed.
"Alright!" Mr. Rickman was down stage and the main cast was in tow. "Take it from the top of track 7! This will be the first time practicing it and we will practice it till it is perfect!"
"Or 1 o'clock," Tommy mumbled.
"Thank you, Mr. Djlas. Partner up!"
Phillip extended a hand to Melanie.
"Be my partner?"
"Be my partner?"
"I'd be honored."
***
"Whose picking us up today?" asked India, blowing a strand of brown hair as she undid the tap on her ballet slippers. "Is it Charlie?"
"What is with you and Charlie?" asked Audrey.
"Charlie's nice..." India murmured.
"If you have a crush on my brother, it's cool, Indie," Melanie said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder so she could remove her jazz shoes. "Wanna sit in the front seat with him?"
"Yes! Er...yeah...cool..."
Audrey and Melanie burst out laughing at their friend's over eager response.
"What's so funny?" Christine asked, entering the changing room and shaking out her carmel colored hair which was sticking to her head due to the shower she had just taken.
"God, just spray me!" Audrey cried, wiping water off her chest plate. Melanie laughed at her friend again.
"What's so funny?" Christine asked again.
"Looooooooovvvvvvvvvveeeeeeee!!" Melanie and Audrey crooned together.
"No! I don't love him!"
"Niall?" Christine asked.
"No," India replied.
"Good. He's mine." And all the girls squealed again. A knock came at the door.
"If you have a penis, don't come in!" Carla, a redheaded girl in the corner sang. She was shirtless and was taking the tape off her breasts. You have to tape if you're too busty, otherwise you bounce. Which isn't good.
"Well, can one of you come out?" a male voice asked, and Melanie froze in the middle of pulling up her hair.
Audrey smiled. "Who do you need?"
"Melanie," he yelled through the door.
"I'm. Not. Here." Melanie mouthed.
"She's coming!" India yelled as Audrey took down Melly's hair and shook it for volume. Melanie swatted the hands away, but her hair was ready as Audrey and India shoved her out the door, and she fell onto Phillip Dufour. Melanie stared and didn't know how to move her legs, so they laid there for a moment, until Phillip wiggled out and pulled up the golden-haired girl.
"Hey, I don't have a ride and I figured since I don't live that far from you could I...?"
"Catch a ride? Yeah, we have room for one more and you're on the way. Yeah, I'm sure Charlie would take you."
"Charlie's driving. Not you're Mammy?"
"Nope. It's Saturday. Mammy takes morning's off Saturday and afternoon off Sunday. She'll still help, but Charlie picks me up. India and Audrey will be with us too."
Phillip sighed. "Super..."
"What is it?" asked the blonde girl as the boy was retreating.
"...I was hoping to ask your Mammy if...if it was okay for me to take you out this weekend. See a movie or something."
"Come up to Ardely anytime. We won't turn you away. There's a stable out back if you ride and a huge lake. Great for swimming. Come over any time. Really."
"Cool. Maybe I'll call on you tomorrow?"
"After Mass before prayer. After prayer is supper, so you could stay for that. Mother would be happy."
"Great."
"Ready?" India asked as she and Audrey came out of the dressing room.
"Ready," replied Melanie. "I'm sure Charlie is waiting for us."
The four went out to the parking lot where Charlie's convertible was waiting. It was an old piece of crap but still, it was pretty cool. Melanie hated when he had the top down, which he did.
"Charlie!"
"There's my favorite little sister!" Charlie cried. He hopped off the hood and hugged his sister and twirled her around.
"Charlie, is it okay if Phillip catches a ride with us?"
"Where does he need to go?"
"Just to Ramblings. You know the way."
"Yeah. Hop in."
Charlie stared when India climbed into the front seat. "I hope you don't mind, Charles. Do you?"
"...No. 'Course not, India." She looked down to hide her smile when he said her name.
Charlie played a few Beatles songs and Phillip some how had gotten his hand very close to Melanie's. She hoped her hand wasn't sweating if he tried to grab for it. He couldn't with her brother in the car. Could he?
Audrey was the first to be dropped off, then India. Phillip strayed ever closer to Melanie on every turn. Charlie took great joy in informing him they were at Ramblings and he could go. Melly flopped into the front seat, smiling. Charlie looked over at his sister frowning.
"I know what you're thinking," Charlie said.
"How can you possibly know that?" Melanie sighed, her eyes watching the wildflowers in the fields on the way to Ardely.
"He's too old for you."
"Fiddle-dee-dee, Charlie."
"Melanie, I love you. And I don't like making you unhappy-"
"You've never made me unhappy, Charlie."
"That's because I'm totally devoted to making you happy. Giving you a good life. That's what father wanted."
"...I know, Charlie."
"He's older than me, Melly! You've got to love what's good for you, what will benefit you."
"You sound like mother."
"Maybe so, but, Melly, it's what's good for you."
"Phillip has money."
"Melly-"
"Who even said we were together! Not me! This is the first time I've spoken to him! I mean, I knew who he was but, still....Are we fighting?" she whispered.
Charlie looked down to his little sister and smiled weakly, taking her little hand in his.
"No, Melly. We're not fighting. We're just disagreeing. It's okay to do that. We'll talk about it later. We need to watch the baby. Mother needs us."
"Yes...Mother needs us..."
The iron gates peeled open once Charlie's car was identified and they drove up the drive toward Ardely. Ardely was a big house sitting on big plantation. It belonged to Melly's family as far back as it could be traced. It survived the Civil War and it survived the small fire Cal, the chef, set two winters ago. The last winter Melanie's father spent with them. He had laughed as Cal and Xylen, the house worker, put it out.
"We must live in an immortal house!" he cried, and smiled as Melanie was the only one who fell into hysterics at his joke. He picked her up and kissed the curls Mammy had put in her hair and Melanie smiled.
"I love you, Abba," she had whispered.
"I love you, too, little dove." She smiled at his pet name for her.
Charlie and Melanie tore up the front steps and Xylen opened the door for them.
"Good Afternoon, Xylen," Charlie said absent mindedly, handing him his cap.
"Good afternoon, Master Charles. Good afternoon, Miss Melanie."
"Good afternoon, Xylen. How are you feeling?"
"Oh, fine, Miss Melanie. Thank you for asking."
"I like your hair today. You got it cut, didn't you?"
Xylen smiled, and ran a hand through his greased copper hair. "Oh, yes Miss Melanie. I did. Thank you."
"Miss Melly!" Melanie turned to face the voice of her nurse maid. The old black woman had a stern expression on her face, so Melly thought it best to smile.
"Hello, Mammy. My, don't you look darling today!" Melanie smiled, and she meant it. "You always look so pretty. I wish I was a pretty thing like you!"
"Don't put none of your flattery on me, Miss Melly. What are you wearing?"
Melanie looked down. "My white tulle gown with tights and slippers. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Miss Melly, that dress is got one low neckline. You ain't fallin' outta it, but you is gonna be dotted with freckles. How much time did you spend in the sun?"
"Oh, not much Mammy. I walked from the theatre to the parking lot and Charlie put the hood up on the car so I didn't get much. I'm sure if they do pop up, it's nothing a little lemon juice can't handle."
"That's what you said last week when you and Master Charlie went racing through the woods and now look at ya. You is lucky you was wearin' a high collar, but you failed to wear a bonnet. If you go out 'fore three o'clock , you put on a hat and sunscreen, and a high collared dress. Got it?"
"Yes, Mammy," Melanie smiled at her nurse maid. "Where's Angus?" she asked.
"He just woke up from his nap. Miss Victoria asked to watch him for a minute while I come in here to chew you out."
"Little traitor..." Melanie mumbled. "Can I help with the baby?"
"Yes, ma'am. But you be quite now. You're mother is taking her nap, and you need to take one too. You is a lady, and ladies take naps."
Melanie groaned. "Oh, Mammy! Babies take naps-"
"No. Ladies take naps. Now you go take one."
"But I'm not tired."
"Go," Mammy sternly yelled. She and Mammy ascended the stairs to Melanie's bedroom, where Mammy stripped her of her dress and tights and bustle, leaving the girl in corset.
"And you didn't even wear pantilettes today."
"The dress came to my knees, Mammy. And no one wears pantilettes anymore. I wore tights."
"Then no more short dresses. You is gonna wear you're green dress to supper."
"Can't I wear my sparring gown?"
"No!"
By now Melanie was in bed and her eyelids were drooping. She didn't bother to fight her nurse maid anymore, and she fell asleep.
***
Melanie woke and stretched her arms after the nap. She stared at the green dress laid out for her. Melanie looked at the clock. It was four in the afternoon. The dress was low cut so Melly could wear it outside. The hoop that went with it was large though, and Melanie found it dreadful to move in. She groaned as she pulled it on, and the bonnet that went with it. She tied the green ribbon below her chin, then a matching hair ribbon around her gold hair. Green wasn't the best color on Melly, she looked best in reds and violets. But that didn't matter. Melanie pinched her cheeks and tried to get them to look rosy, for her face looked awfully pale next to her red lips. She sighed at the avail and took to the stairs.
"Melly!" Victoria cried, her brass hair was frizzy and bouncing as she came and attacked her sister. "I was just coming to tell you. There's a boy here for you!"
"A boy?"
"Yes! He's awful handsome!"
"Blonde hair? Blue eyes? Tall?"
"That could fit any number of boys, but yes, that's him," her sister teased.
"Why are you so precocious?"
"Why are you so boring?"
The two stuck their tongues out at each other, making faces.
"Hey!" Mammy came up the stairs to meet them. "You want that gentlemen caller of yours to see you doin' that?" she hissed. "C'mon," Mammy sighed, pulling Melanie by the wrist.
"Where's your kid gloves?" she hissed.
"In my room," Melanie whispered. Mammy groaned.
"Phillip," Melanie sighed, her stomach in knots.
Phillip smiled as he rose. He bowed low, removing his hat. "Melly," he sighed her name. Melanie swallowed.
"I do believe, Miss Wilkes, you promised me a riding session."
"Oh," Melanie's face went crimson,"I'm in no state to ride. I just woke from my nap and I'm not properly dressed."
"Oh, that's fine, Miss Wilkes. How about you show me around Ardely? I'll have to take you up on riding next time."
"That's fine by me," Melanie smiled. Mammy mouthed something to Melly behind Phillip. "As long as you stay for supper," Melanie stumbled out of her mouth.
"Of course, Miss Wilkes," Phillip smiled at her again and Melly looked at Mammy asked for her bag. The blue one. The one with my smelling salts. If I don't faint before I get to them!
***
"Supper was lovely," Phillip supplied.
"I'll be sure to tell Cal," Melanie whispered, her eyes on the ground. It was dark now, and they were walking along the gravel path toward the lake. Phillip wanted to see it before he left.
"I was upset I didn't get to see your mother."
"She has supper in her room often. She just had a baby a week ago. Once she's back to normal, she'll dine with us. And you've already found seven excuses to come back here," Melanie sighed, elbowing him in the ribs. He chuckled.
"Eight."
"Of course," the girl rolled her eyes.
"Bring Charlotte sometime. It would shut up Victoria for some time."
"But then," Phillip turned to face her," I couldn't do this." He leaned down, Melanie's chin in his hands and she stared wide eyed as he tried to come down on her.
"S-Stop!" she sputtered, and he did.
"What's wrong?" he asked, moving his hands from her face to her waist.
"Nothing...I just...I want my first kiss to be with my fiance, not a boy I just met."
Phillip groaned. "That's all I am? A boy you just met?"
"Did you think you were more?" Melanie asked. He looked away. "Do you want to be more?" she whispered.
"I called on you, didn't I?" he huffed.
"You really wanna do this?" she asked.
"...Yeah."
"Alright. If you want to do this, I'll do this. If you look at or talk to any other girl without my permission I'll slit your throat. If you don't spend every day with me, I will never speak to you again. Got it, loser?" Phillip turned to face Melly and his expression made her burst out with laughter. "I'm kidding, Phillip! Goodness!" He pulled on her waist, bringing her to his chest, and he kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Melanie."
"Goodnight, Phillip."
And he started down the drive, glancing back every once in a while to look at Melanie Wilkes, and sigh at the way the moonlight shone on her hair.
***
"Are you crazy?!"
"Yes!"
Phillip Dufour took two steps back and got at a running start off the tree branch and into the window. He landed on the pillow Melanie laid out for him every night and every night the pillow broke his fall. Week after week.
"It's five in the morning!" Melanie whispered in a yelling voice. Regardless of the time, Melanie was in her corset and sparring gown. If Mammy knew she was wearing this in front of any boy, she would have her head. If Mammy knew she was wearing this at five a.m. while her boyfriend scuffled through her window while they hugged on her bed...the world would explode. Phillip climbed on the sheets and Melanie pulled them tighter around her. She never let Phillip under the sheets.
"That would be untoward," she crooned. But Phillip cuddled next to his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her, letting his lips trace up her shoulder to her neck. He groaned loudly and Melanie slapped his head.
"You want someone to hear you like that?!"
Phillip kept kissing her body, his hands gripping her shoulders gently. His lips were going across her clavicle, and Melanie put her hands into his hair.
"...This isn't right, Phillip."
He was in front of her, his legs over hers, his lips going lower.
"Stop!" she hissed quietly. Phillip pulled back slowly.
"Let me kiss your lips," he whispered.
"No," she said, and stared out the window. Hers was the only room with the view of the lake. Her father's had a view of the field, where Charlie and Melly used to play, and Melanie always wondered if Father was watching, if he wanted to join them. But she would never know that answer.
"Look at the sun coming up..." she whispered.
"What time does Mammy wake you?"
"It's summer...Tuesday...8 o'clock."
"Great. Have you asked your mother about coming to that camp with me?"
"Not yet. I will today, though, if you want me to."
"Yeah...that'd be great...I'll go, Mel. I'll come by later. Go riding?"
"Yeah...great...we've rehearsal today though, too. At 10:30. Maybe Mammy is waking me up earlier..."
"I'll head out. 'Night, love."
"G'night, Philly."
Meg here. Part II will be up ASAP (emphasis on the P) and Melanie's flashback will continue from there.
Love and regards,
-MEG
"Good afternoon, Xylen. How are you feeling?"
"Oh, fine, Miss Melanie. Thank you for asking."
"I like your hair today. You got it cut, didn't you?"
Xylen smiled, and ran a hand through his greased copper hair. "Oh, yes Miss Melanie. I did. Thank you."
"Miss Melly!" Melanie turned to face the voice of her nurse maid. The old black woman had a stern expression on her face, so Melly thought it best to smile.
"Hello, Mammy. My, don't you look darling today!" Melanie smiled, and she meant it. "You always look so pretty. I wish I was a pretty thing like you!"
"Don't put none of your flattery on me, Miss Melly. What are you wearing?"
Melanie looked down. "My white tulle gown with tights and slippers. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong? Miss Melly, that dress is got one low neckline. You ain't fallin' outta it, but you is gonna be dotted with freckles. How much time did you spend in the sun?"
"Oh, not much Mammy. I walked from the theatre to the parking lot and Charlie put the hood up on the car so I didn't get much. I'm sure if they do pop up, it's nothing a little lemon juice can't handle."
"That's what you said last week when you and Master Charlie went racing through the woods and now look at ya. You is lucky you was wearin' a high collar, but you failed to wear a bonnet. If you go out 'fore three o'clock , you put on a hat and sunscreen, and a high collared dress. Got it?"
"Yes, Mammy," Melanie smiled at her nurse maid. "Where's Angus?" she asked.
"He just woke up from his nap. Miss Victoria asked to watch him for a minute while I come in here to chew you out."
"Little traitor..." Melanie mumbled. "Can I help with the baby?"
"Yes, ma'am. But you be quite now. You're mother is taking her nap, and you need to take one too. You is a lady, and ladies take naps."
Melanie groaned. "Oh, Mammy! Babies take naps-"
"No. Ladies take naps. Now you go take one."
"But I'm not tired."
"Go," Mammy sternly yelled. She and Mammy ascended the stairs to Melanie's bedroom, where Mammy stripped her of her dress and tights and bustle, leaving the girl in corset.
"And you didn't even wear pantilettes today."
"The dress came to my knees, Mammy. And no one wears pantilettes anymore. I wore tights."
"Then no more short dresses. You is gonna wear you're green dress to supper."
"Can't I wear my sparring gown?"
"No!"
By now Melanie was in bed and her eyelids were drooping. She didn't bother to fight her nurse maid anymore, and she fell asleep.
***
Melanie woke and stretched her arms after the nap. She stared at the green dress laid out for her. Melanie looked at the clock. It was four in the afternoon. The dress was low cut so Melly could wear it outside. The hoop that went with it was large though, and Melanie found it dreadful to move in. She groaned as she pulled it on, and the bonnet that went with it. She tied the green ribbon below her chin, then a matching hair ribbon around her gold hair. Green wasn't the best color on Melly, she looked best in reds and violets. But that didn't matter. Melanie pinched her cheeks and tried to get them to look rosy, for her face looked awfully pale next to her red lips. She sighed at the avail and took to the stairs.
"Melly!" Victoria cried, her brass hair was frizzy and bouncing as she came and attacked her sister. "I was just coming to tell you. There's a boy here for you!"
"A boy?"
"Yes! He's awful handsome!"
"Blonde hair? Blue eyes? Tall?"
"That could fit any number of boys, but yes, that's him," her sister teased.
"Why are you so precocious?"
"Why are you so boring?"
The two stuck their tongues out at each other, making faces.
"Hey!" Mammy came up the stairs to meet them. "You want that gentlemen caller of yours to see you doin' that?" she hissed. "C'mon," Mammy sighed, pulling Melanie by the wrist.
"Where's your kid gloves?" she hissed.
"In my room," Melanie whispered. Mammy groaned.
"Phillip," Melanie sighed, her stomach in knots.
Phillip smiled as he rose. He bowed low, removing his hat. "Melly," he sighed her name. Melanie swallowed.
"I do believe, Miss Wilkes, you promised me a riding session."
"Oh," Melanie's face went crimson,"I'm in no state to ride. I just woke from my nap and I'm not properly dressed."
"Oh, that's fine, Miss Wilkes. How about you show me around Ardely? I'll have to take you up on riding next time."
"That's fine by me," Melanie smiled. Mammy mouthed something to Melly behind Phillip. "As long as you stay for supper," Melanie stumbled out of her mouth.
"Of course, Miss Wilkes," Phillip smiled at her again and Melly looked at Mammy asked for her bag. The blue one. The one with my smelling salts. If I don't faint before I get to them!
***
"Supper was lovely," Phillip supplied.
"I'll be sure to tell Cal," Melanie whispered, her eyes on the ground. It was dark now, and they were walking along the gravel path toward the lake. Phillip wanted to see it before he left.
"I was upset I didn't get to see your mother."
"She has supper in her room often. She just had a baby a week ago. Once she's back to normal, she'll dine with us. And you've already found seven excuses to come back here," Melanie sighed, elbowing him in the ribs. He chuckled.
"Eight."
"Of course," the girl rolled her eyes.
"Bring Charlotte sometime. It would shut up Victoria for some time."
"But then," Phillip turned to face her," I couldn't do this." He leaned down, Melanie's chin in his hands and she stared wide eyed as he tried to come down on her.
"S-Stop!" she sputtered, and he did.
"What's wrong?" he asked, moving his hands from her face to her waist.
"Nothing...I just...I want my first kiss to be with my fiance, not a boy I just met."
Phillip groaned. "That's all I am? A boy you just met?"
"Did you think you were more?" Melanie asked. He looked away. "Do you want to be more?" she whispered.
"I called on you, didn't I?" he huffed.
"You really wanna do this?" she asked.
"...Yeah."
"Alright. If you want to do this, I'll do this. If you look at or talk to any other girl without my permission I'll slit your throat. If you don't spend every day with me, I will never speak to you again. Got it, loser?" Phillip turned to face Melly and his expression made her burst out with laughter. "I'm kidding, Phillip! Goodness!" He pulled on her waist, bringing her to his chest, and he kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Melanie."
"Goodnight, Phillip."
And he started down the drive, glancing back every once in a while to look at Melanie Wilkes, and sigh at the way the moonlight shone on her hair.
***
"Are you crazy?!"
"Yes!"
Phillip Dufour took two steps back and got at a running start off the tree branch and into the window. He landed on the pillow Melanie laid out for him every night and every night the pillow broke his fall. Week after week.
"It's five in the morning!" Melanie whispered in a yelling voice. Regardless of the time, Melanie was in her corset and sparring gown. If Mammy knew she was wearing this in front of any boy, she would have her head. If Mammy knew she was wearing this at five a.m. while her boyfriend scuffled through her window while they hugged on her bed...the world would explode. Phillip climbed on the sheets and Melanie pulled them tighter around her. She never let Phillip under the sheets.
"That would be untoward," she crooned. But Phillip cuddled next to his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her, letting his lips trace up her shoulder to her neck. He groaned loudly and Melanie slapped his head.
"You want someone to hear you like that?!"
Phillip kept kissing her body, his hands gripping her shoulders gently. His lips were going across her clavicle, and Melanie put her hands into his hair.
"...This isn't right, Phillip."
He was in front of her, his legs over hers, his lips going lower.
"Stop!" she hissed quietly. Phillip pulled back slowly.
"Let me kiss your lips," he whispered.
"No," she said, and stared out the window. Hers was the only room with the view of the lake. Her father's had a view of the field, where Charlie and Melly used to play, and Melanie always wondered if Father was watching, if he wanted to join them. But she would never know that answer.
"Look at the sun coming up..." she whispered.
"What time does Mammy wake you?"
"It's summer...Tuesday...8 o'clock."
"Great. Have you asked your mother about coming to that camp with me?"
"Not yet. I will today, though, if you want me to."
"Yeah...that'd be great...I'll go, Mel. I'll come by later. Go riding?"
"Yeah...great...we've rehearsal today though, too. At 10:30. Maybe Mammy is waking me up earlier..."
"I'll head out. 'Night, love."
"G'night, Philly."
Meg here. Part II will be up ASAP (emphasis on the P) and Melanie's flashback will continue from there.
Love and regards,
-MEG
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