Chapter Thirty-Eight-Letters From War

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Letters From War

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melanie Wilkes, age four, twirled a piece of her six-year-old brother's hair around her finger. They were under the shade of the big oak trees, and the sun poked through the leaves, ragged shadows covering the two's pale skin. Melanie kissed her brother's cheek, and shoved him down, and she ran. Charlie's footfalls ran out behind her and she smiled, adrenaline pumping. Charlie tackled her from behind, and pinned her down, his hands on her wrist. The two collapsed laughing, and Melanie curled into her brother's side.

"Charlie?" she asked tenderly.

"Yeah?"

"...Are you gonna marry me some day?"

Charlie sat up and stared at his young sister, eyes wide. "No. Melly, that's gross."

Melanie sat up, blue eyes wide and angry. She pulled back her fist, and grasped his collar. "You take that back! I ain't gross!"

"No, Melly, you're not gross," Charlie said frantically, not too keen on getting another black eye from his quick-to-anger sister. Melly warily lowered her fist.

"You just...Melly, I can't...you're to young to understand."

Melly's face turned red. "Say that again and I'll tell Abba you called me gross!"

Charlie gaped. "But I-...Uh..." He didn't want to get chewed out by his father again, whose only love was his first daughter. "Melly..."

"Swear you'll marry me!"

"Melly-"

"What's going on?"

Melanie turned, and her blue eyes beamed as her dark-haired father walked out on the lawn.

"Abba!" she crooned, running to him. He scooped up his favorite child into his arms, cradling her close to his chest.

"Charlie, why is she upset?" he growled at his son.

Charlie looked down.

"Melly?"

"He won't marry me!"

Rene looked down at his son, then started laughing. "Charles," he said, looking down at his son with kind eyes. "Say you'll marry your sister."

Charlie looked down and mumbled,"I'll marry you."

Melanie, regardless, punched his arm.

"Ow!"

Rene laughed. Melanie, her interest caught by a dove on the dock, tried to lure it to her by singing, she chased it,unable to resist.

"Charlie, enlighten her. She won't hold you to it when she's older. Just give her what she wants, alright? Keep her happy? It's your only job, son, and it's not that hard."

"Yes, sir," Charlie said, looking away. Rene nodded, and walked off. Melanie came back, a caterpillar crawling along her body.

"Where's Abba? I wanted to show him something," she said frowning.

"Whatcha got there?" Charlie asked. Melanie, when tricked into it, was just as content showing her bug to Charlie as to her father. Charlie really was her best friend...

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"You be careful, okay?"

"Melly, I'm not leaving for an hour-"

"You have everything? Enough food? Do you want me to bake you something quick? I can-"

Melanie was cut off by Phillip's lips to her own. She smiled sadly as he pulled away. She clung to his chest, and he wrapped her in his arms.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

Phillip nodded. "I know," he said.

"You'll come home soon?"

"We'll try, Melly."

Phillip and the boys had gathered enough men for India, and they were going after basically the witch hunters. Phillip was leaving for a very dangerous job, and Melanie wasn't certain he would come back in tack.

"I'll come home, though. I promise."

Melanie looked away. "Don't make promises you can't keep, Phillip," she said.

"It's not like that, Melly. That night was an accident-"
"Don't talk about it!" she screeched, covering her ears.

"Melly..." Phillip said, taking her hands away. She looked so dead tired and sad, right in that moment. "Charlie is staying with you," he said.

Melly looked away.

"What's your biggest regret, if I go?" he asked.

Melanie looked away. "I...I couldn't love anyone else. If you left...what I am I supposed to do? My biggest regret?...There's no piece of you inside me."

He gulped. "Meaning?"

"Meaning I'll never have a child from you, like I always wanted."

He looked away. "I gotta go, Melly."

Melanie watched as he stalked down Ardely's gravel road, leaving through the iron gates. Just like he had done all those years ago, when she was 13, and the worst thing that had ever happened was losing her father....