A Shattered Song ✔️

Chapter Nine: Memory Lane

CHAPTER NINE: Memory Lane

"Melody Violet Robins!"

The stern voice pierced the pretended land Evelyn and Melody had been playing in, immediately crushing the fake castles and bridges to rubble. A flash of guilt passed over Melody's face, marring her otherwise sweet features. "Yes?" She replied innocently.

"Melody, I know what you did."

"What?" Evelyn whispered so Melody's mom wouldn't hear. "What did you do?"

"Nothing." Melody whispered back. "She's lying."

Evelyn tried to raise one eyebrow, but both brows flew up to her hairline. She wasn't very good at it yet. "And I'm supposed to believe that?"

"Mmm-hmm." Melody turned to focus her attention on the approaching figure. "Hi, Mommy."

"Melody." Her mother stopped in front of the two girls, crossing her arms over her chest. "What happened to your brother's bike?"

"Nothing!" Melody insisted. "I didn't do it!"

"Mel," Her mom sighed, "Don't pretend with me."

"I didn't!" Said Melody, a little desperate. "I wouldn't!" She looked to Evelyn for support.

Evelyn was silent.

Looking hurt, Melody turned back to her mother. "Mommy, Jake's lying. He's such a big fat liar." Her expression crumpled. "A super big liar!"

"Melody." Her mother seemed exasperated, and a bit weary. "Come on. We'll talk it out, okay?"

"I don't want to talk it out." Melody crossed her arms over her chest. "You won't believe me anyway. You always listen to Jake." Her expression turned accusatory. "You think I'm a 'problem child'. You said it to Daddy."

For a moment, shock crossed over Evelyn's aunt's face. "When did you hear that?"

"Last night." Melody moved behind Evelyn. "Evie heard it too."

Her mother seemed momentarily thrown off-balance. "Sweetie, we didn't mean that- you must have misheard."

Melody shook her head, braids swinging back and forth, stone-faced. "That's what you said. Problem child."

"Melody, you're not a problem child." Evelyn's aunt fought to regain control of the situation. "You're just...different."

"You also said I'm strange." Melody seemed almost bored, but beneath her indifferent tone, Evelyn could detect real hurt. "Strange, not different. The strange problem child." Her voice cracked. "A strange little girl who breaks her brother's toys."

"Stop saying that." Evelyn's aunt moved to hug Melody, but Melody jerked away. "Mel!"

"Strange problem child." Melody repeated, eyes trained on her mother's face.

"Stop it, Melody, you know that isn't true." Evelyn's aunt moved again to grab her daughter's hand.

Again, Melody ducked out of reach. "PROBLEM CHILD!" She was shouting it, now, her voice raw and wounded. "STRANGE LITTLE GIRL!"

"Melody!" Evelyn's aunt was glancing around now, as if worried the neighbors would hear. "If you keep it up, I'll have to put you in time-out and we'll talk after."

"Strange little girl, problem child, problem problem problem." Melody repeated the same words over and over, hands clamped over her ears. "Strange little girl, strange, strange, strange."

"Evie, how about you go find your uncle. I'm sure he'll have a snack for you." Evelyn's aunt's voice was strained. "How about that?"

Evelyn didn't say a word, only slowly backed away into her aunt's carefully preened bushes.

The last thing she saw was Melody being dragged away, kicking and screaming, by her own mother.

✿ ✿ ✿

The next time Evelyn saw Melody was a day later, when her dad dropped her off for Melody and Jake's family to watch on his way to work. As her tired aunt led her inside for her playdate with her cousin, Evelyn could swear she heard her muttering, "Just hope she's not crying..."

Taking off her shoes at the mat, as she'd been instructed, Evelyn slowly began to ascend the stairs leading to Melody's room. She tiptoed down the hallway, guilt congealing like old cheese in her gut.

What if Melody was angry with her?

But she needn't have worried, for when she knocked on the smooth mahogany wood that made up Melody's door, she heard an ordinary- if a bit choked up- "Come in."

Evelyn slowly turned the handle, peeping inside. Melody lay still atop her rumpled bedspread, face buried in her pillow. She glanced up as Evelyn slowly walked inside, revealing puffy red eyes. "Hi Evie."

"Hi." Evelyn said cautiously. "What do you want to play?"

"Come sit." Melody said instead. "I wanna talk to you."

Wary now, Evelyn perched delicately on the edge of her cousin's bed. "About what?"

"Evie," Melody sat up, leaning towards Evie's ear and cupping her hands. "I need your help."

"With what?" Evelyn made no attempt to keep her voice down, and Melody quickly shushed her. Evelyn's tone dropped to barely a whisper. "With what?" She said again.

"Running away." Melody said it like the best of secrets, all suspense.

Shock raced through Evelyn's veins. "Why?"

"I don't belong here." Even as she said it, Melody's voice cracked again, and she grabbed a stuffed swan, holding it tightly to her chest. "I just don't."

"Yes, you do!" Evelyn grabbed for her cousin's limp, clammy hand. "You have me."

"Yeah." Melody looked up hopefully. "That's why I want you to come with me. We'll go together. I have some friends that'll help me."

"What friends?" Evelyn stalled for time, panicked.

"My fairies." Melody smiled angelically. "So will you come?"

Evelyn thought of her mother. Of Kayleigh. Of her dad. And then...Melody. Melody needed her too, didn't she? But it was that indecision that made her say, "I don't know."

Instantly, the hope faded from her cousin's expression. "Then you're not coming." Melody's voice trembled with barely suppressed anger, and she shoved Evelyn from her seat. Evelyn fell to the carpet, knees stinging. "I don't want you!"

Hurt and betrayal filled Evelyn to the core, but still she stood up, making her way to the door. "Mel, I-"

Melody's eyes flashed as she stood up, and gave Evelyn another push- all the way into the hallway. "I'm going alone." She hissed, then slammed the door behind her.

That was the last memory Evelyn had of her cousin. A slammed door. A broken promise that they would always, always be there for each other. And hate on one side so deep it was impenetrable.