Melody (Ransom Drysdale)

12

As Melody arrived in the hallway of Thrombey Manor, complete with Audrey, already she could hear the conversation that was happening in the room just next to the kitchen.
Fran simply put a finger to her lips and beckoned her to come and stand where she was so that they could listen without being seen.

"Is the brat going to be joining us this afternoon or are we going to have a nice time without him?" Walt asked as the family sat in the sitting room waiting until Fran told them that dinner was ready. "What about the girl? The nurse or whatever the hell she is, you invited her too dad?"

Harlan simply smiled. "She will be here, I know that she will".

"You know I just don't know why anyone would want to look after some spawn of Ransom" Joni now put in.

"Mom!" Meg sounded outraged. "You weren't exactly offering to help out with looking after Audrey either".

Bless Meg, Marta had been right - she seemed the only one who was somewhat normal.

Linda puffed away on her cigarette calmly. "That 'spawn' that you are talking about is my granddaughter".

"So why isn't she staying with you?" Joni now enquired pointedly.

"Because Richard and I are far too old to have a baby running about the place. I'm busy, I work."

"And so do I" Joni tried to justify. "Flam is just about to release the coconut oil based products and..."

"No one gives a shit what hippie crap you're trying to sell Joni" Walt butted in, receiving a talking down from Donna about swearing in front of Jacob, who's head was still stuck in Instagram. "Just like my nephew couldn't give any about his offspring"

Melody now knew it was time to make herself known and appeared in the doorway, clearing her throat so that everyone fell silent, turning to see her stood there with the baby.

Linda now got up and walked towards her with a smile. "Melody...oh and you brought Audrey, it's so nice to see you - where's Ransom?" She asked, wondering whether her son was lurking in the hall.

"He decided to go out to meet some leggy blonde that's been sending him pictures of her vagina" Melody told them all sweetly, causing Donna to look horrified and fan herself in a rather dramatic fashion.

Unfortunately Melody had seen the picture as it had flashed up on Ransom's phone. Where he found these women and why the hell they were even attracted to him was something else. But he'd ditched the family dinner as intended, and instead chose to go out on his date.

1-0 to Ransom, strike one for Harlan's attempt at having everyone get along.

There was no way that Ransom would dream of attending anyway, not with the baby and Melody in tow.

"Well..." Said Linda, looking a little pained at hearing what she just did. "I guess there is no hope in thinking he'll change dad" Now turning to Harlan, "I told you that it was a bad idea".

"If the boy has any sense, then he'll know to come".

"He's an overprivileged, sweater wearing little shit, I say you cut him off completely". Walt suggested. "Hasn't worked a day in his life, in fact I don't think he even knows what work is?" He carried on, "then he has the audacity to lumber you with the product of his balls and expect..."

Harlan now raised his voice. "That's enough Walt!" An action that caused everyone to fall silent once more. "Melody and Audrey are our guests. You all need to stop speaking of the baby in such a way. Yes she is Ransom's daughter, and no there is nothing we can do about it, but you treat her with kindness, just like you would any other child".