Melody (Ransom Drysdale)

11

Ransom wasn't at home when Melody arrived back, and so she was able to bathe Audrey in peace and ready her for bed -choosing a lovely floral sleep suit to keep her snug in, then giving her a bottle and humming as she rocked her to sleep.

She was such a beautiful little girl that it was hard not to admire her. Melody had compliments from people on the street as to how lovely her daughter was. She hadn't the heart to tell these people that the baby wasn't hers, and instead just smiled and thanked them.

Hearing the door slam from downstairs and the clunk of keys in the bowl as usual, Melody knew that Ransom had returned. Placing the baby into the cot, she turned on the monitor and quietly crept out.

She turned, seeing Ransom now right behind her. "Ever heard of spacial awareness?" Melody stated.

He smirked. "My house, I can go and stand where I like".

"What do you want Hugh?" She sighed, being over with the bullshit already.

"Harlan wants you to attend a family dinner with the kid on Sunday".

She crossed her arms and smirked. "Which means you'll have to suffer too - what a shame".

Ransom snorted at this. "The old man doesn't control me, besides I have a date so he'll just have to deal with it".

"Wow, someone actually is willing to suck your dick? Is she blind? Or desperate?" It had to be the latter of course. Melody wouldn't touch Ransom with a barge pole. She was pretty sure that girls only gravitated towards him because they knew he had money.

"Whatever, dinner is at 2pm, be there". He simply told her and turned, heading to his room without another word.

Melody flipped him off behind his back and retreated to her room, throwing herself face down on her bed and screaming into her pillow.

Now that felt good.

Her stomach growled, not having had anything to eat since getting home. She'd been too caught up in seeing that Audrey was taken care of.

Rolling off the bed she looked at herself in the mirror. A tired version of herself stared back, skin a little paler than normal and some faint dark circles forming under her eyes.

"I really do look like shit" She muttered to herself, studying under her eyes and then going downstairs to make something to eat.

Ransom appeared in the kitchen as she was halfway through making herself some pasta, not saying anything and instead pushing past her to get to the fridge. "Do you want some?" She asked, making a mental note to spit in his if he said yes.

"No, I've already eaten".

"Good for you, I haven't since breakfast". Melody grumbled.

Ransom poured himself a drink as he walked into the living room and looked over at her. "Do you always moan?"

"Only when I have to, or if someone gives me cause to" She shot him a look and then resumed making her food.

He stifled a laugh and downed his drink, then pouring another. "You should smile more".

Melody slammed the spoon down onto the counter and turned to him. "And you should be a father to Audrey but hey, let's face it, we both know you won't - so why should I bother smiling when I'm stuck here with you".

"Because you work for my family, therefore you work for me. You fucking do as I tell you to". He fired back, now walking over to her and caging her in against the counter.

"I work for Harlan, I'm forced to live with you - you don't bother with Audrey so therefore you don't get to boss me about".

"You're in my home - I have the authority to say or do as I please to you or anyone. You are the help, and one foot outta line and you and the brat are both outta here with nowhere and no one".

She glared up at him, his face just inches from hers. "Harlan will take me".

Ransom chuckled. "Can't you see it was part of his plan? If you think my family are bad then he's the one at the helm. Get rid of the burden that he was lumbered with like I was. He won't have you back, so don't even try".

"You're lying..." Even now as Ransom's smug face stared closely to hers she had a flicker of doubt cross her mind. "Get off of me Hugh". 

Pushing himself off the counter and away from her, he returned to the bar for another drink. "I trust you're gonna clear up after yourself? I don't do mess".

"Oh no, because you've never had to clear up anything in your life, even your own mess that resulted in Audrey. Harlan did it all for you". Pouring the pasta into a bowl, she left him with that thought and retreated back upstairs to her room.

She'd go down and clear the things away when Ransom had buggered off to bed.