Melody (Ransom Drysdale)

22

"Jesus Mel! What the fuck has gotten into you!" Ransom now yelled on seeing the broken ornament that had obviously been an expensive one, now in pieces. 

"But...but I didn't do anything! I swear I dusted it carefully earlier!" Melody now defended herself, wondering whether she'd accidently put it back sitting wrong and it had fallen? 

"Yeah, well it wasn't careful enough - for fuck sake, that was an original!" 

Melody looked at him and then got to the floor to start picking up the broken pieces. "Just...take it out of my pay..." 

"Your pay? It costs more than a fucking years' worth of pay!" Ransom fumed, watching as Melody scrambled around, now hearing an "ow!" and seeing her grab her hand. One of the pieces cutting her palm. He sighed. "Go sort yourself out, I'll clean this shit up". 

The sound of heels on the stairs broke the tension and now Cordelia was looking over the handrail with concern. "Ran? What's happened?" 

"Nothing Cordy, it's fine - just watch your step" He sighed as she came down and crouched beside him. 

"Doesn't look like nothing to me - did Maggie break it?" 

He shrugged. "I dunno what happened. She said she'd dusted it earlier, but she could've put it back the wrong way. It's top heavy". He explained. 

Cordelia sighed. "Are you honestly sure you want that woman looking after your child? Just the other day I heard her telling poor little Audrey to 'shut up'". 

Ransom's head whipped up. "Wait, what?" 

"I'm sure she said it, although I could've been wrong. She was fretting though. The steriliser had broken halfway through its run, so she had to go and get a new one. She's been very stressed..." 

"I know...but...she wouldn't say that, it's not like Mel - she loves Audrey". Could she though? He'd seen her lose her shit at him a fair few times, but with a baby? It was always possible if she'd said it without thinking and not meaning it. 

"Hmmm". Was all Cordelia said and now stood up. "Anyway, I have a hair appointment to run to, how about you give Mindy the night off? I can always give Audrey a bottle before her bed and change her. I have nieces and nephews who I've looked after?" 

Ransom nodded. "May just take you up on that". 

"We can be like one little family, spending quality time together - and Misty is always on at you to spend more time with the baby". 

"Fine" he said after a while and gave her a kiss. "I'll go tell Mel she can go out tonight". 

"Good boy" She booped his nose and flounced out of the door. 

"MEL!" He yelled and now she came back in to see what he wanted. "I'm giving you the night off, go do whatever it is you like to in your free time". 

"Hugh..." She now said cautiously, "I can't, I need to bath Audrey and..." 

He silenced her with a sharp look. "Cordy has offered to look after her, you should be thankful she did so at all. She's worried about you Mel - she told me the steriliser died and you just started stressing..." 

"What?" Melody looked at him. "No, I didn't - I went straight out to buy another..." 

"Whatever, but I'm beginning to wonder whether you just need a night off to relax and get some sleep". 

"Hugh, I don't need time off!" 

"I said you're taking tonight off, go stay at Harlan's or even Marta's. Just be back tomorrow morning to be here for the kid, ok?"