Melody (Ransom Drysdale)

24

For once, there was only hushed talk around the Thrombey table that evening, Ransom sat next to Melody while Audrey snoozed in the pram behind them.

Linda's eyes flickered up from her plate to her son, before back down at the plate once more. She and Richard were now going through a rather messy divorce - however she had been praising the fact that she'd made him sign a prenup.

Even Joni was too engrossed in telling Donna about the benefits of a seaweed body wrap to even bother with her stupid whale calls or to ask how Audrey had found the lotions.

"Well, this is most enjoyable". Harlan announced. "And may I say Ransom, you are looking...content, which is something I thought you were never capable of".

"Well you won't be seeing it again so savour the moment". He commented.

Audrey began to grizzle from her pram and as Melody went to get up, he stopped her, getting up and heading over to get his daughter out. "Alright you, we get it, you don't wanna miss out".

The whole family looked stumped at one another, whereas Harlan simply had a smile on his lips.

"Hi you". Melody grinned and waved one of Audrey's toys in front of her as Ransom sat her on his lap. She giggled, causing the pair to exchange a knowing smile with one another.

Linda simply stared at Audrey in a trance, obviously being reminded of a time back when her son had been of that age. "Could I...hold her?" She now asked, looking up at Melody.

She looked to Ransom who then stood up and passed the baby to Linda. She began to play with the necklaces her grandmother was wearing and now Melody could see that the older woman was trying to hold back some tears. "Linda? Are you ok?"

She nodded, regaining her composure. "Yep, yeah I'm all fine, I'm fine really!" She said in seeing everyone now giving her weird looks. "She's a baby? She's meant to have that effect on people!"

Nothing else was said and the family continued to eat and resume their conversations.

Later that evening, Harlan sat at the Go board with Ransom, the latter on a winning streak.

"You looked like a family earlier" the old man commented, causing Ransom to pause for thought. "Do I detect a change in the winds for you?"

"It's not like that. She's Audrey's au pair - it's just a professional relationship".

"I've never heard such drivel in my life - why do you think I had Melody and Audrey move in with you?" Harlan now asked, before answering his own question. "I wanted you to build something from the ground up, remember? And from what I saw earlier? It looks like you have".

Ransom moved a couple of pieces on the board. "We don't want to ruin what we have".

"And who's words are those?"

"Both of ours - we've talked about it".

Harlan chuckles. "Talk is cheap, and lies are expensive, you keep on doing just that then the cost will mount up, and you may be left with nothing at all - is that what you really want?"

"If you'd have asked me that a few months ago then I'd have said yes. That I'd have just wanted them out my life so as I could have a chance of a stable relationship. But the girl I thought I wanted? She turned out not to be as suitable as I thought she was, and the girl who I'd never looked at before? Suddenly everything made sense. That it should be her".

"We are talking about Melody aren't we?" Harlan asked just to make sure and Ransom nodded. "So now the situation falls to you both not wanting to per-sue anything more for fear of ruining what you have?"

Ransom frowned at the Go board. "We can't afford to mess up. If we do then things will be awkward and it could lead to Mel leaving".

"Which is what you wanted in the first place".

"Sure, but now? I don't want her to go".

"And?" Harlan pressed, "anything else?"

"I don't wanna screw up. Everyone in this family thinks that I'm not capable of things that I am - a stable relationship being one of them".

Harlan looked at him. "So why don't you prove them wrong? Give them a bit of a shock, Walt especially, but he needs that".

Ransom looked over at Melody was rocking Audrey to sleep. Ransom had always noticed how she'd stroke his daughters hair as a form of comfort when doing so. "Because she won't have me, she's scared of messing things up just as much as I am".

"Well you won't know how things will be until you've tried".

Back at home later, Ransom watched as Melody put Audrey to bed and turned out the light, sneaking out of the nursery quietly and pulling the door to.

"That was the easiest bedtime I've had in a while". She smirked, "I'm glad your mother is starting to warm to her. It was lovely to see her looking a little happier since the divorce started".

He nodded in agreement. "She's better off without my dad, regardless of how everything went down".

"I know". She replied. "They were all surprised when you got up to get Audrey out of the pram though. I thought Walt's head would explode".

"We live in hope".

They laughed a little and then looked at one another. "I should get to bed, it's been a long day".

He nodded again. "Guess I should too, Goodnight Mel".

"Goodnight Hugh".

She kissed his cheek and paused, lips then crashing onto his like it was out of her control. Like her body had a magnetic pull to his".

"Come to bed Mel". Ransom now told her urgently in between kisses. "Come to bed with me!"

Without another word they staggered back along the hall to Ransom's room, with him kicking the door open as he savoured her lips on his own.

She stopped and looked up at him, her eyes giving him the permission he wanted, closely followed by the verbal command.

"Take me to bed Hugh".