Daddy Dearest

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Melody

I stand in the doorway of the Davenports' living room, watching as Ben and Waverly try to have a quiet conversation. Their voices are low, but I can feel the tension between them like a live wire. They've been married for twenty-one years, but lately, their marriage has been in trouble, especially since Ben found out that Waverly cheated on him with Harry, my father, and Madi is actually Harry's daughter. I'm not supposed to know this, but it's hard to keep secrets in a house full of whispers.

"Ben, please listen to me," Waverly pleads, her face red from frustration. "It was a mistake, a one-time thing. It doesn't change how I feel about you or our family."

"Doesn't it?" Ben asks quietly, his eyes searching her face for answers. "How am I supposed to trust you after this? How do I know you won't do it again?"

Waverly reaches out to touch his arm, but he flinches away, causing her hand to fall back to her side. The hurt in her eyes cuts deep, but so does the betrayal that lingers around them like a heavy cloud. As much as I want to step in and help, this isn't my fight, and I don't have any place in it.

"Ben, I love you," Waverly says desperately. "Please, give me a chance to make this right. We can work through this together."

"Can we?" Ben's voice is barely a whisper, but it carries the weight of a thousand unspoken fears. He looks at Waverly, searching for something – anything – to hold onto. But all he sees is the truth, cold and unforgiving, staring back at him.

"Mom? Dad?" Charlie calls from upstairs, breaking the silence that has settled over the room like a shroud. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, sweetheart," Waverly answers, her voice cracking slightly under the strain. "We're just having a discussion."

"Okay." Charlie sounds unconvinced, but he doesn't press further.

"Ben, please..." Waverly tries again, reaching for his hand this time. But once more, he pulls away, leaving her touch unanswered and her heart exposed.

"Give me some time, Waverly," he says quietly, his eyes filled with a sadness that mirrors my own. "I need to think."

"Of course," she whispers, tears spilling down her cheeks as Ben walks out of the room, leaving her – and their life together – behind.

I don't know what to do, so I leave them alone, retreating to my temporary bedroom in the Davenports' guest room. I curl up on the bed, my mind racing with thoughts of Ben, Waverly, Madi, and the secret that binds us all together. It's a tangled web, and I'm right in the middle of it, whether I like it or not.

"Melody?" Lottie knocks softly on my door, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," I lie, forcing a smile onto my face. "Just tired."

"Okay." She hesitates, clearly wanting to ask more, but ultimately deciding against it. "If you need anything, I'm here."

"Thanks, Lottie."

She closes the door gently behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I try to push them away, focusing instead on the sound of my own heartbeat, steady and strong in the darkness. But even as I drift off to sleep, the weight of the secrets we carry presses down on me, heavy and suffocating, like the air before a storm.

***

With my heart pounding in my chest, I try to focus on the task at hand – helping Noah and Madi set the table for dinner. I can't help but steal glances at Ben and Waverly, who are engaged in a hushed argument across the room. The tension in the air is palpable, and as much as I wish I could pretend everything is fine, it's impossible to ignore the cracks forming in the Davenport family.