Norman's Melody

Teach Me

Norman's pov

"Norman...Norman" I heard someone say along with a light tap on my shoulder.

Groaning, I opened my eyes and after blinking away the tiredness in my eyes I saw Dr. Kalestanding over me. Adjusting myself to sitting up straight from where I was leaning on Melody's bed, holding her hand. The beeps from melody's heart monitor still being the only noise you heard in the room. I looked around and noticed Gwen and Andy both cuddled up on the couch in the corner of the room. Mingus slouched over in his chair, awake but still emotionless. My son's eyes were no longer a bright blue that mirrored mine, not they were dark and glazed over. He had bags under his eyes from exhaustion much like I did.

"Norman" Dr. Kale repeated as I looked up at him.

"Yea?" I yawned.

"why don't you get Mingus on home huh?" he asked concerned.

I sighed and looked over towards my son and then nodded. Leaning back in the chair, I looked over at the two on the couch,

"Andy....hey...Andy wake up."

I heard him groan as he moved, opening his eyes waking up Gwen in the process.

"what's wrong? is everything ok?" she asked tiredly.

They both blinked a few times adjusting their eyes before they were both now looking between me and the doctor.

"Everything's fine. You mind taking Mingus back to the house for me?" I asked.

"Norman you too. You've been here over 24 hours. Go home and get some rest, I'll call you if anything changes." Dr. Kale said.

"I'm alright.." I started to say but was immediately cut off,

"Go home and get some rest...all of you. I don't want to see any of you back here looking like those walkers you two kill off on your show. Now go. Doctors orders." and he walked out.

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed as I looked at the others. Nodding to them, I kissed Melody on the forehead and whispered,

"I'll be back tomorrow. Please keep fighting. I love you."

Andy took Gwen home and was going to be staying with her. He said it was to make sure she was gonna be alright, but I think he is gaining a soft spot for his biggest fan. My car rise back was quiet as neither me or Ming said a word. When we entered the house it was like a whole new atmosphere. This didn't feel like my home anymore. It was too dark and too gloomy. Sighing, I watched as Mingus stormed up to his room without a word. I wanted to say something to him, but I knew there was nothing I could possibly say to make things better. I felt something brush against my leg. Looking down, I noticed Murphy sniffing my leg before looking up at me. He then looked towards the door and whimpered causing tears to gloss over my eyes.

"She ain't coming home tonight" I said with my voce cracking.

Murphy looked up at me with saddened eyes like he understood me and whimpered as he snuggled himself against my leg. A few tears slipped down my cheek as i quickly wiped them away and picked up the small animal,

"Cmon bud, lets get some sleep."

Murphy lay next to me as I stare at the ceiling. Sleep was impossible for me. I had too much going on in my head. My bed was way too big and way too cold without Melody next to me. Every time I closed my eyes I saw her collapsing into my arms and it wouldn't stop. I had been laying awake in this bed for 3 hours until I heard a crash down the hall and a few curse words coming from my son. Springing up, I ran down the hall quickly seeing his bedroom light on. A few sounds from a guitar string and then a crash, followed by more profanity coming from mingus had me worried.

"Ming!" I yelled nearing his room.

"Dammit!" I heard him yell as I opened the door quickly, my eyes widening at what I saw.

Papers were scattered all over his room. His music stand knocked over on the floor. He sat in the middle of it all writing something on a paper, pluck a few strings on the instrument and then crumble the paper and yell,

"Dammit!"

"Mingus what's going on? "I asked stepping into the room.

He ignored me and crumbled up another paper before throwing it and yelling "Shit!"

This time, the paper isn't the only thing he threw though. I watched as he picked up his guitar and threw it yelling,

"I can't fucking do it!"

"Ming!" I yelled running fully into his room as we both watched the instrument crack and break as it hit the wall.

"What the hell!" I yelled at my son.

"Oh my god! what am I going to do now!" he yelled.

"What the hell is going on!" I yelled.

"I'm never gonna get this done now!" he cried.

It was just then that I got a good glimpse at my son. Tears pouring down his cheek, his eyes blood shot red as he started picking up the pieces to the guitar trying to make them fit back together.

"Ming, talk to me" I whispered bending down to his height as he fumbled with the pieces.

"Why should I tell you! huh! you didn't tell me about melody!" he yelled at me.

"Is that what this is about? Melody?" I asked.

"I have to finish it!" he cried trying to shove the pieces into place.

"Finish what?" I asked calmly.

"The song! Melody had me working on a song with her and now there's no way I can!" he cried with tears flooding his cheeks.

"Let me help you." I said resting my hand over his shaking ones only for him to rip them away and glare at me through his glossy eyes.

"You don't know how" he growled.

"Teach me" I said trying to calm him down through my eyes.

He glared at me through his glassy eyes trying to keep a hard expression as he breathed heavily. It took a few minutes as his angry glare turned soft as he looked down at the broken instrument,

"I can't...I broke it."

Sighing, I looked around the room before remembering something, "i'll be right back."

He nodded through his tears as I ran back down the hall to my room. My breath caught as I looked at the instrument that Andy had gotten Melody for her birthday. I crossed over to it and once I took it off the stand a feeling of warmth flew throughout me as I remembered the beautiful look on her face when she opened the gift. The sense of pride I felt watching her and Ming play the song they wrote together. My heart pounded as I traced the hummingbird carved into it. Taking a deep breath, I made my way back down to my son's room who was now sitting on his bed playing with his hands nervously. When he heard me enter, his eyes widened when he saw what I was holding. Crossing over to him, I placed the instrument in his arms as I whispered,

"will you teach me now?"

Mingus looked forward as his lip quivered trying to keep his sobs back. He nodded, but busted out crying as I quickly brought him into my chest holding him tightly as he sobbed uncontrollably into my chest. Trying to soothe him by rubbing his back like I did when he was a baby wasn't doing anything as I found tears of my own slipping down my cheeks.