Sunlight Zone

Chapter Nine

A small purple-red spot the shape resembling a tulip always appears on Melody's right side of her forehead when she is sick or upset. It's her tell. A red flag that all is not well. A warning sign for everyone to back off or be prepared to face the consequences.

As a child, Melody and I jokingly named this spot Gerald, after an old neighbor who, before being dragged into a nursing home, used to chase us off his driveway while we scootered around the block. During the past week Gerald has been making regular appearances, but nothing like what is currently on Melody's face at the moment. It's as if all of her words, thoughts, and emotions have left the rest of her body and concentrated in that one, deeply colored blotch.

Breaking her silence, Melody tosses the car keys at me haphazardly and says quietly, "You need to drive, I've got to make the call about Tim, since I'm sort of his boss."

The gloss building up over her eyes and groggy tone makes me more than happy to be the one behind the wheel.

"No worries, you probably shouldn't be driving anyways," I reply.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she snaps back before adding, "Sorry, I'm just really worn out from all this. Let's get going."

After sitting down in the passenger's seat, Melody pulls out her phone and punches in the number of the police station. The operator's muffled voice on the other end reminds me of how adults talk in the Peanuts cartoon, like indistinguishable little trumpet noises and honks that ramble on in a monotonous manner. With each question I can see Melody's temper building as she answers details to identify herself and her relation to Tim.

A long pause followed by the slap of her hand and clank of her rings smacking the window causes me to swerve a bit, just grazing a sign on the side of the road that reads 'What's Up Beaches.'

"Yes, I'm trying to report a missing person! Haven't you been listening at all to what I'm saying?" Melody shouts into the phone, "Because he hasn't shown up for work and no one else has seen him either, that's why I think he's missing!"

With each reply Gerald is turning more and more red and I can't see Melody being able to function for much longer today. Sea Street comes up and I decide to bang a sharp left, heading towards her house instead of the Surfing Sloth.

"I think it's important because clearly there is some connection between what happened to Toby and Jo! Three people don't just disappear in the same week around here without anyone noticing. It's not like we live in the city, we're on the Cape for God's sake!"

It's true, everyone knows one another around here. At times it can feel almost incestuous, knowing the history of each person in such a small community. The feeling is even worse when your story is one you'd rather be kept private instead of thrown full force into the spot light.

Beyond the noticeable chatter and gossip discussed behind closed doors, or at times even within ears shot; there is also a toll payed mentally that many don't understand, but I do.

It's the circle of kids standing around you in first grade asking why your mom looks old and not like the others, or why your clothes appear like they belong in a recycle bin rather than hanging loosely on your scrawny shoulders. Eyes and fingers send the attention directly towards you despite desperately wishing it were at someone else.

Strange though it may be, the times I've needed attention the most are the moments where I've felt the most invisible. I can only imagine this sensation is what Melody is experiencing right now.

While hitting the end call button, besides appearing physically exhausted, she also looks utterly defeated. It's only now that I realize Melody hasn't been fighting solely against the police to change their minds, but Austin and I as well.