Baby Clifford

In and Outside Worlds

Melody stayed silent and still on the outside. On the inside was a different story, there were plenty of dreams and nightmares. She felt warmth some days and heard words and beeping from the outside. Melody heard to stay strong every day, but one time was completely different. It wasn't a very familiar voice. She heard the voice before, but it was always distant and breathy and this time it was near her and full. It was singing.

Melody opened her eyes. It wasn't the hospital room or her bedroom at home or anywhere familiar to her. The room was a light blue with white painted clouds on the walls. The room was much larger than the one she had at home. There was a pale grey rocking chair in the corner. A short and wide bookshelf was placed under the bay window. Melody looked around the room again, there was a red race car bed, then she noticed a woman with brown hair and hazel eyes. She had a small build to her  There was something familiar about her, but Melody couldn't put her finger on it. The woman was holding a boy around six in her arms. 

The boy had a small dirty blonde fringe and green eyes. The boy looked like a very premature version of Melody's father. "Blue bird song, please Mummy." The boy requested. "Alright," she kissed his forehead.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops is where you'll find me. Oh somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly; birds fly over the rainbow, why then oh why can't I?" She finished singing.

"Again mummy," the little boy begged. "No I don't want to wake your sister, plus it's past bedtime." She stood as she denied another performance. 

"But she's awake again." The boy pouted. The woman looked over at Melody, who yawned and rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Melody Anastasia what am I going to do with you?" She asked and put the boy down. "Sing her back to sleep with the blue bird song." The boy smiled. "Eliot James get into bed right now. I'm going to get three  glasses of milk." She went out of the room.  Eliot climbed over to Melody's bed. "Hi sissy," he smiled with a missing tooth in the front of his mouth. Melody shyly waved back to him. "You don't have to be shy, I'm your bwotha, remember? Bubba." She shook her head. He frowned, "I missed you. I'm glad you finally came back, Melody. It was getting lonely with just Mummy and me most of the time." He told her and sat beside the smaller girl. "Mummy?" Melody questioned and pointed at the outside of the door. "Yeah, you don't remember do you?" Melody shook her head again. 

The woman came back into the room with two sippy-cups and a normal one full of milk. "Eliot go to your own bed. We don't want Melody to stay awake all night. Time to go to sleep." She said and put the drinks down and brought Eliot to his bed. She gave them the sippy-cups and pulled out a book and read to them. "Good night, Eliot," she whispered and tucked him in with a kiss on the forehead as he slept. Melody's eyes were drooping, but she was still awake. "Good night Melody Anastasia, now get some sleep." She whispered and tucked the girl in bed and kiss on the forehead as well. "Mummy loves you," she smiled.

Melody wake up, I-I am breaking without you. I miss you more than anything. I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. You're loved so much Melody. More than you'll ever know, especially if you don't wake up. It was a voice from the outside. Maybe they were right, but there  wasn't any real life nightmare. It was peaceful. The warmth of being away from all the coldness of the school and sometimes home. Melody, I love you more than the world and stars and all of the planets. Please don't leave me or anyone.

"You can wake and leave here, Melody it's up to you." The woman spoke and pushed back some of her hair. "Just let me stay a little longer " Melody answered and pretended to go to sleep. She wasn't ready to wake to the world.

"Hi lovely girl," Michael appeared and hugged the woman from behind. "Hi Mikey how was work?" She asked and kissed his cheek. "It was the same old." He smiled, "How were the two little monsters?" She laughed, "Eliot took a little while longer to finally fall asleep and woke Melody, but now they're both asleep." Lie. Melody was still awake. "I'm going to give them a kiss goodnight, Haylie." Michael kissed her cheek before going to Eliot's bedside. "Good night, little man, Daddy loves you." Michael gently spoke and kissed the boy's temple. He then went to Melody's bedside, "What are you doing up still, baby girl, hmm?" Michael smiled and picked her up. "Daddy," she remarked and hugged him. "Missed you," she cuddled into him. "I missed you too, baby girl." Michael kissed her forehead. "Sing to me, please, Daddy." Melody pleading, "And cuddle with mummy and you, please Daddy." She begged. "Alright, but you can't tell your brother." Michael gave in, and got on one side of the small bed. Haylie got the outside end of the bed.

"For a while we pretended
That we never had to end it
But we knew we'd have to say goodbye
You were crying at the airport
When they finally closed the plane door
I could barely hold it all inside

Torn in two
And I know I shouldn't tell you
But I just can't stop thinking of you
Wherever you are
You
Wherever you are
Every night I almost call you
Just to say it always will be you
Wherever you are

I could fly a thousand oceans
But there's nothing that compares to
What we had, and so I walk alone

I wish I didn't have to be gone
Maybe you've already moved on
But the truth is I don't want to know

[Chorus]

You can say we'll be together
Someday
Nothing lasts forever
Nothing stays the same
So why can't I stop feeling this way

[Chorus]."

Melody was asleep and for some odd reason, she heard a guitar in the background that went along with the song. From the outside. Melody slept away at the lullaby.