After the Hurricane

Part two: Sarah's Helping Hand

Melody's POV

  The storm ended sometime during the night. Personally, I haven't seen what it's done yet, but I don't like what I've been hearing about it.

  Right now, everyone here has just finished breakfast. Those that were able to save money ate somewhere else, most that didn't ate what we were served. I'd saved money, but to save it, ate in. I'm sure some others did too.

   I ate as close to my mom as she would allow. After all, she was still pretty mad at me. I've never seen someone hold a grudge for so long. She used to be able to hold them for weeks and remember for months. Now she could barely remember for an hour. I'm surprised she remembered this long.

  Her facial expression changed. Her eyes grew wide and she glanced around quickly. She didn't know where she was.

  She saw me and recognition flickered in her eyes. She motioned me over so I slid over cautiously.  " What are you doing all the way over there?" she questioned. " I didn't feel welcomed," I answered. "Why, you're always welcome! Jeez, girl goes to college in NY and no longer thinks she's welcome home. Why wouldn't you be welcome, Carla?" she questions. Carla is my older sister.

  "Uh, no ma. I'm not Carla. I'm Melody? Your other daughter?" I explain awkwardly. She stares at me. " No, no. My Melody has short hair. She and I had a battle over that last week! Your hair is much too long. You two do look similar, but you can't be Mel. You're too old," she explains.

  I remember the fight she was talking about. I was sixteen, and my mother and I had argued a previous contention in which she said I didn't know what was best for me and that she made the decisions. For revenge I went out and got a pixie style cut without her knowledge. I hated it. It looked nice, but felt weird since I was so used to my long hair. Well, now I knew how far back she was. That happened eight years ago.

  "No. No, Mom. That happened a long time ago. I'm twenty-four now. That happened eight years ago. I was sixteen," I explain slowly. She stares at me in amusement. " Am I being Punk'd?" she chuckled. Her laugh lines crinkled and her hazel eyes reflected laughter. I sigh. It's great to see her laugh again, even If it's for all the wrong reasons.

  Before I get to explain to her something happens. She stares in my direction, but doesn't focus. Then her eyes close and she starts to fall back, but I catch her head in my hand and her back on my other hand before she fell. " Mom?" I ask terrified.  She muttered something indecipherable and shook, experiencing convulsions.

" Oh God. SOMEONE HELP! HELP ME PLEASE! SHE'S HAVING A SEIZURE! HELP!" I screamed.

***30 minutes later

  "So yeah," I say into my phone. I'm talking to my best friend that I met from a visit to California, Sarah Murray. "Bummer," she says.

  I was crying when I explained to her what happened. When I called she knew I was serious because she knew I hated crying. I explained to her that Carla had just had her first child with her husband, and that my older brother, Timothy, had just gotten married and though they would both take me in I didn't want to get in the way of their lives. Plus, Carla, her husband Steve, and their son Jason lived in Boston, and Timothy and his newlywed wife, Deidre, lived in Nashville. Though they would both eagerly take me in, I knew these were critical learning and getting used to parts in their lives, and I did not want to intervene. Plus, I had stopped traveling to be close to my mom. They were too far away and if I moved into their houses, we would have to move closer to Mom. That would put even more stress on their changing lives. I had stopped traveling for my mom and I wasn't going to dump the consequences of my decisions on my older brother and sister.

  " Yo, I still don't quite understand. Why did she get a seizure now?" Sarah asked. " She has a history of them. The doctor might tell me when he gets to see her,"I say, not quite sure why she had one now either. "Sarah, what am I going to do? I have no place to stay. I can't stay with you or my siblings. The police are going around asking if we all have places to go, and when they find me, they'll have me live with Timothy, or stay here. I do NOT want to stay here!" I complain. There was too many people here. I preferred to be alone.

  "Aw,Mel! Don't worry, I know someone. I can fix this!" Sarah said. "Haha! Sarah that's funny, and no offense, but let's be real," I say. Sarah, unlike me has never stepped a toe out of her home state. I don't think she knows anyone from here besides me unless they traveled there. "I am being real! My brother lives there! He used to live here, but moved there for his job! I can call him, if you want," she said. "No! I don't know him and I don't want to be a bother!" I decline. "Great! I'll call him,"she exclaims and hangs up. " No! Sarah! Ugh!!!" I would SO get her for this.

*** 5 minutes later

Aaron's POV

  "No," I deny flatly. "Oh, Aaron PLEASE!"Sarah begs. " No. I am not taking a complete stranger into my house!" I exclaim. "God, you act like she'll rob you or something. She's a good girl, I promise! " She whines. "Sarah, I know you're trying to be a good friend, but you can't just expect me to readily take this woman in! What would people think?" I protest. What would Devine think?

  "Oh, PLEASE!" she whined. "She can't live with her siblings because they live too far away from her sick, and possibly dying mother! She gave up the thing she loves most to take care of her! She has to stay close to her to care for her! She has no where else to go! Oh, PLEASE! Have a heart! You used to! I mean, come on! It's not like she has a criminal record or anything! Do you really think I would do that to you? I promise-," Sarah pleaded before I cut her off. I hated when she did this, and gave in. " All right! All right! Fine, fine! I'll take her in just stop begging! " I renounced. " Oh thanks! I knew I could count on you!" she gushed.  " I hate you," I joked. "Love you too, bro," she said and hung up.

  I smiled then sighed. What had I just done?

**********

Sup, L here. We now have BOTH of or love interests, and things are sailing pretty smooth. Stay tuned to learn a bit more about Melody, Mel I like to call her, and it will get a bit more interesting. Winnie the Pooh!