A Melwood Story

/chapter thirty-five/

A Melwood Story
Chapter 35

Melissa

"Can I come and visit for a few weeks?"
"Really?" my mom says. I haven't been to visit her since before the twins were born.

"Yes," I tell her.
"I have nothing going on for quite a few weeks, so..."
"I checked the flights and there's one in four days," I say.
"Four days," she says. "Sounds good."
"Make sure to tell dad," I remind her.
"I will," she promises. "See you soon, sweetheart."
"You too," I say, then hang up.

I need to get out of this house before Chris comes back in two weeks. Nya has told me at least five times in the last three hours that she doesn't want to see her dad again. I need more time and she needs time to sit with the idea of her dad coming back into her life.

"We're going to go see grandma," I tell Nya as we sit on the floor of Sofia and Adaline's room while they nap and we colour in a drawing.
"Dad's mom?" she asks.
"No," I say. "My mom."
Her face lights up. "Yay!"
"Shhh," I laugh quietly. "Your sisters are sleeping."
She covers her mouth with her hand. "Sorry."

—four days later—

"Nya," I say as we stand by the front door, ready to go to the airport. "Hold Kaleb's hand. Lulu, hold Sofia's."
"Okay," they say as they grab each other's hands.

I pick up Adaline and make it out the door into the car.

—in Colorado—

"Melissa!" my mom calls out from her car window.
"Hey, mom!" I say as she gets out of the car.
"How was the flight?" she asks.
"It was okay for most of the time."
"And how are my beautiful grandchildren?" she asks, hugging Nya first, then the twins, Sofia, Kaleb and then takes Adaline from my arms, hugging her lightly.

It's late by the time we get to my mom and dad's house. Adaline and Kaleb had fallen asleep in the car, and Lulu won't stop complaining about how tired she is.

"Melissa?" I hear my dads voice when we open the door to their house.
"Hi, dad," I say with a huge smile as he comes out from the kitchen.
He stands back and takes a good look at me. "This is, something different."
I glance around down and see the sleepy kids around me. "It is. Sorry I haven't been back in awhile."
"It's okay, honey," he says. "I see what has been keeping you busy."

After getting all the kids to bed, I go back downstairs to talk with my mom. The real reason I came all the way to Colorado.

"What happened that you decided to come home so suddenly? Without Chris?" she asks once I sit down across from her in the living room.
"Chris and I are having some...issues," I tell her.
"Issues?"
"He left. For almost two years."
Her eyes widen. "For two years?"
I nod.
"Melissa Marie Benoist. Why didn't you tell me?"
I shake my head, looking down at my feet. "I don't know, I just didn't want to worry you. I was fine, I managed the kids fine, but when he showed up again the other day, I needed to talk to you. In person."

"So, are you getting a divorce?" she asks.
I hesitate. "We didn't discuss it. I don't know."
"Well, then, you need to talk to him. Get back in the swing of things."
I shake my head again. "It's not that easy."

She narrows her eyes on me. "What are you not telling me?"
"He was with another woman while he was gone."
"What do you mean, with?"
"Like romantically."
She closes her eyes for a moment. "Oh, Melissa."
"It's fine." I end the subject.

She's silent for a minute.

"Nya doesn't want him to come back, she thinks he's going to hurt us again."
"Well, I know you helped raise her, but she doesn't want to see the man that gave her life?" my mom says.
"I tried to change her mind, but it was no use. She doesn't want him near her or her siblings."