Deceptive Cadence (34 page)

“James?” I said hesitantly.

He looked down at me. In his eyes I saw a deep agony unlike anything I’d ever seen before. “First he tried to hurt you, then he does this to Mel . . . Cadence, he’s out of control.”

He pulled out his phone from his pocket.

“What are you doing?” Melanie asked.

“I’m gonna get him arrested. You’re underage. I’m gonna get him done for having sex with a minor.”

Melanie gasped. “James! No, he’ll―”

“He’ll what?” James swung to her. “He ran out on you! He needs to start facing the consequences of his actions.”

“James, no! If you do that, then Mum and Dad will know.”

James’ gaze fell to her belly. “They’re gonna find out soon enough.”

I grabbed Melanie’s shoulders. “He’s right. What Robbie did to you was wrong. Your parents will know soon enough, but we’re all going to be here for you.”

James hit call. Melanie sank back and hid her face. Tears of shame ran down her cheeks as James reported the incident. When he hung up, he turned to her. “They’ll be over in an hour to get your testimony.”

Her chin quivered, but she nodded.

After the police had gone, John and Karen came to collect Melanie. They were heartbroken, but told her they loved her and would look after her no matter what.

As they headed out, Melanie turned and threw her arms around me. “Cadence?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about everything. You’re a good friend.”

I held her tightly.

THIRTY

Cody smiled at Geri while she talked. I found it fascinating to watch things happening between them. She wasn’t aware of his interest, and rambled on like she normally did as he watched her.

I reached over and wrapped one of her curls around my finger, making her pause for a moment before she kept talking. Cody glanced at me briefly with a look that said,
I wish I could do that
, before his eyes darted back to her face.

I looked to Melanie who sat in front of me, staring down at her workbook. She’d been somber, but I felt grateful that she’d attached herself to me. Geri was shocked when the Monday after Melanie’s confession Melanie came right up to me and grabbed my hand. But when we explained―
we
being me with Melanie silently standing beside me―Geri instantly took her in and became like a mother hen.

As I looked at Melanie, I saw her sweating, which seemed odd considering the weather was getting cold.

My phone buzzed. I glanced up to check that the teacher wasn’t looking, then slipped it out and read the text from James under my desk.

Cops got Rob and r lining him up 4 several charges on top of Mel’s. Looks like he’s going away 4 a while.

I hurriedly typed out a reply.
How do u know?

He responded quickly.
I was just at the station as a witness. I’ve got the rest of the day off so I’ll pick u up.

Stunned, I asked,
Y were u at the station?

He simply said,
I’ll tell u later.
Love ya.

I put my phone away. Geri was still talking. Apparently she hadn’t noticed my distraction. I looked over at Melanie gritting her teeth. I stared at her, sensing something wrong.

She looked across at me and forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Geri stopped talking.

“I’m sure,” Melanie said breathlessly.

“You look like you’re in pain,” Geri said.

“It’s nothing. I’m just going to go to the bathroom.”

She hurried out of the classroom, holding her stomach tightly. Geri and I exchanged worried glances. To anyone else, they’d assume she had period cramps, but to us . . .

We launched to our feet, startling Cody, and hurried after her.

As we rushed toward the bathroom, we heard a blood curdling scream. We charged in and heard Melanie sobbing. We rushed to the only closed cubicle and banged on the door.

“Melanie! Let us in!” I said.

“No! It wasn’t supposed to happen like this!”

“Melanie, please!” Geri slammed her fist against the door.

Melanie slid a bloodied pair of underwear under the door. Geri and I gasped. Geri darted out to get a phone.

I knelt beside the cubicle. “Melanie, what’s going on?”

“It’s so tiny.”

“Oh . . . my . . .” I pulled at the door. “Mel, open up!”

“No, Cadence, I just wanna die.”

“No! No, you don’t!”

She cried loudly.

“Melanie, please let me in!”

I heard banging, and peeked through the gap to see her hitting her head back against the wall.

“Melanie!” I grew desperate. I scrambled into the next cubicle and used the toilet and paper holder to climb over the top. She jumped when I landed in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. “Melanie! It’ll be okay.”

Her gaze fell into her hand as she lifted a tiny fetus that barely filled her palm in front of me.

Flashes of Melody filled my mind: my pregnancy, her birth, her first tooth, her first step, her first word . . . then her lying limp in my arms.

I jumped back from Melanie, slamming my head against the door. Emotions, suppressed by my teenage state, surfaced―pain, grief, overwhelming love and loss. My whole body trembled and I screamed, “No! She can’t die! No!”

Melanie’s tears paused as she gazed at me. “Cadence, you can’t tell what it is.”

Panic set in as she raised it up again. Melody’s pale face flooded into my mind and I scrambled for the lock as I screamed. I stumbled out, scrambled across the tiles, and curled up under the sinks.

Melanie remained sitting on the toilet, her skirt around her ankles, staring at me. “Cadence . . .”

I covered my face and cried. “No! She can’t die! I came back so she wouldn’t. Not my baby! Not my Melody!”

Melanie stared at me, gaping.

Geri burst back into the bathroom. “Melanie! I got your mum on the . . .”

She saw the door wide open and me cowering under the sinks. She glanced between us, then decided Melanie, being covered in blood, was more urgent. She hurried over to hand her the phone, and gasped at the fetus in Melanie’s hand. “Mel . . . an . . . ah . . .” She held the phone against Melanie’s ear.

As Karen spoke to Melanie, Melanie’s gaze fell and she forgot about my strange behavior. But Geri’s stare locked on me as I cowered, whimpering, under the sink. I pressed my eyes against my knees, trying to force the feelings back into submission. I couldn’t believe they’d flared up right then, becoming so vibrantly alive and searing my heart.

I cried as I whispered, “Angel?”

The soft sounds of the phone conversation fell silent and a hand rested on my knee. “I’m here, sweet Cadence.”

I looked up and was met by a pair of dark brown eyes that looked just like Melody’s. I covered my face and sobbed loudly.

“Cadence, stand up.”

“I can’t.”

“Melody hasn’t even been born yet.”

“But she has! And she died, too!”

“Not this time. You can still save her. Her spirit is waiting for you. She is yours when the time comes.”

I looked up at him as his words slowly seemed to make the pain ebb. He gazed at me steadily, and in a way that seemed to make the world feel . . . better. I wiped my face and took several deep breaths. “Okay.”

He smiled. “Now, Cadence, this is a new trial for you. So far you have succeeded in your choices, but this moment will make all the difference in your relationship with Melanie. Everything in life has its purpose. Melanie’s pregnancy has fulfilled its purpose, so the infant has been returned to heaven. The child is happy, and it knows it was loved during its brief time in mortality, so you do not need to worry. But Melanie needs
you
.”

He stood and walked out the door.

Time returned into motion and I forced myself out from under the sink. I crawled over to Melanie, and looked up at her. She stared at me, her eyes dull.

“Melanie?”

“Yes?”

“We can get through this. You’ll see.”

She looked at the fetus in her hand. “What should I do with it?”

“We’ll bury it.”

She nodded.

I climbed to my feet and Geri and I helped her stand. Geri had the sense to bring a pad and a clean set of underwear. We helped her clean up, then we made our way to the sick bay, with a piece of toilet paper covering the fetus in her hand in case anyone walked by.

Karen soon arrived, her face already covered in tears. She threw her arms around Melanie and held her tightly as they cried together. Geri and I crept out the door.

We stood in the hallway, just staring at each other in shock. That was easily one of the most traumatic things we had ever seen.

“Cadence, that was awful.”

I nodded, forcing the images of Melody out of my mind.

“And you totally freaked out.”

I sighed. “I know.”

There was a long pause. Then, “It’s probably for the best.”

My gaze shot to her. “What?”

She bit her lip. “Well, she’s only seventeen. I mean, I was so proud she had the balls to keep it, but . . .” She sighed.

“I understand.”

She smiled and took my hand. “Let’s go get her things.”

We stayed with Melanie until she felt well enough to leave with Karen. Once Melanie was in the car, Karen turned to me and kissed my forehead. “Cadence, thank you, again. We all love you so much.”

I squeezed her hand. “I love you guys, too.”

She climbed into the car and Geri and I watched them drive away.

“This day sucks,” Geri said.

“I’ll agree with that.”

She huffed. “How are we supposed to go back to class now? We have, like, an hour left.”

I looked her over. She slumped, her arms folded and her eyes low. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Geri, have I told you that you’re the best friend ever?”

She smirked. “Geez, Cadence.”

“No, I mean it.” I smiled. “You were on the ball when I just fell apart. You’re the Queen of Awesome Friends.”

She giggled. “Thanks, Cadence.”

We turned to head back to class, while I dreaded the prospect of taking James to see his family that afternoon.

I lay on my belly across James’ bed as he sat cross-legged beside me, staring off into space. He’d been quiet since we left his parents’ house. Melanie was relieved to see him, and they’d spent an hour alone together in her room. I’d stayed out with Karen and John, who were both somber. At one point, Karen grabbed my hand to whisper, “Thank you for bringing him by.”

I smiled at her.

“No one gets through to Mel like James.”

“I know.”

When we left, Melanie hugged both James and me, and I noticed she looked brighter and happier than when she’d left school. James really had done the trick.

I reached across and grabbed James’ wrist to get his attention. “Hey, what’s on your mind?”

He sighed and lay beside me. He gazed into my eyes as he stroked my hair. “I feel like what happened with Mel is my fault. If I’d done something about Robbie sooner, maybe―”

“You can’t think like that. Melanie can make her own choices, and you weren’t to know he’d go after your sister. All this will pass and we’ll be okay.”

He pulled me closer and kissed my head. “I saw him at the station. I went down to leave my statement when he was brought in. He tried to attack me. He said Mel deserved it, that she asked for it. I was so disgusted I told the cops everything I knew he’d done right in front of him. He pointed out that I’d done some of those things, too, and because I admitted it, I was given a couple of fines. But he’s gonna be locked up for a while.”

“Would it be bad of me to say thank goodness?”

He chuckled. “No. A few years ago, I thought Robbie had life dialed in. I thought he was really cool, but now . . .”

I nuzzled up to his chest. “Now you’re the coolest guy out.”

He laughed. “Thanks, kid.”

“You’re welcome, old man.”

He pinched my arm and I shoved him. He almost fell off the bed, but caught me and used me to pull himself back up. He climbed on top of me. “Cadence, I’ll never hurt you like that.”

“I know.”

He smiled and kissed me.