Melody For A New Day

"You understand this means Dad and I will be removing the dividing wall in your room, right? Your renovation happens next. If you can control your hostile tongue, you might even get a little special treatment yourself."

Rick was staring at him suspiciously. "What's with you these days? You've been acting different ever since we left you at home when we went to the theme park over the long weekend."

David watched his younger brother and wondered why his first impulse was to pound some sense into him. Maybe it was the tone of his voice or the smart-ass expression. He took another deep breath and glanced at his sister, who was looking at him in admiration. That felt good.

"Yeah. I decided it was time to act my age and accept I'd been behaving like a fool for too long. It feels good. Being angry all the time or self-conscious wasn't fun. I feel better about myself these days. I like who I'm becoming. I'm sorry for being so hard on you and neglecting Suzanne. I can be a better brother."

Rick blinked in confusion, then resorted to his usual behavior. "Why does she get your desk?" Rick responded.

David frowned, then shook his head. "It's a gift from me to her, as a thank you for not being belligerently difficult."

He heard the front door thump closed and knew it might be his dad. He gave Suzanne a hug and kissed the top of her head. "I gotta talk to Dad. I hope you enjoy your room."

She squeezed him tight again. "I will!"

David glanced at Rick's frown and headed downstairs. His dad was looking through the mail and glanced at him. David immediately became concerned as he saw his father look like he hadn't been sleeping.

"Can I talk to you in private?" David asked and got a curious look, then a nod.

They went downstairs into Keith's office in the workshop. The bench was tidy, his tools hung on the wall, and the big blue vice/anvil was bolted to its corner. The room made David happy as it was so much like his father. He turned back to see his dad watching him.

"Did you finish with Suzie's room?" Keith asked.

David smiled and nodded. "Yes, this afternoon. I showed it to her when she got home. She loves it. Rick acted like a spoiled brat when he saw it, so he's still a work in progress."

Keith frowned. "He understands we're making a new bedroom for him too, right?"

David sighed. "I reminded him of that." Then he looked at his dad. "He'll grow up one day. I'm more concerned about you. Have you not been sleeping?"

Keith blinked in surprise at his son asking about his health. "I-I've been having some trouble with that lately. I'm just tired."

"How are you and Mom?" David asked.

"I'm not going to tell you--" Keith immediately flared.

David interrupted this. "Shit, Dad! I don't want details! I just want to know if you two are getting past the secret she kept? Are you talking it out?"

Keith was breathing hard from his sudden explosion and glared at David, then rubbed at his face as he leaned his head back.

As he did this, David saw a thin gold chain around his neck. His father didn't wear jewelry beyond his wedding band, so this was new. His eyes followed the chain down to the top button on his shirt. Then, he caught sight of what was hanging on the chain.

The memory stick.

Without thinking, David reached forward, grabbed the chain, and yanked it to him, breaking the links but taking the guilty item in his fist.

"Hey! What the fuck? Give that back!" Keith yelled and tried to grab it.

David seized his father's shirt collar in his left fist and straightened his arm to hold him in place. He glared into his eyes. "You haven't destroyed it yet? Why the fuck are you wearing it?"

Keith was struggling to get free from David's grip. "That's none of your god damned business! Give it back!"

David saw guilt in his father's eyes, and it clicked. "You're still watching this? How are you supposed to heal if you keep torturing yourself?"

"Do you think it's so easy to get over what she did?" Keith yelled as he thrashed at the end of David's arm but couldn't break his grip.

David held his father's eye. "No, I can't imagine how hard that is, but you're forgetting one very important thing! It wasn't something she did! It was something done to her!"

Keith made a choked sound of denial, so David went on. "You heard her. She doesn't like pain, and they abused her. You both said they hurt her badly. The video probably doesn't show that clearly; all you see is how she endured it. She obviously can't help reacting as she does under someone's control. We both saw that!"

David's expression twisted into discomfort as he confronted his own memories. "I... I don't completely understand what mom... experiences in those situations, but I know one thing. When I gave her those massages after work, I never hurt her. I don't want to think about it, but that tells me she was telling the truth when she confessed about her needs."

"Give me... the memory stick," his dad growled, but his voice wobbled.

Instead, David set it down on the workbench anvil, reached up to grab the heaviest hammer from its hook on the wall, and slammed it down on the USB memory stick with a mighty blow. Plastic shrapnel exploded to the sides, and the memory chips inside shattered completely. There was no coming back from that.

"NO!" Keith screamed.

He gave it another solid strike to ensure it was destroyed. David dropped the hammer on the workbench and then pulled his father into a tight hug.

"The video was poison. You can hate me now if you need to, but I know you'll agree with me when you're calm enough to think about it rationally," David said quietly next to his father's ear. "I love you, Dad. And as much as she upset me, I love Mom. I know she loves you, and I know you love her. You need each other, and your kids need you both. Take the time you need and be honest with her, but especially yourself."

Keith was shaking in David's arms. "I-I can't be who she needs me to be," he said, whisper-quiet.

David processed that. "I think you're still confusing what you saw on that video with something she wants. I know you can be what she needs because you already are. You love each other, and you'll find it together."

"Can I get in on that hug?"

David released his grip on his dad slightly and felt the man hesitate. They turned their heads and saw Jackie standing in the doorway with a desperate look in her eyes.

David held an arm open for her, and she rushed in to join their hug.

When he felt his father begin to hold her tighter, he eased himself out of their embrace and smiled at them. He quietly snagged the remains of the destroyed USB chip he'd flattened on the anvil, then headed upstairs.

Walking over to Melody's backyard, he saw she must have gone inside. He entered the patio door and walked to the base of the stairs. A smile slipped onto his face as he heard her singing in the shower.

He climbed the stairs and tugged his clothes off when he reached the top.

"Melody?" he called out as he stepped into the bedroom. He didn't want to frighten her.

"In the shower," she called back with a smile in her voice.

Dropping his clothes on the bed, he walked in and faced the shower. She turned and smiled at him, her eyes twinkling in delight when she saw he was naked.

He held up the small piece of smashed electronics, and her expression became puzzled.

"What's that?" she asked.

David moved closer as he looked at his palm. "It's the remains of the memory stick with mom's movie on it. Dad was wearing it on a chain around his neck. Not only hadn't he destroyed it, but he's been repeatedly watching it, keeping his pain alive."

Melody's eyes looked into his. "You destroyed it."

He nodded, then turned to toss the junk in the garbage can. He turned back and smiled at Melody.

"Yes. Dad wasn't happy about it, but eventually, I got through to him. He'd never heal if he kept it. Mom came home, and when I left, they were hugging."

Melody turned off the spray as she stepped from the shower, pulling him into her arms for a passionate kiss. Feeling her hot, wet skin squeezed against him sent a spark of excitement through him, waking a certain appendage. Her kiss was derailing his thoughts, too. When she pulled back, she looked up at him. He read her expression and felt a different kind of heat fill his chest.

She was proud of him!

"David, you're a wonder! Your parents are so lucky to have you as their son! They did such a terrific job raising you," she said with a wide smile on her face.

He smiled self-consciously and nodded to her. "I love them. I couldn't let them continue with this terrible miscommunication blocking their honest feelings for each other."

He gently held her face between his fingers to look into her lovely eyes. "I love you too, but this love is much stronger."

David kissed Melody, his tongue dipping in to caress hers, making her moan with need.

He reached past her to grab a big fluffy towel and wrapped it around her body. Then he lifted her against his chest with his hands supporting her ass as her arms and legs clung to him.

David carried her the short distance to the bed and laid her upon it on the towel. He quickly moved his body over hers and pinned her to the bed.

His cock was pressing hard against her mound, and she whimpered with need until he stroked his heat across her wet lower lips to lubricate himself. He pushed the head of his cock against her opening, and it parted for him, accepting him inside. He stroked in, then out, sinking deeper with each thrust.

He was lost in his desire for this beautiful woman!

-=-

Melody was in heaven. "David! Oh my god, David, you feel so good! I love you so much!" she cried.

He captured her mouth with his once more as his hips began to move faster and faster, driven by his need.

Melody clung to his powerful body as she felt overwhelmed by his passion. The repeated slapping of their bodies tripped her over the edge again and again until it felt like one continuous rolling release.

Then he was pinning her to the mattress as his heat surged into her depths.

Her mind soared as she imagined the new life they might be creating.

Her eyes flew wide, and she gasped aloud at the very idea.

Today was not a safe day. Not at all.

They'd been so careful before, using condoms when she and David had sex. She even made an appointment with her doctor to get back on birth control.

Then, a reckless explosion of passion.

She trembled and clung to his body tighter as more heat surged into her. She was so full of David's cock and his cum. She never wanted it to end.

What if...

What if she had another child? Would that be bad?

She wasn't that young, but she wasn't at a dangerous age either.

Melody was aware of the morning-after pill. She could go to the pharmacist and get one, but...

What if...

She bit her lip, and another tremble went through her body.

David must have felt the last one as he pulled his face back to look at her. His expression showed his love and concern for her. "What's wrong?" he asked softly to preserve the moment's intimacy. He removed some of his weight from her body, but she clung to his hips to keep him deep inside.

She wanted to keep her concerns to herself to not upset him, but she wouldn't lie to him either.

"Condom," was all she managed to say.

He looked at her in confusion, then his eyes widened, and guilt swept across his expression.

She immediately touched his chin to get him to focus.

"No. I'm as much to blame for forgetting as you. It was just so good!"

David nodded with a guilty smile. "It was." He sighed, then looked at her cautiously. "Safe day?"

She shook her head. "One of my least safe days."

Melody sighed. "I can go to the pharmacy tomorrow to get a pill." She looked away.

Fingers on her chin made her lift her eyes to his again. "Is that what you truly want?" he asked softly, and she looked at him in confusion. Then what he was suggesting caused her to blink at him in surprise. Her mouth opened and closed without words.

He smiled as his gaze softened. "If you wanted to try, I'm all for it."

Melody heard a roaring in her ears as she watched David's loving expression.

"But... what about Auden?" she squeaked with a tight throat.

David ran his fingers through her hair as he looked at her lovingly. "Auden said she couldn't have a baby of her own, but she's not against babies. She loves you. I know she'd love the idea, as you do."

Melody gasped in a breath and another before she could speak. "I-I want a baby," she said before tears ran down her cheeks.

David kissed her cheeks tenderly. "Then we'll let nature take its course and see what happens."

She pulled his face to hers and kissed him passionately.

After the surge of love, she buried her face in his neck as she clung to him. "I love you, David. More than I thought possible."

He gently managed to get her to unclench her muscles so he could look at her lovely face. "I love you too, Melody. I need to ask you a question as it just occurred to me and seems important. I have a few years of college to get through before I can start bringing in an income. Are we financially capable of supporting a child now?"

She smiled at his look of concern. "Yes, we'll be fine. This just proves to me what a good parent you'll be."

He shook his head with a smile.

"We'll discuss the plan with Auden when she gets home tonight," David said. Melody nodded as her body continued to glow with joy.

David smiled seeing Melody so happy, and he seemed pleased he'd been responsible for it.

She couldn't begin to express how much joy he'd brought to her life. After years of neglect from her reptile of a husband and the tragic circumstances of a son unable to connect emotionally with others, it finally felt like she'd been given another chance.

The man in her arms loved her, and they were going to try to have a baby!

She couldn't ask for more, yet she had the love of Auden, her neighbors' gratitude for saving their marriage, and the friendship of Chelsea, whose loneliness she'd alleviated.

The cold-hearted bastard did manage to leave her financially secure for the next phase of her life, and she was determined to enjoy every second of it.

-= Stay Tuned for the conclusion of Melody Dawson's Trilogy in Melody for a New Life =-