Melody For A New Day

He handed her cell to her as he sent his message. She glanced down at the phone as it blinged. She saw a message icon on her email app and touched it.

She grinned as she spotted David's message. "Oh, look! I've received an email already!" A second chime rang as she saw one from Auden under David's.

She opened David's, and it simply said, "I love you, beautiful lady!" Her eyes welled up as David moved in for a kiss. When he pulled back, she read Auden's message. "I'm so happy to be here! Thank you, and I love you, too!" Melody turned to Auden, who was looking at her hopefully, so she gestured for her to move closer. She gave her a kiss as well, and Auden's smile afterward was joyful.

Once Melody settled back on the couch, she looked at her lovers.

"I had lunch today with Chelsea," she began and saw David's expression show a little concern before she continued. Auden didn't know who she was speaking of, so she explained. "Chelsea is a friend I made at my fitness club. She's... interested in David." Lights went on in Auden's eyes.

"She's married," David added, and Auden absorbed this information as well.

Melody nodded. "Yes, but I get the impression that Chelsea doesn't approach marriage in terms of an emotional bond with a soul mate. I don't know if she's wired to understand those emotions, or perhaps she never met the right mate. She was going to divorce her third husband, but he went on a business trip to Libya and suffered a fatal accident at the airport. Hit and killed by a delivery truck." Auden watched her with wide eyes. "Chelsea was sad to hear about the accident as she didn't want to see him hurt, but I don't believe she loved or even liked him by that point," Melody concluded.

She looked into David's eyes. "When she saw that I was in love with you and Auden, she asked if her raincheck for an interlude with you was now off the table. I promised her I would ask you two about it. The decision is yours."

David frowned. "I'm not interested in expanding our relationship to include anyone else." He nodded as he thought about it. "Chelsea seems like a nice person, very bubbly and fun, but she was just looking for some more thrills." He held Auden's eyes. "She graphically described how her previous husbands fucked her silly with oversize cocks and paid for her series of increasingly large breast implants. I agree with Melody. She's not very deep emotionally."

Auden looked into David's eyes and nodded. Then she turned to Melody. "Do we need to answer immediately?" David looked at her in surprise, and she continued. "I think we should sleep on it. I'll discuss this with you tomorrow. Okay?" David smiled hesitantly, so she leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

Melody smiled as she saw David's brow ease. She grinned as he pulled back with a dreamy look in his eyes.

He flashed an embarrassed smile at her, then cleared his throat.

"I-I should check in at home as I usually prepare dinner," he said.

Melody nodded. "Will you be eating there or with us?"

"Here! I mean, I'll just get it cooking, then I'll come back," he said quickly and received two grins.

David stood and left the house.

When they were alone, Melody raised an eyebrow at Auden, curious about her response to Chelsea's request.

Instead of an answer, Auden gave her a mischievous smile. "What are we making for dinner?"

-=-

David let himself in the house and walked to the kitchen, where he spotted Suzanne doing her homework at the table. He knew she had a desk in her small bedroom for doing this, so he was curious about her being here.

"Hi!" he said, and she looked up at him with a smile that was immediately replaced by a look of concern.

"What happened to your face?" she chirped in dismay.

David smiled at her. "It's okay. Jeff decided he wasn't over the fight we had during the weekend and attacked me at school. The teachers were there to see him start, so he was expelled. I didn't get into trouble as I didn't fight back," he said, then paused with a little smile. "Well... I broke his wrist, but that was self-defense." He shook his head as he thought about how angry Jeff was. "I don't know what's going on with Jeff. His rage issues are out of control."

Suzanne smiled again, and David realized this was probably one of the longest conversations he'd ever had with his sister. He began to prepare dinner as he thought about that.

His curiosity returned. "Why are you working here instead of in your room?"

She rolled her eyes. "Rick is listening to his music too loud again. I couldn't concentrate."

David knew Rick and Suzanne shared a room his father had ingeniously divided with a wall and specialized built-ins for their beds and desks.

He had a sudden epiphany. If he stayed with Melody in her home, his bedroom would be available for Suzanne, and that divider wall could come down to give Rick the entire space. This home only had three bedrooms, and as the oldest, he got the extra room. The twins shared a room but had separate areas.

He'd speak to Melody to see if she'd be amenable to the idea.

"Is your girlfriend going to move in with you?"

David looked at Suzie in surprise, but she seemed curious as a blush warmed her face. "She's very pretty and has a lovely accent," she continued quickly.

He grinned. "I agree with you, but no, she's not. She is moving in with Melody, so I'll see her there. She will visit, though."

Suzanne's smile showed she was happy about that as she returned to her homework.

David put the prepped meal into the oven and set the timer. It would be ready for when his parents got home.

He set the table minus one setting as he'd be next door. He paused as he considered his little sister. He kissed the top of her head, making her look up at him in surprise. "I'm sorry if I haven't been as good an older brother as I should have been."

She burst into giggles as her eyes held his. "Who are you, and what have you done with my self-absorbed brother!"

He winced as she bounced up to her feet and hugged him.

"I've been doing a lot of reflecting on my behavior over the weekend. I didn't like what I saw. I promise to do better."

Suzanne was grinning happily as Rick entered the room with a smirk on his face.

David sighed. "You'll just have to be patient with Rick as he's still going through his obnoxious years."

Rick was immediately angry, but David locked eyes with him. "I'm sorry for being a poor older brother to you too." Rick's expression wobbled between surprise and suspicion, but David looked back to Suzanne. "I'll check in after dinner."

As he headed for the front door, his dad stepped inside. It was earlier than usual, but it was the perfect opportunity, so David smiled.

"Hey, Dad. Can we talk?"

Keith smiled. "I was hoping to be able to speak to you alone as well. Come down to my workshop."

His father spoke first when they were downstairs in Keith's domain and had their privacy. "What's with the bruising?" He was frowning as he said it.

"Jeff attacked me at school in front of a teacher. He's been expelled, and he's likely lost his scholarship." David shook his head. "Rebecca was also expelled for bullying Auden. She and Jeff won't graduate with us. They'll probably have to complete their grades this summer." He saw his father's concerned look. "I didn't get into trouble as I stayed calm and didn't fight back."

His dad's relief was clear.

David gave his father an awkward look. "Did Mom explain to you why she acted so weird last night?"

Keith shook his head with a troubled expression. "No, and she refused to speak with me about it. We had such an awesome weekend, but it ended on such a sour note." He glanced at his son. "How was your weekend?"

David smiled. "It started sour as I really wanted to join you guys, then Melody hurt herself, and Mom insisted I had to take care of her. But... Melody is such a good person and wise, too. She helped me take a good look at my behavior and who I was calling my friends. She showed me I could be a better person, too. My weekend ended with me having a girlfriend, Auden, and a new friend, Melody."

"You're on a first-name basis with our neighbor?" Keith asked with a raised brow.

David smiled. "She asked me to call her that as Mrs. Dawson made her feel old."

"But she is old--I mean, older than you," his dad insisted.

David grinned at his father. "She's a year younger than you. Should I think of you as old?"

Keith chuckled, then grabbed his son in a playful headlock as David rolled his eyes. "Get cheeky with your old man, will you? I still have what it takes to take you down a notch!"

"DAVID!"

After a moment's pause as they listened, Keith released his son, and they shared a look as they heard Jackie calling for him from the front door.

"We'd better go see what's up," his father said, leading the way upstairs.

They found Jackie in the kitchen telling Suzie to go to her room. She looked sternly at David and screeched when she saw the bruises. "You got in another fight?"

David sighed and glanced at his dad.

"No, he was attacked by the boy who fought him last week, but he didn't fight back, and the kid was expelled. He acted responsibly this time," Keith said proudly, and David smiled.

Jackie looked at David's outfit uncomfortably, then locked her eyes on his. "You stay away from Melody!"

David blinked in surprise at her. "Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why!" Jackie snapped.

David just smiled at her. "That reasoning no longer applies to me as I'm an adult. I'd appreciate a real answer, please."

She glanced at Keith. "Back me up!"

David looked at his dad, but the man seemed to be struggling to understand.

"I'd be delighted to, but you need to tell me what this is all about. I like Melody, and we've always gotten along!" he said.

Jackie's face was getting redder by the second. She finally reached her limit. "Melody's having sex with David!"

Keith looked at David in shock, but he was watching his mom. "Did Melody tell you that?" David asked calmly.

"She didn't need to! I spoke with her this morning, and she said she wouldn't stop seeing you because she needs you!" Jackie exclaimed.

Keith once more turned to David. "You didn't mention the extra weekend activities, but now I understand why you said your weekend was good!"

David shook his head. "I didn't mention it because it was private. I haven't discussed it with Melody and didn't want to give you the wrong impression of her."

"MRS. DAWSON!" Jackie snapped, correcting him.

David gave her a disappointed frown. "Melody is a good person who gave me some great advice during our talks this weekend. She helped me regain the confidence I'd lost due to my skin condition. She gave me great advice that helped me become Auden's boyfriend. Melody has just suffered a tragedy. I'm going to be there for her to ensure she's okay."

Keith frowned awkwardly. "It sounds like Melody is looking for more than a friend if she's saying she needs you. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of my impressionable son being with a woman in her thirties."

David nodded. "I get that. I do. And I'm sorry for upsetting you and Mom, but I'm going to continue seeing her."

"NO!" Jackie screamed and suddenly slapped his face.

"Fuck! Ow!" David barked in surprise and hurt as his face was already sore from the bruising. His temper flared, but he did his best to throttle it down. He caught his mother's hand as she tried to slap him again. He spun her around, pulled her back against his chest, and pinned her there firmly. She was on her tiptoes in his unbreakable grip, completely at his mercy.

Jackie gasped at his manhandling. Her face flushed, and her eyes went glassy as lust shot through her body before she could control her response.

Then she saw Keith was watching her closely, and an icy finger of fear began to stroke down her back.

"I don't know why you are acting like a spoiled brat! I expect better of you!" David growled and gave her a little shake. Jackie began to pant as her heart raced and her mind spun out of control. Her fear couldn't compete with this.

David saw the confusion on his dad's face as he watched his wife. The man looked at David.

"D-don't speak to your mother that way. Let her go," he insisted, his voice wobbling.

David stared at his father in frustration, then gently pushed his mom into his dad's arms.

"I'll be over at Melody's tonight. Enjoy dinner."

David stormed out of the house and headed back to Melody's.

He needed to hear her calm voice of reason after this madness.

-=-

Keith looked into his wife's glassy eyes and was at a loss. "Why are you acting this way?"

He wasn't sure if he was asking the question about her hostility to their neighbor or her reaction to their son. His mind shied away from the latter, and he concentrated on the first. "Melody is a good person. It sounds like she helped David even if it wasn't done selflessly."

Jackie's eyes flared with anger. "David is my son!"

This pushed Keith's frustration beyond the breaking point as it wasn't an answer to his question. "I know! Why are you acting all hot and bothered when he was holding you?" he snapped.

"Why can't you just support me on this?" she shouted back as she burst into tears and ran for the stairs. He heard her going up to the top floor, and their bedroom door slammed shut.

Keith was lost.

-=-

Melody heard the thump of the front door and looked up in time to see David enter the kitchen. She immediately spotted the red mark from a slap, and her heart went out to him. She knew who'd done it, and she felt responsible for his pain, but she knew he'd need to voice it.

"What happened?" she asked.

"My mother is losing her mind. She is behaving completely opposite to how she normally does. I don't understand at all!" David's anger ran out after he expressed his frustration, leaving him confused and sad. "Mom came to speak to you this morning?"

Melody nodded, so David continued. "She says she knows we've been intimate, but I didn't tell her as it's our business. Did you?" he asked, and Melody shook her head. David nodded as her response met his expectations. "Mom told me to stay away from you, which I absolutely won't do."

Melody couldn't stop the relieved smile from appearing on her lips, and Auden added her smile as well.

"I don't understand Mom's sudden hostility, and now I've upset my dad, which is not easy to do," he said with an anxious frown.

Melody believed Jackie was dependent on her son's massages to meet some need. What the mother saw as Melody's interference was driving her to these extremes. But Melody still had no idea what was driving the need. All she knew was that she couldn't be the one to tell David. It had to come from Jackie herself, or the damage it might do to David and their family would be terrible. As it was, she wasn't sure how David would react to discovering his mother was using him for sexual relief.

"I think for tonight, everyone should take some calming breaths. I'll try to speak with your parents together in the morning," she suggested, and she could see David's shoulder muscles immediately begin to ease in relief. "Where does your mother work?"

David gave her the name and address, which she entered into the contact application on her cell.

She looked up to see a pleased expression on his face.

"You're taking to this new tech pretty well," he said with a grin.

She pointed to the dinner table for him to sit. "After dinner, you and Auden can teach me how to do selfies and send them to you two."

The young couple's naughty and excited grins sent a zing through her as she carried the plates to the table.

David's smile changed to a slightly nervous expression. "Uh, I have a question for you."

Melody sat at the table and waited.

"I was hoping I could stay with you and Auden here... permanently. Suzanne needs her own room, and if I moved in with you, I could give her mine and assist my dad with restoring the one she shared with Rick. Dad is an excellent carpenter, so we'd do the work ourselves," he suggested.

Melody felt another thrill rush through her body. "Of course you can!"

David's relief was clear in his smile. "Great! I'll talk it over with Dad tomorrow!"

The three turned their attention toward the meal Melody prepared for them, and David seemed particularly pleased.

Melody enjoyed cooking for people who showed their appreciation. It was a pleasure she hadn't experienced in a long time.

"This is wonderful!" Auden gushed. Then she looked a little anxious. "I don't know how to cook as they wouldn't let me at home."

"Melody is obviously wonderful at it, and I can show you some of the recipes I know," David offered.

Auden's smile blossomed again.

Dinner was lovely, and the anticipation of their fun to come kept them all tingling.

Melody was pleased to see a fresh box of condoms on the counter. David was nothing if not thoughtfully prepared!

-=-

Jeff stewed in his basement gym as he struggled to lift a stack of plates on the functional trainer his dad got him for his football career.

A career that might be over before it began.

He was working on his legs while wearing a cast on his broken wrist. The break was clean, and the doctor said it would heal with minimal degradation in functionality, but Jeff's hatred for David flared once more.

Hell, it was David's fault he was torturing himself on the damn machine! Rebecca let slip at the start of the school year that she thought David's muscles were hot. Jeff couldn't bear the thought of Becca being excited by anyone but him. He'd immediately found a source for anabolic steroids and began strength training in earnest. He'd made gains, but that freak David still surpassed him in mass. He'd upped his dosage.

Jeff was the leader of their group. He had to be the alpha! It was the natural order. David might be strong, but he'd always been a follower. His abandonment of their group pissed Jeff off. As much as he hated David, having the brute follow him around in his posse gave Jeff prestige. How their fight ended also diminished Jeff's standing.

Last week, David had the nerve to make moves on Rebecca, Jeff's woman! He'd unleashed his most vicious insults to put David back in his place. Instead of backing off, David looked at him in shock, then said something in return... he couldn't recall what. Jeff hadn't expected to punch David, but whatever the jerk said must have pushed his button. He thought for a moment but still couldn't recall what triggered him. All he remembered was suddenly hitting David with two sharp jabs, one to his eye and then his chin.

David knocked him flat with one punch in front of everyone, especially Rebecca.

"FUCK!" Jeff screamed as he lost control once more. The heavy plates slammed down loudly.

"Jeffrey! Get up here!"

Shit! That was his dad. Jeff struggled to control his anger as he couldn't flare in front of his dad. He'd likely received a call from the principal, the hospital, or both.

Things would be going into the shitter now.

Chapter 3

David could feel the tension in the school the following day. With the expulsion of the school's star quarterback and the head cheerleader just before graduation, the school's ecosystem was going through shock. The top of the pecking order had been decimated. Eyes were aimed at him and Auden. Some were just curious, but others were openly hostile.

Jeff and Rebecca would be completing their year during summer school.

Her parents were mortified to hear their daughter was expelled for bullying and molesting another student. Auden's refusal to press criminal charges saved Becca from being registered as a sex offender. Her parents were very grateful to Auden and told her Rebecca was being enrolled in a sensitivity training course.