Melody For A New Day

When they were alone, Melody turned back to the man and saw he was staring at nothing, tears slowly running down his cheeks. "What happened, Keith?" she asked gently.

His head turned slowly to look at her blearily, and he nodded slowly. "I-I went to speak to Jackie's boss after work." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "He said he'd been expecting a visit from me. He thought Jackie had finally confessed to me." His breathing caught in his throat, and he took some slow, deep breaths to calm himself as he wiped his eyes with a new tissue.

"Barry La Rue has been sexually abusing Jackie from the day she started--Not having sex with her, as he's too ill to do that, but... making her... do stuff to herself, but not all the way."

Melody gasped as her mind spun in confusion. She understood that La Rue was probably too ill to get it up. An erection might kill the man. But what could he have over Jackie to make her go along with it?

"Blackmail?" she said quietly, but Keith heard and nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the memory stick.

"La Rue gave it to me for Jackie as he thought she'd kept her part of the deal by telling me. He said it was the only copy." Keith looked at the small USB stick like it was a viper.

"What's on it?" Melody asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

Keith's expression swung between rage and despair. He had a hard time speaking at first. "Jackie fucking her way through at least twenty guys in a frat house, mostly one on one but some spit-roasting and a few three at once. They were brutal!" He was quiet for a moment as he struggled to continue. "She--she enjoyed it!" He started crying and pounded his forehead with his fist.

Melody grabbed his wrist to stop him from striking himself as she caught the frat reference. "Keith, stop! This sounds like it happened a very long time ago.

He wiped his tears, took some breaths, and finally nodded. "I remember when it must have happened, as we'd just begun dating before graduation. She said she fell down some stairs. She was very bruised and in pain. We didn't have sex for weeks after that."

Melody noticed a haunted look in his eye as he mumbled to himself. "All those times she was so eager for sex when he got home. They all feel like lies now. They weren't for me!"

"Of course, they were for you! She loves you!" Melody insisted.

Keith's eyes were a little wild as he locked on hers. "No! Her boss was making her fuck herself with sex toys to humiliate her, but he wouldn't let her come." He swallowed sickly. "I saw what she really likes when I returned to my office and watched the movie on the memory stick. I don't do those things!" He shook his head fiercely. "She comes home from work frustrated with stiff muscles. David massages--"

His eyes widened as Jackie's reaction to being manhandled by David suddenly made sense to him. "Oh my god! I'm gonna be sick!"

Melody grabbed his arm and guided him to a hallway washroom, where he immediately dropped to his knees and puked in the bowl.

She poured him a glass of water to rinse his mouth, but his expression was still sick after he did. She sighed.

"I've experienced one of David's therapeutic massages, and I know he's unaware of how good it feels. I can honestly say he's completely unaware of its effect on Jackie. He thinks it's just a massage." She caught his eye again. "He doesn't know now, but once he takes his Physiotherapy course and learns how to give real massages, he'll figure it out. When I spoke with Jackie, I warned her of this as well. She's not getting sexual gratification from her son. She waits for you, the man she loves!"

Even to her own ears, she thought that sounded weak.

"I don't know the woman I married and lived with for over two decades. I had no idea she needed to be abused and had twisted--"

"Stop!" Melody said sternly. "You don't know where it comes from, but you need to understand her before labeling it that way."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Keith yelled as he struggled back to his feet. "Jackie's using our son to get sexually charged up. That's fucked up! What does that make me? Just a convenient dick?"

He stumbled out of the bathroom with Melody following to see David standing in the hallway with a stunned expression.

"I-I can't deal with this," David said quietly and rushed upstairs. Auden gave them both a shocked look, then followed David.

Keith's shoulders slumped in defeat. He walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. "If David wasn't so visibly my son, I'd be wondering if Jackie cheated on me. Rick takes after his mother, and Suzie shares some of my features."

Melody sat next to Keith and rubbed his back. "You've received some upsetting news today, but you need more information and time to fully understand it. Reacting before you have this is just making a mess," she said, gesturing to the stairs where David fled. He sighed and nodded.

She stood and gestured to the sofa. "Get some rest, and we'll go to your place in the morning for answers."

"Thanks, Melody. You're a good friend," Keith mumbled as he stretched out on the comfy sofa.

Melody watched him quickly drift off to sleep, then went upstairs. She found David in her bed with Auden on his right. She slipped from her dressing gown and got under the sheets on David's left side.

"Is what my father said true?" David asked with a subdued voice.

"Keith heard some upsetting things, but it's too soon to understand what it means as we only have partial information. What you heard was just his anguish thrashing around for answers. We'll get a clearer picture tomorrow," Melody said gently.

David was quiet for a moment. "What did he mean by mom needing to be abused?"

Melody pulled David's head to her chest and ran her fingers through his hair. "Right now, it doesn't mean anything. We'll learn more in the morning."

Chapter 5

In the excitement of the evening before, alarms weren't set, so everyone slept in at Melody's place.

Auden was first out the door as she needed to meet her lawyer at the shop. Melody let her use her car so she'd get there quicker. David was next, though he was hesitant to leave without speaking to his father. Melody talked him out of that. She said he needed to report to the school office that Auden would miss the day. She also suggested they postpone their night with Chelsea until the following week. He agreed, then reluctantly left.

Melody took a quick shower, woke Keith, and followed him next door, where they found the kids had left for school and Jackie for work.

Keith called his office to arrange a family day.

"Does she take the bus?" Melody asked Keith, and he nodded. "So, we can get there first if we drive. We'll take separate cars as I have chores to do afterward." He nodded distractedly.

"I-I need a shower. I'll be quick," Keith said and rushed upstairs.

Eight minutes later, he locked up behind them on the way out. Melody went to her driveway and entered the Continental to follow Keith downtown.

Once more, Melody parked across the street next to Keith, and the two walked into her building and took the elevator to the fourth floor.

As they entered the lobby, they spotted Linda, the HR woman, standing by the receptionist's desk, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. They were red from tears, and Melody started to have a bad feeling.

"Linda, is everything all right?" she asked as she approached.

The woman's calm crumbled a little, and she shook her head.

"Is Jackie here?" Keith blurted, and Linda shook her head again. She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Soon, I think."

"What are you doing here?"

Everyone turned toward the door at the sharp voice and saw Jackie standing there. She was looking between Melody and Keith, and she looked like she'd had a rough night, but her expression was swinging between belligerence and desperation. She was a mess.

Linda stepped closer and took Jackie's hands. "I have some sad news, Jackie. Mr. La Rue died last night."

Jackie pulled her hands back in shock and took a few more steps into the lobby before her eyes rolled up, and she fainted.

Keith leapt forward and caught her before she hit the ground. He lifted her into his arms as Linda began to fuss.

"She needs to lay down," Melody said calmly, and this settled Linda, who nodded.

"This way!" she said and set off toward Barry's office.

Melody could see Keith was very uncomfortable being in the office where his wife was abused, but she knew he loved his wife more. He hadn't let her fall, and he forced himself to enter the office and gently set Jackie down on the overstuffed couch. "Take some deep breaths," she said quietly to him. He gave her a stiff nod.

Keith turned to Linda. "How did La Rue die?"

She was a little surprised by his abrupt question, but she answered. "His condo's sprinklers went off. The firemen who broke into his unit discovered he was badly burned and dead in a chair in his living room. They haven't announced an actual cause of death."

Keith nodded, then returned to the couch as Jackie made waking noises. She opened her eyes and looked desperately into Keith's. He turned his face to look at Linda. "Would you mind if we had a private word with Jackie?"

"Oh! Uh, I suppose that would be all right," Linda said as her eyes looked at Melody in confusion. Melody just smiled kindly and nodded, so the woman left with a confused expression, closing the door behind her.

Jackie forced herself to sit up and then stand before she staggered across the room to the big desk. She immediately tried to open the locked drawer.

"Are you looking for this?" Keith asked as he held up the USB stick.

Jackie stared at him, frozen.

He cleared his tight throat and grimaced. "I watched it last night after I came to speak to Barry, and he gave it to me. Why didn't you tell me?"

Jackie glared at Melody. "You need to leave!" she snapped.

"She stays, or I walk out that door, and we're done!" Keith yelled in return. "At least Melody has been completely honest. Answer my question!"

Jackie's lips were trembling, and her desperate expression returned. She struggled to breathe. "I-I couldn't tell you. If I did, you would leave me, and I love you!"

Keith made a sharp noise of scorn and tried to leave, but Melody gripped his arm and stopped him.

He took some breaths to calm himself. "How long have you... needed this abuse?"

The panic was returning to Jackie's eyes as she glanced at Melody and squirmed. Seeing Keith was waiting for an answer, she finally spoke. "I discovered I enjoyed being... dominated in my first year at college. I went out to a party, and two college seniors took me aggressively in a dark bedroom. I managed to slip out afterward without them seeing who I was. I... realized I was different that night. The following year, I met you and fell in love.

Keith's expression twisted. "I never treated you roughly or abused you when we had sex. Were you faking the whole time?"

Jackie shook her head vigorously. "I love making love with you and find it very fulfilling. Many women don't have orgasms every time they have sex, but that's okay."

Keith made another scornful sound, but Melody stopped him again. "Jackie's right. While an orgasm is a wonderful conclusion to sex, physical and emotional closeness is also a major factor for fulfillment. Sometimes your body is into it, but your brain is filled with noise, and reaching that peak just doesn't happen." She smiled kindly. "You can't use that as proof of anything."

Jackie stared at Melody in confusion. "Why are you interfering?"

Melody shook her head gently. "I'm not interfering. I'm being supportive. I've been lonely for decades as my husband neglected me and eventually did his best to avoid me. David came to my rescue over the weekend, and while it was initially just a physical attraction, it quickly became emotional closeness as I got to know him. His maturity, sense of humor, and gentle nature surprised me. I fell in love with him, and he says he loves me. He also loves his family, and I'll do anything I can to help him and you both because you're so important to him." She smiled at them. "I've always longed to have a family like yours, with a strong core of love.

"You're using my family as a surrogate for what you didn't have!" Jackie yelled.

Keith surged forward to glare down at her angrily. "What about how you've been abusing David? Your own son! At least Melody isn't lying about it!"

Jackie's guilt was clear as her eyes flicked between Keith and Melody.

"It was an accident. David wanted to practice his massage therapy, and I was always so tense after work, so I eventually gave in. The first time he did it, I almost yelled at him for the inappropriate touching, but I saw he was clueless about what he'd done. You got home, and I dragged you upstairs before the tingles faded, and the sex was so intense." Her expression showed her sad desperation. "I was so intensely unhappy at work and trapped because of the blackmail. David was so happy he was able to make me feel better after work, and I was having such wonderful sex with my husband, who I love so much. I needed it to keep going, or I wasn't sure what I'd do."

They were quiet as her confession connected the dots. At least it did in Melody's head. She could see Keith was still struggling.

"The bastard is finally dead, and the blackmail is over. I need my family," she said plaintively.

There was another pause then Keith spoke. "You can no longer have David massage you. He's aware of what you were getting from it."

"You showed him the film?" she gasped in outrage.

"NO! I-I was drunk last night, and I fired off my mouth carelessly. He overheard," Keith said begrudgingly.

Jackie's eyebrows rose as she stared at him in shock.

He huffed then his expression twisted, showing the pain he'd been hiding. "I stood across the desk from that monster as he did his best to rub his disgusting behavior in my face, trying to goad me into violence. He told me to go ahead and beat him. While I hated him more than anyone in my life at that moment, I'm not a violent man and walked away."

His stern expression cracked further as he looked at Jackie with unshed tears pooling in his eyes. "If I couldn't be violent to someone I hated, how can you expect me to be that way with someone I love."

Jackie's mouth was moving, but she had no words. Melody was worried this might be a deal breaker. She couldn't let that happen.

"Jackie, is it the violence or the surrender of control you need?"

Though her face flushed with embarrassment, Jackie heard Melody's distinction and the offered lifeline. She had to be completely honest. "I-I don't enjoy the pain. I'm excited by the feeling of being completely at the mercy of my partner. Overwhelmed by their passion. Dominated."

Melody smiled as she turned her attention to Keith, who watched her in confusion. "You don't have to be violent to share this experience with Jackie. You can fulfill her deepest desires and be who you are. Now that Jackie is being honest with you, she can tell you exactly what she needs, and you two can share some of the best sex either of you has ever experienced. Sex with love is always the best."

A wave of relief passed through her as she saw the beginnings of hope in their eyes and acceptance in their body language. They had a chance.

"I'm heading home. You need to continue to speak openly and honestly with each other. No judgment. Your love is worth saving."

Keith was struggling, and his expression was a little desperate, but to her, it felt like he wanted this.

"Thank you, Melody," he said and gave her a hug.

Jackie moved closer, and Melody opened her arms to the woman. When they embraced, she could feel Jackie trembling. "I was never a threat to you and your family, Jackie. I want your lives to be filled with love. You deserve it. You've done such an amazing job raising three wonderful children. And you have a husband who loves you more than anything. You two will get through this, and your new openness will enrich your lives."

Jackie was clinging to her desperately as she cried. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you!" she gasped against Melody's chest.

Melody gently rubbed her back. "It's okay. I know where the fear was coming from now. It's all good."

Keith wrapped his arms around them both, and they enjoyed the closeness for a moment. Melody eased back and smiled at them. "Keep up the dialogue. Be honest and remember your love for each other. I'll speak with you later."

She turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

When she turned, she faced Linda and a group of worried ladies. She smiled to ease their fears.

"Jackie's going to be okay. She took the news of Mr. La Rue's death surprisingly hard considering his lengthy illness, but she'll bounce back and take care of business like the professional she is," she said, and relief showed on their faces.

The staff moved back to their desks as Linda moved closer.

"I thought I heard shouting," Linda noted, and Melody knew she needed to nip that gossip in the bud.

"Yes, there's been some tension at home recently, but they resolved that today. Their relationship will just get stronger from this day onward," Melody said with a smile.

Linda smiled at Melody. "Are you a couples counselor?"

Melody grinned and chuckled. "If I had been, my own marriage might have been saved." She shrugged, then waved as she left the office.

When she got to her car, she forwarded David's recipe to Chelsea then called her.

"Melody! Is this recipe news that we are a go?" the woman's bright voice said through the cell.

"Yes. How does next week work for you, Tuesday or Wednesday perhaps? They'd arrive at six to begin cooking," Melody asked with a smile.

"That sounds perfect! Tuesday would be preferable. I'm on pins and needles! Thank you, Melody! I'll pick up the ingredients now!" Chelsea exclaimed.

"Talk to you later," Melody said and hung up. She was having a very productive day, and it wasn't even mid-day!

She drove home and collected her paperwork, then visited the bank to deliver the death certificate to her account manager.

Sitting in the man's office while he tapped away at his keyboard, she asked him about her husband's cash withdrawals.

"Oh! Right! I suppose this means you won't be going on that grand escape he was planning," the bank officer said with a sad frown.

"Escape?" she asked.

He flicked a smile in her direction. "Yeah, he told me he was planning this escape but didn't give me any details. Maybe a trip around the world, a big renovation at home, or a cottage somewhere on a lake he was fixing up? Did he give you any clues?" he asked idly as he concentrated on his screen. "He took out quite a lot."

"Yes. Three-hundred-and-sixty-eight thousand, to be specific. I've brought it back to be redeposited. He was planning to escape our marriage, I assume."

The man looked at her in dismay. "Oh! I'm sorry."

She sighed and shrugged. "The more I learn about his repugnant behavior, the more I realize how much better off I am now." She shook her head in disgust.

She had the account manager deposit the funds into her account. Then she reviewed all her accounts, which were now fully in her name alone. She nodded, shook the man's hand, and headed out.

She stopped by her lawyer's office and gave him one of the death certificates as well.

Melody headed home and decided she would do a little research into a replacement for the cars she had now.

That sounded like a fun afternoon!

-=-

Jeff sent Dennis a text asking him to meet him at his dad's company after school.

He'd been put to work in the custodial department doing shit jobs. He had a cast covering his right hand and wrist, so the duties he could do were limited.