Chapter Twelve

 

Melody deliberately sat in the living room when Logan got in. Zack was playing Sudoku on his iPad and Lauren was reading, skipping through the pages and chuckling when she found something particularly funny.

"Daddy!" they both squealed and hugged him when he stepped in. He made much of them as usual, but he had his eye on Melody. She could feel his censorious gaze.

"We should go somewhere for holiday," Melody said, after he greeted her a tad coldly. She ignored that. "Maybe my parents’ place in Kingston."

"Or your parents place in St. Ann," Logan said gruffly.

Melody winced. First shot went to Logan. He was mad with her and he knew she didn't want to discuss St. Ann.

"Hey guys," Logan said to Zack and Lauren, “I have something to discuss with your Mom. Is it okay if I steal her for a few minutes?"

"Sure." Zack and Lauren went back to their activities.

"Melody," Logan said roughly, taking off his tie.

Melody considered refusing to get up but she did because Logan looked like he was in the mood to yell. She got up sedately, even though she didn't feel the least bit sedate. She followed him upstairs to the bedroom. He had his hands on his hips and was standing in the middle of the room, and he was looking at her as if he didn't quite know how to frame what he was going to say.

She laid on the bed face up and stared at him waiting for him to speak.

"Let me understand something," Logan said almost softly. "We have a five bedroom house, we have two empty guest bedrooms. My secretary is flooded out of her one bedroom apartment and has no place else to stay and you said she can't stay here. What's wrong with that picture, Melody?"

"We don't operate a hotel," Melody said petulantly. "Seriously, Logan why are you so passionate to get her to stay here?"

"I am not being passionate, it's basic human caring. I spent most of the day trying to find a place for Sabrina to stay. Then I thought, Why not our house? We have the space. She slept in her car last night, when she got uncomfortable on the beach. She has no family and no friend close enough to stay with. Melody, I never thought in a million years that I would be saying this to you, but where is your sympathy?

"You are the kind of person who gives money to professional beggars. You visit old people’s homes and help them when their family don't even remember that they exist. You cry when people you don't even know are in pain, and you can't find it in your heart to put up Sabrina for a few days! Why?" Logan asked, genuinely puzzled. "I called you today because I had run out of options. Everywhere is booked solid."

Melody twisted on her belly, facing away from the inquiry in his eyes. "I just don't trust her."

Logan rolled his eyes. "But why? Or is it me you don't trust? Is that it? You think I am on the verge of losing my head over Sabrina because she is pretty? Woman, are you crazy! Her looks would not be enough to make me break my commitment to you. I resent that you think I am that superficial. Why is everybody implying that I might have an affair with her?"

Melody looked at him, "Huh?"

"The band." Logan shrugged. "She stopped by the warehouse and dropped off Lauren and Zack for me last week and they met her."

"Oh." Melody frowned. Sabrina was trying to get to know their friends; she was slowly but surely injecting herself into Melody's life. It felt like a stealthy takeover, and Melody felt uneasy about it. Why didn't Sabrina come right out and declare herself; what was she waiting for?

"So what would be enough for you to break your commitment to me?" Melody asked Logan absently.

"Seriously?" Logan asked. "I am not going to answer that. That's a strange question and you are in a strange, unusual mood. What did Rita do or say to put you in this funk?"

Melody sighed. "She didn't do anything. At least not this time."

"So what is it?" Logan asked. "Talk to me. Remember we are the couple that communicate with each other. We don't allow silly misunderstandings to escalate."

Melody sighed and closed her eyes, a feeling of foreboding overcoming her. "It’s nothing that you have done. Your secretary can stay here." Maybe then I can find out what she is up to, she thought feverishly, because Sabrina's motives were giving her sleepless nights.

"That's the right decision," Logan said, getting up. "I am going to call her now. I don't want her to sleep on the beach or in her car tonight again."

"Why do you care so much about her?" Melody asked.

"Because," Logan said, "she is confused and in a flux right now. She lost her adoptive parents. She practically raised herself and she is battling whether to tell her birth mother that she is around now."

Melody gasped.

"I know, right?" Logan said. "Her story tugged at my heartstrings too. She is a survivor. I admire that. I also know that if she were my daughter, I would not want her sleeping on the beach, and no self-respecting Christian would walk by on the other side of the road when their neighbor is in trouble. Right?

"Right." Melody nodded. "Okay."

"That's the Melody I know and love," Logan said, kissing her on the forehead.

When he left the room. Melody covered her eyes with her hand. Sabrina was battling whether to tell her birth mother who she was. So she had been right, Sabrina knew about her. So what was she doing, then? Why was she biding her time?

Oh, she hated this. She really hated this. Melody bit her lips, hoping to prevent them from trembling. And now Sabrina was going to be in her house for a few days.