“Ryeland,” Mel said, cringing slightly as her gaze moved over his bruised face. “How are you feeling?”
Ryeland’s father cleared his throat and Mel stiffened. “Don’t you have something to say?” he asked her.
She crossed her arms to keep them from shaking and bit the inside of her cheek, but there was nothing she could do to keep her chest from constricting, making it difficult to talk, to draw in air. She opened her mouth and shut it again, unable to say the words Arthur had put into her mouth. Bile rose into her throat and it was all she could do not to throw up, to run to Ryeland and tell him the truth. But the truth would hurt him—in more ways than one—and that was the last thing she ever wanted to do. She drew a shaky breath and reminded herself that this was what was best for him, and because she loved him with everything inside her, she was going to stand tall and put his well-being above her own. No matter how much it ripped her heart from her chest and destroyed every little bit of her.
She opened her mouth again but when the words wouldn’t come, her father blurted out. “I found the pregnancy stick, and the baby isn’t yours.”
Ryeland tried to sit up on the bed. He struggled and Melody rooted her feet when all she wanted to do was go to him.
“What?” he asked. “No, that’s not true.” He looked at Melody, and the confusion on his face set fire to her chest.
“It is true,” his mother said. She reached into his medical file and pulled out a sheet of paper. “You’re sterile, a result of your treatments when you were young.”
“Sterile? What are you talking about?”
From the chair beside his bed, his mother patted his hand. “We didn’t tell you because we thought you were too young to deal with it.”
Melody remained quiet as he pulled his hand away from his mother’s, and watched the hurtful exchange from the doorway, unable to move, to speak, to breathe.
“I don’t believe you.” Ryeland pushed the paper away. “I don’t believe any of this.”
“Believe it. The indisputable facts are right there in front of you,” Arthur stated, his voice as hard as his features.
“She’s been sleeping around,” her mother added. “I warned you about her, Ryeland. She used the pregnancy to trick you to get a better life for herself.” She cast a quick glance Melody’s way then turned back to Ryeland. “I bet she even tricked you into using no protection.”
“You’d know all about that now wouldn’t you?” he bit out and his mother flinched. Then something moved over his face, something that told Mel he was thinking about the last time they had sex—without a condom. Then he blinked away the moment of doubt and said, “And you’re wrong about her. The baby is mine.”
“I’m not wrong,” his mother said, sitting up a little straighter.
“Melody, tell them it’s not true,” Ryeland said. “Tell them.”
Arthur folded his arms. “We know a few people who will attest to it.”
“Bullshit,” he shot back.
Arthur glared at him. “That’s not what Justin says, and it certainly stands to reason why you went after him.”
“There is no sense in arguing this with you.” He looked at Melody. “Melody, please…”
Mel swallowed hard and in a low voice said, “You passed your law entrance exams, Ryeland. If you were presented with these facts, what would be your conclusion?”
His mouth fell open as he stared at her, the hurt in his eyes cutting into her soul. It took every ounce of strength she had to push the lie through her lips, but if she didn’t Ryeland could go to jail, and any future, whether it was in medicine or law, would be ruined.
“Melody, come on.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “We spent every night together.”
As her heart crumbled into a million broken pieces, she thought about the nights she spent with her mom. “Not every night.”
He fisted his hair. “Why are you doing this to me? To us?”
“You wasted your entire summer on her, Ryeland,” Arthur said.
“That’s not true. Tell me it’s not true, Melody. Please tell me it’s not true!” he yelled.
“You always said I was the bad judge of character.” She stomped down the emotions and met his gaze unflinchingly. “Maybe you’re the one who’s not so good at reading people.”
“Melody, Jesus. No! You’re lying. You’re fucking lying.”
“No, I’m not. Your mother was right. You should have listened to her.”
He pulled on his hair and struggled to get up, but his mother stopped him. “You love me. I know you do!” he yelled. She took a small, unstable step backward. “Melody, come on. Please. You’re a fighter, you fight for everything and right now I’m the one thing I need you to fight for.”
“Goodbye, Ryeland. Go back to school. Don’t waste anymore time with me.”