The Italian's proposal

Melody

Melody couldn’t remember the last time she felt completely relaxed since she found out she was expecting a child. She didn’t understand how she had fallen into accepting lunch with Timothy, she was getting sick just thinking about having to find something to wear to see him. Well, she did understand, she realized that she had no money, nor was the best circumstance to be expecting a child. She must have been aware that she found a way, although not quite easy, it was a valid way. She did not stop to think about the pros and cons of the situation that lay ahead. She could handle anything.

He had been right to warn her to be careful to dress appropriately. Melody didn’t know how being proper meant in Timothy’s world, much less for circling fancy places, like the ones she was sure he was used to.

She pulled out all her clothes thinking she could find something, but was unsuccessful, she shook her head in distress, all she had brought from her parents’ house were clothes she wore day to day or were already faded, nothing fancy, nothing attractive let alone seductive.

She dismissed that idea quickly.

She didn’t want to seduce Timothy Giannato, she needed to remember that.

She was crazy. There was no logical application for what was happening she simply must be out of her mind. Pregnancy affected some brain cell or maybe she wasn’t fit to be in college, she wasn’t supposed to be a veterinarian and she was dumber than a boiled potato in its skin. It was true what her father used to say: just because you have an above-average IQ doesn’t mean you are smart and will make the best decisions.

At that moment she realized that she was smart about some things, but not about others, like, for example, agreeing to have lunch with Timothy and considering his marriage proposal.

She had a little room; one she asked Lucy for so she wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch in the living room. What was supposed to be something for a couple of days was turning into a week and was looking to be something more.

The room she slept in, Lucy used to store empty boxes full of books and pamphlets she no longer needed to use. When Melody moved in with her in the studio apartment, she relinquished the space to her by removing the boxes and placing them in her own room.

The only bathroom in the studio apartment was inside the room that was meant to be the main and only one, so Lucy’s room had to be entered to go to the bathroom every morning when she went to vomit or generally to relieve herself.

Her phone rang at that instant, just as she was stroking her belly and seeing the sea of clothes lying on the bed. She emptied her entire suitcase, the one she brought with her from her parents’ house when she decided to get out of there. He remembered with rage every moment of the conversation he had with them in the days prior to her decision to leave the house. She found it shameful that her parents were so regressive as to force her to have an abortion or kick her out of their home. She didn’t make one of the best decisions in giving her body to Richard, that was clear enough, but still her parents shouldn’t have turned their backs on her.

Of course, under desperate measures you knew the true character and good will of people and she knew the true face of your parents. The ones she fondly remembered being there for every moment of sickness or joy, always going to her school performances, attending her when she had a cold, covering her with coats whenever the snow fell, or the temperatures dropped. Giving her hot chocolate with marshmallows and making her the vegetable soup she loved so much, a rare thing in children, they had been there for those things, they always had been in her life, but when she truly needed them, they slammed the door in her face, and she would never forgive them for that.

“Hello,” she greeted, the number not registered to her.

“Hi sister-in-law,” she only had one sister, so it was obvious to her who it was.

do you want?”

he warned immediately. “You can’t come to my house and offend my wife, accuse her of betraying you and not standing by you. You are oblivious and

conscience. You have no scruples to talk about that! You stole from a man who sacrificed himself

would go and pick them up for her. Melody grew up with no sense of being organized and now she realized it. Even more being as she was, living in a room she couldn’t walk without tripping over one of the corners of

accusing

who had had the nerve to embezzle from a

a respectable man, a man who fought and focused on giving his sister a better life, one who went out of his way for his family, someone to trust

if he had the nerve to call her, to offend her, he was highly likely to deny what she told Allegra that afternoon at his

end of the line and that was answer enough for her.

You don’t know anything about me or us. You only know how to call Allegra to complain because Charles and Lydia kicked

again without thinking about it for a second. Where they don’t want my son, I won’t be

care about your son and I don’t care about you,” he hissed. “I care about my wife and my son; I care about the boys who

to justify himself? He stole three million

taking position in her head, so she wanted to end the call. “And just so you know, Timothy Giannato is going all out for you. You’ll get screwed and along the way you’ll ruin Allegra and your son. You should have thought about that, since

Giannatto? What do you know about him?” he asked, and she could tell how nervous he was

about? I do. I know what you did and he’s coming after you hard. You’ll get it bad. And you can call me childish all you want, but I’d rather wipe ass than steal from someone,” she took a

Equilay at her. “Where do you

voice, “what matters is that tonight you tell Allegra what you did,

“You don’t understand Mel...”

been a part

that. I’m Melody

and desperately. “Melody, tell me where you know him from, tell me you can help

tears she had been holding

possible, metal and with a thin mattress that left her with

it!” she

a couple of tears escape and went to take a shower. Tomorrow she