“That I’m not a gold digger. That’s all she thinks of me, because of my past. I’m not proud of the things that have happened to me, and I know you know about all of it, too.” She wiped her tears. “I heard you talkin’ to Chuck outside the bathroom at the wedding.”
Silence filled the phone from the other end, and she tried to control her tears while watching John play on the huge set. He was hitting every ball, and the poor opponent didn’t have a chance.
“I’m so sorry,” he murmured. “I had no idea. No wonder you ran away when you did.”
“I’m not someone to be pitied. That’s how I felt.”
“It was all true, wasn’t it?” he asked.
“And more, but that’s beside the point. I’m free now, so all is well.”
“All isn’t well. As soon as he gets out of jail, he’ll hunt you down. You know that, right?”
“He won’t find me,” she said, lying down on the bed. “I’m miles away from his house.”
“I want to send Dawn down there to protect you after he gets out of jail.”
She had to put it in perspective. He was her knight in shining armor, even though she didn’t need one. “No. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself. Do you still have her around?”
“Yes, I do. I’m keeping her for when you come back.”
She couldn’t tell him she wasn’t coming back or he wouldn’t play well. “I see.”
“When are you coming back?”
“I have to see how these jobs go. We’ll see.”
Silence again. “You’re not coming back, are you?”
“I don’t know, but I miss you. I love seein’ you on television and have a feelin’ you’re gonna make me proud.” She bit her lip, hoping he’d fall for it.
He was smiling and she knew it. “I have a feeling you’re going to do the same for me, too. It’s late and I know you’re tired. Give the teddy bear a hug for me.”
“You bet,” she said. “I wish—” As soon as it was out of her mouth she regretted saying it.
“You wish what?”
“I wish I could turn time backward and start my whole weekend over again with you. I keep thinkin’ about the time in bed, when I woke up with you beside me.”
“I was really worried about you that night, but it was nice. I slept so well that night, too.”
“I wish I could go back to that time and feel your arms around me.” She wiped a tear. “I must be really tired.”
“I wish I could hold you. Can you come up here on the weekend?”
She sighed. “My aunt has the salon open on Saturdays and I have to work. I can’t afford it anyway.”
“I can, though.”
“About that,” she said. “You don’t have to spend money on me. You’re makin’ me feel guilty.”
“I want to spend money on you. I want to take care of you. You don’t get this, do you?”
“No, because I have to make it on my own. I can’t be taken care of anymore.”
Silence again. “But your dad didn’t take care of you. You took care of him. You’ve been doing it for years, according to your aunt, and he’s been abusing you since you were young, even before your mother died. I got the whole story and know your whole history. I even asked the police officer to find someone you could talk to in town.”
So he was the one who’d made that officer give her that card. “I don’t need to talk to anyone. I’m tougher than you think.”
“I know that, and saw that at the wedding. Just know there’s someone to talk to there, and you always have me.”
“I’m fine. I’m still alive and have learned never to do the ‘what-ifs.’”
“I know. I have to get up early in the morning to practice with Cody. Oh, he says hello, by the way.”
“Tell him hello back. Are you sleepin’ at all?” she asked.
“Not since you left, but hearing your voice should help. I miss you more than you know and really need you here. Even Ted’s commented on it.”
“Ted?” The one who wanted rid of her? Why would he even care?
“Yeah. He said I need you.”
She smiled. “Oh, that’s funny. He’s the one who drove me to the train station.”
“Ted did? Why?”
“He wants me away from you, John. He said I was bad for your concentration, so he was willin’ to help me get away.”
“But he keeps reminding me of you, and keeps talking to me about you.”
She knew why, but couldn’t tell him. It was always about money. “Well, I have to go to bed. When do you play next?”
“Wednesday.”
“I’ll be watchin’ you on television, so do well for me.”
“You can tape it if you want. It has a DVR player and you can tape things.”
“I might just do that,” she said with a grin.
“The directions are in the bottom of the TV stand. Anyway, get some great sleep tonight and dream of us in bed that night when you were scared. I love you, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“I, uh, yeah. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She almost slipped and told him how she felt. It was getting tougher and tougher to break away from him, even though her heart wanted her to fly up to New York and stay with him all the time. She wanted to sleep in his bed, listen to him breathe and feel his touch.
He chuckled. “I’m not afraid to say it. I do love you. Good night, sweet Melody.”
How did he know what she was thinking? She stared at the phone, listened to him laugh then heard the click end the call. Was he psychic or what?
~~~~~
The next week passed, and every night, she’d receive a call from John the minute she walked in the door to her apartment. She was so in love with him, but she couldn’t tell him, because she knew it just wasn’t right. They joked and laughed over the phone, and she knew he was winning at tennis because of those phone calls. She’d never heard him so upbeat before, even if he didn’t have long to talk.
Two days before the final match of the U.S. open, Melody went to work at her aunt’s salon. She’d gotten more hours at both jobs, and able to work six days a week, finally able to make some good money to pay off that credit card.
“Hey, Aunt Shirley,” she said as she walked in the door. Shirley was working on the books and glanced up to see her.
“I need to talk to you.” Her face looked grim, making Melody scared.
“Why? Did I do somethin’ wrong?”
“Sit down.”
Melody swallowed hard and sat at the desk across from Shirley.
“Sugar, two things happened, and I want to be the one to tell you,” Shirley said.
“What?”
“First, your daddy’s out of jail. He has some type of lawyer and has dirt on someone high up.”
Melody covered her mouth. “No. Is he comin’ to get me?”
“He threatened to do that, so I need you to hide from him. I don’t want you comin’ in here so if he does show up, he won’t hurt anyone.”
“I’m out of a job,” she said. “I get it.”
“No, you don’t get it all.” Her aunt picked up the morning paper and opened it up to show Melody. “Someone’s been modelin’ in the nude.”
Melody felt her face heat up and her mouth drop. “What? I never modeled in the nude! I always wore something, and the least I was in was shorts and a blouse!” The picture on the front of the paper showed her face with someone else’s body attached, and black boxes covering the minimal amount of private parts. The headline read, ‘Local Porn Star…on Greeting Cards.’
“This isn’t me! I’m not that well endowed!” she yelled, looking down at her own small breasts.
“I know,” Shirley said. “But the rest of the community doesn’t know that. I’ve had five cancellations this mornin’ alone because of this newspaper, and I’m tellin’ everyone you don’t work here anymore.”
Tears teased her eyes. “How can this be happening? I didn’t do anything wrong, and didn’t pose nude. You know
I never would.”
“Yes, sugar. Now, you need to go home and lock your doors before your daddy finds you. I’ll make sure you have enough money, and if you want, you can work before or after hours for me, after we’re sure he won’t hurt you. I’m sorry this all hit at once, but I’m sure it’ll all work out.”
“I loved this job,” Melody said, the tears pouring down her cheeks.
“I know, and I loved havin’ you here. We had lots of fun, and once this has blown over, it’ll all be back to normal.”
“I’ll never be back to normal,” Melody cried. “I’m gonna have to quit that other job, you know, because they lied and killed my reputation.”
“I know. I’d do the same thing.”
“And I have to tell John. If he finds out about this—”
“I already called his bodyguard. John was practicin’ this mornin’ and couldn’t be bothered.”
She couldn’t believe it. “This is a big day for him. It’s the semifinals, and if he wins this one, he’ll be in the finals, and be either number one or number two. Don’t bother him with my problems. He really doesn’t need to hear about it.”
“Call Ted anyway and explain what happened. If it does hit the newspapers up there, at least he’ll be able to explain it to John.”
“I’ll do that.” Melody got up from the table and walked to the door. She turned before she left. “Do you think I’m evil?”
“Not at all, sugar! What makes you think that?”
The tears streamed down Melody’s face, but she tried to stop her sadness. “Well, everywhere I go, it seems that I make a mess of things. I must be as evil as my daddy says I am.”
Shirley got up from the chair and pulled her in for a hug while Melody just cried.
“It’ll be okay, sugar, I know it will. I’ll do the best I can to tell everyone how you were wronged. I promise.”
Melody backed off and wiped her cheeks. “Thank you. I have to go quit my other job.”
“You really need a lawyer,” Shirley said. “I wish I could afford one for you. Do you think John—”
“No.” She clenched her jaw because she wasn’t asking for handouts from anyone. “I don’t want him involved. This is bad enough.” She opened the door. “Thank you for everything.” As she walked out, Mrs. Teller walked toward the door. She was an old bitty, and had been coming to Shirley to get her hair done for as long as Melody could remember.
As she passed Melody, she spat on the ground at her feet and lifted her nose. “Tramp! That’s all you are!”
Melody felt her mouth open as she stared at the woman. None of this was her fault.
Mrs. Teller turned to Shirley. “Is she stayin’?”
“No, she’s leavin’. I just gave her notice.”
“Good. I’ll stay for my appointment then.”
Melody walked out the door, got into her car and left. She drove straight to the greeting card company, stormed past the receptionist and right into the boss’ office. “Mr. Gibson!”
He was on the phone and gave her a nasty look, then pointed to a seat. She walked over to the door and closed it, then stood at the desk, crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
“I have to go. I’ll see you later.” He hung up the phone and faced Melody. “Have a seat.”
“No, I don’t intend to stay. You broke our contract by printin’ fake nude photos of me, and I don’t like it one bit. I quit and I intend to make sure everyone knows what you did.”
“First, I didn’t break the contract. We were allowed to use your face for any picture, which is what you signed. I said we’d make your face famous and use your face. I never mentioned your body. You never posed nude and that was also what you wanted.”
She was livid. How could someone be so calm after he’d ruined her reputation? “But you put my head on a nude body! You’ve ruined me! Don’t you see that?”
“Not at all. I’ve put you on the map and you should be thanking me.”
She couldn’t believe this was happening. “Thankin’ you? For makin’ me into a porn model? Are you nuts?”
“No, Miss Gray. I’m a businessman.”
He had her there. He definitely was that. It didn’t matter about anyone else but himself. He was a businessman and only a businessman.
“I quit,” she said. She walked out the door and returned to her car.
Crying the whole way home, she finally got inside her apartment and turned on the television. They were showing live coverage of the U.S. Open and since the game was set to start at noon, they were giving a background of the players.
She pulled out her cell phone and called Ted’s number.
“Hello,” he answered.
“Ted, it’s Melody. I need to talk to you.”
“I know about the nude photos.”
“They weren’t of me, though. They took my face and put it on someone else’s body.”
“I figured as much. They’re going to put it all over the sports channel as a breaking announcement, to discredit John somehow.”
Melody sighed. “I’m so sorry. Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. His head is so much in the game, he’s not even thinking about anything else. As a matter of fact, I’ve kept him away from the news. He doesn’t know about the photos yet, and I won’t tell him until after the match.”
“Thank you. When he’s done, tell him I called. I’m out of work now, so I’ll be at home, watchin’ him on television.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Were you fired?”
“Yes, from the first job because of the second one.” She wiped her cheeks. “I quit the second one because they lied to me.”
“I could have one of John’s lawyers deal with them.”
She shook her head and sighed. “No, it’s not worth it. It just verifies the fact that I’m not right for John. You were right about that. I can’t bring him down because of this. I belong here, as an unknown. ”
“With a greeting card company making tons of money off your face.”
She chuckled. “Yeah. Right. At least someone will be makin’ money.”
“I’ll tell him later.”
“Thanks.” They ended the call and she turned up the volume on the television. She watched for a long time, sitting through the breaking news about her nude photos, until they finally started the match. John was on fire, smiling as he played.
“Do you think he’s doing so well because he’s dumped naked Melody?” the one commentator asked.
“No, I think it’s because he’s finally rekindled his flame with Nadia. Rumor has it they were seen last night at his house, and he was hugging and kissing her.”
“Nadia?” Melody asked no one. Why would he do that? Was he still in love with her?
“I heard she was engaged,” the one said.
“No, she broke that off, and ran right into John’s arms. With this new development of his girlfriend posing nude, if he’s smart, he’ll stick with Nadia.”
“But he talked to me last night,” Melody said to herself, thinking aloud. “I wonder if Nadia was there, and that’s why he didn’t talk long.” She flipped off the television, left the house and drove to a newsstand. Her picture was on the cover of every magazine, but she just bought the paper for the classifieds. She wished she’d have taken the one from her aunt’s house.
“You gonna strip?” the man selling her the paper asked.
“No, and that wasn’t my picture. They put my head on a naked body.”
“Right,” the man said slowly. “How much did they pay you to pose?”
“It was legitimate! I was wearin’ clothes and it was at the greetin’ card company. Honestly! Every employee could watch, it was that innocent. I was wearin’ clothes.”
He studied her with narrowed eyes. “If you’re tellin’ me the truth, you could sue them, you know.”
She sighed, realizing her life was a shambles. “I don’t have any money. That’s why I need the newspaper. I have to get another job.”
�
��You might have to go out of state,” the man answered. “Everyone’s seen your picture and it would be bad for business havin’ a porn queen for an employee.”
“You’re right,” she muttered. She paid for the paper and walked back toward her car. As she looked up from reading the paper, she noticed a group of boys walking with her. They began circling around her, but didn’t talk.
“Who are you people?” she asked.
“We want ya to come home with us,” one of them said.
“What? Why?”
“So you can pose for us and do other things with us.” The one talking started to laugh and all his friends joined in.
“No.” She tried to get to her car, but the boys wouldn’t let her reach it. “I have to leave!”
“No, you’re comin’ with us,” the main boy said. “Do ya have a hearin’ problem?”
She heard someone behind her. “No, she doesn’t and you boys let her alone.”
Melody spun around and saw Hank Johnson standing behind the boys. They all scattered, leaving Melody alone.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No problem. I was lookin’ for you, anyway.”
“Why?”
“I think you and I need to have a little talk. Why don’t we go into the diner over here and sit down for a cup of coffee.”
“I’d rather not, actually. I don’t want to damage your reputation.”
“Damage? I don’t care about my reputation. You’re in trouble and I want to help you out. I should’ve done this years ago, but my pride and your daddy’s pride kept gettin’ in the way.”
Staring up at the man, she couldn’t figure out what he was insinuating. But his green eyes seemed to know a lot about her, more than she wanted. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“Come with me, please?”
She followed him to a diner, and when they walked inside, everyone stared. The waitress gave Melody the once over with very judgmental eyes, then stared at Hank. “Are you sure you want to be seen with her?”
“Yes, I do. She’s a friend and everyone should treat her nicely. She’s brought fame to this part of the world.”
“Yeah, but at what price? She’s a porn queen, and we don’t need that in this neck of the woods.”
“Just give us a table, will ya?” he shot back. “Make it out of the way. I want to be alone.”
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