1 Night Stand

by Amaleka McCall

  He just beat you up. He is just trying to use you now.

  Maybe he realizes that you are way more beautiful than Harmony and you have way more money than she does.

  He doesn’t want you. He wants money. He is Harmony’s husband.

  From the moment you met him he wanted you. Maybe he realizes that he loves you and not her.

  Melody screamed out as Ron grabbed her up and forced her to straddle him. She couldn’t listen to the competing voices in her head anymore. It was happening. It was happening faster than she could control.

  “Oh, shit!” She gasped as he lowered her dripping wet hot box down onto his swollen member. Melody felt a shockwave of pleasure mixed with pain. Ron used his powerful hands to clutch her hips and force her up and down. Melody was singing with the high-pitched sounds of ecstasy coming from deep inside of her.

  Within ten minutes Melody had reached her peak.

  “Oh God!” she screamed, digging her nails into Ron’s shoulders. Ron followed. Melody fell into the seat next to him.

  “Exactly what the fuck was that?” Melody huffed. She banged the seat next to her. Guilt quickly trampled on her mood. She turned her face away from his, embarrassed that she had been so weak.

  “The coke. I need more,” Ron said, his voice devoid of emotion.

  Melody shot up in the seat. “You fucking bastard. Get out!”

  Ron ducked her slaps and punches. “You wanted me. I knew it since the funeral. You wanted to see me like this.” He sniffled and rubbed his nose.

  “Fuck you. Get out. Driver, stop the car,” Melody shouted. The reality of what she’d done made her head pound. If Harmony ever found out, the hurt would kill her.

  “I don’t have anything now. You wanted me, and now you have me.” Ron put his hands up. “I need the name of your dealer.”

  “Get out!”

  Melody fell back against the seat as he got out of the car. Her mind raced. She had purposely hurt Harmony so many times. Melody closed her eyes and thought back to the night she’d entered Ava’s room and tiptoed over to her mother’s bed.

  * * *

  “Ava. Ava.” Melody shook her mother.

  “Huh, what?” Ava had stirred, lifting her eye mask. “What’s the matter, Melody? What’s going on?”

  Melody knew Ava hated to be roused from her sleep.

  “I can’t sleep. Harmony keeps crunching on something in her bed and waking me up,” Melody whined, rubbing her eyes. “I’m going to look all puffy tomorrow for the talent show.”

  “What you mean, crunching? Like she eating something in the bed?” Ava asked.

  Her legs were already over the side of her bed. Melody stepped back out of her way. Ava slid her feet into her furry pink high-heeled slippers.

  “I think it’s candy,” Melody said in a babyish voice.

  “Oh, yeah,” Ava snorted, shrugging into her robe.

  “Don’t tell her I told you,” Melody begged, using the same baby voice.

  She followed Ava out of her room but slipped into the bathroom. Melody looked at herself in the mirror and squinted her eyes devilishly. The next sound she heard was Harmony screaming.

  * * *

  Melody opened her eyes now, recalling how getting Harmony in trouble had brought her great satisfaction at the time. This time Melody felt different. She had crossed the line in a way she knew she could never fix. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Ron either.

  Chapter 24

  Lyric

  “I can’t believe how many paparazzi were outside of the hospital.” Lyric was amused. She was famous again.

  “You like that?” Harmony asked, her brows furrowed.

  “Hell yeah. I’m all over every social media site, the blogs, all of that. Famous again, and all it took was an overdose and a very famous sister.”

  “All attention is not good attention,” Melody interjected, walking into the parlor of her huge Saddle Hill, New Jersey mansion.

  Harmony and Lyric turned around.

  “Thanks for inviting us,” Harmony said.

  Melody waved her off. “You’re not guests. You’re family.”

  “Yeah, we are family,” Lyric followed up, smiling. “Famous family. I like how that sounds.”

  Within an hour, Lyric and her sisters had changed into the new matching pajamas Gary had picked up for them. Melody had her staff lay out oversized beanbag chairs and huge, fluffy pillows. Lyric couldn’t stop digging into the buffalo wings, loaded fries, cocktail shrimp, and hand-made dumplings that were laid out on silver platters.

  “This food is one part bougie, one part ghetto,” Lyric joked.

  “Just like me,” Melody replied. “I may have all of this now, but I remember our days of having nothing.”

  “You realize we never had this kind of slumber party as kids,” Lyric mumbled with her mouth full of food. “Ava never let us be kids. No friends. No slumber parties. No birthday parties.”

  “Well, we are having one now, and we can have them whenever we want from now on,” Melody said. She stood up. “I want you both to hear something.” She rushed to the music system that was built into the wall. She hit a few buttons and a beautiful tune filtered through the room.

  It seemed to hit Harmony first. She scrambled up from the floor, closed her eyes, and swayed her hips. “This is beautiful. Makes me think of my baby and—” Harmony paused without finishing her sentence.

  “I love you more than you know,” Melody crooned, right on time with the beat break. “I love you more, more than you’ll ever know.”

  Lyric got to her feet, holding a tiny chicken drumette to her lips like a microphone. “I need you to love me too.” She moved close to Harmony and they harmonized the words.

  “I . . . love you.” Melody led, as usual.

  “Love me too,” Lyric and Harmony followed.

  They got into their old triangle formation, moving their bodies in sync like they’d rehearsed it. Lyric looked over at Harmony as they crossed and changed positions. Lyric shook her head at the tears streaming down her sister’s face. They sang and danced like they had never been apart. Lyric hadn’t felt this good around her sisters in years.

  “Yes,” Melody cheered as the beat faded out. “We still got it.”

  “As soon as you get out of rehab, the 1 Night Stand tour is going to be the best thing that has happened to you in a long while,” Melody said, smiling at Lyric.

  Lyric flopped down on one of the beanbag chairs. “About that.”

  Harmony put her hand up. “Lyric, rehab is not an option. It’s a must.”

  “I’m fine. Look at me. I don’t even feel like getting high right now.”

  “That is because we are here and we are having a moment, but when you have to be alone again, then what?” Harmony said, looking at Melody.

  “I can’t have you on the tour messed up, Lyric. Rehab or no tour,” Melody said, widening her eyes at Harmony.

  “So now it’s gang up on Lyric day.” Lyric folded her arms across her chest.

  Harmony bent down next to her and put her arm around her shoulder. “Nope. It’s get Lyric healthy day.”

  “And that place I have set up for you is like paradise,” Melody added. “So let’s enjoy our last night together.”

  “Yeah.” Harmony got back to her feet and started dancing around, making silly singing faces. She picked Aubrey up and danced with her. Melody laughed, but Lyric tried to stay serious.

  “Girl, you better get your ass up and dance and sing,” Harmony said in her best Ava imitation.

  “Yeah. Get your black ass up and put them heels on,” Melody followed, sounding more like Ava than Harmony did.

  “Girl, you been eating candy?” Lyric mocked too. They all busted out laughing. It was the first time they’d made light of their abusive childhoods. Maybe it was a sign of a real breakthrough.

  Chapter 25

  Harmony

  Harmony held onto Lyric so tight they both struggled to breathe. Lyric was cryin
g, and Harmony was fighting back her tears. It was another one of those times she had to pretend she wasn’t hurting in order to make things better.

  “It’s not the end of the world. I promise. Life will be so much better when you’re clean,” Harmony comforted.

  Lyric didn’t say a word. Melody stood aside, looking as if she didn’t know whether to join in their embrace or run away.

  “Ms. Love, it’s time,” said Ms. Shay, the counselor from Paramount House, her voice calm and soothing.

  “It’s okay. I swear I’ll be right here whenever they say I can come,” Harmony assured. She finally released her hold on Lyric. She reached out and wiped tears from Lyric’s cheeks.

  “We don’t allow the family inside. We take them from here,” Ms. Shay said, touching Lyric’s shoulder.

  Harmony exhaled. She had the same stomach-sinking feeling she’d had when she took Ron to rehab the first time. “I love you, Lyric.”

  Lyric didn’t respond. She lowered her head, turned swiftly, and walked away with Ms. Shay. Harmony wrapped her arms around herself.

  “She’s going to be fine,” Melody said, walking over. “She better be.”

  Harmony smiled weakly. “It’s not easy getting clean. And she will always have to fight to stay clean.”

  “Maybe the tour will help keep her out of trouble. Have you talked to your husband about it?” Melody inquired.

  Harmony shuddered at the mention of Ron. She hadn’t told her sisters about Ron’s relapse. “He said he supported whatever decision I made about it,” Harmony lied. “I’ll do it just for Lyric.”

  Melody’s face folded into a frown. “Just for Lyric?”

  “Wait, no. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that if it will make things better. Better between all of us.” Harmony stumbled over her words, realizing her mistake.

  “It’s fine. I’m used to you being there for Lyric only. I understand. I’m a big girl, with lots of money. I don’t need many people,” Melody said, shrugging.

  “I didn’t mean it like—”

  “Harmony, save it. I said I understood. Ava did a number on us. I get it. I don’t have any expectations anymore. People have been hating me my entire life. I’ve learned to accept it. I can afford to buy my own happiness. One thing Ava taught me that was right is all I need in the world is me,” Melody said with feeling.

  “Wait, Mel.”

  Melody put her hand up. “The driver will take you wherever you need to go. I’ll ride back with my security team. Let me know when Lyric is out. We can talk about the tour then.”

  Harmony opened her mouth to speak, but Melody had already stormed off. Harmony’s shoulders slumped. She looked down into the stroller at her sleeping baby. “It’s just you and me against the world, Aubrey. Just you and me.”

  Chapter 26

  Melody

  Melody held the tiny baggie out in front of her. Ron reached for it, but she pulled it back.

  “For the record, I probably could’ve had you even if you weren’t hooked again.”

  Ron shook his head. “Maybe,” he agreed, licking his ashy lips.

  “Do you miss Harmony?”

  Melody could see Ron struggling with his emotions. It made her feel good inside. Fuck Harmony. She never cared about me anyway. Lyric was the only one she cared about. Some sister.

  “Answer me.” Melody dangled the baggie in front of her face.

  Ron lowered his head, causing the tiny beads of sweat lined up at his hairline to run in streaks down his face. “No. I don’t miss her. She just abandoned me,” he answered.

  Melody laughed. “You’re such a damn good actor,” she said with disgust. She tossed the baggie at him.

  Ron rushed over to her glass-top bar and went to work snorting the cocaine.

  “You should go back to her, you know,” Melody yelled to him from across the room.

  Ron turned toward her, wiping the powder off his nose. “I’m where I want to be,” he said.

  “No. You’re here because you need to be here. There’s a difference. I know you said she froze all of your accounts and she probably changed all of the locks on the house, but I know my sister. She still loves you. You still love her too. As for me, I guess I just wanted to see if I could get you. I had a nice night with her and Lyric the other night, and I didn’t tell her about you . . . how you seduced me for drugs. I didn’t have the heart to tell her. You should go back to her. Get yourself clean again. I get bored too easily.”

  Ron rushed over to Melody. “I’m where I want to be.”

  Melody felt a warm sensation in her chest. She wanted so badly to believe that Ron loved her.

  He reached out and touched her face, then he kissed her. Melody’s insides ignited. As Ron ran his hands over her body and began removing her clothes, the angel and devil in her mind began speaking to her again.

  He’s only here because he needs you to supply his drugs.

  He might just love you more than he loves Harmony.

  Impossible. You saw how much he really loved Harmony.

  That means nothing now. You have this to hold over her head.

  It’s wrong. He belongs to her.

  It doesn’t matter. He said he wants to be with you.

  Melody screamed out in ecstasy when Ron entered her. She dug her nails into his shoulders. Soon their bodies moved in sync with the music, as if this was meant to be.

  When it was over, Melody buried her face in her hands. The shame was too much. She felt Ron get up and walk over to the bar. She listened as he snorted more lines of cocaine. Melody shook her head, disgusted with herself. She’d let her loneliness drive her to the lowest point—plying her sister’s husband with drugs just so he’d be with her.

  You’re pathetic, Melody Love. Pathetic.

  Chapter 27

  Lyric

  “Wait here,” Lyric told the Uber driver. “My sister has a lot of money. Just let me go get some.”

  The driver grumbled something as Lyric scrambled out of his car. She rushed up to Melody’s door and rang the bell.

  “Hi, um . . . is my sister home?”

  The housekeeper shrugged and stepped aside like she didn’t understand English.

  “Melody. Your boss. Is she here?” Lyric asked, annoyed.

  The short, round Hispanic woman shrugged again.

  Lyric shook her head and pushed past the woman. She took the stairs on the spiral staircase two at a time. Lyric rushed down the long hallway toward Melody’s wing of the house. As she got closer to the tall, ornate French doors, Lyric heard voices.

  “Good. She’s here,” Lyric mumbled. She was almost to the doors when suddenly one door swung open.

  “I don’t have to listen to this,” a man’s voice boomed.

  Lyric froze in place. Her mouth dropped open. “Ron?”

  “Shit.” Ron exhaled, rushing in Lyric’s direction. “Lyric, listen to me.”

  Melody rushed out of her room just in time to see Lyric and Ron standing in shock.

  “What are you doing here? Didn’t we leave you in a rehab all the way in Pennsylvania?” Melody clutched the material of her gown, trying to cover herself.

  “I can’t believe you. I can’t believe both of you,” Lyric said, shaking her head.

  “Just listen to me, Lyric.” Ron reached his hand out toward her. Lyric slapped it away.

  “Don’t you fucking touch me. I can’t believe that you’re such a lowlife.” She shook her head and her eyes hooded over.

  “It was a one-night stand. It happened so fast. I didn’t mean for it—” Ron rambled. “Please. Please don’t tell Harmony.”

  “How much? What’s your price to keep this quiet?” Melody interjected before he could finish.

  Lyric jerked her head toward her sister, shocked. “What? What did you just ask me?”

  “Let’s face it, Lyric. You didn’t leave rehab because you felt like it. You left because the urge to get high was too much to handle. Everybody has a price,” Melody s
aid.

  Ron frowned.

  “You selfish bitch. You’re disgusting,” Lyric said, barely able to get the words out. “Fuck you and your money.” She turned to leave.

  “Lyric!” Ron called after her.

  Lyric paused for a few seconds, but she didn’t turn around.

  “Don’t tell her. This would destroy her. Let me do it. Let me be the one.”

  Lyric picked up the pace of her steps. She didn’t know how she’d pay the Uber driver or where she’d go next, but she knew that she needed to get far away from Melody before she did something she would regret forever—just like her last encounter with Ava.

  Chapter 28

  Harmony

  “Come on, little ladies. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four,” Harmony yelled over the classical music. Her tiny dance students stood on their tiptoes and mimicked her movements. “That’s it. Very good.”

  When the song ended, all of the tiny tot ballerinas curtsied like Harmony had taught them and ran to their waiting parents. Harmony couldn’t wait until the class was over. She had been forcing herself to work, but each day without Ron was a struggle.

  “Ms. Bridges,” Serena, Harmony’s newest teacher at Dance and More called to her. Harmony turned around, eyebrows up. “There’s a girl in the lobby asking for you. She says she’s your sister.”

  Harmony frowned. Lyric was in rehab, and Melody wouldn’t be visiting unannounced. Harmony slipped her sweatpants on over her leotard and rushed toward the lobby.

  “Lyric?” Harmony’s heart sank. “What are you doing here?”

  “Harm, I’m sorry. I couldn’t do it.” Lyric rushed toward her with outstretched arms.

  “Shh. It’s okay,” Harmony comforted. Inside Harmony was screaming. She knew that Lyric needed to be in rehab.

  “What happened? Why did you leave the program?” Harmony pulled away from Lyric so she could look into her eyes.

  “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t escape the pain. It wasn’t for me,” Lyric answered.

  Harmony’s shoulders slumped with disappointment. “Lyric, you have to get help.”

  “I . . . need to talk to you, Harm. It’s real important.”