My heart thumped wildly in my chest, each beat made my lungs crush tighter then I realized I wasn’t drawing breath. Inhaling deeply, I felt my cheeks burn because she was immaculately dressed in a peach chiffon dress and kitten heels with short dark hair that was styled to perfection. I glanced down at Melody and her huge almond shaped light grey eyes stole another breath. They were just like my husband’s.
Our heads turned to the sound of the screen door creaking. Gibson stepped out onto the porch larger than life and looking incredibly appealing…and for a moment I figured he was too appealing. For the first time in my life I wished he were less so. I knew I had to show Kiran I wasn’t threatened by her presence so I crouched down and stared into Melody’s familiar eyes.
“Hello, little miss, you must be the famous Melody I’ve been hearing so much about.”
Melody’s eyes flitted back and forth across my face with a puzzled look, “Who are you?” she asked in all innocence. It felt like a slap in the face. Had no one spoken about me? Does she not know I’m her dad’s wife? Was I going to be disappointment about me now she had a Mommy and a Daddy?
“This is Chloe my gorgeous wife. Remember I told you about her, Melody?”
“But she’s not my mommy.”
Gibson frowned and stepped forward. Crouching beside her he held her by her forearms and gave her a soft smile. “Nope, not your mommy but because she’s my wife she’s your step mommy. You’re so special you get to have two mommies.” Gibson placed his hand on her head and smoothed her hair before he straightened to his full height and towered above her.
“Now, you must be thirsty after your journey and I see that Chloe has some of that amazing lemonade she makes. Want to get some with me?” Melody turned and looked behind her to Kiran who stood quietly clutching her Armani purse and then the child turned back to look at me.
“Is that okay?” Her head turned from me to her mom again and I could see how confused she was as to who would give her permission.
“Kiran is it okay for Melody to have some fruit and lemonade?” I asked giving her, her rightful place.
“Not too much. She won’t eat her lunch otherwise,” Kiran warned.
“Alright, Mommy, don’t get heavy with me, I’ll only have half a glassful,” she said rolling her eyes dramatically at Gibson. Kiran was behind her so couldn’t see her face. I wanted to laugh and looked at Gibson who bit back a grin and tipped his chin into his chest to hide how funny he found her reply.
Clearing his throat he put one hand in his pocket and stuck the other in her direction. “Let’s go before she changes her mind,” he said nudging her arm with his hand. There was no hesitation in Melody and she shoved her small hand forward into his.
Gibson looked down at it and I could see how tiny it looked in his huge palm. Immediately his head snapped up to look at me and I saw how shocked the impact of her touch was to him. Without speaking he swallowed roughly and began to walk with her onto the porch.
I watched them go for a second then turned to Kiran. “You must be tired after your journey. Should we leave them to get acquainted? I’ll show you to your accommodation.” I flashed her a genuine smile but it faltered when I saw a smug look in return.
“Sure,” she replied and eyed me from head to toe before directing her gaze squarely at my eyes. There was a challenge in her attitude that I didn’t miss. Dressed in jean shorts and a fitted tank top I’d felt my attire appropriate for meeting a child at my own home, but Kiran had made me feel considerably underdressed and dowdy in comparison to how she’d presented herself.
Despite how affected I was I’d never have shown it because I felt she’d dressed for my husband and not for the occasion, and I was determined not to allow her the satisfaction of knowing she’d affected me in any way.
Jonny gave me a slow smile, winked, grabbed Kiran bags then situated himself between us. His action served as a protective gesture which told me I hadn’t read her wrong. When I led her down the path toward the back of the cabin and out toward the pool house she suddenly stopped.
“Wait, where exactly are you taking me?”
“Guest house,” Jonny replied before I could speak.
“We’re not good enough to stay in the main house with the rest of you?” she asked with an indignant tone to her voice.
“Tsk, Gibson should have explained. Our house only has six bedrooms, Jonny and Jerry, Gibson’s security, Emma, who’s mine, Piper, then Gibson and I. Which means there is only one spare. It only has one twin bed in it as we’ve never used it so there’s not enough room for the two people. You need to remember, Kiran we weren’t expecting you.”
Jonny gave a wry smile at my reply and continued to look straight ahead. He saw she looked dumbfounded.
“I’m sure the accommodation in the pool house will prove very comfortable, Kiran. There are two king rooms and one queen in there as well as a sitting room, kitchen, and two bathrooms. As the main house and pool house are built on two levels you’ll find a porch at the back with a hottub and sauna. The view of the mountains is actually prettier from there than the one from here at the main house.”
“But the pool?”
Jonny piped up, “Don’t worry the cover on the pool is extremely taut. I can walk on it so it’s perfectly safe for Melody. As soon as Gibson and Chloe knew she existed Chloe ordered this to make sure she could never fall into the water. I can assure you they both take Melody’s safety very seriously. Then there is Emma, Jerry, and I, someone patrols twenty-four seven as well as the CCTV guys.”
Kiran shook her head like she was displeased at being fobbed off and the way she had spoken to me only served to say I was right about my initial assessment of her. “I need my baby to be safe. No one knows her like I know her—”
“Absolutely, hence the extra precautions we’ve taken,” Jonny replied again. I was thankful for his interjections but I knew I had to be forthright in my arguments otherwise I’d give Kiran the impression I was weak.
I broke free of the line we were walking in and stepped forward with the key, “If you don’t want to stay here, of course neither Gibson, nor I would force the matter. If you’d prefer we can book you into a hotel in town it would just mean Melody traveling twenty minutes in a car twice a day while you are here.”
Panic registered and I saw she wasn’t expecting me to ship her off somewhere else. I found her behavior very telling considering Gibson’s sob story of there being three generations in one tiny apartment and his daughter and Kiran sharing a bed. Jonny wandered around opening the plantation shutters and shards of light filled the cream and lime décor of the sitting room.
An eight piece sectional sofa in cream curved around an oval coffee table and faced the huge television. Gibson and the boys loved watching football in the pool house while us wives and girlfriends lounged out by the pool.
“The bedrooms are down here,” I said but didn’t wait for her to follow me. Pushing one then another door open I showed her how light and airy they were and how opulent the décor was. Most people would give their eye teeth to have a home built to the standard and designed perfectly to accommodate guests like ours was.
“I suppose Gibson can always come here to discuss arrangements and support for our daughter,” she offered in what I could only assume was another jibe at my position.
“I’ll definitely mention your comments when we go back. Are you staying here to unpack or are you coming back up to the house?” Jonny wandered toward the door and held it open on cue. “I’ll freshen up then come back over. Can you leave him here until I’m ready to come back?” she asked nodding at Jonny.
“Sorry Kiran, now that I’m home I’m on duty again for these guys. Where Chloe goes I go…or Jerry, or Emma. You’ll be fine just follow the path back and we’ll be on the porch.”
Chapter Ten
Hurt
Gibson
When I heard Chloe and Jonny’s conversation I knew Kiran was still at the pool house.
“F
uck. Meeow, she’s a handful. All the way here she kept pushing the flight attendant for information about you and Gibson.”
My ears pricked up because there had obviously been some kind of a fracas once Kiran was out of my sight. I didn’t think for one minute that it would have been Chloe who instigated it but I wasn’t sure how she’d have responded. Feelings were tentative at best with this delicate situation.
“You saw her at the gig, right? How did she behave then?” Chloe asked.
“Good as gold. Nothing like I’ve seen today. Sweet, humble, didn’t want anything from anyone and seemed as if she just wanted Melody to know her father. Completely different to just now she barely hid her bitch side there and she’s only just arrived. I’d question Melody was Gibson’s if the poor kid didn’t look so fucking eerily alike his mom from that picture.”
My blood immediately warmed from Jonny’s response. Maybe she underestimated me. Just because I was civil and accommodating didn’t mean I was going to let her fuck with the life I have with Chloe.
“Wish I felt strong enough for this,” Chloe mumbled and my heart squeezed tight because I’d hurt her.
“What the fuck, girl. Remember how far you’ve come you can be a real badass when your turf is threatened. Don’t let her push you into a corner,” Jonny responded. I could have kissed him for his honesty. It was exactly what Chloe needed to hear.
“I won’t. I just don’t want her holding Melody over Gibson’s head if she doesn’t get her way.” My nostrils flared as my temper was rose further. No matter who Kiran was to my daughter I would never allow her to be anything but cordial toward my wife. I’d go to court for my rights to see Melody if necessary.
“You forget who my boss is. That Dude has the ability to make her go away should that be necessary.”
Chloe’s voice came back sharply, “No. Don’t even joke about that. I’d never take a child away from its mother no matter how much it helped our situation or how much I wanted a kid of my own. I’ll deal with her don’t you worry I just don’t have the stomach to do anything that would affect Gibson and his relationship with her while it’s still at a fledgling stage.”
My chest swelled with frustration and love in equal measure that Chloe had to be impacted so much and I wondered if I’d done the right thing bringing Melody to our home so soon. Jonny was patting her back as they came into view, he spoke softer but I still heard what he said.
“Remember I got you, so does Gibson. You need to get the fuck away from her just scratch your nose. I’ll give you an out.” Chloe chucked at his cloak and dagger signal code and glanced up to look for me. Her breath caught in her throat and I realized she saw Melody sitting on my knee. Tears welled in her eyes and I fought past the lump that grew rapidly in my throat when I saw how affected she was.
“Hey, and here’s my other pretty girl. Did you find everything you needed?” I asked, reaching out for her. Lifting Melody from my knee I sat her in the seat next to me. As always whenever I saw Chloe it was never enough. I had to touch her. Taking my hand she stepped forward. I opened my legs and she walked into them. Swiftly I gripped her hip, pulled her down onto my lap, and hugged her tightly.
“Daddy sat me on his knee too,” Melody said with a beaming smile. Chloe leaned back to look at her and smiled.
“Really? Then… wow you’re extra special because he only usually wants me to sit here,” she replied with an upward inflection in her voice like she was surprised.
Melody looked pleased with Chloe’s response. “I didn’t know I was going to get a daddy and another mommy when I went to the concert. What do I call you, Mommy or Chloe?”
My first reaction was to tell her to call her what felt the most normal to her but then I considered Kiran’s feelings and said we should ask her mom about that. Personally, I wanted her to call Chloe her mom.
“But if you belong to me and not her shouldn’t I get to say so?” She had a point and I loved how she had said in such a natural way that Chloe belonged to her. Difficult decisions always had the simplest solutions to kids.
“What are we talking about?” Kiran’s voice sounded light and out of keeping with Chloe and Jonny’s conversation about her. It put me on my guard.
“I don’t know what I’m to call Chloe. If she’s my other mom then do I call h—” Kiran shut her down.
“That’s what you call her. Chloe. She’s not your mom, I am. I don’t want you to get confused about who has responsibility for you,” she snapped.
“But she’s my … what did you call people attached to others?” I frowned for a minute and looked at Kiran wondering what Melody was talking about.
“Relatives, but she’s not—” Kiran looked at me as if she forgot herself for a moment and I was given an insight to her real feelings about Chloe.
“I mean, Chloe is married to your dad, but you’re little so I don’t think we should be confusing you further by asking you to call both of us Mommy.”
“I’m not confused. You’re my Tummy Mummy. I know that.”
I couldn’t hold back the expression I wore. Melody wasn’t exactly a rocker’s name but damn she was every bit as badass as a rock star’s daughter should be.
“Whatever you want to call me is cool by me, but maybe we should start by you calling me Chloe for now. I mean Mom has such a special status. I think it’s a name reserved for the person who’s been there for you since you were little, Chloe is okay with me.”
I glanced at my wife who was the voice of reason and who had given Kiran her place with her child. It reminded me once again of how much I loved her and why.
With the name issue resolved Chloe gestured at the pitcher of Lemonade. “Would you like a cold drink, lunch will be ready in,” she checked her wristwatch, “fifteen minutes.” Kiran sat on the other side of me while my arm tightened around Chloe’s waist.
Piper came out of the screen door and picked up the pitcher before Chloe could reach for it. It was as if she were standing on the other side of the door while the name conversation had taken place. She poured Kiran a glass of Lemonade and then one for herself, and sat down on the other side of Melody. I glanced at her and realized I hadn’t introduced anyone.
“Oh, sorry, this is Piper—”
“His other daughter,” she said without making eye contact with anyone. Leaning forward she picked some fruit from the bowl on the table and placed it on a small plate.
“I didn’t know you already had a kid,” Kiran blurted in a voice filled with alarm. Immediately I saw her ego deflate, as if her status, had been diluted by what Piper had disclosed.
“Well you know now,” Piper said flatly and turned to Melody. So I guess that makes us half-sisters.” Watching Piper I saw a side of her I hadn’t seen before. She was a strong young woman and she was being a fierce ally to Chloe.
“So who is your mom?”
Piper glanced at me then to Chloe. “Chloe. She’s my mom.”
“So you call her Mom?”
“No, I call her Chloe and I call my dad, Gibson. Chloe isn’t my tummy mom either. My Mom has gone to Heaven so Chloe and Gibson take care of me now.”
“Did they pick you like that man in the movie, ‘Annie’?”
“No.” Piper chuckled. “My Tummy Mom was already living here with me. After she had to go to be an angel in Heaven Gibson and Chloe became my parents.”
“Wow you were lucky you didn’t have to go to an Ostrich.”
I burst out laughing and Piper giggled at Melody’s mistake.
“I was extremely lucky. You’re lucky too, Melody. My mom and dad are fabulous people.”
Kiran wriggled uncomfortably in her chair clearly put out by Piper’s presence. I could see she figured it made her my relationship with Melody less of a big deal because Chloe and I had another young person to occupy our time. Of course, that wasn’t the case, and it wasn’t the time for games. Melody was my flesh and blood and I was damned if I would allow her security to become a pissing contest.
; Chloe pushed off me to stand and my hand slid free of her. “I’m going to check on lunch, Piper can you come and help please?” Jonny had already gone off to find Emma no doubt filling her in on the deal with Kiran and ensuring she had Chloe’s back.
“Can I come as well? Mom can I go with them?” Kiran looked first to Melody then to me. I saw the instant Kiran knew she had an opportunity to have me on my own.
“Sure. Stay back from the kitchen stove remember,” she told her as we watched her hurry inside after the others.
Seconds after she was out of sight she turned and stared at me. “I never thought I’d be sitting on Gibson Barclay’s porch drinking Lemonade,” she said putting her glass to her mouth and taking a long draw of it. “Very refreshing,” she added before placing her lipstick stained glass on the patio table.
“I want joint custody. Not sure how to make it work but that’s what I want.” There was no point in anything but talking straight.
“Her life is with me in Chicago, Gibson. She wanted to meet you, unless you move to Chicago that’s impossible. Her schooling and life are there.”
“She can be home schooled and have social clubs in both places. Her tutors can tell us what she needs to do ahead of time and we’ll ensure she never feels misplaced. She’ll have two lots of friends and twice the activities but just on the same days as she would at home. That way her routines will feel regulated. She’s young, she’ll adapt.”
Kiran’s face paled and she sat staring open mouthed.
“The alternative is you move here…to Colorado,” I stated.
“And what? Live in your pool house? I’m sure Chloe would adore having the threat of me around.”
“You’re no threat to my wife—let’s be straight about that from the get-go.”
Gibson's Melody: (A Last Score Novella) (Last Score (Gibson's Legacy and Trusting Gibson)) Page 9