Melissa nodded. She had been preparing for this moment for weeks. Now that she knew he was really innocent, she wondered if they could go back to the way things were.
“I know. I just couldn’t face it. Even thinking you could have betrayed us like that was a knife to the heart. I was just a big chicken.” Melissa left out the details of her father’s visits to her subconscious. She didn’t want Christian to think she was crazy. Even Grace had a hard time believing her. Nor did she want to let slip the little matter of the fight over her heart with Joshua.
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about everything. There was some tension because they were both hurt from each other’s actions, but it was almost as if things were back to normal. Her next obstacle to overcome was how to handle the situation with Joshua.
~ ~ ~
Four months after the funeral, Melissa, Conner, and Anna sat in front of the family lawyer as he prepared to read the will left by Max. Anna may have looked like a fashionista fresh off the runway but there was still a hollow widow vibe underneath all the polish. Conner was looking down at his feet, seeming uninterested in the whole process. Conner’s dispassion struck Melissa as odd because other than their mother, he had the most to gain from their father. It may have been already understood that everything business related was going to him but this reading made it official.
Melissa patiently watched the lawyer get all of his paperwork in order, her foot tapping out the beat to a song she couldn’t name. She looked around the room, wondering if her future would really be changed. Deep in her gut, Melissa was sure her father had taken care of her. He had made sure to stir Melissa’s imagination with wonderful thoughts of the future. The lawyer, a man by the name of Barnaby, cleared his throat and to make everything seem even more official, stood.
“I apologize for the delay in getting to this portion of things. Most of this is the usual sort of details. There was, however, one particular happening that took some time to arrange. I will read it all out to you, so everything can be explained.”
Anna nodded and all three Yards focused on Barnaby’s sheath of papers.
“First item, all joint assets belonging to Anna and Max Yard will be transferred to Anna Yard and at the time of her demise, after many more years, my dear, what’s left will be divided between the living children. Second item, all business items, including the individual arms of Yards Holdings, Inc. will be transferred to Conner Yard as the new owner, president, and CEO of Yards Holdings, Inc.”
Melissa knew she should pay attention, but her mind demanded to wonder so that her broken heart wouldn’t show in public. Her father had filled her head with pretty words. He had left everything to Conner, the only boy in the family, of course, because that was the way things were done, apparently. Melissa dared to look at her mother. Anna was nodding, as if loving what she was hearing coming out of the lawyer’s mouth. Barnaby was saying all the right things to her old-fashioned ears. Conner would get everything and be the head of the family. Anna would keep her fabulous lifestyle, and Melissa would be stuck at home, stuck under her mother’s overbearing wing, wanting nothing more than escape. As her thoughts turned dark, Melissa realized the lawyer kept looking at her. She snapped back to attention and realized he had said something to her.
“I apologize. I had taken a side trip to a completely different world. What did you say?”
Barnaby smiled and looked back down at his paper.
“Quite all right, my dear. I said everything dealing with the company was left to Conner, except one particular piece. Yards by Yard, the fashion arm of the company, has been transferred to you, Melissa.” Barnaby paused because the expressions that crossed Melissa’s face at first alarmed him and then made him realize that Max hadn’t been crazy after all.
Melissa felt emotions race through her like the formula one cars her father loved to watch. Horror, excitement, terror, love, and a terrible sadness that her father had done this amazing thing for her and she couldn’t even thank him for it. Melissa was finally going to get exactly what she wanted out of her own life. The courses she had taken in college hadn’t been for nothing. Max had been grooming his daughter just as he had been grooming his son. Melissa wanted to do nothing more than stand up and cheer. Melissa nodded enthusiastically at Barnaby for him to continue.
“Yards by Yard has been made its own company, completely divided from the rest of the Yard Empire, and you have been named the new owner and president. Since this particular business’s headquarters, warehouses, and offices are all located in Italy, your father transferred the title and ownership papers of the houses and cars in Italy to you exclusively, Melissa. There is a villa in Tuscany and a flat in Milan. Each property has two cars, one for personal use and the other with a driver. Your father wrote you a letter and made me promise to tell you to read it in private.”
Melissa reached out with a hand that was not quite steady and took her father’s last words to her. She tucked the envelope into her purse and sat in stunned, excited silence as her mother and brother gaped at her. Melissa knew they had heard the news twice so it wasn’t confusion that was making their expressions convulse into something akin to horror. Anna looked back and forth between Barnaby and Melissa, as if waiting for either of them to say, “Just kidding!” There was ugly red color staining Conner’s face. His expression had turned from outraged horror to just outrage, heavy on the rage. To think his father had cut him out of a whole arm of the company was outlandish. Conner addressed the lawyer, fury tightening his words.
“There’s no mistake? He did this while he was completely lucid? Father actually gave her a whole branch of the company?” Every question was said louder than the last. He was raised halfway out of his chair before Melissa turned to him, ice in her eyes. Frost in her voice.
“What exactly is confusing about that, brother? That father knew I wanted to work in this particular sector of the company? That you weren’t the only one getting groomed to take over part of the company and instead of leaving it all with you, most likely to the point of you selling off the fashion branch as dead weight, I will make it flourish? It’s very touching, actually.”
Conner looked at her, fuming. With no way to answer that, he sat back down and remained in stony silence.
Realizing that her son was settling down, Anna picked up where he left off and, standing, began to pace the office, working herself into a full rant. The words coming from Anna’s mouth were almost incoherent but they were clearly meant for Melissa.
“You can’t go to Europe by yourself! No husband, no boyfriend! You could be taken advantage of! Honestly there are times in my life I just do not understand the things your father does. Even after he is gone I am still at a loss!” Anna was looking at Melissa with something alarmingly close to disgust on her face as she took a breath after her rant. Nothing worse than giving a girl of healthy marrying age the ability to make her own way in life.
Melissa curled her cloak of righteousness around her and stood. “Mother. I am almost thirty years old. I can absolutely go to Europe on my own. I’m actually reveling in the fact that I have the ability to pack up and go. No husband or children to tie me down.”
After the lawyer finished going over the rest of the items in the will, the Yard family stood as one and exited the office, all of them refusing to speak to one another.
Conner was itching to find some way to contest the thing his father had done for Melissa. Anna was trying to come up with some way to keep her daughter by her side. Melissa was bursting at the seams to start figuring out the next stages of her future. She pulled out her phone in the limo and sent a text to Liz. As her friend agreed to come over and hear the exciting and mysterious news, Melissa wondered if she could speak to her father one last time to thank him.
~ ~ ~
“He did what? Even in death, your father is taking care of you. When d
o you leave?”
At her friend’s silence, Liz turned around. She looked at Melissa.
“I hate when that huge wolfish grin stretches across your face. What on earth is that look for?”
“This look is for a very specific reason. I did some research and found out that the hospital twenty-five minutes from my flat in Milan is in desperate need of an American doctor. So it’s not when do I leave, it’s when do we leave. I need a roommate in my big empty flat. I don’t want to get taken advantage of . . .” Melissa batted her eyes and put on her best innocent expression.
Astonished, Liz stood there with her jaw hanging open. She sank into the big window-bench cushion and pressed her check to the window. She wasn’t looking at anything in particular, but her mind was racing at the thought that her life might change just as drastically as her friend’s. Liz prided herself on being a highly respected resident at her hospital and was next in line for a promotion. She hadn’t worked four jobs as a teenager while studying through college, med school and then her residency and other various volunteer positions just to abandon everything now for a possible chance at something great. Did she want to give up that kind of future opportunity? Liz turned back and looked at Melissa’s face. The obvious and complete plea in her friend’s eyes made the decision an easy one.
“So what kind of position would I be taking in Italy?”
Melissa allowed herself one small victory booty wiggle.
“It would be something akin to the Chief of Staff position here in America. You would oversee all the different departments. I was told in my phone call that someone with your varied experiences would be a fresh eye in this hospital. What do you think about that?” Melissa held her breath. Liz did have the option to say no, but Melissa was betting she would say yes. Liz gave a few more seconds of hesitation just to keep Melissa on her toes and then Liz smiled her own wolfish smile.
“I do love being in charge of people. But will I be getting my own bathroom?”
Melissa let out a whoop and reached over to jump up and down in excitement. “You get your own everything. You have a whole separate wing.”
Melissa and Liz flopped backward onto the bed and began to talk and plan their now-intertwined future.
“I love Italy. I went there for an international residency when I was finishing my med school rounds. I figured why not? Get certified in international medicine as well. Now it’s going to pay off!” The pair had settled down into Melissa’s mound of pillows, getting comfortable as the sun set behind them.
“That was the longest, most horrible year of my life. You were gone and I had no escape from my mother. Ugh.”
Liz nodded her head. It had been a long year of separation for the attached at the hip duo. “So how are you going to tell Christian and eventually Joshua that you’re leaving the country?”
Melissa rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Now that Christian and I have somewhat made up, I’ll tell him as soon as I can. I have no idea if Joshua is even speaking to me. If I even get the chance to tell him I’m leaving, he’ll probably give me wine and say bon voyage. My own company, Liz. I am so excited to get involved and really make it something special.”
“Well, let’s work on patching things up with one guy and then maybe you can finally make a decision. Face it, kid, you fell for two guys.”
Liz laughed at the expression that crossed her friend’s face.
Liz handed Melissa her phone. “Call Joshua. Work things out or let him go. You have to make the realization of which man means more to you.”
Melissa felt like she was swallowing lemon juice. “I really don’t want to. I don’t have the emotional wherewithal to deal with all the shit Joshua is going to throw at me.”
Liz hadn’t listened to a word. She stood holding out Melissa’s phone. Melissa took it and dialed Joshua’s number. After two rings, she hung up.
“Shucks, no answer.”
Liz shook her head at her friend’s easy shrug.
“I can’t believe what a coward you are.”
Melissa laughed out loud at Liz’s exasperated statement.
“You’re an MD, Liz, not a PhD. Don’t even try to shrink my head because you’re not properly trained to do so.”
Liz rolled her eyes and got up off the bed. She leaned over and kissed Melissa’s forehead, then left without making a rebuttal. Melissa sat down at her window and contemplated the setting sun and the shadows on the lawn. They were harmless but it made Melissa think of other shadows, ones that were maybe over her heart.
With a jolt, Melissa remembered her father’s letter and bolted to her purse sitting on her desk. She traced a finger over her name written in his big scrawling handwriting and took a deep, watery breath knowing she was going to be sobbing when she was done reading. She took out a letter opener from her drawer and sliced the envelop as carefully as a surgeon. Melissa slid the letter out and unfolded her father’s last words to her, absorbing each syllable.
My Dearest Melly,
I’ve been writing drafts of this letter for months, since I first gained understanding that I was sick. There are so many things that I want to teach you about life, I find it unfair that I am going to be taken from you too soon.
You know by now that I have left you the entire fashion arm of my company and all the property in Italy. It’s a relatively small and poorly run operation but I have every confidence that you are going to change that quickly. I have every faith you will make Yards by Yard shine.
You have been the brightest light in my life, Melissa. Every aspect of who you are as an individual is spectacular. I want you to know that no matter what you decide to tackle in the future, you will be an exceptional success at it. All you need to do is have faith in yourself. You’ve always been a strong, confident girl. Do not ever let that dim.
I am going to finish this with some wholesome parental advice. Thought you were going to get out of that, huh? Love is important. Melissa. Please do not turn it away your whole life. Keep focused on your dreams, but do not be afraid to accomplish them alone. It is okay to open your heart. You never know who is going to settle themselves inside it.
I love you, my girl. I am sorry I won’t be there to watch you soar. Be happy.
Love, Dad
Melissa refolded the letter and carefully laid it on her desk. She walked back to her window bench, sat down, and wept her heart out. Between the dreams of talking to her father again and his last loving words, Melissa wondered if her heart and soul would ever really stop hurting.
There was a tap at Melissa’s door. Not knowing or caring who could possibly be on the other side, she made a sound and hoped whoever walked in could handle a female in distress. She looked over her shoulder with drenched eyes and was shocked to see Joshua.
Melissa started to wipe her tears away but Joshua stopped her. He scooped her from the bench and settled her in his lap, nestling her head against his shoulder. Melissa did not even attempt to stop the flood. She gripped Joshua’s hand and cried every single emotion out of her body. When the body-racking sobs subsided, Joshua stroked Melissa’s hair and started to talk to calm her down.
“There was a missed call on my phone and I couldn’t even begin to explain how surprised I was to see it was from you. And instead of giving you the opportunity to ignore my returning call, I decided to come and talk to you face to face. Lucky for you tears do not bother me. People need to cry. If we didn’t need to then why would we have tear ducts?”
Melissa could not believe it, but she actually laughed against his shoulder. She leaned back and for comfort, laid her lips on Joshua’s.
“I know you probably don’t want to kiss me, but I needed it, so deal.” Joshua framed her face and kissed her like she was the last woman he would ever want on the whole planet. He broke contact and smiled. Melissa smiled and eased off his lap
. She raised an eyebrow and he stood.
“I will start by apologizing for eavesdropping on your conversation with your brother. I will not apologize for getting angry at what I heard. Are you dating another man?”
Melissa couldn’t bring herself to look at Joshua’s face.
She took a breath and said, “Yes I am. It happened I met you at the same time a friendship I’ve had was turning into something more serious and I didn’t know how to handle it. I still don’t. I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you or lead you on. To be brutally honest, I don’t know if I would do anything different. I fell in love with two different men. You and the other man are two tremendously different types of men and I will not apologize for falling for the different qualities you both possess.”
Joshua had made no movement, no sound, it didn’t even seem like he was there throughout her speech. “So what exactly are you saying? You think me and this other mystery man are going to settle with you going back and forth between us for the rest of your life? Get a grip, Melissa. I’m sorry to sound harsh but you have to make a decision.” He stopped abruptly at Melissa lurching to her feet and looking at him with such sharpness he was surprised her face didn’t crack in half.
“Don’t you think I know I have to choose? One or neither. It’s going to be impossible. For that matter, if I even make a decision, how will I know that either of you will have me? How do I know that you won’t turn from me because you’re mad that I was seeing someone else?”
“You don’t know.” Joshua gave a little shrug. “That’s the point of love and relationships. You have to trust that the guarantee you’re looking for will be there and not to question everything.”
Melissa shook her head, unaccepting of his complete faith in an emotion she was so unsure of. She began to pace around the room, burning off energy from being so unsettled about her own feelings.
Heartbeat Echoes Page 11