Chapter 5

My emotions still rocketing all over the place, I arrived at Helen and Tom's. I was later than I had intended to be, having gone by my place for some things, and, then, doing a little shopping for Melody. I had picked her up a couple of over-sized tee-shirts, one blue the other dark green, along with some gray and black sweats with matching socks. I also picked out a pair of black-checked pajama shorts and picked out black tee-shirt to go with them. Last of all, I had stopped by a teddy-bear store, owned by Paul's mother-in-law, to pick up the little soft brown guy wearing a navy blue bow tie, which she had made me for Melody. She had called the night before letting me know that he was ready. I had intended to give him to Melody on our next date.

I turned off the car and sat there, trying to figure out how the hell I was supposed to tell them about the destruction at Melody's. I was there so long, Tom came out to check on me.

When I stepped out of the car, he took one look at me and wrapped me in a bear hug.

"Karen went to Melody's." My words came fast and sounded jumbled. "I don't think there's anything left."

He leaned against the hood of the car and I told him what had happened.

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph." He pressed his palms against his tearing eyes. "This is all so fucking senseless!"

We stood there together, for I don't know how long, trying to restore some sense of sanity.

A while later, Tom and Helen went out to do some shopping, and I went into Melody's room. She was curled up asleep under a white sheet on the four-poster cedar bed. Her features were somewhat contorted, and I knew that in spite of the sedative she was not at rest.

As I removed my shoes and carefully stretched out beside her, I noted that the walls were painted off-white, and there were Irish looking prints spaced out on them. The only other furniture in the room was a cloth off-white chair, a cedar chest, and a cedar desk and chair. I was reminded of Gramps and felt a sense of needed peace.

Staying of top of the covers, I spooned Melody and, while planting soft kisses on the side of her face, along her neck, and over her ear, I whispered loving words to her; hoping that they would penetrate through whatever she might be experiencing.

After awhile, I drifted off to sleep.

My need to go to the bathroom woke me. When I stepped back into the room, Helen was sitting in the chair, shopping bags around her feet. She was cutting off tags from under garments.

"Do you think she'll like this?" She held up a black silk camisole that had delicate lace around the breast area.

"It's beautiful." I swallowed and silently ordered my cock to keep still.

Holding up a similar garment of lilac, she grinned at me. "You might feel safer in the kitchen."

Tom was putting away canned goods in the walk-in closet pantry. There was only room for one, so I wandered over the fridge and took out a canned drink. A moment later, I let out a string of expletives I use only in extreme circumstances and hurled the beer into the sink.

Gripping the cabinet I took deep breaths, trying to get things back in control, but the pungent assault of the beer on my senses was too much. I went into dry heaves. I felt like I was on a runaway merry-go-round.

"Easy, Son." Tom's arm went around me and, then, he helped me to my knees.

"I almost took a fucking drink," I gasped.

I felt a cold wet cloth on the back of neck. Seconds later I smelled Melody, which made no sense until I realized it was her perfume on a rag that Tom was holding under my nose. I vaguely remembered seeing the bottle sitting on the island counter.

When I had gained a little control, Tom said, "Say the two's times tables."

"Two times one is two," I managed between gasps; and, as I continued, my breathing eased and things gradually went back to normal.

Helping me up, Tom walked me across to the family room and sat me on the sofa in front of the television. Perry Mason was on.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Tom asked.

I had to think before I could answer that I hadn't.

"There's take-out from Gordy's." He squeezed my shoulder. "Do you want club, Philly steak, vegetable, or meatball?"

Gordy's was a hole in the wall sandwich place that served melt in your mouth subs and fries. I noticed plenty of their stuff scattered on the table in the breakfast nook.