Through Thick And Thin

Chapter 2

Two weeks later, Melody was riding with Sky, looking out the window sadly.

The packing hadn't taken long, all Melody owned was what was in her room. Clothes, a laptop, make up, and a few posters that she'd just ended up throwing away.

It was awkward, however. Elena hadn't spoken a word to Melody as she moved. She knew she couldn't beg or guilt Melody into staying, but she could be angry. She let Melody leave without a single word. Her aunts whispered ugly words about Melody but didn't dare say them in front of Sky. Sky wouldn't tolerate anyone speaking badly about Melody, she didn't care whose house she was in.

"Chin up, Mels," Sky said as she drove. "So what if your mom is mad? She'll get over it. All moms get mad when their kids move out."

Melody nodded and Sky just sighed. She hated when Melody got like this. She didn't deserve it at all. When Sky first met her, she was just a messed up nineteen year old kid, both on the outside and the inside, someone who had gotten on the wrong side of a gang leader. Now Melody was moving past all that, and it's what she needed to do.

"Lola is in Bucharest this week, promoting some perfume," Sky said, changing the subject. Lola was Michael's kind but eccentric wife. She was a fragrance designer, and a very popular one at that, particularly in Europe. "So Michael will probably spend a lot of time with us."

Melody lightened up considerably.

"That sounds fun," she replied. "Maybe he can teach us how to dance again."

"True...hey, it's a BLINKER you asshole! It's not a fancy decoration for your steering wheel!" Sky yelled at someone who pulled in front of her.

Melody laughed at Sky's road rage. It was one of the few things they had in common. No matter who was driving, if traffic was bad, one or both of them would definitely drop a F bomb here or there.

"Are we almost there?" Melody asked. "I'm excited to see what Michael has done with the place, and I'm hungry."

"You don't trust him?" Sky asked teasingly, pulling off on an exit.

"I do," Melody said quickly as she looked at the neighborhood around them. "I just don't like surprises."

Sky rolled her eyes playfully. She understood why Melody hated surprises, but she still had a long way to go when it came to recovering from the emotional wounds of her past. The Melody today was a far cry from the one she'd met, but she needed to stay on that path.

"I think this is it," Sky said, pulling into the parking lot of a nice townhouse complex. "Yep. Definitely the place, Michael is here."

Melody looked up to see the red Maserati in a parking spot, and smiled.

"Let's go see the new place," Sky said excitedly. Melody nodded and grabbed her two bags from the back of the car. As she got out the car, she looked around and took a deep breath.

It was a new life for her, and she couldn't wait to start it.

....

"Ah, my favorite girls in the world!" Michael said, hugging them both as they walked in.

"How are you, Michael?" Melody asked as he pulled away and grabbed her bags from her.

"Missing Lola," he admitted. "But she's having a blast in Europe. She says hello. But never mind me, Mellie. Let's show you around your new place!"

"Our new place," Melody corrected him, glancing at Sky. "Sky is the reason we have this place anyway."

"True," Michael said. "But this is your first time on your own babes. Sky's been on her own for a while."