CHAPTER NINE
MEL
The house looked wide from the front. A cul-de-sac driveway circled past the front door. The middle of the cul-de-sac boasted a small, three-tiered fountain no higher than seven feet tall. Around the front of the
cul-de-sac and around the sides of the house were woods. Thin trees with light-colored trunks with deliberately-sculpted landscape including small trails and flower beds took up what would have been the front yard. Not a blade of grass in sight.
The front of the house had a large porch a couple of steps high. The white overhang ahead measured about ten feet tall, supported by two cylindrical posts. The brick house was wider than it was tall. It was one story only (as far as Mel could tell) and on either side of the porch along the house were many large, curtain-less windows. Mel smiled to herself. Tay always wanted light. Lots of light.
Mel took a deep breath and climbed the porch and approached the door. Her heart pounded and her hands suddenly soaked themselves with sweat as she pressed the doorbell. Her knees knocked and she was sure she would fall off of her stilettos and flat on her face.
After a minute, the door opened and Mel immediately plastered a huge, fake smile across her face. She knew it was probably too fake. She could feel it.
Natalie Hanson was genuinely grinning from ear to ear as she answered the door. "Hi," she said. Mel could detect the Georgia accent in her voice. "I'm Natalie Hanson. Welcome to our home."
She looked like the perfect southern belle. She stood quite shorter than Mel, most likely due to Mel's heels. Her dark hair was pulled back into a low, loose bun and her minimal makeup showed off her natural beauty. She wore a white dress adorned with purple and blue flowers that fitted at her waist with a skirt that flared
just past her knees. Mel swore she wore crinoline underneath but she knew that wasn't likely. On her feet were white, low-heeled pumps. Over the dress she wore a white, short-sleeved cardigan.
Mel's eyes immediately darted to the enormous rock she wore on her left hand as she thrust her hand out at
Natalie. "Hi, Melody Bradshaw. Thank you so much for having me."
Suddenly Natalie's entire demeanor changed. Her lustrous smile faded to one that was small and tight-lipped and she did not return Mel's attempt at a friendly hand-shake. Natalie gave her the once over then turned around and said, "Right this way," leaving Mel to close the door behind herself.
When they left the small foyer, they took a left turn down an enormous hallway. To their left were the large windows Mel had seen from outside. They shown rays and rays of sunshine onto the white walls and the waxed, hard wood floors underneath their feet. On the walls to the right were eye-level, large black and white
portraits of the two of them in simple black frames. The corridor consisted of absolutely nothing else. The corridor, as it was a bit too grandiose to call a hallway, lay about 15 feet wide and at least 10 feet tall. The echo of both pairs of heels filled the silence.
Mel wasn't sure what had happened to Natalie at that moment at the door but she decided to let it go. Perhaps she was over analyzing too much. "This is a beautiful house," Mel said at a desperate attempt for small talk.
Natalie gave a slight, closed-lipped smile over her shoulder at Mel as she walked ahead of her. "Thank you. My husband had it built for us. He loves the open space."
Melody instantly wanted to argue. If Natalie truly knew Tay, she would know that he would have been just as
happy shacking it up in the studio. He always said all he needed was a shower and a place to plug in the coffee maker and he was all set. However, it had been ten years now and people do change. Mel kept her mouth shut.
As they came to the end of the corridor they walked into an enormously large space. This was obviously the living room. An enormous flat screen television covered the wall above the mantle above the fireplace and three sofas made a half rectangle around a large coffee table. Past the fireplace on the left was a door that led
to an obvious sun room and further left past one of the sofas was a small area with a bay window that obviously served as a reading or lounging area. This was obviously the part of the house they spent the most time in.
Natalie led Mel off to the right to a small breakfast nook with a half kitchen. The small kitchen had a small sink with a window above it, a refrigerator, and a microwave. This was obviously not the main kitchen. Natalie invited Mel to sit at the small table in the nook where she had afternoon tea set up. She had
thought of everything. She was obviously trying very hard to make the New York Times believe that she was the perfect southern wife. And the house was so eerily quiet...
As Natalie washed her hands in the small kitchen, Mel once again attempted conversation. She just couldn't shake the nerves! "So, I can tell that this is where you and your husband spend most of your time."
Natalie abruptly snapped off the water and looked at Mel, her smile completely gone from her face. The
warmth in her eyes were at once replaced with bitter ice. "Let's just cut to the chase," her sweet, southern voice said. "I know who you are."
Mel was completely taken aback. "Um, excuse me? Have we met?"
"You have a lot of nerve."
Mel was extremely confused. She swiftly racked her brain. HAD she met her and didn't remember? Impossible! "I'm sorry, I think you must have me confused with someone else."
"No. I do not. I know exactly who you are because I know you were with my husband before he and I met. How dare you, setting up this meeting and showing up in my house to try to get back in with him."
Mel knew this would happened, but she didn't know it would happen so quick. No way was she letting this
little girl get the best of her. "If you know who I am, why did you set up this interview?"
"They didn't tell me who the reporter was going to be."
"Listen, believe it or don't believe it, I haven't laid eyes on your husband or his brothers in ten years. At least not until last weekend when I wrote the review for the show in New York and at that I was extremely drunk. And even then, he wasn't in the interview. I didn't want nor ask for that review and I certainly tried as hard as I could to turn THIS assignment down. I didn't even WANT to be here. To be honest, after he and I broke up, I have been perfectly happy these past ten years being blissfully unaware of him and his goings on and I could happily go the rest of my life doing the same. Our relationship was what it was but we were young and it ended and I intend to leave it that way."
Natalie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, we see who won that battle."
Mel couldn't believe how immature she was being. "Battle? Oh, honey, there was never any battle. I left HIM. There is only one time a man will put his hands on me and I'm done with him."
"Please. You are lying and you know it. Tay would never hurt anybody. He's certainly never hurt ME."
"Oh really? Have you asked him? About me? About why we broke up?"
"I don't have to. I know what you're saying isn't true."
Mel smiled wryly. To her it felt almost wicked. Then a vindictive tone of voice took over her that she'd never heard come out of her mouth before. "Was your husband distant? When you first got together? Was he distant? Zone out on conversations? Always seem distracted? Forgetful? Is he distant now? Mysterious? Are you the least little bit suspicious?"
"You shut your mouth. I knew it. I knew you were here to cause trouble. You never got over him and now you're here to destroy my marriage and I will NOT let you."
"He's looking for ME."
"That is it. I will not listen to another word of the trash coming out of your mouth. You will NOT walk into my home and disrespect me this way. You are done here. I want you out of my house right this second."
Suddenly Mel remembered the Times and Page Six. She couldn't risk losing this interview! Firmly, Mel said, "This interview pays $10,000. Directly to YOU."
Suddenly, Natalie clammed up and set her jaw tight. Head held high, she slowly took a seat across from Mel. Mel's instinct was right. She suspected Natalie was a little too interested in the money and she had been correct.
For the next hour, Natalie begrudgingly answered Mel's questions and Mel tried to ask and get answers as
quickly as she could. Finally, Mel clicked off her tape recorder. "Alright. I believe that's all I need."
"Good."
"The story should be in print in the next few days and the check should come within the week."
"Okay, then. You may show yourself out. My husband is due home any minute and I would prefer that
you not be here when he gets here."
"Believe me, I don't want to be here when he gets here."
"Mmm," she responded with her tight-lipped fake smile.
Mel swiftly made her way down the hard wood corridor, her heels making a much louder sound than before.
The sun had shifted and cast a softer, golden light into the room. Behind her, she could hear Natalie following.
As Mel rounded the corner to the foyer, elated to finally be close to her car so she could get the hell off the property, she was abruptly met face to face with her current greatest fear.
_____________________________________________
TAYLOR
Taylor pulled his car around the cul-de-sac. He normally didn't park there. He normally went ahead around the side into the garage, but seeing this strange black sedan caused him to detour. His heart raced. Deep down he had always suspected that maybe his wife had cheated while he was on the road but he was not prepared to finally find the proof.
He bounded up the steps of the porch, two at a time and swung open the heavy, white front door. Rounding
the left corner into the corridor, he suddenly became practically nose to nose with Mel.
Shock didn't describe what he felt.
The two stood for what seemed like hours, staring into each other's eyes, not knowing what to say. In
reality, it had been more like five seconds and it was Natalie's presence that helped remind them of that.
"Um, Mel, what are you doing here?"
Simultaneously Mel said, "I was just leaving!"
Natalie had come closer and smiled at Tay, that fake, sickeningly sweet smile. "Hi, honey. She was actually just leaving."
Tay's eyes darted from Natalie to Mel then back to Natalie. "No, no, wait. What is going on here? Why is she here?"
Then back to Mel. "I mean, it's good to see you, but really. Why are you here? How did you find my house?"
Suddenly Mel got defensive, forgetting where she was. "Oh, seriously, Tay? Seriously? How did I find your house? How did you find my phone number? Oh wait a minute, I know. The same sneaky way you set up this interview and trapped me alone with your wife! You are some piece of work, you know that? Some things never change!"
Mel started past Tay, brushing his shoulder, a mistake on her part, and he caught her arm and stepped back to
look at her. "Mel, what the hell are you talking about? What interview?"
Mel jerked her arm away from Tay and realized that he was telling the truth. He truly had no clue.
She felt her wicked smile return as she slowly turned around to look at Natalie. "You mean he doesn't know? Very nice. Sneaky."
She turned back to Tay. "It seems you and your wife have much to talk about. I'll leave you two to it!"
With that, she bounded past Tay, out the door, and to her car.
Tay turned to Natalie and pointed his finger, glaring at her. "Do not move," he said and he chased Mel out the door.
MEL
The house looked wide from the front. A cul-de-sac driveway circled past the front door. The middle of the cul-de-sac boasted a small, three-tiered fountain no higher than seven feet tall. Around the front of the
cul-de-sac and around the sides of the house were woods. Thin trees with light-colored trunks with deliberately-sculpted landscape including small trails and flower beds took up what would have been the front yard. Not a blade of grass in sight.
The front of the house had a large porch a couple of steps high. The white overhang ahead measured about ten feet tall, supported by two cylindrical posts. The brick house was wider than it was tall. It was one story only (as far as Mel could tell) and on either side of the porch along the house were many large, curtain-less windows. Mel smiled to herself. Tay always wanted light. Lots of light.
Mel took a deep breath and climbed the porch and approached the door. Her heart pounded and her hands suddenly soaked themselves with sweat as she pressed the doorbell. Her knees knocked and she was sure she would fall off of her stilettos and flat on her face.
After a minute, the door opened and Mel immediately plastered a huge, fake smile across her face. She knew it was probably too fake. She could feel it.
Natalie Hanson was genuinely grinning from ear to ear as she answered the door. "Hi," she said. Mel could detect the Georgia accent in her voice. "I'm Natalie Hanson. Welcome to our home."
She looked like the perfect southern belle. She stood quite shorter than Mel, most likely due to Mel's heels. Her dark hair was pulled back into a low, loose bun and her minimal makeup showed off her natural beauty. She wore a white dress adorned with purple and blue flowers that fitted at her waist with a skirt that flared
just past her knees. Mel swore she wore crinoline underneath but she knew that wasn't likely. On her feet were white, low-heeled pumps. Over the dress she wore a white, short-sleeved cardigan.
Mel's eyes immediately darted to the enormous rock she wore on her left hand as she thrust her hand out at
Natalie. "Hi, Melody Bradshaw. Thank you so much for having me."
Suddenly Natalie's entire demeanor changed. Her lustrous smile faded to one that was small and tight-lipped and she did not return Mel's attempt at a friendly hand-shake. Natalie gave her the once over then turned around and said, "Right this way," leaving Mel to close the door behind herself.
When they left the small foyer, they took a left turn down an enormous hallway. To their left were the large windows Mel had seen from outside. They shown rays and rays of sunshine onto the white walls and the waxed, hard wood floors underneath their feet. On the walls to the right were eye-level, large black and white
portraits of the two of them in simple black frames. The corridor consisted of absolutely nothing else. The corridor, as it was a bit too grandiose to call a hallway, lay about 15 feet wide and at least 10 feet tall. The echo of both pairs of heels filled the silence.
Mel wasn't sure what had happened to Natalie at that moment at the door but she decided to let it go. Perhaps she was over analyzing too much. "This is a beautiful house," Mel said at a desperate attempt for small talk.
Natalie gave a slight, closed-lipped smile over her shoulder at Mel as she walked ahead of her. "Thank you. My husband had it built for us. He loves the open space."
Melody instantly wanted to argue. If Natalie truly knew Tay, she would know that he would have been just as
happy shacking it up in the studio. He always said all he needed was a shower and a place to plug in the coffee maker and he was all set. However, it had been ten years now and people do change. Mel kept her mouth shut.
As they came to the end of the corridor they walked into an enormously large space. This was obviously the living room. An enormous flat screen television covered the wall above the mantle above the fireplace and three sofas made a half rectangle around a large coffee table. Past the fireplace on the left was a door that led
to an obvious sun room and further left past one of the sofas was a small area with a bay window that obviously served as a reading or lounging area. This was obviously the part of the house they spent the most time in.
Natalie led Mel off to the right to a small breakfast nook with a half kitchen. The small kitchen had a small sink with a window above it, a refrigerator, and a microwave. This was obviously not the main kitchen. Natalie invited Mel to sit at the small table in the nook where she had afternoon tea set up. She had
thought of everything. She was obviously trying very hard to make the New York Times believe that she was the perfect southern wife. And the house was so eerily quiet...
As Natalie washed her hands in the small kitchen, Mel once again attempted conversation. She just couldn't shake the nerves! "So, I can tell that this is where you and your husband spend most of your time."
Natalie abruptly snapped off the water and looked at Mel, her smile completely gone from her face. The
warmth in her eyes were at once replaced with bitter ice. "Let's just cut to the chase," her sweet, southern voice said. "I know who you are."
Mel was completely taken aback. "Um, excuse me? Have we met?"
"You have a lot of nerve."
Mel was extremely confused. She swiftly racked her brain. HAD she met her and didn't remember? Impossible! "I'm sorry, I think you must have me confused with someone else."
"No. I do not. I know exactly who you are because I know you were with my husband before he and I met. How dare you, setting up this meeting and showing up in my house to try to get back in with him."
Mel knew this would happened, but she didn't know it would happen so quick. No way was she letting this
little girl get the best of her. "If you know who I am, why did you set up this interview?"
"They didn't tell me who the reporter was going to be."
"Listen, believe it or don't believe it, I haven't laid eyes on your husband or his brothers in ten years. At least not until last weekend when I wrote the review for the show in New York and at that I was extremely drunk. And even then, he wasn't in the interview. I didn't want nor ask for that review and I certainly tried as hard as I could to turn THIS assignment down. I didn't even WANT to be here. To be honest, after he and I broke up, I have been perfectly happy these past ten years being blissfully unaware of him and his goings on and I could happily go the rest of my life doing the same. Our relationship was what it was but we were young and it ended and I intend to leave it that way."
Natalie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, we see who won that battle."
Mel couldn't believe how immature she was being. "Battle? Oh, honey, there was never any battle. I left HIM. There is only one time a man will put his hands on me and I'm done with him."
"Please. You are lying and you know it. Tay would never hurt anybody. He's certainly never hurt ME."
"Oh really? Have you asked him? About me? About why we broke up?"
"I don't have to. I know what you're saying isn't true."
Mel smiled wryly. To her it felt almost wicked. Then a vindictive tone of voice took over her that she'd never heard come out of her mouth before. "Was your husband distant? When you first got together? Was he distant? Zone out on conversations? Always seem distracted? Forgetful? Is he distant now? Mysterious? Are you the least little bit suspicious?"
"You shut your mouth. I knew it. I knew you were here to cause trouble. You never got over him and now you're here to destroy my marriage and I will NOT let you."
"He's looking for ME."
"That is it. I will not listen to another word of the trash coming out of your mouth. You will NOT walk into my home and disrespect me this way. You are done here. I want you out of my house right this second."
Suddenly Mel remembered the Times and Page Six. She couldn't risk losing this interview! Firmly, Mel said, "This interview pays $10,000. Directly to YOU."
Suddenly, Natalie clammed up and set her jaw tight. Head held high, she slowly took a seat across from Mel. Mel's instinct was right. She suspected Natalie was a little too interested in the money and she had been correct.
For the next hour, Natalie begrudgingly answered Mel's questions and Mel tried to ask and get answers as
quickly as she could. Finally, Mel clicked off her tape recorder. "Alright. I believe that's all I need."
"Good."
"The story should be in print in the next few days and the check should come within the week."
"Okay, then. You may show yourself out. My husband is due home any minute and I would prefer that
you not be here when he gets here."
"Believe me, I don't want to be here when he gets here."
"Mmm," she responded with her tight-lipped fake smile.
Mel swiftly made her way down the hard wood corridor, her heels making a much louder sound than before.
The sun had shifted and cast a softer, golden light into the room. Behind her, she could hear Natalie following.
As Mel rounded the corner to the foyer, elated to finally be close to her car so she could get the hell off the property, she was abruptly met face to face with her current greatest fear.
_____________________________________________
TAYLOR
Taylor pulled his car around the cul-de-sac. He normally didn't park there. He normally went ahead around the side into the garage, but seeing this strange black sedan caused him to detour. His heart raced. Deep down he had always suspected that maybe his wife had cheated while he was on the road but he was not prepared to finally find the proof.
He bounded up the steps of the porch, two at a time and swung open the heavy, white front door. Rounding
the left corner into the corridor, he suddenly became practically nose to nose with Mel.
Shock didn't describe what he felt.
The two stood for what seemed like hours, staring into each other's eyes, not knowing what to say. In
reality, it had been more like five seconds and it was Natalie's presence that helped remind them of that.
"Um, Mel, what are you doing here?"
Simultaneously Mel said, "I was just leaving!"
Natalie had come closer and smiled at Tay, that fake, sickeningly sweet smile. "Hi, honey. She was actually just leaving."
Tay's eyes darted from Natalie to Mel then back to Natalie. "No, no, wait. What is going on here? Why is she here?"
Then back to Mel. "I mean, it's good to see you, but really. Why are you here? How did you find my house?"
Suddenly Mel got defensive, forgetting where she was. "Oh, seriously, Tay? Seriously? How did I find your house? How did you find my phone number? Oh wait a minute, I know. The same sneaky way you set up this interview and trapped me alone with your wife! You are some piece of work, you know that? Some things never change!"
Mel started past Tay, brushing his shoulder, a mistake on her part, and he caught her arm and stepped back to
look at her. "Mel, what the hell are you talking about? What interview?"
Mel jerked her arm away from Tay and realized that he was telling the truth. He truly had no clue.
She felt her wicked smile return as she slowly turned around to look at Natalie. "You mean he doesn't know? Very nice. Sneaky."
She turned back to Tay. "It seems you and your wife have much to talk about. I'll leave you two to it!"
With that, she bounded past Tay, out the door, and to her car.
Tay turned to Natalie and pointed his finger, glaring at her. "Do not move," he said and he chased Mel out the door.