CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ISAAC
Isaac woke and checked the time on his cell phone. It was later than he normally slept. He was a morning person, normally, when he and his brothers weren't pulling all-nighters in the studio. He looked over at Nikki, who was sleeping soundly. He smiled--she was so beautiful when she slept. He opted not to wake her, as he knew it was a rare occasion that she got to sleep in. Chasing around two boys who were ready for breakfast, and the day, no later than 7:30am didn't allow her to sleep in as often as she liked. He
appreciated his wife so much. She was a superstar, marrying into his large family, relocating halfway across the country, and bringing up their two sons as he spent most of his time working. He tried to give her a break at any opportunity he could find.
He quickly showered and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt. As he tied his shoes, his stomach grumbled and he realized how famished he was. He decided to walk downstairs and get Taylor so the two of them could go pick up breakfast for everyone.
Ike approached Tay's door and found it cracked. He knocked on it lightly with his index finger knuckle and when he didn't hear a response, he slowly opened the door and looked in. Though he was adamant that he
wanted no part in his brothers' sordid affairs, he couldn't help but to smile and shake his head at the sight he found when he opened Tay's door. Of course Tay wasn't alone in his bed and Ike knew he shouldn't have been
surprised. Tay slept on his back, his arm behind his head, his head facing the outside. Mel slept beside him, on top of the covers, dressed as if she were ready for below freezing temperatures in a sweat shirt, pants and
socks, curled up in a ball with her back against Tay's side, facing the other direction. There was a whole empty half of the bed left over. The two of them had never been able to sleep under the same roof and not share a bed, even when they were children. It would have been sacrilege. There were no signs of any sexual relations, no underwear littering the floor, no clothes on backward, neither one was naked or even half naked. It looked literally as if Mel had crawled in bed with Tay in the middle of the night. Ike wondered if Tay even knew she was there. He chuckled at the thought.
"Tay," Ike whispered loudly, trying not to wake up Mel. "Tay!" he repeated.
Nothing.
However, Mel did stir. She rubbed her eyes and half sat up and looked at Ike, sleepily. A confused look crossed her face and she looked around. Suddenly, she was wide-eyed and awake. "Oh my god!" she hissed. She turned around and looked at a sleeping Tay, then back up at Ike in the door. "I don't even remember coming in here!"
Mel got out of the bed and trudged heavily toward Ike. "Can't even stay away when I'm asleep," she grumbled. "How pathetic." She walked out the door past Ike and he turned and watched her walk away, an
amused smile on his face.
He turned to try to wake Tay again, thought better of it, and opted to turn around and follow Mel into the kitchen. He found her listlessly preparing the coffee pot. "Well good morning, Sunshine," he teased. "Sleep
well?"
She nodded "Believe it or not, I did. And please don't tell anyone what you saw. It's so embarrassing. I fell asleep in my own bed last night. Alone. I don't even remember leaving my room. I'm not even sure he knew I was there."
Ike laughed. "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Mel turned around and looked him up and down. "What are you doing up so early?"
"It's actually not THAT early. I was going to wake up Tay and see if he wanted to go with me to get breakfast, but you see how that worked out. Now YOU get to go with me."
She looked at him as if he had some kind of disease. "Now I GET to go?"
"Well, sure. I mean if you want to. You're already awake and you know this city better than I do."
"You're asking me to get dressed and walk the streets of New York before I've even had coffee?"
"Um...there's breakfast in it for you?" Ike suggested.
As if on cue, Mel's stomach grumbled loudly. They looked at each other and laughed at the sound. "Okay, deal," Mel gave in.
A short time later, Mel was ready and she and Ike were walking down the street for bagels. "There's this place a couple of streets over that has, like, the best bagels EVER," Mel said as they walked.
They walked in silence for a moment and Mel continued. "I just love Nikki. You and her are just perfect together."
Ike smiled and nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. She's wonderful. And she adores you and Drew to death. And she kinda needs that, you know? Her friends are all the way in Louisiana and all--"
"Is she not friends with Kate and Natalie?"
"Well," Ike squeaked out. "Kate and Natalie are my sisters-in-law and I love them for that, but--I guess Nikki kinda feels like she doesn't fit in with them. They get along just fine, don't get me wrong. And she
would give them the shirt off her back in a heartbeat. I dunno, it's just different."
"I can't imagine anyone not falling head over heels for her," Mel said. "Anybody who has a problem with her is the one with the problem. Seriously."
Ike nodded in agreement as they walked a little longer. He thought hard about what he wanted to say next. He knew he should stay out of it and he knew none of it was his business--especially after he made his feelings very vocal. But curiosity was getting the better of him and he was so thrilled to have Mel and Drew back around that he couldn't keep himself out of the loop much longer. And so he spoke. "So, you and Tay, huh?"
Puzzled, Mel looked over at him. "Me and Tay? Uh, there is no me and Tay..."
He looked at her with a skeptical expression. He wasn't buying into her denial for one second. "Come on, Mel. Everyone knows it. You can FEEL the chemistry--it practically smacks you in the face."
Mel shook her head in disagreement. "He's married. There is no us. It's impossible."
Ike looked at her, incredulous. "Mel, I'M the one who got you out of bed this morning!"
"Tay and I are not having sex!" Mel announced defensively.
Ike looked at her, completely unbelieving.
"Okay, we kissed once, a couple nights ago," she finally confessed. "But that's it, nothing more! We're not having secret rendezvous like Zac and Drew are. Which reminds me--answer this for me: Zac and Drew are
the ones sneaking around and sleeping together. WHY is everyone so interested in Tay and I? And I don't mean just now, I mean back when were--well, our entire lives. Everyone has always been interested in what we're doing, your parents, my parents, you, Zac, Drew, other random people. Whey does everyone always want to know where we are and what we're doing all the time? As I recall, this was the problem we had as teenagers..."
That was actually a good question. Ike contemplated for a moment and then the answer came to him, like a light bulb coming on above his head. He couldn't believe that after all this time he had never thought about it this way. "Uh, well, Mel, to be honest, I think because it's a rare occasion when you get to actually WATCH fate happen right in front of your eyes. I mean, everything that comes at you is fate. Us going to get bagels is fate. Having this conversation is fate. But actually getting to step out from the box and watch someone else's fate happen is kind of a surreal feeling. You and Tay--that sort of thing doesn't happen very often. Sure Nikki and I have something really special and my parents have been together forever and stuff, but it's rare when you see a couple ripped straight from a story book. You just kinda wanna watch and see what happens next."
Mel nodded in contemplation. "So we're entertaining..."
"I wouldn't necessarily put it THAT way," Ike said. "But you guys certainly are something to watch."
Mel was silent as they neared the bagel shop. Ike wasn't sure if she was just deep in thought or if he'd pissed her off. He hoped the former. He certainly hadn't meant to upset her. "Look," he continued. "I was very vocal from the beginning that I wanted no part in any of this. In you and Tay and Zac and Drew--especially Zac and Drew. So this conversation should NEVER leave this street. But between you and me, I'm rooting for you and Tay. I'm Team Mel. When you're around, Tay is different. He's happy, he's motivated. He's Tay, he's my brother. I haven't seen too much of that over the years. You wouldn't believe the songs he's been churning out these past few weeks. They're fucking fantastic." Ike stopped and looked at Mel. "Mel, I think you're his muse."
Mel stared up at Ike in silence. Suddenly he was on edge. Had he said too much? Should he have kept his opinions to himself? His brothers had always told him that once he got to talking you couldn't shut him
up--was this what they meant?
"Is that what he says?" she finally asked quietly.
Ike smiled warmly down at her. "He doesn't have to."
After a moment, the two of them continued walking. When they reached the bagel shop, they bought an assortment of bagels with lox and various flavors of cream cheese and headed back toward the Brownstone. To Ike's surprise, Mel decided to continue the previous conversation. "So what am I supposed to do with this information?"
Ike sighed. "There's really nothing you can do, I guess. I mean, Tay is the one here who's gonna have to figure out what he wants. I don't think he's quite ready to end it with Natalie just yet. I think he's scared."
"I know," she said. "But what am I supposed to do, just twiddle my thumbs and hope for the best?"
"I wouldn't," Ike said. "Live your life, you have the right. Don't spend your life waiting on something to happen with him. Seriously. Cause nobody knows what's actually going to happen. But don't give up on him just yet either."
"I don't think I could if I tried." The pair walked in silence for a moment before Mel spoke again. "So I think I've decided to go ahead and move back home."
Ike smiled. He had to admit, he was pleased with the idea. "Well we'd be excited to have you back home. And in the studio," he nudged her arm with his elbow.
She smiled. "Yeah. I mean, I love New York and all and it's hard to think of leaving. Maybe I'll buy a condo here or something, I don't know. But with all the bullshit that's happened here, I think I just need to be home. With fresh air and family and friends...I really think I just need to be home. I have someone interested in the house and they're submitting a bid tomorrow. I'll probably accept it. I don't really care at this point. I already paid it off, I'm just ready to get out."
"So did you get a house in Tulsa?"
Mel smiled sheepishly. "I haven't even looked."
Ike's face lit up. "Well Nikki would LOVE to help you, if you'll let her. She's amazing at that stuff and she's been thinking of doing some dabbling in real estate anyway. Possibly getting her license and doing some selling on the side. It would be good for her."
Mel smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. At this point I'm not particularly picky and it doesn't need to be anything lavish. Just a few bedrooms and maybe a pool. I don't require much."
Ike laughed. "I bet she finds you a house and places a bid on your behalf before we even land in Tulsa tonight."
Mel laughed with him. "I'd probably love her forever if that actually happened."
____________________________________________________
Won't deny everything can't last
But it's closing in so fast
Thought that I'd figured it out at last
But you can't change the past
And it's closing in so fast
Feels just like we're Dancin' In The Wind
Feeling just alright
When we're Dancin' In The Wind
We can dance all night
Just don't walk away
When I've got you in my arms tonight
And I've got something to say
There are still rules to break
And this music is a place to hide
Isn't it just a game we play
Feels just like we're Dancin' In The Wind
Feeling just alright
When we're Dancin' In The Wind
We can dance all night
MEL
Well Ike wasn't kidding and Nikki had certainly delivered. By the following week, Mel had closed on a house in Tulsa and she was now loaded up in a vehicle that held her, Ike, Nikki, Drew, and Tay, on their way to go look at her new house. It was mind-boggling how quickly things could move when the right amount of money was involved.
Yes, that was correct. Mel had never seen the house. She was so desperate to get out of New York that she sold the Brownstone to the first bidder and in two days had movers loading up trucks to head to Tulsa. She trusted Nikki's judgment and she hoped she wouldn't regret it. She bought the house for $1.7 million, which was considerably more than she had intended to pay, as she was serious when she said that she didn't require anything fancy.
"Mel, you'll love it, I promise," Nikki told her from the front seat next to Ike. "I know you said you wanted something a little more low-key, but I think this will fit you perfectly. Oh, oh! Here it is!"
Mel was familiar with this neighborhood. As a teenager, she used to dream of living there, rubbing elbows with the surgeons and dentists and attorneys that occupied the neighborhood. She remembered when she and Tay would drive through on numerous occasions and dream of their futures together. Mel smiled a small smile to herself at the memory and stepped out of the SUV with everyone else.
Her jaw dropped as she took in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was how the cement driveway seemed to hug the perfectly manicured, green lawn in all the right places. Mel looked up at the 7.1k square foot home in awe. It certainly was more than she needed but she couldn't help but fall in love. It was two stories with a 20ft stone archway that covered the front porch. On top of that archway was a balcony with a door leading to a room on the second floor. Off to either side of the porch were two-story bay window shaped sections, each equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows. The house itself was gray, with a black, gothic-style rooftop. On either side of the bay window sections, the sections dropped back down to one-story sections. And this was only the front!
Walking up to the front door, Mel felt like she was about to enter a museum. She was still in shock that a house this grand belonged to her. Sure, the Brownstone was grand in it's own right but John had bought
it with family money and with neighbors so close by and for it being right downtown, it didn't dare boast the privacy and amenities that this house did. She unlocked the door and walked in, not believing her eyes.
She was greeted by a grand foyer with marble tile floors and a spiral, wrought iron staircase immediately to her right. Entering the living room from the foyer, she spun slowly, looking around. This house was full of mystery and fun! The spiral staircase had led to an inside balcony above the foyer, which, in turn, led out a door and onto the outer balcony above the front porch. The group went through every room in the house. The ceilings seemed to reach the sky. They passed through the oval-shaped dining room, at least two multi-purpose rooms, a parlor-type area, a den, a laundry room and now she and Nikki were outside the kitchen.
"So, what do you think?" Nikki asked. "Do you love it?"
A smile crept across Mel's face. "Ike was right about you, you have a natural talent for this. It's so crazy how you just GET me. This is fabulous!"
Nikki smiled modestly. "Well, I had help..."
Mel looked back at her puzzled.
Nikki winked and nodded her head toward the kitchen.
Mel followed Nikki's nod to Taylor, standing in the kitchen and looking around. He caught her gaze and smiled at her, throwing a wave at her. Mel looked back at Nikki. "What does HE have to do with this...?"
Nikki blushed. "I guess Ike must have told Tay I was house-hunting for you because he practically pounced on me out of nowhere. Started talking about this house and how it's perfect and he's had his eye on it for the
past month--"
"Really..."
"Yeah. Mel, I don't think he could have been more right about this house, if you ask me. It's not me that gets you this time, it's him."
Mel looked at Tay once more then back at Nikki. "But why is he doing this?"
Nikki shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "Because he loves you."
Mel was stunned. Absolutely floored. It really wasn't anything she wasn't already aware of, but it was the hearing it from a third party that sent her head and her heart into a tailspin.
Nikki must have seen her look of horror because she automatically went on the defensive. "Oh, no, I mean he didn't actually say it or anything. I promise. But...I mean, come on. It couldn't get more obvious if it smacked you in the face."
Which it kind of did. Except maybe not quite a smack. More like a punch.
Saved by Ike, they heard him calling Nikki from another room and she wasted no time scooting off to see what he wanted. Mel found herself alone in the doorway to the kitchen. Tay was still in there, curiously opening cabinets and drawers. Mel took a deep breath and entered her kitchen.
Before saying anything to Tay, she stopped and looked around for a moment. She was amazed at the small things she hadn't noticed before. Such as how the indoor balcony seemed to crawl all over the house, as there was a balcony above the kitchen, too. A large, black, marble-top bar with intricate carvings at the bottom put the perfect subtle gothic touch on the kitchen. She had decided that, so far, this was her favorite part of
the house. Tay and Mel met at the marble-top, Mel running her hand across the smooth, cold stone. It really was a gorgeous piece of art. She hated to use it for it's intended purpose. She looked around at the
state-of-the-art appliances and the cabinet space as far as the eye could see. She sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do in a kitchen like this."
"Same thing you do in any other kitchen," he said, looking around.
Mel smiled. "Yeah, but I don't exactly cook. I can barely boil water."
"I can," he said simply.
'I can' he had said, like it was nothing. Like it didn't even matter. Like he was going to invite himself over to use her kitchen. Please...Mel stared at him, eyes wide.
"I plan on spending a lot of time in this house," he said to her, quietly.
The realization made Mel physically ill. Her skin grew clammy, sweat beaded on her forehead, she felt her blood run cold and she felt like she wanted to vomit. She had noticed that her breathing had picked up considerably as she wasn't sure quite what to do with herself at this moment. Her heart and her mind raced.
He hadn't picked this house out for her. He had picked it out for THEM.
Tay's voice broke her train of thought. "Mel, are you okay?"
At that moment, Drew burst into the kitchen. "Oh my god, Mel, you haven't even seen the best part! Mel--Mel, are you okay?" She rushed over and felt Mel's clammy forehead. "What's the matter with you?"
Mel looked at Drew in a daze. "Does this place have running water yet?"
In a flash, the two women left Taylor standing in the kitchen and ran off to the nearest bathroom. Drew closed the door behind them as they went in. Mel did, in fact, make use of the toilet and vomited. When
she had finished, Drew was gracious enough to give her a stick of gum and her water bottle. "I don't need that back," Drew said.
Mel smirked at her.
"So..." Drew started hesitantly. "You're not pregnant are you?"
"Good lord, please. I haven't had sex in..."
Drew raised her eyebrows and Mel suddenly remembered Jason. How could she have been so stupid?
"No," Mel quickly said. How she could suddenly forget sex like that was beyond her but Mel knew for a fact she wasn't pregnant. She had just had her last visit with her New York gyno before moving back to Tulsa.
"You're sure."
"Yes, I'm sure. No, Drew, I'm fucking freaking out. I don't know if I can handle this house."
"Mel, this house is magnificent! It has you written all over it! And I already have my room picked out! And besides, you already paid in full for it, so..."
"I could sell it."
"Don't be stupid. What is your problem?"
"It's Tay."
"Tay?" Drew rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't this surprise me?"
"No, seriously. He's the one who picked this house out."
"I thought Nikki did?"
"With very heavy influence. Drew, he didn't pick it out for me. He picked it out for us."
Drew smiled. "I know, wasn't that so sweet of him? I can't wait for you to see--"
"No," Mel repeated. "Not for us," she pointed to herself and Drew. "For US." Mel pointed toward the bathroom door.
Drew blanked for a second before she finally caught on. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth. "Oh my god!"
"I know."
"What does this mean? Is he gonna move in? Is he leaving Natalie?!"
"I don't know!! Somehow I highly doubt it. I just--I just don't want this to turn into his little fun house just to turn around and go back home to Natalie, you know?"
"Well no matter how he feels about it, this is your house fair and square. You could put up electric fencing to keep him out if you wanted."
Mel laughed. "I just don't know about all this mess. I think I'm letting my feelings and emotions get too out of control. My guard is swiftly coming down, I can't seem to control it. It's just--I know I'm setting myself up for failure if I let him in. I just know it."
"You can't worry about that stuff. Sometimes you just gotta do it. Do what feels right in your heart. Live in the moment, like Jason told you. Yanno, scream and be free and stuff. And besides, he loves you so don't worry. Be patient and it'll all work out. You're Mel and Tay. It has to work out."
"Why does everyone keep saying that? Nikki just told me a few minutes ago that Tay loves me and Ike told me in New York that I was Tay's muse." Mel shook her head.
"Well are we all wrong? You love him, too, Mel. You do. Don't be afraid to embrace it."
Once Mel had cleaned herself up and collected herself, she and Drew walked out of the bathroom to an audience of three. Ike, Nikki, and Tay all stood near the door.
"Are you okay?" Tay asked.
Mel wanted to die from relief. Maybe they hadn't heard any of hers and Drew's little conversation. They had tried to be as quiet as possible.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I think it may have been something I ate, I don't know. But I'm okay now."
Tay's eyes read mild suspicion but she wasn't exactly in the mood to prod, so she ignored it.
Drew startled her when she suddenly took her hand. "Okay, let me show you something. You're gonna love this. I'm so excited!" Drew, followed by Tay, Ike, and Nikki, led her to a door inside the dining room. Mel had realized that she hadn't paid much attention to it before and her eyes lit up when Drew opened it for her. It was a walk-in wine closet! It was designed to look like a wine cellar, she noticed, but built as a closet. The sides were built from floor to ceiling of nothing but cubby-type holes to hold individual wine bottles, painted all black. On the wall in front of her stood a shelf surrounded by more cubby holes, also painted black. The room was big enough for two people to be able to stock wine comfortably. Mel wasn't sure how much use of this she was going to get out of it but she was excited, nonetheless. Drew was right. This almost trumped the marble bar in the kitchen.
Finally, they made it outside to the backyard and Mel looked around in amazement. There was a gorgeous, landscaped, in-ground pool but the pool wasn't even what impressed her. As you walked out the doors onto the back patio, the patio was magnificent. It was tucked underneath another balcony with more stone archways leading out to the pool. It stayed very protected from the elements as there was a full outdoor grilling kitchen and lighting along with more than enough room for full suits of furniture suitable for
relaxing outdoors. Connected to the pool was a hot tub. There was some fencing that needed to be re-done but otherwise, the house was perfect.
When they went back in, they explored the balconies upstairs. The balconies included an exit to the pool and patio by way of a small spiral staircase, it's own built-in private bar, and two more multi-purpose type rooms
that could be used for whatever she wanted.
Once downstairs, Mel smiled at Nikki, not daring to acknowledge Tay in her statement. "Nikki, this is perfect. It's really too much, but I love it."
Nikki grinned, triumphantly. "I knew you would!"
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Mel answered to find a delivery man with a small truck. "Delivery for Melody Banks and Andrew Brooks?"
"Uh..." Mel was clueless. How could she be expecting anything? She didn't even have her address memorized yet! "Yes, I'm Melody."
"Sign here and tell us where you want them."
Hesitantly, Mel took the pen in her hand and looked behind her, silently pleading with someone to please explain what this was. "Uh, I took the liberty of ordering beds for you and Drew," Taylor told her. "I
wanted you to be able to spend your first night in your house comfortably. You know, until the rest of your stuff got here."
Mel's heart melted. She couldn't help but let her guard down. Things were getting way too cozy way too fast and she knew she needed to slow it down but she couldn't help it. If he kept doing sweet things like this...
After she signed for the delivery, she fished her checkbook out. "So how much do I owe you?"
Tay smiled and shook his head. "You owe nothing. Think of it as a house-warming gift."
_______________________________________
Mel and Drew were ecstatic. They couldn't believe this was Mel's house. She and Drew had shopped up a storm for outdoor and patio furniture. At the moment it was the only furniture she had so they spent a lot of time outside. In the next couple of days, the house saw more traffic than it had probably seen in years. Tay and Ike and Nikki had come back, along with Zac, Walker and Diana and Zoe, Mel's parents and even Drew's
mother showed her face for the first time in a long time, taking time out of her busy traveling schedule.
Mel was thrilled. She couldn't explain the feeling she felt being around all her family and friends, living back home again. Being able to get in her car and drive down to her favorite Mexican restaurant whenever she
decided she wanted it. She could see her parents much more frequently, maybe host one of Diana's special tea parties on her patio--the possibilities were endless. It was great to be home.
By the end of that week, everything was official and was a go for her investment in 3CG. She had told the guys she would report for work on Monday morning. They told her it wasn't really necessary whether she
showed her face at all at any time, but she didn't care. She knew before long she would be going insane with nothing to keep her busy. But she did like the idea of having the freedom come and go as she pleased. However she didn't want to be disrespectful to them, so she decided she was going to try to be there as regularly as possible.
Things were finally getting in order. She was through with all her New York properties. The contracts with 3CG were done. Now all she had to do was sell the properties in Cabo and Tuscany. Thankfully she already had a few people interested in both properties. Now all she had to do was to see them physically and hopefully get some contracts signed. She was scheduled to leave for Cabo the week before Drew left for Ireland. That was another thing that weighed heavy on her heart--she was going to miss Drew. It was one thing for them to hardly see each other due to scheduling conflicts but it was something completely different to know she was going to be an entirely different continent away for four months. Mel swore she didn't
know what she was going to do with herself.
But she had Nikki and she had Ike and Zac and Tay. She knew she wouldn't be alone and the time would fly by. But for now, she was preparing for the movers to finally get there with hers and Drew's stuff. She couldn't wait to make her new house feel like home.
___________________________________________________
ISAAC
Isaac woke and checked the time on his cell phone. It was later than he normally slept. He was a morning person, normally, when he and his brothers weren't pulling all-nighters in the studio. He looked over at Nikki, who was sleeping soundly. He smiled--she was so beautiful when she slept. He opted not to wake her, as he knew it was a rare occasion that she got to sleep in. Chasing around two boys who were ready for breakfast, and the day, no later than 7:30am didn't allow her to sleep in as often as she liked. He
appreciated his wife so much. She was a superstar, marrying into his large family, relocating halfway across the country, and bringing up their two sons as he spent most of his time working. He tried to give her a break at any opportunity he could find.
He quickly showered and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black button-down shirt. As he tied his shoes, his stomach grumbled and he realized how famished he was. He decided to walk downstairs and get Taylor so the two of them could go pick up breakfast for everyone.
Ike approached Tay's door and found it cracked. He knocked on it lightly with his index finger knuckle and when he didn't hear a response, he slowly opened the door and looked in. Though he was adamant that he
wanted no part in his brothers' sordid affairs, he couldn't help but to smile and shake his head at the sight he found when he opened Tay's door. Of course Tay wasn't alone in his bed and Ike knew he shouldn't have been
surprised. Tay slept on his back, his arm behind his head, his head facing the outside. Mel slept beside him, on top of the covers, dressed as if she were ready for below freezing temperatures in a sweat shirt, pants and
socks, curled up in a ball with her back against Tay's side, facing the other direction. There was a whole empty half of the bed left over. The two of them had never been able to sleep under the same roof and not share a bed, even when they were children. It would have been sacrilege. There were no signs of any sexual relations, no underwear littering the floor, no clothes on backward, neither one was naked or even half naked. It looked literally as if Mel had crawled in bed with Tay in the middle of the night. Ike wondered if Tay even knew she was there. He chuckled at the thought.
"Tay," Ike whispered loudly, trying not to wake up Mel. "Tay!" he repeated.
Nothing.
However, Mel did stir. She rubbed her eyes and half sat up and looked at Ike, sleepily. A confused look crossed her face and she looked around. Suddenly, she was wide-eyed and awake. "Oh my god!" she hissed. She turned around and looked at a sleeping Tay, then back up at Ike in the door. "I don't even remember coming in here!"
Mel got out of the bed and trudged heavily toward Ike. "Can't even stay away when I'm asleep," she grumbled. "How pathetic." She walked out the door past Ike and he turned and watched her walk away, an
amused smile on his face.
He turned to try to wake Tay again, thought better of it, and opted to turn around and follow Mel into the kitchen. He found her listlessly preparing the coffee pot. "Well good morning, Sunshine," he teased. "Sleep
well?"
She nodded "Believe it or not, I did. And please don't tell anyone what you saw. It's so embarrassing. I fell asleep in my own bed last night. Alone. I don't even remember leaving my room. I'm not even sure he knew I was there."
Ike laughed. "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Mel turned around and looked him up and down. "What are you doing up so early?"
"It's actually not THAT early. I was going to wake up Tay and see if he wanted to go with me to get breakfast, but you see how that worked out. Now YOU get to go with me."
She looked at him as if he had some kind of disease. "Now I GET to go?"
"Well, sure. I mean if you want to. You're already awake and you know this city better than I do."
"You're asking me to get dressed and walk the streets of New York before I've even had coffee?"
"Um...there's breakfast in it for you?" Ike suggested.
As if on cue, Mel's stomach grumbled loudly. They looked at each other and laughed at the sound. "Okay, deal," Mel gave in.
A short time later, Mel was ready and she and Ike were walking down the street for bagels. "There's this place a couple of streets over that has, like, the best bagels EVER," Mel said as they walked.
They walked in silence for a moment and Mel continued. "I just love Nikki. You and her are just perfect together."
Ike smiled and nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. She's wonderful. And she adores you and Drew to death. And she kinda needs that, you know? Her friends are all the way in Louisiana and all--"
"Is she not friends with Kate and Natalie?"
"Well," Ike squeaked out. "Kate and Natalie are my sisters-in-law and I love them for that, but--I guess Nikki kinda feels like she doesn't fit in with them. They get along just fine, don't get me wrong. And she
would give them the shirt off her back in a heartbeat. I dunno, it's just different."
"I can't imagine anyone not falling head over heels for her," Mel said. "Anybody who has a problem with her is the one with the problem. Seriously."
Ike nodded in agreement as they walked a little longer. He thought hard about what he wanted to say next. He knew he should stay out of it and he knew none of it was his business--especially after he made his feelings very vocal. But curiosity was getting the better of him and he was so thrilled to have Mel and Drew back around that he couldn't keep himself out of the loop much longer. And so he spoke. "So, you and Tay, huh?"
Puzzled, Mel looked over at him. "Me and Tay? Uh, there is no me and Tay..."
He looked at her with a skeptical expression. He wasn't buying into her denial for one second. "Come on, Mel. Everyone knows it. You can FEEL the chemistry--it practically smacks you in the face."
Mel shook her head in disagreement. "He's married. There is no us. It's impossible."
Ike looked at her, incredulous. "Mel, I'M the one who got you out of bed this morning!"
"Tay and I are not having sex!" Mel announced defensively.
Ike looked at her, completely unbelieving.
"Okay, we kissed once, a couple nights ago," she finally confessed. "But that's it, nothing more! We're not having secret rendezvous like Zac and Drew are. Which reminds me--answer this for me: Zac and Drew are
the ones sneaking around and sleeping together. WHY is everyone so interested in Tay and I? And I don't mean just now, I mean back when were--well, our entire lives. Everyone has always been interested in what we're doing, your parents, my parents, you, Zac, Drew, other random people. Whey does everyone always want to know where we are and what we're doing all the time? As I recall, this was the problem we had as teenagers..."
That was actually a good question. Ike contemplated for a moment and then the answer came to him, like a light bulb coming on above his head. He couldn't believe that after all this time he had never thought about it this way. "Uh, well, Mel, to be honest, I think because it's a rare occasion when you get to actually WATCH fate happen right in front of your eyes. I mean, everything that comes at you is fate. Us going to get bagels is fate. Having this conversation is fate. But actually getting to step out from the box and watch someone else's fate happen is kind of a surreal feeling. You and Tay--that sort of thing doesn't happen very often. Sure Nikki and I have something really special and my parents have been together forever and stuff, but it's rare when you see a couple ripped straight from a story book. You just kinda wanna watch and see what happens next."
Mel nodded in contemplation. "So we're entertaining..."
"I wouldn't necessarily put it THAT way," Ike said. "But you guys certainly are something to watch."
Mel was silent as they neared the bagel shop. Ike wasn't sure if she was just deep in thought or if he'd pissed her off. He hoped the former. He certainly hadn't meant to upset her. "Look," he continued. "I was very vocal from the beginning that I wanted no part in any of this. In you and Tay and Zac and Drew--especially Zac and Drew. So this conversation should NEVER leave this street. But between you and me, I'm rooting for you and Tay. I'm Team Mel. When you're around, Tay is different. He's happy, he's motivated. He's Tay, he's my brother. I haven't seen too much of that over the years. You wouldn't believe the songs he's been churning out these past few weeks. They're fucking fantastic." Ike stopped and looked at Mel. "Mel, I think you're his muse."
Mel stared up at Ike in silence. Suddenly he was on edge. Had he said too much? Should he have kept his opinions to himself? His brothers had always told him that once he got to talking you couldn't shut him
up--was this what they meant?
"Is that what he says?" she finally asked quietly.
Ike smiled warmly down at her. "He doesn't have to."
After a moment, the two of them continued walking. When they reached the bagel shop, they bought an assortment of bagels with lox and various flavors of cream cheese and headed back toward the Brownstone. To Ike's surprise, Mel decided to continue the previous conversation. "So what am I supposed to do with this information?"
Ike sighed. "There's really nothing you can do, I guess. I mean, Tay is the one here who's gonna have to figure out what he wants. I don't think he's quite ready to end it with Natalie just yet. I think he's scared."
"I know," she said. "But what am I supposed to do, just twiddle my thumbs and hope for the best?"
"I wouldn't," Ike said. "Live your life, you have the right. Don't spend your life waiting on something to happen with him. Seriously. Cause nobody knows what's actually going to happen. But don't give up on him just yet either."
"I don't think I could if I tried." The pair walked in silence for a moment before Mel spoke again. "So I think I've decided to go ahead and move back home."
Ike smiled. He had to admit, he was pleased with the idea. "Well we'd be excited to have you back home. And in the studio," he nudged her arm with his elbow.
She smiled. "Yeah. I mean, I love New York and all and it's hard to think of leaving. Maybe I'll buy a condo here or something, I don't know. But with all the bullshit that's happened here, I think I just need to be home. With fresh air and family and friends...I really think I just need to be home. I have someone interested in the house and they're submitting a bid tomorrow. I'll probably accept it. I don't really care at this point. I already paid it off, I'm just ready to get out."
"So did you get a house in Tulsa?"
Mel smiled sheepishly. "I haven't even looked."
Ike's face lit up. "Well Nikki would LOVE to help you, if you'll let her. She's amazing at that stuff and she's been thinking of doing some dabbling in real estate anyway. Possibly getting her license and doing some selling on the side. It would be good for her."
Mel smiled and nodded. "I'd like that. At this point I'm not particularly picky and it doesn't need to be anything lavish. Just a few bedrooms and maybe a pool. I don't require much."
Ike laughed. "I bet she finds you a house and places a bid on your behalf before we even land in Tulsa tonight."
Mel laughed with him. "I'd probably love her forever if that actually happened."
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Won't deny everything can't last
But it's closing in so fast
Thought that I'd figured it out at last
But you can't change the past
And it's closing in so fast
Feels just like we're Dancin' In The Wind
Feeling just alright
When we're Dancin' In The Wind
We can dance all night
Just don't walk away
When I've got you in my arms tonight
And I've got something to say
There are still rules to break
And this music is a place to hide
Isn't it just a game we play
Feels just like we're Dancin' In The Wind
Feeling just alright
When we're Dancin' In The Wind
We can dance all night
MEL
Well Ike wasn't kidding and Nikki had certainly delivered. By the following week, Mel had closed on a house in Tulsa and she was now loaded up in a vehicle that held her, Ike, Nikki, Drew, and Tay, on their way to go look at her new house. It was mind-boggling how quickly things could move when the right amount of money was involved.
Yes, that was correct. Mel had never seen the house. She was so desperate to get out of New York that she sold the Brownstone to the first bidder and in two days had movers loading up trucks to head to Tulsa. She trusted Nikki's judgment and she hoped she wouldn't regret it. She bought the house for $1.7 million, which was considerably more than she had intended to pay, as she was serious when she said that she didn't require anything fancy.
"Mel, you'll love it, I promise," Nikki told her from the front seat next to Ike. "I know you said you wanted something a little more low-key, but I think this will fit you perfectly. Oh, oh! Here it is!"
Mel was familiar with this neighborhood. As a teenager, she used to dream of living there, rubbing elbows with the surgeons and dentists and attorneys that occupied the neighborhood. She remembered when she and Tay would drive through on numerous occasions and dream of their futures together. Mel smiled a small smile to herself at the memory and stepped out of the SUV with everyone else.
Her jaw dropped as she took in her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was how the cement driveway seemed to hug the perfectly manicured, green lawn in all the right places. Mel looked up at the 7.1k square foot home in awe. It certainly was more than she needed but she couldn't help but fall in love. It was two stories with a 20ft stone archway that covered the front porch. On top of that archway was a balcony with a door leading to a room on the second floor. Off to either side of the porch were two-story bay window shaped sections, each equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows. The house itself was gray, with a black, gothic-style rooftop. On either side of the bay window sections, the sections dropped back down to one-story sections. And this was only the front!
Walking up to the front door, Mel felt like she was about to enter a museum. She was still in shock that a house this grand belonged to her. Sure, the Brownstone was grand in it's own right but John had bought
it with family money and with neighbors so close by and for it being right downtown, it didn't dare boast the privacy and amenities that this house did. She unlocked the door and walked in, not believing her eyes.
She was greeted by a grand foyer with marble tile floors and a spiral, wrought iron staircase immediately to her right. Entering the living room from the foyer, she spun slowly, looking around. This house was full of mystery and fun! The spiral staircase had led to an inside balcony above the foyer, which, in turn, led out a door and onto the outer balcony above the front porch. The group went through every room in the house. The ceilings seemed to reach the sky. They passed through the oval-shaped dining room, at least two multi-purpose rooms, a parlor-type area, a den, a laundry room and now she and Nikki were outside the kitchen.
"So, what do you think?" Nikki asked. "Do you love it?"
A smile crept across Mel's face. "Ike was right about you, you have a natural talent for this. It's so crazy how you just GET me. This is fabulous!"
Nikki smiled modestly. "Well, I had help..."
Mel looked back at her puzzled.
Nikki winked and nodded her head toward the kitchen.
Mel followed Nikki's nod to Taylor, standing in the kitchen and looking around. He caught her gaze and smiled at her, throwing a wave at her. Mel looked back at Nikki. "What does HE have to do with this...?"
Nikki blushed. "I guess Ike must have told Tay I was house-hunting for you because he practically pounced on me out of nowhere. Started talking about this house and how it's perfect and he's had his eye on it for the
past month--"
"Really..."
"Yeah. Mel, I don't think he could have been more right about this house, if you ask me. It's not me that gets you this time, it's him."
Mel looked at Tay once more then back at Nikki. "But why is he doing this?"
Nikki shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "Because he loves you."
Mel was stunned. Absolutely floored. It really wasn't anything she wasn't already aware of, but it was the hearing it from a third party that sent her head and her heart into a tailspin.
Nikki must have seen her look of horror because she automatically went on the defensive. "Oh, no, I mean he didn't actually say it or anything. I promise. But...I mean, come on. It couldn't get more obvious if it smacked you in the face."
Which it kind of did. Except maybe not quite a smack. More like a punch.
Saved by Ike, they heard him calling Nikki from another room and she wasted no time scooting off to see what he wanted. Mel found herself alone in the doorway to the kitchen. Tay was still in there, curiously opening cabinets and drawers. Mel took a deep breath and entered her kitchen.
Before saying anything to Tay, she stopped and looked around for a moment. She was amazed at the small things she hadn't noticed before. Such as how the indoor balcony seemed to crawl all over the house, as there was a balcony above the kitchen, too. A large, black, marble-top bar with intricate carvings at the bottom put the perfect subtle gothic touch on the kitchen. She had decided that, so far, this was her favorite part of
the house. Tay and Mel met at the marble-top, Mel running her hand across the smooth, cold stone. It really was a gorgeous piece of art. She hated to use it for it's intended purpose. She looked around at the
state-of-the-art appliances and the cabinet space as far as the eye could see. She sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do in a kitchen like this."
"Same thing you do in any other kitchen," he said, looking around.
Mel smiled. "Yeah, but I don't exactly cook. I can barely boil water."
"I can," he said simply.
'I can' he had said, like it was nothing. Like it didn't even matter. Like he was going to invite himself over to use her kitchen. Please...Mel stared at him, eyes wide.
"I plan on spending a lot of time in this house," he said to her, quietly.
The realization made Mel physically ill. Her skin grew clammy, sweat beaded on her forehead, she felt her blood run cold and she felt like she wanted to vomit. She had noticed that her breathing had picked up considerably as she wasn't sure quite what to do with herself at this moment. Her heart and her mind raced.
He hadn't picked this house out for her. He had picked it out for THEM.
Tay's voice broke her train of thought. "Mel, are you okay?"
At that moment, Drew burst into the kitchen. "Oh my god, Mel, you haven't even seen the best part! Mel--Mel, are you okay?" She rushed over and felt Mel's clammy forehead. "What's the matter with you?"
Mel looked at Drew in a daze. "Does this place have running water yet?"
In a flash, the two women left Taylor standing in the kitchen and ran off to the nearest bathroom. Drew closed the door behind them as they went in. Mel did, in fact, make use of the toilet and vomited. When
she had finished, Drew was gracious enough to give her a stick of gum and her water bottle. "I don't need that back," Drew said.
Mel smirked at her.
"So..." Drew started hesitantly. "You're not pregnant are you?"
"Good lord, please. I haven't had sex in..."
Drew raised her eyebrows and Mel suddenly remembered Jason. How could she have been so stupid?
"No," Mel quickly said. How she could suddenly forget sex like that was beyond her but Mel knew for a fact she wasn't pregnant. She had just had her last visit with her New York gyno before moving back to Tulsa.
"You're sure."
"Yes, I'm sure. No, Drew, I'm fucking freaking out. I don't know if I can handle this house."
"Mel, this house is magnificent! It has you written all over it! And I already have my room picked out! And besides, you already paid in full for it, so..."
"I could sell it."
"Don't be stupid. What is your problem?"
"It's Tay."
"Tay?" Drew rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't this surprise me?"
"No, seriously. He's the one who picked this house out."
"I thought Nikki did?"
"With very heavy influence. Drew, he didn't pick it out for me. He picked it out for us."
Drew smiled. "I know, wasn't that so sweet of him? I can't wait for you to see--"
"No," Mel repeated. "Not for us," she pointed to herself and Drew. "For US." Mel pointed toward the bathroom door.
Drew blanked for a second before she finally caught on. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth. "Oh my god!"
"I know."
"What does this mean? Is he gonna move in? Is he leaving Natalie?!"
"I don't know!! Somehow I highly doubt it. I just--I just don't want this to turn into his little fun house just to turn around and go back home to Natalie, you know?"
"Well no matter how he feels about it, this is your house fair and square. You could put up electric fencing to keep him out if you wanted."
Mel laughed. "I just don't know about all this mess. I think I'm letting my feelings and emotions get too out of control. My guard is swiftly coming down, I can't seem to control it. It's just--I know I'm setting myself up for failure if I let him in. I just know it."
"You can't worry about that stuff. Sometimes you just gotta do it. Do what feels right in your heart. Live in the moment, like Jason told you. Yanno, scream and be free and stuff. And besides, he loves you so don't worry. Be patient and it'll all work out. You're Mel and Tay. It has to work out."
"Why does everyone keep saying that? Nikki just told me a few minutes ago that Tay loves me and Ike told me in New York that I was Tay's muse." Mel shook her head.
"Well are we all wrong? You love him, too, Mel. You do. Don't be afraid to embrace it."
Once Mel had cleaned herself up and collected herself, she and Drew walked out of the bathroom to an audience of three. Ike, Nikki, and Tay all stood near the door.
"Are you okay?" Tay asked.
Mel wanted to die from relief. Maybe they hadn't heard any of hers and Drew's little conversation. They had tried to be as quiet as possible.
"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I think it may have been something I ate, I don't know. But I'm okay now."
Tay's eyes read mild suspicion but she wasn't exactly in the mood to prod, so she ignored it.
Drew startled her when she suddenly took her hand. "Okay, let me show you something. You're gonna love this. I'm so excited!" Drew, followed by Tay, Ike, and Nikki, led her to a door inside the dining room. Mel had realized that she hadn't paid much attention to it before and her eyes lit up when Drew opened it for her. It was a walk-in wine closet! It was designed to look like a wine cellar, she noticed, but built as a closet. The sides were built from floor to ceiling of nothing but cubby-type holes to hold individual wine bottles, painted all black. On the wall in front of her stood a shelf surrounded by more cubby holes, also painted black. The room was big enough for two people to be able to stock wine comfortably. Mel wasn't sure how much use of this she was going to get out of it but she was excited, nonetheless. Drew was right. This almost trumped the marble bar in the kitchen.
Finally, they made it outside to the backyard and Mel looked around in amazement. There was a gorgeous, landscaped, in-ground pool but the pool wasn't even what impressed her. As you walked out the doors onto the back patio, the patio was magnificent. It was tucked underneath another balcony with more stone archways leading out to the pool. It stayed very protected from the elements as there was a full outdoor grilling kitchen and lighting along with more than enough room for full suits of furniture suitable for
relaxing outdoors. Connected to the pool was a hot tub. There was some fencing that needed to be re-done but otherwise, the house was perfect.
When they went back in, they explored the balconies upstairs. The balconies included an exit to the pool and patio by way of a small spiral staircase, it's own built-in private bar, and two more multi-purpose type rooms
that could be used for whatever she wanted.
Once downstairs, Mel smiled at Nikki, not daring to acknowledge Tay in her statement. "Nikki, this is perfect. It's really too much, but I love it."
Nikki grinned, triumphantly. "I knew you would!"
At that moment, the doorbell rang. Mel answered to find a delivery man with a small truck. "Delivery for Melody Banks and Andrew Brooks?"
"Uh..." Mel was clueless. How could she be expecting anything? She didn't even have her address memorized yet! "Yes, I'm Melody."
"Sign here and tell us where you want them."
Hesitantly, Mel took the pen in her hand and looked behind her, silently pleading with someone to please explain what this was. "Uh, I took the liberty of ordering beds for you and Drew," Taylor told her. "I
wanted you to be able to spend your first night in your house comfortably. You know, until the rest of your stuff got here."
Mel's heart melted. She couldn't help but let her guard down. Things were getting way too cozy way too fast and she knew she needed to slow it down but she couldn't help it. If he kept doing sweet things like this...
After she signed for the delivery, she fished her checkbook out. "So how much do I owe you?"
Tay smiled and shook his head. "You owe nothing. Think of it as a house-warming gift."
_______________________________________
Mel and Drew were ecstatic. They couldn't believe this was Mel's house. She and Drew had shopped up a storm for outdoor and patio furniture. At the moment it was the only furniture she had so they spent a lot of time outside. In the next couple of days, the house saw more traffic than it had probably seen in years. Tay and Ike and Nikki had come back, along with Zac, Walker and Diana and Zoe, Mel's parents and even Drew's
mother showed her face for the first time in a long time, taking time out of her busy traveling schedule.
Mel was thrilled. She couldn't explain the feeling she felt being around all her family and friends, living back home again. Being able to get in her car and drive down to her favorite Mexican restaurant whenever she
decided she wanted it. She could see her parents much more frequently, maybe host one of Diana's special tea parties on her patio--the possibilities were endless. It was great to be home.
By the end of that week, everything was official and was a go for her investment in 3CG. She had told the guys she would report for work on Monday morning. They told her it wasn't really necessary whether she
showed her face at all at any time, but she didn't care. She knew before long she would be going insane with nothing to keep her busy. But she did like the idea of having the freedom come and go as she pleased. However she didn't want to be disrespectful to them, so she decided she was going to try to be there as regularly as possible.
Things were finally getting in order. She was through with all her New York properties. The contracts with 3CG were done. Now all she had to do was sell the properties in Cabo and Tuscany. Thankfully she already had a few people interested in both properties. Now all she had to do was to see them physically and hopefully get some contracts signed. She was scheduled to leave for Cabo the week before Drew left for Ireland. That was another thing that weighed heavy on her heart--she was going to miss Drew. It was one thing for them to hardly see each other due to scheduling conflicts but it was something completely different to know she was going to be an entirely different continent away for four months. Mel swore she didn't
know what she was going to do with herself.
But she had Nikki and she had Ike and Zac and Tay. She knew she wouldn't be alone and the time would fly by. But for now, she was preparing for the movers to finally get there with hers and Drew's stuff. She couldn't wait to make her new house feel like home.
___________________________________________________