"Inside. What's going on? Why did you go to Grandma Olivia's first? You're going to stay with her after all, aren't you?" he demanded.
"Yes, Cary. I am."
"Why?"
"You remember we had this discussion before I left, when I had learned Judge Childs was my real grandfather and Kenneth was my uncle."
"Yes, but--"
"None of that's changed, Cary, and with my mother really not dead and buried--"
"But no one knows it and with Dad gone--"
"That's just it. I . . . just think it's best for now. Your mother has enough to do and, well, now, especially with everyone believing my mother's dead and buried, Grandma Olivia thinks this is better for all concerned. But just as I promised before I left, I'll see you every day," I added quickly.
His green eyes seemed to pierce right through me as his lips curved up in a disdainful smile.
"I didn't think you'd go through with it after your trip to California, but I guess now that you've tasted wealth and glamour, you'd rather live in the mansion, right?"
"No, that's not it," I protested, shaking my head.
"There's no question she can do far more for you than we can," he continued, folding his arms across his chest and pulling his shoulders back. "I don't blame you."
"Stop talking to me like that, Cary. You don't understand."
"Oh, I understand. That's my trouble. I understand too much," he said.
This time I permitted the burning tears to course down my face.
"Visiting my mother was a disaster. First, her boyfriend Archie, or Richard Marlin, or whoever he really is, tried to get me into a pornographic movie and Mommy approved," I said. Cary's cold smirk evaporated a bit. "Then he tried to . . tried to rape me and she believed him when he said it was my fault. She was happy to see me go. She has everyone believing she's not much older than I am. She told them I was her sister and I had to pretend to be her sister.
"I have no parents anymore. No one who truly cares about me!" I cried.
"You have me, Melody, and May and my mother. . . . You know she needs someone to fill Laura's place in her heart."
"That's just it . . . Laura's place. I appreciate that, but I've got to become myself and I'm afraid, Cary. I'm afraid that now, more than ever," I confessed, hiding my eyes as I did so, "your mother will want me to be Laura. I'm sorry," I said. I wiped away more tears. He was silent.
"I know what you mean but . . . I just . . ."
"You think I want to live with Grandma Olivia? She's cruel in ways I don't even understand, but she's strong, Cary, and if ever there was a time I needed someone strong, it's now."
"I'm strong," he proclaimed.
"You are, but you have to be strong for your mother and your sister first, especially right now," I said. "Later, when the time is right, I want you to be strong for me, too."
That brought a warm smile to his face. He thought a moment and then he nodded and stepped closer to emb
race me. I loved the feel of his strong arms around my body. I wished I could sink into him and be safe and secure behind the walls of his love forever and ever.
He kissed away a lingering tear and brushed back my hair.
"I thought I had lost you forever," he said. "I thought you would fall in love with Hollywood."
"I hated it, Cary, at least the part I saw. It's not the place for me or for my mother, but she just hasn't realized it yet. I'm afraid that when she finally understands, it will destroy her."
"Grandma Olivia is right, Melody. You need to forget about Haille. You've come home to us. You need to start thinking about the future." He looked up at me sheepishly. "I never thought I'd ever agree with her about anything."
"I know. I hate to say this, but I think we both have a lot to learn from her."