CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
Melody
“Hasn’t it been a month since he left?”
I raise my eyes to Brenda, and my heart shrinks at the expression in her eyes.
Is that pity I see?
I sigh heavily and lower my gaze.
To think he asked me to wait for him while gazing at me with those angelic eyes of his, and I agreed with a big smile on my face, like a fool. Who knew he’d drop off the face of the earth like a damn hermit for a whole month?
“Yes, it has,” I reply with a deep sigh.
“And he still hasn’t contacted you?” Brenda asks with an angry scoff. “Who does he think he is to...? Never mind. I invited you out to dinner to cheer you up. I can’t believe I’m sitting here talking about him. He’s just so frustrating that sometimes I think I’m the more sensible sibling.”
I allow a small amused smile despite the gloomy sadness in my heart.
“Of course, you are,” I reply dryly.
Brenda studies my face for a minute and lets out a dramatic sigh.
“Okay! No more talk about Abram. Anyone who mentions him first will have to finish this wine bottle,” she says, pointing to the half-empty bottle of wine on our table. “This, and some more.”
“Okay,” I agree with a nod. “So, how are things with Daniel?”
Brenda sits back with a soft sigh.
“I’m falling deeper in love with him every day. Ella adores him, and he loves her right back. He’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of and more. I must say...it’s scary how a huge part of my happiness now depends on him. What if he turns out like my ex-husband?
“Mathew made my life a living hell, making me question my sense of judgment. I thought he was the world’s best guy, too. But he turned out to be a womanizer and a general scumbag. I’m scared, honey, but incredibly happy.”
“Daniel is a good man, Brenda,” I tell her with a reassuring smile. “And he will never treat you like Mathew did. I don’t know how I know that, but I do. It’s time you let this shadow of Mathew that’s hanging over you go. He doesn’t have power over you anymore. Dan and Mathew are two different men. You shouldn’t compare them anymore, or you may end up sabotaging what you have with Dan.”
“Thanks, Mel,” Brenda says with a genuinely appreciative smile. She takes my hands in hers and sighs softly. “Look, Mel...I’m not saying this because he’s my brother, but Abram is a man of his word, and I know just how much he loves you. If he said he’d come back for you, I believe him. Will you trust him and wait a bit longer?”
I lower my eyes to our joint hands on the table, Brenda’s long manicured fingers over my plain hands.
My heart tightens, and a burning feeling spreads slowly up my throat as I try to hold my tears in.
I’ve cried enough for that jerk.
What if he doesn’t come back? What if I have to wait forever?
I want to ask her these questions, but I know she doesn’t haven’t the answers to them, so I just raise my eyes back to hers and muster a smile.
“I don’t have a choice, do I,” I say, smiling even wider as my pain intensifies. “I’m in love with him.”
Brenda quietly studies my face and must decide to let it go because she pushes back against her seat and wraps her hand around the wine bottle with a dramatic sigh.
“I guess I have to drink this now. I broke the no Abram talk rule.” She raises the bottle to me. “Cheers.”
I laugh in irony at her tone. “Cheers.”