Chapter 61: Happy Beginning

MELODY

“Mel?” Jake whispered my name again and took a step toward me. I stood rooted, unable to move. I swallowed the emotion bubbling inside me.

I wanted to run and wrap my arms around my brother and tell him how much I’d missed him, how much I’d needed him all those years.

How much I wanted him to hug me, comfort me, and tell me everything was going to be okay because he was with me.

I glanced past him, to Mom, Dad, and Nick.

Mom still looked good. She had a few gray hairs, and wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes when she smiled at me warmly.

Dad looked thinner, more aged, and he looked as if he was sick, with huge dark circles around his eyes.

Well, Nick—he still had a permanent scowl on his face. My lips twitched as I remembered we used to fight like cats and dogs.

Not just Nick, but I used to fight with Jake too. Our bickering, our late-night chats. We’d had a special bond. We used to understand each other.

Whenever I hadn’t been able to sleep, I would go into Jake’s room and crawl inside the covers. But that was all before chaos had taken place that morning.

Regaining calmness, I plastered on a fake smile, glancing at Jake, and he halted his steps.

No way in hell was I going to let anyone ruin my wedding day. It was the day I’d always dreamed of, especially after falling in love with Xavier.

At any cost, I wouldn’t let anyone ruin it, not even my own family.

Xavier appeared beside me and squeezed my hand.

“Congratulations, Mel,” Jake said, opening his arms and taking another step toward me to embrace me. I stepped back.

The pain etched on his face was real, but it could never match the agony I’d been carrying inside me. The agony of losing a family for the second time.

I’d lost my parents once, but I’d been okay because I’d had them.

Now, I always found myself wondering if they had been my real parents, whether they would have abandoned me as they had eight years ago.

“I’m so happy for you,” Jake said.

I scoffed. “Are you?” I raised one brow, challenging him.

Jake frowned at my attitude. I knew I was acting like a bitch.

“Of course we’re happy for you,” Jake said and glanced at Xavier.

“Congratulations, man.” Jake stretched his hand out.

“Thank you.” Xavier shook his hand.

“So, I guess we’re family now,” Jake commented, looking in my direction.

Xavier shrugged. “Well, it depends on my wife.” Xavier gathered me in his arms and kissed my temple. “If you’re her family, then you’re mine too.”

Jake nodded. “Can we talk, Mel?”

“I would like to talk in private with my husband first,” I gritted out, looking at Xavier.

I glanced at Jake. “Enjoy the reception,” I said. Before I could get away, Jake grabbed my hand.

“Mel, we need to talk!” His face was calm, but his eyes were full of emotion.

“I know, but not now.” I whisper-hissed and jerked my hand out of his. There was a flash of hurt in his eyes.

“You okay?” Xavier grabbed my shoulder so I could face him.

“No,” I said. I walked to my room with Xavier following behind me.

“Mel, everything okay?” Dan stopped me, then glared at Xavier.

“Everything is fine.” I smiled. “Can you look after the guests, please?”

He knew what I was talking about. “Of course.”

I smiled and walked past him. I went inside my room and closed the door.

“You invited them,” I said as a statement, not a question.

“I did.”

“Why?”

He stepped forward. “Let’s sit and talk.”

We sat on the bed, side by side, my hand in his. “Because I knew you would want them with you,” he said softly.

I opened my mouth but stopped as he placed his finger on my lips.

“I know you’re angry, but I also know you miss them. You have some unfinished business with them. I wanted to give you a chance to talk to them.

“It may be your time for whatever you want to say. Just say it and let go of all of whatever you’ve been carrying inside your heart. It’s your chance to end it or start over.”

Xavier wrapped his arms around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder. “This is our new start. Soon, we’re going to be parents. As you know, Mila always spends her holiday with them.

“I never stopped her, because they’re Mila’s grandparents, but what about when our kids ask about their grandparents?” I straightened, and Xavier knelt in front of me.

“Whatever you decide, I’m with you. It’s up to you if you want to forgive them or not. Just know I want you to be happy.”

I nodded.

Xavier smiled and stood. “Now, c’mon. I want to feed my pregnant wife,” I stood and he squeezed my ass. “She needs energy for what’s coming next,” he purred.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “And what would that be?” I asked seductively, running my finger lightly on his neck.

Before Xavier could reply, Asher knocked on the door. “You both, get your horny asses out. We’re waiting for the toast and pictures.”

We laughed.

Everything was perfect; we toasted, we ate lunch, and it was time for our first dance.

“You’re feeling okay?” Xavier asked. I had been throwing up since lunch.

I smiled. “I’m good. Now let’s dance.” I grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. Everyone cheered and clapped.

The song we’d selected started playing. Xavier grabbed my hand in his, and the other moved to my waist.

We swayed to the music, gazing into each other’s eyes, never once looking away. He twirled me around and pulled me back to his chest. I placed my head on his chest and heard his heartbeat.

I pulled back and gazed into his eyes. “Is there a way I can show or tell you how much I love you?” I asked.

“Yes,” he twirled me around again, then pulling me closer, he picked me up bridal style. “Kiss me and show me how much you love me.”

I smirked. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I placed my lips on his, softly at first, teasing him. I growled and chuckled.

Finally, I leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth. He groaned deeply in his chest, parting his lips and taking me into him.

I pulled back so I could meet his eyes. “Did you feel that?” I asked. We had kissed countless times before, but this time was different.

He nodded, and his mouth was on mine, covering me with his hot, wet, passionate kiss. This was what we’d deserved from the beginning.

If things had been in our favor, we would have been together for so long. It had been a long time coming, but we had gotten here eventually.

The room erupted in applause, and I heard a couple of whoops from the crowd. We pulled back, and the song changed. Dan tapped on my shoulder, and we danced. On the next song, it was Jake.

“We missed you, Mel. I know you won’t believe me, but it’s the truth. Our family was never the same since that day,” Jake whispered.

I swallowed and stayed quiet.

“I wanted so many times to call you, to reach out and tell you to come back, but knowing what Mom and Dad did was wrong, I stopped myself.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life.” Jake placed a kiss on my temple, pulling me closer.

“I moved out immediately after that day. I was angry with them. I stopped talking to them, even Lisa. For what she did.” I glanced up at this.

“You have to know, Mel. I’ve always loved you as my own sister.” Tears filled his eyes.

I closed my eyes, laying my head on Jake’s chest. “I missed you too. I needed you, Jake,” I whimpered, unable to control myself.

“I was alone. I had Dan and my friends with me, but I needed you, but you didn’t call me even once. Why, Jake? Why?”

“I wanted to, Mel. So many fucking times I tried, but I knew being here around us when Xavier was going to be the father of Lisa’s child was going to hurt you.

“I saw love in your eyes for Xavier that day.”

He wiped my tears. “And Mom and Dad wanted them to get married. I knew it would have killed you, so I held myself back.”

“What about Mom and Dad? What’s their excuse?” I snapped.

“I don’t know. We haven’t talked since then,” Jake grumbled, glancing in their direction. I followed his eyes and immediately looked away.

The song ended, and I danced with Asher, Xavier’s father, Gunner, and Cole.

Cole took every chance to make Xavier jealous. By evening, my feet were killing me.

The wedding cleared out slowly until the only people left were Xavier’s parents, Dan, Asher, and my family.

Mila was sitting between Mom and Dad, talking animatedly, and they were laughing. Jack and Nick watched her with an amused expression.

I approached Mila, and she glanced in my direction. “Mama.” She ran and wrapped her tiny arms around my waist. She pulled back and kissed me on my belly.

Excitedly, she turned to her grandparents and announced, “I’m going to be a big sister.”

Mom and Dad glanced at each other, then at me. “Is it true?” Mom asked, her eyes glossy. Dad squeezed Mom’s hand.

I glanced at Nick and Jake. They were watching me, waiting for my reply. Turning my eyes back to Mom, I nodded.

“Oh my God!” She wrapped her arms around me. I stayed frozen. I couldn’t reciprocate her feelings.

I pulled back. Cupping my face, she pulled me down and kissed my forehead.

“I’m so happy for you, sweetie. So, so happy. You deserve every happiness after what you’ve been through.” She pulled me into another hug. I glanced at Dad.

He sniffed, wiping his eyes. He stepped forward and looked down at his feet.

“And somehow, we are responsible for what you have been through. Our daughter is responsible for your every pain and loss.”

I knew he was referring to Owen.

“But we didn’t know the whole truth. We just acted on what we heard,” Mom said.

I raised a question. “And what did you hear that morning?”

They looked behind me. I knew we had everyone’s attention now.

“They are my family.” Mom winced. “They aren’t going anywhere. You want to talk, talk in front of them.”

She nodded. “We heard Lisa was pregnant, and you slept with Xavier.” She glanced behind me again. “We remembered when you slept with Duncan while Lisa and Duncan were still toge—”

“I didn’t sleep with Duncan.”

“We know that now.” She swallowed.

“But back then, we knew nothing. We knew that time, Lisa was completely broken. It took her years to heal. We saw how happy she was with Xavier, and she was pregnant.”

“So as parents, we had to do what needed to be done,” Dad said. “We were biased toward Lisa. I know that, but we didn’t know the whole truth.”

I clenched my jaw. “You would have known if you would have given me a chance to explain myself instead of blaming and telling me I was dead to you,” I snapped.

He flinched, but I continued, “You just heard her like always and blamed me without hearing me. You weren’t biased just once. It had been happening for a long time.

“Why? Because she was always a good girl, and I was not,” I snapped.

I turned to Mom. “And what do you know about me? You said I needed to learn how to close my legs. Did you know your dear daughter lost her virginity when she was thirteen?”

Mom’s eyes caught mine, and I continued.

“There are many more things you don’t know about her, because unlike her, I never complained about her. Did she tell you how I begged her when my son was dying?”

I couldn’t control my tears; they were freely falling now.

“I begged her, again and again, to let me talk to Xavier, because my son needed his father. He was dying.” Xavier wrapped his arm around me. “My son died because of Lisa,” I cried.

“We are sorry,” Dad murmured.

“No matter how sorry you are, I can’t forgive you, at least now when my pain is still raw. Maybe someday, but not now.”

***

Hours later, we were sitting in our bedroom.

Xavier massaged my feet. I closed my eyes and groaned, “That feels so good.”

He was very, very good with his hands, and it felt like jolts of static electricity were running up my legs, sending a current right to my aching pussy.

He growled. “Stop doing that.”

“What am I doing?” I asked innocently.

“You know,” he growled.

I rubbed my feet on his hard crotch. “Your wife is pregnant and horny. As a husband, you must take care of her,” I rasped.

The look he gave me was pure combustible heat. Grabbing my ankles, he jerked me toward him.

“What are you doing?” I laughed.

“Taking care of my wife,” he growled. Scooting forward, he placed my legs over his shoulders and ripped off my panties.

“Fuck, baby. I missed this pussy.” He dove in and didn’t stop until I lost count of my orgasms.

Morning came, and every part of my body was sore. I was satiated with lovemaking. This morning was just like every other, yet it felt different, special.

~My first morning as Xavier’s wife.~

~Mrs. Melody Xavier Clark.~

“What’s on your pretty mind?” Xavier asked beside me.

I laid my head on his chest. “You know, books end when characters get their happy ending,” I mused. “While writing, I get so attached to my characters I don’t want their story to end.”

“One story has to end so another story can begin.” Xavier kissed my forehead.

“That means it’s the end of our story.” I frowned.

“No,” Xavier said. “It’s our beginning. We are so far from the end.” Xavier lifted himself and hovered above me, balancing on his elbow.

“We just won’t be the main characters,” I said.

“Exactly.” Xavier leaned down and kissed me passionately. “This is to our new life, our beginning.” He kissed me again.

“Yes, this is our beginning.” I kissed him back.

~Not the ending but a happy beginning.~