Chapter Ten

Familiar Ground

 

Melody shifted her bag on her shoulder. It was heavy with the change of clothes and miscellaneous toiletries she had packed to stay at Curtis’ place. At the end of his shift tonight, he was off for four days. He’d tried to explain how he needed someone at the end of that, but she didn’t need to understand. She just knew he needed her.

Over the months, he'd made her feel more wanted, more complete, than anyone had before. He hurt her, but never more than she could bear, never more than he could counteract with blinding pleasure. She had learned to embrace the pain, not to let it pass so she could take more, but to use the sharpness of it to allow her to feel everything more keenly.

She had thought Fifty was the relationship of her dreams, and in a way, it still was. Although he had taught her so much, he didn't keep her, didn't give her instructions or play with her outside of their scenes, none lasting longer than a few hours. Once he released her, it was over. He was gentle, friendly, warm, but not dominant. Having him over her during the day as well as the night... that was still out of reach.

She took the stairs carefully, her heels not ideal for the weight of the bag. A shoulder knocking into hers sent her swaying to regain balance.

“Sorry, Mel. Have a good night!” Destiny skipped down the stairs two at a time. She had just wound out of view when a scream and series of thuds sent Melody scurrying, leaving her heels on the stair.

“Destiny? Destiny?” She slapped a hand over her mouth when she rounded far enough to see the younger woman in a heap at the bottom of the staircase. She tossed her purse to the ground and shook Destiny’s shoulders. “Destiny! Can you hear me? Are you okay?”

Melody didn’t get a response, but the smell of iron reached her nose and made her gag. A pool of red was spreading out from Destiny’s head.

“Help!” Her voice cracked and her throat became rough. “Help me! Someone help me!” The lobby became blurry and it took her a minute to realize she was crying. She knew nothing about first aid, so instead she reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. She dialed 9-1-1 and waited for what seemed minutes for them to answer.

“What is the nature of your emergency?” The woman’s voice came through the phone just as Peggy trotted up and fell to her knees beside Melody.

“Can you help her?” Melody asked.

“Yes. Is that 9-1-1?” Peggy leaned down to put her cheek to Destiny’s.

“Yes. Oh, hello, my coworker fell down the stairs. She is bleeding and not answering me.”

“She’s breathing but unconscious,” Peggy said. “I don’t want to move her, though. Her head is at a weird angle.” Peggy took off her jacket and slid it carefully under Destiny’s head, bundling it in front and behind.

“Where are you?” the operator asked.

“The Standard building, on 32nd. We’re in the lobby. Destiny is breathing but Peggy doesn’t want to move her.”

“Suspected spinal injury?”

“I don’t know. Do you think it’s a spinal injury?”

Peggy was running her hands over Destiny’s arms and legs, careful not to move her. “Yes. One wound to the head.”

“She says yes and that Destiny is only bleeding from her head.”

“Can you see the wound?”

“Can you see it?” Melody asked.

“No, she’s laying on it. I’m trying to press it from the side. Gary! Get me the first aid kit.” How had it taken so long for someone else to come by?

“How old is she?” the operator asked in Melody’s ear. “How long ago did she fall? How far?”

Melody paid less attention to Peggy and Gary to answer the operators many questions.

“How is her breathing?”

That question forced Melody to return her focus on Destiny and the pool of blood that had reached her knee. The room spun and her stomach turned. Stars seemed to cloud the corners of her eyes.

“They’re here!” Gary’s voice was urgent but seemed dim and distant, like Melody’s ears had been stuffed with cotton. She pitched forward as the nausea got the better of her and vomited at Destiny’s feet.

“Little Song. Little Song!”

Curtis’ voice cut through the cotton as no one else’s could. She turned and looked into his dark eyes, clinging to them like a life raft.

“Go home. Get a blanket and lie down. You’re in shock.”

“Sir?” she asked, her brain sluggish.

“Lie down.” His command was clear even though he wasn’t looking at her any more. She slid back to the staircase and curled up around her purse there. She shuddered and tried to understand why she was sick when Destiny fell down the stairs.

The whirling room, stars, and nausea swamped her, and she closed her eyes. She opened them briefly as Peggy shook her shoulder.

“Mel? You okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, just…tired and cold.”

“I’ll stay with you.”

“No, no, I’m okay.” She got up and went to find her shoes. Once in her car, she leaned back in the seat and let darkness swamp her.

***

 

Melody’s phone buzzed and it took her a moment to remember where it was, where she was. She was in her car. Her stomach didn’t bother anymore, and satisfied she wasn’t actually sick, she reached into her bag as the phone pinged with a voice message. She’d missed the call from a phone number she didn’t know. She called it back anyway.

“Melody. Are you okay?” Curtis’ voice stiffened her spine.

“Yes. Yes, I’m fine now. I’ll go home.”

“Go to my place and wait for me. Knock upstairs. I asked Ruben to let you in.”

She nodded, instinctively obeying, but she stopped as what he said sunk in. “I don’t know if I’m up for tonight.”

His chuckle was low and lacked humor. “I wasn’t even thinking of that.”

“Oh. How is Destiny?”

“She’s going to be fine. I have to go. If you need to reach me, call Don’s phone, this one.”

“Don, yeah, okay.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

She shook her head to clear it. “Yeah, I’m fine, just waking up.”

“How long did you sleep?”

She pulled the phone from her ear to look at the time. “An hour? A little less.”

“That’s good. Be careful getting home. Stop for a something to eat, please.”

“I will. When will you be home?”

“I can’t say. Not much past midnight, I hope.”

“Okay. I’ll probably take another nap.”

This time his chuckle was warmer. “Do that.”

Melody dropped the phone back in her voluminous purse and dug around in it for her keys. Rather than eating in—Melody thought she might fall asleep in her food if she stopped that long—she hit a drive-thru.

Ruben didn’t waste time talking to her. “You must be Melody. You look like you need a nap.” He used his key to open the basement door.

“Yeah,” was all she managed to utter before stumbling into Curtis' apartment and closing the door. She leaned against it, sinking slowly until she sat on the tiles, her bag and sub on opposite sides. Exhaustion made her heavier than normal purse feel like a lead weight. Spotting the sandwich out of the corner of her eye made her stomach grumble. When had she become hungry? It didn't really matter. She tore open the paper wrapping and took two large bites, leaning her head back on the door to chew and savor. It was just cold cuts, but it tasted like veal.

A beep made her start. It was from the other side of the door—a car honking. Sandwich bits covered her chest, she cursed and swept them into her hand, shaking the lot into the bag. She slipped the rest of the sandwich, which was still wrapped, into the bag as well.

Long dragging steps brought her to the fridge. She dropped her sandwich inside and shuffled on to the bedroom where she collapsed on a pillow. Not even eight and she was done.

The sound of a door closing woke her. After a few blinks, she recognized Curtis' room. The clock read 1:17, which meant he'd just come home from work. She stretched and jumped to her feet. All the energy she'd been lacking before returned in one swoop. She burst out of the room, catching Curtis half-bent, removing his sneakers.

"Are you okay?" In two unequal strides—one foot was still shod—he reached her, covering her cheeks with his hands. Gazing deep into her eyes, he answered his own question. "You're okay. I knew you would be." His hands slid down to her shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

She squeezed him in return. "Tell me what you need," she whispered.