Maybe it felt good to be free of it all. Melanie didn’t have to swallow back her retorts and pretend she hadn’t heard the icy words in other rooms. She didn’t have to pretend it didn’t embarrass her when her stepkids sassed back in public, and she didn’t have to walk past pictures of her husband’s late wife, pretending she didn’t mind.
Tilly... Melanie’s heart gave a squeeze. She used to be little and snuggly. She used to love Melanie, once upon a time. But those days were beyond reach.
It hadn’t been all difficult times. There was the time that Tilly had made her a Mother’s Day card at school, complete with glitter, hearts and flowers. Melanie had treasured that card. There were the field trips she’d volunteered on, the bake sales she helped the kids prepare for... And there were the times here at this very lake house when Melanie let the rules slide and bought a bunch of frozen pizzas, boxes of cookies, bags of frozen fries, and let the kids fend for themselves. They’d loved it. That was probably the best summer she’d ever had with them.
Melanie started unloading the grocery bags. She was going to make spaghetti tonight with her own specialty meatballs. An easy meal, but it always went over well.
Her cell phone rang. Melanie picked it up off the counter and looked at the number. Was that Adam? She picked up the call.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mel...” Adam’s voice was warm, sweet... For just a moment, it was like the last couple of years had slipped away. Except they hadn’t.
“Hi, Adam,” she said. “Thanks for getting back to me.”
“So how’s Tilly?” he asked.
“Not great,” Melanie replied. “She’s having trouble with Simon again. And she’s here.”
“Simon.” Adam’s tone darkened. “I don’t like that kid.”
“Me neither,” Melanie agreed. “And I told you this when she was fifteen!”
“You said she was too young to date,” Adam countered.
“I also told you that Simon was emotionally manipulative and had a mean streak,” she said. “Remember that part?”
“Yeah, yeah...but she really liked him.”
“And what Tilly wants, Tilly gets. At least from you.”
“She’s my little girl.” Adam’s voice softened. “Come on. She used to play you, too.”
“She did not!”
“Remember that Mother’s Day card? And you let her go to that sleepover? You think she didn’t play you?”
The card with the sparkles and the hearts... Melanie felt a lump rise in her throat. Did he have to take that memory from her, too?
“Mel?” Adam’s voice softened. “Look, my point is, we both raised her. She played me, she played you and we both loved her, right? So maybe she came to find you because she misses you.”
“I’m not getting that vibe,” she countered.
“She’s always been a complicated kid,” Adam replied. “You know her. I think she’s mad at me.”
“Why?” Melanie asked.
“For our divorce. For messing up the family,” he replied. “I know she acts like a little toughie, but you know her. Remember that time I forgot her piano recital?”
“This isn’t the same thing,” she replied.
“She called me Adam for a year after that!” Adam said. “I’m just saying, the kid can hold a grudge, and maybe this is—”
“All about you,” Melanie supplied.
“So I’m a jerk for suggesting that I might have messed up a lot of things?” Adam asked with a short laugh. “I’m taking some responsibility here, Mel.”
“Tilly needs her dad right now,” Melanie said, lowering her voice. “Whatever it was that made her decide to come to me, I’m not her solution anymore. You and I are divorced, and your kids are now your sole responsibility.”
“And fifteen years of being their mom—” Adam’s voice was quiet, sad “—that doesn’t mean anything to you anymore?”
“If it meant something to you, maybe you should have stayed faithful,” she shot back.
“Hey, I’m not defending myself here. I messed up. I get that! I’m just saying, I’m not even in the country right now, and Tilly went to you. You know her...probably better than I do! You were the one who raised her—Girl Scouts, spelling bees, shopping trips, birthday parties... That was all you, Mel.”
“Yeah...” It was a whole lot more complicated than he made it sound. “So who was Tilly supposed to be with while you were gone? Someone’s going to be worried sick!”
“I let her stay on her own,” he replied.
“What?” She frowned. “You think that was wise?”
“For two weeks. I was letting her take some responsibility.”
So much so that Tilly had driven all the way to Mountain Springs. She might look like a grown woman, but she wasn’t grown up yet. Her father, of all people, should recognize that.
“I don’t know why she’s on your doorstep,” Adam went on, “but of anyone in this world, I trust you with my little girl. And maybe I shouldn’t have left her on her own, but I didn’t have you to tell me otherwise, did I?”
“Not anymore, Adam,” she confirmed with a sigh.
“Can you just...look out for her for a bit until I get back?”
“How long is that?”
“I’m back on US soil in five days.”
“And you’ll come get her?” Melanie asked.
“Yes. Mel, you know this kid. She might be full of attitude, but she’s the same Tilly.”
The same girl who played her father like a violin... What was this, an attempt to get her father’s attention? And suddenly, she realized, it didn’t matter. She didn’t owe Adam anything, but she still cared for this girl, and Tilly needed an adult who loved her right now. Whether she was acting lovable or not.
“Mel?” Adam said.
“Fine,” Melanie replied.
“Thank you,” Adam said, a smile in his voice. “I feel better already. Really, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I expect you to come out here straight from the airport.”
“As soon as I can,” he said.
Not exactly a confirmation that he’d do as she asked. He’d always been like that—somewhat reassuring but never giving her quite what
