The Italian's proposal

Melody
Melody couldn’t remember the last time she felt completely relaxed since she found out she was expecting a child. She didn’t
understand how she had fallen into accepting lunch with Timothy, she was getting sick just thinking about having to find
something to wear to see him. Well, she did understand, she realized that she had no money, nor was the best circumstance to
be expecting a child. She must have been aware that she found a way, although not quite easy, it was a valid way. She did not
stop to think about the pros and cons of the situation that lay ahead. She could handle anything.
He had been right to warn her to be careful to dress appropriately. Melody didn’t know how being proper meant in Timothy’s
world, much less for circling fancy places, like the ones she was sure he was used to.
She pulled out all her clothes thinking she could find something, but was unsuccessful, she shook her head in distress, all she
had brought from her parents’ house were clothes she wore day to day or were already faded, nothing fancy, nothing attractive
let alone seductive.
She dismissed that idea quickly.
She didn’t want to seduce Timothy Giannato, she needed to remember that.
She was crazy. There was no logical application for what was happening she simply must be out of her mind. Pregnancy affected
some brain cell or maybe she wasn’t fit to be in college, she wasn’t supposed to be a veterinarian and she was dumber than a
boiled potato in its skin. It was true what her father used to say: just because you have an above-average IQ doesn’t mean you
are smart and will make the best decisions.
At that moment she realized that she was smart about some things, but not about others, like, for example, agreeing to have
lunch with Timothy and considering his marriage proposal.
She had a little room; one she asked Lucy for so she wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch in the living room. What was supposed
to be something for a couple of days was turning into a week and was looking to be something more.
The room she slept in, Lucy used to store empty boxes full of books and pamphlets she no longer needed to use. When Melody
moved in with her in the studio apartment, she relinquished the space to her by removing the boxes and placing them in her own
room.
The only bathroom in the studio apartment was inside the room that was meant to be the main and only one, so Lucy’s room had
to be entered to go to the bathroom every morning when she went to vomit or generally to relieve herself.

Her phone rang at that instant, just as she was stroking her belly and seeing the sea of clothes lying on the bed. She emptied her
entire suitcase, the one she brought with her from her parents’ house when she decided to get out of there. He remembered with
rage every moment of the conversation he had with them in the days prior to her decision to leave the house. She found it
shameful that her parents were so regressive as to force her to have an abortion or kick her out of their home. She didn’t make
one of the best decisions in giving her body to Richard, that was clear enough, but still her parents shouldn’t have turned their
backs on her.
Of course, under desperate measures you knew the true character and good will of people and she knew the true face of your
parents. The ones she fondly remembered being there for every moment of sickness or joy, always going to her school
performances, attending her when she had a cold, covering her with coats whenever the snow fell, or the temperatures dropped.
Giving her hot chocolate with marshmallows and making her the vegetable soup she loved so much, a rare thing in children, they
had been there for those things, they always had been in her life, but when she truly needed them, they slammed the door in her
face, and she would never forgive them for that.
“Hello,” she greeted, the number not registered to her.
“Hi sister-in-law,” she only had one sister, so it was obvious to her who it was.
“Equilay, what do you want?”
“I know you know what I did,” he warned immediately. “You can’t come to my house and offend my wife, accuse her of betraying
you and not standing by you. You are oblivious and immature.”
“Don’t come to talk to me about conscience. You have no scruples to talk about that! You stole from a man who sacrificed himself
for his company! You didn’t think of your wife, much less your son!”
Melody seated herself on the bed as her feet were not supporting her. She looked around; the room was a mess. She never
been organized, her mother made a habit for her to tidy up Melody’s room and any clothes she threw on the floor, her mom
would go and pick them up for her. Melody grew up with no sense of being organized and now she realized it. Even more being
as she was, living in a room she couldn’t walk without tripping over one of the corners of the metal bed or a wall.
Was he really accusing her of being oblivious?
The one who had had the nerve to embezzle from a company!

She always thought he was a respectable man, a man who fought and focused on giving his sister a better life, one who went
out of his way for his family, someone to trust if the need arose.
Melody didn’t know if he had told her sister the truth, but she was sure that, if he had the nerve to call her, to offend her, he was
highly likely to deny what she told Allegra that afternoon at his house.
“Did you tell her? Did you tell Allegra the truth?” she heard the silence on the other end of the line and that was answer enough
for her. “I knew it. You’re a coward.”
“You don’t know anything about our situation. You don’t know anything about me or us. You only know how to call Allegra to
complain because Charles and Lydia kicked you out of the house.”
“They didn’t kick me out Equilay, I left. I left and I would do it again without thinking about it for a second. Where they don’t want
my son, I won’t be either.”
“I don’t care about your son and I don’t care about you,” he hissed. “I care about my wife and my son; I care about the boys who
are coming. You have no idea what it’s like to sacrifice for a family. You think it’s easy to play happy house, but it’s not.”
Melody couldn’t believe what her ears were hearing. Was he trying to justify himself? He stole three million dollars and wanted to
justify his action.
“So long Equilay. I hope I don’t have to hear from you for a long time.” A migraine was taking position in her head, so she wanted
to end the call. “And just so you know, Timothy Giannato is going all out for you. You’ll get screwed and along the way you’ll ruin
Allegra and your son. You should have thought about that, since you’re such a good husband and father.”
“How do you know about Giannatto? What do you know about him?” he asked, and she could tell how nervous he was getting.
“Did you think I made it up? That I didn’t know what I was talking about? I do. I know what you did and he’s coming after you
hard. You’ll get it bad. And you can call me childish all you want, but I’d rather wipe ass than steal from someone,” she took a
breath, as she blurted out everything without giving herself time to breathe. “Good night.”
“How do you know who he is?” shouted Equilay at her. “Where do you know him from?”
“It doesn’t matter where I know him from,” she said raising her voice, “what matters is that tonight you tell Allegra what you did,
confess to her and hand over the money.”
“You don’t understand Mel...”

She thought of how many times she had idolized her brother-in-law, she had believed him to be the best example of love and
devotion, taken him as a role model for the perfect. Equilay had been a part of her life for more than eight years. He always
brought her gifts without a special date, he gave her his first Tablet to read her novels, according to him, she was the sister he
never had.
“Don’t call me that. I’m Melody to you.”
“Okay, okay,” he agreed nervously and desperately. “Melody, tell me where you know him from, tell me you can help me. Help
me please.”
“Talk to Allegra,” she let out the tears she had been holding back, “see you later Equilay.”
She threw the phone on the bed, it was as much like a cot as possible, metal and with a thin mattress that left her with a sore
back every morning.
“Damn it!” she shrieked tearfully.
She let a couple of tears escape and went to take a shower. Tomorrow she would have a complicated day, it was best to get
some rest.
She gathered up all the clothes, without folding them she put them in the suitcase again. She would talk to Tara to borrow
something decent. The newlywed couple were exceptionally good to her, and although they didn’t pay her much for cleaning the
house, they were at her beck and call. Thinking about going to the coffee shop until noon and then going to Tara’s and asking for
her help, she felt calmer and took a leisurely shower.
She lit a scented candle and lay down.
The next morning, she woke up with the typical vomit tide and rushed to Lucy’s room.
She found it with the latch on.
“Lucy I must go in,” she cried holding back a retch.
“Wait,” she heard her friend say from the other side of the wood.
The cold was beginning to thicken, and she stroked her arms up and down quickly for warmth.

The heating in the apartment was a disaster, chaotically repaired on more than three occasions.
Considering it was the middle of February, the cold was horrible.
Lucy opened the door after a few minutes, she was wrapped in her silver robe with light feathers on the collar and edge of the
sleeves.
“Let me in,” she told her when she saw her friend didn’t move, “I’ll throw up on you.”
“Mel...” she began making more signals than a traffic cop with her eyes.
“You got a man in there?” Perfect!
“It’s Tommy.”
“Wow... What am I supposed to do then?”
“Get a bucket and keep it in your room. When he leaves, you come and flush it down the toilet,” her friend closed the door again
and left Melody covering her mouth with her hand that was starting to turn purple.
Excellent start to the morning, she told herself in annoyance.