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The note taped to the bottle of water had clear instructions. She was to soak in the tub with the special bottle he laid out before coming down for breakfast. One she was told to be hungry for. The thought intrigued her.
Melody submerged herself in the tub, the warm water mixed with the oatmeal and lavender soak. It soothed the rest of her irritated skin from the night before.
*
Dressed in a pair of leggings and a hooded shirt of Wes’ that he’d laid out, Melody padded down the hall, stopping to check into Sarah’s room.
She found it empty and straightened the bed out of habit before making her way down the stairs toward the kitchen where she spotted Wes standing at the sink washing dishes. “Morning. Coffee?”
“Coffee, please.”
“Yes, go sit.” Wes nodded toward the plate at the end of the island.
Melody climbed up onto the barstool and tucked her heels on the bottom rung. She plucked a piece of bacon and warily eyed the eggs.
Surely he wasn’t going to make her eat that abomination. The yolks stared at her, two yellow alien eyes that threatened to spill and ruin the beautiful mountain of potatoes he’d made.
Carefully she stuck a tine into the white crinkled edge and slid the offending item onto the island castaway plate she pulled her toast from.
“How are you feeling?”
Melody set her fork down and scrunched her shoulders. “Better, I’m not itching anymore and there are no welts.” There would have been more if he hadn't diverted her attention the night before. “Only a few scratches.”
“I’m glad.” Wes turned from the sink, wiping his hands on a towel and tossing it onto the counter. “Care to explain why you were in your predicament last night, Melody? I thought you were safer about that.”
“I am, I don’t understand how it went wrong.” She anxiously fiddled with the collar of her shirt, pressing the ribbed fabric between her teeth.
Most of the night was a blur once her anxiety spiked. She remembered her skin tingling, thousands of tiny stings that she was unable to flick away.
“Nolan helped Isaiah break down his station after I tore through it and the binding he used wasn’t latex. However, the talc he rubbed you down with was mixed with it. Once you were restrained it irritated your skin.” The tight leather casing created the perfect warm environment to irritate her skin and enhance the allergic reaction.
She cringed at the memory. “I’m sorry if I ruined your night.” Her cheeks flushed under his stare. “Thank you for the oatmeal bath.”
“You know all too well you didn’t ruin my night.” Wes moved around the kitchen as he spoke, making two cups of coffee. He grabbed the cream and set it in front of her.
“Thank you.” She avoided eye contact, the weight of his stare steady while she silently added sugar to her coffee.
“Mel, what’s going on?” Wes crossed his arms and leaned against the edge of the counter. In the way of the coffee pot, the look in his eye warned her he wasn’t going to let it go.
“I’m only failing at everything.” Mel shrugged. “The school doesn’t need me full-time this semester.” She sighed and looked away. “...and I needed work. Jason…”
“You’re not failing. It’s a rough patch. You shoulda come and talked to me.” His tone conveyed the words he didn’t say. I thought we had more trust.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to add to your plate. I know you give me all the time you can for bookkeeping and babysitting.”
“We’re friends. No, fuck that. We’re family, Mel. If you needed a hand.” He stared at her, his brow furrowed in worry and confusion.
“I can handle it.” It’s just something else he left me with. “What happened with Master Isaiah was an accident.”
“I know, but it changes nothing.” Melody looked away.
“We–”
“How big is the hole?”
She stayed silent, averting her eyes from his and hiding behind her coffee cup.
“Melody.”
