Page 43 of The Sea Witch’s Son (The Villains of Wolf Hollow #1)

Chapter 42

MELODY

Erik is waiting for me at the end of the driveway.

“Do you know what I found when I woke up this morning?”

He sounds just as pissed as he looks. The crossed arms and offensive stance has my heart sinking as I think back on the last twelve hours.

“I meant to tell you-

“I spent the night inside your stepdaughter, so I figured it was time to escort her properly. Consider this my official application to the family.” Erik grinds his teeth and flips the note over, “Sincerely, Every Father’s Nightmare.”

My mouth opens and closes.

“It’s Marlin.”

“Of course it’s Marlin, I’m not a fucking idiot.” Disappointment shines in his eyes, “After the Finley incident, I thought you were going to talk to me. Not leave me in the dark to discover psychotic notes in my bedroom.”

“I didn’t mean...” My voice cracks, “I-I didn’t want this to happen. You have to believe me.”

The sight of tears welling up in my eyes has Erik’s anger deflating faster than a ballon. He lets out a long sigh and walks over to pull me into a hug.

“I will always believe you.”

Sniffing into his shirt, I cling to the one man who has never let me down.

“He wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry, Erik. I’m so sorry.”

And that’s all it takes for me to start sobbing into his shirt. Erik holds me close, letting my tears stain his clothes just like they did all those years ago.

“Come on. Let’s talk inside.”

We climb the rickety stairs and enter the house that has somehow become our home.

Bypassing the kitchen stools and the floral furniture, we wind up in the one place we always return to.

I reach out and stroke the black and white keys, feeling my mother’s presence lingering along the surface. She’s always been here, idly waiting for the day when I return.

Erik sits quietly beside me, watching my fingers dance over the keyboard the way my mother’s used to. I never shared her love for musical instruments, never bothered to spend the time to learn how to play.

I thought my mom would always be there to play for me.

“I miss her so much, Erik.” My voice breaks with another piece of my heart, “I miss her so fucking much and there isn’t anything I can do about it.”

“I miss her too.”

“Would you do it again? Knowing this is how it ends, would you do it again?”

“In a heartbeat.” Erik meets my gaze with a sad smile, “I got to spend six years with the love of my life and an incredible daughter I get to call my own. I wouldn’t change a single thing.”

Tears slink down my cheeks, “I’m not incredible, Erik. I barely meet the standard for a decent human being.”

“I know a young man who would beg to differ.”

He gives me a knowing look, and a watery laugh escapes me.

“I really am sorry about the note.”

“Out of all the guys you could have chosen, it had to be Marlin Seaborn.” Erik shakes his head with a sigh, “It’s on brand for our particular shit show.”

I rub my nose, “God. I hate our show.”

“It’s about time we got a refund.”

Wiping my cheeks with a smile, I can’t help but lean over and grab my stepfather’s hand.

“Thank you for always being there for me.”

“You’re my daughter, Melody. Nothing is ever going to change that.” He squeezes my hand gently, “Plans are allowed to change. Especially once that special someone comes barrelling into your life.”

“Marlin wasn’t supposed to be that someone.”

Erik smiles knowingly, “If we got to choose who we end up with, I never would have fallen for the redhead who lived across the street. These things just happen.”

“I wish they didn’t.”

“No, you don’t. Because you’ve finally found someone who sees you for the strong, capable woman you are. It might be ugly and messy, but at least you know it's real.”

When I don’t say anything, Erik leans over and nudges me gently.

“Sometimes it’s not the person who brings the light. Sometimes it’s the person who sees the darkness and doesn’t run and hide.”

I swallow hard, staring down at the unsung notes on the keyboard.

“Mom always stood in the light.”

“Your mother was the brightest light of them all, but there is something to be said for a flower that blooms in the darkness.” Erik shakes his head with a sigh, “There was always a sliver of doubt, you know. Whether Arielle would have stayed with me if she found out.”

“She never did.”

“No, but that meant I was never truly honest with her.” He gives me a sad smile, “She only got to see the good parts of me. She never got the chance to love the bad. ”

Guilt clogs my throat, “There was nothing you wouldn’t have done for her. She loved that about you.”

“And yet, I will never know if what we had was strong enough to withstand the darkness.” His lips pinch together, “Don’t run from the shadows, Melody. Not when there’s somebody already there, waiting for you.”

“I won’t.” I whisper, feeling the truth coat my tongue.

“Good.” He clears his throat, “Now, can you tell your boyfriend to stop leaving inappropriate notes in my bedroom? It’s seriously disturbing.”

Laughter slips out, “I’ll pass along the message, but I don’t think it will make any difference.”

“Figures.”

Erik goes to slide off the bench, but I grab his arm.

“Before you leave, do you think you could play me a song?”

He blinks once, twice, three times.

“You want me to play you a song?”

I clear my throat with a nod, “Like you said, it’s time to stop running.”

Those tired eyes spark to life with a joy he used to wear so well.

“I play, you sing?” He hesitates, treading carefully, “Like we used to?”

“Yeah.” Brushing my fingers across the keys, I feel my mother’s smile, “Just like we used to.”

Erik settles himself back down beside me. His hands are shaking, but so are mine.

He fumbles the first few notes, but by the chorus, we find our rhythm. It doesn’t sound like it used to, but then again, I don’t feel like the person I used to be either.

“I want to be where the people are. I want to see, want to see them dancing.”

Every word rips a piece of my soul out of the vault inside my chest, out of the shadows and into the light.

There are tears streaming down my cheeks as I sing my mother’s favourite song, and I don’t have to look at Erik to know his cheeks are damp as well.

Arielle St. James never belonged to this world. She was too bright for these gritty streets, too pure for the characters who reside in the shadows.

But maybe this is where I belong.

“Wandering free, wish I could be part of that world.”