“Thanks, Mom,” Lucas replied tightly. “I appreciate that, but the eagle is her favorite stuffed animal, not the parrot. You could have called to…”
“They’re both birds, what’s the difference?” Lucas’ mother’s voice rose uncomfortably loudly, and Melody flinched.
“Grandpa and Grandma sometimes yell at each other,” she whispered. “But Lu says it’s not because of me. It’s just their way of compromising.”
“Yeah. Compromising properly is hard for a lot of people.” Anna smiled at her and pushed the bathroom door shut with her foot, blocking out Lucas and his mother’s conversation. “And Lu’s right. Sometimes grown-ups are loud. But it’s not your fault.”
“But they’re talking about me, aren’t they?” She raised her eyebrows questioningly. “Then how can it have nothing to do with me?”
God, she was really too observant and clever. “They just disagree about some things that have to do with you. Still, it’s not your fault. Here: Pick a bandage.” She presented her with a selection of Barbies, fire trucks, and eagles.
Melody pointed unerringly at the fire truck. “To put out the wound,” she explained.
“Excellent choice,” Anna confirmed, brushing her hair back from her face before carefully applying the bandage over the small cut in Melody's palm.
“I’m done, right?” Melody jumped off the small stool. “Can we go downstairs and help Lu now?”
Anna bit the inside of her cheek. She was certain Lucas didn’t want Mel around while he argued with his mother.
“You know what? We haven’t even finished watching Moana yet. Would you like to check out the rest on your tablet while I clean up the kitchen with Lucas? I mean, you’re welcome to help clean up, but...”
“I’ll watch Moana,” the girl replied hastily.
“Great.”
She waited a few seconds until Lucas and his mother’s voices briefly fell silent, then gently pushed Melody by her narrow shoulders through the hallway into her room, prepared her iPad, and put on her headphones. She knew from experience that nothing ever completely blocked out arguments, but this would help. “I’ll let you know when we’re done cleaning up, okay?”
Absentmindedly, Melody nodded, her eyes already fixed on the screen. Anna pressed a kiss against Melody’s head – you could never give too much affection when people were arguing downstairs – before stealing out of the room. She closed the door just in time before Lucas’ calm but strained voice drifted upstairs.
“...Mom, it’s not okay that she always comes back with stories about you breaking dishes! And I told you to stop arguing in front of her. It scares her when you're so loud.”
“Luc, you’re really not in a position to criticize.” His mother’s voice was shrill and condescending. “She was with us for five days and didn’t hurt herself with a knife. I’m just saying that you can’t let children play with sharp objects!”
“I know that,” he replied tightly. “It was an accident. And the cut wasn’t deep, she...”
“A cut is a cut! You know, my dear son, this is another one of those times when I think Laney didn’t do herself any favors by giving you custody. You’re obviously overwhelmed by the task.”
A bitter taste filled Anna’s mouth, and she felt her hands clench as she hurried toward the stairs.
“We should have gotten Melody.”
“Sure, so she learns to conjure drama out of thin air, right? She’s exactly where she belongs.”
“With you? Come on. You’re not a father, Luc! I remember very well you telling me that you never wanted to marry and have children because it’s too stressful. Because you only like to think about yourself. Ignoring your sister, blaming us for how we behave...”
“That was a decade ago, Mom!”
“Still. You’re her funnyuncle. I know you’re playing family with her. But you’re alone and you’re a man, you can’t give her what a mother could give her, you...”
“Of course he can,” Anna stated sharply, jumping down the last few steps. What right did this woman have to accuse Lucas of not being a father? She couldn’t care less that she was his mother! Had she watched him with Melody for even a second? The woman in the doorway had the same gray eyes as Lucas, but otherwise, didn’t bear much resemblance to him. She wore a bright neon green dress and a sour expression, while Lucas hadhis hands clasped behind his back and looked as if he wished someone other than Melody were bleeding.
“Where’s…” he began.
“She’s upstairs. I put on a movie and gave her headphones,” she murmured, squeezing his arm. “But we should still keep it down a bit.” She glared at Lucas’ mother.
“Excuse me? Who the hell are you, and what right do you have to tell me how to behave?”
“Hey,” she said coldly. “I’m Anna. And I’ll tell anyone who tells Lucas he’s just Melody’s funny uncle what to do and not do.”
