1 Night Stand---Chapter 2 Melody

Here is chapter 2 of 1 Night Stand.  You'll notice that this chapter is written in third person while chapter 1 is in first person.  I'd like to get your feedback on which you like best.  I think it will be fun to explore different methods.  I'm interested in your feedback. Happy reading!

Chapter 2 

Melody

Melody knew she was special from the time she was a baby. Even strangers often told her, that she was a beautiful girl.  She believed that one day, with her looks and singing ability, she would be a huge star. As an adult, Melody pursued that dream relentlessly until she topped all of the charts.  She dedicated her life to her craft and she excelled because she worked harder than any other diva in the industry. 

It was during an early morning rehearsal for her upcoming “1 Night Stand” tour that she received the news about her mother.  Gary, her manager/BFF, came into her home dance studio, flailing his left hand effeminately to get her attention. She was in the middle of a set for her Billboard hit “Liar, Liar,” and she wasn’t about to stop.  She was feeling the vibe and the backup dancers had finally gotten their routine correctly after hours of coaching and screaming.  Melody ignored Gary and rolled her eyes but he continued to wave like a little bitch. 

Melody set her jaw and twisted her hips to the swell of the music. Everybody knew that when Melody Love rehearsed, the DO NOT DISTURB sign was turned on.  Melody started to move into the next set in her routine when Gary did that stupid, desperate hand motion again—only this time he bounced on his legs like a child about to throw a tantrum.  The mere sight of Gary was wreaking havoc on her concentration. 

Gary and Melody had been friends since she’d gone solo. He knew firsthand how mercurial her moods could be and how quickly her temper could flare. 

Melody stopped rocking her hips, kicked off her heels, and sighed loudly.  She signaled Leslie, her assistant, to stop the music. She crinkled her face into a hard scowl, letting Gary know he was about to get his ass cussed out.  He waved again, a boyish grin spreading over his face. 

Breathing hard, Melody stomped over.  “Gary! Are you fucking serious right now?!” she barked before the idiot.  He moved listlessly now, like he had to pee.  “You know damn well not to disturb me while I’m rehearsing and in my zone! I was in my zone, Gary!  Or did you fucking forget the tour is really fucking close?!”  Melody snorted at him like a bull seeing red at a Spanish bullfight.  

The look on his face gave her pause. Gary was as pale as a piece of loose-leaf paper.  His natural complexion was a high yellow, but right now he looked plain ghostly.  He was standing stiffly, like someone had put a rod up his ass and not the way he liked it either.  The last time Gary looked this upset was when he had told Melody she’d been turned down for the leading lady role in the movie version of Dream Girls, beat out by her nemesis in the R&B world. 

            “Melody…we…we need to…um…we need to talk,” Gary stammered out, his eyes roving over towards her assistant and six dancers.  “In private,” he said in his stage whisper. 

            “Gary, I am rehearsing!  Do you or do you not know the tour starts next week?!  This has to be perfect!  I have a reputation to maintain!” she hissed, yanking out the scrunchy that held her long weave in a high, loose ponytail.  She smoothed her hands over her head and wrapped the scrunchy tighter this time.  Playing with her hair had always been like a nervous tick.  She hated to show emotion, but Gary had her heart racing like a pack of wild horses right now. He was obviously scared shitless about telling her the news.

            “It’s your mother…I mean…Ava Love…” he stuttered. A hot feeling came over her.  Just the mention of Ava’s name made her sick to her stomach these days.  She was an embarrassment to say the least.  Being associated with Ava was not good for her image or career.

            “Ava Love?  What now?” Melody sucked her teeth, disgust painting her face into a mean mug. “Is that what the hell you interrupted me for?  To tell me some dumb shit about Ava?”  She had told Ava six months ago that she didn’t want shit to do with her, even though she still sent her a monthly allowance. Melody didn’t send her the money out of the kindness of her heart, but more so to keep her away. 

            “Melody, I know how you are about getting emotional in front of people, so why don’t we step out of the studio and talk…in private?” Gary implored.  His voice was high-pitched and quivering.  His eyes were bugged out like he was holding back his tears. 

“This better be important, Gary,” she whirled around. 

“Ladies, take your steps from the top.  I have to take this call and I’ll be right back.  I expect perfection!” Melody hollered at her dancers, a few of whom she knew she would be firing because they either weren’t coordinated enough to dance or they were too damn pretty and thus made her look less attractive in comparison.  There would be no upstaging Melody Love. When the cameras rolled, there could only be one shining star.

            Melody reluctantly followed Gary out of the dance studio doors and into the small private changing room near her home dance studio.  They stepped inside the room, the air stale and filled with tension.  Admittedly, her insides were churning with curiosity and anxiety. 

            “Mel…you might want to sit down, honey,” Gary said softly, his mouth sagging at the edges. 

            “Just tell me what’s going on Gary. I have a tour coming up.  I don’t have time for another Ava antic.  How bad can it be?  I mean shit; did she get drunk again and make a spectacle of herself for the paparazzi?   Did she go harass some record executive, screaming about how great she once was? Or wait, let me guess, she got caught giving head to another much younger NBA player? No, I have a better one! She’s gone to the Ritz and asked to be put up in the presidential suite because she is the mother of Melody Love?”  Any of these scenarios were highly likely where her mother was concerned.  Although Melody was a big name in the music industry, she was still embarrassed by her mother’s outrageously juvenile behavior.

            “No Mel…it’s worse, hun,” Gary murmured.  He lowered his head, wringing his fingers together.  “Mel, Ava is dead,” Gary said in a rush of breath.  “I got the call from Murray today,” he mumbled.  Gary hugged Melody around the shoulders. Her body was rigid and cold as ice. She kept her arms down and did not return the embrace.  His words felt like a strong stab in her gut.  She set her jaw and pursed her lips. You better not cry Melody.  Crying is for weak people. Crying is not for the famous.  She took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and pushed Gary away.  She felt a very painful, hard lump forming in her throat.  It took a few seconds before she could speak. 

            “Is that what you interrupted my rehearsal for?!” she growled, jutting a chastising finger in Gary’s face.  “Fucking imbecile!  Never interrupt me from something as important as my tour unless Jesus lands in my backyard and wants to sing a duet with me.  Understand?!” Melody screamed, her face filling with blood.  Her chest was tight; it was difficult to breathe. “Don’t sit your ass in here worrying about me! You have a job to do, so go do it! You need to be out there promoting the 1 Night Stand tour.  I have rehearsal to attend,” she snapped, giving him her back.

            “You can front for everybody else, but I know you Melody Love!  She is your mother and she is dead!  It’s okay to feel sad!” Gary called out, his voice cracking.  Melody almost turned around and slapped the shit out of him, but she resisted the temptation and kept walking. 

“Your sisters will be coming to town!  You will have to face them--like it or not Melody!” Gary fired back.  His words made her pause.  Melody felt a sharp pain in her heart, filled with fear and remorse. She leaned against the wall to brace herself against the onslaught of emotions.  She really didn’t have time today to think about any of those bitches from her past—mother or sisters.   

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The last time Melody saw her sisters was the day Ava and Murray announced that she would be going solo.  She remembered the warm sense of satisfaction that filled her chest as she watched her sisters’ defeated expressions at the news. 

“Just like that?  She can leave us, just like that?” Harmony’s lips quivered. 

“You knew she was the star from the beginning.  You knew this was coming…Supremes…Destiny’s Child…the star always leaves,” Ava responded smugly, a sinister grin on her face.  Murray nodded his head in agreement. 

“You just used us!  All those practices…all of the things we gave up.  All so you could have your favorite stand on our backs to make it to the top!” Lyric screamed, her face a hot shade of red.  She stormed out of the studio, nearly smashing the glass pane in the door. 

“Ava, I thought you couldn’t stoop any lower than some of the shit you put us through in the name of fame.  But blindsiding us like this is your new low.  And you, Melody, I guess it wasn’t enough that you were the top earner.  It wasn’t enough that we lived in your shadow. I guess none of that was enough for you – you had to have it all to yourself!” Harmony accused. 

Ava laughed maniacally at Harmony’s outburst, turning her venom on her eldest daughter. 

“Your ugly ass should be grateful Melody let you stay in the group and get some fame!  You should be kissing the ground she walks on!” Ava spat cruelly. 

Before anyone could react, Harmony was on top of Ava like a lion on a gazelle. “I hate you!  I hate you! I never want to see you again!!” Harmony was devil-possessed; she screeched at her mother while biting, clawing and kicking.  “You ruined my life!  That wasn’t enough! Nothing was ever enough for you!” Harmony growled.  Ava screamed at the top of her lungs in agony. Murray tried futilely to loosen Harmony’s grip on Ava’s hair. 

It took four studio security guards to get Harmony off of Ava.  The fire flashing in Harmony’s eyes reflected pure, unadulterated hatred. 

“You will never prosper this way,” Harmony huffed, her evil eyes trained on her sister as the security guards dragged her from the room. 

“You’re just jealous of me—always have been, always will be,” Melody snarled.  Melody felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and a bad taste in her mouth.  It was the taste of regret. But once spoken, the words could not be taken back.

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 Melody returned to the rehearsal with a renewed sense of purpose. She watched her dancers move in unison.  It was an acceptable performance, but not good enough.  Melody wouldn’t accept anything less than perfection.  “Let’s take it from the top!” she ordered, clapping her hands as she made her way to the middle of the floor.  They all halted mid-step, as if she’d hit the pause button.

“Is everything okay, Ms. Love?” Leslie asked.

“Start the fucking music,” Melody snapped.  How dare she question me! She snatched the scrunchy out of her hair and shook her hair until it fell like a wild mane around her shoulders.  “Hut! Let’s fucking go! No distractions and no more stopping. Period!” she called out as she slipped into her stilettos.  All six dancers fell into line and proceeded to do the first set.  Melody swung her head up and down, gyrated her hips and moved to the music.  She got to the fourth count and suddenly her face hit the hardwood floor.  A sharp pain shot from her nose straight up to her brain.  She could taste blood in the back of her throat and see small flashes of light invading her peripheral vision.

“Oh my God!” Leslie’s screeched.  “Ms. Love! Are you alright?!”

Melody opened her eyes slowly, pain shooting through her skull. The dancers had all gathered around her.  Leslie bent down and helped her to her feet.  The pain intensified as she stood.  

“Ms. Love, I…I’m…so sorry.  My leg caught a cramp and I almost fell.  I didn’t mean to use you to break my fall.  Oh my God, I am so, so sorry,” one of the dancers said apologetically. 

“Are you ok?” Leslie asked again.  Melody blinked rapidly as things started coming back into focus.  Blood pooled under the skin near her eyes.  A fucking broken nose a week before her tour kicked off!  The reality caused a fury of white heat to rise from her toes to her chest.  She squinted her eyes into little dashes and looked at all of their faces.  The adrenaline coursing through her veins seems to numb the pain.  Everyone in the room was seemingly rooted to the floor, scared to death, as well they should be.

Melody calmly stepped out of her stilettos, bending over to pick up a lone shoe, as if to examine the heel.  “I am fine,” she said in a low growl.  They all looked relieved.  “Yes, I am perfectly fine,” she said more calmly. Before anyone could move, she spun around and drove the five-inch heel right into the guilty dancer’s head.  

The girl emitted a blood-curdling scream.  Melody raised the high-heeled shoe over her head and hit the girl over and over, like hammering a nail into a piece of wood.  Blood was everywhere.  Tears ran down her face like a gushing stream.  Spit escaped her mouth and sweat drenched her forehead and back. She could taste the girl’s blood as it splattered against her lips.

“You’re going to kill her!” someone in the room screamed.  But the only sound Melody heard was the pounding of her own heart.

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