Luminous candles, elaborate paintings, melodious music that bounced of the pearly white walls of the colossal mansion that held an image of pure beauty and serenity. In contrary to the marvelous aura sent from the inside it also contained tragedy. This mansion was inhabited by eminent businessman Chris Roberts and his daughter Melody Roberts. Chris was sincere, serene and calm but hidden behind his external armor held sorrow that devoured him from the inside.
The tragedy had struck on a glorious Sunday night when Chris decided to take his wife Melanie to dinner. After having the time of their lives, they decided to head back home for midnight slowly crept and his daughter Melody was of the mere age of eight years .
While driving home, they talked about their day and how privileged they were to have one another and be together. Suddenly, the calm , peaceful atmosphere that once engulfed them diverged into a stiff and tense feeling when Chris noticed two black cars that were suspicious slowly approaching their vehicle from both sides flicking their lights on and off as to get Chris's attention. Chris decided to decrease the speed in which he was going so that he would not jeopardize the situation anymore than it might have been.

As the car began to decrease slowly, the two black cars trapped him in the middle lane and began to swerved violently into his car. Chris's heart rate increased and he felt deafened by the rapid pounding that came from his chest. He became overwhelmed with fear and worry. He gripped onto her hand as if his life depended on it. He looked deep into her emerald eyes and all he could see was fear! She grabbed his hand and tried to calm herself. Before she could say anything Chris began slowly losing control of the car and the unmarked black cars continuously swerved into his car. He took one look at her and before he knew it, everything went black.
He awoke to the annoying beeping sound of this hospital machinery. He slowly opened his to a room with and intoxicating smell of detergent. The lights were bright and the room was pasted with a boring white color. Taking in his surrounding he slowly realized where he was and memories of that Sunday night flooded his mind and a single tear drop streamed down his pale face but as he tried to wipe it away a vaguely familiar pain surged through him and he subconsciously let out an audible groan. A nurse soon came in and he asked her about his dear wife Melanie, strangely enough she left leaving him with no hope.
Not long after a doctor waltz in with that “professional and I know it” smirk planted on his face. Chris proceed to ask him about his wife but for some strange reason the doctor dodge the question every time he mentioned his wife.
Chris became impatient and said” Tell me where my wife is and what happened to her.”
Unfortunately, Chris said that in a louder that expected voice and caught the attention of several passers- by. The doctor seemed to sense Chris's urgency to know and decided to break the news to him.
He said,” Mister Roberts, I regret to inform you that we lost your wife in the process of revival.”
“ I want to see my wife! I need to see her! I need to see her body ! I need to see it for myself! I need the closure!”, he yelled.
“ Unfortunately, I can’t do that. The body has been severely dismembered, beyond recognition! I’m sorry Mr. Roberts. We did all we could.” With that he left the room, leaving Chris with his thoughts.
His wife was dead. Melanie was dead. The only woman he ever loved was gone. As the words sunk in ,he felt as though his life was falling apart and his purpose in life gone. The doctor soon told him about his condition and what happened with his wife.
That was nine years ago. Chris, now thirty- four and Melody, seventeen . Melody.
Melody was the only thing keeping Chris together. She was his string of hope. Melody was divine. She was beautiful, pure and meek. She was honest and if you asked Chris, identical to her mother, Melanie, in every way. Though they were quite rich in a huge mansion she never had the” Wear your best and Be loud and clear” attitude that plagued many teenage girls at her tender age”, this quality was an exact clone of Melanie.
Even though Chris was usually busy they always had time for each other and had the best father daughter relationship possible. Similarly, Melody was just as busy. Chris had her learning three different languages, taking martial arts and self- defense classes and in the very little spare she bore was used for dance and art. Up until today she never knew the entire story about her mom. Chris choose to leave the suspicious vehicles out of the discussion and never mentioned it. He also failed to mention the unknown driver's obsession with having Chris dead. Whenever Melody asked she received the same answer every time;
” Well Melody, you know what happened. When coming home from dinner with your mom I lost control of the car and that's all to it. It breaks my heart to know that you never really go to know her but always remember I’m always here whenever you need anyone.”
Every conversation pertaining the death in her mother usually ended the same way. But it always crossed her mind as to the accident. The feeling of emptiness consumed her and of unexplainable curiosity engulfed her every time she passed her father’s office which was highly forbidden to her and any other human that walked the earth.
Finally deciding to satisfy her yearning for answers she sneaked into her father’s office. Taking in the atmosphere, she noticed that the desk was layered with a thick layer of dust and cobweb. Realising that the office had not been used in months. Taking a closer step towards the colossal desk that sat at the center of the room surrounded by huge book shelves that consisted of book pertaining Aristotle to the Zhou Dynasty.
Noticing the books in the shelves she gathered the more information about her father, like the fact that he was very astute and that he constantly read. Veering her eyes towards the desk she noticed that the desk contained a small package. Opening it, she noticed that it was a stack of open mail that was sent anonymously. Hearing the squeaking of the wooden stairs, she dashed for the door and went straight to her room. Upon opening the first few she encountered a few messages such as,” She deserved to die that way” or “ Maybe you’ll have the chance to see her again,’cause you don’t know what really happened that night... Yet”. The latter note scared her. Her mind began to race, she began to think of the trust and respect her father bestowed upon her.
A feeling of both regret and uncertainty roamed her mind and her conscience began to take action. Many a times she thought of sneaking into his office but she never knew that it would turn out this disastrous. After contemplating the situation she took the mail and decided to confront her father about the situation. Even though she had so many things going through her mind there was one thought that surpassed it all,” Why had he not told me this?”.
When she finally mustard up the courage to talk to her dad, she slowly walked out of her room. Leaving her room she felt engulfed in guilt and betrayal. As she inched closer and closer to her father’s door her heart began to pound almost deafening her but not too loud to drown the thoughts about what could have happened.
When she finally approached the door she heard his sweet, tender voice on the phone.
” Really, I don’t know. Wait your positive she’s alive... Oh my.. I don’t know what to say.... wait a ransom?”.
As those words sunk in ,she felt my relieved but fearful at the same time. Contemplating whether or not to enter the room she decided to continue listening. Crouching by the door straining her ears to hear she heard,
“ What!! A quarter of a million dollars? How am i supposed to get that in twenty- four hours?... Fine I'll get it but how am I supposed to know that I’ll actually see her again?..Fine I’ll meet you there.”
Losing her confidence she slowly backed away from the door and ran into her room crying, not noticing the loud steps that echoed throughout the hallway while she escaped to her haven that became her source of comfort.
The sight of her room was nothing but comfort, with her childhood teddy bears placed symmetrically around her room and the smell of glorious flowers that crept through the windows and freshen the room to a most divine state.As she crept on to the bed that hugged her every curve ,tears of sorrow, joy, fear, guilt and tragedy streamed down her rosy cheek leaving a trail that soon burst and spilled the tears all over the pillow she held on to. In the silence of the grand bedroom, the squeaking of the door echoed throughout the room startling Melody. Unaware as to who it was she yelled," Stay out of my room! Don't enter without my permission."
With that the terribly familiar voice whispered,
” Now.. is that any way to talk to your father....Look at me Mel...."
Shocked at the voice, she made an audible yelp. Hesitating to look at her father he said,
"Please look at me Mel... Lets talk about it."
Hundreds of different thoughts raced through her mind but she wasn't able to comprehend any of them for all she heard was that annoying buzz in the air that indicated the indefinite silence that engulfed them both.
She finally spilled," Daddy please don't act like you don't know what's going to... I heard you on the phone with some guy.. saying something about mommy being alive... how could you do this to me!".
Mel wait." he replied." No dad you wait.. I'm tired of you feeding me lies. You know how hard it's for me to live without my mother and for you to lie to me and tell me that she's alive is way too much for me to forgive you for. I know that you've been there for me materially but you're never there for me emotionally.. Do you know what it feels like growing up without a mother and having your father so distant that you forget the deep yet tranquilizing voice of and every time we talk we always talk about how much i miss mom and to find out you lied about it is just heart -wrenching!''
She stopped knowing she had feed him way more than he could eat.
When the silence became unbearable long she slowly lifted her head to see that her father was crying. The very second she saw this she knew she had went to far.
" Please say something daddy.. i didn't mean it... I know you work hard for us and I know lately things around the house hasn't been the same, its been very rough and i know that the money you work for you don't even spend on yourself..it's contributed toward the house and all of it's household.. Please forgive me daddy! I'm very sorry.. I just want to know the truth about mom and I just can't take it anymore.. I heard you on the phone and I think its time that I get a better understanding about what really happened to mom." She begged.
" Melody.. You're so much like your mother.... Here I am greatly at fault and you're the one begging for forgiveness.... I'm deeply sorry for not telling you what happened to your mother.. I never meant to hurt you, I wasn't trying to hurt you. Melody I love you and that the last thing i would want to do and yes i think it's time I tell you what happened to your mother. The night we went to dinner.. the night of the accident two black cars that I’ve never seen in my life began swerving into my car and before I knew it i was waking up in a hospital bed. When i found out i was devastated and all i could think about what you and what I would do I lost you. Then a few months past and i started getting anonymous mails send to me and about a month ago i started getting phone calls from an anonymous number. At first i thought it was just a prank and later i found out that it was real.. i didn't want to tell you until i was positive and well now i know. I just got a call saying that she might be alive and i need to pay a quarter of a million dollars. I'm not very excited because the last time they called asking for one hundred grand and they never called for about two weeks and now they are asking for more. I don't want to get my hopes up and be heart broken like before and then again i don't want you getting hurt as well. I'm truly sorry and i beg that you forgive me."He explained."
I promise that I would never ever raise my voice and belittle you like i did. I also understand that you didn't tell me and your reasons are pure and your intentions are true. But i think that you did owe me a little explanation.'' After their session of 'reveal the truth' they were both in tears. Melody told her father about the mails she saw and they were both on board about what happened. With the confessions fresh in there mind, she decided to help her father discover who may or may not have killed her mother.
Without further thought her father objected and took a grand stand against her assistance. He made it clear that this would be way too dangerous for her to be involved with this matter. But with great persuasions and that cute puppy dog face we all put for our parents, she was able to win her father over and got what she wanted. While they geared up with whatever they needed they also said a silent prayer for the hope that Melanie was healthy safe and free from the harm of those cruel men. As they got into the car and revved the engine and speed-ed out of the driveway, they had the mutual feeling that time was slowly dragging along. A drive that usually took 20 minutes seemed to drag on for eternity. With eternity coming to a sudden stop Melody was ordered to stay the car while he placed the briefcase with the requested amount in the requested location.
As he placed the briefcase down his breath seemed to be caught in his mouth as he saw Melanie run out of the same black unmarked car that had caused the accident. As she got closer tears streamed down his face as he memorized every freckle, every dimple , every perfect imperfection that caressed her beautiful face. As thoughts of his future life swarmed his memory a smile stretched along the cheeks of his tear-wet face . He could only imagine the joy that re-entered his life. As he held tight to her frail yet gorgeous body his mind drifted back to the days before she left, the days in which she woke up every morning happier than one can imagine. She always made it her duty to get Melody ready for her daily activities and she would always have be the one to prepare breakfast and walk our puppy, Cuddles with the help of Melody. When Melody “died’’ things were never the same, Melody would never walk the dog and simple things like picking up the toothbrush in its right manner seemed difficult. Wow! The joy that would now be etched into their lives on a daily basis. They say ,“Happiness comes to those who wait.” Who would have thought that i would be the one to prove them right.