Page 62 of Melody

What made the day feel even lighter was that on Christmas Eve, she’d checked the Pueblo police’s Facebook page and found that Tommy had indeed been arrested. Although she didn’t know how long he would stay locked up, she knew he couldn’t bother her when he was behind bars.

For Christmas day, she wore a black skirt and tights to keep her legs warm, along with a red-and-green tartan blouse she’d found at the thrift store the week before. She’d anticipated wearing it for work, because Al let them dress up on special days like Halloween and Christmas Eve. She hadn’t known she wouldn’t have to work.

And it was a piece of clothing she wouldn’t mind leaving behind when it was time to go.

She fussed longer than usual over her hair and makeup, wanting to make a good impression on his family. When she emerged from the bathroom, Kyle was lying on the bed, looking as handsome as ever in dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved pullover navy blue shirt that highlighted his pecs. The color also made his eyes sparkle.

“You look amazing,” he said, standing up.

“So do you.”

After he pulled her in his arms and they kissed, he said, “How about we spend the night at my place tonight? We’ll already be in Charlotte anyway.”

“Yeah, sure. But give me a sec.” Although she wouldn’t need much, she didn’t want to go unprepared, so she put eyeliner and mascara in her purse and then put a change of underwear, a t-shirt and sweatpants, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and another t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers in one of her reusable grocery bags.She already knew she’d feel safer at Kyle’s, but she didn’t want to make it a habit.

Tonight, though, would be fine.

Maybe her stubbornness was working against her—but she pushed that thought out of her mind.

The drive to Charlotte was pleasant. Kyle drove east out of Silver City and then turned down a road that led to more rural areas where there were fields covered in a blanket of snow. The houses were spaced far apart, but they couldn’t go a quarter of a mile without passing one by. Soon, he turned on a two-lane curvy highway that butted up against short rocky bluffs. Just a few miles later, the houses got denser again and then, when the road curved again to the south, there was no denying they were entering a town. Lots of homes were decorated for the holiday and, as twilight descended, a good many of them already had their Christmas lights on.

It was absolutely breathtaking.

Although they passed an assisted living facility, everything else was just homes. Was Charlotte just a suburb of Silver City?

It wasn’t until the road curved again that she saw she’d been mistaken. They passed a small engine repair shop, and she couldn’t miss the school sign on the side of the road. There weren’t any school buildings that she could see, but she knew they had to be nearby. As Kyle’s car took them down another block, homes still lined the right side of the road, but on the left side was a doctor’s office. Then the road curved at a ninety-degree angle for two blocks—and it was like Charlotte was coming into view: a big school to the left, a convenience store on the right, followed by a small restaurant and a shopping market. On the left was a drug store and a carwash and the road turned at another ninety-degree angle.

The street ahead was lit up—and Melody realized they were finally on Charlotte’s Main Street, dispelling her earlier theorythat the town was only a suburb. As Kyle drove slowly down the street, Melody appreciated all the Christmas lights hung on buildings and streetlights, but she couldn’t catch all the shops on both sides of the road. There was one traffic light ahead and that appeared to be the only one in this tiny town. Kyle slowed the car, though, and pointed to the right. She followed his hand as he said, “That’s The Apothecary where we play every Saturday night.”

“Oh,that’sthe famed Apothecary.”

Kyle laughed. “I wouldn’t gothatfar,” he said, slowing as he approached the traffic light. “It’s really not much to look at inside, but the owner lets us practice there for free and, in exchange, we act as the house band.”

“That’s really cool,” she said, still appreciating how much Charlotte had done to celebrate the holiday.

“Yeah…but I think we’ve outgrown the place. None of us have said it out loud yet, but I’m pretty sure we’re all thinking it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. When we first started playing again, we packed the place. Lately, though, not so much.”

Although Al had said the holidays drew people to Tequilaville, she didn’t know if that would be true ofallbars—and she wanted to offer some hope. “Maybe it’s just because of Christmas. Maybe people are busy wrapping presents and stuff so they don’t have time to go to a concert.”

“You might be right.” At the next block, he slowed the car and turned down a side street. “I guess we’ll find out next month.” He pulled the car in front of a house on the corner of the next block, parking right behind a compact car. A streetlight across the road illuminated the sidewalk as Melody stepped out. Before Kyle took her hand, he pulled out the bags they had brought and handed one to Melody. “I can carry all of them if you want.”

“Thanks. Just hold my hand.”

“Gladly.”

Soon, they were walking down the concrete path to the front porch. A bright light shone from just above the door. Letting go of her hand, Kyle rang the doorbell before opening the storm door, followed by the main door. He held it for Melody to walk through and, just as he closed it again, a young woman approached them through the living room.

“Cass,” Kyle said, grabbing her in his arms. “Merry Christmas.”

“You too.”

Melody tried to assess the younger woman’s age and guessed she was in her early twenties, not much younger than she and Kyle—and she knew from her name that she was Kyle’s sister. He confirmed it when he introduced her to Melody and then he said, “Cassie, this is…Scarlett, my girlfriend.”

“Nice to meet you. Please call meMelody.”

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