Song 12

Meloria hissed as Evelyn placed the cloth, damp with rubbing alcohol, onto her cheek. “However, a grown man, and one of that man’s calibre, thought it was okay to hit a young woman is beyond me,” Evelyn scoffed, moving her hand in small circular motions. She placed the cloth back down, hugging Meloria, nestling her head into her bosom. “My little Meloria, I knew since you were born things were going to be interesting, but I never quite expected this.”

“I’m sorry, Mama,” Meloria frowned, wrapping her arms around Evelyn’s waist.

“I don’t blame you, “Evelyn chuckled, her voice cracking to hide the tears. “I wanted you to go and make a good impression so you could have exciting opportunities that I can’t give you.”

Meloria pulled away, giving Evelyn a fiery stare. “Mama, you give me everything I need,” she exclaimed, making Evelyn blush. “I’m happy and healthy, I have pretty clothes, baby brothers, and a mama and a papa who love me. I don’t need opportunities from silly men like that when I have all that.”

“Meloria,” Evelyn mumbled under her breath, seeing the passion in her child’s eyes. She bit her lip, hiding Meloria’s face in her chest again, a hand on the back of Meloria’s head to keep her from looking up as she quietly sobbed. Seeing her child’s puffy cheek when she returned home broke her heart, making her feel like a failure as a mother, but when your child is pouring their heart out to you, is there any other emotion you can feel other than pride?

Once she had calmed down, Evelyn settled Meloria into bed, ensuring she was comfortable before leaving the bedroom. As she walked down the hallway, she peeked into the boys’ bedrooms, seeing their lights off and hearing their soft snores. “Did the little ones give you a handful while we were at the party?” Edward asked as he approached from behind, putting his hands on Evelyn’s shoulders.

“They were little angels,” Evelyn smiled, turning to look up at Edward. “For the most part.” Edward chuckled, placing a kiss on her forehead. “How about we head to bed?”

Edward hummed, nodding and wrapping an arm around Eveyln’s shoulders, guiding her to the bedroom. His mind started to fill with all sorts of naughty ideas of what Evelyn might have planned for him in his act of bravery for defending their children. His fingers drummed against her shoulder as they entered the bedroom. He closed the door behind him and quickly started to work on his pants. “Excuse me,” Evelyn smiled sweetly, getting his attention. Edward looked up, his excitement dropped, seeing Evelyn’s eye twitch. Evelyn pinched his cheek, hard enough to ensure there would still be a mark there in the morning. Edward’s hands dropped his pants, letting them puddle around his feet. Evelyn’s sweet smile curled down into a hideous snarl.

Mood gone, Edward thought to himself as he started to whine from the pain. “Ah aha,” he cried, his hands hovering beside Evelyn’s, wanting to fight back, but he knew if he touched her, his cheek wouldn’t be the only thing that would be pinched.

“You will cry,” Evelyn growled in a hushed tone, throwing Edward onto the bed. “My babies got hurt because of that asshole friend of yours.”

Edward whined, rubbing his cheek, his body trembling from whatever real punishment was planned for him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know any of that would happen,” he spoke clearly and quietly, too scared to cause a commotion in the house. “I’m still shocked I got an invitation.”

Evelyn’s face softened as she sat on the edge of the bed, letting her head drop onto Edward’s shoulder. Her hand snaked under his arm, her fingers gingerly playing with Edward’s opening hand and placing hers inside, their fingers intertwining.

Edward smiled, dropping his hand from his cheek, placing it on Evelyn’s thigh, and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Until tonight, it had been twenty years since he had last seen Thornewood, a man whom he considered his best friend.

Having both attended college, the pair quickly became friends, sharing a dream of shaping Rebyu into a country that future generations could be proud of. However, as he delved further into history and music, discovering the threads that intertwined the two, Edward became enthralled with the idea of using his teachings to revive music in Reybu to its former glory.

While Thornewood looked towards the future. The technologies that could advance and help shape the country further away from its dependence on magic. He saw the pleasure and fascination in engineering, wanting to use its potential far beyond human comprehension.

Neither was wrong in their thinking, yet neither were willing to explore the other’s world. Naturally, Thronewood and Edward drifted apart. Thornewood became involved in the country's largest engineering company, starting as an apprentice and advancing to company partner. While Edward chose to settle down with Evelyn on their farm and become a teacher, Edward was truly living the dream.

Only, he missed Thornewood. He missed his best friend.

Receiving the invitation to the annual Thornewood ball filled him with a happiness he had long forgotten about. The chance of reconciliation was within his grasp. Edward clenched his teeth as he remembered the moment that chance fell apart. “That man,” he growled, squeezing Evelyn tighter. “I will never let him near our children again. I promise you, Evelyn. I don’t make the same mistake twice.”

Evelyn nodded, her head buried into Edward’s chest, her ear pressed against where his heart would be. She frowned, feeling its beat harder the more he spoke about Thornewood. She took a deep breath before starting to hum a gentle tune, one that she had heard on the radio previously. As she continued to hum, she could feel Edward begin to relax under her touch, his body going limp and breathing becoming steady.

“I bet you have a beautiful singing voice,” Edward chuckled, his mouth curved up in a slight smile as he could imagine her and Meloria singing a duet, dressed in the finest gowns.

“Don’t start sprouting nonsense,” Evelyn chuckled, looking up at Edward’s playful face. She smiled lovingly, cupping his cheek. “We’ll get through all this. Together.”

Edward nodded, placing a hand on top of Eveyln’s, giving her palm a gentle kiss. “Together.”