Future and Fatigue

Melody’s POV

“Hello?”

“Melody, baby, it’s me.” Teddy sounded worn out on the phone, Jude having handed me the device as she took Lucy from me for a moment. “I’m on my way home, alright?”

I didn’t really have the strength nor heart to talk to him right now, my energy lacking these past couple months. With worry about another attack, lack of sleep from the baby as Teddy worked, and just a deep sense of loss I couldn’t get out of; I was functioning just enough to hold my head above the water it seemed. “Hmmm.” I hummed in approval to him, the only thing I could really muster.

“I love you.” He whispered, the worry in his voice making me swallow a little and muster up enough strength to reply.

“You too, Teddy.”

“I’ll be home soon, alright?” I didn’t wait for him to finish, closing the phone and handing it back to Jude. I scooped Lucy out of her arms and wandered back to the bed, curling around my sleeping baby and just letting my eyes drift over her face.

“Melody… you said you were getting up today.” Jude chided as she pointed to the clothes she had put out for me, the soft looking slacks and short not nearly as tempting as the pajamas I was in right now.

“I-I’m fine.” I mumbled, laying my head down and closing my eyes as I listened to my babies soft snores.

Knock, knock… the hollow sound on the door ushered in Heather, her bright red hair standing out like fire in the midday sun behind her. “Oh… She’s still in bed.” I could hear her talking to Jude, but I closed my eyes again and huffed a little. Pretty soon, I felt a dip in the bed as someone sat next to me. “Melody,” Heather laid a hand on my hip, squeezing it just a little. “I need your help.”

I huffed a little at that, knowing that whatever it was she was more than capable of doing it on her own. Nobody needed me; I was useless now. “Mmmm.” I hummed at her as I pulled the blankets more tightly around me and my baby, wanting them to just leave me alone.

“It’s a cake… No matter what I do, I just can’t get the color right on it. And I’m worried the customers won’t want to come back when they discover that you haven’t been the one making them… So I was wondering, that is hoping really, that you can just come down to the kitchen and just look at it for a minute.”

She begged me for what felt like an hour, making my head spin as she talked in circles. Finally, I relented; if only to get her to leave me alone. I pushed her away and sat up, slinking to the edge of the bed as Jude picked up Lucy and followed us. “Come on, you’ll see.” Heather grabbed my hand a lead me through the mansion, down the back steps and halls to the kitchen. When she pulled me through the door, I stopped in my tracks, my eyes going wide at the mess.

“What happened?” My voice was barely above a whisper, taking in the disaster in front of me.

“The oven went out at the bakery, so we’ve been having to bake things here and cart them over. No one knows where the warranty is on it, nor where to get the best deal on a new one. For whatever reason, we also can’t get our Italian meringue to stop curdling or the buttercream from melting.”

“And this?” I pointed to the cake in the center of the disaster; the monstrosity dripping icing and crumbs everywhere.

“It’s supposed to be a unicorn head cake… the sponge won’t hold together.” Heather sunk down on a chair next to me, her eyes pleading with mine. “I need you, Melody. This bakery was founded on all your hard effort, and it’s like it can tell its boss isn’t here to whip it into shape. I mean look at this!” She indicated a bowl of icing with a set of rose nails next to it. The icing was drooping everywhere, one single rose melting before my very eyes. “That was regular buttercream! Regular!”

My Goddess… they really want me back… I snorted then, loudly. The noise made Heather and Jude jump a little as I tried to hold back laughter. Heather shot Jude a look as they both shrugged at each other in bewilderment. They went through all of this trouble, just for me?

I could see order in the chaos; the flour, sugar, and batter splattered in a way to make it look atrocious, but leave the actual items and baked goods untouched. The icings were curdled perfectly so, the only thing missing was a good whip on the machine. The icing on the cake, so to speak, was the telltale sign of the handprints of small children here and there. As if to confirm it, I head small giggles from the pantry, the door pulled just enough to allow a small crack for someone or multiple little people to peek out.

It was as if something clicked in me then, the funk that I had been in lifting ever so slightly. If they want to play games, then we’ll play games. “Heather..” she stood up then when I spoke, straightening out her apron and casting a look to the pantry.

“Yes?” She asked hopeful.

“Tell the girls to come out of hiding and help clean up this mess they made. Then we’re gonna spend the day fixing this cake.” I didn’t have to wait long to wait as the pantry door was pushed open, all four or Jude and Axel’s girls falling out on top of each other as they giggled in tandem.

I had all five of them work hard to clean up my space, whipping icings and fixing batters as they scrubbed and mopped around me. Soon, we were fixing the large cake together and putting the finishing touches on it. Jude came back every now and then when Lucy was hungry, allowing me to work but also making sure I took breaks myself as well.

“Melody, it’s time to get ready. Teddy’s almost here and the reporters are starting to show up outside.” Alvin poked his head into the kitchen, smiling when he saw me putting the last rose in place on the cake.

“Alright.. we’ll be out soon.” I stepped back from the cake, turning to my friends and my little nieces and smiling. “Thank you.” I whispered out, kissing each of the girls foreheads and hugging Heather and Jude closely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I should be thanking you.” Heather grinned lopsided, the girls giggling again next to them.

“Who’s the cake for anyway?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Us! It’s our birthday!” Grace beamed, all the girls still gushing over the large rainbow unicorn head on the counter. “Daddy and mommy said we could pick out what we wanted for our birthday, so they’re getting married!!”

“Oh.” A lot of things had been happening then without me taking notice, it seemed. “It’s January first already?” I looked out the window then to the back deck, seeing snow piled everywhere. Time slipped by me… I felt guilty then, my days slipping away without me even realizing it. I have a lot to make up for…

“It is. But don’t worry, Teddy’s been hard at work with everyone. So it’s your job to rest some more and recover. The only thing you need to do today is the interviews. We’ll be there right along with you too.” Jude squeezed my shoulder as Heather began to usher me out of the kitchen, both of my friends helping me get ready for this evening.