33. Punishment

No one voluntarily seeks it

Everyone makes mistakes

Punishment is a privilege

- Grady

It was still dark when I woke up, Jacqueline had her arms around me as she spooned me, trying to give me comfort after listening to my story about Melody.

My Melody.

The one that I lost.

Meeting Melody's parents were quite a surprise, I haven't seen them since the week after her funeral when I dropped off her belongings that she left in the small apartment that we shared back in college. The last I heard was they bought a small property in the countryside and Roger moved his practice to support his wife. Too many memories in their old house they said.

"Grady?" Jacqueline's voice took me back to why I woke up in the first place.

"Yeah, I need to take a leak." I kissed her cheek, telling her to go back to sleep. But I didn't come back to her, instead, I went into the living room and browsed the liquor option of the chalet's private bar.

I was pouring myself a glass of cognac after finding a box of t