Forever and Always (8 page)

He listened to every word she had to say, all the time his arms around her, gently rubbing her back. She felt so safe and secure with him. When she had finished her story they sat there on the beach, Melanie wrapped in Sam’s arms, in comfortable silence for what seemed like forever.

Finally it was Melanie who broke the silence.

“I should really be getting back to the house” Melanie said reluctantly pulling out of his embrace. “Maggie will have my breakfast ready and she will be wondering where I have gotten too”.

“OK” he said quickly standing up and help Melanie up on her feet.

“You don’t fancy some breakfast do you?” Melanie asked as they walk back towards the house.

“I would love some” he said with a bright smile looking somehow younger than he had before.  Melanie couldn’t help but return his smile.

When they got back to the house Maggie was cooking up a storm. She smiled when she saw Sam walking into the house with Melanie.

Maggie put two breakfasts down in front of Sam and Melanie. Melanie poured Sam some Orange juice and then a cup of coffee for Sam and Maggie and a glass of milk for herself. Sam looked at her inquiringly. “I don’t like tea or coffee” she explained and he smiled.

“Have a good swim?” Maggie asked as she sat down with them at the table.

“Yeah it was great” Melanie replied unable to hide her big smile. She glanced at Sam who was grinning back at her. Maggie couldn’t help but to smile too.

“Oh I almost forgot” Maggie said suddenly. “Your Dad called last night. He wants you to call him back”.

Melanie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She quickly glanced at Sam sideways and he seemed to be frozen to the spot, his fork stopped halfway between his plate and his mouth.

“Ok” was all Melanie said before returning to her
food.
She just shoved it around her plate her appetite suddenly gone. An awkward silence fell over the three of them.

Sam reached over and softly squeezed Melanie hand. Melanie looked up at him and smiled warmly at him.

Twenty minutes later Sam was leaving to go home and get changed. He and Melanie were going to go off exploring again today. She walked him out to the front porch.

“Thanks for breakfast” he said pulling her into his arms.

“Thanks for being you” she replied and kissed him softly on the lips. He returned her kiss but when they parted there was a strange look on his face.

“What’s wrong” Melanie asked worried by the serious look.

“Nothing...it’s...it’s nothing” he replied and shook his head.

“No it’s not
nothing
” Melanie replied her heart racing a little faster in her chest. She didn’t know what he was going to say.

“I just think that maybe you should ring your Dad” Sam said nervously, gazing into her eyes unsure if he was speaking out of turn. “I know it’s none of my business but sometimes you seem so sad. And I don’t like to think of you being upset about anything. I know your Dad hurt you Melanie. And I completely understand why. But I think you love your Dad and I am pretty sure he probably loves you too, how could he not. But not talking to him is just hurting you more”.

“Sam” she replied suddenly unable to look at him. “I love my Dad more than anything in the world but I just don’t know what to say to him”.

“Maybe you should just tell him, tell him that you love him” he said softly and smiled. “Everyone likes to be told they are loved”.

“I’ll think about it” she replied and kissed him softly. “I promise”.

Melanie went to get ready for her date with Sam. She showered quickly. She put on pretty cream three quarter length trousers and a pretty floral halter neck top. She slipped into her powder pink dolly shoes.

She quickly ran a comb through her hair, splitting it into a side part and sweeping it across her forehead and securing it with a clip. She gathered the rest of her hair and wound it tightly in a bun on the back of her head. She put on some lip gloss. She didn’t really like make up and with her tan she didn’t really need anything more than the lip gloss.

She looked at her reflection in the full length mirror that was on the back of her closet door. She was happy with her appearance. Then she spotted her mobile on her night stand over her shoulder in the mirror.

She sighed deeply and walked over to pick it up and sank onto her bed. She opened her Father’s text again and hit reply. She sat for a few moments staring at the phone wondering what she should say. Final her finger began to move and she began to type.

“I am fine, please don’t worry, I just need time... M x”

Quickly before she could change her mind she pressed send. It was still early back in Ireland so she didn’t expect a reply straight away but moments later her phone beeped with a reply.

“I can give you time sweetheart. I love you...Dad x
”

Instantly Melanie felt relief wash over her. Ok maybe they still weren’t talking properly but it was a start. He would give her the time and space she needed and she wasn’t ignoring him any longer.

“Mel” Maggie tapped on the door softly. “Can I come in?”

“Sure” she replied and smiled brightly at Maggie as she walked into her bedroom.

“How are you doing Sweetie” Maggie asked as she sat down on the bed next to Melanie.

“I’m good” Melanie replied honestly.
“I just texted my Dad”.

“Oh that’s good right” Maggie replied a little surprised. She smiled at Melanie.

“Yeah” Melanie said and looked down at the phone. “I guess it’s a start, Sam said I should and that I would probably feel better if I did. And I do”.

“Sam sounds like a smart guy” Maggie answered suddenly looking uncomfortable. Melanie knew she wouldn’t like what Maggie was going to say next. “But I am a little worried about you. I am worried you are falling for this guy big time”.

“We are just having a little fun” Melanie replied but she knew in her heart it already meant so much more to her than a little fun. She was losing her heart to him hard and fast.

“It’s just that I don’t want you to get hurt anymore then you already are” Maggie replied looking at Melanie with concern written all over her face. “I mean Sam seems like a really nice guy and I am sure he would never hurt you intentionally. But what will happen at the end of the summer, when it’s time to go home. How are you going to be able to say goodbye to him?”

And right in that moment Melanie knew Maggie was right. What she and Sam had was special. She really liked him already and she knew she could easily fall in love with him. But how could they have a future. No matter what happened between them, it was going to end up the same way. She would have to go home and leave him behind.

“Don’t worry Maggie” Melanie forced a smile. “I’m a big girl. I know this is just a summer thing, we are just having fun”.

“Good” Maggie said with a smile. “I have to go down into town to pick up some things. Anything I can get for you?”

“No I am good thanks” Melanie said smiling brightly at Maggie.  Maggie walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Melanie slumped back on the bed. What the hell had she been thinking? She was just going to end up hurt again and this time will probably be worse. How could she have been so stupid? She needed to stop things before they had gone too far.

“Who are you kidding” she thought to herself. “It has already gone too far”.

There was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in” Melanie called expecting to see Maggie once again but instead Sam popped his head around the door.

“Sam” she said quickly sitting up on her bed.

“Hey” he said walking into the room. “Maggie was on her way out the door and saw me sitting on the step, she told me to come on in”.

Melanie didn’t reply she just watched him as he walked over and sat next to her on the bed.

“Hey are you ok?” he asked softly confused by the expression on her face. He takes her hand. “What happened?”

“You did” she whispered her eyes locking with his. “You are making me fall for you and I know I am going to be hurt in the end”.

“Melanie I would never hurt you” he replied honestly, his eyes not leaving hers. “I am scared too. I barely know you yet you are all I can think about. I have never felt this way about anyone else before. And it terrifies me that I could fall in love with you so easily”.

“Sam, you can’t love me” Melanie whispers her heart now racing. “You can’t say something like that because it’s isn’t fair. You can’t love me because you don’t even know me”.

“I know you have a good heart” he replied. “I know you are all I have been able to think about since I saw you that first morning out there swimming. It took every ounce off my strength not to run out and wrap you in my arms the first time I saw you sitting out there in the sand. You looked so sad and lost, it broke my heart. I tried to stay away from you because I knew if I talk to you I would lose my heart forever”.

“Sam, please don’t” Melanie closed her eyes and begged him. She couldn’t hear these words. He would only make her fall deeper for him than she already had. 

Sam leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips and sparks shot out from her lips to every corner of her body. She returned his kiss, pulling him closer to her as he deepened his kiss.

He slowly slid his hands from her lap up her body, one hand sliding around her back and the other gently holding her face. Melanie slid her hand up into his hair and returned his kiss harder.

“No Melanie Stop” he whispered his lips still pressed against hers. Melanie pulled back abruptly, the sting of rejection piercing through her. She quickly got up off the bed and moved away from him. She needed some distance between her and him right now. She was mortified. She couldn’t even look at him.

“No listen” he said quickly up on his feet and moved next to her. He lifted her chin up so she was looking in his eyes. Reluctantly she let her eyes meet his. “I want you more than I have ever wanted anything. I want to kiss every part of your body and touch you in way you have never been touched”.

Melanie just stared at him confused. If he wanted her so badly why did he push her away?

“But Melanie this will be your first time” he added softly. “And it will be our first time. I don’t want it to be rushed. I want it to be special. I want to do this right”.

Wow. Melanie didn’t know what to say. She just stared at him for what seemed like forever.  Finally she smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Ok” was all she could think of to say.

“So do you still feel like going exploring today?” Sam asked as he softly kissed her forehead.

“Yes please” Melanie said with a big smile. She knew right then in that moment she had fallen completely and utterly in love with Sam. She knew it was beyond insane, she barely knew him. But what she felt inside her was too strong to be anything but love. What she had thought was love with Mike was nothing more than childish infatuation. This was something else, something deeper. She knew she should be running for the hills because her heart was going to be broken one way or another but she couldn’t. And if all they were to have was three months then she would take them and make every minute she had with him count.

As the time passed Melanie and Sam became more and more inseparable, meeting every morning for swimming and then having breakfast with Maggie. After that they would go off for the day visiting all the little towns and villages along the Cape. They would have dinner with Maggie every night and then spend some time alone.

Melanie spoke to her Mom regularly but she still hadn’t talked to her Dad. She had tried to call a couple of times but each time she just chickened out. Her Dad hadn’t tried to call her either. He had promised to give her space and that’s just what he did. He did however text her every day. Telling her over and over again how much he loved her and how sorry he was. Melanie replied a couple of times; all she ever really said was she was ok and he shouldn’t worry. But the distance between them was growing wider and wider.

She told her Mom all about Sam, though she figured she already knew because she thought she would have freaked out when she told her and she didn’t. Maggie must have filled her in. But Melanie wasn’t too worried because she knew Maggie liked Sam and she would have certainly put in a good word for him.

Sarah seemed genuinely please her daughter seemed happier but there was a part of her worried that Melanie was going to get hurt in the end when the time came to come home and leave Sam behind. Melanie reassured Sarah that she knew what she was doing and that she was aware she was going to have to eventually have to say goodbye to Sam. And she had completely accepted that she and Sam could never last. But she told her she was having fun.

Melanie sounded so convincing she almost made herself believe what she was saying but deep inside she knew it was going to break her heart to leave Sam behind. She knew no matter how things worked out with Sam she would never feel about anyone else the way she felt about him. He would be the guy she would measure all the rest against. And if she was completely honest she wondered if there could ever be anyone else.

Melanie woke up one morning, about four weeks after she had arrived at the beach house. She reached over to switch off the alarm on her phone but she realised that it wasn’t actually buzzing. It wasn’t her phone that had woken her up. It was Maggie talking on the phone. Her voice was tense. Something was wrong.