Beyond Grace [ON INDEFINITE HOLD]

Beyond Grace: 3

When Cash woke up, the first thing he noticed was the blinding morning sun. The buttons on his bed. The lacy bra and thong slung on his chair. His ruined shirt lay next to stilettos and a woman's purse. Well, fuck.

Head pounding, Cash scoured his memory for a glimpse of last night's events. He could remember being caught by Keira's opportunistic blonde friend, Kirsty — no, Krissy. Then he went dancing with... someone else, he decided. She was provocative; other than that, nada recollection.

Cash groaned as he rolled out of the bed, landing on the floor with a thud. Shaking his head with the vain belief it might help his hangover, Cash stumbled over to the lady's purse. Makeup, women's... things, mobile phone, a mirror, panadol, and bingo; a wallet. He flicked the wallet open, shuffling through the cards until he found her driver’s license.

'Mariah Santiago'

Incredibly hot, he noticed, squinting at the diminutive picture next to her details. She was only 2 years younger than him, too. Cash sighed, giving her picture a once over, before shoving it back into her wallet and rearranging it in the purse to look like it hadn't been touched.

A pang of guilt suddenly consumed him. It wasn't like he was cheating on Melody; yet in every other way, it was. 

“Cash, we need to talk,” Melody sat rigidly on the bed, motioning for him to join her.

He sat next to her, winding an arm around her waist. She pulled away, a tear percolating down her cheek. With his thumb, he wiped away the tear, looking deep into her virulent blue eyes, rendered lacklustre by her despair.

“If I died, would you see other people?” Melody demand, raw emotion undercutting her voice.

“What—” Cash choked.

“Please; I-I need to know.”

Her body shuddered as sobs ripped through her chest. Ignoring her protest, he pulled her close. Slowly, he rubbed circles onto her back, soothing her.

“I have cancer,” she sniffed, wiping a tear from her eyes, “Cervical — t-two and a half years max with treatment; maybe a year without.”

The world was decimated by those words as they shot through Cash's chest. Drawing in long, shaky breaths, Cash struggled to keep his tone even.

He shook his head, the words barely registering, “You'll get treatment. The doctors; they always get it wrong. You-you'll be ok. I know you will.”

She shook her head in pain, the tears streaking down her cheeks, “That was the most optimistic prediction,” the words seemed to be lodged in her throat, asphyxiating her, “I'm pregnant, Cash. And I'm keeping it. The medication; i-it will kill the baby.”

Reality was rendered useless against his words. Melody wanted children; she longed to hold a babe in her arms and claim it as her own. Excruciatingly, Cash knew she would cling to the small life force to her last breath.

Melody's tears were wet and sticky on his shoulder as he engulfed her in a hug. Savouring the scent of her orange vanilla perfume, Cash pressed her close to his body. Each of her arduous sobs echoed through his body, shattering another fractured piece of his heart each time.

“Just-just promise me you'll move on,” her voice broke down to a whisper

“No — I will no-,” he objected, his voice rising.

“Promise me, Cashel Davies. Before I die, I-I need to know,” she demanded

Tears spilled out of her reddened eyes. Her hand clenched tightly around his, fully aware of how in love he was with her; how far he would go for her.