My Heart's Melodie

”Thanks, Mrs. Jonas,” a nine year old Melodie said.

“No problem, sweetie,” Denise Jonas replied with a smile as she placed a bowl in front of the young girl. The mother walked out of the room to call in Nick from where he was playing outside.

Melodie had spent the week at the Jonas house while her parents were on their tenth anniversary trip.

You can say this is when Melodie started thinking about Joe. If you get what I mean.

“So Melodie,” Joe started as she took a bite of her brownie. “Can you come to my party at Disneyland?”

“I told you already, I have a competition in….New York I think, that day.”

Joe frowned. “Oh.”

Melodie continued to eat her brownie as an awkward silence cut in.

“Is there any way you can get out of the competition? I really, really, REALLY want you to be there!” Joe pouted his best cute puppy pout.

“I wish I could, but I can’t! Unless I just happened to miss today’s last, mandatory rehearsal.” Joe’s pout got even bigger. “But I’m not. You know how much time I’ve spent getting the lead part in the team, and I really want to be there! Dance is my life, you know that, Joe!”

Melodie had always been a bit on the mature side. And today, in the circumstance, it just happened to kick in.

“Fine,” Joe grumbled, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Melodie laughed at her best friend’s stubborness. She knew it was going to be a rough two days, hearing nonstop how she was going to miss his eleventh birthday. He said it was going to be the most important birthday, because two ones on the dice means snake eyes, which is apparently very important.

But Melodie’s laughter soon faltered. Something felt like it was choking her, and her throat was swelling. She soon found her self almost gagging, hardly able to breathe.

“Melodie….?” Joe got out of his seat and came over to her, trying to figure out what was wrong. When he first saw her, he thought she was joking so he wouldn’t be mad at her. But the longer he looked at her, the more real it became.

“MOM!” Joe practically screamed.

Melodie found her self almost unconcious, due to the lack of air.

“What?” Mrs. Jonas asked in an aggrivated tone, thinking Joe had done something really stupid. When her eyes landed on Melodie, however, all annoyance was gone. It was replaced with worry, concern, and fear. “What happened?”

“I don’t know! One second she was laughing at me, the next she was choking!”

Mrs. Jonas ran to Melodie’s side, just as Melodie passed out.

“We need to get her to the hospital, fast.”

That day had been the day Melodie almost died. Joe had literally saved her life. She could never forget that. In fact, that was one of the main reasons she forgave him so easily.

So now, all four brothers (yes, Frankie came), Mr. and Mrs. Jonas, and Melodie’s parents were waiting inside the hospital for some news.

After what seemed like a million years, which was actually just 45 minutes in reality, a doctor walked out of Melodie’s room. Everyone glanced up at the doctor with long faces, filled with dread.

“I would like to talk to family first, if you don’t mind,” the doctor said with uncertainty.

“We’re all like family,” Mr. Thomason answered. He knew his daughter was like the daughter they never had to Denise and Paul Jonas.

“Alright then,” the doctor sighed.

He quickly explained Melodie’s problem. Joe wasn’t really paying attention, just drifting to his thoughts. He was dreading the thought that he may have not gotten Melodie to the hospital soon enough. How she could die. It would be all his fault.

If only I had remembered to remind her of her allergy. I could had prevented all of this.

“Mr. and Mrs. Thomason, you can thank this boy over here for reacting so fast. He wasn’t a minute too late.” The doctor acknowledged Joe, who’s head snapped up immediately.

Melodie’s mother got up from her seat, her eyes all red and watery, and gave Joe a large and grateful hug.

“You saved her life. Thank you.”

Joe was so confused.

**--**--**

I opened my eyes slowly, letting my eyes adjust to the dimly lit room. Just as I was about to take in my settings, I heard a large snore to my right.

And there was Joe, sleeping in a chair.

I felt so bad, with him sleeping there. I felt as if this was my fault, that I should have thought of my nut allerigies before I got anything. I should have known better.

But I guess in all of my excitement, I forgot.

I ended up watching Joe sleep for another two hours before I fell asleep again. He just looked so peaceful sleeping, it put me to sleep. As cliché as that sounds, it was true. Almost like singing to a baby.

When I woke again, light was trailing through my window, and was falling across Joe’s face. He looked lost in his thoughts, not even realizing I had woken up.

“Joe….?”

He didn’t respond.

“Joe.” I sat up, reached over, and shook his shoulder ever so slightly. The longer I looked at him, the more I saw the bags under his gorgeous hazel eyes, his pale complexion, his eyes glazed over. Why was he like this?

Suddenly he grabbed my hand. His hands were so cold, they could probably have left white frost on my wrist.

His head shot towards the direction of mine. His eyes were scaring me.

“Melodie,” he murmered.

Suddenly, out of no where, he dropped dead. But just before his last breath, I heard him murmer something.

“I love you.”

I screamed.