Back Into Your Arms

10 Years Ago
The Morning of the Accident

“I’m glad you were able to come talk with us John” Melody’s mother said to me as she sat down.

“Not a problem Mrs. Riley, what did you need to talk to me about” I said to her, her husband was sitting next to her but he was silent. I was beginning to get worried, why would they want to talk to me?

“Well John, you see, your senior year is coming to an end soon right?”

“Right”

“I don’t know if you are aware but our Melody got accepted to Columbia University in New York”

“I am aware”

“Well, you see, we really want the best for our daughter and we would love for her to go there”

“Yeah”

“But you see our daughter Melody is very much in love with you or so she says”

“Susan just cut to the point” her husband Roger said to her. She looked over at him and gave him a look.

“Melody told us last night that she is planning on rejecting Columbia and going with you to ASU instead”

This was news to me.

“I-I didn’t know she had made such decision; she hasn’t talked to me about it”

“Yeah, she is planning on giving up her dream, just to be closer to you. It’s quite absurd really. We wanted to ask you for a favor” Mrs. Riley said in a stern tone.

“What is it?”

She looked at her husband.

“Please break up with our daughter” Mr. Riley said to me.
I looked at them both. Their eyes cold, they were very serious about what they were asking me.

“With all due respect, I can’t do that”

“Excuse me?” her mother exclaimed.

“I’m very much in love with your daughter, I can’t do that”

“Okay, okay, you kids don’t even know what love what is” her father interjected.

“John, you can’t expect us as her parents to accept her going to ASU just to be with you, you both are kids. Let’s say we let her go, you guys continue to date for a couple of months, you then meet a pretty girl in class and break things off with Melody. Melody ends up being the one that loses, she will lose her dream just for a silly high school love! Do you understand us John?”

“Your daughter and I aren’t going to just date for a couple of months more” I said to them, feeling very offended and insulted.

“And what exactly do you mean by that John?” her father said to me.

“I love your daughter, and I believe that we could have a future together. I plan on marrying your daughter” I said firmly.

I had no clue where the courage had come from.
They both looked at me with eyes wide open.

“That’s not possible” was all her mother was able to say. She looked upset.

“Excuse me?”

“John, you can’t expect us to bless that. You’re just a boy, you don’t even know what you’re going to study in school and want to pursue a music career. We would never allow our daughter to marry someone like that”

“That’s really hurtful Mrs. Riley”

“We should have never allowed your little childish relationship.” She said to me as she stood up, her husband with her.

“Mrs. Riley”

“We forbid you from seeing our daughter from now on”

“Please” I begged them but they walked out.

I quickly got on my feet and ran for my truck.
I called Melody.

“John O’Callaghan, my love”

“Mel, where are you?”

“I’m at home, where are you?”

“Leave your house quickly”

“Where do I go?”

“Meet me at the corner of your street, okay?”

“Alright”

We hung up and I drove faster than I’ve ever driven, taking the shortcuts I knew and sure enough she was waiting there for me. Her parents hadn’t arrived home yet.

“What’s wrong John?”

“Get in”

She got into the car and put on her seatbelt.
I drove home and parked the car in the driveway.

“Your parents”

“My parents?”

“They asked me to break up with you”

“They what?” she gasped.

“I told them I would never do such thing”

“What did they say?”

“They said I’m just going to end up breaking up with you sooner or later and that it’s not worth you rejecting Colombia and tossing away your dreams”

She looked at me very seriously.

“They told you about Columbia” she sighed in disbelief.

“They did, they thought I made you do it”

“Oh John, I’m so sorry. What did you tell them then?”

“I told them… I want to marry you”

“You want to; you want to marry me?” she said surprised but happy.

“I do”

“John” she said in awe. She sighed heavily. She turned fully towards me on her seat.

“My parents don’t get it John, I’m not tossing away my dreams, my dream is to be with you, to open up my cooking school and to tour with you all over the world when you become famous. That’s all I want”

“That would be perfect Mel, but what are we going to do? Your parents told me they are forbidding me from seeing you anymore”

“I’m almost 18 years old John, I’m still a kid but I can begin to make my own decisions…they need to respect that. I’ll talk to them about it John, don’t worry”

But I was worrying. Her parents were merciless.

“They’re probably going to take away your phone; how will you communicate with me?”

“That is going to be hard” she sighed.

“I’ll talk to them John; they have to understand”

“If they don’t?”

“We will talk through Julie, she will probably be allowed to talk to me, if she comes by, you can write a letter and she can give it to me and vice versa, but c’mon John that’s worst case scenario”

“Melody, your parents don’t mess around. They are lawyers”

“My-my brother he can-”

“Your brother hates my guts even more Mel”

“I’ll convince him to be on my side, my parents respect what he says more than what I say”

I felt very uneasy.

“Take me home John, I’ll talk to them”

“Melody”

“John, please”

“Okay”

“I love you” she said and gave me a weak smile.

“I love you too” I leaned in and kissed her.

“Don’t worry John, they just don’t understand all of my plans but once they do, they will warm up to the idea, okay?” she said caressing my face. I nodded.

I took her home. She got out and waved bye to me. As she was about to open the door to her house, she blew me a kiss.
I didn’t know it then, but that would be the last time I would see her. The last time she would remember me.