Chapter Three

Children as traumatised as Melody needed structure and rules to follow as they tried to make sense of their new world. It took the couple a month to break down some of the walls the little girl had erected, slowly she told them about the abuse she had suffered. The doll Simon had bought her remained untouched on a chair in her room while the teddy bear on the other hand, never left her side wherever they went the bear went. She refused to be parted from it, to the point if anyone tried to take it from her she became hysterical and screamed the place down.                                                                                              Everything was written down in her 'diary' so the experts knew what they were dealing with and slowly Melody began to blossom when she realised no one was going to take her from this kind, caring couple. She could eat and sleep to her heart's content as the fear left her and she put on the weight she needed and even grew a couple of inches. They decided to attempt sending her to school, she had never been before and needed to be in an environment with other children and learn what it was like to be a child. For Melody it was an eye-opener, she loved school from the first day, and it was a paradise to her traumatised brain. She could play, read, learn and more importantly make friends.                                                      Anna and Henry fell in love with the gentle, charming, beautiful little girl, once they broke through her fears she was a very loving child always climbing on their knees for a cuddle or to fall asleep. Anna delighted in dressing her in the prettiest dresses with lacy white socks and patent leather Mary-Jane shoes and loved to brush her golden blonde hair and braid it. She became the darling of their Elder Pursuits circle, going with them to their bowls club, bridge club and the ballroom dancing lessons they enjoyed. She was doted on by their friends, who pampered and petted her, buying whatever she wanted although she never asked for anything. Whenever they saw her they had ribbons, pretty socks and tights, even clothes that they had spotted and bought because she would look so cute in the outfits. They always had chocolates and sweets for her, calling her their 'little doll' because she was always well-behaved and polite. Melody adored the elderly couple and the next two years were the happiest of her young life. She had everything she ever wanted, and the memories of her junkie mother faded to the back of her mind.                                       Mary visited her often, she had taken on the little girl as her client and watched her grow and thrive under her new living conditions but at the back of her mind was the worry of what would happen when the elderly couple retired. They were well into their sixties but had fallen in love with the little girl and started proceedings to adopt her, Melody was delighted with this change in her circumstances and while she waited for it to be formalised she began using their name. Melody Grantham made her part of a real family, she had two older brothers, both married with children older than her. They adored their baby step-sister and like their parents, they indulged her at every opportunity and she would run to them for hugs and kisses. The adoption was a formality, she was their child and they did not need a piece of paper to prove it, all that would do was legalise it. That was until her worst nightmare was realised, Henry suffered a heart attack two weeks before his seventieth birthday, he was rushed to hospital and they managed to save his life by putting in a stent to clear a blockage. He was very frail but they sent him home telling him to take things easy. He did as he was told until a few days later when Anna was involved in a minor car accident and he forgot all the advice he had been given. He strapped Melody into her car seat and raced to the hospital to be by her side. Anna was not seriously hurt, when they got to her bedside she sat up laughing and chatting with the Nurses who seeing the anxiety and worry in Henry's eyes quickly melted away to carry on their duties. The elderly couple embraced and Henry whispered,                                                       'I was so worried about you, honestly, you are such a stubborn woman, don't you know I love you? Don't you know you are my life?'                                                                                                                          Anna grabbed his hands and pulled him toward her,                                                                                    'I'm fine you silly old fool, stop fussing.'                                                                                                          He kissed her tenderly and sat down in the nearby chair grinning at his wife, they chatted for a while and then she turned her attention to Melody. By now she was almost ten but still a dainty, pretty little doll, her golden eyes held a high intelligence, she understood now why education was so important and had already taken some exams meant for older children.                                                                                               'Come here my pretty girl.'                                                                                                                            Melody went willingly into her arms hugging her tightly, she loved this couple dearly and then sat on the edge of the bed chatting animatedly to her 'Mother'. Neither of them noticed Henry's grimace of pain or the way his face turned grey while he gasped for breath. Anna was tickling the little girl and they were so engrossed and noisy that they did not notice his eyes gazing at them intensely, burning with such love as the light went out of them forever.                                                                                                                The next few weeks flashed by full of pain and tears, Melody had never felt anything like this ache.in her young heart, Anna was so wrapped up in her guilt and grief she forgot to care for the little girl so her brothers took over. They made sure she got everything she needed, they cuddled her and pampered her helping their baby sister come to terms with another loss in her young life. The funeral was a shock to Melody as she had never been to one before all the tears and sobbing made her want to cling to her mother.