Chapter Three

The teddy bear on the other hand never left her side wherever she went the bear went with her she refused to be parted from it to the point that if anyone tried to take it from her she screamed the place down. Everything was written down in her diary so the 'experts' knew what they were dealing with and Melody began to blossom, when she realised no one was going to take her from this kind, caring couple and she could eat and sleep to her heart content 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 needed to be in an environment with other children and see what it was like to be a child.       For Melody it was an eye-opener, she loved school from the first day, 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 she loved brushing her golden blonde hair and braiding it.                                                                                           She became the darlings of the couple's '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 the dainty child 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 mother faded to the back of her mind. Mary, her Social Worker, visited her often. She had taken on the little girl as one of her clients and watched her grow and thrive under her new living conditions. Unfortunately, at the back of her mind, was always the worry about what would happen to her little charge 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, indulged her at every opportunity and she would run to them for hugs and kisses when they came to visit. The adoption was a formality, she was their child and they did not need a piece of paper to prove it 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 putting a stent in to clear the blockage in his heart, he was frail but they sent him home telling him to take things easy. He did as he was told until Anna was involved in a minor car accident a few weeks later, forgetting 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 to her 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. 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 pretty girl.'                                                                                               She went willingly into the elderly woman's arms hugging her tightly 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 as 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.                                                                                                                           It was Mary's Nurse who noticed what had happened when she came to take her hourly observations, she had discreetly checked what she already knew and called in a Doctor to confirm it. Mary had been sedated because the shock had almost killed her and her eldest son had come to collect Melody.                                                                         The next few weeks flashed by full of pain and tears, Melody had never felt anything like this heartache. Anna was so wrapped up in her guilt and grief she forgot to care for the little girl and her brothers had to take 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 terrible shock to the young girl as she had never been to one before and the tears and sobbing made her want to cling to her 'mother' for reassurance but Anna could barely get through each day and she had nothing left inside her to give the helpless little girl. It all became a blur as the days went by in a blur of tears and Anna deteriorated it soon became she could not look after herself let alone a small child. The brothers were left with no choice when they found Melody in her pyjamas desperately trying to clean Anna up after she had fallen out of bed. Their Mother was in a terrible state, confused and afraid and it was no surprise when the Doctor had diagnosed Dementia and advised that she needed specialist care and that they must put her into a Nursing Home. Within a week, Melody's life changed again, she was moved from the comfortable home she had lived in for five years into the box room at her oldest brother's house.