Melody (Logan 1)

"Leave them to the ocean. She has a way of

cleaning up the messes left on her beaches," he said.

He held my right arm as we continued walking. "I must look like a mess," I said. "My stomach

feels as if I swallowed a beehive."

"We'll get you home and to bed, but you'll

probably feel crummy in the morning."

"Your mother will be very upset with me, and if

your father sees me--"

"He won't," Cary promised.

"It's too soon. Your mother will wonder why

I'm back from studying already."

"We'll smuggle you in," he promised.

I walked with my eyes shut, my head against

his shoulder, feeling heavy with the burden of shame I

carried. He held me as if I were made of spun glass

and any second I'd break. When I stumbled, he held

me even tighter and more firmly. It seemed to take

forever to go back over the hill, and then when we

started to descend the second one, he abruptly

stopped. "Wait."

I opened my eyes.

"What?"

He squinted at the darkness.

"My father," he whispered. "He's coming back

from the dock."

"Great. Now all I'll hear is how this proves I'm

my mother's daughter. He'll have me reading the Bible

all night."

"Shh! Just don't move for a moment." Cary was

quiet a long moment. "All right, he's just about to the