"Melody's Bad Day"


The next morning, Melody woke up feeling really tired.  Her throat was
really sore, and her head was pounding.
Ariel had been up with her most of the night, and she too was sort of
tired.
"Ow!"  The young girl exclaimed, as she held her elbow and tried to ignore
the pain.  "Not again!"
"What happened, child?"  Sebastian asked, rolling over and realizing that
Melody was sort of mad.
"I hit my elbow on the side of the-"  Just then, Melody started coughing.
"Aw, dat doesn't sound too good."
Melody nodded as she headed for the bathroom to get a drink of water.
After she had gotten a drink, she went downstairs and dragged herself to the
kitchen.
To her surprise, her little cousin, Emily, was sitting at the kitchen table,
coloring.  She smiled when she saw her.
"Melody!  Melody!  Melody!"  The younger girl sang excitedly.
"Hey, Em,"  Melody replied, giving her a hug.  "How are you doing?"
"Fine!"
"Good morning, Dear!"  Carlotta said cheerfully when Melody walked into the
kitchen.
"Morning, Carlotta.  Do you know where Mommy is?"
"I think she is in the backyard with your Daddy planting some flowers."
"Thanks,"  Melody replied as she tried not to start coughing again.
When she reached the outside, she saw her mother and father sitting
together on a lounge chair.  Her mother was staring at some flowers, while
her father watered some plants with a hose.
"Melody's awake!  Melody's awake!"  Emily sang as she ran toward Ariel and
pointed to Melody, who was trying not to burst into tears out of how bad she
felt from the night before.
"I can see that,"  Ariel said cheerfully as she got up and went over to
where her daughter was standing.  "Are you feeling any better, sweetheart?" 
Ariel asked, as she gave Melody a hug and held her close for a minute.
Melody shook her head, and buried her face in her mother's nightgown.
"Does it feel worse than it did last night?  You can tell me the truth."
Melody nodded as a couple of tears ran down her face.
"Aw, shh.  It's okay, sweetie.  Mommy has you.  Shh.  Do you want a glass of
water?"
Melody shook her head as she clung to Ariel's shoulder, before Ariel picked
her up.
"I tried that.  But it didn't work!"  Melody whimpered in a whining tone. 
"And it's really hurting.  Really badly."
"Shh,"  Ariel said, as she began to stroke Melody's long jet-black hair. 
"It's okay."
Just then, Eric looked up from his gardening and finally noticed something
was up.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"Melody's throat is really bothering her.  She was up half the night
coughing and it hasn't gotten better."
"Well, I think it's time to try the old water and orange juice trick.  Or in
Melody's case, water and apple juice."
"I don't know......"  Ariel said with caution.  "That didn't really work for
me when I had a sore throat."
"Oh, come on,"  Eric said to his wife.  "The least we can do is try.  After
all, it can't hurt."





*  *  * *  *

A couple hours later, Melody was lying on the couch in Ariel's lap.  She
was half asleep, but still in tears.
"There,"  Ariel said as she tucked a blanket around her daughter.  "How's
that?  Better?"
Melody nodded.
"Okay, good.  Now, just close your eyes and try to go to sleep."
"I can't!"  Melody whimpered.  "it hurts too much."
Ariel sympathized with her daughter.
"I know, sweetheart I know.  Just try."
"Will you sing to me?"
Ariel smiled.  "Sure!"
After Ariel was done singing one of Melody's favourite songs for the second
time, the young girl was fast asleep.
"I didn't realize how long her hair was,"  Sebastian said as he observed
Ariel stroking it gently.
Ariel nodded.  "Yeah, it's as long as mine.  I think she needs a trim, but
Eric has other thoughts.  And of course, Melody is at the age where she
likes to have long hair."
Sebastian nodded.

*  *  *  *  *

A couple of days later, Melody was feeling a little better.  She wasn't
feeling so tired, and her throat was getting better slowly.  But she still
had a cough.
It was one of those warm days where you couldn't help to be outside for
hours on end.  Ariel was reading to Melody underneath of a tree, while
Urchin, Emily, and Melody's friend, Sasha, were playing a game of softball.
"Hey, Melody!"  Urchin called,  "do you wanna play?"
Melody looked at her mother.
Ariel smiled at her.  "Go on, sweetheart.  I'll finish the book later.  Just
be careful, and take it easy."
Melody nodded as she ran over to where Urchin was.
"Oh one other thing,"  Ariel said as she turned to go inside the house.
"What's that?"  Urchin asked.
"Make sure you let her know when the ball is coming.  She's still having a
little trouble seeing out of her right eye."
"Sure thing, Ariel.  We've got it covered."

*  *  *  *  *

After Ariel had gone back inside, she settled down to read a book of her
own.
A few minutes later, the phone rang.
"Hello?"  She asked to whomever was on the other end.
"Hi, sweetheart!"  Eric's cheerful voice came through the other end.  "How
is everything?  Is Melody feeling better?"
"Oh, hi Darling!  Yup, everything's fine.  Melody's feeling better.  She's
actually outside playing with Emily, Sasha, and Urchin.  They're playing
catch."
Eric laughed.  "Then she must be feeling better.  So what are you up to?"
"Nothing much.  Just reading and talking to Carlotta.  How about you?  Has
the day been tough?"
"Well, not that tough.  But I'll tell you one thing though, I can't wait to
get home to see my lovely wife and my beautiful daughter."
Ariel giggled lovingly.
"I miss you too.  So when are you coming-"  All of a sudden, Ariel heard the
back door swing open.  A few seconds later, Melody ran in the house in
tears.
"I told you to let me know when you were going to throw the ball!"  She
exclaimed through her tears.  "That really hurt!"
"Melody, come here, sweetheart.  What happened?"
"Hello?  Ariel?  What's wrong?"  Eric's concerned voice came through the
phone.
Ariel giggled slightly as she realized what she had done.
"Uh, I have to go.  We have a small catastrophe here.  Melody just got hurt
and Emily's crying for some reason.  I'll see ya later, sweetheart."
"Okay, sweetie.  Go and do your motherly duties.  I'll see you girls at
6:00/6:30."
"That's sounds good.  Bye, honey."
After Ariel hung up the phone, she went into the living room to deal with
the situation that had just come up.  She found Melody on the couch in
tears.  Her right cheek looked bruised and her knee was cut on the one side.
"Come here, sweetheart,"  Ariel said gently as she took Melody in her lap
and began to stroke her jet-black hair.  "There you go."
Just then, Sebastian hopped onto the coffee table.
"What happened?"  Ariel asked, continuing to stroke Melody's hair.  "Did the
game get a little rough?"  Just then, Ariel got a good clear view of
Melody's right cheek, and that confirmed the answer to her question.  "Never
mind."
"I tink it missed de bat,"  Sebastian observed.
"You can say that again,"  Ariel said as she patted Melody on the shoulder.
"I think someone's ready for a nap,"  Ariel replied as she observed the way
Emily wasn't really listening to Urchin and being kind of difficult.
"I didn't do anything!"  Melody said through her tears.
"Not you, sweetheart.  Emily.  Actually, you could use a nap too.  After
all, you have gone through a lot in the past couple weeks."
"Mommy, it really hurts!"  Melody whimpered.
"Shh,"  Ariel said gently.  "I know, sweetheart, I know.  You're gonna be
fine.  Hey, Sebastian, can you get me an ice pack from the freezer?"
"Sure ting, girl."
"Thanks."
Sebastian nodded as he turned toward the kitchen.
A few minutes later, the crab came back with a pack of ice.
"All right, sweetheart,"  Ariel said gently as she prepared to apply the ice
to Melody's injury,  "it's gonna be cold, but trust me, it'll help."
Melody nodded as she let her mother put the ice on her bruised cheek.
A few minutes later, Melody was fast asleep.  Ariel tucked the covers around
her and gave her a kiss.  Melody had been through a hard day, and she
deserved to get some rest.  Ariel hoped she would feel better after she woke
up.  After making sure Melody was all right, Ariel went into the kitchen to
talk to Carlotta until Eric came home.



        THE END
.