Sam and Mel | I Lose My Mind From Worryin' Over You

[xp_cannonball]

 While visiting XFi to cross-check some information, Sam gets a call from his younger sister. 

Mel fiddled with the phone cord at the kitchen counter as the dial tone for Sam’s cell rang. Her stomach was doing flips and she felt weirdly anxious. She shouldn’t be, it was just Sam. It’s not like he would be mad. He had to find out one way or another. 

It didn’t help the nervous energy that thrummed through her. She danced her fingers on the countertop as the call connected. 

“Hiya Sam!” Mel chirped, “How’re you doin’?” 

"'M fine." He said, talking lowly into the phone. He’d popped in to get some more information from his coworkers. Dealing with the government meant lots of numbers and those seemed to be changing all the time in the wake of the horrors they’d just faced. "I'm at work though Mel-belle, what's up?"

“I know you’re busy ‘an all, ‘specially with Jay up with you now, but Mama wanted me to give you a call,” She pauses. Might as well spit it out. “Y’know how ya don’t like me up on the barn roof?” 

“Melody Grace.” Sam said, sighing and squeezing the bridge of his nose as he leaned back further in his desk chair. “Young lady, what exactly did you do?”

“Now hear me out for a second Sammy, alright?” She pleaded, winding the telephone cord around her fingers. 

“A few nights back we had a pretty bad storm and some of the shingles from the roof came loose. Now I’ve watched you an’ Jay fix ‘em a million times and reckoned it couldn’t be that hard,” Mel divulged, unwinding the cord. “And I knew I had to do it ‘cause Jeb’s been getting all briggity on us about being the “man of the house” now an’ I figured I would find him up there if I didn’t get to it first.”

Sam groaned. "Melody, I swear to God if you fell off that roof and got yerself hurt-" 

He was half tempted to say 'I'll beat your ass.' But they both knew he wouldn't, and that the worst he'd do is fuss over her until they were both tired of being in the same room. "Mel, at least tell me you ain't hurt. I don't know how much more of that I could take right now."

Mel felt like she was going to hurl, but she couldn’t tell if it was from nerves or excitement. “I ain’t hurt Sam, I promise you. Heck, I’m the best I’ve ever been in my life.” 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she near whispered, “I’d finished fixin’ the roof and was on my way back down when I slipped. I thought I was a goner, life flashed before my eyes and everythin’ Sammy.” She took a deep breath. “But I didn’t fall Sam. I didn’t fall. Mama saw the whole thing and says it’s a miracle. One second I’m halfway to the ground and the next I’m floatin’ through the air! I’m special, jus’ like you an’ Paige  n’ Jay!”

Relief flooded Sam all at once. She was okay, his baby sister was okay. But the relief was soon replaced by fear. He knew what their church thought- and then all that mess with the Cabots back at Christmas. 

"Yeah..." He said, trying to ignore the itching on the burn scar on his arm. "....special....You uh....you bein' careful down there Mel? I'm sure we could find a space for you up here if you needed but...I just need to know you're safe."

“I’m alright Sam. Nobody ‘cept Mama saw and she don’t want me telling Lizzie an’ Elle and the rest just yet. ‘Sides, it’s not like I have wings pokin’ out my back.” She laughed bitterly, “An’ if any of those mangy Cabot’s come ‘round I’ll get Daddy’s shotgun and shoot ‘em myself.” 

Mel didn’t realize the tears were falling until she saw them splash on the counter. She was almost shaking with emotion. Well shit, now Sam was going to worry even more. Wiping her eyes, she attempted to compose herself. 

“You’ve got bigger things to fuss about than me right now Sammy. It ain’t even noticeable and I’m super careful when I practice.” She elected to leave out that her sleepwalking had returned. No use in getting Sam all worked up over nothing. 

“Awful dangerous talk from someone who don’t want me to worry none.” He teased, but he sounded more tired than jovial. “Melody, darlin’ - I know what you sound like when you cry, you can’t hide that from me….. and I don’t want you killin’ nobody. Ain’t we seen enough death Mel? Ain’t you sick of it yet?”

Mel felt ashamed. She should’ve kept her mouth shut but now that tears have started they weren’t gonna stop. She choked out “I wish I was Sam. I’m so angry all the time, never felt so bad my whole life. Angry at the Cabot’s for what they done to Jay, angry at Mama for sendin’ him away, angry at myself for being so damn useless.” 

Mel sniffled. “Hell, I barely remember Daddy but sometimes I’m even angry at him for dyin’.”

She hadn’t cried this hard in a long time and missed her brother something fierce in the moment. She could almost feel the hug he would give her, how he’d smooth the hair from her face and tell her everything would be okay. But he was a hundred miles away so Mel just gripped the phone harder. 

“I snapped at Cissie yesterday for the stupidest thing and her poor face just crumpled,” She confessed. “I don’t know how you do it Sam. I reckon I’m the worst sister on the planet, and it feels like each day Mama is gettin’ more an’ more tired of me. She’s sick of trouble and that’s what I am. Trouble.” 

Mel didn’t give Sam a chance to interject. “I’ve been so damn nervous to tell you about my powers. Mama near forced me in here to call on the landline,” She laughed wetly. “I miss you Sammy. It’s ridiculous. I’m all grown but still cryin’ on the phone to my big brother.” 

“Mel-“ Sam said, leaning forward in his chair and holding his head in his hands. “Melody- hon- I ain’t mad at you. And it’s okay to be angry, I ain’t been takin’ Mama’s calls for a reason….. listen just….Melody, I ain’t gonna make ya- you’re grown and can make your choices…. But you can always come an’ live with me, Paigey, n’ Jay……ain’t none of us gonna fault you for wanting to just be Melody instead of Mama. I love you, Mel- you oughta have the chance to be you.”

“I love you too. I-“ Mel sunk to the ground, phone cord stretched taut with the receiver. She didn’t know what she wanted. The happiness from gaining her powers was gone. Everything felt like too much. She wanted to crawl into bed and disappear under the covers. 

Taking a breath and wiping her eyes, Mel said. “I dunno Sammy. Lizzie’s almost graduated and I’d feel like shit leavin’ before she did.. I just- I don’t know... I’m sorry for dumpin’ all this on you, I know you’re busy.“ 

“Mel, honey, it’s okay. I ain’t mad at ya, I ain’t upset with ya. It’s okay……. Take a deep breath for me, alright? No matter what you say I’ll support ya.” Sam sighed and leaned back in the chair once more, swiveling absentmindedly. “If you wanna come up here with me that’s okay, and if you wanna stay in Kentucky I won’t stop ya. I just want you to be safe and happy- that’s all I want…… you could come up for a visit? Test it out up here? Get a break from Mama and the kids and we could go flyin’ together….. might be able to convince Jay to fly with us if yer comin’ up…..”

“Yeah.. I think I’d like that,” Mel exhaled. The tears were gone and now she was exhausted. “Jus’ means I gotta tell Jay an’ Paige first.” 

"Wanna tell us in a group text an' I can pretend it's the first time I'm hearin' of your powers and make a big show of inviting you up?" Sam asked, picking up a pen to fiddle with now that all the spinning was making him dizzy. "I mean, Paige'll call my bluff but it's worth a shot if it'll make ya feel better."

Mel smiled. “I ever tell you that you’re the best? Thank you Sam.” The world didn’t feel so heavy anymore, sitting on the kitchen floor. She could always count on Sam to screw her head back on right.        

"Course Mel, anytime." He said, trying not to let the exhaustion show in his voice. "Well, I should probably get back to work and let you go. Love you Mel-belle. Can't wait to have you come up for a visit." 

As soon as the phone disconnected Sam sighed heavily, squeezing his phone as tightly as he could. In one brash movement, he hurled the device as hard as he could against the nearest wall, feeling a sense of sad satisfaction as it cracked. As quickly as the satisfaction hit him, it left. "Fuck."

He sighed, moving to pick his phone off the floor. Just five minutes without something happening to his family...that's all he wanted.