The middle of the first week of May Melody told the tiger boys that she'll be going on a small trip for some amount days. Tony and Gary knew that Melody was probably going go visit some family; Gary didn't tell the rest of the tiger boys and neither did Tony.
Early the next day Melody was up with a duffel bag ready for the ride to Jacksonville, her hometown. Melody didn't make it out the door since Gary stopped her by saying 'a bit early to leave.' Startled Melody looked over at the couch where Gary was sitting. "I need to beat any traffic. I'll see ya when I get back." "I'm coming with you." "You don't-" "I'm coming even if I have to follow your car or call Emily for the address." "Okay come on then." Tony stayed in his bedroom watching out the window while Gary and Melody got in the car. Melody drove about three and half hours to her hometown with about two stopes for breakfast and lunch.
Melody who was finally in her hometown parked the car in the hotel's parking lot. "We'll be staying here for a few days." "We're not staying at your parents' house?" "Lets see if Lauren has a room for you." Gary followed Melody in, to the front desk. "Melody my dear how are you?" "Alright." "Your room is ready." "Same room?" "Yes, same as every year. So who's this, your boyfriend?" "No a friend; he wanted to tag along. Do you have another room?" "Yes of course we do, he can be right across the hall from you. It's twenty-nine dollars if you're staying the same amount time here as miss. Gardner." "I got this Melody; here you go." "Can I request my same room for next year too? I have the money now." "Every year I say the same thing. Do you really need to ask?... Of course." "Here then." Lauren Carter took Melody's money, gave her and Gary the keys to their rooms.
After unpacking his bag Gary knocked on Melody's room. "So are you going to show me around your hometown? Or maybe we can go to one of your local fast food place(s)." "No, sorry I ordered some pizza for us." "Maybe tomorrow then?" "Actually I won't be leaving this room so you can go out and explore tomorrow. All I ask is don't say or mention my name in anyway anywhere to anyone tomorrow or today." "Uh ok." One the pizza arrived both Gary and Melody ate quietly; even after finishing their dinner it was quiet. "I think I'll head over to my room, night." Melody only nodded. Instead of going to his room Gary went to find Mrs. Carter who was taking her seat at the front desk. "Friend of miss. Gardner." "Yeah, Gary. I have a question." "Well Gary what is it?" "Why isn't Melody staying with family while she's here?" "That isn't my place to say." "I'll tell you what's going on." Interjected Emily, Melody's sister. "Emily what are you-" "I figure you'd do something like tag along, but without the others a surprise. Come on lets sit and I'll tell you who and what happened."
For nearly an hour or so Emily explained Melody's and her history of the death of their brother Wade. "His name was Wade?" "Yeah. Melody used his name because she probably missed him and other reasons maybe, if you want to know more about that subject or anything else I'd ask Melody." "Okay... Is it still the same with her and her family?" "They don't talk or see each other if that's what your asking." "I see now why she's so independent, care a lot about people and her friends." "That is true, but if you want know more you'll have to talk to Melody." "Wait! Is it really true about your parent's death?" "Sort of." "Sort of?" "Well our mother was shot in a store, it was being robbed. She was on her way home from work, she was a florist/landscaper. Our father is still alive." "It still doesn't make sense why Melody won't go home or stay at a family member's house unless they still don't want see her." "Like I said before you'll have to ask her; well I'm going then." "Night. Get where ever safely." "Will do."