• Melody •

• December 25, 2022 •

• Christmas 🎄 •

I wouldn't have thought that this would be so hard to accept.

After a long and I mean a long six months of feelings being all over the place, emotions running wild, the pain that my body constantly endured every day, i learn to finally come to terms with it all.

If I wasn't sure that this couldn't be me laying inside this hospital on my death bed right now after what the doctors already had inform me I would have been lying to myself.

On Christmas.

The one Holiday that I should have been with my family my fiancé and daughter I was here spending the last hours of my life.

There wouldn't be no present getting open, no Christmas carols to sing, even outside these four walls i could see small snowflakes making it's mark on the window.

I wasn't even allowed to eat any of the good home made meals that was getting prepared because of it not going to sit well with my stomach.

So liquid food was pretty much all that I was limited too.

I didn't think I would have been so broken down the way that I was but I was in no shape or form to do anything but lay here and watch as the others enjoy their life.

The doctors and the nurses swayed up and down the hallways singing or bragging about how they can't wait to go home and spend time with their families.

It was too late for me.

I wasn't going home to nobody anymore.

My months I wish I took more advantage of and many more risks.

I tried to prop myself up a bit as a knocked on the door interrupted my alone time.

" hey mel, before I bring them up you have a couple of visitors who are here to see you" doctor March informed.

She then walked over towards the counter where she prepared my medicine.

" oh is one of them my fiancé, and daughter ?" I asked feeling happy.

Turing around she gave a slow shake of the head.

I pouted but didn't want to get to defeated. I knew after the call she made out to everyone who was close to me, he would be on the way.

He has to.

" it's a girl by the name of autumn, your brother,sister, and a couple of friends who mentioned that they were some of your old colleagues"

" Amy, Keshia, and Zach came all the way from Haywood to see me?" I said

" I believe so but for right now until we get you switch over to a bigger room only one can come in at s time, you know who you may want to see first?"

Giving it some time and thought I knew who I wanted to see first.

Even though I haven't seen my best friends in like so long, I knew that I could wait on them"

I has another person in mind who I needed to talk with.

" if you don't mind I'll like it if you could bring up autumn first" I suggest.

After taking my medicine she finish up some little quick testing and started to grab her belongings.

" sure thing, give me a moment to go and grab her."

As I was getting my thoughts together as to how I was going to bring this conversation up, doctor March was already walking autumn into the room.

" oh my gosh, hey melody" she said sadden.

With my arms still weak as I could barely move much of my body anymore I gave her a warm smile.

" sorry my voice is a bit raspy I literally just had a tube down my throat for a couple of days"

Autumn look around before pulling up a chair to sit next beside me.

" no don't apologize for anything. It's just good to see you, quit frankly I wasn't ready for this day to come even when I knew that it was creeping up on us I still didn't want to believe it"

" it's no turning back now I'm where I need to be it seems like so I won't sit here and dwell in something that I can't change. I've learn to finally accept what the future has for me now even if that means it being in the afterlife"

I could tell autumn wasn't trying to hear this kind of talk and who would.

I could barely talk to shang about this without him breaking down and having a fit.

" by the way I loved watching wynter. She's the most wonderful, beautiful little girl you both could have adopted."

" thanks. It's just unfortunate that I won't be there to watch her get older amongst other things that a mother should have been there for."

After we got caught up and the room grew empty for a slight moment I felt like this was my chance.

A few strong coughs escape my lips that I never felt before that made me have pains through my body.

" Mel"

"Autumn"

We both started off in unity, and a awkward giggle came after.

" go first" said autumn

" no it's okay you can go ahead" I said

I was curious myself as to what she was about to tell me.

" being your best friend, a sister that you never had, I should have told you this a long time ago, but I felt super bad of a friend and I knew you would have hated me for it, and never wanted to have talked to me again. In fact me and your brother are actually no longer together because of the poor decision that I made and I knew it was 100 percent wrong"

Yup this is exactly what I was waiting to hear.

Did she read my mind or something?.

I nodded as she kept going.

" the night after Shang big successful performances and back In the limo, gosh I was so stupid."

" what was it?" I utter.

"Shang and I had sex while you was passed on the other end of the seat. I know you hate me right now and I was so out of it I didn't think that we did anything unir I made myself believe that nothing happen because I knew it would have Crush if you were to find out."

Again the room grew into a emptiness.

No emotion came across my face as autumn was already breaking down into tears.

" I don't hate you autumn, in fact I knew that you both had sex"

" wait how" she said wiping her eyes.

" well for one i know my man moans, and when I felt his body not here i was and the sounds of sex being made and the soft whispering from you I knew right then. I wanted to yell and cuss at you both for betraying me because that's what you did, but I can't. As you can see I'm in no condition to hold any hatred towards you or anyone in that matter we were all drunk, mistakes happen and I'm glad that it didn't happen again. Also I'm sorry to hear about the breakup with my brother. I wish things could have turn out better for the both of you and maybe you both could work something's out later on down the future"

" melody thank you for understanding. You always understood me for as long as I can remember. Again I wish that this wasn't the way our relationship was going to end. It's breaks me to know that I will no longer have you to gossip with or go shopping, record, or just do what we normally do."

She lifted up from out of her seat while walking a couple inches to the bed.

She embraced me into a hug and the feeling of her warm wet jaw touching my skin made me emotional.

Again I was trying not to cry and just be strong.

" I'm sorry to Interrupt you girls but we need to move mrs Tatum to a more bigger room for her to feel more at ease."

" of course, um melody I'll just be back out and then I'll bring everyone else's up when it's time."

" okay I love you autumn"

" I love you too mel"

She busted into tears while leaving out the room.

There I was getting escorted to the final room that I would be taking my last breath in.

The room where my picture will become part of the wall where the others who pass on was.

This was scary, and all I was praying for was for Shang to be here before I go.

Before this day ends, I was hoping to see Shang, and wynter.

• Shang •

I just sat in the car.

I couldn't face what was about to happen to me.

What was about to become the rest of my life without the women that I had took my heart the first time I heard her voice.

It wasn't fair.

Why couldn't I get that happy ending that everyone else would get?

Why wasn't I able to walk down that aisle and have a wife?, why wasn't I able to have more children, with the women of my life, why wasn't we able to grow old together.

Why was my life plan out this way?

My baggy red eyes shifted into the backseat where I was able to see wynter playing with her toys.

I smile before Andre looked over at me.

" you ready?"

" man what the fuck youu think?"

" my bad bro"

" I will never be ready for what's about to happen so don't ever ask me no shit like that again" I snapped

He threw his hands up before they flopped back down into his lap.

"Look bro I'm sorry alright, come on we got to go inside we don't even know what's going on with Mel right now"

I started to rock back and forth.

My nervous was all the way screwed.

" I can't. I just need like five minutes alone please"

Moments later Steven pulled up.

" okay, listen im goin take wynter inside if you want me too, that way she could you know..."

I nodded.

" alright Shang we need you inside you got five minutes" Andre said

As andre and Steven help watch wynter for me I drop my head into my lap and I swear I couldn't stop this tears right now.

This shit was making me sick to my stomach at this point.

A couple other of celebrities had pulled up to show their support but due to a limited amount of people who was able to get inside her room they all just waited patiently.

Some tried to comfort me but nothing was working.

Five minutes had passed me by, and I forced myself to pull it together.

Exited out the car I was thrown off by the flashing light of paparazzi around and a couple of news reporters asking me about melody.

Brushing and pushing pass them all, I hurried up into the hospital where they eventually had to put the building on lockdown because of so many people who came to support.

Gosh I loved them all for that.

" yes sir how may I help you?"

" uh yeah, I'm here for my fiancée melody Tatum" I sniffed.

The receptionist eyes became watery as she written out a badge for me.

" I'm so sorry for what you are going through, my prayers are with you and the family"

" appreciate it"

Accepting the badge I waited for the doctor to come and grab me.

Taking a look into the lobby it looks like Andre, wynter and Steven was already back there.

Seconds later the door busted open and my heart sunk.

" Shang marsh?" She announced.

" that's me" I said raising up my arm.

" nice to meet you , follow me"

Clearing my throat I walked behind the nurse as she was now escorted me to Melody room.

Then our feet came to an halt.

" we're here" she said

Using her key card she buzz on the door as the sound of it unlocking made me even more nervous.

" sorry for what's going on. She was great patient to us all"

I gave the nurse a faint smile as I walked inside.

" ohhhhh there go the man melody was looking for" autumn said as everyone turn around to face me.

I didn't know what to do or say as I saw her body just laying there.

Wynter soon came walking to to my side as I held her hand and we walked over to melodys bedside.

There was a few faces I wasn't very familiar but family is family no matter who it was.

" hi I'm Amy, this is my boyfriend Zach and, Keshia we are melody college friends"

" nice to meet you all in Shang marsh, melody fiancé in sure you all know"

" of course we know who you are. Your music is incredible"

" well hey there my handsome husband I rather say" melody whispers

It was hard to even look at her because she was so different.

It was so hard not to just break down right now I was trying but damn it was rough.

" hey there my gorgeous wife. I don't even know what to even say to you right now because I del like I want you to talk to me. I want you to to just kiss me, hug me, be here with me, I can't do this shit without mel... I told you before it hard to let you go I was willing to lose it all and my freedom for you because I couldn't be without you. Here we have the most precious little girl that anyone could have ever ask for and we won't even become a true family. I meant when I ask that your my lifeline and your leaving me which isn't fair mel. Why does your body have to to be so selfish and not take into consideration of who you'll be hurting once you are no longer here, your leaving us and I can't do a damn thing about it. I Promise that I will never let what we had perish, it will remain untouchable. We was that power couple and still will be. Melody I love you baby with all of my heart and I wouldn't have ask anyone else to have become the woman that I wanted to marry and spend the rest of our lives together. I will make sure wynter know who her mother truly was and not what she is seeing right now. Wait for me in the afterlife baby. I love you"

I was done. This tears won't stopping for anybody and at the point where I am at now I didn't give a damn.

I looked into those pretty eyes one last time as she smiled.

"Oh Shang if I could kiss and hump on you right now I would" she said

Everyone in the room laughed which was pretty good.

We all was trying to stay in good spirits.

" I can't thank you enough for even choosing me to become your wife. You had so many other options and only with that one phone call had change my entire life for the good. I don't want to just lay here and cry my eyes out because it will not fix anything that's happening right now. I don't want you crying for me any longer baby. I'm okay, I made peace with it and I'm at peace, you gave me everything that I could ever want in this world plus more. Truly just you loving a girl from Haywood was enough. We had our days where things wasn't always great but majority of the time they was absolutely amazing. We brought each other into the world of music and never looked back sense, we made a name for ourselves with you becoming one of the top highest selling artists in the world. I can't lose when I have you and my family. I was able to see my baby girl one last time and she finally said mama, I was able to make amends with my sister and now we are closer than ever, and i wish I could have done this way before now, I rekindle my relationship with my brother and now he is more of the crybaby, I was able to catch up with old friends, just this alone is all that I need. I will pass away the most happiest women that I knew how to be, I was able to do so much within my 25 years of life than I would have ever imagined, so don't cry for me because I'm not. I'm not sad I'm not angry, I'm free from this pain I will be free and when I'm gone Shang my sweet and awesome husband you better live your life and don't stop because I'm no longer in the picture. Take care of wynter, I love you with all my heart, and I love you all and thank you for even being here with me today. I was just upset because of how I was spending my Christmas and in reality this is all that I could have really ever dream of having. This is a gift for me."

Once she was finished I didn't even hesitate to kiss onto her lips one last time.

Letting go I clear my throat.

" I would like to thank everyone as well for coming out here to support me, and melody with her transitioning. In fact baby I actually have a special gift for you"

She was all smiles as everyone's gather around her bed.

" oh my what is it that requires you all to be around me, whew I'm nervous now" she said

" this is gift I wanted to give you from my heart and I wanted it to help you with this whole process. I got with my grandfather and I wrote this song for you, which I got him to sing it for you. You are everything and more than I could have ever asked for, this is about our love"

That's what's I was waiting for.

Her tears slowly started to run down her face.

I use my hands to wipe them away as Andre passed over my guitar.

" this is for you baby. I named it "UNCHAINED MELODY" so here it goes."

Song: Unchained Melody

By: Elvis Presley ( Shang marsh grandfather)

Written by: Shang marsh

( it's also up in the media ⬆️ )

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

~

Woah, my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine?
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea, yeah
Lonely rivers sigh
"Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home, wait for me ~

The more my grandfather sung, the more I watch as melody breathing was slowing down.

With everything that I was seeing and me trying to push through the song she continue to have a smile on her face.

As everyone started to join in with their harmonies I continue to stare into melody eyes.

Last thing I remember was her mouth mouthing the words

I love you!!

Before she exhale and never took in another breath.

I could here the loudness of the machine going off as the nurse and doctor came inside.

Everyone was breaking down and I think I was in shocked.

" I'm sorry for your lost" was all that doctor said to everyone.

I just stood there

blank.

My eyes shifted to autumn who was holding onto wynter as she was bouncing her to keep her from crying.

Then my eyes shifted to cooper who was crying by her side and so was the rest of everyone else.

Then lastly my eyes shifted back to melody.

To her lifeless body that was now laying in the bed.

Leaning over I pressed my lips against hers one more time and I think once it sunk it that she's really gone because I didn't feel a kiss back

I lost it.

" NOOOOOOOO melody I love you!!!!!!!! wait for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't leave me!!!!!!!!!!"

That was all I could scream out and kept screaming out as my body crash onto the floor and my voice eventually gave out on me.

My world was officially crushed.

IN LOVING MEMORY
OF

MELODY TATUM 🤍🤍