Madeline
Chapter Eighteen -
Miranda
Okay, I don't even know where to begin going through all the thoughts running laps in my head. In no time at all everything about my life has been turned completely upside down over Matt again. Last time this happened I was left alone for six years, hoping that he would come back someday and save me from being alone. But now here we were, about to move in together, well in the same house anyway, plus I've got Lizzie back in my life along with her and Gordo's adorable little girl, Madeline. I can know one thing for sure, I'll never have to worry about being alone ever again.
Of course, that didn't bother me at all, I hated falling asleep in an empty apartment every night. I had even thought of moving back in with my parents after college, but wanted to give them the time alone my dad had always joked they would get when I was finally moving on with my own life. So I've been living alone in this apartment, dreading going home every night for over a year and I had no qualms with telling it goodbye forever. In fact, telling that part of life goodbye was sounding better and better.
I could tell there was something really bothering Matt as we packed up some of my stuff. He hadn't hardly said a word after showing up at my door an hour before. Even despite the fact that it had been almost midnight, there was something in his eyes that gave him away. I knew that look though and it was one I hated. He was angry over something involving his parents, so I figured he'd tell me when he was ready to say it all out loud and as we stood there filling boxes he finally spoke.
"You're probably waiting for me to tell you why I walked over here at midnight, huh?"
"Well, I have to admit being a little curious. What's up?" I took his hand and led him to the couch where we sat down. I sat next to him with my legs crossed so I was facing his side.
Matt took a deep breath and slowly blew it out before telling me what was bothering him. "Lizzie told me tonight that she was thinking about calling our parents and inviting them to the wedding." He let the words hang in the air as if they were the worst things anyone could have said.
"Okay, you aren't going to like this very much, but let me finish before you say anything." I looked him in the eyes and took a steadying breathe of my own. This was so not going to be easy, but I had been preparing for it since Lizzie told me what she was planning on doing. "I know that what your dad did to Lizzie and you was just wrong, there's no way around it, but don't you think it's time to let it go? I'm not asking you to just pretend it didn't happen, but I hate seeing the hatred you hold for them in your eyes every time either of your parents are brought up. The things your dad said that night left a scar on you that will always be there, but you have to let the cut heal up eventually, Matt. I love you and this isn't easy to tell you cause I'm honestly worried you'll get mad and never talk to me again, but I can't let you live with this pain anymore. I need you to let it go sweetie." I took his face in my hands and looked him full in the face. "Can you at least just try to let the past be the past? For me?" I leaned in and kissed his lips softly, grateful when I felt him returning the kiss.
"I. . .I'm sorry." He whispered before kissing me.
"Don't be sorry, I understand everything. I just hate to see you still hurting like it all happened yesterday. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to live through that once, I don't want you living through it everyday anymore."
"I'll try okay? I won't forgive them ever and I'll never let them be a part of my life again, but I'll try to let it all go. For you."
"Thanks." I smiled at him before kissing his soft lips again, enjoying the warmth against mine as he deepened the kiss with running his tongue against my lip in between his. I stretched my legs out in his lap and laid back with him moving on top of me on the couch. It didn't take long before we were lost in a world where just the two of us existed and our kisses were our oxygen, keeping us alive.
After a while Matt broke our kisses and shifted into the little space between me and the back of the couch. He rested his head on my shoulder and I soon felt the warmth of tears on my skin. "You okay?" I asked him before starting to run my fingers through his hair and playing with it.
"Yeah, I think I'm just letting some of the pain out."
"Let as much out as you need to. We can lay here all night if you need to. I'm not going anywhere." I turned on my side so I was facing him and kissed his forehead before smiling at him. I hugged him and we laid there as he cried silently, letting years of anger and pain finally be released. Eventually he fell asleep in my arms. I laid where I was, still fingering his hair and enjoying the warmth coming off of him. I laid there that night just thinking about how much the boy in my arms had dealt with and promised myself that he would experience as little pain as possible from now on. Things were going great for him, Gordo was helping him get things moving with his music and he was getting so excited as the days counted down to when I was moving in. I knew that his parents popping into the picture now was the last thing he needed or wanted, but I hoped with everything in me that Lizzie was right in thinking they had changed. "I won't let him hurt you again, Matt. Not now, or ever."
I wasn't really sure how the whole night passed me by, but soon the room around me and Matt was beginning to brighten with the rising of the sun. I knew Lizzie would be leaving for work in a few hours and Matt needed to get home for Madeline so I reluctantly kissed his lips to wake him up.
"Now that's why I'm going to find a way around sleeping in separate rooms." He said as he woke with a smile. "That definitely beats having to hear my alarm clock." I rolled my eyes and stood up, stretching a night spent sharing a couch out of my muscles.
"Okay, next time we move to a bed before you fall asleep. That was anything but comfortable."
"I didn't mind it so much, as long as I wake up seeing you, I think I could sleep anywhere though." He said as he stood and stretched too, although I was soon enjoying watching him rather than actually doing any stretching myself.
"Yeah, well you weren't hanging half way off the stupid couch all night." I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him, sharing a yawn after he started one. "But, it was worth it just to watch you stretch. You're too sexy."
"You should see me naked." I slapped his chest in response to his joke.
"I have McGuire, was I supposed to be impressed?" I joked back.
"Ha! I know you were amazed by the sight of me in all my glory!"
"Wow, all your glory, huh? I think you need to leave now before you completely ruin the beautiful image of you stretching from my mind by saying anything else stupid." I pulled away from him and started heading for my bedroom. Dawn was still a little earlier than I cared to be awake. Granted my alarm was set to go off forty minutes from now, but that was forty minutes I planned on being in bed for.
"I do need to get back. I never called Lizzie last night to tell her I was okay so she's probably been up all night checking my room and waiting for me to get home. Plus she'll be leaving soon and Mads needs her uncle Matt." He grabbed my hand and pulled me back into another hug and a few more kisses. "Thanks for everything you said last night and don't ever worry about me hating you for telling me what's on your heart. You were right, I need to let it go and I'll try. I love you, you know that?"
"I had my suspicions." I smiled and kissed him one last time before pulling away again. "I love you too, now get going so I can get a good half hour of sleep in a bed." I stood there and watched until the door had closed behind him and then I went and laid down. I turned off my alarm a minute before it went off and figured I'd call in sick and spend the day with Matt. Besides I did need to start taking some of my stuff over there, so I could kill two birds with one stone. My mind made up, I hugged my pillow and let sleep finally take me from conscience.
VvVvV
I looked at my clock and tried to figure out what was going on, whatever had woke me up was not the sound I was used to my alarm making. Plus, I knew I never had it set for ten twenty three. I sat up straight in bed as I realized two things at the same time. One, the sound was the phone ringing, not my clock, and two I was still asleep after ten. I grabbed the phone from it's charger next to my bed and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Miranda? Hey, are feeling okay? It's after ten, are you coming in today?" As Phil talked, I remembered the previous night and my plans to skip out on work rushed back into my head.
"Oh, well actually I had meant to call in and let you know I wouldn't be coming in today. Unless you need me for something. . ."
"No, no, it's fine. Me and Jennifer can handle everything for one day I think. You sound exhausted though. Make sure you get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
I smiled into the receiver. "Okay, if you're sure. I'm feeling okay, I was just needing to get some stuff done with moving and. . ." I was cut off by laughter from the man on the other end.
"Miranda, you aren't supposed to tell your boss when you skip out for a day." He laughed a little more before continuing. "Just get some rest and enjoy a nice easy day with that Matt kid and I'll pretend you at least pretended to sound sick on the phone, deal?"
"Sounds good to me. Thanks Phil, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."
"Bye. Oh, if you see your parents send them a hello from me will ya?"
"Sure will. Bye." I hung up my phone then and laid back down under the covers, not really ready to face the day yet. Now that I thought about it, I was feeling pretty exhausted so I took advantage of a day with nothing to do and fell back asleep after setting my alarm for noon. That would still leave me with a whole afternoon to move a few things, swing by my parents house and let them know I was moving, and find a few hours to enjoy having Matt back in my life.
A/N-Only one more chapter to go. I can see why I started a sequel to this story. I really have enjoyed reading through it again and reposting it. Thanks many times over to everyone who has reviewed and encouraged me to continue reposting and working on my stories again. It means so much to me that so many were still interested.
Read. Review. Enjoy
Hacen
