ch 13
They got to the resturant and Matt's realator was there waiting outside, she smiled and walked over to his car.
" This is my daughter Faith " Matt introduced them.
" Hi I'm Carol " she said shaking Faith's hand. " Well let's go inside and buy a house " she offered.
Matt liked her optimistic tone, he held open the door for them, Carol turned to him and said.
" Mr. and Mrs. Keys are already inside, I came out to wait for you "
They went to the table it was set for four so the hostess brought another place setting for Faith. Carol began the introdcutions.
" Mr. Hardy this is Mr. Keys and his lovely wife Mrs. Keys and this is "
Mr. Keys cut her off " You don't have to tell us we know who he is " he extended his hand to Matt and they shook.
" This is my daughter Faith " Matt said.
" I read all about you on the internet " Mrs. Keys said.
Faith was taken back a bit by her statment as she wasn't ready for her life to be under a microscope, she smiled a weak smile, Matt saw how uneasy she looked.
" I plan to issue a statment about it as soon as I can so don't believe what they say " he said with a smile, Faith relaxed knowing Matt had it under control.
The waitress came and took their orders and Carol was ready to get down to business " Alright Mr. Hardy I have the agreement right here if you'd like to look it over " she said handing his a folder.
" Call me Matt please " he asked and Carol nodded.
" I have one for you too Mr. and Mrs. Keys " she gave them a copy as well.
" You don't have to be so formal I'm Adam and this is Mary " he said.
Lunch went well and everything seemed to be in order with the contract it was almost time to leave and Carol felt confident that she had closed the deal, they were finishing their drinks and Matt got up to use the restroom, Mary motioned to Adam and he nodded saying he needed to go too. Standing in front of the urnals Mr. Keys chuckled " Hard to get a word in with three women sitting at the table " he stated.
Matt laughed " Yeah it is " he agreed.
" Don't get me wrong though me and Mary enjoy each other's company very much " he told Matt. " Infact were what you might call a more modren couple "
Matt had no idea where this was going and Mr. Keys continued after zipping his pants, Matt leaned on the wall and listened.
" Are you famuliar with the term swining he asked.
Matt shook his head " Can't say that I am " he said.
Mr. Keys nodded " I didn't think you would be since your not married, its when couples share so to speak to keep the marrige exciting " Matt shifted uncomfortable with what he had just been told. " Anyhow Mary and I also like to invite people to join us in our love making, we had planned on asking you at lunch but with Faith there we though it would be better to wait "
Matt couldn't believe what this man had just asked him, he actually had just asked Matt to have sex with him and his wife.
Matt sorts stuttered a bit " Um look I'm uh, well " he searched for the right words. " i'm just not really into the whole sharing bit " he said feeling like he had made his point.
Mr. Keys nodded " I understand, how about just you and Mary and I'll watch " he asked.
Again Matt choked " Uh I um, I couldn't sleep with a married woman " he said.
Mr Keys patted Matt on the back " I understand its not for everyone, but don't worry the house is still yours if ya still want it " he said.
When Matt got back to the table Faith could tell something was wrong, Carol could too as Mr. Keys whispered to Mrs. Keys, Matt wasn't about to tell Faith about the conversation he had in the restroom so he just sat there until it was time to leave, he thanked them and escorted Faith to the car. Once inside she looked at Matt and asked.
" Dad are you alright "
Matt shook the memory from his head it was deffently the first time he had ever been asked to do anything like that.
" Yeah, yeah I'm fine " he said giving her a smile, she could tell he was holding back.
" Oh cause you just seemed different when you came back to the table " she said.
Matt thought what to say next and went with what came natural " I have a bit of a headache today, its nothing " he assured her.
" Are you sure " she asked and Matt frowned kicking himself for worring her.
" Yeah hun " he said.
Now she frowned " Are you going back to Cameron tonight " she asked.
" I need to I have a lot of packing to do and things to take care of " he said.
" When do you think you'll be out here " she asked.
" I'd like to be out here fully by the end of Feburary but I'll be on a full schedule come Jan 27 so we'll see " he told her.
" I wish I could come help you pack " she said.
" Why so I can get done faster, keep me on track " he asked.
Faith smiled a little " No because I miss you when you leave, but I guess I better get used to it huh "
" Yep " Matt said. " But there will be times if your a good girl that I'll take you with me " he told her.
Faith looked at him " Dad I'm sixteen " she reminded him.
" I know that " Matt replied giving her a wink as they pulled into the driveway.
" Are you going to come in and say by to mom " she asked.
" I guess I could my flight doesn't leave until six so " he undid his seat belt and got out.
They went inside and Faith went to her room to change into some sweats, Eve was at the kitchen table with her check book open and looking fustrated.
" Problem " Matt asked sitting in the chair next to her.
Eve sighed " I've done this ten times now and I just can't get it balanced right, see what you think " she said knowing Matt was freat at math.
" Right here is the problem " he said and showed her the error.
" How did you do that so fast " she asked.
Matt shrugged " I dunno I just saw it " he laughed.
Eve sighed again and Matt asked " Something else wrong " he said.
" No its just for the amount of time I spend at work I should be making more money but being an RN just isn't as luckertive as it used to be " she told him.
" If you need money..."
She cut him off " No its not that its just I'm I dunno ready to move on I've been thinking about going back to school for my NP but haven't had the time " she told him.
" NP, ya lost me there " Matt said.
" Oh NP is nurse practioner, kinda like a doctor but not as advanced, I could treat patients and all " she said.
" Then why not do it " he asked.
" I dunno, time I guess if I were going to school and working then I'd have no time with Faith at all and I have to work to pay for the house and all that " she told him.
" If this is what you really want I have a solution to your problem if you want to hear it " he said.
" Yeah what is it " she asked.
" You and Faith move in with me and I'll help you out while you go to school " he offered.
Eve patted his hand " Matt that is more than a generous offer but I still have my car payment, gas and other things "
" That's what I would help you out with "
" You'd make my car payment " she asked.
Matt got serious " Eve you've taken care of all of Faith needs monatary and everything else so I would gladly make your car payment, buy gas for the car, whatever you needed " he said.
Eve smiled " That's sweet of you Matt, I'll think about it " she said.
Faith came into the kitchen " Think about what "she asked.
" We were just talking, oh did you get the house " she asked Matt changing the subject.
" Uh yeah I think so " he said, he had that look again that he had when they left the resturant.
Faith started to massage Matt's neck " Is your headache coming back " she asked.
" Mm no but you can keep doing that your pertty good " he said.
" Yeah well I get lots of pratice " she said looking at her mom.
" When she was little I would pay her a dollar for a massage, its increased over the years " she winked at Faith.
" Oh so how much am I getting charged do I need to go to the bank " he teased.
" Nah this one is on the house " Faith said. " You did buy me a car " she said.
" Oh so mine cost eighteen grand huh " he asked.
" No I just meant, dad " she whined.
Eve laughed " I think I got a good deal then " she said.
" Do you want to see the house " Matt asked. " If your not busy "
" No I'm not busy, yeah we can go look at it " she said.
They piled into Matt's car since he was parked at the end of the driveway and headed over to the house, from the outside alone Eve gasped and then they went inside and she was in awe.
" This place is beautiful Matt " she said.
" Yeah, Come on I'll show you what sold me on this place " he said and took her into the atrium.
" Oh this is wonderful, you should put plants in here " she told him.
Matt laughed " Maybe you can help me decorate "
" Hey I've learned a lot from TLC "
Matt laughed " Yeah me too "
Eve smacked his arm as he feened innocent " Matt you are awful " she told him.
" That's another thing I need to do is find a good clinic here " he said.
" I know some people who work for different clinics I can get you some information " she offered.
" That would be great " Matt said.
" I can find out about other things too for you like do you use a massage therpist or a chiopractor " she asked.
" Both actually " he said.
" I'll talk to Maggie her daughter works for a chiopractor " she said.
" Sounds good " Matt replied. " Let me show you the rest of the house " he said.
Faith was relaxing in a chair bu the hot tub " You guys go I'll be right here " she said waving them off.
Matt laughed " Come on we'll let madam Faith have her leisure time, he wanted to tell Eve about Mr. Keys propsisition anyhow.
They went upstairs and Matt looked down and could still see Faith in the chair " You wouldn't believe what I was asked to do by these people " he wispered.
" What " Eve questioned.
" I went into the restroom before we left and the dude comes in there, we start talking then he asks me to have sex with him and his wife, ya know a threesome " he said.
Eve gasped " Oh my God Matt you're kidding "
Matt shook his head " No and when I turned the offer down he asked if I wanted to have sex with his wife and he would watch "
" That is just crazy I hope you said no " she replied.
Matt laughed " Yeah I said no, I was thinking if that's what they're asking for the house then they can keep it but he still went through with the deal, I was so shocked and Faith kept asking me what was wrong so I told her I had a headache. I wasn't about to tell my sixteen year old daughter what really happened "
" No I wouldn't have either, not that i have ever had that kind of offer or would want to " she added.
" It was a first and hopfully a last for me, I get propsisitioned all the time but not like that " he told her.
" I would have loved to have seen your face when you walked out of the restroom " she laughed.
" Yeah me too " he laughed with her.
Matt dropped Eve and Faith back at their place " Call me if you decide on what we talked about " he told Eve.
" I will " she said.
Faith hugged her dad " I miss you already " she said.
Matt kissed the top of her head " I'll be back soon, I'll call you when I get on the ground okay " he said and gave her a big hug. Then got in his car and drove back to the hotel to get his stuff ready to go home. When he got back to the hotel and was packing he found a note Amy had left him.
Matt,
I had a great time last night, take care and call me
Love Always
Amy
He smiled at the memory and tucked the note in his pocket, got his bags and headed to the front desk to check out.
About a week later Eve had just gotten in the door when the phone was ringing she saw on the caller ID it was Matt calling on his cell phone so she picked up before the answering machine could.
" Matt " she called not wanting him to hang up.
" Eve, hey " he sounded strange. " I kinda have some news and I wanted to be the one to tell Faith before it gets out "
" What's up " she asked.
" Jeff and I got into an accident " he herd her gasp. " We're alright though just a little bruised and banged up "
" Oh my God Matt what happened " she asked and she didn't notice that Faith had walked in the front door.
" What happened is dad okay " she asked.
" Hun your dad will tell you " she said and gave her the phone but stayed right there with her as she talked to Matt.
" Dad " Faith said.
" Hey baby " Matt replied.
" You don't sound too good, what's wrong " she asked.
" I'm okay, Uncle Jeff and I got into an accident outside the arena, I wanted to let you know and for you to hear it from me okay "
Faith gasped " Are you guys alright "
" Yeah were okay, we got checked out at the hospital and all that " he told her.
" Hospital, was it that bad " she cried and Eve put her arm around her.
" It looks worse than it was " he said.
" What do you mean " she asked.
Matt sighed " There were a lot of people around so I'm sure there are already pics on the net " he told her.
The door bell rang and Eve went to answer the door it was April and she looked shaken, she went into the living room where Faith was still on the phone with Matt.
" April just got here and I think she knows " she said.
" You know " April asked.
Faith nodded " I'm talking to my dad now " she said.
" Thank God cause it looked so bad " she told her. " Are they okay "
" He says so " Faith said not believing him.
" Yes we are okay " he restated.
" Is Uncle Jeff with you " she asked.
" He's right here you want to talk to him " he asked.
" Yes " she said she was worried about him too and wanted to hear he was alright.
" Hey kiddo " Jeff said and she could tell by his voice he was shaken too.
" Hey are you okay " she asked.
" Hun I'm fine and your dad is fine, I promise okay " he said.
Faith sighed " I'll believe it when I see you guys myself " she said.
Jeff chuckled at that, she was deffently Matt's daughter through and through " Okay " he said. " I'll let you talk back to your dad " he said and gave Matt the phone.
" Baby I have to go I need to get back, well get to the arena but I'll call you later okay " he said.
" Okay I love you and tell Uncle Jeff I love him too " she said.
" I will, love you too sweetie, and don't worry no matter what you may hear or see okay " he said.
" I'll try " she told him.
" Let me talk to mom real quick " he said and she gave the phone to Eve.
" Hello " she said.
" I wanted to let you know that the accident was bad, real bad and Jeff and I were really lucky, a truck hit us from behind and pinned us both inside our car, so they had to cut us out, we're banged up like I said but okay considering, its bound to be on the net so I wanted to warn you incase she sees the pictures. It was right in front of the arena, in fact its where the ambulence pulled and loaded us in, Vince made us go to the hospital on they did the whole back board, neck brace thing, so it looks bad " he told her.
Eve stifled another gasp " Alright, I'm glad every thing is okay with you guys " she wanted to ask him more but couldn't with Faith right there.
" Call me later when you can talk " he said. " I gotta go "
" Okay I will, take care " she said.
" We're in Ohio now and we'll be in Texas tomorrow night so I'll try and stop by there before I go to Cameron on Wedensday " he said.
That made Eve feel better " Okay talk to you then " she said.
" You did great " Matt told her.
" It wasn't easy " she said.
" I know, thanks " Matt repled.
" No problem " she said and they hung up.
Eve was about to take something out of the freezer when she herd Faith cry out " MOM COME HERE "
Eve ran into her room and saw they wer on the computer, she saw the pictures they w're looking at and held back a gasp.
" Look " she said with tears running down her cheeks.
Eve hugged her " That's why your dad called you and talked to you, he said it would look bad and it does but he's okay and Uncle Jeff you talked to him too and he's okay " she reminded her.
" It just looks so awful " she said.
Eve clicked out of the window and turned off the moniter " I think you should just listen to what your dad and uncle told you and stay off her for right now "
" Okay " she said and wiped her eyes.
Eve was surprised that Faith was in bed by nine o'clock that night and around ten she called Matt, he answered on the thrid ring.
" Hello " he said.
" Hey, she's sound asleep " she told him. " How are you feeling " she asked.
" Not so good " he said.
" I'll bet you didn't reinjure your back did you "
" No I'm just sore " she could hear that in his voice. " Hey Eve can I ask you something " he said.
" Sure " are you ever planning on getting your porch light fixed "
" Yeah it just needs a " she stopped " Wait a min why are you, hold on " she said and went and opened the front door, there stood Matt and Jeff.
" I was wondering when you were going to let us in " Matt said.
" Yeah well most normal people ring the doorbell or at least knock " she said in her defence. " Come on in , what are you guys doing here " she asked.
Matt and Jeff sat down slowly she could see the brothers were hurting " Vince took pitty on us and gave us the rest of the week off " Matt said.
" Can I get you guys anything, soda, tea some Motrine " she offered.
Jeff laughed and held his ribs " I'll take some coffee " he said.
" Yeah coffee sounds real good " Matt agreed.
" I just got some gormet coffee for Christmas I'll make some of that " she said and went into the kitchen.
Jeff took off his coat and winced he had gotten the worse of the crash and had bruised some ribs, he set the coat aside and eased back on the couch.
" I've decided that your bad luck " he told Matt.
" Me, why me " he asked.
" Cause I've been in three accidents in my life and only one of them was by myself, the other two were with you and of those three I had bruised ribs twice and both times it was with you " he stated.
Matt looked at him strangly " What the hell did you just say " he asked.
Jeff rolled his eyes " I said you're bad luck man let's just leave it with that "
Matt nodded he didn't want to try and decifer what Jeff was saying, not tonight anyway, Eve came back in with a tray of coffee she set it on the table and the guys attempted to lean forward and get a cup but winced.
" I think I better get it " she said and handed them each a cup of coffee. " You guys want cream and sugar " she asked.
" This is great, I'm freezing " Jeff said.
" I'm good " Matt replied. He shifted to a more comfortable position " I was thinking I could come over tomorrow before Faith goes to school and surprise her " Matt said.
Eve looked at the two men before her " And just where do you think you two will be going to have to come back from " she asked.
" What " Matt asked he was beginning to think the accident might have jarred his brain.
Eve laughed " You two are staying right here, I'll make up the guest room for Jeff, I'll sleep here and you can have my bed " she told them.
" I'm not kicking you out of your bed the couch is fine " Matt said.
" Matthew Hardy if you think I'm letting you sleep on this lumpy old couch the way you're feeling then you need your head examined " she declared.
" They did that already " he joked.
" Well than they need to do it again " she said making Jeff laugh and hold his sore ribs.
" Please no more humor I can't laugh " he said.
They finished their coffee and Jeff yawned, he didn't want to but it just happened " SHIT " he cursed.
" Maybe you should go lay down " Matt suggested, Jeff nodded and eased forward to put his cup on the tray. " Need a hand " he offered.
Jeff shook his head declining the offer " I can make it, wake me up befor my niece leaves tomorrow " he said.
" I will " Eve promised, Jeff waved and headed down the hall.
" Second room on your left " Matt called out to him.
" Want some more coffee " Eve offered.
" Nah I'm good " Matt said as he slid forward to put his cup on the tray, he stretched his arms above his head and winced holding his left shoulder and moving it to loosen the sore muscles.
" Maybe you should head on to bed too " she suggested.
" Yeah I think I will " Matt said and stood up slowly.
" Need a hand " Eve asked.
Matt grinned " No my hand is fine " he answered.
" I'd smack you for that one but you look beat up enough " she told him as she stood up too.
" Thanks for the coffee, night " he said.
" Hold on " Eve told him she carfully hugged him " You scared the hell out of me, I saw that damn car and about gasped right along with our daughter " she said. " I'm glad you were able to get here so soon so she can see you're both alright "
" Honestly it looks worse than it was " he told her.
" Yeah we'll see what you say tomorrow there big guy " she moved so he could go down the hall.
" Night " he said.
" Night " Eve replied as she sat on the couch and turned on the TV.