I sat up and looked around the room. Matt clearly hadn’t returned. This was bullshit. What the fuck had happened? I checked my phone and no messages either. For a guy who was all about the “You should have called me” last night, he certainly didn’t give two fucks about me now.
I was up and out quickly and made my way across the empty lobby. It felt slightly wrong to just walk out, but this wasn’t my reservation, so he could figure it out. Mrs. West called out to me as I passed her desk. “Morning deary, will you be…”
I just walked faster, ignoring her calls behind me.
Outside, the air was crisp and the fall leaves were even more beautiful than the day before. Reds and oranges of all shades dotted the landscape. Maple Cove got its name from the multitude of maple trees in the area. It was like a painting. It was funny that I had never painted a scene like this before. My style had always been more abstract, but maybe I could use these colour schemes to… Lost in my own thoughts, I realized I was walking down a rural road in the cold for the second time in twenty-four hours. I guess that’s what happened when you live in New York City for so long. It just doesn’t occur to you to do anything other than walk when you get outside. However, the garage was off the highway a few exits up so I really did need a lift.
Maybe I should hitch a ride? I pondered the thought and turned to walking backwards, sticking my thumb out for good measure. I felt a rush of excitement shoot through me at the danger and risk of it all. And before I really had a chance to change my mind, a four by four came rumbling down the road and stopped short of my feet. I lifted up on to my toes to look through the open window.
“Sissy! What the fuck are you doing?” Came Chad’s voice through the open window.
Ah fuck. Now he was going to chew me out.
The door swung open and my seriously pissed off brother stared me down “Get in the fucking truck, Carly.”
I rolled my eyes and complied. There wasn’t much else to do anyway.
“Have you not heard of the phone? Call a friend? Family member? Uber?” He pestered me.
I shook it off. “Hitching is fun and besides, I just need to get to the next exit.”
“Some things never change, huh?” He mumbled. “Joe’s garage?” I nodded.
I reached over and changed the music on his dashboard.
“What the fuck?” He barked.
“Country sucks, dude.” I answered as I switched to an upbeat pop channel.
“Whatever. You always get what you want anyway, Carly.”
“Is that why you and Christy are always angry with me? Is that what you think? That I always get what I want? Because if so, that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”
“You can never see what’s right in front of you, eh?” He was yelling now, his voice a few decibels higher, his anger clearly visible.
Tears spring to my eyes. “Fuck, Chad, what did I ever do to you? We used to be close!”
“Yeah, well, that was decades ago, Carly. And what did you do? Well, for starters, you didn’t come to Dad’s funeral!”
I opened my mouth to protest but he shut me up with his hand in the air. “Don’t start with the story again, I heard it last night. But even before that, you didn’t want a part of the family business…”
Now it was my turn to interrupt. “What business? Dad was an oil guy!”
“We had a farm, Carly!” Chad bellowed, his voice sounding like thunder.
“The farm? Jesus, Chad, you’re just like everyone else in this stupid town! You want everyone to be the same and do the same and all live happily ever after. You were never happy for me or supported my interests.”
“Not true! I always supported your art, Carly.” He answered, slightly quieter this time.
“Yeah, until it got me a scholarship to the States!” I threw back at him.
“You know, they say that if a family loves you, they encourage you to go out into the world and spread your wings. But you never did. None of you did. Somehow, you all saw me getting out of here as a betrayal instead.” I grumbled.
I crossed my arms and turned my head out the window. I could feel my entire body shaking as the tears welled up in my eyes. “I guess I’m just not like you guys. I wanted more than the small-town life.”
We sat in silence as we pulled up to the garage. When Chad stopped the truck, I clicked the handle, intent on getting out and not turning back.
“Thanks for the lift.” I grumbled. “Take care of yourself, brother.”
“You can’t leave, Carly. If you don’t fulfill your part of the will then none of us get the money.”
I sighed. “I really don’t fucking care, Chad.” I answered, slamming the door in his face. He could bitch like a little girl all he wanted. I wasn’t coming back and I didn’t give a flying fuck about the money or who got it. I’m sure Christy had a plan for herself anyway. That lying cunt always did.
Chapter 20
MATT
Everything was a blur until I found myself standing beside the bed, holding her hand. Pale and lifeless in a sea of blankets. Wisps of gray hair fanned out across the pillow case.
Gone before I had arrived, I didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye.
Pain choked me from the depths of my soul. Confusion rattled in my skull. Sounds of the intensive care unit were a distant buzz beneath the surface. It was surreal to see others making their way in and out of the ICU as if nothing had happened. And it hadn’t, not for them anyway.
I wasn’t sure what this all meant.
Just a few hours ago, I had watched her dance and laugh in the kitchen alongside Carly. Despite Dave’s warnings, never did I think that evening would be the last one I ever spent with her.
And now, filled with shock, I couldn’t even find the words to say goodbye. “What happened, Mom? I’m so sorry, so sorry… I didn’t stay at the farm like you asked.”
Shit! “If only I had been there…” Searing pain shot through my heart.
“Matt…Matt!” I heard my name being called. Sounded like Dave, but I wasn’t even sure. An arm came around my shoulders and hugged me tight. “Listen, son, even if you had been there, what could you have done? You made your mother happy by coming for dinner and introducing her to your fiancée. That’s all she needed.”
I nodded silently. My fiancée. Fuck. The last thing I had done was lie to my mother. I was a shit son.
“Come, let’s go to the family room. The doctor is coming soon to talk to us.” Dave continued, his voice choking on his words as he led me out of the small, cramped, sterile room.