Sunsets and storms ✓

Chapter 14

MATTHEW

I've been texting with mum a lot since I've gotten to the island. She can say whatever she wants but I will be worried about her and the baby no matter what. I'm a real mummy's boy and I'll always want to make sure she's doing well. The same goes for Louis and my new sibling. I've been a protective big brother for the past three years and I reckon it will only get worse when I have two siblings.

"Hey honey. How's Greece?"

"It's good. We've been hanging out with some people from the island the past days."

"That's fun!"

I decide not to tell her about Megan. I know she will be super happy for me but that will only make me more disappointed when things don't work out. We talk about Louis and she tells me about her doctor's appointment. Just by the sound of her voice I can tell that something is bothering her. I know her well enough to know that she doesn't want to bother me with it, especially since I'm on vacation. I ask her about it anyway. I want to know what's going on back home and I won't be able to get it out of my head now I know that something's wrong.

"It's nothing. We can talk about it when you get back."

"Just tell me mum, I'll just keep worrying otherwise."

"It's your father."

Well, that isn't good. I haven't heard from my father in quite a while and the last time we spoke was not a happy conversation.

"You know I'd never open anything personal, but I already had my suspicions about what was inside and I thought it was weird that he'd send it here instead of to your own place."

"I don't care that you opened it, what was inside?"

"He's getting married. To Esme."

I don't know what to tell my mum. That I'm happy for him? They can rot in hell together for all I care. I'm glad mum told me, but I really don't know how to feel about it. Deep down I sort of saw it coming, but that doesn't make it any less hurtful. He made his choice clear the last time we talked.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you."

"No, it's fine. I'll get over it. I'm just surprised he still send an invite. He could have guessed I wouldn't come. I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with him anymore."

"Promise me that you talk to your friends and don't let it ruin your time in Greece."

I promise her to have a good time and to call her tomorrow. I don't want her to worry about me and I fully intend to get my father out of my head. From tomorrow on. I'll just need today to process that he's actually going through with it. Just one day to feel like shit and then it'll be done.

Evan and Logan went to the beach and I was supposed to go to them as soon as I phoned mum but I'm not really in the mood to be cheerful. I quickly shoot them a text that I won't come and that it has to do with my father but that I'll explain the rest later. They tell me to just call them if I want to talk or if I want them to come back to the house but I really feel like being on my own for a bit so no one questions why I throw everything within reach as far away as I can.

***

I don't know for how long I've been staring at the kitchen table when Megan walk into the kitchen.

"I didn't know you were home."

I haven't seen her all morning so I assumed she went out before I woke up.

"I went out with my friends last night and we made it a bit late, with a bit too much wine."

That explains why she woke up past noon when she usually is the first one awake. We just sit at the table in comfortable silence for a while. The only sound is the boiling water in the kettle. That's one of the things I appreciate most about my friends, that we can sit together and not speak. No awkwardness, no small talk, just everyone in their own world. I'm glad I can be like that with Megan. Usually when I'm nervous I would try to fill those silences but today I'm much too in my head to even think about small talk.

Megan places a steaming mug of coffee in front of me. I'm thankful that she understands the silence enough to not talk about random things. It isn't even that I don't want to talk to her, I just don't really feel like talking at all.

"Is there any whisky to go with it?"

"I don't know about whisky, but there must be liquor in the house somewhere."

"That fucking idiot has me going insane."

"Must be a real idiot then. If you want to talk, I'm here."

I'm glad she doesn't push me to talk about it. We barely know each other and it would feel odd to tell her my deepest, darkest secrets over a cup of coffee. I'm also glad she doesn't say anything about the stuff I threw to the other side of the kitchen.

"I just want to forget about everything for a while."

"I know just what to do. Meet me at the car in fifteen. Wear swimmers!"

She's out of the kitchen before I can respond. I have absolutely no idea what she's planned and I'm too curious to not find out. So here I am, quickly finishing my coffee so I can get changed. I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't made me get out. Probably stare at the kitchen table for a few more hours until my friends would have come back to rescue me from the never ending thoughts in my head.