Someone Like Her

20 - Matthew

Matthew

He knew this would happen. He braced himself for the inevitable. And yet he acted like an awkward toad. It took him by surprised. It felt like an entire month of bracing for the roller coaster ride and then losing his crap on the first inclination.

Matthew sighed and parked the car in the grocery store's parking lot. He couldn't think on the whole ride there. A blessing in disguise, because he didn't want to think about it.

Jessica and Miles' laughter inside his car probably was the best distraction there was. And if he was to be honest, a little contagious. They've been singing over pop songs, a little off key but they sounded like they were having fun.

She leaned in to turn off the radio and looked over to Miles in the back seat. "We're here, Mile-sy."

Matthew reached over the glove compartment and retrieve a piece of paper.

Jessica looked curiously at him. "What's that?"

"Our shopping list."

"A what?"

"Shopping list."

She laughed softly. "You made us a shopping list?"

"Yes. You don't do that?" He asks, suddenly self-conscious. 

Oh, God. She's giving him the look.

"No. Wow," she cleared her throat, giving him a pat on the shoulder, "you're a good man." She pushed the door open and walked toward Miles' side.

The corner of his lips twitched. Then he found himself smiling. It was a joke. And a little bit of compliment.

Come to think of it, it was was the first time Jessica said a compliment. Scratch that. Jessica has been nothing but nice to him the whole afternoon.

"Hey, grandpa, are you coming? We need that shopping list." She peeked inside the car window and gave him a teasing smile.

Shaking his head smilingly, he clambers out of the car.

Jessica and Miles walked hand in hand toward the entrance, feet bouncing happily as he followed behind. He thought grocery shopping will be a stressful activity, but by the looks of it, it's a little fun.

An hour later, their cart brimful of groceries and the shopping list almost crossed out, Miles and Jess went to grab food from the in-store McDonald's. They left after he agreed to buy Froot Loops cereal. He couldn't, in good conscience, hold out against two pairs of puppy eyes.

Yep, two pairs.

"Excuse me." A voice came up from behind him.

He turns around and found three young women in denim shorts and a hungover vibe. Two of them are blondes and one is brunette. He's not a good guesser but, he'd bet his money on "college girls who went to a frat party last night."

"Hi, can you help us out? None of us could reach the Cheerios." The brunette smiles, batting her lashes at him.

"Sure." He obliged even when he was pretty sure if they stood in their tiptoes the cereal wouldn't be that far from their reach. "Here you go." He handed the box, ready to leave the aisle and go as far away as possible.

"Thank you so much. I'm Ashley." One of them extended a hand.

Out of manners, he shakes her hand. "Matthew."

"And I'm Fiona."

"Izzie."

The two other girls raced to grab his hand, the blonde won and shook his hand longer than necessary. He badly needs to get away right now. Like right this second. And as lame as this may sound, he needs some saving.

"Daddy!" Miles' voice echoed from behind him.

Annnddd, he hopes this is that 'saving.'

The women look over his shoulder, the flirtatious looks fading into disappointment.

Thank God!

He turns all the way around, finding Jessica and Miles hand in hand. His nephew ran toward him wrapping his arms around his leg. He looked up to him with a toothy grin. Matthew lifted him to his arms and smiled out of relief.

"Sorry, hon. We got a little lost." Jessica sashayed toward him, her other hand holding – not something from McDonald's but about a dozen of pregnancy tests. She turns to the women who went suddenly silent. "Oh. Hi there."

Matthew cleared his throat as if realizing just now that he's not alone in the aisle. "Babe, this is Ashley, Izzie and... was it Fiona?"

She took a step closer and extended a hand, dropping a couple of pregnancy tests. Whether it was intentional or not, the horrified looks on their faces made it a beautiful accident. "Oops. Sorry. I'm two days late, and we're excited to know if we're on baby number two." She laughs.

They helped her pick the pregnancy tests off the floor and handed it over like it was hot lava.

"Thank you so much. I'm Jessica. So nice to meet you," she says, her voice light and pleasant. She sounded like a happily married woman, rambling on and on about her perfect marriage, her perfect son and perfect husband.

And as if it wasn't enough to send them running off the hills, she started talking about breastfeeding, breast pump and her mucus plugs which surprisingly has a vast knowledge about.

They gave her the fakest smiles and slowly headed out after giving him another sultry glance. Jessica waited until they were all completely out of sight before turning around to give him an amused look. "You couldn't even brush them off."

"I tried."

"You did?" She burst out laughing. "Well, at least you tried."

"Aunt Jess said you needed help. And that they would go away if I called you 'daddy.'" Miles grinned triumphantly.

He ruffled his hair. "Thanks for the help, buddy."

"You owe us burgers and fries by the way," Jessica says, her hands full with the pregnancy tests.

"I thought you were gonna get one from McDonald's." He set Miles on his feet, taking his wrist in his hand so he won't wander off.

"We were, but I saw those three little critters came your way." She shrugged. "And you looked like you wanted to be left alone."

"Oh," he murmurs, having nothing else to say.

"Anyways, I have to put these back." She looks down the pregnancy tests in her hands. "You're gonna be okay on your own?"

He wasn't sure what she meant so he just answered, "Yeah, sure."

"Mile-sy, you stay with your uncle Matty, 'kay?"

Miles did a cute salute.

Matthew smiles. "You don't have to."

"I know. I'm just looking after you. We're friends after all." She gave him a cheeky grin then walked away, her five-inch heels leaving soft click-clacks against the floor.

Matthew stared after her.

Why was she being so nice?

Hi, guys! I hope you're all doing fine. I know some countries are now economically recovering from the pandemic and some are having worse cases. And those living in the latter, I hope you're all safe. I haven't had my vaccine yet, so I'm still a little anxious about the whole thing. Some countries have a hard time distributing vaccines including mine. Ugh. I've registered for vaccination like over a month ago and still nothing.

Anyways, please be careful and stay safe lovelies.