The Queen's Dilemma

Ch. 16: The Other Side

Can I come over to your place?

Rani received only one message from Matt after work.

Her heart jumped around excitedly. It was the first time he'd been over since she moved. After running back home after work, she made sure every inch of her apartment was clean and set out some snacks.

What she did not expect was him showing up with tears pouring out of his eyes.

"I'm so sorry for crying," he kept whispering while she held him. The only other thing she was able to get out of him was that someone important had passed away. "I promise I won't do this ever again."

She shushed him and kept hugging him tightly. "Don't apologize for this. Just get it out."

"I just didn't want Charlie to see this, and I didn't know who else to go—"

"Matt, it's okay," she said as calmly as she could. She rubbed his back, scratching different areas before combing his hair with her fingers.

He choked on another sob and buried his face against her shirt even more. Trembling erupted where he gripped her.

Rani's heart broke a little; why did he keep apologizing for being hurt? She wanted to take some of his pain away..

It took about a half hour, but she managed to calm him down enough where he wasn't hiccupping words out. His bloodshot eyes were weary at a glance and circles around his eyes seemed to have doubled since he entered her place.

She made him drink a glass of water and wash up before returning to the living room. The only thing she had for him to wear were an oversized old college T-shirt. He still had to wear his uniform pants.

She asked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He glanced quickly at her before choosing to focus on the window. "Do you promise to not get mad at me?"

"I promise."

"Holly met with me at work today to ask me and Charlie to go with her to her dad's will reading. That was also the time I found out he'd passed away. He'd helped me so much when we'd been together and always looked out for Charlie after Holly left.

"She also asked me to get back with her, but I said no, and she left." Matt's eyebrows turned up again and his jaw tightened, like he was forcing the tears back.

Rani's heart twisted again. "Why would I get mad at you about that?"

"I met with her and—"

"You both talked. That's all, right? Nothing to get mad about, also, I'm sorry for your loss. He sounds like a kind man."

He shrugged. "Yeah, he definitely was. Well. Now I need to find a way to tell Charlie that her grandpa passed away."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I'd rather it be me and her, if that's alright?" Matt asked. "It'd allow me to process things with her."

He leaned into a side hug from her. Matt left a feather-light kiss against her forehead. "I think I want you to come with me to the will thing though."

She pushed away, leaning her hands against his chest to look in his eyes. As she shook her head, she said, "I don't think that's a good idea."

It'll probably piss Holly off.

"I'd rather be there with you than Holly. Her only requirement was that Charlie and I need to be there. In fact, she said, that's the only way she can attend it."

Matt's voice died as if someone had snatched it away. Sour annoyance pierced his eyes, before returning to exhaustion.

Rani sighed. "I'll let you know."