About You. (Matty Healy)

06- I'll Drive Up on the 23rd.

'Tis the Damn Season by Taylor Swift

"There's an ache in you put there by an ache in me, but if it's the same to you, it's the same to me"

How Can I Make It Okay? by Wolf Alice

"I just want to make you happy. How can I make it okay? Nothing else is as important as that to me."

December 2018

Matty parked the car in front of an apartment building. He reached for his phone in the cupholder, dialing the number at the top of his most recent calls. "I'm right outside," he stated. The static voice responded, "I'll be down in a minute."

"Alright, see you in a minute."

He undid his seat belt. He turned around and leaned to the seat behind him. "How're you doing back here, baby?" His voice became soft and enthusiastic. 

Viola was settled into her rear-facing car seat. She kicked her small feet back and forth, playing with her own hands.  Matty placed his pointer finger on top of her loose fists, so she could grasp onto it. The baby giggled and Matty's face lit up, "Are you excited to see mummy?" 

Viola kept babbling, her blue eyes wide and bright like her mother's. He took that as a yes. "I know she's excited to see you." He placed a kiss on her cheek. 

The car hatch opened, revealing Matty and his daughter to the cold December air. There was a thump of a heavy duffle bag being placed into the vehicle. The two could hear an exaggerated breath being taken, "Is that my baby Vi?" Jade squealed, peering over the back headrest. She shut the rear door quickly and made her way over to Viola's passenger door. She opened it, placing a big smooch on Viola's head. "I missed you so much, baby. I bet you had the best weekend with Daddy!" 

"It was good," Matty stated calmly with a grin.

"Yeah?" Jade expected an answer as such, but she was still a little relieved. It was the longest time she spent without her daughter since she gave birth, so naturally, she was a little nervous.

"Yeah. She just had a bottle before we left."

Jade looked up at Matty for the first time since laying her eyes on Viola. "Oh good." 

She gave Viola another kiss and then closed the car door.

She walked around the front of the car and opened the door to the passenger seat. Matty turned back around and buckled his seat. Jade buckled hers.

"Have we got everything we need of hers?" Matty asked.

"You brought the pack n' play?"

"Yup."

"I brought so many clothes for her."

"I made sure to grab the nappy bag. Do we have enough food for her?"

"I mean," Jade huffed, "I have my tits and the breast pump if not."

"Fair enough," Matty chuckled at her bluntness. "Are we ready to go, then?"

"Let's get this show on the road."

Matty pressed his keys into the ignition and pulled the car into drive.  "Alright, here we go. Baby's first road trip!" He started out with a hesitancy, like a child taking off training wheels. There was something rather nerve-racking about spending the holidays with an ex, but he knew that the chances of him and Jade being uncivil with one another were very low. The uncertainty seemed like a strategy of self-preservation. The heartbreak was still being processed. The double edge sword was that he wouldn't have wanted to spend Christmas any other way.