𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐: 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞

Matthew Perry-Benson

Matthew sat down and imagined his family. He closed his eyes and saw his sisters, parents, grandparents, nieces and nephews sitting on the church pews in their old, gospel church.

For that split second, everything was calm and quiet. And then the ground shook, the stain-glass windows shattered, many started dropping to the floor and there the darkness ruptured. Flames engulfed the area, leaving the few who ran little choice on how to get out of the building.

What's happening? He imagined the little kids cry, but it was too late. His heart clenched... and he wasn't there to save them.

He opened his eyes, his three friends looked back at him.

"Excuse me," he stood, and then tried to walk to his office without making eye contact with anybody else. He heard Vanessa try calling his name, but he rushed further.

Once inside the sanctity of his office with a locked door, he went on his knees and started asking God what he should do.

Knock-knock. Bourne came through the door, his hands in his pockets and his head hung low.

"Hey Matty," his voice sounded gentle. "What are ya' doing?"

Matthew rest his head in his hands. "Just the usual, asking God what to do."

Bourne sat on the couch beside him. "That's good," he smiled and looked forward.

He sighed and leaned back. "I think you know what you gotta do."

Matthew slowly shook his head. "It's too hard, I don't know how they'll react."

Bourne gave Matthew a brotherly pat on the back. "Don't worry about that. You have your priorities."

"Work?"

Bourne smiled. "No, family. And I think right now is a good time to go pay a little visit."

Matthew raised his head. "What about this place?"

Bourne kept grinning, "I don't think it'll be much trouble for me to step back into my old office for a little while."

Matthew smiled and thanked him, but the uncertain feeling in his heart couldn't be ignored.

Vanessa Vaughan

Vanessa stood and turned towards Giselle and Charlie. They both looked sad but nobody said anything.

"I'm sure this hits a lot closer to home for him," she cleared her throat, unsure of what to say.

"Poor Matthew," Giselle held her hands in her lap.

Charlie rubbed his temples and leaned back, "I guess we better go home, we got a long trip ahead of us."

Vanessa sighed and nodded in her agreement. She got up and debated on going to check on her boss but decided it'd be best to talk to him on the plane.

~~~

"Are you okay?" Her voice was hushed. Matthew and Vanessa sat beside each other on the jet taking them from New York City to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He turned his attention to her, whatever thought his mind was occupying was clearly demolished. He barely smirked, but Vanessa knew the feeling.

Her own heart ached for the sadness he must be feeling. She remembered the time when he told her about how his brother had died.

Although he appeared as solid as a rock on the outside, Vanessa could see the layers of his feelings tormenting him on the inside.

It gets overwhelming. Sure, saving other lives is part of the job, but for something like this to have happened so close to his own home... it was sure nerve wrecking.

Vanessa hadn't asked Matthew much about his family. It was a tough topic and she didn't want to bring up anything that would make him upset. Although it was times like these that made her question if there was something more to his story.

There was a moment of turbulence that shook everyone alert. Charlie, that was taking a loud nap, woke suddenly.

"It's summer here," Matthew muttered, "the rain clouds don't keep away."

Vanessa looked at him, she couldn't help but feel like this was almost good for the man, going back to the place he had called home for many years.

"What's your favourite thing about Argentina?" She asked.

He looked at her, curious. She smiled and slightly shrugged her shoulders, "I'm just asking."

He looked back out at the windows. "I don't know... everything is so different here. The culture, the people, the food. Sure, there are many injustices, but it is a country full of God's magnificent wonder."

Vanessa smiled as he continued.

"I mean, it has glaciers and mountains, jungles, waterfalls, and ocean, the sunshine, the people, the art, everything," he kept looking out the window as they watched the fog drape over the tall forest trees surrounding the tall mountains that would cross into Argentina.

"I will never understand how people look at such things and claim this was all by accident."

Vanessa leaned back. "Yeah, you can see Him in everything, can't you?"

Their eyes shared a message that read something nobody could say but they could only comprehend.

The flight attendant chimed and soon they were on the ground again. All four of them stepped out and took a look around. The air was humid, the runway was wet and smelt like fresh rain. They hurried inside before the dark clouds could drench them even more.

"Did Darla say anything about our hotel reservations?" Giselle broke the silence in the car ride.

Matthew chimed in quickly, looking slightly nervous. "No, you'll all be staying with my family for the next few days."

Vanessa looked out on her side of the window as they entered the busy city of Buenos Aires. Although she wasn't here as a tourist, she loved the idea that she would get to explore someplace new. She smiled at the thought of meeting Matthew's family. If they were anything like him, she knew they would be amazing.

Out through the city and into the farm lands full of red soil, stood a small village with grand acres and square houses.

Matthew was the first to get out, and he was greeted with a pile of family members stretching out their open arms to embrace him. Some old, some young; all of them with love.

Vanessa stood and watched, she was about to find out about the real Matthew; the one under that hardened exterior.

A/N

Okay so finally got around to writing something but with some writers block and evidentially my life getting in the way this is all I can get to right now. pls don't hate me.