Finding Their Way

Chapter Three

Matt wakes up to find Danni not in bed. He sits up in bed and reaches for the light. He squints as the light comes on, looking around the room he realizes Danni isn't in the room. He shuffles through the bed to get out and looks into the bathroom. Not there either. Her cell phone is on the table by her side of the bed. He throws a shirt on and some house pants and grabs his room key. The clock reads 12:05am. He opens the door and looks up and down the hall no sign of her. He goes to the top deck to see if she's up there. Not in the pool, the spa is closed, so is the restaurant. He goes over to the bar, looks around and doesn't see her. He wonders over to the bar and orders a bud light. He tries to gather where his wife might be. He finishes his beer then orders another and then another and then another. Til he forgets why he came up to the bar. A woman stumbles into the bar. She's got bright red curly hair, blue eyes that are red, bags under her eyes. She's got on a tight leather black dress and black stiletto's. She comes up to the bar and sits two seats down from Matt. She orders a watermelon margarita. Matt signals for the bartender, he wants to go back his room, so he asks if he can bill the room.

"What your girl got you on a leash? Don't give you no cash so you can get a few drinks? That's a load of crap." Red head says. Matt asks for a water to go completely ignoring this girl. 

"Oh, what you ain't allowed to talk to other women? She got you that tight?"

"For your information I am in charge of the money between my wife and I. I'm not on a leash, my wife trusts me. I can talk to whoever I like, I just prefer not to talk to ignorant women that dress like you. Always having something to show. I'm a classy guy who loves his wife."

"Don't tell me you didn't look. All the guys look."

"And your boyfriend must be a real piece of work if he lets you dress like that. In fact you ain't a woman you're just a silly little girl trying to be a grown up. How old are you? 12? If you want a real man to love you try covering up. No man wants a women that everyone else has seen." Matt takes his water and turns to walk away. The woman just sits there in utter shock. When Matt makes it back to the room he finds Danni in bed. He brushes his teeth and then goes and crawls into bed with her kissing her cheek. The clock now reads 2:36am.

"Where were you?" Danni asks sleepily

"I woke and you weren't here so I went looking for you. Where were you?"

"I couldn't sleep so I went to see a movie. What did you do?"

"I went to the bar, got a few drinks. Told off this stupid woman."

"Woman? What woman?" Danni asks.

"Some woman that looked like she was barely 18. Clearly she had a rough night. She started nagging on about how you have me on a leash."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I am in love with my beautiful wife, that she was jealous, and that if she wanted a real man to love her then to cover up." Matt responds. He can feel her smile. She leans toward him and kisses him. They turn over and go back to sleep. 

****

The next day was spent in Key West. Such a beautiful place. They bought some souvenirs for their parents. Everyone had to be boarded by 4:30pm. Danni and Matt were back by 3:45. Dinner was at 6:30. The red head, and a man with brown hair black bags under his hazel eyes, from the night before walks in after Danni and Matt have been sat. Matt tries not to look but can't help himself. As they walk by he clearly announces that he loves Danni and how beautiful she looks. The red head scowls at him. Danni sees the red head then looks at Matt.

"Is that her? Shes a piece alright. I can see why you would check her out. She must have no kids based off of her body."

"Danni don't start. I told you the truth last night."

"Start what? I'm simply just saying she has a better body than mine. Any guy would do her. The guy shes with looks like a pimp."

"Danielle! Keep your voice down! We had a good day don't ruin it by accusing me of something that didn't happen."

"Very jumpy for someone who says that nothing happened."

"What do you expect? You are always accusing me of things that didn't happen. Its like you don't trust me anymore."

"Maybe I have good reason!"

"Why Danni?  What could possibly be your 'good reason'"

"You never come home on time anymore, we never have me and you time anymore, you are always checking out girls because I don't have the perfect body anymore."

"First off I have a job, yes most nights it requires me to stay late but its money. I'm sorry your nine dollars an hour doesn't cut it. I bust my back everyday racking up as much money as I can get to keep a roof over your and the kids heads and to feed all of you. Secondly we gave up 'me and you time' when the kids came along. Kids come first that's the way we decided it would be. No matter what. Thirdly you may not have the perfect body anymore and yes I may look at other women but I've never done anything I'd be ashamed to tell you about. I never gave a shit about your body still don't. Why do all women care about their bodies? If you don't like it change it. Plan and simple."

"So you do check out other women because they are better looking than me. Why should I have to change my body to appease you?"

"For the love.. Danni quit putting words in my mouth. You do what makes you comfortable. But you are dumb if you think i won't look at another woman. I would never touch any one but you. You are just insecure and I don't know how to help you. You shut me out all the time."

"I'm insecure?! Me?! You don't know me at all Matthew. " she gets up and storms out people looking Matt gets up to follow her. 

"How can I help you if you neglect to notice if you're insecure? How can I help you if you shut me out all the time? You don't think you're shutting me out, look at what you are doing right now. Walking away from me."

"I'm not walking away from you. I'm walking away from the situation and an embarrassing dinner."

"Seriously. You're avoiding the situation in hopes it'll go away. That's our problem. We don't talk." Danni stops and whips around 

"So this is my fault?! Our relationship problems are my fault?!!!"

"Well you are not easy to talk to Danielle."

"And you're childish so I'm the adult here."

"I'm childish?! You're the adult?! Oh please tell me how else I'm failing as an adult when everything we own is in my name, the fact that you don't drive, and the fact that I bring home more money than you. Please tell me how I'm failing."

"So not only do I not have the perfect body but I'm a failure too? Maybe a divorce is what we need."

"Yea just give up.. That's the answer."

"We both need to cool off. We don't mean those things."

"You need help. Cause I can't figure you out anymore. " Matt says as he storms off.