Hope Begins to Fade

God Only Knows

"Cathy!" Steph shouted as we stepped through the front door. "Where the hell is she?" Steph asked as we made our way to the kitchen.

"She didn't say she was going out and the front door is unlocked, she can't have gone far." I'd been helping Steph and Brian move the rest of Brian's things over to Steph's place.

"Awww man..." Brian held his son out in extended arms as we made our way deeper into the house, "Ace the little dude has made a mess. Help me out here?" He whined.

Steph snorted, "Not a fucking chance Haner. I got the last two, consider it your turn."

"You love to torture me woman," Brian complained.

"Pffffttt. I let you drive didn't I?" Steph smirked.

"That was not up for negotiation." He raised his eyebrow at her.

"Brian, there's still a change table in Harper's bedroom, you can use that," I interrupted. After a day spent with Brian, Steph and Baby Haner I knew that if someone didn't step in they'd banter back and forth for hours until the unholy stench wafting from the baby's bottom engulfed us all.

"So speaks the voice of reason," said Brian with a shrug and disappeared in the direction of Harper's bedroom.

"Ha," said Steph, "I knew I'd win that round."

I was about to tell her that her victory hadn't been certain when the shrill sound of children's voices shouting "Uncle Brian!" interrupted me. Steph and I looked at each other in surprise. Matt's boys?

It had been nearly four weeks since Val's funeral. Matt had finished that day a broken man and as the days went by he seemed to be getting further away from finding a way to deal with his wife's loss not closer.

Cathy was standing in the kitchen looking flustered when we entered the room. "Oh thank god. Is Brian with you?" she breathed in relief.

Steph glanced at me with a frown before answering, "He's just wiping the devil child's butt. Why?"

Cathy dropped onto a stool with a curse.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Steph asked all concern. Cathy sighed, worry evident on her face, and gestured for us to follow her. She led us through the family room and out on to the back patio. There sprawled on a sun lounge was Matt. He limply clutched a whisky bottle to his chest and looked to be asleep.

"Fuck," Steph breathed heavily. Matt opened his eyes and blinked in attempt to focus on her. I'd seen him almost every day so his appearance shouldn't have been a surprise to me but every time I saw him I couldn't help but feel shocked. His hair and beard were both so wild it looked as though he'd come in after months lost in the bush.

"Heeey," Matt slurred, "it's Steph. And Caitlin. Are you going to bring some light into the darkness Sunshine?" He waved his bottle in my direction.

My heart sank. He was wasted. Again.

"Jesus. Where the fuck is Jeff?" Steph exploded dragging Cathy and me back inside.

"Later ladies!" Matt called after us.

"At a conference," Cathy and I answered Steph in unison.

"What about the others?" Steph narrowed her eyes at Cathy. Cathy shrugged uncomfortably.

"They don't want to help him out?" Steph was horrified.

"No, no. Of course they want to help him out," Cathy rushed on. "It's just that it's Jeff and my turn and I forgot about Jeff's conference."