TRUTH
1003 Words
She went out into the living room with her mom. She sat down and said, “Matt was approved to take a leave.”
“That’s good. Are you sure you want to bring Matthew?”
“I don’t, but Matt is insisting. I think he feels guilty for missing the last 18 months.”
“Well, I think it’s wonderful he wants to be a good dad. Before your dad died, you two were inseparable. You were daddy’s little girl.”
“I think I remember that,” she said. “Mom, I need to tell you something.”
“What is it sweetheart?”
“Um, while I was doing my clinical’s, I applied to a lot of places.”
“You weren’t coming back, were you?” Josephine asked.
“No Mom, I wasn't, but I planned on asking you to move out there with us.”
“You have changed your mind now that you have Matt back, haven’t you?” Kathy was silent. “Kathy, have you talked about this with Matt?”
“No, not yet.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“I don’t know," Kathy said. "These past two days were not at all what I could have ever imagined could happen."
"I know your life suddenly changed."
"Mom, UCLA Medical offered me a position to start after I passed the NCLEX.”
“What are you going to do? Matt has a job here. His family is here.”
“I don’t know Mom. I’m stressed out enough. This really has been one hell of a trip so far.”
“I’m sorry, I know it’s been very overwhelming for you,” she said. "What do you want to do?"
“I want to stay in LA, I’ve gotten used to living there. I’ve made friends, and I am making a name for myself. But I love Matt so much. I just got him back, and I don’t ever want to lose him again.”
“Then you need to talk with him about this.”
“Mom, I’m scared.”
“About what?”
“I’m scared we may have grown in different directions. He’s the same Matt I fell in love with, but I had to change. I had a baby to be responsible for. What if he doesn’t like who I’ve become?”
“Kathy, you’re the same person on the inside. The person he fell in love with is you, not mommy Kathy, not nurse Kathy, just you. You two haven’t grown apart. You will, however, continue to grow together. Every single person that knows you two will say the exact same thing. The bond between you two is inseparable. A long time ago you two became one.”
“I hope you're right.”
“And if you decide together that LA will become your home, I will support your decision.”
“Thank you mom.”
After dinner, Matt could tell something was troubling Kathy. When they went to bed, Kathy was quiet. Matt crawled in with her. “What’s bothering you? I can tell something is.” She leaned against him. He kissed her shoulder. “We’re in this together, right?”
“Yes.” She started to cry.
“Talk to me.”
“Matt, I’m scared.”
“About what?”
“Us. We’re going to be alright, aren’t we?”
“Of course we are. I know we’ve been apart for two years, but we are still Matt and Kathy,” he said. “That hasn’t changed. I’m sorry you had to grow up so fast because of the baby. But I’m not "immature pot-smoking Matt" anymore. I grew up too. I never gave up hope of finding you either. We have always been meant to be together.” He stopped for a minute. “Don’t you want to marry me?”
“Of course I do. I never stopped loving you. And there wouldn’t ever be anyone else for me.”
“Then trust me, trust us. No matter what you decide, we will do it together. I told you, I will never let you go.”
She gave him a hug. “Would you move to LA for me?”
“Babe, I’d move to the freaking arctic for you,” he smiled.
“Well let’s not get that extreme," she said.
He laughed, then asked, "Do you want to move to LA?"
“Matt, before I left LA the other day, UCLA Medical made me a job offer.”
“That’s fantastic. If you want to accept it, then we will make LA our home.”
“Are you sure? What about your family? What about your job?”
“Kathy, you and Matthew are my family. We matter before anyone else.”
“God, I love you so much.”
“And if they want to see us, they can fly there.”
“You certainly have grown up from, how’d you put it?”
“Immature pot-smoking Matt.”
“Yeah, him,” she smiled. She leaned over to him. Their eyes met. He held her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. She ran her fingers through his wavy hair. “I love your hair. I'm glad you weren't mature enough to cut it.”
He laughed. “You know, I haven’t smoked pot since that day. Maybe if I had been more alert that day, it might have ended a lot differently. And now I know why you were avoiding it.”
“How much did you and Scott smoke that day?”
“Oh hell, I can’t remember.”
“You mean to tell me you fell because you were so high you lost your balance?”
“Nope, but I’m sure it didn’t help.” She hit him with a bed pillow. “What was that for?”
“You’re such an ass.”
“Why?”
“You just are.”
- Writer
