Star Crossed

Anna-Leigh

I sit at the metal table in the metal chair and wait. It took half an hour to get back here. Every second in this place makes me cringe. When the door opens, and a guard sits Matt Arnold in front of me I almost blanche. He looks nothing like the man that I remember. He's frail and has a receding hair line. I almost ask if there was a mistake. 

"Anna-Leigh Fitpatrick. What a pleasant surprise." He grins taking a seat. I try not to shiver by his icy tone. 

"Matt." I nod once. 

"What brings you here darlin?" He muses picking his fingernails. 

"My mother died last night." His eyes meet mine and emotion flashes through them. 

"How?" He asks sitting straighter. 

"Someone beat her to death. I got to watch her suffer for a week before she passed." I state. 

Nodding slowly, he leans closer to me. 

"You came all this way to tell me that?" He asks. 

"No. I came to tell you that I know what you did all those years ago." I state sitting back. 

"Don't know what you mean." He shrugs.

"I know about the affair, and I know that's why my father left." I grit out. 

"That was a long time ago girl." He sneers.

"My mother took it to her grave. Now you and I are the only ones alive that know." I state.

"And Cash." He adds.

I snort at that.

"He's long gone. He won't come back, and he won't humiliate himself admitting it now."

"Does my boy know?" He questions, searching my face. 

"I don't think so. But he was taking care of my mother before I came back." I admit.

"Imagine that." He sighs.

"I came to tell you that if my mother ever loved it, it was long gone when you killed Shannon." Standing I stride to the door. Turning I add fuel to the fire. "You do have a grandson though." Then I exit the room. 

I had a suspicion about the affair, and he just confirmed it. I barely make it outside before I retch. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand I lean against the stone column. 

Smiling tightly, I walk back to my car and dial Syd. 

"Hello darling." She sings answering the phone. 

"Did you manage to find a contractor?" I ask closing my eyes. 

"I did." I hear the smile in her voice. "Waiting on the details now. Are you heading back from your secret location?"

"I'll be there in an hour and a half." I nod disconnecting the call. 

I spend the drive back lost in my own thoughts. When I get home, I sit in the car for a long time staring at the house of horrors in front of me.  

When I get inside Syd is nowhere to be found. Going out to the shed I grab a sledgehammer and go back inside. 

I swing it back and smash the living room wall. A gaping hole stares back at me as anger and hurt radiate through my entire body. 

I swing and swing, not even noticing the tears running down my face. When I finally stop the walls completely demolished. I'm panting. I sit on the floor with my head between my knees and try to catch my breath. 

"What the hell?" Syd asks coming into the room. She sits beside me and rubs my back. "Well, do you feel better?" She asks making me laugh softly.

"Sort of." I admit. Meeting her amused gaze. 

Pursing her lips, she stands then pulls me up too. 

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" She smirks. Her words make me blanche though. 

I head to the kitchen and fill a glass with water. Draining it I fill it again. 

"The contractor can start tomorrow." She says entering the room with caution. 

"Great." I nod. 

"Is something bothering you?" She presses. 

"We should get some work done." I state grabbing the note from the table and sitting at the piano. 

She sits on the couch while I try to find a decent melody for the words on the paper in front of me. It's easier this way, to pretend that he didn't write them. 

When the sun sinks into the sky, she orders us food while I remain playing. After we eat, she helps me finalize things for the funeral. The guest list is short, but it will do.

"Can I ask about your father?" She asks laying on the couch while I sit on the floor.

"What about him?" I ask.

"Were you close?"

"Before my life took a giant shit. I was close with them both then."

"And he just left?"

"While I was at school." I nod. Picking at the carpet.

"And the first time you heard from him was last week?" She asks. I hear the confusion in her voice.

"Yep." I sigh.

"Luke speaks to him sometimes." She says making me nod.

"I think Liam does too." I add. 

She lets the conversation drop there which I'm grateful for. Syd isn't one to pry which makes sense considering she doesn't share either. 

We call it a night shortly after the awkward conversation. I lie in bed for hours looking at the ceiling. Turning my phone on I see a message from Luke from earlier.

'Don't disappear into the night without saying goodbye this time.'

Smiling I turn my phone back off. Leaving this time will be different. I'm not running away. 

A stone settles in my gut as I debate revealing what I know or keeping it to myself. Sighing I sit up on the bed and head down the stairs. I'm quiet but it seems pointless when I see Syd sitting at the table with a glass of wine. 

"Couldn't sleep?" She muses.

"No." I sigh glancing at the door that was my mothers. 

She slides her glass to me, and I take a sip. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" She muses. 

"Matt and my mother had an affair. That's what caused the tides to turn ugly. I'm the only one that knows besides the parents." 

"Jesus." She sighs. 

"I used to lie awake at night and think how lucky I was that my life blew up before I could find someone as fucked up as them." I admit downing her wine. 

"Life is lonely." She admits taking my hand in hers.