Loving, Mr Waters

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

MATTHEW
I open the door to my parents house the loud voices of my parents and my son welcoming me. I walk into the living room finding my dad playing toy cars with my son on the carpet.
"Hello everyone." I greet loud enough for everyone to hear me.
Trey's head turns towards my direction when he hear my voice and instantly stands up running to me and throwing himself at me. I hug him tightly happy to be reunited with him after being gone.
"Hi daddy." He says as he kisses my face with a mouth full of chocolate and I feel my face smeared with it all over but I don't mind a bit.
The joy of having a child.
"Hi bud. How are you?"
"I'm good. I missed you." He says filling my heart with joy. I look at his face that is full of chocolate and thank God for blessing me with this bundle of joy I call my son.
How his mother couldn't appreciate him is beyond me but I force the thought out as I kiss his cute face.
"Now I'm jealous. Don't I at least get a bit of all those kisses?" My mother asks me playfully. I put Trey down whispering. "Let me greet your grandma before she dies of jealousy." enough for her to hear.
"I heard that." My mother says as she watch us and Trey eyes wides as if his grandma just heard the biggest secret in the world.
I walk towards my mom who's now standing and hug her while I kiss her hair. "Hi mom. You're looking as beautiful as always."
"Thank you darling. How was your trip?"
"Good, good.." I answer as I move to hug my dad as well before sitting down and taking Trey with me as I sit him on my lap but he groan moving away.
"I'm not a child dad. You can't sit me on your lap every single time." He says as he sits on the couch next to me making both of my parents laugh.
"You'll always be a child to me. No matter how old you get." I tell him as I ruffle his hair.
"Would you like something to eat or drink darling?" My mom ask.
"No mom I'm all good. I'm not staying for long."
"Trey sweetheart go to the kitchen and ask Joyce to help you with your bag upstairs." My mom tells Trey who waste no time following the instructions. My parents both look at each other mouthing inaudible words to each other as if I'm not in the room and can't tell they're talking about me.
"You both know that I can tell that you're talking about me, right?" I ask them. "So ask me whatever you want to ask." I tell them both. My mom motions for my dad to speaks first but my dad shakes his head clearly not wanting to be the barrier of the news.
My mom sighs as if preparing herself to tell me big news. "Matthew darling, I think it's about time we spoke about Miranda." She says catching me off guard with her words.
I look at her my entire body burning with rage at just the mention of Miranda.
"Don't mom." I warn gritting my teeth. "There's absolutely nothing to talk about."
"Son." My dad says in his authoritative voice but my mom shakes his head warning him not to use that voice right now.
"Matthew, it's been six years and you can't run away forever. One way or another we have to have this talk." My mom continues completely ignoring my words.
I stand up taking off the jacket feeling hot all of the sudden.
"What's there to talk about mom? What's so hard to understand that I never want to talk about the woman that left me and my son alone at the hospital after giving birth without so much as hesitating?" I explode my anger rising full force.
"Don't talk to your mother like that." My dad warns but I'm past caring.
"You know very well how much I hate Miranda. Just the mention of her name makes me angry." I continue as I pace.
"When will this hatred go away? How long will you punish yourself for something you had absolutely no control over?"
"Never." I vow. "I should have known mom. I should have at least seen it coming." I say trying really hard not to not relish the bad memories I've endured.
"Baby, you need to forgive that woman. If not for you then for Trey. One day you will have to talk to your son about Miranda. You owe him the full truth about his mother."
"I know mom. I know." I say defeated.
"Come here." She opens her arms out for me and I hug her finding comfort in her hug. My mom's hug always gave me comfort and I'm not embarrassed to admit that sometimes I come home just for her motherly hugs.
If someone told me six years ago that I'd be a single dad at the age of thirty-five I'd have laughed at them. I always thought by this age I'd be married with two to three children's and living my happily ever after life but as they say "Life doesn't always go according to what we want."
I know that much for sure.
When I was young I use to think I'd be easy for me to find my life time partner. That I'd marry young like my parents and have my happily ever after but Miranda shattered those dreams with just a few words. Words which still keeps me awake at night.
How can someone change so drastic all of a sudden?
I've asked myself that question for years but still can't find the right answer.
"You need to let go of this anger inside you. You need to heal and let go of the past." My dad says as I pull out of my mothers hug and sit down. "Otherwise how will you ever allow anyone special in your heart? I'd like to see my son in love and with a partner that he truly trust one day." He continue telling me.
I want to tell them I'm trying. I'm trying to trust Thando. That I'm falling in love and it scares me. That I've found a special person but I'm not yet sure if I can fully trust her with my heart even though she did nothing to deserve this any of this.
"Do you hear me?" My dads voice brings me back to the moment and for the first time I see so much worry in them which shock me.
I probably could make his worries less with my answer.
"One day dad." I tell him honestly.
Trey emerges in the room with his backpack and look between us as if sensing the heavy atmosphere.
My son.
I just hope one day I'll have enough guts to talk to him about his mother because he deserves to know the truth, no matter what.
"Say your goodbyes to grandma and grandpa." I tell him and he does hugging them both with a clean face that no longer has chocolate.
"Goodbye grandma. Goodbye grandpa." Trey tells my parents as he takes my hand in his little one.
I hug both my parents again saying my goodbyes at the door before open the car door for Trey to climb inside.
"I love you both." I tell them as get inside my car.
"We love you too darling. Let us know when you get home." My mom reminds me again.
"Will do." I answer waiting for them to close the door and get inside. After making sure they're inside I drive Trey and I home, my whole body exhausted with the conversation I just had with the both them.
Just when I think I'm done with the reminder of Miranda my phone beeps with a text from the number which she's been calling me with.
Miranda: I guess since you don't want to pick up the phone like an adult and answer you prefer to see.
What. The. Fuck. Does. She. Mean. By. That??
I really hope it's not what I think it is because if it is she is dead I fear.
"Are you okay daddy?" Trey asks next to me.
"I'm fine bud. Just a bit tired" I lie.