Loving, Mr Waters

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

MATTHEW
Life is beautiful. These past two weeks, Thando and I have been spending much needed time together. I didn't tell her this but I'm finally ready to tell my family about her and I can't wait to surprise her with the news.
I'm at Trey school waiting for him busy texting my woman who's in New York for a relative wedding. God, I miss her.
Thando: I wish you came to the wedding with me.
Me: Me too baby but it's a good thing you'll get here tomorrow.
Thando: I can't wait to see you and Trey.
Me: We can't wait to see you too. How about we fetch you at the airport?
Thando: I'd like that very much.
I see my son coming out of the school gates chatting with his friends while pointing at a young girl who's standing with her mom. I see Trey blushing as he steal a glance at the girl and I smile at what I'm witnessing.
My son has a crush.
Honestly, where did the time go?
Trey says something to his friends before he start walking towards all the while his eyes keep staring at the girl who's now getting in her moms car.
"Afternoon dad."
"Hi buddy, how was school?"
"Good but a bit boring without Auntie Thando."
"She'll be back tomorrow and guess what?"
"What?"
"We're both fetching her at the airport."
He jumps up and down smiling. "Yes."
"I have a question for you." He say as I open the door for him.
"What is it?" I urge him to get in but he doesn't.
"When you marry Auntie Thando, can I finally call her mom?"
I choke on my saliva hearing his question shocked by it. Trey and Thando are closer than before, they call each other every night and I guess as she continues to come at our house he now sees her as a mother figure. Of course I can't blame him but never did I think he would want to call her mom. I look at my son who's waiting for me to answer him and as much as I don't want to have this conversation on school gates I know he asked this question because it's something which is very important to him.
I bend down leveling myself to him as I say. "That's something we will have to discuss with her first."
"You do plan to marry her right?" He fires back and I don't hesitate answering. "Yes"
It's funny how I never thought I'd marry or have a girlfriend at that but ever since I started dating Thando everything seems to make sense. I know with a certainty I've never known that she's someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and even though we haven't confessed our feelings for each other yet I plan to do something special for her and confess my love to her as soon as she gets back.
"Tomorrow?"
"That's too soon but I'll let you know when it's time. Come on get inside."
I'm about to climb inside the car when I feel a hand touching my wrist. I don't know what I expect when I turn around but it's definitely not my ex who's staring at me smiling brightly her smile actually blinds me for a second.
"What?" I say stunned to see her here. "What the fuck are you doing here?" I bark as I steal a glance at my son who's looking at us through the mirror.
Shit. This is not how I wanted to tell Trey about his mother and since he saw her I know he's going to ask questions which I don't know whether it's the right time for him to know.
"I came here to see my son Matthew. I decided to take matters in my own hands since you refuse to let me see him." She shouts unnecessarily drawing Treys attention on us and a few parents who're passing by.
"Lower your fucking voice." I whisper yell at. "You don't even know what he looks like. So how were you going to know which one is him?" I ask as she looks at Trey through the window.
She smirks. "I saw his pictures all over the wall on your house Saturday."
Before I can answer her Trey gets out of the car and looks between us.
"Who are you?" My son asks Miranda with an attitude probably sensing the tension between us.
Miranda bends down and I warn her with my eyes not to say anything stupid but like the bitch she is she completely ignores smiling down at Trey. "I'm your mommy."
Time stands still as I gauge Treys reaction wanting nothing more than to strangle Miranda for doing this on purpose. I simply stand there as Trey looks at his mother for the first who he knows nothing about, not saying anything.
"Are you happy to see your mommy?" She continue asking but before she can say anything further I take her arm and move her away from my son.
"Get inside the car Trey."
"Can I go and pee first dad?"
"Yes but hurry up."
Miranda and I both watch him as he runs leaving us alone. My whole body is boiling with anger as I question the beaming woman next to me. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? Which part of of stay away from us didn't you understand clearly?"
"Enough. I've given you enough time to come to your senses Matthew. You need to accept that I'm here for you and our son, together we're a family."
"You're clearly crazy if you think we're your family." I roar. "I tried being nice to you're not listening. Expect a restraining order today."
How hard can it be for her to get it into her head that I want absolutely nothing to do with her?
"Is this about that underage girl? Are you seriously choosing her over our family?"
I look at the woman I once knew not recognizing even for a bit as she continues to speak words I can't make out. I wonder whether this is her being delusional or perhaps she's somewhat gone crazy over the years I've not seen her.
"Baby listen." Miranda touch me and I step back quick. I'm about to say something when I hear tires screeching and people screaming. The first thing I notice is how fast my heart is beating before I turn around and nothing prepares me for the sight before me. Trey is on the floor as a man gets out of his car that just ran over him. I don't remember when my legs moved but I'm suddenly on the floor moving the man who's holding Trey snatching him from him and holding him to myself as he cries.
"Daddy it hurts so much."
I hear voices talking and others trying to stop me but I move with purpose refusing to let anyone stop me from taking my son with me.
"I know buddy, I promise dad will make go away soon." I tell him as I feel my own tears falling off my face. I put him carefully on the car while he's crying.
"Make it better, please." He says breaking me to pieces.
"Matthew let me drive us to the hospital while you sit with him at the back." Miranda stands in front of me as she looks between us. I look at my son who's crying and as much as I don't want to do this I nod in agreement climbing in the backseat and take Trey in my arms while Miranda drives us to the hospital.
"He's going to be okay." I hear Miranda say but I ignore her as I focus on Trey. As I sit there watching my son crying I pray to God to please spare his life and not let me lose him.
I cannot lose the one person I live for and would give my whole life too.

Five minutes later we arrive at the hospital and I quickly get off the car taking Trey with me running inside the hospital.
"Someone help me!! My son just got ran over by a car." I yell and see nurses running to us with a stretcher and try to take him from me but I can't seem to let him go.
"Sir, you need to let him go so we can help him as soon as possible sir." One
of the nurses tells me and as much as I don't want to let him go I put him down knowing he's going to get help. Everything moves fast as we all move to the operation room and I'm about to enter with the nurses when one of them stops me.
"No one is allowed in here."
She tells me then close the door leaving me alone. I sink down by the wall my whole world collapsing and my body shaking uncontrollably.
"He will be fine Matthew, relax." Miranda says as she sit by my side but I can't seem to form any words.
Words like, this is your fault and leave me the fuck alone. Instead I just simply sit there staring into space wishing Thando was here instead.