𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 𝐁𝐗𝐁

ＳＩＸＴＹ-ＯＮＥ

"Why is there a man on our doorstep?" Luke asks as he walks into our apartment, and I'm sure the last thing he expected was to find me curled up on the couch crying like a loser. "Ben, you okay man?"

I can't believe he's still there. Matt came after me after I left the restaurant, he had been pounding on the door for a while but I refused to let him in. I didn't want to know what he would say, I'm not ready to face it.

"Samantha and Matt are having a baby." I'm saying it out loud for the first time. Immediately after that, a small sob escapes my mouth.

"Is that why you refuse to let him in?" Luke looks at me with angry eyes at first. It's like "I knew this would happen". Then, when he sees my helplessness, he sits next to me and gently caresses my back. "I'm sorry, Ben, but..."

"You told me, yeah, I know!" I unconsciously jump to my feet, pulling at my hair as I pace the living room. "He told me he wasn't sleeping with her."

"And you believed it too?" Luke stands up angrily. "I'm sorry Ben, I don't want to be the evil angel on your shoulder, but you're so naive, man!"

"I love him." I take a deep breath, realizing that I was thinking out loud for a moment. Luke and I meet our eyes, desperation in my voice. He looks at me incredulously. "I need to talk to him."

"No!" Luke quickly blocks my path, his hands on my shoulders, trying to stop me from another stupid thing I'm about to do. "Ben, don't do this. You can't let him play around with you anymore. Even if she's your sister, let them go their ways with whatever fucked up marriage they have."

"I just want to hear what he has to say," I swallowed helplessly, looking down at my toes, "Can you give us a moment?"

"Damn Ben." Luke grumbles out into the hallway, and as soon as I hear the sound of water coming from the bathroom, I go to open the door.

I find Matt outside our apartment door. He is sitting at the opposite wall, his head under his elbows lifts up when he hears the sound of the door, he looks scary. His eyes are as red as they can be, his face wet and stained with regret. Unfortunately it's too late for that now.

Still, a glimmer of hope plays in his eyes, and when he sees me standing there, he slowly stands up, pulling on the wall. "I, I'm so sorry..." The words come out choppy, his voice cracking.

"Come in," I open the door, stepping back a little so he can get in, "I don't want to do this here."

He walks slowly through the door, stops as he passes me, and I quickly pull my head back as his left hand lifts up to rest on my face. "You lied to me."

"I didn't."

"Matt..." I walk away with a sigh, sit down on the couch, and continue when he sits down next to me. "I wouldn't even say I'm surprised by this whole thing because you've hurt me so many times in different ways, Matt, but I have to admit, this was the worst."

"Listen to me please."

"I've done this too much," I cut him off by raising my hand, "I know there were times when we both doubted who we were to begin with, but this is something else. I didn't expect you to dump my sister and miraculously come back to me, Matt, I can't imagine Samantha getting hurt. I can't and I don't even know what I was thinking getting into this shit with you, but a baby? That changes everything."

"This baby is not mine."

"Matt..." I close my eyes to rub my forehead for a moment. "What do you want to say? Is Sam cheating on you?"

"This wouldn't be surprising since we don't have sex."

"She wouldn't do anything like that," I step away from him defensively because my knee had been subconsciously brushing against his throughout the conversation, "And even if she did..."

"I got into some bad shit."

"I know you did," I say with a smug chuckle.

"No, it's not like that, Ben." Matt squints his eyes awkwardly. "This is about my job."

"I'm confused, explain better."

"I have to disappear for a while."

I stand up. My body freezes and I remain silent, having no idea what he's saying. After a while, Matt stands in front of me. "A corruption scandal has broken out in my company. I did my best to keep it secret, but Ben, I may be sued soon."

"You what?" Thoughts flow very fast. There's a baby out there that I don't know if it's really his, and now he's telling me he's about to go to jail?

"Will you defend me?" Matt looks at me with pleading eyes. "I can't trust anyone else Ben, only you can help me get through this."

"You want me to be your lawyer?" I get nervous and I can't help but laugh hysterically. "I've never met someone as brazen as you in my life."

"You have to help me disappear," his hands reach for my shoulders, squeezing to keep me still, "I promise, when we get back, we'll work out this baby thing, and that's when we can be together."

"When we get back?" I ask breathlessly.

"I can't stay here." Matt tugs at his hair in confusion. "I have private property, you must come with me."

"Forget it," I protest, taking a few steps back, "I would never do that. I don't care, you'll find out if this baby is yours and you'll take responsibility for whatever illegal shit you got into."

"I can't," his voice sounds almost tearful, "You don't understand, I didn't do any of the things I'm accused of, I didn't get your sister pregnant!"

Matt, who is hovering on the edge of a minor nervous breakdown, kicks the coffee table powerfully, and our eyes meet as the items scatter on the floor. Involuntarily, I run towards him, my arms wrapping around his large body. "I will help you."

"We're leaving tomorrow morning," he pulls me back in awe, his palms resting on my face, "But I need a place to stay for the night."

"You can, if you want, here..." I stutter as our faces approach each other.

"Definitely not here!" Meanwhile, Luke in his bathrobe, passing by the living room door to go to the kitchen, sends a disgusted look at the two of us.

Everything was becoming complicated once again. 

I don't know what to tell my pregnant sister, I don't know what to do before heads off to the unknown on the other side of the world with her husband, who I've just learned may be a criminal. I don't know what to think as Luke stands in the doorway sending scary glares at Matt to distract us. 

What's next?