i know it's me that's supposed to love you // m.h.

// S H E S A M E R I C A N //

"Oh there he is! My boy! I'm so proud of you." An older woman giggled, rushing towards Matty soon as we entered the home. "Aw Matt. I missed you." She said, pulling him into a tight hug. And he didn't seem to mind, hugging her tightly back. "Hello mum. This is Jasper." He said, introducing me. "Oh honey, I've heard almost nothing about you since Matt isn't too open with us anymore. But it's a pleasure to have you here." She said, turning to me. "You can call me Denise." She said, pulling me into a hug. She slowly let go of me and looked down. "Matthew Timothy Healy. Did you get her pregnant? Is that why you are here? Matthew." She snapped at him. She held my hand though, as if she pitied me.

"How far along are you, love?" She asked, making me tea as I sat at the dining room table. "I'm 8 months. Almost there. I didn't know he hadn't told you... Sorry to just show up."

"Don't apologize for him. He's probably just very scared. I think this is one of his bigger fears."

"Well, I told him he didn't have to take responsibility and he insisted he did so."

"Well then. Maybe you'll make an honest man out of him." She said with a wink.

"Oh I don't think we'll ever be at that point. It's very complicated."

"Let me guess, he acts like he cares, but he won't say it."

"Exactly."

"That usually means that he doesn't know how to tell you. He'll write a song about you and then you'll know."

I just smiled, hoping that it was true. Denise showed me pictures of young Matty with his big ears and unibrow. "He was always musical, always curious and always speaking big words not everyone understood." I laughed, sounded about the same as now. Matty now made his way to the kitchen and sat next to me. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I just wasn't sure how you'd take it." He sighed, taking ahold of his mom's hand. "Matthew, I will support you in whatever you choose to do. You know that. I'm so proud of you. Always." She said sweetly. I could only hope to be as understanding of a mum as her.

The rest of the evening went well, we ate and laughed together. And I finally met Louis who seemed okay with the whole thing. Only after he got to make some jabs at Matty for knocking me up. "Can I ask you something?" I said when it was only Denise and I. "Sure, darling. What can I do for you?"

"Well, Matty suggested that I move over here. My family isn't the most supportive, He said you might be more helpful and he said since he will be here, too."

"It's not a bad idea. But, it's really up to you. You're the one having to leave everything behind. What about work?"

"I'm not sure I'd regret leaving everything behind. I'd only miss my friend Lily. And I'm an interior designer. I work at an architecture firm right now but Matty said it wouldn't be hard to get hired over here."

"I think you're answering your own questions."

"You'd be here though, right? I just worry about living alone or not having a job. I worked so hard to get through school and then just to throw it all away..."

"I'll be here for you. We all will."

And with that, I think Denise had convinced me. She was such a sweet person, I wondered why Matty had been so hesitant to tell her about me.

"Ready to go?" Matty asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I nodded and stood up. "Thank you for everything." I said to Denise, who pulled me into a tight hug. "Anytime. She's a good girl, Matthew. Don't be stupid." She said, hugging him too. "Have you told your father yet?" Matty shook his head no "I was going to ring him tomorrow." Matty turned to Louis, "Behave yourself. Don't learn from me." He said playfully. Louis gave me a hug and said, "It was great to meet you. Truthfully," he whispered into my ear, "I'm not sure if it's the baby but he's changing. And it's very nice." He smiled at me as he let go. And I smiled back. Hopefully it would a good change.