The Arrangement | Completed | Wattys2020

14

Matty's face looked so distressed as he tried explaining the story.

"I guess it all started on my sixth birthday." He stated. He shook his head and closed his eyes. I could tell that he doesn't want to talk about this at all. Maybe I am pushing him too far?

"Matty, you don't have to tell me if you don't-"

"No, No. I need to. Maybe it will make me feel better about all of this...shit." He sighed.

"Okay..." I said quietly. I have never seen Matty so upset in my entire life. I hate it.

"He always expected so much from me. Too much from me, probably. I was so young, and he already had my entire life planned out for me. He wanted me to be a doctor or surgeon. Clearly, we see how well that worked out." He laughed, making light of the situation. " But, I didn't want to do that. Not only because of my weak stomach, but I wanted to be just like him. I looked up to my Dad. He was my hero. He was so successful and strong. He was my...Dad. He was always super strict, though. He wanted me to learn how to save money and tried his best to teach me good habits. I guess it paid off, really. I remember seeing a piggy bank on TV one time. I told my mom that I wanted one, and she told me about her old piggy bank. God, this is so stupid." He said, shaking his head.

"No it's not. Go on, I want to hear more." I assured him. I am seeing a new side of Matty, and I'd like to hear as much as he will allow me to know.

"When my sixth birthday came up, my dad's gift to me was a piggy bank. This was a different piggy bank, though. I guess my Mom told him about how I wanted one, and he thought it was a great idea. 'Let's show Matthew some self control,' I overheard him say to my Mom when he gave me the gift. This piggy bank was made of metal, and didn't have a cap on the bottom where you can take the money out, and you can't throw it on the ground and break it. This piggy bank was like...a safe. He had a lock and everything. It locked at the bottom, and my dad was the only one who had the key. He put money in it for my birthday, but he said that I wasn't allowed to spend it. Not until the bank was full. He told me that when the bank was full, he would unlock it and let me spend the money on whatever I wanted. I had always seen some stupid toy on TV that I wanted so badly. I couldn't tell you what it was, but I remember that I wanted it more than anything. Half a year later, when the bank was finally full, he did as he told me he would and he unlocked it. I had probably over a hundred dollars saved up. I did a shit ton of chores around the house in order to get that. I worked my ass off for it. Instead of letting me spend the money, he took it straight to the bank and put it in a savings account for me. One that I wouldn't be able to have access to until I turned sixteen. I was so upset. I remember my mom was pissed at him. She ended up sneaking two hundred dollars to me while my dad was out of town. She took me to the toy store and let me pick out whatever I wanted. She also got me a normal piggy bank. One that was ceramic and had the little cap on the bottom. It didn't have the same effect, though. I didn't want a piggy bank anymore. My dad ended up ruining it for me. Little did I know, that was only the beginning." He said, finishing his story. I had a feeling there was much more to come, though.

"It just got worse. I think his problem was that he wasn't ready to have a kid. He wasn't ready to have children, and tried to make his kids grow up as quickly as possible. He wanted to relate to me and my sister, but he just couldn't. He tried to make us grow up too quickly." He admitted. I was surprised to hear that Matty had a sister. He hasn't ever said anything about her previously, and I haven't ever seen a picture of her around their house. "For some reason, I still looked up to him. I still wanted to be just like him. I remember I was playing in his office one day when I was nine. I was pretending to be just like him. I sat at his desk and would pretend that I got calls, and would pretend to write emails. Stupid shit, because now I do it and it's not all that fun." He chuckled. I laughed with him, thinking about him as a child. "He is so organized. He can tell whenever something is out of place, and he fucking hates it. I guess I forgot to put something back when I left his office. He came into my room when he got home and yelled at me for going through his things. I tried telling him that I just wanted to play in his office, and I didn't actually touch any of his work things. He didn't believe me though, and slapped me across the face. He actually slapped me across the face. I was so...shocked. I couldn't believe it. My Dad could be rude and yell, but he never actually laid a hand on me. It got worse as I got older. We would fight over grades or housework, and he would actually punch me when I got into my teens. I remember he made me go to some stupid private school when I was thirteen or something. He got pissed off about my algebra quiz. I got an 87%. I got the highest grade in my class. He told me that it wasn't good enough and it should have been better. I didn't have many friends. The only friend I had was Frailey and he was at my old school. I had a laptop and it was the only way I could talk to him. Other than that, I had no one. My Dad knew this, so he took my laptop away. He took it away over an 87%. My mom ended up coming in and giving my laptop back to me. She told me she was proud of me. She was the only one to tell me she was proud of me." He said sadly.

My heart broke for the man in front of me. I pictured Matty as a little boy trying to impress his father. Bright green eyes staring up at his father, waiting for his approval. Knowing what I know now, I understand why Matty doesn't want to be around Daniel. I haven't ever been abused, let alone by a parent. Yeah, my Dad might not be the Parent Of The Year, but he would never hit me or Phoebe.

"I'm so sorry, Matty. I had no idea." I said, not knowing what else to say. He gripped my hand lightly, not wanting me to feel sorry for him.

"It's fine, don't be sorry." He assured me, rubbing my hand lightly with his thumb. It's funny how he is trying to comfort me, when he is the one who is hurt by this story. By his past.

"When I got older, I started to fight back. He would push me around and hit me whenever he was pissed off, and I would do it back to him. I remember the first time I hit him. I was sixteen years old, I think. He yelled at me over some stupid bullshit, and I finally just snapped. I punched him right in the jaw. It felt amazing. I think that moment scared him the most. He no longer had the upper hand. I did. He never hit my sister, but he would try and control every single thing she did. She soon found out that she could control things too. She didn't hit him like I did, but she learned that she could keep his only grandchild away from him. But, keeping his granddaughter away from him also meant keeping her away from my mom. She was so crushed when Lisa said she wouldn't see any of them again. That was my sister's name- Lisa. I rarely even speak to her if we're being honest. My parents started fighting a lot about that. My Mom still holds a grudge about it, and I guess that is now the root of most of their problems." He shrugged.

Learning about all of this is making my head spin. From Daniel, to Matty's fights with him, and now finding out about his sister...I have no idea what to think.

"He cheated on my mom. I was twenty one. I remember walking in and finding my dad fucking the neighbor on our kitchen counter. It's a sight I never want to see again. I was pissed. I was...I don't even know. I can't even begin to describe the feeling. He practically begged me not to tell my mom. He threatened to cut me off if I said anything. I laughed in his face. I literally laughed in his face when he said that, because at that point I was about to move into my own house and already started Fain&Frailey. He had nothing on me anymore. He had no power whatsoever. I owed him nothing. When he told my mom, she was devastated. I don't think she thought he was capable of hurting her like that. But he was. He ruined our entire family." Matty spit out. The venom in his words was slightly scary, but I understand where he is coming from. The thought of Daniel cheating on Lizzie is just....unbelievable. Lizzie is beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous, and he is lucky to have her. She deserves better than someone who would cheat on her.

"I understand why you wouldn't want to go to Colorado. I completely understand. I'm sorry for even pushing you to talk about all of this." I said, knowing that this was probably really hard for him.

"No, I...I want to go. But, only with you. And Phoebe. I will only go if the two of you are there. I don't think I could handle it without you two. Plus, it will be fun. I just have to have you guys there with me." He admits. Hearing him say those words makes my heart flutter.

"Really?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes. I want to go. But only if you guys go with us. So, go with us? We can plan around work if we need to. But, there is no way in hell I can make it through without you. Please? It could be fun. Colorado is beautiful. We own a cabin there and-"

"You own a cabin in Colorado?" She asks, clearly surprised.

"Yes. And a beach house in Florida. We can go there instead if you want to. I can show you the mountains of the beach at any time you want." He smiled. I know he isn't bragging, he's just stating a fact. Sometimes I forget how much money him and his family actually have. "So come with me? Please?" He asks again.

"I would love to." I smiled.

This trip to Colorado could either go great or terribly wrong.

For our sake, I hope it goes well.