Exposed

Chapter Eighteen

It's 3 a.m. and I find myself drifting into Charles room. The door to the guest room is open, so I'm guessing Matteo is sleeping there. Or he left. I don't know. Charles stirs only slightly as I settle down beside him, needing comfort.

I wrap my arm around him, holding him close.

                                                            ***

"I don't know, Veronica!"

Rubbing my eyes, I turn in the small bed, hearing Matteo's voice raised from outside the open door. I'm off the mattress like lightning, holding my breath, remembering the events of last night. I walk to the door and shut it almost completely, hoping Charles won't wake up.

"I know. I fucked up... yeah, I've been fucking up! She won't even talk to me."

I hear the panic in his voice and I'm glad for it.

"She's ending it. She told me to leave yesterday. Jesus, Veronica. You have to help me."

"No, not talk to her. Come over today... Cancel it, please. I need to do something. I need to take her somewhere, so I can make her forgive me."

I shake my head, lump in my throat.

"She saw me with a tech at the theatre. No, I'm not sleeping with her! Emma took it the wrong way. It looked... bad. Veronica, I know you're sick of my shit but please, I... I can't live without her."

I back up from the door, pressing my hands to my ears like a child. No, I don't want to hear that. I don't want to fall into his trap. I turn, crawling back into the bed, wishing I could close the door without him noticing.

"It will only be a night," he says, sounding closer. "Thank you."

My heart is franticly beating as I sense the door to the nursery open wider. I keep my eyes shut and force myself to act like I'm in deep slumber, knowing he's there.

                                                            ***

I open the bedroom door with Charles in my arms, breathing in deeply as I catch sight of Matteo in the living room. Still in the clothes from last night, he stands, seeing us. I look at him uncomfortably and head for the kitchen.

"He's hungry," I mutter, knowing Matteo isn't going to stay in the living room. I set Charles down into his seat, pulling down the tray.

"So, what are you feeling today?" I ask Charles while glancing up nervously at Matteo under the entrance, who looks away when I catch him staring. "Fruit? Cheerios?"

I hold up the Cheerios box and Charles slams his hands against the tray, giggling happily. Always the Cheerios. I search for the bowl and fish the milk out of the fridge, biting my lip.

"I can do that," Matteo says, stepping forward. I look at him.

"Why?"

He breathes in, awkwardly and I have to give him the spoon. I hate feeling like a bitch. I turn towards the coffee machine and find a mug full on the counter. Beside it is breakfast. I'm actually angry to see it.

Now that I've told him to go, he's going to act like he actually wants to be here?

I turn, leaning against the counter. "I don't want you to do these things."

"What things?"

"Make me coffee. Breakfast. Feed Charles. You didn't want to yesterday. Why now?"

He pulls the spoon slowly from Charles mouth. "I'm trying to fix this."

"This is fake," I state, gesturing to the spoon in his hand, to the steaming breakfast. "It's nice to see, but I know you'd rather be somewhere else. And that makes it worthless to me. These are gifts. Gifts that you give an ex when you've broken up or a friend that you haven't seen in a long time. So, don't do it. Go to work."