The Arrangement | Completed | Wattys2020

60

Matty's POV

I pace around the small space of my hotel room, picking at the skin around my fingernails. I am a fucking monster. I pushed the girl I love into a fucking cabinet. I'm the reason she has a massive gash in the palm of her hand. I'm the reason that Phoebe is terrified to be touched by me. I'm the reason my family is pissed off at me. I'm the reason that I am in this hotel room when I should be in bed with Candace.

I hear a knock on the hotel door and I already know who it is. I rush over and unlock the door, opening it to let my dad in.

"How is she? Is she okay?" I ask, continuing the pacing that I have done for the last two hours.

"She's okay. She didn't know that you had left. You didn't tell her?" He asks.

"No. I couldn't. I knew that if I saw her, I wouldn't leave. I couldn't....I couldn't see her and know that I hurt her. I fucking hurt her, Dad." I say, voice breaking.

"You didn't mean to. You just..."

"I lost fucking control. I just lost fucking control of my own anger and...I went off. I took it out on her without even being aware. I could have really hurt her. I could have..." I feel the hot tears start to fall down my face, and I quickly wipe them away. If my dad sees them, he didn't say anything.

"It's not your fault, Matty." He tells me. This is the first time I've ever hear him call me Matty. I'm sure this moment would mean a little more if my world wasn't crumbling underneath my feet.

"It is my fault! I lost control and I went off on Garret! He just...fuck, he knows exactly what he was doing! He was trying to get to me! He wants me to get pissed off and attack him like I did! He wanted that so I would look like the bad guy! I'm not the bad guy, he is! He's a fucking snake." I spit out, anger coursing through me once again. I ball my fists at my sides and try and control my bleeding. I can't get pissed off again. Especially not with my dad right here, because I will go off on him. He is probably the worst person to call. But, I still did. And I don't really know why.

"I know he is." He tells me, surprising me.

"What?" I ask, making sure I hear him correctly.

"He's just trying to piss you off, Matty. Don't let him get to you. You're better than him, okay? Remember that. You have always been better than him, and that's why he feels threatened by you." He tells me.

"You're...wait, you're on my side? But what about-" I say, confused by his replies.

"Matthew, you are my son. Okay? You. Are. My. Son. We may have our differences, but you are my son. I love you, Matthew. I know it might not always seem like I do, but I do. I love you and your sister more than anything else in the world, and all I have ever wanted was to prove it to you. I've just done a shitty job of doing so." He admits. He isn't wrong. But I don't really know the last time he's told me that he loves me, either. Really, I don't think we've said those words to each other in years.

"But you said-"

"I can't let you murder my nephew. That's why I pulled you off. But, that doesn't mean that I don't believe what you're saying either." He tells me.

"You believe me?"

"Yes! Why would I choose to believe my little sisters annoying children over my son. My son who I know has a pure heart and good intentions. You have anger issues, sure. I blame myself for that. You get it from me, and I can't really blame you for acting the way that I always do when I get mad. I just...I want to see you overcome all of that. You're doing so good, Matty. You are successful at such a young age and have accomplished so many things in your life. You deserve happiness, and anyone that tries to take your happiness away from you doesn't deserve a spot in our life." He tells me.

"Thank you, dad." I sigh, thankful that he actually believes me.

"Now, are you planning on staying here all vacation or are you coming home?" He asks.

"I'm staying here. I can't go back over there. Especially not right now. I'm just...I want to stay here for a bit. I don't want to be alone, though. That's why I called you." I admitted. Why did I want my fathers company? Who knows. But I'm glad that I did invite him.

"I see." He says, not trying to steer me one way or another.

I sigh and go to sit on the bed. He takes a seat a few feet away from me, and we sit in silence.

"Can I ask you something?" I say, breaking the silence.

"Of course."

"What...happened? Between you and Lisa? You guys were family and she just...left us." I say, trying to have it all make sense. I have an older sister that I don't even get to see because of whatever happened in their relationship. She has kids that I will never see because of their relationship.

"She never did anything wrong. She was a great daughter. I love her very much, still. I'm the only one to blame for everything that happened. I don't blame her for never wanting to see me again." He sighs, running a hand through his hair, the same way I always do when I am stressed out.

"What did you do? She never really old me anything. She just said you were trying to control her life. But...don't all kids say that about their parents?" I laugh, trying to lift the mood. He lets out a breathy laugh, but there is no humor behind it.

"I fucked up with Lisa. She just...I wanted her to succeed with me. I wanted us to do this together, and she was all for it. Well, she got a job at that Law Firm and was kind of starting at the bottom. But I knew she could do it. She got her GED and started college right away, finishing before everyone her age. I mean, at the age of twenty six she already had double degrees. It was insane how smart she was. She took work so seriously, and I loved that about her. But she was still at the bottom, and we needed her to be at the top. I wanted to partner with some of the guys working at the firm. They had connections of their own, and we could benefit eachother. They wouldn't give her the time of the day, though. So, I pulled some strings. I fucked up, but I paid Lucas to date Lisa. I made him promise to never tell her. I just said that it was so she would get her mind off of work so much, but I knew it was for my own benefit. Well, as you know, Lisa and Lucas began to get serious. Very serious. He loved your sister, and he couldn't keep lying to her. He cut things off with me and then told her. Instead of getting mad at him for taking my money for over a year, she got mad at me. That was the breaking point. She was pregnant with their kid, and refused to let us see them. I fucked up. It's my fault she left." He admits.

"I knew bits and pieces of that story, but never the full thing." I mumble, surprised by his honesty.

"It's my fault our family fell apart." He repeats.

"Dad, no it's not. Yeah, you have fucked up a lot. Like, a ton. But you are trying to fix it. I can tell that you are different now. With me, with mom, even with Candace and Phoebe. That is what matters. You are trying with us." I tel him.

"I love you, son." He says, choking on his words a bit.

"I love you, too." I say, scooting over on the bed to give him a hug.

We needed this. We have always needed this.

-
Author's Note!!!!

I am so happy about this chapter. We finally got a glimpse into their relationship, and can see that they are on the right track.

But, Daniel....lord. He has DONE THIS BEFORE!!! And he DID IT AGAIN?! My brain still has to process this!

As always, I love you all so much and couldn't have done this without you! Continue to add this story to your library and reading list!

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