Flat-Out Matt

“Fi

Julie dropped her head forward and leaned into him. “Because he’s a jerk, and I’m a liar.” Her voice caught and she started sobbing.

Matt didn’t say anything, but he kept rubbing her back. Celeste moved behind Julie, pressing her between them. Matt didn’t know what to say, so he let Julie’s tears fall while he and Celeste held her.

“Please don’t cry, Julie. You were simply wonderful out there,” Celeste said.

“She was not wonderful, Celeste. She was a dope.” Matt managed to soften his tone. “But we’re glad you’re okay. You are okay, aren’t you? I mean… physically?” Clearly she was a mental basket case right now.

Julie nodded and then turned her head, still resting it against Matt’s chest. He was relieved beyond words that she was safe.

“Matt?”

“Yeah?”

“Did we talk on the phone last night?”

He paused. Oh, no. “We did.”

“Did I ask you…?” Julie seemed to fumble for words. “Did I ask you if you were a skilled lover?”

Matt cleared his throat and paused again. He’d been hoping that conversation was lost forever. “You did.”

Celeste burst out laughing.

Julie tucked her head down lower. “Sorry.”

“Let’s get you into the car. It should still be warm.”

“Celeste, can you grab my bag?” Julie pointed from under the blanket to the benches on the other side of the beach.

“Absolutely. Hey, Julie?”

“Yeah, kiddo?”

“I’m glad that you’re here.” Celeste beamed. “Home.”

“Me too.”

“Meet us at the car, okay?” Matt stepped away from Julie and turned her in the direction of the street. Home. Celeste was right. Julie’s home was with them.

“So, Matt,” she started and looked up at him smiling. God, he’d missed that smile. “Last night? What was your answer?”

“I’m not going to tell you. Now maybe you won’t drink so much again.”

Julie sighed. “Believe me. Lesson learned.”

Matt got her into the front seat and cranked up the heat. Celeste bounded into the car with Julie’s bag, and they started the drive home. The frozen girl in the seat next to him periodically shuddered and held her hands in front of the car vents that didn’t seem to be producing enough heat for even a mildly chilly day.

Matt frowned and fiddled with the controls, finally hitting the dashboard. He wanted hot air blasting onto Julie immediately. “Come on! Come on, you piece of crap!” He slammed his hand down again.

“It’s all right. Calm down. I’m warming up,” Julie insisted.

“No, you’re not fine.” Matt was angry again. “That was a stupid thing to do. It was reckless. Seriously, what would possess you?”

Julie leaned back. “I don’t care. I’m glad I did it.”

“It’s called a plunge. It’s not a stand-in-the-dangerously-cold-water-and-stare-fixedly-at-nothing event. A plunge means exactly that. You plunge in and get the hell out. Not that you should have even been doing that.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m not fooling around, Julie. That was stupid. Stupid.” Matt hit the gas, desperate to get Julie back to the house where he could take care of her properly. He would build a fire, and make her soup, and force her to drink lots of fluids. Hot tea, maybe? He was sure there was a wool blanket in the linen closet upstairs….

“Slow down, Matt!” Julie said hoarsely. “You’re going to get a ticket.”

“I’ll drive as fast as I want. The quicker we get you home, the quicker you can warm up.”

“Why don’t you just take me back to Dana’s? Turn left up here.”

“Is that where you’ve been staying?” He was really pissed off now. If her father blew her off, why would she stay at Dana’s and not with them? Had she even left Boston at all? And if she thought for two seconds that he would drop her off at an empty apartment, then she had surely frozen most of her brain cells in the Atlantic. Her lack of responsibility was appalling. “No. I am not taking you back to Dana’s. Who knows what other trouble you’ll get yourself into?”

“Matt! I can stay wherever I want to. I’m an adult.”

“You’re not acting like it.”

“Why do you care where I stay?”

“Ah, a lovers’ quarrel,” Celeste said dreamily from the back seat.

“Shut up!” Matt and Julie yelled together.

No one spoke for the rest of the ride home.

Later, when Julie had taken a long, hot shower, and Celeste was in her room, Matt was starting to relax. He really snapped at Julie on the car ride home, but now that she was safe at home, curled up in front of a blazing fire on the living room floor with her head on a pillow, he felt better.

What a morning. He still couldn’t believe that he and Celeste left the house without Flat Fi

He listened while Julie explained about her father canceling their trip and how she was too embarrassed to tell him. As much as Matt wanted to rip off her father’s head for what he’d done to his daughter, he contained his anger for her sake. Julie nudged him about Roger and Erin leaving him and Celeste alone, but this time he didn’t mind talking about his family or his feelings. Well, not as much as he usually minded. Maybe the heat from the fire was getting to him.

“I’m sorry your parents left you here alone. That’s not very nice.”

Matt jabbed the fire with an iron poker. “No, it’s not very nice, is it? And I’m sorry your dad left you alone. That’s also not very nice.”

“Thanks.” Julie closed her eyes. Between last night’s alcohol and this morning’s chaos, she must be wiped out.

“Tired, huh? Why don’t you sleep for a while?”

Matt got up and pulled the curtains shut in the living room, and then he covered her with the wool blanket. Julie yawned and turned onto her side so that she was facing the fireplace. “Did you call Dana?”

“Not yet. I will.” He didn’t want to, but Julie would be relentless about this.

“Thanks for getting me, Matty. I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“Of course. It’s not a problem.” He sat down next to her, watching her breathing begin to slow as her drowsiness took over and her eyes closed.

Even now, in front of the fire, she shivered in her sleep. Without thinking, Matt lay on his side next to her and propped himself up on one arm. For a few minutes, he just took her in. Then he scooted forward slightly, wanting to warm her with his body, wanting to be as close to her as possible, and wanting to protect her even though the danger had passed. She rolled back against him, touching her back to his chest. Slowly and gently, he ran the back of his hand over her cheek. The color had returned. She was all right.

What had today been about for her? Was she trying to prove something to Fi

Said I’m fallin’, too cold in my town… Said I’m breathin’, but I don’t know how.

Matt closed his eyes as an understanding washed over him. He was in love.