The Two-Night One-Night Stand (18 page)

“Matthew, I’m sorry.” My mother gets up from her seat.

“Are you freaking kidding me?” My jaw tightens.

“Stacy, you weren’t supposed to say that,” Lola scolds her younger sister, making her burst into hysterical tears.

“I didn’t know. I don’t even know what that means,” she sobs.

“It’s not your fault, sweetie.” Ashley pushes her chair back and rushes over to comfort her daughter.

“I don’t know what it means either,” Nina says. “What’s a one-night stamp mean, Uncle Matty?”

“What were you thinking, Mom?” I raise my voice, ignoring my inquisitive nieces. Is this what they were discussing when we were walking over? “Holly was not a one-night stand.”

“Oh God. It is. It’s all my fault.” More dramatic wails from Stacy.

Patrick walks over to Stacy and crouches down before her. “No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is,” she cries.

He shoots an angry glare in my mother’s direction over his shoulder. “Grandma should’ve known better than to say something like that. Little ears are everywhere, they hear
everything
.”

Eva, the baby of the family, sees her sister crying and starts crying herself.

“Matthew, it was an accident. I obviously didn’t intend for that to happen.” My mother opens her shaky arms up to Eva, smoothing a hand over her granddaughter’s hair to comfort her.

“Why? Why would you even say that?” I hiss through clenched teeth. Onlookers from tables close by are glued to our unfolding saga like it’s a dinner theater production, but I don’t give a shit.

“Matthew, please lower your voice and try to calm down,” my mom says evenly through a forced smile for the sake of the girls. “When you and I talked, you didn’t say anything about liking her or that you were dating.”

I don’t lower my voice or keep calm. I can’t. “Because of you I probably just lost my last chance with her.”

“Is my birthday ruined?” Michelle asks, tears forming in her own eyes.

Robin hugs her daughter and Kent grabs the back of my shirt, scrunching it with his fist, pulling me away from the table.

“You and Mom can discuss this another time,” he says angrily, leading me out to the waiting area with a long line of people staring us down. Someone even has their phone out and pointed in our direction. I scour the area for any sign of Holly with no luck; she’s probably halfway home by now. Kent opens the door to the restaurant and pushes me outside.

“I can’t believe that just fucking happened.” A wave of heat surges through my body despite the chilled night air.

“Dude, you need to calm the fuck down.”

“Mom just called the girl I’m crazy about a one-night stand in front of the whole family and you want me to be calm.” I pace, continuing to scan the street for any trace of her.

“The girl you’re crazy about? Since when?” Kent raises his hands, his face twisting in confusion. “I think you’re forgetting something.
You’re
the one who told us that she was a one-night stand.”

“No… I never…. Fuck.” Kent’s right. The air trapped in my lungs releases into a fluffy white cloud, deflating me.

I did call Holly a one-night stand and when my mom tried talking to me, all I did was shut her out. My family has no clue how I really feel about Holly.

“Mom didn’t have to say that to her face.”

“Mom didn’t. Technically, Stacy did.” He stifles a chuckle.

“This isn’t funny, Kent.”

“Is there something that we don’t know? Are you in love with this girl?”

“No, I’m not in love with her.” It’s too early for love. At least I think it is. “But I don’t know, maybe I could be one day.”

“Really?”

“Well, yeah. That is if we can ever get past all this horseshit. This sucks.” My hands scrapes through my hair so hard, a few strands get ripped right out. If I’m not careful, Patrick won’t be the only one in the family going bald. “Not that you would ever understand. You and Pat had it so easy, meeting Robin and Ashley.”

“Ha!” Kent bellows out a laugh right from his gut. “I would
not
call it easy. I don’t think Pat would either.” His arm slings around my shoulders. “Now that you’re older, we may have to share that story with you soon.” He takes a second, a goofy grin and far-off look on his face. “I’ll tell ya something, Matty, this horseshit part that you just referred to, it seems like it sucks now but one day when you look back you might actually find yourself missing it. There’s nothing hotter than a worked-up angsty girl fighting against her feelings and urges and then finally giving in. Damn.” He shakes out a shiver. “Ah, the good ole bad ole days when I let my dick do most of my thinking.”

“Your dick used to talk to you too?”

“Talk to me? My dick?” He takes his arm away from me, a disturbed expression on his face. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Nothing.” I gulp, scratching my head and looking off to the side. “I just. Nothing. Forget it. So, what do I do now?”

“Go back in, apologize to Mom and the rest of the family, then go home and call Holly. Try and work it out.”

“I can’t call her. I don’t have her number.”

“Then go to her apartment. You know where that is, right?”

“Just show up?”

“Just show up.”

“And say what? How do I explain the whole one-night stand comment and how our entire family knows?”

“No clue. Good luck with that part.” Kent chuckles, patting me on the back. “But you’re a smart guy, I know when you get there you’ll figure something out.”

Warmth spreads through my chest. My brothers can be complete asses but I’d be lost without them. I hook my arm around Kent, pulling him in for a brotherly hug to show my appreciation.

“Okay, Matty, enough. We’re not trying to sync up our cycles.” He gives me one last pat on the back and steps away.

“So, you’re sure I should go there?”

“Yes, you should go there.” A voice comes from behind us and I turn to see my mom clutching a big brown bag. “And you can bring her this.”

“What is it?” I take the bag.

“Her food. I heard them calling her name. She left without it. I got it so that you can take it to her.”

“Mom, I’m sorry. I just really—”

“Like her.” My mom finishes for me. “I know. And just like your brothers, you’re a fool when it comes to women.”

“Thank you.” I hold out my free arm and hug my tiny mom. “I really am sorry.”

“I know you are.” She slaps me on the stomach. “Now go.”

“I need to say good-bye to the girls and apologize.”

“The girls are fine, your dad ordered them all ice cream. You going back in now might only get them all worked up again. Just go.” She points to the parking lot.

“What do I say?” I ask. This time I need my mom’s advice.

“Matthew.” She places her hand over the left side of my chest and taps. “Think with your heart.”

She’s right. Peen, brain, conscience… I always let them do most of the thinking.

Now it’s my heart’s turn.

IT’S NOT MEANT to be.

You can only give something so many chances before you have to come to terms with the fact that it’s just not meant to be.

I slam the door to my car and my keys slip from my hand into a large slushy puddle on the ground. Of course they do. That’s it. I didn’t cry the whole way home, but this… this I am going to cry about. Stupid keys. I reach down and swipe them from the puddle, allowing big wet tears to spill from my eyes.

Windows filled with glowing lights and decorated trees multiply every time I come home. Everyone is getting ready for a love-filled holiday except me—the dirty girl who has one-night stands and gets called out by young children at family dinners. The tears come out in full force.

I’m gonna be all alone for Christmas.
Sniff.
Again.
Sniff.
I’m gonna be all alone forever.
Sniff. Sniff.
And I don’t even have any Chinese food.
Weep
.
Sob. Bawl.

I forgo my building and keep walking. There’s a convenience store only two blocks away, and the only thing that might possibly make me feel even an ounce better is a pint of ice cream. Yes, that’s about right, one pint of ice cream equals one measly ounce of happiness.

Before reaching the convenience store, I come upon Ed’s Liquor store. Peering in through the window, I see an entire endcap dedicated to cinnamon bliss. Fireball. A few of the bottles have shiny red ribbons around the base of the neck. As if that warm, mind-numbing liquid needs anything to be more enticing. Decision time, what’ll it be? Fire versus ice? Binge eating versus binge drinking? Being a lonely loser or….

What the hell am I doing?

It’s time to RSVP—NO. Holly will no longer be attending pity parties.

Fuck Fireball. That’s not what I need. Ice cream, don’t need that either. I turn on my heels and start a steady march back the way I came. I know what I need. My feet pick up speed, breaking into a run. I whip out my wet keys, clink open my doors, and throw myself into the driver seat. My car roars to life and I step on the gas, peeling out. The light at the end of my street turns yellow, but my lead foot accelerates and I speed through. If I hurry, I can make it.

The parking lot is full except for one spot right up front. I ignore the handicapped icon and pull in. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

The crowd at the restaurant has thinned and I pray I’m not too late. I breeze past the hostess who greets me holding an armful of menus, and return to the scene of the crime. The large table has emptied, with the exception of three. Matthew is gone. His nieces are gone. His father, brothers, all gone. All that remains are his two sisters-in-law and the mother who knows
everything
.

I can’t take my eyes away from the table as I back toward the exit. Look at them, sitting there, sipping tea with their better-than-everyone-else snooty faces. It’s like a scene from Cinderella, the wicked stepmother and the two wicked stepsisters. They’re probably discussing me right now, judging me when they don’t even know the whole story. The blonde one uses expressive hand motions to finish up a sentence and Matthew’s mother tosses her head back with an evil cackle.

Lost in my growing despisement, I back right into the busboy, sending his full large tray crashing to the ground. I gawk down in horror at the mess I’ve caused.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Here let me help you.” I drop to my knees, picking up dirty dishes with leftover Lo Mein and congealed pieces of broccoli stuck to them.

“It’s okay.” He places a hand over mine, encouraging me to put the dirty dishes down. “We’ve got it.” Another busboy and one of the waitresses come over to help with the mess. I stand up, wiping my hand down the front of my pants, still apologizing profusely.

“Holly?” Her voice is shrill and the hairs on the back of my neck stand at full attention. “What are you doing back here?”

Crap. I’ve been spotted. His mother glares at me from her high and mighty throne at the head of the table. The women at her sides stare with wide-eyed disapproval at the peon who’s no good for their brother-in-law. After the night I’ve had, the month I’ve had… the year I’ve had, I can take no more.

“Yes, that’s right,” I snip, pulling myself up to my full five foot three. “I came back looking for Matthew.”

“You did?” she questions with a snarl. “But Matthew—”

“I like him and I shouldn’t have run away before,” I interrupt. She can say whatever she wants when I’m done, but first I need to set her straight on a few things. “Matthew is sexy, charming, and smart.” Deep breath. “Okay, yes, I thought he was someone else when we first met. And yes, it was not one of my wisest decisions to ask him back to my place and have mind-blowing sex all night long with a guy who was practically a stranger. I didn’t even find out who he really was until the next morning.” Three mouths hang wide open, rendered speechless. “But then we ran into each other again. We were both a bit drunk. I had just found out my ex was engaged and you know, Matthew had just had that whole thing with Jeremy where they kissed and everything.”

“J-J-Jeremy?” the blonde one stammers. “Matthew and
Jeremy
kissed?”

“Yes, but I’m sure he told you guys how it was a big misunderstanding.”