Closer to Heaven With You

“You know, I wish you’d just let me carry you.” Matt said as he watched Leigh fight with her crutches as they tried to make their way down the stairs of the apartment so he could take her out for the day.

“No, I can do it. But I tell you what, you can carry me back up later.” She replied with a smirk. Matt rolled his eyes and shook his head with a chuckle.

“You’re lucky I love you Leigh Haner.” He said as she finally reached the bottom step. Leigh stopped and looked up at him with a smile.

“You do don’t you?” she asked quietly staring into his hazel eyes. He smiled back and nodded.

“If only you could remember how much.” He whispered, even though he was smiling, Leigh knew that her not remembering him was killing him. She hadn’t seen much of Matt since she’d gotten out of hospital and when he had come to see her he was always quiet. Most of the others had noticed the change in Matt’s personality and the girls had suggested that it may have something to do with the love of his life not remembering him or anything about their relationship.

Leigh had then decided that she needed to get to know Matt again and had insisted that he was to take her out somewhere. They had decided on going to the beach and having a picnic.

“I will remember Matt.” She replied as he helped her into his car. “I just have this feeling that I really do love you too, it’s just I can’t remember right now.” Matt nodded silently and got into the car next to her.

“I know, and if you’ll let me, I’m going to get you to fall in love with me all over again.” he replied with a smile. Leigh couldn’t help but smile back and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“When you do, you can put this ring back on my finger.” She said pulling a chain out from under her top, the commitment ring he’d given to her looped onto it. After Brian had given it back to her a few nights ago Leigh had decided that she didn’t feel quite right wearing it on her finger yet, so she’d placed it on her chain so that she could still keep it close.

“With pleasure.” Matt replied, taking his eyes off the road momentarily to smile at her.

“OK, so you’ve got to tell me, we’ve known each other since ninth grade right?” Leigh asked as she sat on a blanket next to Matt looking out to the ocean. Matt nodded. “So, when did you realise that you liked me more than just as a friend?” she asked.

“That very same day.” He replied with a smile. Leigh narrowed her eyes at him, confused.

“So why..?”

“Why did it take me so long to admit it to you?” he asked guessing her question. She nodded and Matt began to explain. “Basically, Brian.”

“Brian?” she asked interrupting him.

“Yeah, you see your twin has always been protective over you. Within the first week of meeting you, he’d beaten up one boy and warned off two others, most boys in our school were too scared to ask you out, including me. I settled on being your friend.” He began to explain.

“So what changed? How did we end up together?” she asked, keeping her eyes locked on his.

“Well that happened when you were sick.” Matt began, Leigh quirking her eyebrow. “You had the flu, and Brian had asked me to stop by the flat to look after you. So I brought over some films and we curled up on the sofa together to watch them.”

“And you made a move on me?” Leigh questioned with a smile.

“Well, actually, you made a move on me. We we’re watching The Little Mermaid and singing along to “Kiss the Girl,” you sang it to me and we kissed.” He continued, watching Leigh’s eyes sparkle.

“What did Brian say?” she asked.

“Well, we actually kept it from him for the first five months.” Matt said, Leigh’s eyes widening once again.

Matt chuckled and began to explain how they’d decided to hide their relationship, how Jimmy found out and how eventually Brian and the others found out and their reactions. She then asked him to tell her some stories of the relationship. Leigh listened intently, noticing how Matt’s eyes were sparkling as he spoke about them.

It was only when they were interrupted by Matt’s cell phone ringing that they realised how late it had gotten. The sun was already lowering towards the horizon as Matt answered his cell.

“Brian, dude, she’s fine. We’re just sat on the beach…” Matt replied to a yelling Brian.

“Dude, you know I’m not going to let anything happen to her, we just got carried away talking.” Matt retorted as Leigh signaled for him to pass her the phone.

“Brian, quit worrying, as Matt said we lost track of time, nothing’s going to happen while I’m with Matt is it?” she said calmly into the receiver.

“Sorry sis, it just that you said you’d be back by now….” Brian began.

“Bri, I’m fine, we’ll be home soon.” Leigh replied. Brian muttered a response and hung up the phone. Leigh handed it back to Matt who placed it back in his pocket.

“I guess we better make a move.” He said standing up from the blanket. He helped Leigh up and began to pack away the picnic hamper.

“OK, that cast must weigh a ton.” Matt said as he carried Leigh up the stairs in her apartment building. “I don’t remember you being this heavy before.”

“You know what neither do I.” Leigh chuckled as they reached the front door, which had been opened for them when they’d rung the buzzer.

“You can put me down now.” Leigh said as Matt stepped through the door.

“No, it’s OK, I’ll take you to the sofa.” He replied with a smirk, kicking the door shut behind him.

“Hey guys, having fun?” Leigh asked as Matt placed her on the sofa.

“Now that you’re back we can.” Jimmy muttered, ducking quickly as the bottle lid Brian threw at him skimmed passed his head. “He’s been sulking.” Jimmy whispered.

“Shut up Sullivan.” Brian warned.

“Bri, come on, you knew I was with Matt, you knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to me, I was fine.” Leigh said sternly. “Bri, I’ve had a lovely day please don’t spoil it by sulking.” She pleaded.

“Sorry.” Brian mumbled looking up at her. Leigh smiled over at him, and he smiled back.

“So are you two….?” Jimmy asked glancing between Leigh and Matt.

“We’re getting to know each other again, or rather, I’m getting to know him again.” Leigh replied looking over at Matt with a smile.

“She’s going to fall in love with me all over again.” Matt said reaching for her hand and entwining his fingers with hers.

“Oh god! You two are going to be worse than before!” Brian groaned.

“We’re we that bad before?” Leigh asked Matt in a whisper. Matt shrugged but Jimmy began to nod his head.

“Yeah, pretty much.” He said with a wink and a smile.

Matt and Leigh sat together with their hands entwined for the rest of the evening; Matt sat next to her on the sofa as her head rested on his shoulder. She felt so comfortable with him, she wasn’t surprised that she had been in a relationship with him, and she hoped that someday soon she would be again. She was so comfortable with him, she almost found herself dozing off to sleep with her head rested against his shoulder, until his voice whispered softly in her ear.

“Do you want me to carry you to your room?” Leigh lifted her head and caught his gaze, shaking her head with a smile.

“No, it’s OK, I’ll manage.” She whispered.

“I’ll head off anyway.” He replied loosening his grip on her hand.

“OK, thanks Matt for a lovely day, I really enjoyed myself.” She said quietly with a wide smile.

“Me too, I’ll take you out again sometime soon.” He replied, his smile showing off his dimples. “I love you.”

Leigh’s smile grew at the sound of these words, she only wished she could return them and knew that she meant them sincerely. Instead she leant across and pressed her lips against his, her hand coming up to the side of his face. With a sigh, Matt pulled away from her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow OK?” he said in a whisper. She nodded and smiled as he got up from the sofa and said good night to Jimmy and Brian.

After he left, Leigh made her way to her bedroom and it wasn’t long before she had fallen asleep and found herself dreaming.

Leigh checked herself in the mirror in her bedroom before grabbing her purse, keys and phone from the bed.

“Huh, I didn’t hear that come through.” She said to herself as she flipped open her cell phone to read the new message.

“I’ve gotta work late again – I know – I’m sorry – but I’ve got a deadline to meet. I’ll try and finish as quickly as I can and get to the party a bit later.”

“That girl really needs a break from work.” Leigh muttered, again to herself, once she’d finished reading the message from Michelle.

She walked through the flat and out through the front door. As she walked down the stairs of the apartment building she found Val’s number in her contacts list and pressed the call button. It gave four rings before Val answered.

“Hey, what’s up? You on your way over?”

“Yeah just leaving. But I’m taking a detour first.” Leigh replied exiting the building.

“Why? Where are you going?”

“Pay your sister a visit. She’s just sent me a text saying that she’s working late again so I’m going over to her office and not taking no for an answer.”

“Damn right too – she can’t miss your birthday! She’s been working late a lot lately.” Val yelled.

“OK, so I’ll see you in a little while.” Leigh replied before hanging up and starting the car.

She woke up feeling confused. That night she had a dream, and for the first time since the accident she had a dream about something that had happened before.

She knew that she’d been on her way to Val’s for her party but she hadn’t remembered anything herself. This was something she was going to have to talk to the guys about in the morning.