Closer to Heaven With You

“I doubt anyone would notice if we disappeared.” Matt whispered into Leigh’s ear. She’d been quiet since she’d returned from the bathroom and told him about the ultimatum she’d given Michelle.

“But it’s your party, and we’d never get any peace in my room anyway.” She replied.

“Exactly it’s my party so if I wanna leave, I’ll leave. You’re not enjoying yourself being around her, so let’s go back to mine.” Matt said quietly, placing a kiss on her temple.

“Ok, but you can tell the others while I grab some stuff.” She replied, turning slightly in his arms so that she could kiss his lips.

Matt nodded and released her from his grasp and watched her cross the living room slowly.
Leigh quickly packed a few essentials into a small bag before walking back into the living room.

“We could always turn the music up more if you’re really that desperate to have some ‘alone time’” Jimmy said as she crossed to Matt’s side.

“Sorry Jim, but I think I need some peace and quiet, I haven’t felt the best since I had that flash back and my leg is aching.” She replied with only a half lie. She quickly said her goodbyes to her friends and took Matt’s hand as he led her out.

“I’m sorry for ruining your night.” She apologised as they made their way towards Matt’s house.

“Hey, you haven’t ruined it.” He assured her with a smile.

“I just couldn’t stand being in the same room as her any longer.” She replied with a grimace.

“I know, I felt the same, but you’ve got to think, it’ll all be done with by this time tomorrow.” he replied.

“Will it? Or will it all be just starting? Think about it Matt. By tomorrow evening either she would have stepped forward and told Brian everything, breaking his heart, or I’ll be doing it when I sit him down and explain what I saw in my flash back.” She said with tears in her eyes.

“Hey, come here.” He said stopping and pulling her into a hug. “It’ll be ok.” he whispered.

“I don’t want to loose my brother Matt.” She said as tears began to make their way down her cheeks.

“You won’t loose him. He’s going to believe you, I promise.” Matt assured her. His hands came up to cup her face as he stared into her eyes, using his thumbs to wipe her tears away.

Once she had calmed down they continued the short walk to Matt’s house and made their way up to his room.

“Do you think she’ll tell him?” Leigh asked quietly as she lay in Matt’s arms.

“I really don’t know, I hope she does for your sake. I don’t want to have to see you deal with having to explain everything to Brian.” he replied tracing circles over her bare shoulder. Leigh nodded silently against his chest.

“You’ll be there for me if I do have to tell him though right?” she asked.

“Leigh, I promise, you won’t be on your own for any of this. I love you.” he replied softly, tilting her chin up so that he could lean down to kiss her.

“I love you too.” she replied with a small smile before resting her head back down on his chest as his hold on her tightened.

*****

Leigh spent most of the following day with Matt at his house. She felt nauseous and couldn’t deal with facing Brian, especially if she was still there. She had barely slept the night before as her brain remained active, thinking over what she would say to Brian, how she would word everything. She wondered if she would have to say anything at all or if Michelle would do the right thing for once and tell him herself.

Brian had called her around mid afternoon to make sure she was ok and ad sounded cheerful, meaning she hadn’t told him by that point. The waiting was driving her crazy. She knew that finding out the truth would crush Brian, that he would be heartbroken, but she also knew that he needed to know the truth.

She tried to busy herself by finding a notepad that Matt used to scribble down lyrics and beginning to sketch and doodle as Matt sat strumming his acoustic guitar, humming to himself as he too tried to busy himself, knowing that Leigh needed time to think.
After almost two hours of barely talking to each other Matt put down the guitar and walked across to his bed where Leigh was sat cross-legged, blankly staring at the page of sketches in the notebook that she balanced on her knees.

“You are such an amazing artist Leigh, you should really think about doing a college course of some kind, you could easily get some kind of job as an artist of some kind.” He said as he sat down beside her, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder.

“Really? Like what?” she asked with a small smile.

“I don’t know, you could be a designer, clothes or interior, or maybe even a tattoo artist?” Matt replied.

“Yeah maybe.” She replied absently, staring at her drawing.

“Do you think she’s told him yet?” she asked quietly as she closed the notebook.

“Maybe. I doubt it though, wouldn’t he have called?” he replied and she nodded slowly.

“What time is it anyway?” she asked reaching to pick up Matt’s left arm to take a look at his watch. It was just after five.

“What do you want to do?” he asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

Leigh was silent for a moment while she thought. “I want to go home.” She said slowly. Matt nodded quietly against her shoulder.

She nervously played with the commitment ring that was looped onto the chain she wore around her neck as she and Matt walked hand in hand back to her apartment.

“It’s going to be ok.” he whispered quietly into her ear as she let them into her home.

“Hey, I was beginning to think you’d forgotten where you lived.” Brian greeted them from the sofa as they walked in.

“Bri, I’ve been gone for like eighteen hours.” Leigh chuckled as she walked over to take a seat next to her brother as Matt sat in the chair adjacent to them. “Where’s Michelle?” she asked.

“She said she had to go home for something. I don’t think she was feeling too good either, she was kind of quiet after you left.” He replied. Leigh quickly exchanged a look with Matt before returning her eyes to Brian who had returned his attention to the football game on the TV.

She also turned to face the TV, watching him out of the corner of her eye as she contemplated her words.

“What is it Leigh?” his words made her jump. She turned to face him, finding him still watching the TV.

“I-um, how do-“

“Leigh, I know you as well as I know myself. You’ve got something to tell me, so tell me. But if you’re going to tell me you’re pregnant then Sanders you better start running now.” He replied, turning to Matt with a stern glare.

“Bri, I’m not pregnant.” Leigh said with an eye roll.

“Thank Fuck for that! But you do have something to tell me?” he asked with a small smile as he retuned his gaze to his twin who nodded her head slowly.

“Leigh, you can tell me anything, you know that.” He assured her as he took hold of her hand. She nodded again, taking a long, deep breath before she spoke.

“Bri, I wasn’t completely truthful when I told you what I remembered in my flashback last night, there was more.” She began slowly and quietly.

“More, but that’s gotta be good right?”

“That depends on how you see it. You see I’ve remembered what happened between me leaving here and being forced off the road.” She continued, pausing to think of how to word the next part.

“Well…” Brian pressed.

“Well, I um, went to see Michelle and when I got to her office –“

“You told me I had until this evening to tell him.” they all turned at the sound of Michelle’s voice. She was stood nervously in the doorway

“Tell me what? What’s going on guys?” Brian asked with confusion as he looked between his sister and his girlfriend.

“I couldn’t wait any longer, I thought you might have decided to do a runner.” Leigh replied to Michelle.

“Tell me what?” Brian yelled. “Why would Michelle do a runner? Some one tell me!”

“Ok.” Michelle replied quietly as she stepped forward, coming to sit on the sofa next to Brian. She took a deep breath as Brian turned his body to face her.

“Brian, the night of her accident, when Leigh came to my office, I wasn’t doing overtime like I told her I was. You’ve got to understand that it only started after you went on tour. I was lonely and he made the first move…” she said pleadingly taking his hand in hers.

“Are you telling me you cheated on me?” he asked quietly, pulling his hand away from hers.

“Brian, I’m sorry, please, I love you.” she pleaded.

“And I’m guessing Leigh walked in on you fucking some guy?” he asked relatively calmly. Michelle began to shake her head no.

“No, they hadn’t quite got that far.” Leigh interjected. Brian shot her a quick glance before turning back to Michelle.

“I can’t believe this. I love you, and I thought you loved me.”

“I do Brian, really I do, I was stupid and it should never have happened.” Michelle pleaded with tears in her eyes.

“No, I’m the stupid one, for ever trusting you, I thought we had something…wait…do you think that….” He began, turning to face Leigh again as he stood up.

“She was the one who ran me off the road? Sorry Bri, but yeah, I think it was.” She replied sullenly with tears of her own in her eyes.

Brian nodded and turned back to face Michelle. “Was it?” he asked.

“She was going to tell you, I didn’t want to loose you!” Michelle yelled in defence, standing up and trying to take hold of his hand.

“You almost fucking killed her! God! What were you thinking?” he yelled back, his hands balling into fists.

“Brian I’m-“

“I don’t want to hear it!” he yelled cutting her off as he turned and stomped towards the apartment door. “I want you gone by the time I get back, and I never want to see your face again.” he yelled as he stormed out through the front door, slamming it shut behind him.

“There! Are you happy now, he hates me, doesn’t want anything to do with me!” Michelle yelled at Leigh as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Happy! No Michelle I’m not happy. Do you think I wanted to break my brother’s heart?” Leigh retorted as her own tears slipped down her face.

“Did you have to make me tell him?” she asked.

“He had to find out Michelle!” Matt replied before Leigh had the chance to.

“Maybe if it was only the cheating I would have let it go, but it wasn’t, you almost killed me. How could I let that go?” Leigh replied. “Now you heard Brian. I think you better leave.” she added coldly.

Michelle nodded and walked slowly towards the front door.

“Leave your key on the counter.” Leigh called, not looking around. As Matt came to her side to comfort her they heard the key dropping on the counter before the apartment door opened and shut behind Michelle.