Status: Complete: Possible re-write/re-post
Two Roads Split Off From Here
Through Glass
*~Five years later~*
A son just starting Kindergarten, and another baby on the way in seven more months, my life couldn’t be more perfect. I thought I’d never have kids, and I’m going on my second. Frank and I still aren’t married, but we don’t mind. We’re more in love than we ever had been. I stood outside the bedroom door, watching Zack sleeping. Frank came up behind and hugged me.
“Lisa? When are we going to get married? I mean, it’s been so long since I asked you. I think we should get married.”
“I know, Frank. How about after the next one?”
“I was thinking in like two months, you can still fit into a dress and stuff.”
I followed Frank to our bedroom and we talked more. He had something on his mind. Something deep as I could tell.
“Lis? I just talked to my mom earlier today. She told me she has cancer, and only a couple months to live. She’s told me that her dying wish is for me to marry the one I love. As her only son.”
I put a hand on my mouth, shocked.
“Frank? Oh God I’m so sorry.” I pulled him into a hug.
“It’s okay. So can we? Soon?”
“We’re gonna have to plan like crazy, but yes. For your mother.”
Frank hugged me and he went to take a shower. I was upset, and I turned on the TV. I watched the news, just to be even more shocked. I listened.
“Matthew Good will return to his hometown today to stand trial on murder charges. He is charged with two counts of first degree murder after allegedly getting into a scuffle at a bar in downtown LA just last month. His friends and bandmates had tried to get him away, but failed. It was said that the two men had started to insult him after finding out the five year old case of him raping and nearly murdering his ex-girlfriend. Good had reportedly then chased the two men outside and started a fight. Four of his friends had tried to get him away, but only ended up getting injured themselves. Good then had beat them both to death with a two-by-four he found in a garbage can. He is returning to his hometown tomorrow to start trial, and he could be facing life in jail.”
I stared at the TV, speechless.
“Holy fuck,” I said.
“What?” Frank asked, coming out of the bathroom.
“Matt! He killed two guys in LA last month. He’s coming back for a trial.”
“What!? Why back here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t worry, he doesn’t know where we live.”
“I know, I know.”
We watched more TV then went to bed. I had a dream that Matt had gotten the death penalty, and I was there to witness it. Horrified as he lay on a bed, strapped down. An IV wire in his arm, someone injecting something into the wire. Watching him struggle, then his bright blue eyes slowly falling lifeless. The last thing they met were mine. He smirked then suddenly became motionless. When I woke up in the morning, I quietly got out of bed, leaving Frank sleeping. I called the police department to find out what happened to him. He had arrived overnight. I got directions to the place, got dressed, and I drove there.
“I want to see Matt Good,” I said.
“ID?”
I showed my ID, and followed the cop to the visiting stalls. I sat there for a moment, then I saw someone in front of me, wearing an orange jumpsuit. I looked at Matt. Then I picked up the phone, as did he.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I heard on the news, and I wanted to see for myself. Why would you do such a thing?”
“They left me! They left me to take the heat of it all! The news reported lies. I didn’t kill those guys on purpose. Those guys picked the fight. Travis and Derek? They didn’t try to pull me away. They fueled the fight. I may have hit the guys, but I did not kill them! They did, and then they ran away. They told the reporters I did it!”
I didn’t want to believe him, but a part of me did. The truth just seemed to hang in his eyes. He looked straight at me as he said it. He never did when he lied. I just stared at him through that plate glass. Trying to take in whether it was the truth or all a lie.
“Why do you think I’d believe you?” I asked. “You tried to kill me, remember?”
His head hung for a moment. He appeared to be upset. Then he sighed.
“Well, how is life?”
“Good actually. Frank and I are happy. We have a son starting kindergarten soon, and another baby on the way in seven months. Yeah, you said you’d stop me from having kids, but guess what? I got a second on the way.”
He wouldn’t look at me. He nodded.
“That’s good. I’m happy for you. Really.”
I scoffed.
“I don’t care how happy you are. I’ll never forgive you for what you did to me.”
He nodded. I looked at him closer, and I saw something odd. He looked back up at me, his eyes filled with tears. I was taken aback. He was crying.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I still love you, Lisa.”
He hung up the phone, then he walked away. I sat there, stunned.
A son just starting Kindergarten, and another baby on the way in seven more months, my life couldn’t be more perfect. I thought I’d never have kids, and I’m going on my second. Frank and I still aren’t married, but we don’t mind. We’re more in love than we ever had been. I stood outside the bedroom door, watching Zack sleeping. Frank came up behind and hugged me.
“Lisa? When are we going to get married? I mean, it’s been so long since I asked you. I think we should get married.”
“I know, Frank. How about after the next one?”
“I was thinking in like two months, you can still fit into a dress and stuff.”
I followed Frank to our bedroom and we talked more. He had something on his mind. Something deep as I could tell.
“Lis? I just talked to my mom earlier today. She told me she has cancer, and only a couple months to live. She’s told me that her dying wish is for me to marry the one I love. As her only son.”
I put a hand on my mouth, shocked.
“Frank? Oh God I’m so sorry.” I pulled him into a hug.
“It’s okay. So can we? Soon?”
“We’re gonna have to plan like crazy, but yes. For your mother.”
Frank hugged me and he went to take a shower. I was upset, and I turned on the TV. I watched the news, just to be even more shocked. I listened.
“Matthew Good will return to his hometown today to stand trial on murder charges. He is charged with two counts of first degree murder after allegedly getting into a scuffle at a bar in downtown LA just last month. His friends and bandmates had tried to get him away, but failed. It was said that the two men had started to insult him after finding out the five year old case of him raping and nearly murdering his ex-girlfriend. Good had reportedly then chased the two men outside and started a fight. Four of his friends had tried to get him away, but only ended up getting injured themselves. Good then had beat them both to death with a two-by-four he found in a garbage can. He is returning to his hometown tomorrow to start trial, and he could be facing life in jail.”
I stared at the TV, speechless.
“Holy fuck,” I said.
“What?” Frank asked, coming out of the bathroom.
“Matt! He killed two guys in LA last month. He’s coming back for a trial.”
“What!? Why back here?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t worry, he doesn’t know where we live.”
“I know, I know.”
We watched more TV then went to bed. I had a dream that Matt had gotten the death penalty, and I was there to witness it. Horrified as he lay on a bed, strapped down. An IV wire in his arm, someone injecting something into the wire. Watching him struggle, then his bright blue eyes slowly falling lifeless. The last thing they met were mine. He smirked then suddenly became motionless. When I woke up in the morning, I quietly got out of bed, leaving Frank sleeping. I called the police department to find out what happened to him. He had arrived overnight. I got directions to the place, got dressed, and I drove there.
“I want to see Matt Good,” I said.
“ID?”
I showed my ID, and followed the cop to the visiting stalls. I sat there for a moment, then I saw someone in front of me, wearing an orange jumpsuit. I looked at Matt. Then I picked up the phone, as did he.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I heard on the news, and I wanted to see for myself. Why would you do such a thing?”
“They left me! They left me to take the heat of it all! The news reported lies. I didn’t kill those guys on purpose. Those guys picked the fight. Travis and Derek? They didn’t try to pull me away. They fueled the fight. I may have hit the guys, but I did not kill them! They did, and then they ran away. They told the reporters I did it!”
I didn’t want to believe him, but a part of me did. The truth just seemed to hang in his eyes. He looked straight at me as he said it. He never did when he lied. I just stared at him through that plate glass. Trying to take in whether it was the truth or all a lie.
“Why do you think I’d believe you?” I asked. “You tried to kill me, remember?”
His head hung for a moment. He appeared to be upset. Then he sighed.
“Well, how is life?”
“Good actually. Frank and I are happy. We have a son starting kindergarten soon, and another baby on the way in seven months. Yeah, you said you’d stop me from having kids, but guess what? I got a second on the way.”
He wouldn’t look at me. He nodded.
“That’s good. I’m happy for you. Really.”
I scoffed.
“I don’t care how happy you are. I’ll never forgive you for what you did to me.”
He nodded. I looked at him closer, and I saw something odd. He looked back up at me, his eyes filled with tears. I was taken aback. He was crying.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I still love you, Lisa.”
He hung up the phone, then he walked away. I sat there, stunned.