Trust Me, I'm Lying

It didn’t take long for Pat to join me in the kitchen. I grabbed the glasses to pour Megan and I some milk, but Pat moved in front of the fridge, making it impossible for me to avoid him. His arms were crossed and his eyes narrowed. He looked as if he was about to kill someone and when I realized I was the only other person there I made a figuring guess that it was me.

“Are you done fucking my sister over?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

In all honesty, I had expected this. I knew Pat was still angry with me for what I’d done to Megan before. I knew he was still trying to accept us as a couple and that it was really difficult for him to see her hurt. But, I didn’t know what to say back. I wasn’t prepared to actually have a conversation with him with regards to what was going on in our lives.

“You know what I’m talking about,” he practically growled at me. He crossed his arms, scrunching his face into a frown and glared at me. “Why the fuck do you always have to hurt her John? I’m sick of her coming home in tears. I hated that she feels the need to disappear for years at a time because of something you did. Or, I suppose I should say in this case, didn’t do.”

He leaned against the counter as if he hadn’t crossed any line. He knew that I hated myself for everything I’d done. He knew I was beating myself up for all of this. He knew and yet he still hit that chord.

“Fuck you.”

I turned to leave. I didn’t know what else to say. I was fighting too many battles at once. I walked back into the other room grabbing a seat next to Megan as Pat followed me in. He glared holding his ground as he glared.

“Get the hell out of my house. Stay the hell away from Megan!”

“Pat!” She gasped staring open mouthed at her brother. He didn’t seem to mind that she was now pissed off at him. He stared right at me his mind apparently made up that I needed to leave. “John, you don’t have to,” she said. Her eyes stayed on her brother while her voice was aimed towards me.

“Yes, he fucking does. Get the hell out of my house,” he repeated not giving me time to leave on my own accord. He walked forwards grabbing my arm and pulling me up. The fact that I towered over him didn’t seem to scare Pat. He just stared me down. It was different to say the least. “Get out, and stay out.”

“Pat, you’re being a jerk!”

“It’s alright. I’ll call you later babe, okay?”

I jerked my arm away from Pat and started walking towards the door. I was about outside when I heard Megan yell. “You’re being a dick Pat. Congratulations you’ve gone off the fucking deep end!”

I would’ve gone back in, but she stormed out of the living room into the hall grabbing a light jacket and looking over at me. “Well, let’s get going,” she said walking past me into the dark exterior. I watched her walk towards the car I’d come in and with a smile I followed closing the door behind me.

** ** ** **

We drove for hours. Her hand rested against mine as we let the road just take us places. She’d shut her phone off after hours of calling and texting while I’d simply silenced mine and tossed it to the back.

It wasn’t until we started coasting down a hill I realized I really had no idea where we were. Oddly I wasn’t afraid or anything. I was at ease with her sitting right beside me. I pulled over and killed the engine turning to look over at her. The pitch black of the country side made it hard but I could vaguely make out the smile on her face as she moved hair out of her eyes.

“Hey,” I said running my finger up her arm slowly.

“Hey.”

“How worried do you think Pat will be if we just don’t go home tonight?”

“Does it matter?” I heard her moving around and felt her breeze by me. “Lock the doors and climb back here,” she said plopping into the back seat. I nodded, grabbing the keys and stashing them in the center console before locking the doors and following her to the back seat. I pulled her into me as I leaned against the door.

“I love you, Megan,” I said softly.

“What a coincidence because I love you too,” she said.

We didn’t talk much. In fact, the only thing keeping us from complete silence was the faint sound of our breathing. Eventually, Meg’s breathing evened out, I knew she’d fallen asleep. I tried not to move a lot as I let my arm search for the blanket my mother kept in every car we owned. I grabbed it, unfolded it and pulled the cover around both of us before I let myself easily drift away.