Sequel: Just Live Your Life ›
Seize the Day
Chapter Seventeen
I woke to see Matt staring out my bedroom window. “Hey are you ok?” I asked wrapping my arms around him. “Yeah I am fine, just got lost in thought.” Matt says shaking his head. “I am sorry for busting Zacky up last night.” I sighed and turns to give me a hug and a kiss on the head. “No, Layla he deserved it, it should be me saying sorry. Zacky can’t handle change, he is happy with the way things were before me and Val split up. It should have been me taking that punch to the mouth last night not you.” Matt said examining my lip, which was still pretty swollen. “I don’t need you to protect me all the time Matt, I love when you do but I don’t want to depend on you. I never depend on anyone.” I spoke calmly. “Yeah your mom warned me about that so did Lily.” Matt chuckled and I let out a brief laugh of embarrassment. My family know me to well on how I handle fights. “Its his anniversary in a few days” I sighed looking out the window. “Your dads?” Matt asked and I just nodded my head. “Yep seven years on Monday. They say the heart heals with time, feels like mine never did.” I started to choke up.
“Tell me about him?” Matt asked as we went out to my back garden. “What do you want to know?” I asked with a half hearted smile. “Everything you want to tell me.” Matt said holding me close to him as we sat on the bench. “My dad was a wonderful man, did everything in his power to give me and Lily the life he thought we deserved. When we were younger he taught us the trade of the bar. I pulled my first pint with him watching me at the age of ten. When I was fifteen he let me work in one of his other pubs in town as a waitress. When I turned seventeen he let me start working behind the bar. He really loved his family and adored my mam. Then when I was twenty one he was diagnosed with cancer and that’s when my life just went into a complete and utter mess. I drank, I smoked, I did drugs, I wouldn’t come home for days on end. My family went mad but my dad understood. He told my mam that I was only acting out like this because I couldn’t handle the thought of him dying. So on 17th of July Lily rang me telling me our dad was in his final hours and I should come to say goodbye. So I did, I went to my family home and everyone was crying.” I sniffed back the tears, and Matt rubbed my back soothingly listening contently. “So it was my turn and when I walked I was shocked at how frail he looked, how the man I looked up to was now lying on his death bed and I was so childish and wasn’t there. I sat down beside him and he took my hand. I was crying my eyes out all I could do was say I was sorry and that I loved him. He pulled me close and told me to do what we always talked about our dream, he told me to live it. I was the only one with the guts to do it and told me to never let his death stop me from loving anyone. He kissed my head soothed me and I held his hand as he silently passed away.” I said I didn’t realize that I was crying so hard.
Matt just sat there and let me cry into his chest, after what felt like ages. “Layla what was his name?” Matt asked. “What??” I sniffed. “None of you’s ever told me his name, your dad.” Matt said calmly. “Oh I sniffed … his name was Stephen.” I smiled walking inside over to my mantel piece. “That is my dad.” I showed him a picture of me and my dad at my 21st before he got sick. “Wow you got both parents in you.” Matt smiled. I smiled and kissed him deeply. My phone started ringing, it was Corra, great timing much? “Hey Corra whats up?” I smiled at Matts disappointed face. “Me Val and Lucas are going to head to the gym want to come and teach us some moves.” Corra sang sweetly. “Do you mean Me kicking the shit out of lucas while your on the bikes.” I laughed “You know it boss lady. See you at 2 ok. Bye” Corra hung up quickly. I looked at my hand it was still bruised from last night. “I am going to the gym want to come along.” I smiled as I ran up to get changed. We headed to the gym and met up with Lucas Corra and Val. Lucas wrapped up my hands in bandages and we went sparring against each other. Me and Lucas really got into the fighting and had to be pulled a part. After about three hours in the gym it was time to head to work. I opened the bar at bout half five but when I got out of my car I crossed paths with Zacky, he couldn’t even look at me. I smirked Corra has her date with Johnny well they say it isn’t a date then why did he go home with her last night. I am going to be asking questions later.
“Tell me about him?” Matt asked as we went out to my back garden. “What do you want to know?” I asked with a half hearted smile. “Everything you want to tell me.” Matt said holding me close to him as we sat on the bench. “My dad was a wonderful man, did everything in his power to give me and Lily the life he thought we deserved. When we were younger he taught us the trade of the bar. I pulled my first pint with him watching me at the age of ten. When I was fifteen he let me work in one of his other pubs in town as a waitress. When I turned seventeen he let me start working behind the bar. He really loved his family and adored my mam. Then when I was twenty one he was diagnosed with cancer and that’s when my life just went into a complete and utter mess. I drank, I smoked, I did drugs, I wouldn’t come home for days on end. My family went mad but my dad understood. He told my mam that I was only acting out like this because I couldn’t handle the thought of him dying. So on 17th of July Lily rang me telling me our dad was in his final hours and I should come to say goodbye. So I did, I went to my family home and everyone was crying.” I sniffed back the tears, and Matt rubbed my back soothingly listening contently. “So it was my turn and when I walked I was shocked at how frail he looked, how the man I looked up to was now lying on his death bed and I was so childish and wasn’t there. I sat down beside him and he took my hand. I was crying my eyes out all I could do was say I was sorry and that I loved him. He pulled me close and told me to do what we always talked about our dream, he told me to live it. I was the only one with the guts to do it and told me to never let his death stop me from loving anyone. He kissed my head soothed me and I held his hand as he silently passed away.” I said I didn’t realize that I was crying so hard.
Matt just sat there and let me cry into his chest, after what felt like ages. “Layla what was his name?” Matt asked. “What??” I sniffed. “None of you’s ever told me his name, your dad.” Matt said calmly. “Oh I sniffed … his name was Stephen.” I smiled walking inside over to my mantel piece. “That is my dad.” I showed him a picture of me and my dad at my 21st before he got sick. “Wow you got both parents in you.” Matt smiled. I smiled and kissed him deeply. My phone started ringing, it was Corra, great timing much? “Hey Corra whats up?” I smiled at Matts disappointed face. “Me Val and Lucas are going to head to the gym want to come and teach us some moves.” Corra sang sweetly. “Do you mean Me kicking the shit out of lucas while your on the bikes.” I laughed “You know it boss lady. See you at 2 ok. Bye” Corra hung up quickly. I looked at my hand it was still bruised from last night. “I am going to the gym want to come along.” I smiled as I ran up to get changed. We headed to the gym and met up with Lucas Corra and Val. Lucas wrapped up my hands in bandages and we went sparring against each other. Me and Lucas really got into the fighting and had to be pulled a part. After about three hours in the gym it was time to head to work. I opened the bar at bout half five but when I got out of my car I crossed paths with Zacky, he couldn’t even look at me. I smirked Corra has her date with Johnny well they say it isn’t a date then why did he go home with her last night. I am going to be asking questions later.