If Only Tonight

Blurry Dividing Lines: Chapter Thirty Three - Broken

Blurry Dividing Lines:
Chapter Thirty Three: Broken

"Do you think that one looks better?" Mia asked Nathaniel, trying on a deep purple, one shoulder, knee length dress.

She had gone with Nathaniel to choose a dress for the team dinner. It was more of a victory dinner. They had smashed the USA, four to one. Of course the goal keeper had gotten grief for letting in the single goal. Matthew had been, without a doubt, the star of the game. Though that didn't surprise Mia, what did was the fact that he had been so subdued before and after the game...it was only during the game she had seen a change of expression on his face.

Having asked him if he was going to join both Nathaniel and Mia on the shopping trip, Matthew had declined and stayed behind at his apartment. It had taken both Mia and Nathaniel an hour to convince him to go with them to visit Tuscany just a few days ago. When he wasn't at home, he was out. He had told her he had some things to take care of. That had become somewhat of a regular line he had been using since they had gotten here almost two weeks ago.

Mia still didn't have an explanation to where he was disappearing off to, and he wasn't offering any. A part of her suspected that he was meeting with the management of Inter Milan...she hoped she was wrong.

"I think you should stick with the pale pink one. It suits your nature. The dark purple makes you look...I don't know...more...the opposite of innocent." Nathaniel told her, hesitating with his words.

Laughing, Mia could see his discomfort.

"You mean devilish? That's different...but you're right. I think I'll stick to the pale pink one." Mia said.

The pale pink dress was a knee length, pleated, Grecian style dress, with a gold chain link belt.

They paid for the dress, and Nathaniel drove Mia to Matthew's apartment.

"Do you know where Matt's been going?" Mia asked the other footballer.

"No. Why?" Nathaniel replied.

"I don't know. He hasn't really bothered to come with us to see the city, but the entire time we've been here...he's been disappearing off to go somewhere." Mia voiced her concern.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Nathaniel said, trying to reassure her, but it didn't; Mia was still a little worried.

Silence settled between them, as they reached the building.

"See you at the dinner!" Nathaniel told her, as she left the car.

"Yea. See you!" Mia said, regaining her cheer, as she got out with her purchase.

Entering the building, Mia walked up the stairs to the third floor. She had been in awe the first time she had entered, since Matthew had the entire third floor to himself.

Taking her key and unlocking the door, the sound of a female voice hit her ears. Someone was furious.

Walking in to the apartment, Mia headed for the front room and placed her dress on the bed first before deciding to check what was going on. The furious sounding voice was still talking but Mia couldn't understand the words. It was another language being spoken.

Moving towards the sound, Mia headed for the back room. Matthew's bedroom.

Not bothering to knock, since the door was open, Mia headed inside.

"Hello?" She said, as she entered.

-----

"I can't believe you wouldn't come to visit your own mother. You ungrateful child."

Matthew kept silent as he listened to his mother yell her usual complaints at him. I should have gone with Mia...he thought as she continued. For two weeks he had avoided both Mia and Nathaniel, and his mother, by running to the only place he felt safe. Though he had wanted to go with Mia today, he knew his mother would have cornered him sooner or later. She had decided to come unannounced today, moments before he was about to leave.

"Your sister's gone, your father's gone; yet you my son, don't even bother to talk to your mother."

"If you wanted to talk, Mother, you would call me. Yet you only call to tell how me how much you blame me, how much you disapprove of my career, and how much I sicken you."

"You are very wrong. I have been calling you to see if you would like to spend time with me. I wanted you to come for dinner at the house."

"Really? That's it? Dinner? You mean dinner and a nice dose of how much you hate me!"

"Don't be foolish!"

"Foolish? When I got stuck going in to the police station; who told the papers that I wasn't her son? You did. Even when I told you the truth...you weren't listening." Matthew shot back.

"Matthew, don't over exaggerate. I never said any such thing."

"Really? Lina recorded the interview you gave. You denounced me as your son for a crime that I didn't commit, and had gone to the police voluntarily. Everyone else saw that I was innocent, but you thought I was some monster. How many times did I tell you that I was set up, and that the club and my agent were working to clear my name, you never listened once. You even stopped picking up my calls." Matthew shot back.

"I did no such thing. They had evidence of what you had done. I'm not going to condone you using your money to clean up after yourself."

"Are you listening to yourself? I didn't do it. The girl even admitted to setting me up."

"I'm your mother, Matthew. Every mother knows when her child is lying- But I have forgiven you, that's why I called."

"Hello?"

Matthew looked up to see Mia. Her interruption had come at the best time. He hadn't known how much longer he would be able to control his anger. She's a peice of work, he thought viciously at his mother.

He watched as his mother turned to face Mia. She analyzed her, and Matthew knew at once Mia had made a mistake of coming in. His mother zeroed in on Mia's neck.

Shit, I forgot about the – Matthew's thoughts were interrupted as his mother turned on her heel to face him. He knew he was in for it.

"How could you? You gave that girl Luciana's locket? Without asking? That piece wasn't meant to be given to any of your flavours of the week, Matthew. You definitely know how to break your mother's heart. What would Luciana say?"

With that Matthew watched as his mother left, looking at Mia one last time and giving a sniff of disapproval as she walked out of the room.

-----

Over by the window, Matthew was standing, dressed in black dress pants and a deep blue shirt, his arms crossed over his chest; Matthew looked stern. A distinct expression of anger on his face.

Across from him stood a short elderly woman. She had the same striking blue eyes as Matthew.

They both looked at her as she entered. Matthew didn't say anything to her. The woman stopped speaking for a moment. Her eyes zeroing on Mia's neck. Mia realized she was wearing the pendant Matthew had given to her. Had she taken off since he had given it to her?

The woman turned back to Matthew, and sounded like she was berating him for something. With that, she suddenly turned, looking at her once more, and left.

No wonder he understood about my mom...it hit Mia. But still she was shocked as she heard the door slam.

She turned to Matthew. He looked shattered.

"Who was that?" Mia asked, although she was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"That was my mother." Matthew confirmed what she had been thinking.

"What was that about?" She asked, cautiously.

"It was nothing." He told her, a blank glassy eyed look replacing the anger on his features.

"Are you alright?" She asked, with concern. He didn't reply. Mia could feel herself becoming worried. He was freezing her out...she hated when he did that to her.

As Matthew walked around his room, Mia could see his movements were deliberate. He was showing her that he was alright. Mia didn't believe any of it.

Getting his black dress jacket from his closet, and checking for his wallet and phone; Matthew turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Mia asked, worry starting to overcome her.

"I need to get out of here for a while." He told her, his back to her as he headed out of his room.

"What about the dinner?" She hurried after him.

She could see how his mother was like her own. Both enjoyed tormenting their offspring.

"Nathaniel will take you." He replied, before leaving. The door shut quietly behind him, as though he was still telling her he was fine.

Mia stood in shock, not knowing what to do.

-----

Rushing to the nearest liquor store, Matthew bought a large bottle of whatever he first set eyes on. Stepping out of the store, Matthew walked with no clear idea of where he was heading.

His feet led him through a rusty gate. Walking through damp grass, Matthew finally saw where he was heading.

After all these years, the memory of them was still ingrained in his mind. He didn't have to think of where he was going. All he had to do was walk and his feet would take him there, without him telling them to.

The pair of head stones looking at him, he knew well. He placed a hand on each one. The cold feel of them putting him at ease. His mother could drive him to madness, but the memories he had of them put him at ease. Heading for the old willow tree, Matthew sat down under it. Opening the bottle he had brought with him, Matthew took a swig.

"Hello Luciana, Father...I hope you're well." He said to no one in particular.

-----

The rest of the day passed without any other occurrence. Mia hadn't heard from Matthew. He wasn't picking up her calls.

Having called Nathaniel to tell him of the change in plans, Mia was surprised at how Nathaniel didn't sound too worried.

"He's probably hitting up bars." Nathaniel told her. "Don't worry, he'll be fine." He had tried to reassure her.

I need some air, she thought sitting on her bed, Mia looked at the time. There were only two hours left until the dinner, and still there was no sign of Matthew. Walking out of the apartment, she decided to go into the sunshine for a little while.

Exiting the building, Mia found what she was looking for. The bubble of water, got closer as she headed for the fountain. Upon reaching it, Mia sat down on the grass beside it, her back resting against the cool marble stone. The sound of water calmed her.

Thinking rationally, Mia decided to call the only person she had left.

"Hello? Mia?"

"Oliver...sorry about calling you but I need to know if you've talked to Matthew today." She asked.

"No, why?" He asked her.

"He's MIA. I don't know where he is. And there's a team dinner in a little while."

"I'm sure he's fine." Oliver reassured her.

"You don't get it. He's been gone since his mother talked to him, this morning." She told Oliver.

"Matthew talked to his mother?" Oliver asked in surprise.

"Yea...if that's what you can call it...I kind of interrupted their conversation."

Oliver was quiet.

"Don't worry, Mia. He'll come back to you. Go to the dinner...everything's going to be fine." He'll come back to me? Mia pondered over what Oliver implied.

"Alright..." Mia couldn't see how Oliver could be so sure.