Safe Zone

{Matt’s Point of View}

The California air was blowing through my convertible top. My mind was on anything but the road, for once. A new album, a new record label and for some reason Jimmy.

The bright red, white and blue flashing lights caught me off guard as sirens went off from behind me. I mumbled a couple cuss words under my breath while I pulled to the shoulder of the road.

Once I rolled my window down, “License and registration, sir.”

The officer was familiar looking, but I didn’t want to cause more trouble than I may already be in, “Here you go.”

“Matt? Matt Sanders?” He took his aviators off as I took mine off.

“Brett? We went to school together, right?” Now that I had seen his face, I knew exactly who he was. We were friends throughout our school years, never more than a good acquaintance though.

“Wow, man. I love your music, my wife and I jam out all the time. You remember Katy Reed?” Memories hit me as her name ran through my head.

More than you know…

“Yeah, she hung out with my wife, Val and her sister, a lot. I can’t believe you two got married? How is she doing?” he nodded his head, not knowing the secret history between the two of us.

“She’s good, working down at the hospital working with the babies. She loves it, I have to call her home sometimes from her shifts.”

She always talked about working with babies, especially after…

“Well man, I’m just going to let you go. Just watch your speed on the back roads. Don’t want to kill a kid or anything by accident.”



“Oh, Matt, come on! Just one more drink!” Katy, shouted grabbing my hand. We had been seeing each other, going out if you allow me to use that adolescent term, for about two weeks. Val and I were on one of our off again stints, and instead of sulking in self-pity, I decided to play the fields.

“Fine, just one more for you.” I grinned kissing her lips.

We linked our arms and took one more shot, it was only our fourth one, but being light weight teenagers had its perks.

“How about we blow this popsicle stand?” She laughed turning her back towards me, while rubbing her body against mine.

Of course I didn’t object, so we walked through the backyards of our neighbors, knowing who’s yard not to walk through. We eventually made it to my parent’s back yard and made our way in the small shed that sat in the back corner storing my dad’s lawn tools.

Since we started as just purely lust, we knew exactly what to do. Her hands were all over my chest under my shirt, and my hands explored her back side. It was pure ecstasy.

“Earth to Matt?” My wife laughed waving her hands dramatically in front of my face pulling me out my memory.

“Sorry, just thinking. What’s up?” I answered still picturing Katy naked in my head, and the night that changed everything.

“Well what I was saying before I noticed you zoned out, was that I ran into Katy Reed at the grocery store today. I invited her to our fourth of July party.” This couldn’t be reality.

“Who?” I knew what she said but I was thinking maybe I filled in the name in my mind.

“Katy Reed? Well she married Brett Owens. She was the one who always stayed with ‘Chelle and I because her parents were insane? I think she dated Jimmy a while in high school,” Val was wrong. Jimmy just covered for us when we got caught by Val because I was the one seeing her.

“Oh, that’s been so long ago. But I did run into Brett today. Well he actually pulled me over on the back roads.” Surely I shouldn’t lie, especially if he’s coming over tomorrow. You never know what people will say.

“Come help me get the back decorated for tomorrow,” Val chuckled shaking her head, knowing what I was pulled over for without asking.



Our house was full with family and friends, of course the older family members stayed inside and messed with grandkids and stayed in the air conditioner. All of our friends, together there were probably ten of us, hung out side in the pool and on the patio.

Katy and Brett hadn’t made it yet, hopefully they wouldn’t show up at all. My mind wasn’t right lately and I definitely didn’t need to give it another out.

“Baby,” Val motioned while grabbing onto my arm, while I dried off to check on the food on the grill.

“Hey,” I greeted leaning over and kissing her as I wrapped the towel around my waist.

“Katy called, they’re on their way and was wondering if they needed to bring anything. I told them to bring their own drinks,” My stomach was in knots.

“Okay,” Was all I said.

Thirty minutes and two drinks later, I was getting more and more nervous. I watched between the gate and the back door, waiting for Katy to walk through one of them.

“Girl!” Michelle stood up and drug out the ‘r’ in girl. It shocked me but she ran over to a couple that had walked through the back door. Michelle’s tall stature blocked me from seeing the girl but I noticed the bearded Brett on the other side, smiling and man hugging Brian.

It was like a novel, in my mind Michelle was moving so slow. Mainly because I wanted to see Katy after ten plus years. I prayed she was ugly and fat, nothing like she was when we were younger.

But, of course not. Once Michelle had moved out of the way, there stood the same brown eyed beauty as always. She had a couple of tattoos now which only added to the sex appeal. Her hair was plain which was different, and I don’t know if it was her make up or what but her face looked flawless.

“Hey dude,” Zack smacked me in my chest, “Isn’t that Katy from school? Didn’t you two have some secret thing,” He wasn’t talking low, which freaked me out because I didn’t want Val to hear about my secret escapades when we weren’t together.

“Yeah, but keep it on the low. Val doesn’t know any of that. Plus, it was like eighteen years ago,” Time had flown saying how long it had been out loud.

“Babe, look this is Katy. Remember her now?” There she stood her perfect eyebrow cocked, grinning the same grin she had since she was fifteen years old. Even though I wanted to hug her neck and ask how she had been, I had to play dumb.

“Oh! Katy! You hung out like every weekend with us at gigs and parties. I just didn’t put two and two together,” She rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Surely, you should remember me Sanders.” I knew what she was implying, so which means she caught that Val was still in the dark after all these years.

Because how could I forget her…