Safe Zone

{Katy’s Point of View}

“I-I need to go home,” Matt stuttered grabbing his things and running out the door. Was this a dream? Did my dad just help Matt leave me?

“What the heck, Dad?” I motioned, my eyes feeling heavy from the lack of sleep and the tears welling up.

“Kid, everything will work out. If he really wants to be with you he will make a way. But if you don’t let him figure out that he wants you, then he’ll always wonder about his wife and their life. You’ll have a vicious never ending cycle.” What the crap was my dad freakin’ wisdom warrior today? It may have worked with Matt but I was still emotional and on pain killers.

“Maybe I wanted to enjoy my wonderful stay at the hospital with Matt by my side,” I pouted and sighed, emphasizing my sarcasm.

“You know it’s wrong to mess with a married man, especially with kids. It makes you a homewrecker and you don’t want to have that reputation,” My loving mother tried to make me sympathize with her.

“Can you all just leave? I just want to sleep. Maybe I’ll wake up from this,” Tears fell but didn’t continue because at the moment I was angrier than upset.

“I can stay and keep you company,” Liz, my entire opposite of a sister, mentioned. As we got older I realized that we were the same on the inside just our appearances and interest were different.

“If you want, but I’m going to sleep. And I don’t want to be woke up. You can sleep too in the reclining chair,” I motioned to the spot Matt had been sleeping in for the last two days.

“Cool,” she shrugged grabbing the remote, “Bye mom. Bye dad.”

I was too mad to say anything to them so I just began declining my bed once more. Hoping this medicine would put me in to dreamland and out of this nightmare.



The light shining through the large hospital window brightened the whole room, making me wake up from the worst sleep of my life. Quickly I looked for Matt, but instead I found my blonde hair sister sprawled all sorts of ways on the small recliner.

Silently I let out a few tears and whimpers. Matt was so close to my grasp but now probably gone forever. I wish I didn’t understand, but I wasn’t heartless. He had kids and a life before I came back around.

“Ms. Owens?” The sweet older nurse knocked barely opening the large door, “Wanted to see if you were awake so we can start on these discharge papers.”

“Yeah, just woke up actually.” I sighed, there wasn’t a happy bone in my body. The nurse began to tell me the whole speech about how to take care of my wound, little did she know I had given the same speech probably just as many times as she had.

My mind was wondering about what Matt was doing right now. Was he snuggled up in bed with a forgiving Val or was he down on his knees begging for her to take him back. Then I started to think about Brett. Should I call him? No, this was for the better. I needed to find myself.



“It may not be the cleanest right now because I haven’t been home since Gavin and I broke up,” My sister rambled, making excuses for her filthiness. We had decided since we were both newly single that we should live together. Which was perfect because she lived three minutes from the hospital and she had a two-bedroom apartment that she was struggling on rent by herself. So it was a win-win for the both of us.

“Liz, you have always had a messy room. You think I wouldn’t assume you had a messy house?” I laughed grabbing my bag of pills and bandages from the floor board of her car.

“Okay, Kate. I get it. You’re a compulsive clean freak. I’m actually excited because now the house will stay semi-clean with you here.” Liz chuckled leading the way up the stairs and to her apartment.

It was brand-new apartments and they sat close enough to the water that from our third level apartment that you could see out to the ocean. Plus, Liz kept it much cleaner than what I had imaged.

“This is nice, Lizzie. I pictured it would be much filthier than this,” I laughed setting the meds down on the counter.

“Thank you!” She exclaimed with a ‘matter-of-fact’ tone, “We can go get your things tomorrow. There’s a futon in the room now and you can borrow some of my clothes. So you can just relax tonight.”



A week had now come and gone bringing me to my release date to start back at work. Then I would only have to wait another week to get the staples out of my head.

Quietly I sat on the ground while Liz did my hair for work. Since I couldn’t see the back of my head I didn’t want to take a chance at brushing over or pulling out some of the staples.

Liz and I had never been closer. Which was surprising because growing up we couldn’t even stand to be in the same car on family vacations together.

“So I’m thinking I’m going to go out tonight, while you’re at work.” Liz nonchalantly stated while parting my hair to one side. She was a hairdresser by trade so she had put in her hours for the day.

“Go for it. I’ll be home around the time you’ll probably be getting home. I’m only working half a shift.” I informed, standing up after she gave me the pat on my back.

“Well then may our paths cross tonight,” She joked in a fake accent then walked towards her room.

“Bye, loser.” I laughed grabbing my things and heading out our door to walk the couple minutes it would take me to get to the work.