Safe Zone

{Matt’s Point of View}

My family and I sat around the small table with the dinner that Val had prepared sitting in front of us. She had waited for me to come home from Katy’s, well and that Cash had her running late because he was beginning his terrible two’s.

“So how was Katy?” Val asked taking a bite of her food. There was no possible way of her knowing anything, but it still made my stomach drop.

“She’s good. She loved the pictures,” I answered not showing any emotions, because women had some secret mind power and strength about men’s emotions, “How was your mom? Is she doing any better?” I turned he conversation.

“She’s doing a lot better. Finally getting over her summer flu,” Val laughed, then placed more bread onto Cash’s high chair tray.

“Would you mind once the boys went to sleep if I went to work out?” It seemed to be the only way I could get stress taken care of.

“You just went this morning? Who you trying to look good for?” She grinned with her eyebrow cocked, “Yeah, babe, I don’t care. Just help me put them to sleep. Because I’m sure Cash is going to fight it.”

“Of course,” I agreed then pushed River his drink. Hopefully, Katy wouldn’t be there. I needed time to myself. Time to rid my mind of everything and everyone…



“Alright babe, Cash is out. River used the bathroom and is in his bed watching Mickey Mouse. Do you need me to do anything else?” I asked walking up behind her as she folded the clothes.

“Yeah, me.” She turned around as she placed the article of clothing on the top of the dryer. She placed her hands on my chest. If I denied her it would be suspicious.

“Okay,” I grinned grabbing her butt, it was fake. I didn’t want to think of another woman while making love to my wife. And even though I tried to clear my mind of Katy, I just couldn’t.

“Daddy,” River shouted from upstairs, both of us quickly turning and running up the stairs, because we knew he wouldn’t stop and would end up waking up Cash since their rooms were next to each other.

“What bub? Why did you yell?” I asked, walking into his room noticing the T.V not loading.

“Micky’s not working,” He pouted, making a face and folding his arms. I loved my boys, even when everything was going haywire.

“I got it babe. Go work out and get home as soon as you can,” Val winked as she fixed River’s T.V and then went and laid down in his bed with him.

“Okay, Love you guys. See you in about an hour. Night bub,” I walked over and kissed both of them on their foreheads. Then walked down and gathered my things for the gym.



My time at the gym was weirdly relaxing. I had gone through all my reps and even did a little extra just to get the stress off my chest for a while. My radio’s clock read 11:10pm as I turned on the radio for my ride home. But it quickly got interrupted as my phone began to ring. It was Katy.

“Hey,” I answered, worried for her calling so late. Thank God I wasn’t home; Val would have definitely been suspicious then.

“It’s late and I’m sorry. But I needed to talk,” She sounded worried.

“Sure, I just left the gym. So you have about fifteen minutes before I make it home.” So much for ridding of the stress.

“What was today?” It was a question I hadn’t thought about.

“Well, I don’t really know. It was fun. New.” I didn’t know what she was technically asking. I didn’t want to give off the wrong idea.

“How do you feel about it? How do you feel about what we did? I mean we’re married. I know you’re trying to walk around it, just to avoid it. I need to know. Because my husband is trying to mend our marriage out of nowhere, but I can’t stop thinking about you. Help me out, Sanders. Come on,” She knew me just as well as she knew me, even after all these years.

“I mean,” I stopped and sighed. No matter how I really felt, I needed to try and put out this fire now before it became wild, “Listen. Yeah, it was good. But it was just spur of the moment and nothing new to me. I’m not leaving Val. So you should just work it out with Brett.”

“Gotcha. Have a good night.” Katy hung up. It pained me as I heard her voice crack at the end of our conversation. This was just one of the many times I had told her almost the same exact words. Just this time she didn’t fight it…



“Matt, if you do this. I will never forgive you. I will hate you for the rest of my life.” The fifteen-year-old Katy screamed at me as we stood in her front yard. My sixteen-year-old self was stupid. I couldn’t handle Katy so I constantly tossed her to the side when Val would be newly single after our weekly break-ups.

“Katy, this is nothing new. Val and I are going to try at it again,” It was the third time I had pushed her away to walk to my car.

“Fine, you go. But you will never see me ever again. I have given you all of me and you take it and throw it out for the slightest look of Val. Aren’t you tired of her hurting you?” Her face was red and blotchy with tears running down.

“One day, Katy. I’ll learn to love you right, until then I have to figure out what I want in life. And right now it’s just not you,” This time she didn’t run after me, so I made my way to my new beaten up truck and drove off…

We ended up hanging out again a month after that, like nothing ever happened between the two of us. Like we always did.