A Place of Hope and No Pain

Matt's POV

"But I don't wanna go Daddy." Jaxson cried, clinging to my neck.

I hugged him a little tighter. "I know and I don't want you to go." I told him softly. "But you can come back and see me in two weeks."

"Promise?" He asked me.

I nodded, bending down and putting him in the car, doing up his seatbelt and kissing his forehead. "I promise."

"See you Daddy." Ryder said smiling at me.

"See you mate." I murmured kissing his forehead.

God this was killing me, watching my son's leave. But what a day, getting to spend it with them and I enjoyed every single minute of it.

"Okay." Lucy said opening her door. "I guess we'll see you in a few weeks."

I nodded looking at her. "I guess so."

She took a step closer. "You look good Matt." She said softly then she kissed my cheek, getting in.

"Thanks." I said, not sure what to say to her, it just felt so awkward, so forced.

She started the car and drove away, I waved, watching my family leave and seeing Ryder peering out the back window broke my heart all over again.

God, it had been so good, playing with my boy's, being sober and kicking the ball around. I couldn't recall ever doing that before.

I had to tell Chloe and I turned, walking quickly back to the house and I trotted up the stairs, taking two at a time. The corridors empty, people still with their family's I guessed.

I reached our door, opening it and stepping inside.

Clay sat up and looked at me, holding his fingers to his lips. "She's sleeping."

I looked at the couch where Chloe was indeed asleep, sound asleep.

"She's tired." I said softly and I knew she was, she didn't get much sleep. "I don't sleep much."

Clay smiled. "Yeah so I've heard." He chuckled. "We came up here to watch a movie and within five minutes she was asleep."

"Oh damn." I muttered. "Sorry your day was ruined."

They were probably planning on having sex or something, I mean it wasn't like they'd had anytime to themselves for over a month.

"It wasn't ruined." Clay said smiling at me. "We had fun."

I nodded, watching him walk to the door, not really sure what to say. I hardly knew the guy.

"Anyway." He said opening the door. "See you later."

I sat on the couch, glancing around. The movie Clay had been watching was still on and I looked at the screen, before looking at Chloe.

I wanted her to wake up, I wanted to tell her about my day, but she was really sound so I didn't want to disturb her, instead I went and had a shower. I was hot and sweaty from running around with the boy's anyway.

I smiled to myself again. God it had been such a great day.

I showered quickly, getting changed then going downstairs, grabbing something to eat. I got Chloe a coffee as well, in case she woke up soon. Hopefully it would stay warm for her.

I let myself back into the room quietly, then sat on the couch, looking at her, looking at Chloe.

She was still asleep, spread all over the place. Her dark hair was spread all around her, an arm thrown over her head, her other resting across her stomach. She had on denim shorts and her shirt had bunched up, revealing her stomach. I glanced at the spot. Her skin looked smooth, white, the top of a tattoo showing and I quickly looked away, back at the television.

I wonder what her tattoo is? I thought to myself. I shook my head, it was none of my business, and in the spot it was in, I highly doubted that I'd ever find out.

"What's the time?" Chloe suddenly groaned and I felt myself blushing, I'd almost been caught perving at her.

"Nearly five." I said putting a smile on my face.

She groaned, sitting up. "So, how was it?" She asked, looking at me.

"It was so good." I said holding out her coffee for her. "The best day I've had for a long time."

She smiled, sipping the coffee. "You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"Oh yeah." I mumbled. "Sorry about ruining your lunch." The vision of her salad everywhere still firmly planted in my mind.

She shrugged. "I wasn't hungry." She mumbled. "And thanks for the coffee."

"No problem." I told her, looking at her.

She still looked tired and irritated, she looked really irritated.

"Are you okay?" I asked, frowning at her.

"Well no." She muttered. "Apparently there are double standards around here."

"Huh?"

She waved her hand. "Clay has Carmen, only he didn't start out with Carmen, him and Marcus swapped, but I couldn't swap, nope."

"What?" She wanted swap me?

"What." She said looking at me. "No, god, shit, I didn't mean that, I meant I was told they wanted to swap me but they couldn't. I didn't want to swap."

I shook my head. "Really?"

"Yeah really." She said looking at me with wide eye's. "God sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm such a dick, anyway after what happened and all they said they wanted to swap me but they couldn't."

After all that happened.......yeah me, choking her, trying to kill her, something I still had absolutely no memory of doing.

"Oh." I said, not sure of what else to say.

"Yeah so Clay has Carmen." She said taking another mouthful of coffee. "And I'm pretty sure they're sleeping together."

"What?" I snapped. Clay was cheating on Chloe? I'd kick his ass.

"Well he never said anything." She explained. "But I could tell, the way he spoke about her."

"What about you?" I snapped, feeling angry.

"Huh?" Chloe asked frowning.

"Well isn't Clay you know, well your boyfriend." I pointed out.

Chloe looked at me, she frowned and then she stated laughing. "Ew Matt, no."

Okay so apparently Clay wasn't her boyfriend. Why did I feel pleased about this information?

"Where the hell did you get that idea from?" She laughed, looking at me.

I shrugged. "Well you two looked pretty comfortable and cosy at lunch."

"God no." She said sitting back on the couch. "We've been friends for years, that's all, just friends."

I nodded, looking at her. "Okay, sorry I just assumed." I told her. "I mean I realised I actually don't know much about you Chloe, but you know so much about me."

"Oh Matt." She laughed. "There's not much to know about me anyway, I mean I'm pretty boring and I can't believe you thought Clay was my boyfriend."

I shrugged, I mean why would someone like Chloe be single? Her ex husband must have been a dick to have left her.

"I'm done with men Matt." She said standing up. "Besides, I'm not suited for a relationship, look where the last one led me."

She walked into the bathroom, shutting the door. She had a point, the last one had destroyed her.

What a waste. Chloe would probably make some guy really happy, it was just a shame that an idiot had ruined it for her.