Almost Easy

Zack’s POV

I threw open Lideya’s bedroom door, she was laying on her bed crying and my heart fell. “Lid.”

“Go away!” She shouted, “I don’t get it!”

“Listen, we talked about this. It’s not Uncle Matt’s fault.” I sighed as she sat up, wiping her eyes, “It’s no one’s fault.”

“So she decided to just leave her whole family behind and leave? And never talk to us again? That doesn’t make sense.” She heaved a breath as I sat beside her, wrapping my arm over her shoulders, her dark hair tangled in a bun on top of her head, “Daddy it doesn’t make sense, I miss her.”

“I know.” I whispered, “We all do.”

I looked up to the doorway as Matt cleared his throat, “Can uhm… Can I take this from here?”

I glared at him as he nodded, “Yeah, you can.”

Matt walked over and took the spot on the other side of Liddy, replacing my arm with his own as she flinched away from him, “I deserve that.”

“Lideya you need to listen to Matt ok? I think he deserves to tell his side of the story. The whole side of his story.” I nodded to him as he sighed. I had mentioned once to him if Liddy were to ever ask him, he would leave out what he did to Liz, but this was the time she deserved the truth.

“Liddy… I love your aunt Liz, I loved her when we were your age. I love her now, right now. I never wanted her to leave, and I need you to remember that throughout everything I’m about to say ok?”

“Ok.” Liddy sniffled and scooted back on her bed so she was facing Matt full on, he took a breath and began.

“I love your aunt Liz, a lot, more than anything in this world but I’m a terrible person. I could never love her how she deserved. Like… Like how your dad loves your mom. Your mom is the only woman your dad has ever loved, and the only woman…” Matt paused and closed his eyes for a second.

“Had sex with?” Liddy asked, I don’t think there was a way to control the chuckle leaving my or Matt’s mouths.

“Well, no. But close. After they started dating, that was it. They started dating and never left each other’s sides, then they got married, and had you. That was it, they found it, they love each other unconditionally. They had rough times, every one does, but their love was strong enough to make it.”

“You and Aunt Liz’s wasn’t?” Liddy asked, “Were you two married?”

“We were.” Matt nodded, I could see his eyes gloss over, “We were married, and we dated for a really long time too. But it wasn’t the same as your parents. See.. I cheated on your aunt Liz, a lot. I didn’t treat her right, I was not a good person to her and she didn’t deserve that.”

“So you loved her but… but not all the time?” Liddy asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“Jesus.” Matt shook his head, “Why are kids so fucking deep?”

“Try living with her.” I shook my head, “Lid listen. Aunty Liz and Matt dated after high school, then they broke up when Liz moved to Colorado, then she moved back and they dated again. Matt cheated on her, Aunty Liz fell in love with some guy from Malibu or something, a lot happened and then Matt and Liz got married. Three years later-“

“I messed it up again, I cheated on her.”

“Again?” Liddy’s eyes widened, “Wait, is this all with the same lady? Like… the one you’re cheating on aunty with?” She asked, “I’m confused.”

“You’re eight for god sakes, I shouldn’t even be explaining this to you.” Matt looked at me, I nodded for him to continue, “Yes, the same lady. And she feels really bad about it and I haven’t seen her since, honestly. Liz and I got divorced, and a little while after she… Well she told us all she was pregnant.”

“Wait,” Liddy stopped, that’s when I regretting giving Matt limits to what he told her, he caught on and stopped talking, “Aunty Liz was pregnant?”

“Uhm.” Matt looked at me and I took a breath. Matt put his head in his hands, Liddy was on her knees now staring at us.

“Yeah, she was.” I nodded, “She left while she was pregnant.”

“That’s what the letter was about at Gramma’s wasn’t it?” Liddy asked, I shrugged.

“Sort of. It was a goodbye, but she did say she hoped we all had more kids so Colton would have cousins to play with-“

“Colton?” Matt looked at me, I nodded, “Colton-“

“I don’t know what last name she chose.” I mumbled as Liddy stared at us still.

“I have a cousin? Like, a real cousin? Uncle Matt has a kid?!” Liddy shouted loudly as footsteps approached the door.

“Well shit, looks like you two have had a rough afternoon.” Brian leaned in the doorway with a smirk, “Lid, Pennys been asking for you the whole car ride. Stop breaking uncle Matt’s heart and get down there.”

Liddy stood up and rushed down the stairs, leaving Matt sitting beside me as Brian stayed in the doorway, “Wow.”

“So yeah, she left a note with my parents when she left.” I nodded, Brian raised an eyebrow, “Explained it all and said Colton would need cousins to play with so we all better start having more kids.”

“As if she planned on coming home.” Brian mumbled, “Well, let’s go have family night and try not to raise hell, huh Matt?”

“I know, I know.” Matt mumbled and stood, walking down the hall. Brian hung back and looked at me.

“She got him fucking good in the car earlier,” I chuckled under my breath, “Asked him why it was his fault Liz left. Man, eight year olds suck.”

“Not all.” Brian corrected, “Eight year old Baker’s suck. I vividly remember an eight year old Baker female being equally as difficult.”

“Jesus help me.” I laughed as I heard Jimmy and the Sullivan family enter the house, “Well here’s to raising a clan of psychopathic humans to rule the world.”

“Here here.” Brian mocked and followed me down the stairs.