Almost Easy

Third Person POV

Liz was walking out of the hair salon after having a lengthy visit with her favorite hair stylist, who just so happened to still be Zack’s ex girlfriend, Gena. It was a longer visit than normal due to the fact Liz indulged in a few mimosas during the process and Gena managed to get Liz to vent to her while she delicately and comfortingly drug her nails across Liz’s scalp.

Liz pulled her sunglasses over her eyes to shield them from the bright California sun once she settled in to a rhythmic walk down the street, her purse slung lazily over her shoulder as she strutted down the sidewalk in her heels.

She flipped her freshly done up hair around in the air as her phone began to buzz in her purse. Liz gave a small eye roll at the ring tone then paused to dig around to find the ringing device. Before she could locate it she felt someone brush against her, hard.

“Excuse me-“ Liz looked up with a glare but whoever it had been decided her purse was worth more than the explanation, “Hey! Stop!” She screamed, grabbing for her bag but the man continued to run down the street, “Fuck!” Liz huffed, resting her hand on her hip.

“Shit, ma’am, are you ok?” Liz turned as a man about her age ran out of one of the store fronts looking around, “I couldn’t get out from behind the register fast enough… Are you hurt?”

“No, no I’m fine.” Liz took her sunglasses off as she groaned under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers, “Fuck, lovely, my phone and car keys are in there…” She paused and glared at the sky, “Along with a wallet full of credit cards.”

“Come with me, you can use my phone to call someone to come get you… or cancel your cards first.” The guy laughed as a somewhat drunk Liz accepted his offer and followed him in to the small boutique of eclectic looking clothes. He reached behind the desk and handed Liz the cordless shop phone, “Have at it, cancel whatever cards you need to or whatever.”

“I’m just… I’m just going to call my husband and have him come get me.” She shrugged and dialed Matt’s cell phone number, giving him a few rings before trying again.

“Hello?” His skeptical voice came over the line.

“Hey, Matt… it’s Liz, uhm… I just got mugged?-“

“Wait, what?! Are you fucking serious?” Matt was standing off the couch now, he had called Zack and Brian to come over when Liz left and they were hanging out with Liddy and talking, “Are you ok? Are you hurt? Where are you?”

Zack perked up as Matt waved his hands in a stopping motion.

“I uh… I’m fine, just my phone and my keys are in there…. And all our credit cards-“

“That’s fine, we can cancel. Those and replace your phone and keys. You’re ok though? They didn’t hurt you?” Matt asked, feeling a pit forming in his stomach, of course this happened right after she managed to storm out of the house mad at him yet again.

“I promise I’m ok. A shop owner came out to help me and let me use his phone… can you come pick me up? Or tell Zack to-“

“I’ll be right there, uh… I guess you can’t text me the address so tell me the shop name and I’ll google it or something but I’m on my way ok?”

“Ok… thanks.” Liz asked the shop manager for the address of the store and relayed it to Matt before hanging up and beginning to browse the store as she waited for Matt to arrive.

It didn’t take long before Zack’s car pulled up outside the store, Liz stared at it in confusion as she scoffed under her breath. Of course Matt ended up sending Zack, like he would even show up to save her when she needed him.

“Thanks so much for letting me loiter in your store, Adam.” Liz called back to the manager as he smiled and gave a wave as she walked from the building, but was met with a dense object.

“Jesus, Lizzy, are you ok babe?” Matt held her at arms length as he inspected her over, “I had Zack drive me down here so we could take your car back.”

“Oh, that explains his car.” Liz laughed under her breath as Matt stared at her.

“Are you drunk?” He asked with a small smirk as Zack drove off, already giving Matt specific instructions to fill him in later on how Liz was actually doing.

“Maybe buzzed, not very drunk. I had a few mimosas at the salon.” Liz shrugged as Matt took her arm and walked her down towards the parking lot where she gestured her car was, “Uh… thanks for coming to get me.”

“You don’t have to thank me, babe. I’m your husband, it’s my job… I uh… I owe you a massive apology for what I said this morning anyways, I kind of kicked myself a few dozen times after you left.” Matt rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Liz roll her eyes from under her glasses, “It was shitty of me, and you deserve a better communicating partner than that.”

“Well… I appreciate that realization, thank you.” Liz smiled as Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulders, allowing her head to fall on his chest, “Fuck… I need to cancel my cards and get a new phone.”

“We’ll stop at the store on the way home, and we can cancel them at the house. I got this babe, I feel like shit this happened to you. Let me take care of it ok?”

Liz looked up at Matt as they reached the car, staring at the man standing in front of her. Was he really about to turn things around for the better in such short time after a fight? “Ok… I will. Thanks hun.” She steadied herself with a hand on his chest and placed her lips to Matt’s, feeling the ever present strikes of lightning against her skin as they touched.

Something inside Liz’s heart had a small hope that their little slump was finally over.