Almost Easy

Third Person POV

Liz was sitting on the couch in the study setting up her brand new phone while Matt finished on the phone with the final credit card company. Liz had changed in to sweat pants and a tank top and felt sick to her stomach about losing all the crap at the bottom of her purse.

“Ok, that’s finally done.” Matt crossed out the final company name on the chicken scratch list in front of him on the desk, “New cards should be here next week, until then you can take mine when you go out-“

“No, I don’t want to chance getting your’s taken too.” Liz groaned, resting her head in her hand as she stared at the final setup screen on her phone, “Thank god for technology.”

“Hey, babe, it’s not your fault this happened, it’s fine. Shit happens.” Matt caught Liz’s eye, able to finely read the feelings in her head, “Come here.” He opened his arms up as Liz laughed with a head shake.

“I’m lazy, bring it in.” She lifted her arms as Matt cocked an eyebrow.

“Is this high school football now?” He laughed and stood up, walking over to join her on the couch, wrapping his arms around his wife, kissing the side of her head, “I love you Elizabeth.”

“I love you more, Matthew.” Liz kissed him back, “I should probably call my ridiculous brother and let him know my phone’s back working..” She sighed, “Or I can go nap for the rest of the day. What are you doing tonight?” Liz stretched out a little and flopped her legs over Matt’s lap, he instantly went to rubbing her ankles.

“I think Brian actually mentioned something about getting together at their place tonight,” Matt watched the expression fade on Liz’s face, the one that had been becoming a resident any time he mentioned to her going out with him, “Come on. It’ll be like old times, all of us hanging out together at Brian and Michelle’s, have a fire, swim, drink… Lizzy.” Matt whined, “Come on, come with me.”

“So you’re going regardless of my answer?” Liz asked, feeling the urge to start a fight building up inside her no matter how much her brain told her to stop and just take the invite and go have fun, “That’s cool, you can go have fun. I’m going to stay in tonight and relax.”

“Liz-“

Her legs swinging off his lap stopped the words leaving Matt’s mouth mid way. She stood up, Matt’s hands still suspended in the air, and left the room. Tears pricked at her eyes as she made her way to the guest room and slammed the door behind her, Matt knew better than to bother her when she retreated that far in to reclusion. Matt thunked his head back on the couch and grabbed his phone, quickly texting Brian that if he did show up it would be late.

Matt got up off the couch and cleaned up the desk, throwing away the paper of credit card names and clearing the computer screen before shutting the console down. He put the pens and pads of paper away then shut the light, going down stairs to the living room where he repositioned a few pillows on the couch that had been given new homes across the room by Liddy earlier in the day. Matt chuckled to himself, she had so much of Liz in her he and Zack both agreed they were in for it.

She would rearrange things in either of their houses and just go with it, not give a reason, and that’s exactly how Liz was. Always doing things without giving you reasons, and Liddy was really in to being moody lately if she didn’t get exactly what she wanted. Matt rolled his eyes at the thought, definitely her aunt. The Baker genes ran strong and that was for sure. Liddy’s baby blue eyes were now a sea foam green color and her baby curls were becoming a long ashy brown color like Liz’s had been when she was younger before she began coloring her hair.

Matt flunked down on the couch and kicked his feet up on the arm, listening to the sounds of Liz mulling around upstairs in the guest room side of the house. He sighed and turned the TV to catch up on some games from last night. In the back of his head Matt recognized the sound of her talking but was too tuned in to the tv to hear what she was saying or if he could manage to guess who she was talking to. He kind of hoped in the back of his mind Zack had called Liz to check up on her and was giving her an ear full on trying not to be such a bitch. But he knew those chances were slim.

Sports scores were flashing across the screen as commentators began arguing over some dirty play when Matt’s attention suddenly shifted to the form of Liz standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“What’s up?” Matt asked, noticing she was standing still just staring at her hands, “Liz?”

“Uhm… My dad just called,” Her eyes were barely focused as she slightly shook her head in a disbelieving manner, “My mom’s in the hospital so… Zack’s coming to pick me up and we’re going to go see what’s going on.”

“Is she ok?”

“I don’t know, all he said was that she didn’t feel ok this morning and then a little while ago her chest was hurting so he called an ambulance.” Liz rubbed her arms while walking to the hallway closet to grab some shoes, “I don’t know what time we’ll be home, I’m assuming late, tell Brian and Michelle I’m sorry I couldn’t come.”

“You don’t want me to come with you?” Matt watched as Liz reappeared in a pair of low heels, shaking her head, “Are you sure?”

“I’ll have Zack, it’s probably going to be a while anyways dad said they were bringing her in for a few tests so those might be done by the time we get there.”

“Ok,” Matt stood up and approached Liz as her phone buzzed signaling Zack was in the driveway, “If you need me call me ok? I’ll come right over.”

“Ok babe.” Liz smiled up, pecking Matt on the lips quickly before grabbing her purse and heading out the door.