Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

Colton was asleep, I had poured a glass of wine and was waiting on the arrival of the clan with Danny in the living room. Jeff had gone home and the headlights pulling in to the driveway signaled it was time to drink up. I changed from my earlier outfit in to a baggy shirt and some sweatpants. No part of me wanted to be in that top any more. I definitely couldn’t handle that clothing the way I used to. I was uncomfortable and tired.

There was a light knock on the door and I walked over to open it as Danny disappeared in to the study, he said if I needed him he would come out but he thought I should probably have time alone with them. I sighed and opened the door, “Welcome.” I moved aside and let the stream of men in to my house, I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost two in the morning. What the fuck were our neighbors going to think?

“Wow.” Zack nodded, “Really nice house.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled and moved past them to lead the way to the large entertaining room at the opposite end of the house than the bedrooms, it had a semi-sunken living room and a small bar area, “Drinks?”

“No,” Zack put his hand up before anyone could answer, “We’re good.” He glanced at Matt and they all took seats, “So... This house is huge, I’m still shocked.”

“It’s new,” I shrugged a little, “We moved here when Danny’s dad opened the new office and he started running it. The commute was going to be absurd.” I sat down in a comfy chair across from them all as bodies fell on to chairs and couches, “Seriously, booze, water, soda, anything?”

“Water.” Matt spoke up, the first words he had said directly to me all night, I nodded and got up, returning with a tray of water glasses and an extra large pitcher after I managed to find it. I wasn’t going to say it out loud but I never knew where shit was in this house because Danny hired a cleaning service that always organized and I hadn’t been bothered to find everything yet.

“Thanks.” Brian nodded at me, “So. How’s your life? What do you do for work? Like... What’s going on? You obviously don’t work for the company in Colorado any more.”

“I don’t.” I shook my head and sipped some wine, “I’m actually a stay at home mom now. When we move Danny got a massive pay raise and I don’t have to work.”

“You don’t work and afford this house?” Jimmy asked, “Jesus.”

“He’s great.” I smiled but instantly regretted the comment, “Uhm... What have you all been up to?” I asked, avoiding the eye contact Matt was also visibly trying to avoid making.

“Just... shit.” Jimmy shrugged, “A couple of morons wanted to break up the band, call it quits after this tour. But we figured it was easier just not being friends. So we’ve been doing our own things. Making families... That kind of shit.”

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, watching as Matt sent a hard elbow in to Jimmy’s side, “Break up the band? What the fuck happened?”

“Five years of tension, that’s what.” Brian glared at Zack, my stomach turned and I gulped some wine before setting my glass down, “It was a dick fight over who missed you more and who’s fault it was.”

“It was no ones fault.” I shook my head, “Come on really?”

“Liz listen,” Zack shut Brian up, “It was a really rough transition for us all ok? A lot was going on, a lot of new territory. You were pregnant, we were worried-”

“Worried.” I scoffed, “Worried. If you worried you would have all listened to me and-”

“Enough.” Matt spoke, raising his hand, “You fucking left us Liz, like high and dry left us. You left pregnant with my child, if any one should be getting fucking loud here it’s me.” He glared at me now, “We’re being civil here, Zack misses you a lot. Jacky misses you and Liddy actually let me fucking have it a few months ago because she’s pissed you left. She’s just like you though and she blames me for all of it.”

“How does she-”

“She remembers.” Brian looked at me, “She remembers you. Well. She flipped out at Matt, I was there. It was you all over.”

“All the girls miss you.” Zack added.

“All the girls.” I nodded.

“All the girls.” Brian chuckled under his breath, “Yeah.”

“Don’t.” Zack warned, I cocked an eyebrow, “Don’t ask.”

“Val?” I looked at Matt, “Have you two finally figured that all out? Or are you cheating on someone with her?”

“I don’t know, have you called Marie lately?” Jimmy joked, my blood chilled, “Oh, fuck... That wasn’t actually meant to-”

“Marie?” I looked at Matt, laughed under my breath, “Really? That’s the game you figured you’d play?”

“Liz I’ve been in a really bad headspace ok. I drank a lot-”

“Nothing new.” I crossed my arms and laughed a little bit, “Marie. Oh why does that surprise me? You’re such a piece of shit.”

“Because I fucked someone else?!” He asked.

“Not just someone, my fucking best friend... No, you know, no. Good for you, I’m pissed that she fucked you.” I shook my head then scoffed, “And don’t say that so hypocritically.”

“What? Because you went and got married?! Do you know how much it fucking hurt to see that?” Matt shook his head and stood up, getting louder now, “You’re the mother to my son, Elizabeth. We had a kid together, and seeing you with someone else's last name... Seeing my fucking wife with someone else's-”

“I’m not your fucking wife any more Matthew. I stopped being your fucking wife before I left.” I hissed and stood, not even coming close to his height, “Sit down-”

“No, fuck that. I have to sit here and watch my son be raised by some fucking douche-”

Before the words could form next in his mouth, I slapped him, my hand imprinting a red mark immediately on his cheek. He stood absolutely still, his eyes locked on to mine. Inside my body urged to lurch forward to him but I held myself in one spot, tears falling from my eyes, “You don’t fucking get to say that about him.”

“He’s all my son knows,” Matt’s lips trembled, “He doesn’t know who his fucking father is.”

“He knows it’s not Danny.” I gritted my teeth, “And you know what Matt? I fucking wish it was. I wish you weren’t ever going to be in my life again. Because I hate it... I hate it so much.”

“What part do you hate Liz?” Matt shook his head smirking slightly, I wanted to slap the fucking look off his face, “The part where he’s going to be just like me? Or the part where looking at me brings back the good memories too-”

“Overshadowed by the bad.” I shook my head, “He calls Danny; Danny. He knows that’s not his dad. He’s not old enough.”

“Good.” Matt nodded, “Because all I want from this is him, is Colton. I don’t want you, and that excuse of a fucking man has no right being called Dad-”

Again, my hand flew across his face. This time my fist was closed, Matt stumbled back a few steps, “Shut your fucking mouth and get out of my house, Matthew.”

“Not without Colton.” He shook his head, my blood chilled.

“No, Matt.” Zack grabbed his arm, “Stop. We talked about this.”

“You talked about this?” I asked, eyes wide, “About fucking taking him?”

“He’s my fucking son.” Matt crossed his arms, “Or we make a fucking deal. You took him without my knowledge, that’s kidnapping-”

“Matt enough.” Jimmy spoke loudly but Matt waved him off.

“He comes with us tomorrow, or I call the cops.” Matt shoved his hands in his pockets and I shook my head, “Cops?”

“No.” I shook my head again, “You can’t do that.” I watched his face contort in to almost anger, “He has my last name, you aren’t on his birth certificate. You would have to bring me to court for a DNA test and when do you have time for that?” I asked, crossing my arms, “You’re touring.”

“Listen fucking here Elizabeth-” Matt advanced towards me, chest to my chest, toe to toe, my eyes shut bracing for the yelling I didn’t doubt was coming, his hand gripped my arm.

“That’s fucking enough, either you step back from my wife or the cops will be here in sixty seconds.”

I opened my eyes and looked to the side, Danny was standing, phone in hand, eyes locked on Matt as if one blink would set off a grenade beneath him. Matt dropped my arm, taking a single step backwards, “That would be shit publicity.” Danny stepped down in to the living room and stood beside me, “The one thing I’ve learned from being with Liz, and being around her, is that whatever the fuck she dealt with back in California was enough to put a guard up around here, a pretty thick wall. I don’t make assumptions, and I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt here that you aren’t a group of completely shit men.” Danny looked between them all, “I know how highly she’s spoken of her brother so far. It’s getting late, we’re all getting tired as hell. We can resume this conversation in the morning or a later date.”

“A later date?” I asked.

“On your turf.” Danny hadn’t lost Matt’s eye contact, “Man to man, I don’t discredit your anger. I’d probably be just as out of my mind, but one thing I’m not trying to do is move in on your parental rights. As much as I’d love to call Colton my own, he’s not. I’ll treat him and spoil him like he is, I’ll show him wrong from right and love him like he is. But he’s always going to have a dad, and that’s you. I’m not trying to fill those shoes,” Danny looked down and chuckled slightly, “I may just have bigger feet than your shoes.”

He was right, he had bigger feet than Matt, the comment made my smirk slightly as his body ever so slightly stood in front of mine, “Alright.” Matt nodded, furrowing his brow.

“Ok. I’ll make the trip happen, we’ll get to California to you guys after you’re home. We can figure this out there, it’ll be a trip. See your parents,” Danny looked at me, “See your niece and nephew. We’ll make this all ok, we just don’t need anything traumatizing happening that Colton would be impacted by alright? I know as his dad you don’t want him being traumatized, and I know Liz doesn’t want that. We all want what’s best for him right?”

“Right.” Matt nodded, “I really really want to hate you, a lot... I’m just glad you’re not trying to be an asshole.”

“So,” Zack stood up, “I hate to cut this lovely early morning meeting short. But we should get going. You all need sleep, we need sleep, Matt needs a Midol.” He mumbled, “I’ll call you in the morning? Jase has your number-”

“Yes he does.” I nodded and nuzzled my face in to Zack’s shoulder, “I’m fucking so sorry Z.”

“It’s ok Lizard.” He whispered in to my hair, kissing my ear, “I love you so much, it’s going to work out, ok? We’ll see you soon.”

“Alright.” I pulled back and nodded, sniffling the tears back as Johnny escorted Matt from the house, Jimmy’s arms crushed around me, “Oh Jimbo..”

“I want to smack you so hard but your hard ass husband scares me.” Jimmy snickered, “I love you Lizzy, call soon, I can’t wait for Ethan to meet Colton.”

“Oh Jesus,” Zack and I chimed, “That’s going to be lovely. Two Baker’s and Sullivan.”

“Alright loser,” Brian moved Jimmy and pulled me close in to a hug, “Little Baker,” He kissed my head carefully as Jimmy and Zack said goodbye to Danny by the door and left, “Listen... He’s being a hard ass because he’s internally dying because you’re married.”

“Is it really that hard for him still?” I asked.

“Is it that hard for you? I saw that look in your eyes, you were half a second away from jumping his guts.” Brian tapped my nose, “You’re married, he seems great, I’m proud of you... We haven’t told the girls yet.”

“Can we not?” I smirked, “And wait?”

“Oh you’re evil. Mich will more than likely piss herself...” Brian squinted, “Literally. She pees when she sneezes now.”

“Oh the mom club.” I laughed and hugged him tight, planting a kiss on the side of his face, “I love you Bri. Jesus... I think that five years was worth it.”

“I could hit you.” He laughed and picked me up for one last hug, “Ok, be easy on Matt, be understanding, call us tomorrow. Plan the vacation, don’t book a hotel. We bought a beach house last year and it’s huge, you guys can stay there for the month-”

“MONTH!” I laughed.

“Well, it better be longer than a weekend.” He rolled his eyes, “You have lots of kids to meet, and stuff to do, alright? I better get out there before someone loses an eye. Love you Baker- uh-”

“It’s fine.” I laughed and smacked his back and walked behind him to the door, “Always a Vengeance.”

“Always.” He smiled at me, “I’ll tell Zack you’re wearing it proudly. Love ya.”

“Love ya.” I blew a joking kiss as Brian walked away, returning it quickly before disappearing in to the SUV they were driving. Danny closed the door and bolted it, turning to face me.

“That was.... that-”

“I know,” I patted his chest, “Dramatic. You said I was being dramatic and do you take it back now?”

“Yeah, yeah no I take that back. That was nothing.” He laughed and pressed his lips to mine, “We will get out there, we will figure this out. Don’t you worry babe.”

“God I love you.” I pulled him close and pressed my lips harder to his, feeling his hands snake to my ass, “Let’s get to bed, I have a feeling I’ll be up for a bit.” I smirked and gently bit my lip, taking off down the hall, Danny on my heels shutting the lights off as we went.