Almost Easy

Liz's POV

I was sitting on the couch, Danny had offered to put Colton to bed an I would have been crazy to refuse the offer. The house had been cleaned up and everyone was gone, the silence resonating after the yard had been filled with children all afternoon was very much welcomed. I had given up my wine glass and switched it up for a mug of warm coffee, a news channel on the television as I blurred out my focus on my phone screen. The attempt at texting Jimmy failing worse than I had expected. My mind knew that the conversation I should be having was one with Matt, but it wasn't happening due to my stubbornness against his reasoning for not coming.

I groaned and rested my head on the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling as I closed my phone, hearing faint foot steps coming down the stairs I smiled at the thought of distraction.

False.

"So today went well." The sarcasm in his voice was negating the positive vibes I had hoped for.

"Welcome to my Hell." I laughed, "This is why I never told anyone much of my life, because no one would understand the shit I left."

"I mean... I don't think it's the worst you could have left." Danny grabbed his water from the coffee table and sat beside me, pulling my legs to his lap and massaging my calves, "But I get it. It was rough."

"My heart is just so torn. I think this is going to be more stress than vacation." I groaned as my phone vibrated, it was Zack, we had agreed to keep my number something under wraps and not everyone was allowed to have it yet. It was contingent on how things rolled with Matt, because I didn't need someone folding and giving it to him without my permission.

"Well no matter how stressful, I'm here, and we go home in two weeks anyways." Danny squeezed my legs, "And I love you."

"I love you too," I locked eyes with him, "Please don't forget that ok?." I sighed and took a deep breath, "I'm going to get rock bottom real with you right now, things are going to get gritty the next two weeks and I want you to know going in to this that I love you, so much, no matter what ok?"

"Ok?" He laughed, "You make it sound like something really bad is going to happen. This wasn't a terrible idea, was it?"

"It was." I nodded and looked at my phone again, "California is my heroin."

---___---___---

Zack had texted me that Jacky and Michelle were going out for drinks and wanted me to join. I hesitated at the idea since I was having a heart to heart with Danny about how terrible this was going to be when he insisted I go. He said the bonding would be great and he obviously knew how to take care of Colt if he woke up, which was doubtful.

I had thankfully packed one nice dress in case of going out to dinner, and some heels to go with it. I tried to fancy up my makeup but gave up and just slapped some red lip stick on. I looked at myself in the mirror with the faint color of sun on my skin. I smiled a little bit at the memories of going out with the girls.

"Damn." Danny walked in to the bathroom and looked me over, biting his lip, "Are you sure I can't just keep you home now?" He winked.

"I said I should stay home-"

"I'm joking baby," He laughed, pulling me closer and pressing his lips to mine, "I love you, have fun."

"Thanks." I smiled as he held my hands, pulling up my left one and furrowing his eyebrows.

"Where's your ring?"

"Fuck," I shook my head and fished it out of my makeup bag, "I took it off while I was doing my foundation and totally spaced on putting it back on, it's a habit when I'm with the girls. One I thought I would have forgotten in five years."

"It's fine." Danny smiled as I slipped it back on, mentally kicking myself for falling on the habit so quickly, "I think I heard your phone go off a minute ago though, so go have fun."

"I will." I smiled and grabbed my phone and purse from the bed, reading Jacky's text that they were here. I kissed Danny once more quickly before making my way down the stairs. I tucked my things in my purse and locked the door behind me. I climbed in to the blacked out SUV and smiled at Jacky in the drivers seat, "This spells for a good night huh?"

"Oh you have no idea." Jacky smiled as Michelle cracked a bottle of champagne from the back seat, "Jesus, fuck, where did you get that?!" Jacky asked quickly.

"My bag... what, did you think I carried a luggage bag for fun?" She laughed and took a drink carefully, handing it to me, "Don't drink fast or it'll be all over you."

"Telling a Baker how to drink." Jacky rolled her eyes as we quickly finished the bottle between the three of us before leaving the road the beach house was on.

We made it to the bar and walked straight past the line to get in, Michelle flashed her license at the door man and he showed us up to a VIP area. I glared at her, "What? Brian knows everyone."

"It's nice though, especially with the kids now people are always all over us about them." Jacky groaned as drinks were brought over to us and Jacky raised her's up, "Here's to two weeks with Liz, here's to playing bomb squad and trying to diffuse them before they detonate and ruin an entire five years of rebuilding."

"Excuse me?" I asked, watching the two girls down their drinks, "Rebuilding?"

"No offense, not you. Matt." Michelle corrected Jacky as she ordered more drinks, "He's ok though, just... I guess he said some dumb shit to Jimmy that pissed the guys off. It's just like old times he's being dumb."

"So lets drink about it." Jacky handed out another round and gestured at my drink, "Drink up bitch, we have a lot of dancing to do and I need to be drunk for this."

"You drove, moron, take it easy." Michelle laughed.

"It's called a back up plan." Jacky tapped her head and smiled as we downed the next two rounds of drinks before heading to the dance floor. Flashbacks entered my mind of the last time I was on a dance floor, pissed at Matt, with Marie, when I met Tom and Brian crashed our little party. I couldn't help but wish the same events would happen tonight but my conscience pulled me back, this wasn't then. I had Danny. I had no reason to flirt away my anger at Matt.

"You ok?" Michelle pulled me towards her direction as we danced, I nodded, "Good, no spacing tonight! We're getting wrecked!"

"I have a kid to take care of in the morning!" I laughed loudly as Jacky cued up some shots.

"I have two!" Michelle flipped me off, "Now get drunk!" I couldn't argue with her so I just drank.

---___---

We were hammered, or as hammered as I was comfortable getting in public before the mom sense kicked in and told me to start pounding water, attempting to negate the inevitable hangover I would be having tomorrow morning. It may have sobered me up enough in the last hour or so that I noticed Michelle was trashed. We were swaying around the dance floor, Jacky had announced she called us a ride, after arguing on the phone with whoever it was for a long time, and we decided to leave.

Michelle took my hand and we danced out the front door behind Jacky as she swayed around, "There, there's his car."

"Who the fuck is picking us up?" Michelle hiccuped, "Wait, that's-..."

"Zack is going to kill me for-..."

I stopped in my tracks, halting Michelle enough she almost lost her balance, "Oh." I mumbled as we made eye contact.

"Picking you guys up." Matt finished his sentence as he looked us all over, "You said it was just you, Jacky."

"Well yeah, I knew you wouldn't come if I said even Michelle was here." She shrugged and yawned, "Are you taking us home or not?"

Matt wrung his hands together and visibly bit his tongue, "I should uhm, I'm going to call a car." I stood back and shook my head, "I'm fine."

"No no, Lizzy it's fine." Jacky grabbed for my arm, "You two can chat it up in the car and shit-"

The water had definitely cleared my head enough to repeat myself, "No, I'm calling a car."

"Jacky it's fine-" Matt began but she groaned.

"Be an adult, Elizabeth! For God sakes! He's the only one not tied to a sleeping child!" Jacky shouted.

"That's fucking rude as fuck." I hissed, "Fuck off, you're such a fucking cunt, you know that? Who are you to tell me when to talk to someone? Who do you think you are surprising me like that? Huh? If you're trying to make a point about how dumb today was, you should be doing that to your stupid husband because he's the one who kept that a secret." I spat and grabbed my phone, "I'm not getting in to a car with him, while I'm drunk, because I'm not comfortable with that idea."

"Why not? It's not like you're going to drunkenly going to fuck him while he's driving you home safe, Liz." Jacky rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. Matt was standing in an awkward stance as he found anywhere to look but the argument going on in front of him, "Or are you? Or is that what you're worried about? Because if California is such an issue for you maybe you shouldn't have come out."

I threw my phone at her and watched it shatter on the pavement in the spot where she had been if she hadn't moved quickly, "You bitch."

"Liz come on," Michelle reached for me, "At least let's call you a car-"

"Yeah, Liz, seriously. I know Danny wouldn't want you driving-"

"I'm not driving you moron," I hissed at Matt, "I'm walking."

"No way, that's way too far." He shook his head, "No, it's too dangerous and not a good idea. Listen, let me call Danny and tell him what's going on, I'm sure he'll understand if I just drop you off-"

"That's the problem, I know he won't give a fuck." I flipped them off and started walking down the street, hearing an argument instantly spark between the three behind me. I tucked my arms around my mid section and groaned, there goes another phone.