Almost Easy

Matt’s POV

Liz and Colton were coming over tonight after she visited with her parents, with Colt, to get him used to being over here. I was currently in a cleaning frenzy, making sure nothing was out of place and nothing that Colt could reach would be an issue. All alcohol had been dumped down the drain and cleaned up, put out to recycling, and I made sure the fridge was clean.

There was a knock on the front door, and I ran over just after finishing washing the sink out, “Hey.” I smiled as I opened the door, Colt bolted for my legs and hugged me, “Hey bud, I’m so glad you came over.” I picked him up and squeezed him tight, something just felt so normal now that he knew.

“Do I get to see my room today?” He asked excitedly, I nodded, “Yay! Where is it?!”

“Matt…” Liz looked at me suspiciously, “It’s been three days since we told him, how did you get him room stuff already?” She asked.

“It’s called a store.” I nodded, “I’m not as much of a slacker as I used to be.”

She eyed me and held her finger up, “Kitchen?” She asked, tilting her head up as I nodded. I took Colton’s hand and followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and searched, “Shocker, no month-old food…” She glanced down at the trash and opened it, smirking, “I knew better.”

“Come on.” I Laughed as she pointed at the packages of month-old food, “I barely ever eat here.”

“Let’s go see your room, Colty, let’s see what Daddy put together.” She winked at me.

“Can you stop, for a minute? Can you try not to cut me down right out the gate?” I asked, “I know you’re giving me crap and joking around but he doesn’t.” I tried whispering enough so Colt didn’t fully hear me, and Liz sighed, nodding.

“Sorry, shitty defense mechanism because I don’t want to acknowledge you possibly grew up.” She gestured for me to continue walking, “When did you have time to go shopping? You’ve been at the beach house with us like every day this week.”

“It’s called delivery service.” I laughed, “I know enough people.”

“Right, I forget that you’re a Rockstar now.” She looked around, “And also when did you move into a normal house and out of a bachelor-pad style apartment?”

“Oh like four years ago.” I nodded, “It was the best purchase I ever made. I love having my own home, I remodeled this whole place into exactly what I want. I have a home studio downstairs and I put in a huge outdoor entertainment area.”

“Bananas.” Liz laughed, sounding baffled, “That’s… that’s awesome. I’m really happy for you guys doing all this adult shit.”

“Well, Colt,” I redirected my attention as we approached the door to the room I had turned into Colt’s over the last two days with help from some of my connections to interior designers… AKA Michelle’s cousin, “This is your room.” I opened the door and he ran in, instantly screeching.

There was a bunk bed designed with a slide from the top bunk, the bottom bunk folded up so the underneath could be like a fort area, there was a ball pit on the left, a radio system and a television. The color scheme was dark blue and white stripes. I looked over as Liz stared at the room, “Holy crap…” She looked around, noticing the part of the bunk beds that was a climbing wall to get to the top, “What!” She pointed at it and looked at me, “This isn’t fair, you’re out-doing me!”

“I’m just excited, Liz.” I shrugged, “It might just make the transition easier.”

She pointed at me, “You’re right. You’re totally right… Isn’t this great, Colty?” Liz smiled and knelt down to his level, giving him a hug and whispering something in his ear.

Colt ran over to me and hugged me, “Thanks dad, you’re the best dad ever! This is the best room ever!” He looked around and ran over to the ball pit and other toys, beginning to play.

Liz slowly meandered her way back to my side, crossing her arms, “Alright. You did good.”

“Thanks.” I laughed.

“But all I told him to say was thanks so… the rest was all him.” She brushed some of her now dark brown hair from her face.

“I like your hair dark.” I glanced over as she rolled her eyes, “You look more like a Baker.”

“I feel more like a Baker right now.” She looked down at the floor, “I have to go apologize to Jacky today and I would rather gouge my fucking eyes out with a dull rock.”

“Why do you have to apologize?” I asked and motioned her to follow me back downstairs to the living room, “Colt we’re going back downstairs, find us if you need anything ok?”

“Ok!” He smiled and didn’t even budge as he continued playing.

“I don’t, really, but if I don’t… well if I do I think it’ll smooth things over easier for them. Less chance of their marriage going under.” She sighed, “Zack’s going to file paperwork this week and I need to-“

“Over what?” I asked, my eyes widening, “I didn’t think they were fighting again…?”

“About what happened when she called you to drive us home.” Liz ran her hands over her face, “Ugh, it’s just a lot. I don’t need to ruin a third marriage.” She looked at the floor, “I have to try anything to get her to stay with him, she’s the love of his life and I just cause waves when I show up. Especially with them.”

“Liz, listen. The last thing Zack would want you to do is apologize when you don’t have to. That’s essentially laying down on your back and letting her take the lead. That’s not something he’d be ok with, believe me, I know. You two have always had issues, and Zack will always take your side. It doesn’t matter what’s at stake, he’ll take your side.”

“This is huge, though, Matt. It’s his marriage. The only thing he values even remotely as close to his marriage, is the band-“

“We almost broke up because of you, Liz.” I watched her face contort into confusion, “The band. Zack proposed the idea of breaking up because none of us could get along, we were all so fucked up when you left. Liddy flipped out at me, she asked why I stopped loving you and why I made you leave. Zack couldn’t handle it, Brian was just completely distant anyways, and it was just…” I hesitated, the big kicker was Marie, but I was assuming no one had told her yet, “The kicker for Zack was when I started dating Marie.”

“Oh.” Liz nodded, “Oh… I see.”

“It-“

“None of my business, Matt.” She laughed and put her hand up, “All we’re doing is coparenting Colton, ok? That’s seriously where we need to focus right now is him. I have to enroll him in a new school, again, moving him, again… We just moved from Greensburg to Indy…” She shook her head, “The poor kid.”

“But it’s going to be ok.” I walked over and took her hands, “It’s going to work, Liz. I promise. We may not ever work, but this parenting thing will. He’s going to be so loved no matter what ok? I’m always here, and for you too. No matter what happens, no matter where our lives go? I’m here for you.”

“Thanks, Matt.” She nodded but I could tell there was something else behind that look, but before I could pry, Colton called us from the top of the stairs. I watched as Liz acted first and went up to get him. I sighed and stood back, as excited as I was, there was never telling with Liz. I never wanted to lose them again so giving her space was my best bet.