Page 66 of Despite It All
This gets me an annoyed chuckle. “I wouldn’t hold your breath on that one, Wyla.”
What the hell is his problem today? I want to scream at him, but I’m not going to feed into his bullshit. I live another five minutes down the road. And he can turn upthe heat because he’s getting the cold shoulder for the rest of the drive.
As the silence stretches, I think he’s taken the hint… but no, why would he.
“Come on, quit pouting. I don’t want you to get hung up on this guy. You could do so much better.”
My head turns to him with an eye roll that I can’t contain. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, so keep your opinions to yourself.”
We turn down my road and I’m debating if it would hurt less to tuck and roll out of this vehicle than continue to continue being in this car.
“You’re not fucking serious, Wyla.” Matt’s voice is venturing into yelling territory. “Please tell me you’re not falling for this guy's crap.”
“Crap? What crap? You mean how he spends time with his daughter… takes care of her and me? I don’t know what your problem is with him, Matt, but butt out. This is my life and my decision. I thought we were friends… why can’t you support that?”
“Friends. Right.” He shakes his head for a moment before we pull into my driveway. “You know what, fuck that.” Matt slams his hand on the steering wheel, and now he’s at a full on yell. “You’re making the wrong decision,damn it. Why don’t you actually date a guy that has been there since the beginning? What about me, huh?”
He may have yelled it, but the ‘what about me’ gives me a bit of pause. “Matt, I’m sorry but I’m not…” I trail off because ‘I’m not interested in you’ feels harsh. “I want to see where things go with Jett.”
He scoffs. “You’re not serious. Don’t be stupid, Wyla.”
“I am not stupid! He’s the father of my child, Matt. Not some random guy off the street.”
“He might as well be, what do you really know about him, Wyla? You spent one night with him five years ago, and now what? You know him so well in the two weeks he’s been here. Gah! I thought you’ve grown up since then.”
“Hey, raising your voice and insulting me isn’t going to make your dick bigger. And it definitely won’t make me like you, so thanks for the ride but goodbye.”
I’m done arguing with him. I get out of his car and slam the door as hard as I can. Once I do, I realize there are like four other cars in my driveway. Shit, my whole family is here.
I race around his car, hoping he takes the hint to leave, but he doesn’t. He jumps out of the car and yanks my arm trying to pull me closer. “Wyla, listen to—”
“Let me go,” I demand as I try to pull away.
“Not until you lis—”
“Let go of her right now,” Jett growls, and Matt loosens his grip just enough that I create some space between us. I take about two steps back before I collide with Jett’s chest. “You okay, Wy?”
I nod. “Yeah. Matt was just leaving. Thanks for the ride.”
Matt scoffs. “You’re making a mistake, Wyla. He’s not right for you.”
“And you are?” Jett sneers.
“Yes, I know her. You have no idea what she needs in a partner. What Stevie needs.” Matt’s voice starts to get louder again.
“Matt, stop.”
“No, come on, Wyla, you want to be with him? Let’s talk about who all was there when Stevie started walking… when Stevie got her first tooth… when she said her first words. Do you even know what her first words were? Because I do,” Matt shouts.
Owen and Graham make their way outside now, not that Matt notices or cares. He’s solely focused on Jett. “Matt, stop! It wasn’t his fault, he didn’t know. And Stevie is inside so lower your voice.”
Jett rests his hands on the top of my shoulders. “Go home, man. You’ve said what you wanted. Now go, so we can have a nicefamily dinner.”
Matt laughs. “Family… right. You know what? You can have her, I’ll find a girl who doesn’t whore herself out for a night and knows how to use a condom.”
Before I can even process the words, Jett steps around me and decks Matt right in the jaw causing him to fall back on the yard. “Fuck!”
“Speak that way about Wyla again and I—”
