Maybe Matt's Miracle(73)

Paul chuckles from the couch and slaps his knee. He’s enjoying this too f*cking much. Sky looks over my shoulder and freezes. “What is she doing here?” she asks. Her eyes search mine like she’s going to find the answer in my gaze. But she’s not going to find anything there because apparently I have shit for brains.

“I don’t have a f*cking clue,” I whisper vehemently.

She stares at April for a minute, and then her face softens. “You have to help her,” she says.

“Help her with what?” I ask fiercely.

“Get her a f*cking towel,” Paul calls again. “Duh.”

I ground my teeth together. I don’t want to get her a towel. I want her to leave. And to take all her waterworks with her.

Sky lets me go and walks to her. She takes her elbow and guides her toward the bathroom. “Come on,” she says gently. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

April lets Sky push her into the bathroom, her sopping-wet dress dragging along the floor like a wet seal is sliding across our carpet.

Sky shoves her into the room and turns around to glare at me. But then she shakes her head, sighs heavily, and then goes into the bathroom.

“That’s f*cked up,” Paul says over a maniacal laugh.

“You’re f*cked up,” I say. “You could have helped.”

“What did you want me to do? She’s your girlfriend.”

“Ex-girlfriend,” I correct.

“Well, your ex-girlfriend is in the bathroom with your current girlfriend.” He laughs again. “Go get me another beer when you go clean that water up.” He thunks his feet onto the end table. “And get your balls out of April’s pocket when you go in that direction.”

“My balls are not in April’s pocket.” They’re in Sky’s pocket. Happily.

“Mmm hmm,” he hums.

I take him a new beer and start to clean up the water.

Sky opens the bathroom door a crack and sticks her head out. “Can I get some towels? And something for her to wear?”

“What are you doing in there?” I hiss.

She looks back in the door. “She’s a mess,” Sky whispers. She steps out and closes the door behind her. “She was freezing, so I put her in the tub.”

“Emily left some girl shampoo here. It’s under the sink.”

“Can you find some clothes? Just some shorts or something will work.”

Sky disappears back into the bathroom. I get a pair of athletic shorts and a T-shirt that I don’t like. Hell, I think it’s one April bought. I knock gently on the door. Sky comes back out. “How’s it going in there?” I ask.

“It’s going,” she murmurs, rolling her eyes. “She’s had a hard day.”

Good. She should. She made her bed, and now she gets to lie in it. “Sorry to hear that,” I say instead.

She rolls her eyes and disappears back into the bathroom with the towels and clothes.

I pace for twenty minutes, until Paul barks at me. “You’re going to wear a hole in the carpet.”

“Who gives a shit?”

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Paul asks, grinning like an idiot.

“No idea.”

“I bet they’re discussing the length of your dick,” he taunts.

“Shut up.”

“Or all the ways you never learned to use your tongue.”

“Fuck you.” I have a lot of skill with my tongue.

“The way you shave your balls.”

“Asshole.” But a grin tugs at my lips.

He laughs out loud and shoves my shoulder. “Quit worrying.”

I look down at my thumbnail, which I have gnawed down to a nub.

The bathroom door opens, and I jump to my feet. Sky walks out first with April behind her. April looks a lot better. Her face is free of makeup, and her hair is damp but combed into a tidy mass. She’s wearing an old pair of my shorts and that shirt I hate. She crosses her arms in front of her chest. What happened to that monstrosity of a dress?

What happened to her marriage?

What happened to her baby? I look at her belly and realize that I can see a small swell there. What the wedding dress hid, these clothes do not. But it’s not mine so I couldn’t feel more removed from it. I force my eyes back up to her face.

“Thank you for letting me in,” April says quietly.

“Why are you here?” I ask finally. I do need to know.

“I didn’t know about Kenny and my maid of honor. Thanks for telling me. Apparently, I was the only one who didn’t know.” Her voice is quiet and a little hoarse, like she spent a lot of time crying.

“Where’s Kenny?” I ask.

She shrugs. “Probably at the hospital.”

Hospital? “What?”

“I sort of hit him over the head with a vase.” She holds out her hands to show me how big. “A big one.” She rotates her arm at her shoulder. “It was kind of heavy. My arm still hurts.”

Paul laughs from the couch. I shoot him a glare, and he shuts up.

“Hi, Paul,” she says.

“April,” he mumbles back. He turns the TV up.

“I should go,” April says. She turns to Sky and holds her arms out for a hug. “Thank you,” she says to her. “I appreciate it very much.”