The Arrangement | Completed | Wattys2020

11

Matty's POV.

I'm trying my best to keep a happy face and a calm attitude. I swear, I am. After receiving my Mom's text message about a 'family dinner', I can honestly say I was less than pleased. As hard as she tries to keep this family together, she also knows in the back of her mind that it is a lost cause. She is the only reason I'm showing up tonight.

"So how has work been?" My father asks me, breaking the thick silence in the room.

"Pretty good. It has been staying pretty busy."

"Well, that's all we can ask for. Have you put any more thought into Seattle?" He replies.

Seattle. It's always about fucking Seattle with him. Sometimes I think he just wants me as far away from him as possible. Really, that doesn't sound like a terrible idea.

"Frailey and I have gone over it, yes." I respond with no emotion behind my voice.

"Daniel, right now is not the time to discuss this." My Mom says, knowing the tension these kind of conversations hold.

"Are you still seeing Candace?" He asks me, changing the subject.

"Yes I am."

"She seems like a lovely girl." My mom smiled at me. I gave her a small smile in return, letting her know that I appreciate it.

"And Haley?" My dad adds.

Of fucking course he adds it. Fucking asshole.

"You're still seeing Haley?" My mom asks with wide eyes.

"No! The only reason she was even in my house that day was because Dad didn't even call me to warn me until she was already at my damn doorstep." I said, raising my voice.

"I called you before! It's not my fault you didn't have enough guts to tell her not to come inside!" My dad countered with a laugh.

"Drop it." My mom said sternly to the two of us. Look at us, fighting like a bunch of fucking animals at the dinner table.

We sat in silence for a bit longer, and my mom was the one to break the silence this time.

"Your father and I were thinking about taking a trip. Maybe to Colorado? We haven't been there in quite a long time." She said, reminiscing on the times we were able to take a family vacation without the worry of it falling apart.

"That will be fun." I smiled at her, not wanting to talk about how lame my fucking dad was. They would have an awful time, I'm sure of it.

"We would love for you to go too. You can even bring Candace." My dad added.

I dropped my fork on my plate and both of their eyes looked at me. Anger was running through my body as I looked at my father. I don't understand why the fuck he wants to try and act so normal.

"Why the hell would I do that? So you can go and say more shit about me? About my job? About my past relationships? In front of her? Hell no. I'm not going." I said, declining the offer.

"Matty, I really think it would be nice for all of us to just get away for awhile." My mom said trying to reason with me.

"I said no." I snapped.

"Don't start snapping at your mother. She only wants to spend time with you. Show some respect." My dad said defending her for once in his fucking life.

"What the fuck do you know about respect? I didn't realize that you were such a gentleman all of a sudden." I laughed in reply.