A Place Of Hope And No Pain (Avenged Sevenfold)

Chapter 18

Matt's POV

I was excited, I'd be lying to say I wasn't. I couldn't wait to see my boys, I just wanted to hold them. I'd decided to cut my hair, I wanted a change, new me, new look sort of thing. I wanted Ryder and Jaxson to see I'd changed, I wanted them to see that Daddy was doing so much better.

Before I woke up Chloe I got everything ready, then I went downstairs and got her a coffee. She needed her coffee and I knew my chances of her actually helping me with my hair would be better if I brought her a gift.

"Pretty boy." Jerry said as I walked into the dining room.

I ignored him. I swore he was getting up early and hanging around in the hopes that he would catch Chloe by herself again. Well that wasn't going to happen, I wouldn't let it.

"Don't ignore me." He snapped, but I did, I ignored him. "Where's that fine piece of ass you're rooming with?"

That didn't even warrant a reply, so I quickly got Chloe's coffee and headed back up to the room, psyching myself up for the life threatening situation I could be in waking up Chloe.

She actually woke up in a pretty good mood and agreed to do my hair, so we chatted while she did it. I liked Chloe, I really did, she was a great girl and a great role model for me and I really wanted my boys to meet her, I wanted them to know how much she was helping me, that she was the reason I was doing so well.

Finally my hair was done and after I had a shower and got dressed I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked better, even I could see that and I knew my family were going to see the difference in me. I was trying to contain my excitement even though I was a little disappointed that Chloe wouldn't be with me. When she'd told me that they get visitors as well as I was bummed, but of course they had visitors, why wouldn't they.

We had breakfast and then headed downstairs, going our separate ways and I made my way to the common room, waiting.

I was watching my leg jiggle up and down, I couldn't sit still these days, when I saw the car pull up.

I got up, rushing out as I saw my boys climbing out of the car. God, I'd missed them so much.

"Daddy." Ryder cried, pulling Jaxson along.

They threw themselves at me and I picked them up, holding them tightly.

"Hi." I said as they covered my face in kisses.

"We missed you." Jaxson said, grinning at me.

"I missed you." I whispered, kissing face.

"Where's your hair Daddy?" Ryder asked, rubbing my head.

"I needed a haircut." I told him, hugging them a little harder.

"I like it." Jaxson giggled and I smiled at him, looking past him as Lucy climbed out of the car.

She looked good, but she always did. Hair and make up perfect and I walked over to her, kissing her cheek.

"Hi." I said softly.

"Hi." She murmured, smiling at me. "How are you?"

"Good." I said nodding. "Really good."

"You look good." She added, still smiling.

I led them over to a table. I just wanted to spend time with my boy's. Mom and Dad were coming up in about an hour, they were letting us spend some time together alone first.

"So." Lucy said as we all sat down. "What have you been doing?"

"Yeah Daddy." Ryder said as he and Jaxson climbed all over me. "What have you been doing?"

I shrugged. How could I ever explain it? "Well I've been doing lot's of things." I told them. "I've been going to the gym a lot."

I looked at Lucy as she raised her eyebrows. What else could I say? I've vomited for day's? I threw Chloe against a wall? I sit in a room and argue with other addicts for an hour a day?

"So." Lucy said glancing around. "How's it going?"

"Good." I told her, smiling at her. "Really good, I mean the first week or so was pretty bad, but with Chloe's help I got through it."

"Chloe?" She asked frowning.

I watched as she brushed back her hair and I noticed she was wearing her wedding ring again. When we'd separated she'd stopped wearing it, but now here she was with it on. Was she giving me another chance?

"Yeah Chloe." I said smiling and glancing around. "She's my partner in crime, my counsellor, god she's been a life saver."

"Chloe Chloe Chloe." Jaxson cried, mimicking me.

"She's sounds lovely." Lucy said, her tone suggesting otherwise.

"You really need to meet her." I told Lucy, frowning at the way she'd spoken. "You'd love her."

"I wanna meet Chloe." Ryder cried and I looked around, spying her reading a book in the sunshine.

"There she is." I told them pointing.

Weird. Chloe told me she was getting visitor's, but she was sitting in the sun reading a book, alone.

"She's so young." Lucy suddenly said. "I mean how could she possibly help you."

I frowned, looking at Lucy, then back at Chloe. "She's 33 Lucy, not that young."

"But still." She mumbled. "What could she possibly know, well about your predicament."

"She's been here, done it, she's recovered and now she's helping me." I snapped, feeling the need to defend Chloe.

What was Lucy's problem? She wanted me to get help and now I was she was carrying on like a bitch.

"If you say so." She said waving her hand at me.

I hated when she waved her fucking hand at me, for her that meant the conversation was over, well not this time.

"Actually you should meet her Lucy." I said standing up. "I think you'd actually like her."

"I'll like her Daddy." Ryder said clinging to my neck and I knew both of my son's would like Chloe, she was a likeable person.

"It's fine." Lucy muttered in a clipped tone, but it wasn't fine, not now she'd made a big deal out of it.

"Nope." I said turning to where Chloe was sitting. "I'll get her."

I looked over at Chloe, getting ready to call out, stopping myself. That guy Clay was standing over her, talking and I watched as she smiled at him, grabbing his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. He said something, she laughed, then he put his arm around her shoulder, both of them walking off.

Of course Chloe had a boyfriend, why wouldn't she and it made sense that her boyfriend would be here, doing the same job. I'd just assumed she was single and I wasn't sure why.

Actually, over the last few weeks, with everything I'd gone through, I realised that I'd actually never asked Chloe about herself. Here was a woman I'd spent a month with and I knew absolutely nothing about her. God, I was a selfish prick.

I was going to change that. Starting tonight. I wanted to know about Chloe and I wanted to know everything.