Matt & Doe | Complete

Chapter 23

Doe's POV

My memory recalled when I was eleven years old.

Back when I would be dropped off everyday, from Ashley's old home, to another house to work- clean, help cook and look after the elder - for too little pay. My low income was only because the owners lacked money themselves.

I was a caretaker, at an age when I had needed one myself. Any money I had made in my odd work supported my mom and I, while she worked extra long hours as a maid to get back on her feet.

Her and I leaned on each other, for years. I had taken education more seriously than anything else. I had learned at a young age - from my mom's mistakes - that education was directly linked to making money in Ostville.

The elderly man I had taken care of was the kindest. He had always given me any few pieces he found laying around, since his wife had insisted money was too little to give me a cent more. I couldn't have blamed her, or her husband. He was a man whose family had abandoned him when he needed them most.

I looked around a hundreth time.

This was the exact place.

“YOU?” Matthew yelled for the whole neighborhood to hear, “ARE YOU FREAKING -”

My face fell, as my heart rate quickened. I had already spoken to Matt's mom, but the moment I talked to him, it was confirmed. Oh, Lord. The second I'd walked through the door, Mrs. Adler had recognised me.

“ ...And you would always run away and your mom would call the police to report you missing...” I ranted, “Yes, it was me.”

Matthew stared back in shock, shaking his head.

“But... why'd you do that Matthew? Tell me,” I pleaded.

“Do... what?” he asked through gritted teeth, “You know Roseline, I was really starting to think I could put all this behind me.”

He closed his eyes, before speaking again.

“Of all people -”

“Why'd you hurt your father like that?” I continued and he scoffed.

“This is a joke, right? Please tell me this is a joke,” Matthew moved his face closer to mine, taking my hands in his.

“No...” I let go, “I helped your mom, and kept her company while you were out being... angsty.”

“I -” he stopped, “....Doe, my mother is not the person you want to be sympathising with. She's...”

Matt sighed. I could have only imagined how hard it was for him. Everything he tried to hide, was now in the open.

Everything he had tried to forget.

“And my father? Well, he couldn't remember me,” he breathed in sharply, “Why would I stay?”

He told me everything after that. How selfish his mother had been toward him and his sister. How she took control of everything his father had built for himself, and left the family with nothing. I hadn't even known Mr. Adler to be someone 'important', cause by the time I knew their household, it was in a mess. When I had looked after him, he even lost his name. I hadn't known who Mr. Adler was, and the name definitely didn't stick with me...until now.

“Forget it,” Matthew said suddenly, “Forget it. Everything. You don't know what you're talking about, this is a joke.”

“It's... not.”

At that point he was overwhelmed, running his hands stressfully through his hair.

“You didn't know there was someone helping your father?”