Page 98 of Keep Me

“So you came up withcancer?”He shook his head and looked disgusted by it. “Like Evelyn.” The crack in his voice was the first thing I heard.

Matty swallowed. “Are you sick, Olana?”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. No. I’m not. Okay? I just told you I was because I thought you’d care about me enough that it would make you marry me.”

“Why?”

Olana looked back at Ben, and I saw the warning look he gave her behind Matty’s back.

“I wanted her to. I figured you two were going to get married anyway. I needed someone to sign off on the house sale, and if you weren’t going to do it, I was hoping your wife would.” He pointed at Olana but immediately turned and looked at me. “Guess I banked on the wrong wife.”

Matty stepped back, his face paler than I’d ever seen it, and he sat on a chair, not acknowledging any of us.

I could hardly process it, and I was on the outskirts of the issue. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling. She told him she had cancer and pushed me away by faking a pregnancy.

“I don’t know what to say,” Matty said. I could hear it in his voice. He was broken, and I wanted to be the one to pick him up and tell him it would be okay.

“Sounds about right for you,” Olana said, looking at Matty with disgust. “You were always a fuckup, after all. Not surprised you fucked this one up too.” What the hell? How did she turn thisaround on him? “It’s because he’s been obsessed with that girl for years.” Olana pointed her thumb in my direction and took her time to look at me. “And if you’re thinking by being married to him you’re going to get an ounce of that inheritance, then I’m sorry to disappoint you, but his trust doesn’t mature until he’s twenty-five. Doubt you’ll be together long enough to see it.”

I fell silent. I still had no idea what the heck was going on, and this sure felt like a conversation these three should have had without me present.

“Britt’s not after my money,” Matty said.

Olana laughed. “You sure? It’s the only thing you have going for you, considering you’ve got the personality of a rock. Still can’t believe you wouldn’t marry your sick girlfriend so she could get better health insurance. What kind of monster are you?”

“You weren’t sick, Olana. I was buying you a fucking house and ready to pay for your medical bills without that.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me?” Another hearty chuckle from Ben. “You fell for the cancer line? Why didn’t you check anything?” Matty’s lips curled and his fists clenched, but he didn’t respond.

“I should have,” he muttered.

“Funny though. You’re buying her a house and paying for her nonexistent medical bills, but you won’t give up what’s rightfully mine?” He shook his head, doing nothing to hide his amusement. “How the hell are you even paying for all of that? Did you get access to Evelyn’s inheritance early?”

Again, no response from Matty. “Unbelievable,” Ben said. “Honestly, I can’t understand why you’re in college because it seems like you’re dumber than when you started.”

“He’s selfish and manipulative,” Olana started. “Always kept me on the back burner while he swooned over her. I was willing to put all of your asshole behavior to the side and marry you anyway. Looks like you got played just as badly. Howpathetically into someone do you have to be that you’re willing to marry them and let them have a boyfriend on the side? Pathetic.” Olana was letting out all her rage about getting caught by Matty, who again, just took it like he always did.

He deserved none of this. These people were selfish and bitter, and I hated that they’d been fueling him with all these insecurities for so many years.

“Stop saying such horrible things about my husband.” I swallowed down all my pride. Who needed it? Not me. Not after this. “Matty is perfect, and he has more integrity in his little finger than either of you have in your entire bodies.”

Crap. Did I just call him perfect? It was true. Even with all this shit going on around him, he somehow remained this positive force in his own life. He succeeded where many would have failed.

“Wow.” Olana shook her head. “You’re really gone for him, aren’t you? You might think you’re his number one, but just remember, no matter what you do, he’ll always come back to me. How could he not? I’m the one that was there for him when his mom died. Do you even know that he has her ring and wants to give it to his wife one day?”

She looked down at my ringless hand, and it took everything in me not to cower away from this woman. “Yes. It’s being resized for me as we speak, and I have no intention of taking it off the minute we get it back.” I’d lied and I wasn’t sure how Matty would take it, but I was tired of them. He didn’t deserve any of this. I pushed my chair out and walked over to the folder by Ben, knowing the marriage certificate was in there. Ben didn’t move when I grabbed it.

“If you’re staying married to him, why do you need the papers?” That smirk. “Or are you just talking big game to make Olana jealous? Seriously, what has my son done to you?”

“I need the papers so I can change my last name.”

That was all I said before walking over to Matty and holding my hand out to him. “You coming?”

“Where are you going?” Ben asked.

“I’m waiting for my husband to take me home, because frankly, I’d rather drink gasoline than sit here for another minute and listen to either of you talking about him like he’s dirt.” For the first time in ten minutes, Matty looked up at me.

“Husband,” Olana mocked bitterly. “I wouldn’t sound so proud of that fact if I were you.”

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