"Matthew, come over here for a minute."
"Just a second. Let me get this salad tossed."
"Come here, please, son."
Matthew turned around and looked at his father's serious expression. He knew something was wrong. Slowly, he walked to him.
"Matthew, I want you to look at something. Promise me you'll keep a straight head."
"Dad, what's wrong?"
Conner turned the photos around to face his son. Matthew picked up the paper and sat down in the chair. Conner watched his son's brow furrow and jaws tighten while every word was read.
Matthew got up and took the roast out of the oven. He sliced a piece for his father, gave him some potatoes, carrots, and salad, and then calmly carried the plate and sat it down on the table. He shut the stove off and then walked out of the door without a word. Matthew went down to Sherry's office and asked to use her computer. He pulled up his and his father's account and saw the cash deposit of fifty thousand dollars. He called the twenty-four hour banking center and inquired about the deposit. There wasn't an error. The depositor was Chloe Burlington. He calmly hung up. Next he called the dealership and asked to speak to the manager. The last contest they held was over New Years. He walked out of the office and thanked Sherry. Opening the passenger side of the new truck, Matthew got out all the paperwork. Chloe Burlington was on all the signed papers. He found the proof of insurance, good for five years, and the policy was signed by Chloe Burlington.
Matthew walked back up to his apartment and wrote out a check for fifty-thousand dollars, payable to Chloe Burlington. With the truck key in his hand, he walked down the hall and knocked on the door. That's what strangers do.
Chloe was just getting out of the tub when she heard the knock. It couldn't be Matthew, he had his own key. Whoever it was would hopefully go away. She wanted to look nice this evening for dinner with Matthew and Conner. She was super excited. She never had a guy cook dinner for her before. She wished she could have watched him prepare it. Her bet was that the cute roofer of hers would look even more adorable. The knocking wasn't stopping. She found a conservative dress that wasn't too short and then stood in the mirror trying to decide how to fix her hair. The knocking persisted. Go away! Don't people get it when no one comes to the door they don't want to answer or they're not home?! Firmly setting the hairbrush on the vanity, Chloe went to the door and flung it open. She was going to let whoever it was have a piece of her mind.
Their eyes met. The look on Matthew's face sent a chill down Chloe's spine. Hopefully Conner was okay. Just when she was about to ask what was wrong, it occurred to her that he hadn't used his key. If something was wrong with his father he would have opened the door on his own. His breathing was loud, his face reddened, and every vein in his neck and temple was visible and throbbing. Seeing him enraged like this was frightening to say the least. Chloe quickly averted her eyes.
"Hello, Chloe Burlington. It's nice to meet ya…."
"Oh God, Matthew. I can explain—"
"Go back to your mansion, Miss Burlington. I don't need to be your pathetic charity case anymore. On your way out of the projects, get the hell out of my life. Take your damn truck with you." Matthew didn't raise his voice. He calmly placed the apartment key she'd given him, the truck key, and the check on the floor in front of Chloe.
"I'm so sorry! I'm the same person you—"
"Yep, the same person in the newspaper. Go back to your side of the tracks." Matthew closed the door behind him. She heard the old pickup start, and listened as it drove away.
Chloe crumbled to the floor.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
She lay in her bed sobbing. The walls were closing in, and Chloe was having a hard time breathing. With trembling hands, she called Becky.
"I don't know what to do!" were the first words she uttered.
"He found out…"
"Becky, it's over. I knew I'd lose him over this, but I didn't know it would hurt so much. I thought I prepared myself. I didn't even get a chance to explain. He returned the money and the truck to me! God, this is the worst day of my life."
"Did you explain why you did what you did?"
"I didn't get the chance. He told me to stay out of his life, and he meant it. I don't even know how he found out!"
"Sweetie, why don't you gather a few of your things and move back, and we can get the rest tomorrow. He knows you live here now so you might as well be in your own home."
"Home? This is my home! I don't belong there, and I never did!"
The next morning, Chloe heard a knock on the door. She flew to it and swung it open, hoping it was Matthew. It was Sherry.
"Is this true?" Sherry had the newspaper page in her hand and opened it up so Chloe could look at it.
"Yes, Sherry, it's true. I didn't want you all to find out this way. I may have lied about my last name and my wealth, but who I am and my love for Matthew, my feelings for you and Conner….all of that is real!" She stared at the older woman's eyes. "You don't have to say anything, I'll gather my things."
"Honey, I'm not here to throw you out. There are always two sides to every story. Why don't you start from the beginning?" Sherry sat down at the kitchen table and lit a cigarette.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Chloe stopped eating and drinking. She hadn't showered or brushed her hair since the day her life crashed around her. She called Matthew over and over again, and not one call was returned. She stopped talking to everyone, including Becky. Chloe wanted to knock on Matthew's door, but didn't want to look at Conner and see the pain she'd caused him. He trusted her not to hurt his son. If only she could explain.
The loud pounding on the door made her lift her head from the pillow. Chloe stayed in bed with the blinds closed and stopped caring if she ever saw the sun again. The pounding continued, followed by the shaking of the doorknob.
"Chloe I know you're in there. Open up or so help me God I'll drag every guard I can get my hands on to bring your ass home! Open the door!!"
Slowly she walked to the door and unlocked it, and then promptly went back to her bed.
"Okay, this is enough!" Becky opened every blind, then went to the kitchen and filled up a glass with water. She held it to Chloe's mouth. "Drink!"
"Go back home, Becky."
"I'm not leaving here until I know you're okay. I'm definitely not leaving today. Drink the water or I swear I'll take you to the hospital." Becky put a slice of bread in the toaster.