Bring me to life

Summer was finally here, and Matt was having a house party to start off the season.

Jessie was in her art room working on a painting when her phone went off. She picked up her phone and say it was Matt that texted; Hey I’m having a house party this weekend. Are you coming?

Of course! Jessie quickly wrote back.

Jessie called Elizabeth to see if she wanted to go; “Hey, Mattie is having a party this weekend. Do you want to go with me?”

“Yes, of course,” replied Elizabeth. More or less she agreed because this is the first time Jessie was actually willing to go out. Especially to a house party.

Saturday night came and Jessie and Elizabeth took a taxi to get to Matt’s party. When they got there, Matt was in the back yard and Jessie could see him from the road. Matt had seen Jessie get out of the taxi and called to the back yard.

“I’m going to go get us some drinks,” Elizabeth told Jessie before walking towards the house.

Jessie walked towards Matt; “Hey.”

“Wow, you actually came out of that house!” Matt teased.

“Oh, shut up!” Jessie half laughed, half embarrassed.

They had walked over and sat with a couple of other people who were sitting around the fire pit. Jeff was one of the people who were there.

“Hey, Jessie.”

“Hey, Jeff.”

“You know I think Jeff likes you,” Matt nudged and whispered to Jessie.

“Oh, god. No,” Jessie embarrassedly said.

After a couple of days, Jeff texted Jessie: Hey, Matt gave me your number. I hope that’s ok. I was curious if you wanted to know if you wanted to go out to dinner or coffee if that’s better?

Jessie couldn’t help but laugh: “You got to be kidding me.”

Jessie texted Matt: Duude, seriously? Of all people, you give the number to its Jeff? Lmfaooo.

Matt replied: Thought you could use a night out ;). And I thought it be funny.

Jessie replied to Matt: Well, HAHA. You’re funny.

Jessie didn’t really know what to say to Jeff. He’s a nice guy and all but never really thought of him in that way.

Jessie replied to Jeff: Coffee sounds nice .

Jeff replied: Great.  How about tomorrow?

Jessie replied: Uhm, yea sure. I just have one thing to do but after that, I’m good to go. I can meet you?

Jeff replied: Yea sure. See you tomorrow.

Jessie texted Matt: So, HAHA! Jokes on you. We’re getting coffee.

Matt replied: You’re weird. Lol.

After therapy Jessie and gone to meet up with Jeff.

“Hey,” Jessie said.

“Hey, Jes,” Jeff replied while standing up to huge Jessie.

“Jessie,” Jessie replied and took a step back. She doesn’t really like people touching her.

“Jessie,” Jeff corrected himself and quickly changed the subject. “So, how are you?”

“I’m ok. What about you?” Jessie replied and giggled.

“Good. Would you like to order?” Jeff asked.

“Yea, ok,” Jessie said as she stepped up to the barista at the counter and ordered her favourite coffee.

“Wow, that’s some order,” Jeff said nervously.

“I’m sorry?” Jessie asked in confusion.

“I mean you ordered that like it was nothing and yet I can’t even remember what I ate for dinner last week,” Jeff chuckled nervously and rubbing the back of his head.

“Oh, well. It’s not that complicated-” Jessie tried to explain when the barista had called her when her coffee was made.

Jeff had just ordered a plain coffee and before he could even notice Jessie had already paid for both their coffees. As Jeff went to go pay Jes was already halfway to the table by the window, her usual spot when in the background she could hear the barista: “Oh, your order is already paid for.”

Jeff walks over and sits across from Jessie: “Why would you do that?

“Excuse me?” Jessie said in confusion.

“Pay. Why would you pay?” Jeff asked.

“Well, that’s kind of a thing. You know, to pay. You do have to pay for the drinks,” Jessie told Jeff like she just offended him by paying.

“You’re not supposed to pay,” Jeff replied.

“And why’s that?” Jessie asked.

“Because you’re a girl,” Jeff—

“And you’re a boy. What’s your point?” Jessie replied like it was no big deal.

“I’m supposed to pay,” Jeff stated.

“According to whom?” Jessie asked.

“It’s just a rule. Men are supposed to pay,” Jeff said.

“You do realize we are in the 21st century and women are able to pay for themselves and their date. Sexist much?” Jessie pointed out.

“Call me old fashioned but I like to be able to ask and treat a beautiful woman like you out to coffee,” Jeff said.

“Well, thank you for being old fashioned. But call me new-fashioned and say thank you when someone other than you is picking up this $15 coffee order,” Jessie said.

“$15 for two freaking coffe—I mean thank you,” Jeff said and blushed.

They had spent most of Sunday afternoon talking and drinking their expensive coffee. They were deep in conversation when Jeff reached over for Jessie’s hand. This had startled Jessie and she pulled her hand back cause her coffee to be knocked over. Jessie had spilled her coffee all over herself she immediately stood up.

“Jes- Jessie, I’m sorry!” Jeff tried to apologize grabbing napkins and trying to soak up the coffee but only spilling his cup now too.

Jessie could feel a panic attack starting to take over. Jessie trying not to cry and hold herself together; “It-it’s fine.”

Jessie had grabbed her bag and ran out of the coffee shop. Jeff tried to call and run after her, but she was already gone.

When Jessie got home, Matt had texted her wondering how the date went.

It was horrible. First, he got mad because I picked up the tab and then when he found out how much it was.

Wow really? Matt replied.

Yea, dude. But then I knocked my coffee over and spilled it all over myself. He tried to help but made it worse by knocking his drink too.

Damn! Matt replied.

Jessie replied to Matt: Come over for pizza and some gaming?

Matt replied: Of course. Be over soon.

~

Matt came over with the pizza and they played video games till nearly three a.m. They talked about the rest of the date Jessie had with Jeff.

“You think you’d go out with him again?” Matt asked cautiously.

“I don’t think so. I don’t really see him that way,” Jessie said. “He’s one of those people where it’s better friends than a couple. If that makes sense?”

“I guess so,” Matt was happy with this and tried not to show it.

“Hey, so whatever happened to Sarah?” Jessie curiously asked.

“We broke up,” Matt tried not to sound upset about it.

“I’m sorry,” Jessie said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Matt replied.

“Can I ask what happened?”

~

The next morning Matt finished using the bathroom and saw that Jessie’s bedroom door was open. He couldn’t help but look in and saw Jessie had no shirt on. Matt had mixed emotions about this, one being the fact that he just seen Jessie with no shirt on and two being he hadn’t realized how skinny she looked. He never saw her without clothes on before. Matt has giving Jessie hugs and felt how small she was but never actually seen her body.

Jessie realized that Matt was standing in the hallway and closed the bedroom door. A few minutes later Jessie came downstairs.

“Jes, have you eating yet?” Matt asked trying to seem alarmed or upset her.

“I’m not hungry,” Jessie insisted.

“Clearly you are. Look at you Jes, you’re so skinny,” Matt pleaded.

“Excuse me? I have been eating,” She lied. “Thank you very much.”

“No, you haven’t,” Matt persisted. “Please, at least eat a banana?”

“I’m fine!”

“No, you’re fucking not! You’re severely under fucking weight!” At this point, Matt was getting agitated. “I can’t do this anymore! I can’t just stand here and watch you like this.”

“What’s it to you anyways? Why do you care so much?” Jessie yelled back and tried to leave the room.

Matt grabbed Jessie and pinned her against the wall so she couldn’t move; “Because I love you. And I want to see you happy.”

Matt kissed her. For a split-second, Jessie kissed him back. Then pushed him off; “What the fuck are you doing?! Get off of me!”

Jessie ran upstairs and locked herself in her room.

“FUCK!” Matt realized he might have taken it too far.

Matt stormed out and went for a drive.

~

A couple of hours later Matt came back and knocked on the door; “Jes, please. Open the door. I’m sorry,”

Jessie didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to do because he’s never grabbed her like that before. He’s never yelled at her before. Eventually, Jessie opens the door.

“I’m sorry. I’m just worried,” said Matt.

“It’s okay,” Jessie replied.

“But I can’t do this anymore,” Jessie just looked at Matt in confusion. “I can’t just stand here and be friends with you.”

“Matt, I-”

“I love you.”

Jessie froze and looked at Matt; “Matt, I-I-I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Matt pushed himself through the door grabbed Jessie’s arm, pulled her in, and kissed her.

There was no ‘hesitation’ this time as Jessie kissed Matt back and pinning him up against the wall.

~

A year later it’s about two weeks from Christmas and Jessie was feeling a little sick, tired and didn’t really understand why. She was starting to get paranoid because her period was late. So, Jessie took a pregnancy test and as she is reading the results of the test, Matt walks into the bathroom.

“What’s up? You okay?” Matt asked.

Jessie looked up and over at Matt in horror; “I’m pregnant.”

Jessie felt like she couldn’t breathe and didn’t know what to do, she just stood there.

“What?!” Matt walked over to her and grabbed the test from her and read it for himself. Once he read it, he just hugged her and didn’t say anything at first.

“Matt? I don’t know what to do.”

Matt lets go of her and walks out of the room. Jessie follows him out in the hall.

“Matt? Where are you going?” Jessie asked. Now mortified at the fact that he is running away on her.

Matt ran down the stairs and out to his car and comes back in a couple of minutes later.

He gets down on one knee; “I was going to wait till New Year’s Eve to ask you. I had it all planned out. But I think this is a better moment to ask.”

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?” Jessie asked because she was unsure of what was happening.

“Will you marry me?” Matt was praying to God she said yes.

“Yes. Matt, yes,” Matt put the ring on her finger and she pretty much lifted him to his feet and kissed him.

~

Matt had been there for everything. All of the doctor’s appointments. Went for a midnight food run when Jessie was hungry. Jessie couldn’t ask for anything more.

“You’re now five months along,” The doctor said as she is doing the ultrasound on Jessie. “Would you like to know the sex of the baby?”

Both Matt and Jessie looked at each other. Matt replied; “Yes.”

“You’re having a boy.”

~

The next morning Matt’s getting ready for work. Jessie wakes up to go to the bathroom.

“Morning babe,” Matt kisses Jessie’s head as she crawls back into bed.

“Morning.’

“I’m going out tonight after work with a couple of buddies,” said Matt.

“Oh, okay. That’s cool,” replied Jessie.

“You don’t mind?” Matt asked walking over to Jessie, putting a shirt on, and kissing Jessie.

“Nope,” Jessie replied.

Jessie pretty much spent the day painting and working on some of her projects that are due for her clients. She texted Matt but he never responded to any of her texts. Jessie didn’t really worry about it too much.

~

It was about 3 am Jessie couldn’t sleep so she went down to the kitchen for a snack. When Matt had come in drunk out of his mind and was on drugs.

“Hey, you’re in late. Did you have a good night?” Jessie teased a bit and was curious about how his night out with friends went.

When Matt came into the kitchen Jessie saw his neck. He had a small bite mark on his neck and a hickey.

“Yea-”

“What happened to your neck?” Jessie put her hand his chin to move his hand so she could see his neck. Jessie almost didn’t want to hear the answer.

“Nothing,” Matt snipped back. Pushing her away. Then tried to walk away.

“Hey, don’t walk away from me,” Jessie snapped back. Grabbing Matt’s arm to try and turn him around.

Matt had blacked out and snapped. He grabbed Jessie and slammed her into the wall. At that same second, she felt a sharp pain in her body and knew something was wrong. Matt then put his hands around her throat and started choking her.

Jessie couldn’t breathe. She put one hand on his chest and grabbed his shirt with the other hand on his arm that was choking her.

“Ma-” Jessie could barely talk or breathe.

Jessie tried to reach for the table beside her to grab something. she grabbed the vase and hit Matt over the head with it. Jessie fell to the ground gasping for air.

Jessie’s vision is all blurry and kind of dark and she’s gasping for air. With all of the blood lose Jessie passed out.

Matt still drunk and high comes too and finds himself on the floor and sees Jessie trying to breathe and blood- a lot of blood.

“Oh, god. Jessie! What have I done?” Matt crawls over to Jessie.

Matt calls an ambulance; “M-my girlfriend- she’s pregnant- blood- lots of blood.”

“Okay, sir. What’s your location?” replied the operator.

Matt gave the address and soon the ambulance was there. They rushed her to the hospital. As soon as Jessie got to the hospital but unfortunately she had miscarried the baby.

The doctor had gone to the waiting room to where Matt- his family and hers and friends were waiting.

Matt had stood up and walked towards the doctor; “We did everything possible, but the baby did not make it.”

In that split-second, Matt’s world just shattered. Not knowing what he’d done. Matt’s vision went blurry and everything sounded like he was in a tunnel underwater. And can’t process what was happening.

“What about Jessie?” Matt’s dad asked standing behind Matt.

“Jessie is in ICU. We were able to get her stable, but she has lost a lot of blood,” The doctor replied. Matt looked up trying to process what’s happening.

“When can we see her? And the baby? What happens now with the baby?” Matt’s dad asked.

“The baby is on a ventilator till Jessie wakes up so she can decide on what happens next,” the doctor said.

“But Matt is the father,” Matt’s dad replied.

“That may be so but unfortunately since they are unmarried the mother has the say,” the doctor replied.

“That’s fucking bullshit,” Matt said.

“Sir, you need to calm down,” Doctor said.

Matt had punched the wall; “Can I at least see my fiancée?”

Matt walked into Jessie’s room and saw all the bruises on her arms between the doctors and nurses poking and prodding. Then saw the bruises and marks that he caused.

Matt had stayed by her side all night until she woke up.

“Jessie?” Matt had stood up and grabbed her hand.

Jessie had quickly moved her hand away from him and looked away. Matt looked confused about why she wouldn’t look at him and pulled her hand away from him.

Did I fuck up that much? I don’t remember. I don’t even remember getting home. What have I done! Matt thought to himself.

The doctor come in and told her what happened with the baby.

“What would you like to do with the baby?” The doctor asked.

“What do you mean what do I want to do? There’s nothing to do!” Jessie snipped.

“Jes, please-” Matt’s dad started to say.

“Why didn’t Matt decide on what to do?” Jessie said in the most spiteful attitude.

“We need your consent to do anything,” Matt stated.

“Consent on what? I didn’t give you consent when you killed him! Now that he is dead you would like consent on what to do with his body!” Jessie said with so much hate. “I give you consent on getting the fuck on out of my room!”

“Matt you need to leave,” the doctor advised as his dad ushered him out.

“Jessie would you like to see him?” the doctor asked nervously.

“Why would I want to see my dead son? Are you mental?” Jessie replied. “I want Joey to be cremated.”

Jessie had her arms crossed at her stomach and looked out the window. It started raining. She was trying so hard not to cry.

~

Once Matt and his dad were in the hallway his dad pushed Matt up against the wall; “What the fuck is she talking about? Matt, what did you do?”

His dad looked pissed; “I-I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

“What the fuck you mean you don’t remember?!”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember even getting home,” Matt trying to understand what happened. “I just remember seeing Jessie unconscious on the floor and blood everywhere.”

“So, what happens now?” asked Matt.

“I just need you to sign this consent form,” said the doctor.

“Consent form? Why do I need to sign it if it’s all her choice?” asked Matt.

“Well, she may be having most of the say but you do have some say,” replied the doctor.

“No-no, if that’s what she wants, then that’s what she gets,” Matt was a little hurt because Jessie already picked out names and he is the reason the baby didn’t make it.

Matt walked back into Jessie’s room and she was still looking out the window.

“Jes?” Matt said as he slowly approached her. But she didn’t respond.

Matt sat next to Jessie and by looking at her, he can see that Jessie was no longer there at the moment. She emotionally checked out. Jessie was looking forward to having this baby because she was told she couldn’t have kids due to the car accident.

~

Jessie’s friends and family came around to visit her. No one could get her to talk about what happened that night. Matt remembers bits and pieces of what happened, but he was too embarrassed and ashamed to say what he remembered.

“You literally broke her, Matt,” Frankie said as she picked up Jessie’s hand and it fell back down in her lap.

“What did you do to her?” Matt’s dad asked. “The girl is traumatized and even though she isn’t there she flinches every time you get near her.”

Matt couldn’t answer.

Matt drove her home and slept in the spare room since Jessie came home from the hospital.

~

Jessie’s nightmares came back and at two a.m. Jessie started screaming in her sleep. Matt came running in and woke her up.

“Jessie, Jessie wake up!” Matt came in to try to wake her up.

Jessie woke up and started crying.

“Shhh, It’s ok. It was just a dream. It’s over now,” Matt tried to comfort her.

“It was so real,” Sobbed Jessie.

“I know. It’s over now.”

Jessie crawled back into bed and Matt went to leave; “Please stay?”

Matt crawled back into bed and cuddled up behind her.

Jessie woke up the next morning feeling agitated with just the day. She made her way downstairs. Matt was already downstairs making coffee and breakfast.

“Hey, you’re up!” Matt said grabbing a coffee cup for Jessie.

“Hi,” Jessie sniffled and couldn’t be bolder.

Matt could feel the tension for the other side of the counter.

“How did you sleep,” Matt gave it a long shot. Since he already knew the answer.

Matt gave her, her cup of coffee and a donut to maybe it would make her feel better.

Jessie didn’t answer. She didn’t even look up to look at him. Jessie was to heartbroken, tired, and disgusted with Matt to even respond.

“You okay?” Matt asked.

“No,” Jessie replied.

“Do you want to talk about it?” it was a long shot but thought to give it a go.

“No,” Jessie said.

“Jes,” Matt walked around the counter. “Please look at me.”

Jessie looked up and all Matt saw was nothing, just dark. It’s like she left and just her body was just sitting here.

“Hey, talk to me,” Matt said. “Please.”

Jessie gave Matt kind of a dirty look.

“I just want to help,” oh how that had just started a domino effect.

“Oh, you want to ‘Just Help’? And want to talk?” Jessie had stood up and pushed him out of the way.

“Jes, please!?” Matt pleaded.

“What the hell is there to talk about Matt?”

“I-I-”

“You what? You want to talk? Fine. Let’s talk about how you get to forget, and I don’t. the fact that I get made out to be the fucking crazy one when my boyfriend- sorry fian- no I actually mean boyfriend comes home at 3 a.m. drunk and on drugs and assaults me and tries to kill me in result lose the baby,” Jessie was just getting started.

“Jes, I-I’m-” Matt chocked.

Matt didn’t know what to say or do because he didn’t really know and remember what happened from that night.

“Or the fact that you’re fucking cheating on me,” Jessie said.

Matt had walked closer to Jessie; “It was just the one time that’s it.”

“Oh, now you remember. Of all things to fucking remember is screwing someone else while your 5-month pregnant Fiancée is at home!” That pissed her off.

Matt had grabbed her arm, but she had pushed him off; “Get the fuck off me!”

“Jes-”

“It wasn’t just one time, was it? You left your fucking phone in the bed and I read the messages from your side chick,” Jessie threw his phone on the counter.

“You went through my phone?”

“Of all the things that’s what you fucking took from that? HAHA, buddy me going through your phone isn’t on the top of ….”

Matt just stood there.

“How long?”

“I told you,”

“This isn’t just an onetime thing, how fucking long have you been screwing someone else, Matt? Don’t fuck with me because I’m done. I’m not fucking stupid,”

“A couple of weeks,”

“Oh, a couple of fucking weeks? How interesting,” Jessie said.

“Jes-” Matt called after her.

He tried to grab her, but Jessie ended up punching him in the face and continued to the hall. Matt had chased after her.

“Jes, please let me explain,” Matt pleaded.

“What the fuck is there to explain Matt,” Jessie was angry. “Please go ahead and explain how you cheated.”

"It's not what it seems like," explains Matt.

“Why are you even here?” Jessie asked. “If you even love me then you wouldn’t have done this.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“You’re not sorry, Matt. If you were sorry none of this would have happened.”

“I know, I fucked up. Please Jessie don’t leave! I’ll do anything, please!” Matt pleaded.

“I need some space,” This devasted Matt but he understood.

Matt grabbed some clothes and went to his dad's for a couple of days.

~

A couple of days later Matt came back home. He found Jessie in her art room.

Jessie looked up from her painting; “Oh, hi.”

“Hi, can we talk?”

“What is there to talk about?”

“Us?”

“What about us, Matt?”

“Babe, please. I know I fucked up. I can’t just leave things like this. I can’t lose you, please. I’ll even go to therapy, like couples’ therapy.”

“I can agree with that.”

Matt walked over to Jessie and hugged her. She flinched a little bit and Matt couldn’t help but feel heartbroken over this.

“I told that girl it’s over and never to contact me again. I blocked her and deleted her number,” Matt didn’t know why he had to tell her this.

“Why are you tell me this?”

“I don’t want to hide anything from you. I can’t tell you enough about how sorry I am. I understand that I fucked up big time.”

~

Matt and Jessie did go to therapy and worked things out. Two years later Matt and Jessie got married. Despite what the doctors said they got pregnant and had a baby girl, Lily.

Matt and Jessie despite all odds lived a happy married life and lived till they were way in their nineties.