Chapter 49
As I drove down to Philly, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I had to be though; I just had to be. I have never felt that way about a man in all my life. (... So lately been wondering, Who will be there to take my place? When I'm gone, you'll need love, To light the shadows on your face...)This was something that wasn’t just a childish crush, this was serious. I was absolutely in love with him, and I had to set things straight. If I would have passed up the opportunity I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life. (...If I could, then I would, I'll go wherever you will go, Way up high, or down low, I'll go wherever you will go...)
~*~*~*~*~
Oh, I hope I am doing the right thing by going to see her. I know she was the one to leave me, but I have to let her know how I feel. I love her so much. This feeling will never go away, no matter how long we are apart, or how many years go bye, or how many other women I see, it will always be her. (... And maybe I'll find out A way to make it back someday, To watch you, to guide you...) Matt thought to himself as he drove along. For a fleeting moment he took his eyes off the road to make sure the roses he picked up were doing okay on the passenger seat next to him. As he glanced down, a deer bolted across the highway and stopped dead in his tracks, right in front of Matt’s car. Matt glanced back up and a panic-stricken look came across his face as he swerved to miss it, but he was driving too fast, his car spun around and ran off the side of the road. Matt slammed on the breaks and nailed his head on the steering wheel, knocking himself unconscious. A few passer by stopped to see if he was okay. An ambulance was called and he was taken from his car. Thankfully he was okay. He just had a slight bump on his head. (...Run away with my heart, I know now just quite how, My life and love might still go on, In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time, I'll go wherever you will go, If I could make you mine, If I could, then I would, I'll go wherever you will go...)
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, I was still driving down to Philly, again, agonizing over whether I was doing the right thing or not. My train of thought was interrupted as I spotted what looked like an accident on the other side of the highway. I slowed a little to get a good look at what had happened. I couldn’t see any signs of a serious problem. I did not see a victim either. I didn’t worry about it too much, and continued down the highway. What was it going to be like to see Matt again, for the first time in over two months? Do I shake his hand? Do I give him a hug? What?! Maria, just relax, everything is going to be okay. I became more nervous as I approached the Philadelphia area. I saw the exit ramp for the First Union Center and my palms began to sweat on the steering wheel. I slowly got off the deceleration ramp and rolled into the desolate parking lot. It was dimly lit and foggy. The neon lights eerily illuminated the giant building as it flickered on and off. I parked my car near the back entrance. I sighed and turned off the car. I stared at the entrance and sighed once more, prying myself from the seat and making myself open the car door and swing my stiff legs out onto the damp pavement. I stood with wobbly legs and closed the car door, it resounded against the empty parking lot and it actually made me jump a little. I straightened my outfit and my long overcoat and walked towards the door. I walked into the empty building in hopes of finding Matt. My footsteps clicked loudly on the concrete floor as I walked through the white washed corridors, searching for the Hardy’s dressing room. I came to it and it was slightly ajar, the lights still on. I listened first, then slightly knocked. No answer, I then creaked open the door and stuck my head in. The room was empty. Amy and Jeff’s stuff was still strewn around the room. It looked like they had left in quite a hurry, for some reason. I stood there for a moment, my eyes searching the room, for some sort of note that would tell me exactly what was going on. I knew that Jeff and Amy were supposed to be there. I had talked to Jeff only an hour before. Something was not right. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Jeff’s cell phone number. I dialed...it rang and rang, but no one answered.
~*~*~*~*~
"Jeff, watch where you are driving! I want to get there in one piece." Amy scolded as they raced to the hospital where Matt had been taken against his will.
"Amy, I want to get there, I want to know why we have to go to a hospital, what happened to Matt? They wouldn’t tell me over the phone." Jeff replied, weaving in and out of highway traffic, speeding towards the Philly hospital. From the back seat Jeff’s phone rang, but they were so interested in the matter at hand, that they didn’t seem to notice the cell phone ringing.
~*~*~*~*~
"Will you please just let me leave; I have somewhere to be." Matt argued with the nurse who was bandaging his head in the bustling emergency room.
"Now, hold still, I’m not through yet." She scolded back. He sighed in frustration and checked his watch; it was already after nine-thirty.
~*~*~*~*~
"What is going on here?" I murmured to myself, hanging up my own cell phone and sticking it back in the pocket of my long tan overcoat. I sighed and headed out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~
"Okay, we’re here. Let’s go." Jeff said, pulling into the hospital parking lot, as it started to rain. They parked the car and made a mad dash for the entrance. The two reached the sliding automatic doors just as it started to pour. "Hi, can you tell me where Matthew Hardy is located?" Jeff frantically asked the receptionist at the front desk, as tiny beads of water glistened on his crinkled forehead.
The woman looked up calmly, pulled Matt’s file from a messy pile on her desk and replied, "down the hall and to your left, room 923." she said.
"Thanks!" Amy and Jeff replied in unison as they jetted down the hallway, their sneakers making squeaky noises on the title floor as they ran.
"Oh my gosh, Matt what happened to you?" Amy got to him first. She reached her fingers up to the bandage that was placed on his forehead and threw her arms around him.
"Amy, Amy, I’m fine, can we just get out of here now?" Matt asked.
"Matt, no, not yet, tell us what happened." Jeff piped up, also giving his brother a quick hug.
Matt ducked his head and sighed, "a deer ran out in front of my car and I had just glanced away from the road for a moment and when I looked back up he was just there. I swerved, and my car spun around, off the road and I nailed my head on the steering wheel, knocking myself unconscious. When I came to, paramedics were all around me." Matt explained. "I am fine though, just a bump, can we just leave now? I was supposed to be at Maria’s house a while ago." Matt said, hopping down from the examining table.
~*~*~*~*~
"I’m going to say it again, what is going on here? Is this some kind of joke?" I asked myself walking down the hallway, out onto the ramp and into the dimly lit arena. My shoes echoed in the enormous empty space. I got to the bottom of the ramp and took a seat in one of the audience seats. "Maybe, I should just head home? Did I misunderstand Jeff? Maybe Matt was supposed to meet me at my house?" I questioned out loud, getting comfortable in my seat.
~*~*~*~*~
"No, Matt, lets just get you back to the arena, we have to pick up our things, then we’ll take you back to the hotel so you can rest." Amy said, trying to divert his attention away from me.
"Yeah Matt, you do need to rest, come on." Jeff chimed in.
"Hello, did either of you hear me, I was supposed to meet Maria!" Matt said, giving them both an odd look. "Amy, Jeff, do you have something to tell me?" Matt asked, as they avoided his eyes.
"Of course not, come on Matt, you need your rest." Amy said, shushing him out of the room.
"Yeah, where’s your car parked?" Jeff asked, putting his arm around Matt as they walked.
"You guys, what is going on?" Matt protested.
"Amy, you take the keys to Matt’s car and drive him back, and I’ll drive my car." Jeff said.
"Okay, meet ya there." Amy said, following Matt to his car.
"All right bye." Jeff replied, heading in a different direction.
"Amy, what is going on here, why do you keep avoiding the fact that I am late to see Maria?" Matt tried again.
"Matt, you can see her another day, you can’t drive tonight anymore, you may have just a bump, but that could also be a concussion. You need your rest." Amy said to make him shut up.
"Fine, fine." Matt replied and was silent the rest of the way back to the arena, holding the bouquet of roses he was going to give me.
~*~*~*~*~
"Oh this is ridiculous; I am going to go home in a few minutes if someone doesn’t show up soon." I said aloud again, at this point, actually getting annoyed.
~*~*~*~*~
"Whose car is that parked there, I thought that everyone was gone for the night?" Matt asked as he and Amy pulled up in the back parking lot, the rain pouring down in buckets now.
"Umm, I don’t know, maybe someone stayed late and I’m sure there are custodians still here." Amy replied turning off the car. Matt shrugged at her reply and got out of the car, his clothes soaking within seconds of stepping out of the car. Jeff then pulled up and got out of the car. The three then gathered Matt’s hospital stuff and the bouquet of roses from the car.
Chapter 50
Chapter 48