Finding Cait Read Online Free Page B

going to need those.”
        
“No problem,” he says motioning for me to continue down the hall.  We are
soon in the room where I am going to be staying and I turn around to thank him
but he looks worried and I stop myself before I can get the words out. “How
long?” he asks me and I suddenly feel the weight of the world fall on my heart.
        
I take a deep breath, “Two weeks.” I can hear him let go of the breath he was
holding.  He places my bags on the floor next to the bed and pauses before
he looks back at me.
        
“Nothing can be done?  We are just supposed to watch her die?” He looks to
me as though I have an answer that is different from what he has just summed
up.  I don’t want to cry again and I try to be strong for him.  I
look to the floor and shake my head no. 
        
Matt throws the strap of my bag down and draws in a big breath as he places his
hands on his hips and stares up at the ceiling. “Shouldn’t be her,” he says as
he continues to stare.  I agree but know that it is a statement that does
not need my response.  “Thanks for being here for her,” he manages to say,
“I know these next two weeks are going to be horrible and demeaning for Court
and having you here will make it so I don’t have to help with the things that
would embarrass her.”
        
“Of course Matt, she is best friend, more than that actually.  She is the
sister I never had and in the last few years she has been the stand in mother I
have needed.  I will do whatever she needs.  How long can you
stay?”  I am trying to act calm as if his answer will not affect my
ability to remain sane until Court passes.  I suck in a deep breath and
wait for his response, as I will the constriction around my heart to
loosen.  I wonder if he will notice I am trying to inhale his scent again.
        
“Until she is gone.  My superiors owe me a few favors and I am planning on
cashing them in.  I don’t want you to have to make the arrangements alone
and I don’t want some strange man lifting my sister or living in her
home.  Looks like we are in this together.”  Matt moves towards the
bedroom door and turns around one last time before leaving, “Sorry to hear
about Elliot, I always thought that guy was an ass and didn’t deserve you.”
        
I am completely caught off guard by this and I can feel the tears well up in my
eyes as I sit down on the corner of the bed and sink my head into my
hands.  I am not going to be able to do this.  I am at the bottom of
the deepest, darkest hole I have ever been in.  I feel the warmth of a
hand on my chin as Matt raises my face to meet his eyes. 

 
    Chapter 7
    Matt
         I needed to say
something about Elliot.  I am not usually one for elephants in the room,
but I guess a little more tact on the delivery would have been nice.  When
we were younger I remember sitting in the garage on my workout bench watching
Elliot’s headlights coming up the street.  The guy was such an asshole it
killed me to see her with him.  I fiddled with some weights so my presence
there was not obvious and I listen to them say goodnight to each other.  I
turned away from the car when I knew she is going to kiss him but couldn’t help
myself from turning back around in time to see her stunning body slip out of
the truck, her legs tanned form our time on the beach. 
        
Cait was one of those girls that were beautiful without trying.  Her long
brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and the sundress she was wearing clung to
her hourglass figure.  She wasn’t always that sexy, when we first met she
was ten and I was twelve and her outfits back then consisted of baggy jeans and
oversized t-shirts.  I was always interested in the older girls, unable to
see Cait for the beauty she was until the summer between eighth grade and high
school.  Her shape had become curvy and she had let her hair grow long and
I had to fight to stop myself from staring