When Stars Align

Johnny and Zack joined Matt and Brian in the basement studio, getting lost in their work the smell of food wafted down the stairs.

“What is Sadie getting into up there?”
Brian asked, finishing out a riff.

“I don’t know, but it smells damn good. I’ll be right back.”
Matt climbed the stairs, along with the smell of cooking came the sound of Sadie singing.

“I stare at the girl in the mirror
T-shirt, torn up jeans, no beauty queen
But the way that you see me
You get underneath me
And all my defenses just fall away
Fall away

I am beautiful with you
Even in the darkest part of me
I am beautiful with you
Make it feel the way it's supposed to be
You're here with me
Just show me this and I'll believe
I am beautiful with you-“

Matt watched from the entry way to the kitchen. Watching Sadie as she stirred whatever she was cooking then checking the recipe she had written down.
Seeing her unguarded was like seeing someone totally different, seeing her truly be herself. The details of what she had been through weren’t clear to him, but he wanted to make sure she knew she was safe and that she could be herself.

“I didn’t picture you for a Halestorm fan.”

“Jesus fuck Matthew!”

“What?”
He chuckled, walking up behind her looking over her shoulder at what she was cooking.

“You scared me!”

“I’m sorry Baby, you have a beautiful voice for rock music.”

“Oh…thank you.”

“You’re welcome, whatcha cooking?”

“Shrimp étouffée. Here…”

She blew on the spoon cooling the soup looking mixture.
Taking a bite it was possibly the best thing he had ever eaten, and the spices in it really set it off.

“Wow baby, that is delicious!”

“Good, I haven’t made it in a while. I don’t get to cook for many people anymore, so you and the guys get the joy of dealing with my cooking.”

“Oh I can deal as much as you want to cook. Come here baby…”

Pulling her close she laid her head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. He picked her up and sat her on the counter, she looked at him, still managing to make him breathless.

“Sadie I just want you to know that you didn’t make me mad earlier. It actually takes a lot to make me mad, and even if I was just give me time to cool down and then we’ll try to talk again.”

“Ok Matty, I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing there’s nothing to be sorry for Baby. And no matter what, my hands will never touch you in a non-loving way.”

At this she stopped and looked up

“Syn told you didn’t he?”

“Told me what?”

“Please Matt, I know you don’t keep up with gossip news.”

“Yeah he did, but it doesn’t matter! I’m not going to let something that some asshole did to you keep me from loving you the way you should be. We all have a past and we all have our demons, let me fight those demons with you Sades.”

She leaned back into his chest, gripping his shirt as she let her walls fall. Along with her walls, fell the tears hard and fast, and for the first time in a long time she felt she could let go in front of someone and not hide in her house with her emotions.
Matt held on tight, rubbing soothing circles on her back. His heart broke hearing her tears, but a sense of relief washed over him. Sadie was letting him in, and he was going to help in any way he could.

“Oh my sauce!”

She jumped up, tears still falling, but it felt so good like a 100 pound weight being lifted.
After stirring it a bit she turned to Matt, dabbing under her eyes with a napkin.

“Matty…I love you.”

“I love you too baby, so much. So how about we dry these tears, called the ass hats up and eat this amazing meal you put together for us?”

Twenty minutes later everyone sat around the table, Sadie took the silence and clinking of dishes and silverware as a good sign.

“Is it ok?”

“Ok?”
Johnny spoke around a mouthful of food
“I think this is the best home cooked meal I have ever had!”

“And that’s saying a lot, Johnny eats everything.”
Zack spoke taking a sip of beer.

The next few minutes were quiet, only to be broken by the sound of shattering glass.
The house alarm went off and Matt grabbed Sadie pushing her under the table as Brian ran out the back door.

“Show your face you fuckin pussy!”

Sadie stayed put, a rock sat by her knee, a note attached. On the piece of paper her name was scrawled in a rough print.
Picking it up she crawled out from under the table, note in hand. Unfolding it she read the brief but treating message.

Notes