Free Look After Me by Elena Matthews

cute.”
    “Who?”
    “Addison.”
    I roll my eyes. “Don’t even go there.”
    “What? I’m just saying.” Grace smiles innocently, but I can see the glint in her eyes. She wants to play matchmaker, but it’s not happening.
    “Well, don’t, okay? I know exactly what you’re thinking and it’s not going to happen. My life isn’t like one of your trashy romance novels. Addison isn’t going to swoop in and mend my broken heart. Real life doesn’t happen that way. Fictional characters get to live happily ever after, but in real life your happily ever after is short lived by a series of disappointments and betrayals. I’m the very proof of that.”
    “Just because you got hurt, doesn’t mean you have to swear off women for the rest of your life.”
    “And it doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t either.”
    “Well, I think that’s bullshit. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to feel the epic love that authors write about in their books. And you might think that love is utter crap, but I happen to believe that kind of love exists.”
    “Believing in that kind of love is what got me into this mess in the first place and look where that left me, huh? A broken mess.” I glare at my sister. “I’m better off alone. At least that way I won’t get hurt.”
    “So you’re telling me that you’re swearing off women all together and that you’ll never be with a woman again?”
    “I never said I’d never be with another woman. I am a man, after all. I’m just never giving my heart to one again. Well, what’s left of my heart anyhow.”
    “So you’re just going to turn into an asshole and sleep with woman after woman?”
    “Well, being a nice guy didn’t really work out well for me did it?”
    Grace shakes her head before she turns away and continues to season the steaks she’s making for dinner. After a few moments, she turns back to me. “Ava really did a number on you, huh? I really want to go and kick that bitch’s ass. God, I hope they have too much sex and Dr. Dolittle’s dick falls off.” Even though the thought of them having sex makes me want to throw up, Grace’s comment nearly has me in a heap on the floor. The thought of Ashton Douchebag Bailey’s dick falling off makes me happy. Through my laughter, I hook my arm around Grace’s shoulder and press a brotherly kiss on the top of her head.
    “You never cease to amaze me. Even when I’m at my lowest, you still have the power to make me laugh. I love you, sis. I love you so much.”

    The next day, a little before seven, I find myself sitting in a circle not so different from the group sessions back in rehab. As I look around, I notice it’s a lot more laid back than what I was expecting, with the sounds of quiet chitchat and laughter filling the room. Being in a church, I thought it was going to be a lot more conservative, but it isn’t, and now I’m feeling a little overdressed in my slacks and shirt. Looking around the circle, I check to see if anybody is watching me and quickly yet inconspicuously undo the two top buttons of my shirt then untuck my shirt from my pants for added measure. However, I wasn’t inconspicuous enough because I notice Addison strolling in with a discreet smile, watching me fidget with my clothes. I let the obvious embarrassment slide as I shrug my shoulders, a small smile on my lips. She mouths, “Looking good,” to me with a beaming smile and that just makes my smile widen.
    The session commences and Addison introduces me to the group. “We’ve been joined by a new addition tonight. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the group?” she says in my direction.
    Smoothing my palms down my slacks, I stand up and address the entire group. “Hi, I’m Sebastian. Army veteran and father of a one-year-old. I—”
    “Have you been to like, Afghanistan?”
    My eyes land on a twenty-something-year-old punk, who is sporting a bright green mohawk. I’m a little wary to answer, considering he used the word