"Uh, hi?" Mathew hesitantly greeted the man standing before him. The stranger appeared to be in his mid to late thirties, his thick beard framing a weathered face that spoke of years spent outdoors. Long strands of black hair were pulled back into a ponytail, revealing a hint of salt and pepper at the temples. Mathew shifted his weight, glancing at the Dunphy home and then at the stranger. "You lost?"
"Hey, there! Nah! I'm here to pick up someone." Kenny said with what Mathew thought was a slimy smile. "I'm Kenny, by the way." He said while holding his hand out.
"Mathew."
At the sound of a door closing, Kenny and Mathew turned to see Alex walking over to them with an annoyed look. Turning to Kenny, she eyed him suspiciously as he waved goodbye to Mathew while heading to the front door.
"Whose that?" Alex asked beside Mathew. They watched Phil let Kenny in.
"No clue."
The two didn't stand around to find out and walked over to the waiting Uber driver. After a quick drive, the two arrived at The Grove shopping Mall.
With Manny's surprise birthday party later today, the two had agreed to search for suitable gifts for the fourteen-year-old boy.
As soon as they entered the bustling shopping mall, Mathew navigated through the vibrant atmosphere filled with the sounds of chatter and laughter. He approached the extensive directory situated near the mall's entrance, its colorful map illuminated under soft lights.
"Let's see... where to go."
Leaning in closer, he scanned the various sections—clothing stores, food courts, and entertainment zones—searching intently for a suitable place to shop among the maze of options.
Sighing, he turned to Alex with an inquisitive look. "Any ideas on where to start?"
"We could start by looking at this bookstore. We could find a new poetry book to give Manny." Alex pointed to a bookstore located on the mall's second floor. Mathew nodded, and they began the trek to the bookstore.
"What about this one?"
"I think he has that one."
Mathew frowned and began to examine several more poetry books. Each new title left him confused as to why Manny loved the stuff.
Alex looked around the aisle and spotted a poetry book with an elegant blue spine. Pulling it out, she examined the cover and scrolled through its contents quickly. With a smile, she held out the book to Mathew.
"I think he'll like this one. I'm pretty sure it's not part of his collection."
"It looks like any other book."
"Not really. It's written by a late nineteenth-century author that-" Alex paused as she noticed Mathew leaning against the bookshelf to their right. He was snoring comically before the book in Alex's hand landed on the top of his head with a thud.
"Very funny." She muttered with a small smile.
"Sorry." Mathew grinned before taking the book from her hand. Examining the bland cover, he shrugged and returned it. "Okay. You found your gift. Now I have to find mine."
For the next hour, Alex and Mathew meandered through the aisles of the library, their fingers trailing across the spines of countless books in search of the perfect gift. Frustration mounted as they sifted through the shelves, turning up only dusty tomes and forgotten volumes. With a sigh, they eventually stepped out of the library in favor of searching through other stores.
They soon found themselves in a nearby pottery store, its warm, inviting atmosphere punctuated by the earthy scent of clay. Inside, vibrant glazes glimmered under the soft light, and the shelves were lined with an array of quirky ceramic creations. The pair burst into chuckles, playfully poking fun at the bizarre and whimsical pieces—like a wobbly teapot shaped like a cat and a mismatched set of mugs with silly faces.
From there, they seemed to forget their mission and enjoyed each other's company while going from store to store.
"Yeah, okay. We'll be there at five." Alex said to her mom and hung up. Turning to Mathew, she bumped his shoulder and smacked her gift bag containing Manny's book. "Hear that? We're running out of time."
Wearing a recently bought deerstalker hat he found from a costume shop, Mathew hummed and puffed imaginary smoke into a wood pipe, which was also purchased during their exploration. "Our window is closing, My Dear Watson."
Alex giggled at his attempt at an English accent.
"If anything, you're Watson."
"Perhaps," Removing his hat and pipe, Mathew stood up from the chair he sat on and examined the stores all around them. The loud chattering from the food court made it hard for him to think. "Let's see… what do I get, Manny? What do we know about him?" He asked Alex, who had taken a sip from her lemonade.
"He likes a wide array of literature, music, art, coffee, baking, and cooking. And if Luke is to be believed, Manny is into girls way older than him." Alex listed off. "He's pretty much an old man in a kid's body."
"I see," Mathew closed his eyes and ran through everything he saw during his shenanigans with Alex.
Using Shawn Spencer's observational skills, flashes of items, products, and knickknacks popped into his mind's eye.
Finally, his mind settled on an old Japanese-crafted cappuccino cup set he spotted when they were exploring a Pottery Barn.
"I got it." He said with a snap of his fingers.
After making their last purchase, Mathew and Alex exited the mall with gift bags in hand. They waited for their Uber driver to take them to the Pritchett household. While they waited, they chatted about various topics, including new books and school assignments.
As Alex listened to Mathew talk, she felt her heart race due to the close proximity between them on the bench. There was only an inch separating their knees, making each subtle movement she made to close the gap feel exhilarating.
This small action did not go unnoticed by Mathew, causing him to frown and turn away as he thought of his past conversation with Jess.
Will I really have to have the same talk with Alex? Isn't being friends enough?
"-thew? Mathew? You okay?" Alex asked as she grabbed his arm, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, sorry. Got lost in thought. What did you say?"
"I asked how you're feeling. That fight you were in two weeks ago left you pretty bruised up for a while. I was wondering if anything still hurt. Any headaches?" Alex asked her hand still on his arm.
"No, nothing like that. I'm fine." Mathew rubbed the back of his head and turned to the gift-wrapped present sitting beside him. "Thanks for asking."
"Of course… It's what friends do. Right?"
Mathew nodded with a small smile.
"Yeah. That's right. It's what friends do."
Alex nodded timidly. Her hands clenched over her knees in frustration as she struggled to gather the courage to ask Mathew out. She was too afraid of his response.
She didn't want to ruin what they had.
Slowly, she slid away. Causing the distance between their knees to grow.
Luckily, their Uber driver arrived soon, taking them to the Pritchett household and sparing them from an awkward silence with his chatty nature.
••o••o••o••
"The gala celebration is just minutes away," Luke announced as he wandered around the Pritchett living room, camera in hand. "Delectable refreshments, excited classmates, and what's this? The most beautiful sight of all!" He then pointed the camera down at Lily, who was wearing an eye patch over one eye and a neck brace.
"Go away!"
As he walked through the lively house, he stopped to take in the scene of Manny's classmates gathered in the living room. They were working together to set up a colorful birthday banner decorated with bright hues and playful designs.
The atmosphere was filled with excitement as balloons of various colors floated around the room, their strings trailing down like ribbons of confetti.
Streamers hung from the ceiling, adding a festive touch to the room, while scattered birthday decorations—such as cake-shaped cutouts and whimsical party hats—filled every corner of the home, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for Manny's special day.
As he walked around, he recorded some of Manny's classmates setting up a large birthday banner beneath the living room television. The entire home was filled with balloons and cheerful decorations.
In the backyard, Mathew and Alex were busy lending a hand to several of Manny's friends and classmates as they worked together to arrange the vibrant outdoor decorations.
Random chatter filled the air while colorful streamers fluttered gently in the breeze. The group eagerly hung twinkling lights around the patio, transforming the space into a festive haven.
Taking a breath, Mathew stepped back to inspect their handy work, but he couldn't help but turn to the large pool.
His eyes grew dim at the sight of the calm water. His breathing began to increase, and a bead of sweat slipped down his neck.
Suddenly, a memory he had long believed was buried resurfaced.
"I-I got you! Just hold on!"
His body was soaked with water.
His nose and throat burned while his muscles ached.
The small child in his arms thrashed and yelled in fear.
"I-I'm scared!"
Seeing the river's edge, he smiled in relief as those who were watching his struggle and his fight against the flash flood stepped into the water to grab the child.
At that moment, he was about to grab the man's helping hand, but a large speeding branch crashed into his side. Sending a sharp wooden stake deep into his torso as the river's powerful currents dragged him away.
Taking him downstream.
Taking him down under the surface of the water.
His scream was never heard.
"-Hey, Matt. Can you grab the cooler from the kitchen?" Alex asked as she carried two bowls of chips to the large outdoor table. "Matt?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah... I'll get it."
Alex frowned at Mathew's shaky voice and tense expression. Turning to the pool, she tried to peer into it and found nothing wrong. With a shrug, she continued helping set up the snacks.
Closing the door behind him, Mathew walked over to the sink and leaned over. Performing a series of breathing exercises, his heart began to calm down. Sighing, he splashed some water on his face and used a paper towel to dry himself.
"It's been 16 years... get over it!" He whispered angrily.
"Matt? You alright?"