"Why wasn't I invited to this meeting in the first place?"
Hearing Carol's question, Mathew's jaws involuntarily tightened, nearly making him cut his bottom lip with his teeth.
'Why didn't I include her, that's a good question,' he thought, ransacking his mind for any viable answer or a delaying tactic.
Mathew opened his mouth, ready to unleash the usual dose of bullshit…
'Wait, no,' he thought, closing his mouth back down. 'Rather than looking for an excuse, why I didn't invite her for real?'
Mathew closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then took a few moments for this slight meditation to help him calm his nerves.
"I guess it was just a brain fart," he then revealed after analyzing the proper reasons why he didn't include the girl. "Now that I think about it, I was so set on splitting those I consider my wives from those who are just cooperating that I didn't consider your position," he admitted before lowering his head a bit. "Sorry for that."