a heart like this

"Were you thinking you would always fall for an older woman?" Brick found himself asking Matty. He smiled thinking of his Gran Betty with Ed. They were nowhere the same age and yet it worked. They were fun to be with, even if they argued half the time.

He looked back at Matty, giving him a shrug about Dakota. Sure, he knew her. She was just a kid, after all. He and Matty were middle schoolers. "Look, you don't have to be alone with her." He told him they could hang out with him and Lily for Halloween. They always found plenty of candy on Halloween night.

Matty only gritted a stressed smile as he got his books for the next class at his locker.

"Girls." Brick shook his head, thinking his mom had to be the worst when it came to immaturity. Lily was a lot more level-headed, but she still like singing and dancing even outdoors. If only, his mom had that kind of immaturity. Instead, she was like a still painting. Just letting the new baby cry.

Of course, he nor his new dad Gordy could let that happen. Both were used to staying up late nights with Baby Beth. His mom didn't even work, and they still did most of the midnight stuff. It was as if she wanted them to suffer, just as much.

But he liked being a big brother. Still, in the back of his mind, he worried his mother might leave them. He was used to these notions. This time, it would be devastating. He wasn't sure he would be able to keep it together.

Yes, he could understand that Matty had his troubles with an annoying preteen girl. Yet Brick knew he needed to keep it together. He wanted an honest to God family, too. Still, there was no magic to mend these sort of things. It would take work, maybe even sour words to keep his mom from going off the deep end. It was something he couldn't figure out, but if he could be a friend Matty needed he would be there and so would Lily.