All the walls start crumbling

 

"I couldn't make it to Boone and Maddie's wedding," Mercer said when he saw Brick on campus. They got coffee in the commons waiting between classes to catch up. Mercer and Sterling had been down to take care of the baby for the weekend. He no longer referred to the child as Sterling's baby, since his sister had adopted her. Mercer asked how things were going with Brick.

He told him he was back to basketball practice, although it wasn't in full throttle, but he had a good chance of starting this year. He was on the second team last year, which meant he never got to play unless they were winning, and generally that was in the last quarter of the game.

Mercer smiled and nodded, even if he didn't really know the sport of basketball. He found the game to be loud. He was glad Sterling wasn't into sports. They were always searching for an old film to watch or to take notes from well-written comedies. Mercer was certain his friend Brick didn't get him, but they were old schoolmates.

"And things are good with you and Lily?" Mercer sat back and didn't even look at the time. He wanted to stay and talk with Brick.

"I think so." He shrugged.

"You don't know?" Mercer winced out of concern.

"Well, you know, it was Boone's wedding," Brick said. "She's been so quiet. I mean, she didn't want to do anything this weekend, but we did go to the park for a picnic. I tried to cheer her up."

"She isn't making you miserable, is she?" Mercer practically squinted his eyes shut, wishing he hadn't said that.

Brick laughed with an open smile. "I know she's not perfect. We all have our faults. And it's OK if she feels a little down about it. But her classes are going well, and I think it's good for her to be in the dorm. And we're happy. We are."

"If you say so," Mercer was straight-lipped. Mercer thought Brick put up with a lot with Lily. Of course, Mercer hadn't been in a relationship for a very long while. Perhaps he no longer knew how to have one. Yet, he liked how things were in his life. He enjoyed learning new things, like podcasts and technical things in theater. He was where he wanted to be.