Chapter 10: Shorts

Short One

          Quinn didn’t mind being alone every now and then. He enjoyed it actually. A still quiet spent with an interesting book could be a whole lot of fun. In his house, it could get kind of hard to find some peace.

          He didn’t want to be alone all the time though. He and Eddie had been close when they were both in elementary school. They were in the same classes, and Eddie made sure no one ever bullied or teased him. Now that Eddie was in high school, lots of kids called Quinn names like devil head and bookworm. He didn’t even know what those meant!

          Being picked on wasn’t the worst part about Eddie being old. The thing that stunk the most was that now his brother never seemed to have any time for him. Quinn was pretty scared that they’d never hang out again. Eddie’d been his best friend. His only friend really.

          But they were brothers! Quinn should have known better. Just when he’d been thinking about how he missed playing in the yard with Eddie, the blonde showed up to ask him if he wanted to go to the park together. Quinn excitedly jumped on the opportunity, thinking about all the fun they’d surely have.

          Except, as soon as they reached the park, Eddie dumped him so that he could go talk to some old people. If Quinn was going to be alone, then he would have rather been left home with his stories.

          Without knowing what else to do, Quinn tested out some of his new tricks on the monkey bars. He’d been getting pretty good at hanging from his knees, and sometimes he could even stay up with just one!

          When he was trying to stay steady enough to unhook one leg, someone began to clap. It startled him so much that he nearly toppled off onto his head. Quinn quickly spotted his audience, another boy about his age. “That’s super awesome!” the kid said, face filled with a smile. “Can you teach me how to do that? I always get too scared to let go.”

          Quinn spent his afternoon at the park with the other boy. During these few hours, he learned that he was indeed capable of making friends. Maybe it would be even easier without his brother shadowing behind him with a menacing aura all the time.

Short Two

          The only reason Eddie dragged his little bro to the park was because his mom had nagged him to spend time with him. That and it made him sound good to Jessica. “Yeah, I’m a pretty rad brother. I have to look out for him and stuff.” Music to the girl’s ears.

          And when he slyly slipped her the single rose he bought for two simoleons on the way over, she was butter. Jessica was a special kind of girl. Some guy at school claimed that he got under her sweater after only one date. Eddie wanted in on that. No, Eddie wanted better than that. He became determined to get up her skirt.

          He was well on his way to accomplishing that too. She took his phone number after he made up some dumb lie about there being a party later. Sure, she didn’t really find it funny when he laughed at her and said he made it up. Kept his number though.

          Jessica called and invited herself over a couple of days later. Eddie’d spent a lot of time in front of the mirror, practicing his moves. He had them down just in time for her arrival. First, he took her dry hands and kissed them gently. And then he gave her the best hug of her life.

          It was when things were going good that his lousy mom stuck her big nose in their business. She totally killed the mood and he had to take things down. From hugging to talking about school. Lame.

          After she went back inside, he got things turned up again in no time. Jessica would surely be his first conquest, but he’d be damned if she were his only.

Short Three

          Brandon didn’t know what in the world was wrong with that woman! He’d seen Finn strollin’ down the street, with child yet again. For Watcher’s sake! How could she want any more kin seeded by that man? If you could even call the weasel that.

          After she quit that kitchen job, Finn stopped calling him to watch her kids as much. Brandon missed the young’uns. After getting back into town again, he decided to be rude and invite himself over. Sure enough, the first thing his dear Finn did was announce the baby sitting in her stomach. He couldn’t keep himself from reacting like a fool. “What’re ya still doing with that bum?”

“Oh it’s not Manu’s,” she laughed and then never went further into that. Instead, she rattled on about getting to see her creator again, and asking what she should say to him. Brandon was raised to praise the almighty Watcher, so he wasn’t about to go running his mouth about another holy being. He’d listen to her all she wanted. He wouldn’t help her praise another deity though, ‘cause that’d be almost like he was.

          Putting any moves on a woman with four children struck him as inappropriate. Brandon was as stuck as a gnome in mud. So, being stuck, he resigned himself to sit quietly until the day Finny wisened up.

Short Four

          Finny began to believe that perhaps her creator knew her better than she knew herself. She loved her family, her children. Maybe those feelings they equipped her with would have developed naturally.

          Even though she and Manu were now simply two parents living separate lives in the same house, things had improved slightly. He was home most nights, sleeping on the couch a step away from Frankie, who was a very fussy baby. And he began to pay rent, which helped the bills. Finley enjoyed his company more than she ever had when they were romantically involved (well, almost), because they shared in on more family moments.

          Things weren’t completely peachy. Eddie showered his father in admiration and respect, mostly because Manu let the teenager do whatever he wanted. Finley, on the other hand, was shouted at and back talked most days. She hadn’t approved of his seeing Jessica, ever since she caught the two of them fooling around in her bed. And she forbade him from being involved with her at all when the poor girl came up to the house crying because Eddie had decided to snub her after getting what he wanted. He wasn’t the only problem child she had on her hands.

          As previously stated, Frankie was a handful of a baby. She could only be left to lay down alone for two hours at the most before she’d belt out a fit of crying. At times, Finley had to remind herself of what a little miracle her first daughter was. This was especially true when she was the one charged with caring for her, despite there being a full house.

          Most difficulties in life could meet solutions though. Finley deemed it time for her loud Frankie to become a lovely little lady. The whole family gathered to welcome its newest redhead into the fold, Quinn especially eager to have another child around. Finley silently threw another thanks to her creator onto the heap she’d built.