Libby and Matthew ✘

TWO | MY LITTLE BROTHER DID WHAT?!

[ this chapter is dedicated to travestire - thanks so much for the beautiful cover! <3 ]

"Is it true Richard?" I ask once I had grabbed Seth's ice-cream and sat him down in the corner with Preston and Logan.

"I'm afraid so dear, the past two years have been better with you here but.." the old men trails off as he sips his coffee.

"It's still not enough," I finish and he nods his head.

"They've given me thirty days and if I still haven't got enough.. they're closing it down." We sit in silence for a few minutes, listening to our own thoughts and worries. I glance over at Seth who is laughing loudly as he has ice-cream sliding down his nose and I smile.

"Well we won't let them Richard, this is your place and I'm not letting them just come along and destroy it," I say standing up. Preston and Logan hear me, and look over towards us in question.

"Ah now that's the spirit child," Richard says smiling as well.

"What's happening?" I feel someone place their arm on my shoulder and I look up to see Preston standing beside me.

"And what can we do to help?" Logan adds appearing on the other side of me. Richard looks between the two boys and then nods his head.

"You have some good friends Libby," he says, and my smile widens.

"Oh I know I do," I say laughing as the boys turn to look at each other and grin.

"Libby, nanny is calling," Seth says running over to us with my phone in his hands. I frown as I wonder how he got it but then remember I had placed my bag down on the table.

"Thanks," I tell him as I watch Preston take a seat and place Seth on his knee, asking how his day was.

"Hey nun, what's up?" I ask glancing at my watch, it's ten to five.

"I was just wondering how far away you guys are, dinner's nearly ready," I hear her say tiredly.

"We'll be home in about fifteen minutes, is everything okay? You sound awfully tired."

"Oh yes sweetie, I'm fine just make sure to pick up your brother from school. Oh there's the doorbell, I have to go. Love you," and then I hear the beep. My grandmother is sixty-three, and suffers with dementia which means that she sometimes forgets things or her personality changes. I'm worried for her, although at the moment she isn't too bad.

"Come on baby bear, we have to start heading home," I say standing up.

"Aw but I'm talking to uncle Preston," he complains sadly as Preston lifts him up and places him back on the ground.

"It's okay bud, you can tell me the rest of the story tomorrow after school," he says and Seth smiles while mumbling okay. "And then you can show me your new toy," he adds and Seth starts jumping up and down in excitement.

"Great job Preston, now he's never going to sleep," I say laughing as the young boy jumps around the room.

"Ops my bad!" he says holding his hands up, I roll my eyes at him.

"We'll start making plans tomorrow then, have a good evening dear and Seth you listen to your sister now," Richard says as he also gets up. We all say goodbye, and finally leave once Richard gives me a take home box with choc-chip cookie dough inside. Yum! My favourite.

- - -

"Nanny, nanny!" cries Seth as soon as we sit down for a nice family dinner. "Guess what I did today at school."