Even Though (Joey Richter fanfiction)

Chapter 18

Okay, first of all: holy. shit. Over 2,000 reads?! THANK YOU ALL!!!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!

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I smiled at Maggie from across the table as I set down her mug of tea and turned back to making breakfast.

"So," I said conversationally, "Walk- I mean Joe, Joey and Brian will be coming at around half eleven."

I looked up from frying the sausages and Maggie nodded, staring absently out the window. She had been withdrawn ever since I had told her I would begin to move my stuff out today. I sighed slightly and glanced at the clock as I turned back to the frying pan. Eleven o'clock.

I took the sausages off the pan and pushed them onto the plate, adding fried eggs and putting the plate in front of Maggie, keeping a few sausages for myself.

I watched her as she ate, waiting for some strange new symptom to suddenly show itself. She seemed fine, however. She ate hungrily and looked perfectly normal. Well, as normal as a 72 year old can look while wolfing down sausages and wearing Spongebob pyjamas.

"So, how are you feeling today?" I asked, working to keep my tone light.

Maggie looked up and smiled wryly. "I'm fine, dear. How are you? How's your boy toy?"

I blushed furiously and glared at her. "Joey is NOT my boy toy!"

"Ooooh, getting defensive, are we?" she asked, grinning. I couldn't help but laugh as she waggled her eyebrows at me. Everything almost felt normal again for a moment.

"I'm going to miss you, Ali." Maggie said quietly, looking down at her plate. I felt my stomach clench slightly when I remembered that from tomorrow on we wouldn't be living together.

I forced a smile and reached out to take her hand. "I'm going to come and visit you, silly." I said, squeezing her hand gently.

She looked surprised for a moment, before a huge grin spread across her face.

I frowned slightly. "You thought I wouldn't go and see you?"

"No, it's not that, I just.. I thought maybe- maybe you might forget about me once you moved in with your friends.." Maggie trailed off.

"Maggie!" I said, outraged. "What kind of mean person do you take me for? I could never leave my favourite great-aunt alone in a nursing home!"

She grinned widely and opened her mouth to answer, but at that moment the doorbell rang.

I jumped up and smiled briefly at her before running to the door.

When I opened it I found myself facing Joey, Walker and Holden. I grinned and raised my eyebrows at Joey. "I thought you said you were bringing MEN to move stuff?" I said, earning a glare from Holden.

"We ARE men!" Brian said, straightening up and thrusting out his chest. I burst out laughing at him. He glared at me again and I grinned and moved to the side to let them in.

"The kitchen is this way," I said, leading them down the hall. Joey walked beside me and slipped his arm around my waist, making me smile at him as we entered the kitchen.

Maggie looked up from her breakfast and smiled at us. I sat back down at the table and Joey sat next to me. I glanced around when I realised that Brian and Joe we're standing awkwardly in the doorway. "You can sit down." I laughed at them. They both blushed and took a seat.

I noticed that Maggie was laughing quietly into her plate and raised my eyebrows at her.

"I thought," she said after her giggles had subsided slightly, "that Joey was bringing MEN to help move things?"

Brian's face was priceless. I had never seen anyone look more outraged in my life, and apparently Joey and Walker felt the same way because they soon went red with laughter.

The two of them laughed so hard that it came to the point when Maggie was ready to call the doctor because Walker couldn't breathe.

"You realise that she said YOU aren't a man either, right?" Brian asked Walker irritably.

Walker looked at him for a moment, before turning to look wide-eyed at Maggie, who grinned and nodded.

I snorted at both of them and shook my head. "Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?" I asked, standing up. Everyone shook their heads.

As I went to the fridge to get myself some orange juice, Joey said to Maggie "Umm.. Ali told me about.. Your, Uhh..-"

"Alzheimer's?" Maggie finished for him.

I tensed slightly, wanting to hear what she was going to say.

She sighed heavily. "Yes. It manifested suddenly and progressed extremely quickly. The doctors don't think there's anything that can be done about it. Even if I took medication."

Everything was silent for a moment. I was surprised that Maggie felt comfortable enough to talk about the subject in front of Joey and two guys she had just met.

I turned around with my orange juice and saw Joey holding Maggie's hand as a tear dripped down her face. I felt as though my heart was being squeezed. I set down my cup and walked over to Maggie, puttin my arms around her. "Hey," I said softly, "No crying, okay?"

"Sorry." Walker whispered. I glanced down the table to see him rubbing his eyes and turning away. Brian patted his shoulder uncertainly.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to Maggie, who was smiling at them. It was so good to see her smile again.

"We should probably start.. Like, you know- moving things?" Brian said uncertainly.

I nodded and straightened up. "My room is this way." I said, walking to the door.

"Ali?" I turned to see Maggie looking at me. "I just want to ask you something."

I nodded uncertainly. Joey smiled and said "it's okay, I know the way to your room."

As they left I heard Walker whisper "How do you know the way to her room?"

I smiled at Maggie. "Everything okay?"

She nodded quickly, toying with a piece of her silver hair. "Yes, of course.. It's just that I.. I forget their names."

"Oh." I said, genuinely surprised. "Well- you know Joey, don't you?"

Maggie looked blank for a second, before nodding. "Yes. Joey. He's the tall one, with brown hair."

I was about to tell her that they were all fairly tall with brown hair when she added in "He's your boy toy."

I put my hands on my hips and scowled. "Okay. He is NOT my boy toy!"

Maggie laughed at me. "Of course, Ali. But who are the other two again?"

"Brian and Wa- Joe." I said quietly.

She nodded quickly. "Brian and Wajoe. Got it."

And with that she walked away before I could correct her.