Help!

It'll all work out

Brett felt frustrated. Frustrated, tired, hungry.

His day had been long, not a chance to catch his breath. With heavy legs he was climbing up the stairs, groceries in his arms.

Just when he was trying to transfer the bags into his other arm to reach for his keys in his pocket, the paper bags ripped and everything went tumbling down.

He didn't know why, but this was the moment that had him closest to tears. He held on for the entire day but the paper bag failing him was just the last rope. Before he could act on the instinct to burst into tears, the door in front of him opened forcefully and small arms encircled his waist.

"I missed you", a tiny voice shrieked and even though he didn't entirely felt like it, it still made smile appear on his face.

Suzy was looking up to him with big eyes and he leaned down to her, his smile becoming more genuine.

"I missed you too, bug."

"You dropped something", she giggled, her arms resting around his neck now, tickling his skin.

"You helping me to pick it up?"

"Sure, Pa."

They were nearly done when Eddy stumbled out of the flat.

"I didn't even hear you coming home", he rushed out and grabbed the last remaining items from the floor.

"That would be because I technically haven't made it home yet."

"Welcome home then", Eddy said softly and brushed his lips against Brett whilst grabbing his backpack as well, all three of them bringing the groceries into the flat.

It was a small little thing. A two-room shack just under the roof of a six storage building without elevators. Brutally hot in summer, freezing cold in winter. It was never meant to be permanent, just something for in-between when they had to get out of their student accommodation, with the plans of starting this grand life.

This grand life with good salaries, a decent home and a vibrant standard of living.

Five years later they were still here and all that's been left of those big dreams was the echo of hope and the desperate need for the next month to start.

Always waiting for the next step, always waiting for things to get better. Brighter.

"How was your day then?", Eddy asked, pressing a soft kiss on Brett's cheek and guiding him to sit down, a cup of hot tea already waiting for him.

"It was ok."

"No bratty teenagers?", Eddy was rummaging through the cupboards, putting the groceries away and starting on dinner simultaneously.

"Lots of bratty teenagers. Some were nice though."

Brett was jobbing as a substitute teacher, jumping across town to different schools, different classes every day for as many hours as he could catch.

Since Eddy's part time gig at the University had not been extended for a third time the couple had struggled to get their footing again.

It was a frustrating situation, Eddy sitting home alone with nothing to do but entertain Suzy, knowing Brett and his inconsistent income was all that kept them afloat.

"I haven't heard back from UTS", Eddy confessed as well. Brett just shrugged his shoulders, sipping on his tea. He knew that the last thing Eddy needed was more pressure from him.

"No biggie. It'll work out."

That has been their motto since forever.

It'll work out.