~12~


"My tummy hurts," Marty whined as Sheridan steered him to the living room couch, her hands resting gently on his small shoulders.

"I warned you about that third piece of pie," Sheridan's response was faintly reproachful. She took a seat amongst the sea of plush cushions, opening her arms to her son.

Marty cuddled into her embrace unhesitatingly, tucking his rumpled blond head beneath her chin. "But it was the last piece," he refuted with just a trace of stubbornness in his tone.

"That doesn't mean you had to eat it," Sheridan laughed softly, stroking a hand through Marty silky strands.

"But I did," Marty insisted. "Maria had three pieces."

Pausing in her task of picking up Maria's scattered toys and placing them in the oversized bag hanging from her shoulder, Kay had to comment. "Maria has a bottomless pit for a stomach. She just eats and eats and eats…" She smiled at the grin her words elicited.

"Like someone else I used to know," Noah mused, giving his sister's dark hair a playful tug as he passed her en route to the armchair across from Sheridan. Collapsing into it, he clutched his own stomach with a groan, proclaiming, "I'm full."

"You should be," Kay snorted, remembering all the food she'd watched her brother consume within the past hour.

"Pilar's a great cook," Noah shrugged.

"You're such a man," Kay shook her head, oblivious to the amused stares of Sheridan and Marty. Giving Noah's hair a sisterly tussle, she tucked the overflowing bag next to his chair. "Where's my daughter?"

"Outside with Dad," Noah sighed in answer. "Something about taking Samantha for a walk."

"Good," Kay stated, relieved. Noticing Sheridan's questioning look, she told her, "Samantha's not house-trained yet."

Marty lifted his head to peer into Sheridan's eyes. "What's that mean, Mama?"

Before Sheridan could answer, Noah interjected, in language Marty had no trouble understanding, "Samantha's not potty-trained."

"Somebody's been spending too much time at the Youth Center," Kay muttered under her breath, not bothering to hide her smirk.

"Luis needed somebody to pick up the slack," Noah defended himself. "And the kids aren't so bad once you get used to them."

"Right," Kay replied skeptically, settling on the couch beside Sheridan and Marty. She yanked playfully at one of Marty's shoestrings, delighting in the boy's indignant response. "Fess up. Whose mom are you dating?"

"I like kids," Noah persisted. "I like Maria. And Marty," he said, mindful of little ears attuned to the conversation. "Marty's not too bad."

Marty hid his bashful smile in the crease of Sheridan's neck, his small fingers toying with the silver charm bracelet around her wrist.

"Come on, Noah," Kay rolled her eyes. "This is me you're talking to. It's not a crime, you know. Dating someone. You haven't been interested in another girl since…" she trailed off, finally remembering Sheridan's presence in the room and the potential for awkwardness the conversation held. "Sorry. I'll just…shut my big mouth now."

Silence reigned for several moments, until Noah shattered it with an admission not so revolutionary to the room's other occupants. "It's not easy. Getting over someone."

Sometimes, Sheridan knew, it was next to impossible.


A little bonding among the unlucky in love.

Marty and Maria, so competitive; they can't really help it though. They got a double dose of the spirit in the genes.

LOL!

Feedback would be lovely.

Thanks so much for reading!