Fingers intertwined, Mattie and Gordie walked around the baseball diamond where her little brothers were playing. Chris, Sam and Toby were also there that afternoon, with Sam and Chris yelling at whatever boy was on third base at the time, telling him whether or not to run home. Toby, however, was certain that she was going to get sunburned from the very lethal October sun, so she hid under Chris' jacket.

As Gordie watched her staring at the distance, he nudged her lightly. "What are you thinking about, Mattie?"

Shaking herself out of her dazed thoughts, she laughed. "Sex, Gordie."

"That's what I like to hear." His smile weakened and he tried again. "Really. You look worried about something."

She shrugged. "I'm worried about several things, actually."

"Fill me in."

"Well, for starters, I'm worried about Nicky batting without a helmet. And did I express this concern to him? Why, yes I did, but did he choose to listen? Why, no he didn't. Because I'm just the sister that knows nothing."

Gordie smirked, watching as the baseball sailed against the sky. A tall, lanky boy in centre field with his hat stuck in his back pocket caught the ball with ease and lobbed it back to the pitcher. No one congratulated the boy, of course, because he was Chris and Eyeball Chambers' other little brother, and Gordie felt bad for him. Pulling his attention back to Mattie, he said, "Don't worry. It does every kid some good to be hit in the head with a baseball anyway."

"Yeah, but Nicky's been hit in the head like, eight times. You start to wonder about the brain damage he must have."

Laughing, Gordie shook his head. "He'll be fine. What else is bugging you?"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I'm pretty much scared to death about meeting your father tomorrow night after everything Toby's told me about him."

"Never listen to Toby." He kissed the top of her head reassuringly. "My dad will love you. He'll probably be jealous. You know what he'll do? He'll be like, 'I must have a girl like that all for myself and I won't share' and then he'll make me go out to try and find another girl like you for him."

Mattie giggled. "Sucks to be him. There's only one of me, thank God."

"And I'm the sucker who got you." He grinned teasingly and squeezed her hand. "Hey, isn't that your brother running? Holy, he can move."

Mattie looked at the field to see Simon rounding the bases. "Ooh, yay for my Simon!" she giggled.

Sam shouted, "Good, Simon! Don't go home!"

In agreement, Chris yelled, "Don't go home!"

Mattie and Gordie stood frozen, watching as Simon's foot tapped third and base and kept running without even glancing over his shoulder. Cheering him on, Mattie was proud of Simon for not stopping. She didn't care that the other team threw the ball to the back catcher standing on home plate before Simon could get there.

Simon's team lost, and Nicky's won. Nicky was enjoying himself as he rubbed it in Simon's face. "IIIII got iiiice cream, you don't got no iiiice cream, you live in a refrigerator box cuz your family's on welfare and your daddy's in jaaiil."

Slapping him across the head, Mattie asked, "What kind of song is that?"

"A funny one," he replied. "This guy at school always sings it. He's really funny. Can you buy me ice cream since I'm better than Simon?"

"Who said you're better than Simon?" she asked. "And we've got ice cream at home."

Sam rested his elbow of Simon's head. "You know, if it wasn't so windy today, that ball would've been history, right?"

Simon's scowl was set again. It was difficult to feel much compassion for the boy when that look was on his face. "Sure. Yeah. And I would have won the game for my team and everyone would have carried me around on their shoulders, right?"

"Hey, one time we let Toby play baseball with us," Gordie told him. "She was playing with a friggen butterfly and got knocked out. It was pretty great."

Sam stole a glance over his shoulder at Toby. She and Chris were walking far behind them with Chris' brother between them. Her face was lit up with laughter and her hand was in a friendly clasp over the younger boy's hand, and their arms were swinging back and forth. Sam suddenly felt sad. "Stupid Chris," he grumbled.

Gordie turned to look at him in horror. "Good Lord, don't tell me you like her too. I lose all my friends to her. Grrrrr, I can't stand her."

"I never said I liked her," Sam protested. "I just wish I could have her on the weekends and Chris could have her for the rest of the week. Sounds like a fair deal to me."

"Sorry buddy, I don't think they'd go for that," he laughed.

"I can dream."

Mattie giggled. "Sure, if you want to keep having to change your sheets."

"Let's change the subject, okay?" Sam said, wishing a large flock of seagulls would swoop down and peck her eyes out.

"I don't get it," Nicky complained.

"So Gordie!" Sam said loudly, fighting down his blush. "My dad wants to meet you, when do you want to meet him?"

"You should come for supper tonight," Nicky suggested. "It's Mattie's night to cook."

"Are you trying to break them up?" Simon demanded. "I don't think he should try any of Mattie's cooking until after they're married because by then he'll be stuck with her."

"I look forward to the day," Gordie teased, hooking his arm through hers.

"Are you sure you don't want to take me out for ice cream?" Nicky offered, his eyebrows jumping up and down in some sort of parody of temptation. "Chocolate sprinkles and cherries and chocolate mousse--"

"I think I can do without," she said. "I should check on Will anyway. He's probably lonely." Will had come down with laryngitis. He was currently stuck in bed, and they were all just taking for granted that their father would stick around to take care of him.

"Hey," Chris called from behind. "We're going for ice cream. Toby's treating. You guys want to come?"

"God bless!" Nicky exclaimed and ran to them.

Sam shrugged, said sure, and made Simon join them as well.

"Are you going?" Mattie took her arm from Gordie.

"Yeah I guess," he replied. "You sure you don't want to come?"

"I can eat ice cream at home with Will so I won't be missing out on too much." She smiled up at him. "Have fun. Remember to eat lots, you beanpole."

"You bet I will. Toby's buying, remember? See you tomorrow. Come over at six, on the dot. My dad values punctuality."

"Dammit."