{semi charmed life} reddie

"besties" and a kid

The park was surprisingly warm for this May afternoon, Bill Denbrough feeling perfectly comfortable in just his loose-fitting jeans and thin flannel. Children ran all around him, with each other and their parents and the occasional pet. Usually seeing children like this would remind Bill of his own youth, running around with Eddie and Stan and Richie- or even sometimes of a young Georgie. Now, however, it just made him sick to his stomach and triggered a headache. Yet here he was. Watching the kids in the park.

Somebody sat to Bill's left on the bench seat, and he turned to find Eliina Tozier looking at him in mild amusement. It had taken Bill a second to recognize the girl when she'd checked him in at the reunion- she had, realistically, completely grown up since the last time he'd seen her- but there was no missing that mischievous Tozier charm. "Why are you just sitting in the park staring at kids? Do I need to call the police?"

Bill chuckled. "My girlfriend is pregnant. I'm observing parents in a natural habitat. Because we both seem to agree that I'm going to be an almost terrible father so I'm trying to get a learning curve."

Elii crinkled her nose. "Not that your creeping in the park isn't endearing, but why didn't you just ask Eddie and Richie? I'd never compliment my brother to his face, but he's done a pretty great job."

Bill blinked. Opened his mouth then closed it again. Shook his head. "I'm sorry... but they're doing a great job at what?"

Elii opened her mouth, then closed it again with a smirk.

→  →  →

"So, you took the job?" Alexander said slowly, hands clasped together on the dining room table.

"No," Mike said firmly. "I didn't take it.. not technically. I just never officially turned it down and they're sort of expecting me to start on Monday."

Alexander breathed out slowly, twiddling his thumbs together. He pursed his lips, and closed his eyes. "What about your job here? My job here? Your house? Your father? Mike, we can't just pack up and go to New York on a whim! We don't have anywhere to live out there!"

"They can set us up with an apartment," Mike said pleadingly. "My dad should have been set up in a full-time care place a long time ago, we both know that. It kills me but he needs more than we can give him. This job... it's a great chance for us. To start over, and my dad will have all the care he deserves. We'll sell the farm and the money can-"

"It's great opportunity for you," Alexander interrupted him. "You should have told me that you wanted to take it in the first place. We could have figured out but now you're just... springing this on me. You think we can get your father into a permanent care facility by Monday? What about Henry? You can't just take a puppy raised on a farm and stuff him in a New York apartment! It's not fair!"

"I know," Mike said slowly, shaking his head. "I meant to turn it but every time I went to I... I just couldn't. I should have told you, I know. I know. But I think I need to do this. I've been stuck in this town my whole life, I gave up school for my dad. This is something I need to do for me, and I want you to come with me. I understand if you can't, but I'm asking you to come with me because I love you and I want us to do this together."

Alexander rubbed at his face and sighed softly. "Okay, okay. Let's try to figure this out."

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Elii let them into Maggie Tozier's small little house just off old Neibolt Street, Bill still following behind her in a dazed confusion. The girl gave a shout of greeting and Richie came padding into the front entry. His curls were pulled back from his face in a small ponytail and his white T-shirt seemed to have small purple handprints all over them. He raised his eyebrows.