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"Joel, isn't that your shirt?" Ellie asks, pointing to Tommy across the street, working with John to dig a fence post.
"Sure looks like it, don't it?" Joel says. He squints for a moment more, then shakes his head.
"Aren't you going to say something to him?" Ellie huffs her hands on her hips as she stares Tommy down.
Joel waves it off and keeps walking. Ellie eventually lets up her stare and scrambles after him.
---
It's lunchtime, and Joel's got little Mateo on his lap, he's playing a rousing game of peekaboo when Tommy sidles up to the table and grabs the apple off of Joel's plate.
"Tomas Isaac Miller, what's wrong with the apple on your plate?" Joel says from behind his hands Mateo giggles and wiggles with glee.
"Ain't as shiny as yours," Tommy says, taking a giant bite. He makes a sour face and then places it back on Joel's plate.
"Hey, now. What is this all about?" Joel says, waving to the now-wasted apple.
"Didn't taste so good. I'm gonna stick with mine," Tommy says with a shrug and a wave as he wanders off again, chowing down on his own apple. Joel sucks his teeth in exasperation but goes back to playing with Mateo, who desperately grabs at Joel's hands, trying to make him put them up back at his face. Joel chuckles and obliges him getting a quick laugh and squill when he pops out again from behind them.
"Joel, why do you let him do that?" Maria says, staring off disapprovingly at her husband's back.
"Aint nothing, really. I'm used to it, he used to pull this shit with me all the time when we was kids." Joel answers, turning Mateo around to face the table so he can play with the little block set out for him, now that he seems to be bored with peekaboo.
"Well, I get that, but he's a grown man now," Maria moves some of the blocks around, and Mateo angrily moves them back to where they were. Joel and Maria both laugh at his little face as he glares at her.
"I'll be honest with ya, Maria, I'm just happy I still got him around to give me shit. There was a time I never thought I'd have this again." Joel's face darkens for a moment, and Maria reaches out and places her hand on his. Joel looks up to her, his brows furrowed, his mouth pulled down. "I won't make excuses. I was a right idy-jit after... outbreak day. But I did what I thought I needed to do to keep Tommy and myself alive, but it weren't enough, and I know that now. Tommy did the right thing leavin' me. I'm just sorry it took me so damn long to get my act together so we could have this again."
Joel pats Maria's hand when she gives him a gentle squeeze, and some of the pain drains from his face when Mateo babbles loudly about the tower he built. "That's mighty fine work, little buddy." He says, lowering his head so he can leave a soft kiss on the crown of Mateo's head. "I'll put up with all his stupid shit if it means I got my little brother back again." He gives Maria a stern eye and continues, "But don't you tell him that, don't need that boy getting a bigger head than he already has."
Maria laughs and puts her hands up in agreement. "You'll have no argument from me there, I promise I won't say anything to him." She leans forward and whisper talks to Mateo. "Though your daddy might end up needing to be a little nicer to his big brother when he finds out that you're gonna have a brother or sister to play with, in about 7 months, and he needs someone to help babysit."
Joel looks down at her, his eyes wide, and she smiles a wicked little grin. "Though you might like to have a little something to hold over him in repayment." She says, a twinkle in her eye.
"Damn women, you are downright evil, but thank ya, and congratulations," Joel says, matching her smile.
"Well, you better use that info today; otherwise, I'm telling him myself tonight," Maria says, taking Mateo from Joel as he gathers their trays.
"Don't you worry none Maria, I plan to," Joel laughs.
---
The opportunity presents itself almost as soon as they leave the dining hall when Tommy's suddenly right next to him, throwing his arm around Joel's shoulder.
"So, big brother, when are you gonna ask that nice Miss. Molly out for a date?" Tommy asks, a shit-eating grin on his face "I heard she gave you a pie for the work you did for her on her porch the other day."
"My love life ain't any of your business," Joel grouses, shoving Tommy out of his personal space.
"Hey, now I just wanna know when it is I can expect to welcome a new member to the Miller family. Can't be all on your own forever," Tommy says.
"I ain't alone I got Ellie, and she's more than enough trouble for me, thank you, and I don't need to worry about adding members to the Miller family when you're doing a fine job all on your own," Joel says.
Tommy stops, his eyes squinting at him in confusion. "What do ya mean by that?"
"I don't know, baby brother, it's you who can't manage to keep his hands to himself and keeps knocking up your wife," Joel smirks as Tommy goes pale and starts to bluster and stammer, Maria and Joel stopping to turn to him.
"What... what... I-I don't... Maria? Am I gonna be a daddy again?" He looks to her, his eyes large. "And did ya tell my brother before you told me?"
"Yes, you are, and yes, I did, maybe next time you won't be so focused on teasing your brother to forget that I told you I had something I wanted to tell you at lunch," Maria says, one hand on her hip the other one holding Mateo up.
Tommy hangs his head like a whipped dog and scuffs his boot on the ground. "I'm sorry, darlin' I remember you sayin' that now this mornin'."
"It did, but it's okay. Can you come over here and kiss me already?" She holds out her hand to him, palm up.
"Always mi amor." He says. Joel steps in fast to grab Mateo before Tommy takes Maria into his arms and spins her around, laughing and kissing her at the same time.
"What the hell is going on here?" Ellie says, scooting under Joel's free arm to tuck herself right against his side.
"I just found out you're gonna have another little cousin to drive you crazy in some months' time," Tommy says, holding Maria close to him.
Ellie reddens at the use of the word cousin in relation to her but hides it in typical Ellie fashion "Ewww, you guys, can't you stop like procreating or something? Every time you do, I have to think about the fact that you guys did like the horizontal mambo."
Joel guffaws in surprise as both Tommy and Maria chuff out laughs as well. "Damn girl, you don't pull no punches. Well, you're just gonna have to deal with it because I kinda like the idea of havin' a nice big family, and If I can't count on my big brother to add any more members to the family, then it's just gonna have to be me and Maria" Tommy says waggling his eyebrows.
Maria indignantly slaps him on the shoulder and says, "Oh no, you don't, I ain't anyone's broodmare. This is the last Miller you are getting out of me, mister."
Tommy throws up his hands in surrender, and Maria kisses him tenderly. Joel smiles at them and thinks again how happy he is to have his little brother back. He'll deal with his shit any day if he can have this too.
"You know, it would be nice if you would be a little more careful with my shit, though," Joel says, nodding his head at the rip in the shirt Tommy is wearing that is very much his.
"I don't know what you're talkin' bout, Joel, this rip was here when I stole the shirt from ya." Tommy's eyes twinkle with delight.
"Ripped my ass," Joel says and cuffs Tommy on the back of his head.