It was the luckiest thing that he hadn’t discovered that Cate’s room looked right into his window and front porch. And it was even more pure luck that he spent most of his time outside, talking on his cell phone or practicing his violin for the world to hear.

They’d taken to calling him ‘Neighbor #3’, because everytime his name was said around Cate, she blushed furiously and kicked the unlucky person who had said his name—even if it was Dodo. He was upset now, Cate thought to herself as she watched him through the window, on his cell phone. It was probably his on-again-off-again girlfriend. They were on, as of right now, but it seemed they were soon to be off again. His voice was quiet as he whispered a “Goodbye”, and hung up the phone. Cate’s small heart ached to see him like this. He deserved better. He desereved—

“Ritchie?” Momo called, running across the porch with a twin in each arm. He quickly composed himself.

“Hey, Mrs. M.” A winning smile, and you almost couldn’t see how upset he really was.

“Thank goodness you’re home. Yena’s still at work, and Julie just swallowed something and won’t tell me what she swallowed, so I have to take her to the doctor’s and Kiwi insists on coming, Sawah and Sammi have disappeared again, Taz is out, Vivi’s out, Ji’s out, and I need someone to watch Cate and Bunny!” Momo howled in one desperate breath.

“Oh, Cathleen and Bunny? Sure, I can watch them.” He said. Cate thought to herself that that was probably all he could make out from that rant. He stood up, smiling.

“Oh, thank you, Ritchie!” Momo said, relieved, “They should be in the house. Bunny’s sleeping, it’s her nap time, and Cate…well, actually, I don’t think I know where dear Cate is.” A flash of panic came over Momo’s face.

“Oh no! I forgot the brownies!” And indeed, Cate could smell them now. He laughed, though, and patted Momo’s hand kindly.

“I’ll take care of it, Mrs. M.” and he started over.

“THANK YOU!” Momo called again.
Cate heard the front door open and click shut. She glanced quickly at Bunny—sound asleep, clutching Bunbun, and sucking her thumb—before trodding downstairs silently. He was airing out the kitchen, and staring bemusedly at the coal black pan of ‘brownies’.

“Momo’s reaal bad at baking.” Cate offered quietly. His head shot up, realzxing when he saw who it was.

“Oh. Cathleen. Well, I bet your mother’s good at other things.”

“Nope.” Cate said, in a monotone,

“She can’t cook at all, clean, vacuum, or even fold the laundry.”

“Oh…” He said awkwardly. Cate shuffled her feet nervously. What a stupid thing to say…

“I bet she loves you, though.” He smiled. Cate couldn’t help but smile back.

“She does.” He looked thoughtful.

“Say, how about we make brownies. For your mother, I mean.” Dodo would throw them out the minute he saw them, Cate knew, but he didn’t need to know that. Besides—“Ok!”—it was probably the only way she’d get to spend time with him.

“Alright! I knew taking Home Ec would come in handy someday.” He grinned cheekily, grabbing Momo’s frilly pink floral apron. He must have, however, seen the look of horror Cate gave him, as he glanced over and dropped said apron back, exchanging it for Dodo’s more sensible white plain apron.

“Cathleen, find me the eggs please.” He said, discovering Momo’s secret stash of probably toxic chocolate under the sink. They contintued to run around, him mixing, her finding whatever he had sent her to look for. And as the room filled up with the warm aroma of chocolate and brownies, the concertmaster and the little girl sank, exausted, into chairs. They sat in amicable silence for a full five minutes, before his cellphone rang. He jumped, pulling it out and glancing at the screen. Cate watched, as for a split second, his happy mask dropped, and he looked irritated, almost furious.

“I can’t do this.” She heard him mutter, as he turned off his phone. She…she couldn’t stand it, so she stood up and tugged his sleeve.

“R-Ritchie?” She asked in a whisper, blushing fiercely.

“Yeah, Cathleen?”

“Will you play your violin for me?” He looked up at this, startled by the strange request.

“What?”

“Your violin. Please?” Cate pouted slightly, still clutching his sleeve.

“Uuuh, sure, I guess.” He humored her, running back to his porch and grabbing the instrument.

And she watched as he played again, the music fast and loud and harsh, but he made it all just right, capturing all the hurt and anger of the moment. Of his moment. He played until the timer dinged, and then he stopped, abruptly.

“Ritchie?” Momo’s vice called out from the foyer.

“In here, Mrs. M!” he replied, taking out the now done brownies.

“Lovely playing.” She beamed, coming in holding a (sniffalling) Julie and a silent Kiwi.

“Brownies!” Cate said, pointing.

“Brownies!” Momo crowed happily. He laughed at this.

“Eat ‘em all before Mr. M gets home. See ya later, Mrs. M, twins, Cathleen.” With an affectionate pat to Cate’s head, he was gone, having strode out the door.

“Aaaah.” Momo said, gingerly pinching fresh brownie. Cate obliged, as Momo popped in a piece.

“Children! Momo! Do I smell chocolate?” Momo choked at this.

“Quick, hide the pan! It’s Dodo!” she hissed, as said father walked in.

“What was Neighbor #3 doing outside?” Dodo asked in bewilderment.

“Babysitting.” Momo said around a mouthful of brownie.

“Great. Now spit out that and give me the pan.”

“But—”

“Now, Mimi!”

end.