Status: Complete
Playground
1/1
1996
“Mattie…Mattie…MATTIE!” 4-year-old Fabienne Sanders whined as she tugged on her 15-year-old brother’s pants.
“Yeah, hold on, Fabienne. I just have to put on my shoes and then we’re ready to go.” He said as he put on his shoes and smiled down at his little sister. She looked like a little angel with her big blue eyes and her blonde curly hair. In fact, she was the complete opposite of an angel and caused more trouble than anything else.
“Okay, let’s go.” Matt smiled as he extended his hand to his sister so she could grab it. “I am sure Brian and Enrica are already there.”
“Yes, Enrica!” Fabienne beamed, jumping up and down next to him as she grabbed her brother’s hand. Matt shook his head as he bent down to pick up the jumping toddler and carried her out of the house, making their way to the playground in Central Park.
***
“Enrica. No, don’t eat the sand.” 15-year-old Brian Haner Jr. scolded his 3-year-old sister, who was currently sitting in the sandbox on the playground. “This is not healthy. Spit it out.”
“Oh my god Gates, your sister eats anything.” Jimmy Sullivan laughed and sat down next to her. “Hey Eni, let’s build a sandcastle, that’s much cooler than eating the sand” the lanky 15-year-old explained and smirked at her.
“Otay, but Zimmy, it has to be huuuuuuuuuuge.” Enrica smiled and stretched her arms out to show him how big she wanted it to be.
“No problem, we can arrange that, toots.” Jimmy laughed and started to put sand on a pile while Enrica collected some twigs and stones to decorate it. Smiling, Brian sat down on the edge of the sandbox and watched his best friend and his little sister interact.
“ENRIIIIIICAAAA! ZIIIIIIMMMMYYYY! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAN!”
“FABSI!!!! MAAATTIE!” Enrica yelled, dropping all the twigs she already collected and ran towards Matt who was carrying Fabienne in his arms, stumbling over her feet and face planting the grass. “Ouch”
“ENRICA.” Brian gasped as he jolted up and ran towards his sister to check on her. “Are you okay?” he asked her as he picked her up, frowning down at the 3-year-old girl. Enrica looked up at her big brother with tears in her brown eyes, her bottom lip trembling. “No. My nose makes booboo.” She said, tears now flowing down her cheeks.
“Oh, Eni, it’s okay.” Brian cooed and placed a kiss to her nose. “Look, Fabsi and Matt are here now and Jimmy is in the sandbox, building a sandcastle.” He smiled and pressed the little girl close to his chest, looking at Matt who now stood in front of him with a frowning Fabienne in his arm.
“Hey. She okay?” he asked, pointing at Enrica.
“Yeah, it’s not that big of a deal.” Brian smiled; rubbing Enrica’s back softly, swaying her in his arms.
Fabienne stared at playground for some moments and then turned to look at Matt. “Can we go over there? Zohnny and Zacky are there. Look.” She said and pointed to the two teenagers who were hanging upside down from the swing set. Jimmy must’ve seen them too because he already ran over there to join them.
“Sure, let’s go.” Matt smiled at his little sister in his arms and made his way over to the playground. Brian followed him with Enrica who still had her face pressed into his chest. “Come on, Enrica, it’s okay. Johnny and Zacky are here.” Brian whispered and Enrica pulled her head back to look at the playground, a small smile forming on her lips.
“Look who we’ve got here.” Zack laughed as he climbed off the swing set and walked towards Matt and Brian. “My favorite little girls.”
“Zacky!” both, Enrica and Fabienne squealed as they extended their little arms towards the 15-year-old teenager. Zacky laughed and took both of them in his arms, receiving kisses on his cheek.
“Wow, what a womanizer.” Johnny laughed, still hanging upside down.
“You’re just jealous because they like older men and not some 12-year-old weirdos.” Jimmy laughed and softly punched his younger friend’s ribs.
“Shut up.” He glanced and rubbed the spot where Jimmy hit him.
“I like Zohnny too.” Fabienne stated and wiggled her way out of Zacky’s hold, walking over to Johnny and smiling at him. “Come swing wif me.”
“With pleasure, Miss Sanders.” He winked and climbed off the swing set, picking up the 4-year- old and placing her on the swing. “Hold on tight, okay.”
Fabienne nodded and held on tight to the chains of the swing and squealed out loud when Johnny started to push her lightly. “Faster!” she demanded and Johnny started to push a little faster, receiving a warning glance from Matt.
“Zacky?” Enrica asked pulling on his shirt. “You come and build the sandcastle wif me and Zimmy? We make a biiiiiig one.” She said, smiling from ear to ear.
“Sure. Let’s go.” He said, adjusting the toddler in his arms and grabbing Jimmy’s shirt. “Come on, Rev, we have a sandcastle to build.”
“Aye, Aye Captain Chubby.” Jimmy laughed, receiving a punch to his arm by Zacky as he put down Enrica in the sand to continue building the sandcastle.
“I’m going to keep an eye on my sister.” Brian said to Matt, raising his eyebrow when he saw Zack punching Jimmy. “I don’t trust them around her and look at the violence.” He snickered and walked off to the sandbox.
“Okay.” Matt responded and sat down on the swing next to Fabienne’s, smiling at her and Johnny. “Hey toots, are you enjoying the playground?”
“Yeah.” the 4-year-old squealed. “Zohnny is a good swing pusher” She said and looked back Johnny, smiling big. Matt just shook his head and giggled at his sister. “You’re so cute, Fabsi.”
“I know.” She said shrugging which made Johnny and Matt burst out in heavy laughter.
“She’s perfect, Matt.” Johnny laughed and stopped pushing the swing Fabienne sat on, taking her off it and placing a kiss to her cheek. “You’re gonna make all the boys crazy when you’re big.”
“Yeah, I will…Mattie! I wanna go on the slide wif you.” She squealed again and Johnny set her down on the grass. Matt looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “Do you think this is a good idea, Fabsi?”
“Yes, now come.” She said, stomping over to him and trying to pull him off the swing. “Cooooooome.”
“Alright, alright, sheesh…” he laughed, getting up from the swing to pick up Fabienne. In the meantime Johnny joined the others in the sandbox, building the biggest sandcastle throughout Huntington Beach. “Let’s go slide.”
“Yeah.” Fabienne nodded eagerly. “I love the slide.”
“I know.” Matt smirked as he walked over to the slide and started to climb the ladder which was attached to it. “Wow, you got really heavy, Fabienne” he laughed as he reached the top of the slide where he sat her down and poked her belly.
“I am not heavy.” The little girl pouted and looked at her brother, putting her hands on her hips.
“Oh, are we sassy now?” he laughed as he sat down on the slide. “Come here, Miss Piggy.” he smirked grabbing her by her hips and sat her down on his lap. “One, two, and three…” he counted and pushed but they didn’t come far because Matt was too big for the slide and they got stuck. “Uh-oh…”
“Ohhhh” Fabienne started to giggle. “We stuck.” She turned in Matt’s lap and pointed at him. “Fatty Mattie is stuck.”
“Yes, looks like it.” He laughed which made Fabienne laugh even more. “Oh well. Let’s stay here, it’s actually pretty comfortable.” He smirked and poked her nose.
“Yeah, let’s stay here.” She nodded and laid her head on her brother’s chest. “Thank you for taking me to the playground, Mattie.” She smiled and pressed her face to his chest.
“Anytime, sweetheart. “He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair, looking up at the sky. “Anytime…”
“Mattie…Mattie…MATTIE!” 4-year-old Fabienne Sanders whined as she tugged on her 15-year-old brother’s pants.
“Yeah, hold on, Fabienne. I just have to put on my shoes and then we’re ready to go.” He said as he put on his shoes and smiled down at his little sister. She looked like a little angel with her big blue eyes and her blonde curly hair. In fact, she was the complete opposite of an angel and caused more trouble than anything else.
“Okay, let’s go.” Matt smiled as he extended his hand to his sister so she could grab it. “I am sure Brian and Enrica are already there.”
“Yes, Enrica!” Fabienne beamed, jumping up and down next to him as she grabbed her brother’s hand. Matt shook his head as he bent down to pick up the jumping toddler and carried her out of the house, making their way to the playground in Central Park.
***
“Enrica. No, don’t eat the sand.” 15-year-old Brian Haner Jr. scolded his 3-year-old sister, who was currently sitting in the sandbox on the playground. “This is not healthy. Spit it out.”
“Oh my god Gates, your sister eats anything.” Jimmy Sullivan laughed and sat down next to her. “Hey Eni, let’s build a sandcastle, that’s much cooler than eating the sand” the lanky 15-year-old explained and smirked at her.
“Otay, but Zimmy, it has to be huuuuuuuuuuge.” Enrica smiled and stretched her arms out to show him how big she wanted it to be.
“No problem, we can arrange that, toots.” Jimmy laughed and started to put sand on a pile while Enrica collected some twigs and stones to decorate it. Smiling, Brian sat down on the edge of the sandbox and watched his best friend and his little sister interact.
“ENRIIIIIICAAAA! ZIIIIIIMMMMYYYY! BRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAN!”
“FABSI!!!! MAAATTIE!” Enrica yelled, dropping all the twigs she already collected and ran towards Matt who was carrying Fabienne in his arms, stumbling over her feet and face planting the grass. “Ouch”
“ENRICA.” Brian gasped as he jolted up and ran towards his sister to check on her. “Are you okay?” he asked her as he picked her up, frowning down at the 3-year-old girl. Enrica looked up at her big brother with tears in her brown eyes, her bottom lip trembling. “No. My nose makes booboo.” She said, tears now flowing down her cheeks.
“Oh, Eni, it’s okay.” Brian cooed and placed a kiss to her nose. “Look, Fabsi and Matt are here now and Jimmy is in the sandbox, building a sandcastle.” He smiled and pressed the little girl close to his chest, looking at Matt who now stood in front of him with a frowning Fabienne in his arm.
“Hey. She okay?” he asked, pointing at Enrica.
“Yeah, it’s not that big of a deal.” Brian smiled; rubbing Enrica’s back softly, swaying her in his arms.
Fabienne stared at playground for some moments and then turned to look at Matt. “Can we go over there? Zohnny and Zacky are there. Look.” She said and pointed to the two teenagers who were hanging upside down from the swing set. Jimmy must’ve seen them too because he already ran over there to join them.
“Sure, let’s go.” Matt smiled at his little sister in his arms and made his way over to the playground. Brian followed him with Enrica who still had her face pressed into his chest. “Come on, Enrica, it’s okay. Johnny and Zacky are here.” Brian whispered and Enrica pulled her head back to look at the playground, a small smile forming on her lips.
“Look who we’ve got here.” Zack laughed as he climbed off the swing set and walked towards Matt and Brian. “My favorite little girls.”
“Zacky!” both, Enrica and Fabienne squealed as they extended their little arms towards the 15-year-old teenager. Zacky laughed and took both of them in his arms, receiving kisses on his cheek.
“Wow, what a womanizer.” Johnny laughed, still hanging upside down.
“You’re just jealous because they like older men and not some 12-year-old weirdos.” Jimmy laughed and softly punched his younger friend’s ribs.
“Shut up.” He glanced and rubbed the spot where Jimmy hit him.
“I like Zohnny too.” Fabienne stated and wiggled her way out of Zacky’s hold, walking over to Johnny and smiling at him. “Come swing wif me.”
“With pleasure, Miss Sanders.” He winked and climbed off the swing set, picking up the 4-year- old and placing her on the swing. “Hold on tight, okay.”
Fabienne nodded and held on tight to the chains of the swing and squealed out loud when Johnny started to push her lightly. “Faster!” she demanded and Johnny started to push a little faster, receiving a warning glance from Matt.
“Zacky?” Enrica asked pulling on his shirt. “You come and build the sandcastle wif me and Zimmy? We make a biiiiiig one.” She said, smiling from ear to ear.
“Sure. Let’s go.” He said, adjusting the toddler in his arms and grabbing Jimmy’s shirt. “Come on, Rev, we have a sandcastle to build.”
“Aye, Aye Captain Chubby.” Jimmy laughed, receiving a punch to his arm by Zacky as he put down Enrica in the sand to continue building the sandcastle.
“I’m going to keep an eye on my sister.” Brian said to Matt, raising his eyebrow when he saw Zack punching Jimmy. “I don’t trust them around her and look at the violence.” He snickered and walked off to the sandbox.
“Okay.” Matt responded and sat down on the swing next to Fabienne’s, smiling at her and Johnny. “Hey toots, are you enjoying the playground?”
“Yeah.” the 4-year-old squealed. “Zohnny is a good swing pusher” She said and looked back Johnny, smiling big. Matt just shook his head and giggled at his sister. “You’re so cute, Fabsi.”
“I know.” She said shrugging which made Johnny and Matt burst out in heavy laughter.
“She’s perfect, Matt.” Johnny laughed and stopped pushing the swing Fabienne sat on, taking her off it and placing a kiss to her cheek. “You’re gonna make all the boys crazy when you’re big.”
“Yeah, I will…Mattie! I wanna go on the slide wif you.” She squealed again and Johnny set her down on the grass. Matt looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “Do you think this is a good idea, Fabsi?”
“Yes, now come.” She said, stomping over to him and trying to pull him off the swing. “Cooooooome.”
“Alright, alright, sheesh…” he laughed, getting up from the swing to pick up Fabienne. In the meantime Johnny joined the others in the sandbox, building the biggest sandcastle throughout Huntington Beach. “Let’s go slide.”
“Yeah.” Fabienne nodded eagerly. “I love the slide.”
“I know.” Matt smirked as he walked over to the slide and started to climb the ladder which was attached to it. “Wow, you got really heavy, Fabienne” he laughed as he reached the top of the slide where he sat her down and poked her belly.
“I am not heavy.” The little girl pouted and looked at her brother, putting her hands on her hips.
“Oh, are we sassy now?” he laughed as he sat down on the slide. “Come here, Miss Piggy.” he smirked grabbing her by her hips and sat her down on his lap. “One, two, and three…” he counted and pushed but they didn’t come far because Matt was too big for the slide and they got stuck. “Uh-oh…”
“Ohhhh” Fabienne started to giggle. “We stuck.” She turned in Matt’s lap and pointed at him. “Fatty Mattie is stuck.”
“Yes, looks like it.” He laughed which made Fabienne laugh even more. “Oh well. Let’s stay here, it’s actually pretty comfortable.” He smirked and poked her nose.
“Yeah, let’s stay here.” She nodded and laid her head on her brother’s chest. “Thank you for taking me to the playground, Mattie.” She smiled and pressed her face to his chest.
“Anytime, sweetheart. “He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair, looking up at the sky. “Anytime…”