MAGGIE TOZIER KNEW RICHIE WAS IN LOVE WITH EDDIE EVEN BEFORE SHE MET HIM. THE WAY RICHIE SPOKE ABOUT HIM, THE WAY HIS EYES SHONE AND HIS CHEEKS FLUSHED AND HIS SMILE BROKE OUT TOLD HER ALL SHE NEEDED TO KNOW, AND SHE ALWAYS LISTENED WITH A HEAVY HEART BC SHE KNEW HOW SHIT DERRY-

-WAS AND HOW UNACCEPTING AND HORRIBLE THE PEOPLE WERE AND THE CHANCES OF RICHIE FINDING HIS SOULMATE THERE. SHE WANTED TO SET THE TOWN ON FIRE SO RICHIE COULD ALWAYS BE HIMSELF, FOREVER, BUT ALL SHE COULD DO WAS LISTEN AS HER SON SPOKE ABOUT THIS BOY FROM HIS CLASS.

SHE WANTED TO PROTECT RICHIE AND DIDN’T WANT HIM TO BE HEARTBROKEN, AND SHE’D NEVER EVEN MET EDDIE, DIDN’T KNOW WHAT HE WAS LIKE, BUT SHE KNEW THE DEPTH OF RICHIE’S LOVE FOR HIM.

AND THEN ONE DAY, AFTER SCHOOL, RICHIE CAME BARRELLING INTO THE KITCHEN WITH A TINY BOY IN TOW. “mom!” HE SHOUTED, AND MAGGIE CHUCKLED. “mom, meet edward spaghedward”.

EDDIE WAS SO TINY. HE WAS WEARING LITTLE SHORTS AND A TRAIN T-SHIRT AND A FANNY PACK, AND HE LOOKED NERVOUS.

MAGGIE STUDIED HIM CAREFULLY AS RICHIE INTRODUCED THEM. EDDIE HAD THE BIGGEST EYES SHE’D EVER SEEN, AND THEY WATCHED RICHIE THE ENTIRE TIME.

AND THEN EDDIE PUNCHED RICHIE IN THE ARM, SAYING “that’s not my name, dweeb” BUT HE WAS LOOKING AT RICHIE LIKE HE HUNG THE MOON.

MAGGIE SAW ALL THE LOVE IN THE WORLD IN HIS GAZE. SHE SAW A LOVE BIGGER THAN HIS TINY FRAME. AND, AS THE BOYS GOT LOST IN THEIR BANTER, MAGGIE TURNED BACK TO THE KITCHEN SINK, SMILING INTO THE SUDSY WATER, KNOWING THAT EDDIE KASPBRAK LOVED RICHIE AS MUCH AS RICHIE LOVED HIM.