The Rejected

17- Oliver

"We're home, " I called to the two kids in the back.  Remi smiled at me but Mason held his arms across his chest, looking out the window.  I got out of the car and unbuckled Remi and Mason out of their seats. I tried to pick up Mason so he could get out of the car but he moved away from me so he could get out himself.  His attitude shocked me to say the least.  I had no idea why he was upset.  This morning everything was fine.  He was my happy baby boy,  but after our therapy appointment he's been angry and he won't tell me why. 

We walked into the house and Remi tried to lead Mason to his toys so they could play.  I walked into the kitchen,  preparing to make some hotdogs and Mac and cheese for lunch.  Xavier and Zander were coming around 3 today which had me nervous, especially with the way Mason is acting.  I heard screaming coming from the livingroom and quickly ran out of the kitchen, only to find Mason yelling with a ripped Lovey on the floor. The pictures on the wall were sprawled out on the couch again. 

I went to pick Lovey off the floor but Mason turned around and slapped my hand. I froze for a minute as Mason was huffing angrily at me.  It took me a moment to regain my composure before I picked Mason up.  He was flipping out,  screaming and trying to push away from me.  "Mason stop it, " I yelled at him.  He continued throwing his fit as I carried him up to his room.  I  sat him on his bed and held his arms.  He tried to jerk away from me but I held a firm grip on him.  "Do not leave this room until you know how to be a good boy, " I told him.  He started trying to throw himself back to get out of my grasp as his feet started kicking my legs.  I let go and walked out of his room. 

I paused outside his door as I heard him continue to scream in his room.  I closed my eyes, trying to take calming breaths.  I have dealt with plenty of temper tantrums from the pups at the day care,  but Mason had never acted this way.  This was the first time he had ever hit me, and I wasn't sure how to handle it.  I ran my hand through my hair as Remi started coming up the stairs,  the ripped Lovey in her hands.  "I'm sorry.  I just wanted to play, " she told me.  I gave her a smile before taking Lovey out of her hands.  The stuffing was poking out of the top of Lovey's head where it looks like it got snagged on something. "He got stuck on the wall so I pulled him down and that happened." I grabbed her hand and walked back downstairs.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I can fix him," I told her, taking Lovey out of her hands.  The doorbell rang through the house and I got up, walking to the door. I looked through the peephole setting Xavier and Zander on the other side.  I opened the door and both of them smiled at me.  I gave a half hearted one back.  They looked past me and I turned around to see Mason butt scooting down the stairs.  He was hiccuping through tears.  "Come in sit down.  I'll be right back. " I heard the door closed as I walked back over to Mason on the stairs, setting Lovey down on the counter so I could fix him later. "Are you done?" Mason tried to push past me instead of answer so I picked him up again.  When I started walking back up the stairs, he started flailing around screaming no to me.  I sat him back on his bed and held him in place with a firm but not tight grip  "You'll stay in this room until you calm down." I was trying so hard to remain calm with him.  Mason kicked me hard in my chest which made me let go of him.  He eyes widened and his screaming stopped as I moved back from him .  I stood up straight and looked at him.  "Don't leave this room. " I walked out of his room and took a deep breath. Mason was quiet and I didn't know whether to be happy or upset about it. 

I walked back downstairs to see Zander in the kitchen, starting the food I had pulled out while Xavier sat in the livingroom playing with Remi. I rubbed the back of my neck as I approached Zander.  He gave me a smile as he poured the noodles into the boiling pot.  "Hey.  Remi was hungry and I saw you had the food out so I figured I'd start making the noodles for you.  I wasn't sure if you wanted to grill or boil the dogs so I left them alone, " he told me.  I gave him a small smile before pulling out a skillet. I felt Zander put a hand on my lower back and my gaze went to him, a bit uncomfortable with his hand placement.  He looked a bit awkward as he looked down at me.  "Is everything okay?" His head nodded towards the stairs.