Exhale

Taking Back Control.

I look at Elijah, who is standing over Alaina, holding a pair of scissors as her pieces of her hair litter the floor around them. "Elijah Dean Grayson! Where did you get those scissors? Are you supposed to be playing with those?" I ask him grabbing the scissors from his hands.

He looks up at me, "I'm sorry, momma." Alaina sits at my feet with a grumpy face and staring at Elijah. "Aunt Liv is going to have to fix this." I tell her as I start to clean up her hair. Elijah begins helping me, giving me sad eyes the entire time. "Eli, you know that was wrong. You shouldn't cut your sister's hair." I scold him. He nods and hugs Alaina.

I grab each of their hands and we head downstairs. I grab the brush from my purse and begin brushing Alaina's hair. Once all the knots and tangles are out, I sit back and look at her head. He really did a number on her, it looks like she has a backwards mullet. I get my phone out and call Liv, "Hey, I need your help. Elijah got ahold of some scissors and gave Alaina a rather extravagant hair style." I explain. "Oh my god! Yeah, I'll be right over. Jenn's over here right now, can she come too?" She asks. "Of course, see y'all soon." I say and hang up.

I snap a picture of Alaina and send it to Derek. He oughta get a kick out of this. While I wait for Liv, I get the kids a snack ready. I put them at their small table just beside the dining table, as the doorbell rings.

"You two sit and stay away from the scissors." I say pointing to Elijah as he chomps on a carrot stick. I open the door as Paul and Aiden come running in, hugging my legs. "Hi, boys." I say patting their backs. They quickly take off running to Alaina and Elijah. "So, how bad?" Liv asks as her and Jenn walk in. I pint over to Alaina, "See for yourself." I say.

Olivia, walks over to Alaina, kneeling in front of her, moving her head side to side. "Wow, he did a number on her." She says sanding up, "But I can fix it." She picks her up and carries her upstairs. "I'll have her fixed up in no time." She says. Jenn pulls Aiden away from Elijah, as he tries to take his food. "I can get him a plate, if you want?" I ask her. "He just ate. He's a little piggy. Might as well get him something." She says.

Jenn and I sit and talk as the kids munch on various veggies, fruits and cheese. "Ok, Maggie. She's all done." Liv says coming down stairs. I get up from the table and meet her around the corner. "Oh Liv! Amazing. I don't know how you managed to fix that mess, but thank you." I say playing with Alaina's new little bob style haircut. "I did my best." She says.

"Have you gone back to work yet?" Jenn asks. "No, it's still too soon for me." I say. "Well I think you should head over and at least check out Ian's studio. He's got some great shots up in there." Liv says, "We had him do our family portraits just a few days ago, he's really good." I nod and contemplate the idea, I really haven't been there much for him since he got the place up and running. "Yeah, I might check it out later." I say.

After the girls leave, I put the kids down for a nap. I sit on the couch and flip through the channels, I find nothing interesting and turn it off. I tap my foot against the coffee table, staring at my reflection in the TV. I grab my phone and start to play a game, when a face-time call is coming in. "Hi, Leah. You called just in time. I was getting a little bored." I say. She smiles, "Well I got good timing. So I heard you go into a fight, at Derek's reunion. Is this true?" She asks with a curious grin.

"Unfortunately, yes it is. But I tell you what, it felt invigorating. She deserved it." I say. "Damn, I leave and you become a badass. Well, listen I called because I wanted to know if I could bring someone back home with me, when I come down for Thanksgiving?" She says. "Is this someone a boy?" I ask, she rolls her eyes with a smile. "Yes, but Maggie, you and Derek will like him. I promise." She says. A girls voice calls for her, "Ok, I'll be right there. Talk it over with Derek and let me know, I gotta go." She says and before I can say anything she hangs up. I slump shoulders knowing it's back to being bored for me.