Exhale

The Send Off

Today we're sending Leah off to New York. Right now Liv and I are out at lunch before we finish getting things for the party. "So do you think you and Ryan will try for another baby anytime soon?" I ask her. "I don't know, Paul is enough for now. That miscarriage took a toll on me. What about you and Derek?" She asks. I laugh. "Are you serious? Bailey plus the twins. I think we're good." I say. "I see your point, are you excited about Leah moving to New York?" Liv asks as the waiter brings our check. "Not really. I'll miss her." I say. "Yeah, but now we have an excuse to visit New York." She says with a smile. "This is true. Well we better hurry. I don't want to leave the guys alone for long." I say getting up.

On our way back home I call Derek and let him know we're on our way. "Maggie, I need to tell you something?" Liv says as I make the turn down our street. "What?" I ask. "Ryan and I are moving to London." She says and I don't say anything until I pull up into the driveway. "Why and when?" I ask. "Not for a few months, but it's Ryan's mom. She's sick. Ryan wants to move there and show Paul where he grew up." She says with a frown. "You don't want to go do you?" I say as I see Derek walk out of the house. "I don't know. I mean it's across the world. I'd miss you guys." She says. "Liv, today's modern technology, we can Skype and face time. We'll be ok." I say to her. I unlock the side door so Derek can start bringing things in. "You girls get enough stuff?" He asks looking at over a dozen bags. "Probably not." I laugh.

A few hours later and we have everything set up. I told Derek about Liv and Ryan moving to London, he's not to happy but he'll get over it. I hear my phone ringing from inside my purse, Bailey brings it over. "Mom, your phone's ringing." She says and hands it to me. "Thanks." I say and answer it. "Hello." I answer. "Maggie, we're on our way over." Leah says. "Ok, see you soon." I say and we hang up. Derek comes up behind me and wraps his arms around me. "I love you." He says in my ear. "Dad, stop being a weirdo." Bailey says as she walks past us. "A weirdo? I'm just telling mom I love her." He says to her. "Yeah, ok." She says going inside. "Our daughter just called me a weirdo. Next she's going to be calling me old." He says. "You are a weirdo. But you're my weirdo and I love you too." I say kissing him.

"Maggie, They're here." Olivia shouts coming from inside the house. I gather the kids and we all stand by the large banner that reads Good Luck Leah & Collin. We wait as Bailey lets them in. Laura stands behind me, "You guys did a great job with her." She says. "Thanks." I say to her. Soon Bailey walks out with Leah and Collin. We all yell SURPRISE as they reach the patio. Leah starts to cry and Collin has a big smile on his face. "Maggie, I thought this was going to be a small dinner." She says walking towards us. I hug her tightly. "We all wanted to see you off." I say through tears. "You guys this is amazing. Thank you." Leah says as she makes the rounds and hugs everyone.

"Mom." I hear Elijah yell. I walk over to the plastic play set we bought for them a few years back. I see Elijah standing at the base of the long tube slide. "What's the matter?" I ask him. "Alaina won't slide down. She says she's not coming down because Leah is leaving." He explains to me. I climb up the stairs and squeeze my small frame into the child size ladder and find her at the top of the slide. Her knees pulled up against her chest. "Alaina, Sweetie what's going on?" I ask her. She looks up at me her eyes puffy and red. "I don't want Leah to go." She says wiping her a tear that rolled down her cheek. "Honey, we can visit her. Besides she's going to call when she can and we'll even video chat." I tell her. I hear Elijah telling someone what's going on and soon Leah joins us.

"Hey, Lainers. Why the sad face?" She asks her. "I don't want you to go away." Alaina tells Leah. Leah looks at me with a frown. "Aw, Lainey I have to. I'll call you everyday. I'll miss you everyday but I'll come and visit when I can." Leah tells her. Alaina crawls over to her and climbs on her lap to give her a big hug. "You better." Alaina tells her. "Alaina, are you going to slide down or what?" Elijah impatiently asks. She releases Leah and rushes down the slide feet first. "The kids are going to miss you so much." I say to her as we begin to make our way down the child size stairs.