Soul Exchange

Halliwell Manor Kitchen- Late That Morning

         "Garrett, sweetie, relax." Piper gently ordered her son. "I know you're hungry, and Mommy is making you some lunch." In response, Garrett let out a loud screech and banged harder on the tray of his highchair. "Paige?" Piper pleaded, looking to her baby half-sister for help. "Gotcha," Paige answered. "Momma will be back to play with you in a sec, honey," she informed her howling daughter, as Paige dropped Peyton's blanket into her lap, proceeding to peel a banana and mashing it with a fork on her nephew's tray. "Payg!" Garrett shouted happily as he looked adoringly at his aunt. "Garrett!" she answered. "Eat your banana so I can tend to your cousin, buddy...ewwww! Watch the drool, huh?" she added as she put more bananas onto the tray, narrowly avoiding the stream of saliva coming off of her nephew's chin.

"Aww, but Auntie Paige, he loves you," Piper announced as she turned from the stove with a smile. "Just be grateful he's drooling and not spewing instead."

'Yeah, like I'm sure Glenn is right now,' Paige thought to herself. "If he is, he deserves every second of it." Piper answered aloud. As Paige's head snapped up, Piper continued, saying, "I heard him come in last night, Paige... he woke Garrett, which in turn woke me. Therefore, if he knows what's good for him, he'll avoid me for the day or face the consequences."

"I'm so sorry, Piper," Paige announced with a wrenched face.

"You don't need to apologize, Paige..." Piper reminded her sister. "After all, you didn't follow him to the bar and load him up with alcohol. If anyone should be apologizing, it's my husband."

"I'm sure Leo couldn't have stopped him, either, Piper." Paige informed her sister. "When Glenn and Rob get together, it's like adding gasoline to a fire: Rob doesn't know when to quit, and Glenn forgets the meaning of the word 'no'. "

"You have a real problem with Rob, don't you, sis?" Piper queried. "Yes, I do." Paige admitted. "I mean, he's Glenn's friend, and that's fine, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Rob reminds me of a time when my life was spiraling out of control, I was alone and frightened, and I don't want to be dragged down there again."

"Have you told Glenn how you feel?" Piper asked quietly. "I started to last night, but it escalated into a fight." Paige answered in a low voice. "I thought I heard you two screaming at one another." Piper mumbled.

"We weren't screaming." Paige protested defensively. "We were just communicating loudly, but we did not scream, lady."

"All right, alright... so you didn't scream... relax," Piper commanded. "Ya wanna hear screaming? Cause I'll do it," Paige threatened. "Don't you dare." Piper breathed. "Then don't fuss with me." Paige snapped. "Hey, Jeckyll and Matthews, you wanna knock it off with the hormones, please, before you scare my son and your daughter?" Piper scolded.

Before Paige had a chance to answer, the kitchen's swinging door slid open slowly, admitting Glenn, wearing rumpled clothing and in desperate need of a shave. "Well, good morning Rip Van Winkle." Piper said softly. "And how are we feeling this morning?"

"I've definitely been better... please don't shout." Glenn begged as he went to the refrigerator and pulled it open, extracting a bottle of tomato juice from it. "Hair of the dog that bit you?" Piper asked as he poured some into a glass. Glenn ignored her as he took a swig from the glass, and then grimaced. "Oh, God. 'Scuse me!" Glenn gasped as he set the glass quickly on the counter and bolted from the room.

"Here you go, baby." Paige said as she held Peyton's pacifier out to her. "You can have that, and as soon as Momma's done taking care of Daddy, we'll go back to our little game, okay, sweetheart?" Piper couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips as she saw the expression on Peyton's tiny face. "What? What'd I miss?" Paige asked as she removed the tomato juice from the refrigerator again, along with an egg and laid them on the counter beside the blender. "S-she makes the same faces as you and Glenn do." Piper sputtered through a giggle. "You've taught your child well, missy Paige."