Breathe Again

You Don't Get to Call Me That!

We're all finishing up with breakfast the next morning, thanks to Lisa. I decide to head out to the pool house to check on Derek. Graham, Simon and Derek took the pool house last night after some of us decided to have a few drinks. I think It was tough on Derek because he went right out to bed the second the drinks came out. I knock on the door twice before he opens it. "Good morning." I say. "Morning. You look different." He tells me. "I do? How?" He laughs, "I don't know but when I figure it out I'll let you know. So what's up?" He asks as we stand at the door. "Lisa made breakfast better get in there before Elijah eats it all." I say and take a few steps back and he follows me.

I wanna ask him if he's ok. If we should cool it on the alcohol or what. Now isn't the time. "You guys have a beautiful home." He says as we walk back to the house. "Thank you. Seems like too much. I'm glad you decided to come. I didn't get a chance to tell you last night." He just smiles and nods. He heads in and grabs himself the plate that Lisa had already made for him. "So mom, Shanna invited Logan, Briar and I to the CYT. Is it ok if we go?" Bailey asks. "Can we come too?" Alaina asks her. "Depends on what mom is going to say." She quips still smiling wide at me. 

"Yes, of course you guys can go. We'll see you at dinner." I tell them and they quickly head off to get ready. "They get along with your family quite well huh, Chris?" Graham asks him. Chris, who is cleaning up all the dishes turns around from the sink drying his hands on his sweat pants, "Yeah, they do. My family adores them all." He smiles at his mom. "How could we not. We love you all as well, You're Maggie's family and now ours as well." She adds. "Can we all call you Ma?" Olivia laughs, but I don't think she's kidding.

"I don't see why not sweetheart." Lisa joins in on Liv's contagious laughter. I notice Derek rushing to eat. Everyone else notices too and ceases all talk about the new family. "Alright, Ma I'll walk ya out." Chris says. She gives everyone, literally everyone a hug before she leaves. 

"Hey Maggie, could you come help me with something?" Derek asks pointing out to the pool house. I nod and follow him. Once in the pool house he comes around and closes the door behind me. He wouldn't try anything with everyone just feet away in the house.

"What's going on Derek?" He leans on the back of the couch. "Maggie, I know I fucked things up with you and it's probably too late for us. But I had to come and see if he made you happier than I did. From the looks of it, he does." He runs his large hand down his face. I cross my arms and shake my head. "It's way too late for us. Don't look at it that way. You made me happy too. Derek you hurt me really bad. But we make amazing co-parents." He smiles and hangs his head.

"If Chris was never in the picture would you have taken me back?" He looks up at me awaiting my answer. I already know my answer but I contemplate lying to him. I glance back at the main house and think about running. "Maggie?" I jump and look at him. "No, I wouldn't. Now no more talk about us. From now on we focus on the kids and your sobriety." I turn to leave but he grabs my wrist. "You forget I know you're a horrible liar. I'm glad he was there for you, probably saved you from even more heartache from me." 

"How do you figure? You're the one who wanted the divorce. You fail to remember that I loved you unconditionally and I was naïve enough to believe that we would've go through it." I say to him and looks like he has more to say but he laughs instead. "You never cheated did you?" I shake my head as I sigh. "You were always too good for me." In that moment, I feel that old feeling again in the pit of my stomach when he would look at me the way he is now.

"MAGGIE!" I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear Chris call for me. "You should probably start getting ready, I'm sure Chris has plenty of things planned today. There's towels in the hall across from the bathroom." I quickly exit. "I'm here, just showing Derek where the towels are. What's up?" I ask as we meet halfway. Chris wraps his arms around me and kisses my forehead. "Everything ok?" He asks and I nod, "Yeah. What do you have planned for the day?"