Just Breathe

Chapter Seven Bailey

~Bailey~

"Mom, what time are we going to Gavin's for dinner and is he making mac and cheese?" Logan has asked that same question at least five times within the last hour. To say he is excited is an understatement. He hasn't stopped talking about seeing Zeus since I told him about our dinner plans.

"Bubba, I already told you, we will head over at 7:00 PM and I'm not sure what Gavin has planned for dinner, but we will be thankful for whatever he cooks for us."

I know Logan can sound "annoying" always asking questions, bouncing up and down all over the place and just wanting to go. He is five and this is expected, but what most people would never understand is that this isn't "annoying" to me. He doesn't frustrate me with his one hundred questions, and so on. Before we arrived in Watermount Falls, Logan was never allowed to voice what he liked or to ask for anything. He had to learn to stay quiet and hide in closets. He never laughed or played with any toys or colouring books. He couldn't do anything, because he would take it out on me if Logan ever made a mess, and would make Logan watch. I learned quickly to teach Logan to never speak when he was present and to never get in the way when he took it out on me.

So here, in our new life, I want Logan to be himself. To be the child he's supposed to be. I want him to laugh out loud, to ask questions and to be curious. I want him to be excited, to live his life, and not be afraid.

"Is it almost 7:00 PM?" He comes to meet me in the kitchen, as I pull out the apple pie I decide to make to bring over. I look up at the digital clock that's on the oven, it's reading 6:40 PM, just enough time for me to freshen up.

"We have exactly 20min before we have to go." Logan lets out a very excited yes at this.

"Im going to take a quick shower. Did you finish the picture you were making for Gavin?" I ask him, as I set the pie on the counter to cool.

"Yup!" He runs back into the living room to get the drawing and show it to me. He hands it over to me, he drew the normal stick figure, one large circle and one small, which I guess are Zeus and himself.

"It's me and Zeus playing outside. I guess it's more for Zeus than for Gavin." He says, more to the picture than to me.

"Gavin will love it because he knows how much you love Zeus. Now, did you tidy up your crayons?" I ask him as we make our way out of the kitchen.

"I'm going to do it now really quick and then we can over."

"After momma has her shower, we will go."

"Hurry up, mom."

I rush through my shower and put on a pair of black jeans with a few rips on both knees and an army green off the shoulder, long sleeve shirt. It's casual, and I guess in Ash's eyes, "sexy". I debated throwing my hair up, but since it's still wet, I leave it down so it can air-dry. I don't have a full-length mirror to see the full effect, so I leave my room and go in search of Logan for an opinion.

Not surprised at all when I find him at the front door, with his shoes on and picture in hand, waiting for me.

"Mom it's 7:00 PM, we're gonna be late and Gavin will think we're not coming." He huffs.

You would think we had to take a three-hour ride and not just a three-second walk. Kids, I tell you.

"Bubba, we have exactly three minutes before 7:00 PM, we are right on schedule." I say to him, while I pick up the apple pie and meet him at the door.

"Oh, okay. Sorry, I just want him to like us." He whispers.

"Hey, look at me, bubba." I bend down to meet his eyes. He's nervous, I can read it all over his little chubby face.