🌟She's Special🌟

The Root

The Garden City Community Center (5:10 PM) (Eli's Perspective)
"Why did we come here when there's a basketball court in the backyard?" I'll be honest, I didn't want to be here, at all. Noah's cool, nothing against him, I just didn't get why Dad was being so annoying. I don't want to spend time with him. He and Mom spent years fighting over me, and I feel like it wasn't worth it. It wasn't what I wanted, and quite frankly it didn't solve anything. The fighting caused him to just get a completely new family and forget about me half of the time. I have nothing against Liv and my step-siblings because they haven't done anything. They always invite me to parties/important events, call me, and hang out with me no matter what. Hell, Liv was the one that invited me to Cancun, not even my father because he thought I wouldn't want to come. He sucks.
"Because it's warmer here, and we can go rock climbing. Isn't it your favorite?"
"Not anymore." I went to go grab a basketball and play with some other people.
"Hey, Eli-" I pushed his hand away from me.
"Don't touch me," I muttered. Noah watched the both of us in confusion.
"Eli, what has gotten into you? You've been having such an attitude since Mom dropped you off."
"Maybe because I don't want to be here. You only made me come here so that you can feel better about yourself. I bet Liv was the one that said you should spend time with me this weekend."
"Eli-"
"Leave me alone!"
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1 Halsey Path (5:45 PM) (Our Family Room) (Olivia's Perspective)
"Mommy, I just finished talking to Bailey and Kamri on FaceTime!" Leia declared as she walked into the family room. I had my arms around a sleeping Bella, who was tired from hanging out with her friends and playing ping pong in the basement with Leia.
"Really? What did you guys talk about?"
"Well...We talked about a lot of stuff."
"Like what?" I asked with a smile. Leia tapped her chin with a mischievous grin on her face.
"I'm not telling you." She said while giving me eye contact and dancing in a circle.
"Why is that?" I said while tickling her.
"I'm just teasing, Mama! We were talking about when we were in class how Leo farted really loud." Leia couldn't contain herself. First graders, I love this stage.
"Mama, in History class Ms.Dubois was talking about George Washington and the war. Then all of a sudden, when she went to set up the Smartboard, he farted really loud! And then, he blamed it on Jonah, but it was him, I know because he's on my side of the classroom."
"And what?"
"It was so stinky!"
"Oh gosh, Leia," I said playfully.
"Farts are really funny. Leo and Barrett make the sounds with their armpits."
"I know about that, Noah used to do it all of the time when he was your age."
"I wish I could do it."
"Why?"
"So then I could blame it on Leo!" We stopped talking at the sound of the garage door.
"Daddy's back already? That was super quick." We soon realized why Elliot and the boys came home so quickly. I heard the two of them arguing and I got up.
"Mom, what's going on?" Bella asked as she jolted from her slumber.
"Nothing, you can go back to sleep." Leia held her American girl doll and looked over.
"Leia, how about you go upstairs and play? Okay?"
"Yes, Mommy."
"You're always pretending to care about me!" I heard Eli shout.
"Eli, you know damn well that isn't true." I walked down the hallways to see Noah standing there, distressed.
"They've been arguing ever since we got to the community center." He left quietly and I sighed.
"Boys, boys! Stop!" Eli tried to lunge at Elliot and I had to restrain him using a therapeutic restraint I learned when Bella began to act out physically. It's something you'd never want to do to your kid.
"Elliot, cool off. Go upstairs."
"Liv-"
"Elliot, go now." He knew better than to argue with me. When Elliot left Eli began to cry. Something's going on inside that head of his, it's way deeper than him thinking El doesn't care about him.
"Eli, it's okay sweetheart. Shh." I took him into one of the downstairs bedrooms and hugged him. I hate seeing children cry.
"Eli, is something going on?" I handed him a tissue and he blew his nose.
"If something's going on, you could tell me."
"No, I can't."
"Why not? Eli, if you have to hide it from me, your Mom, or your Dad, that means it isn't good. You shouldn't have to hide anything from us."
"It's not like that."
"Then what is it like?"
"I just feel like no one cares."
"About what?"
"About the fact that my own Dad doesn't care about me. He didn't even invite me to Cancun with you guys."
"He told me that you didn't want to go, Eli, I didn't know-"
"It's not your fault."
"I understand being upset about that and you're right, he should've invited you, but what about you not coming over these past few months? I called you, left texts, what's changed in the past few months?"
"I don't want to talk anymore!" He stormed out and I sighed. Elliot needs to get through to him.
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The Kitchen (Elliot's Perspective)
I was so frustrated, I can't believe my son lunged at me, and I can't believe that he thinks I don't care about him. Eli's usually such a calm kid, why is he acting this way? I saw Olivia come into the kitchen.
"He told you anything?"
"No, Elliot you need to speak to your son."
"But he doesn't want to talk to me-"
"You know what, stop with the excuses, you need to have a conversation with your son, he's hurting right now and he needs your support. You hurt his feelings, Elliot. You're his father and he wants your attention. Can't you see that? And while we're on this subject, why didn't you invite him to Cancun?! You told me that you asked him and he said no."
"I told you that so you wouldn't worry."
"Seriously?! What made you think it was okay to not invite him?"
"I figured that he wouldn't want to come since he hasn't even been wanting to come over."
"That means nothing, you're still supposed to invite him." Liv was angry, and as much as I hated it, she was right.
"Mommy, Daddy?" Leia came into the kitchen and stared at the two of us teary-eyed.
"I don't like it when you fight." She ran downstairs into the basement. Leia's biological mother and stepfather had verbal and physical altercations in front of her, after which her stepfather would sexually abuse her. This is why we don't have our arguments on display.
"I'm going to go calm down Leia, please talk to Eli."
^^
"Eli, look at me please." He didn't move. I sighed.
"Okay, you don't have to look at me, but please listen to me and have a conversation with me. Please."
"I realized that our relationship has changed these past couple of months. Because of that, I didn't invite you to Cancun after Liv told me to, I thought that you didn't want to come, I should've never assumed, and for that, I'm so sorry. Can we talk about all of this?"
"Sure."
"Tell me what's been going on."
"I just feel like, you and Mom fought for custody of me for years, after a while you gave up on me, it felt like. You started dating Liv, and you guys got married. I felt alone. Mom was telling me all of these things, about how you spent more time with Liv when I was younger, and that's why you were barely home. And, it just got to me. She even said that you cheated and that's why you guys got divorced." I gave my son a hug. This is partially my fault, I have to fix this.
"Eli, I'm sorry that I stopped going to court. I stopped because you said that you wanted to be with Mom, I was letting you have that."
"It wasn't true, at the time it wasn't true. I said that to make Mom happy because she said you cheated. Is it true?"
"No, I never cheated, Liv and I always kept it professional, and I wouldn't ever do that to our family. I love you guys too much. I was gone so much because I was working, that's the truth. Eli, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, I forgive you."
"Is there something that I could do to make it up to you?"
"I just want you to be there a bit more, that's all. And, please don't tell Mom I told you."
"I won't, I won't. You can trust me on that."
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Saturday, March 20th (11:30 AM) (Our Kitchen Area) (Bella's Perspective)
"No, that didn't happen!" Everyone at the table burst out in laughter. This morning, breakfast time was so much better. The atmosphere was different, everyone was happy, and smiling. I don't know what happened, but this is the way it's supposed to be. I'm glad it got back to that.
"When it gets warmer we need to go back to Peconic Dunes Waterpark. It's a lot of fun! Eli, you're gonna come, right?" Leia asked before stuffing her face with my homemade blueberry pancakes.
"I will! Lei, slow down! Your lips are purple!"
"And she has chipmunk cheeks." We all laughed again.
"I can't help it! Bella makes yummy pancakes!"
"What are we doing today?"
"I think we should go to the activity center before Eli has to go back home."
"That would be awesome, we could play laser tag and go skating."
"That would be awesome! Did you hear that they updated their laser tag place? They even have an option where you can do virtual paintball."
"Woah."
"Paintball sounds awesome!"
"And when you shoot someone, their vest recreates the feeling of being hit with a paintball, they have virtual splatter and all."
"Daddy, we should do that! Boys vs. Girls!"
"I think we should! What do you think Bella?"
"I'd love to!"