"Madison!"
"What?!"
"You were supposed to clean your room and you didn't do it.," Taylor said from the top of the stairs.
An 11 year old Madison came to the bottom of the stairs and put her hands on her hips, "But moooommm..."
"Don't whine. You can go outside and play once you do it. It won't take that long."
"But Nicky and Chris are going to the park! They said they'd take me!!," She whined stomping her foot.
Taylor shook her head, "No, get up here now."
"Ugh! If daddy was home, HE wouldn't make me clean my room right this instant.," She said stomping up the stairs and into her room.
Taylor rolled her eyes. Of course she was the bad guy. AJ could do no wrong in his children's eyes. All Taylor wanted was a nice, clean home and she wasn't going to be their maid or housekeeper. She walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. The boys were now 16 and had just gotten their licenses the month before. Of course, AJ bought them cars.
Lately, things hadn't been..well, shall we say, nice in the McLean household. AJ and Taylor never said more than two words to each other when they were at home with one another. The children seemed to always be fighting with Madison, but never their father.
A few minutes later, Madison ran back into the kitchen. "Okay! They're home, can I go with them?? Pllleeasse mom??"
Taylor sighed, it would do no good to try to stop her now. "Yeah..you can go."
Madison's face lit up, "Ohh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
The boys stumbled in, now well over 6' foot and still growing. "Hey mom.," Chris said grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge.
"Hey mom.," Nicky said coming in after his brother and grabbing a coke.
"Hi boys, you do remember you promised to take Madison to the park, right?"
Nicky nodded his head, "Yep..come on Mads and let's go."
Madison followed her brothers out to their car. A minute later, Nicky reappeared, "See you later mom?"
Taylor turned and smiled at Nicky, "Yeah..go have fun."
He grinned and left the kitchen. Nicky was going to be the singer of the family, she had decided, he had a wonderful voice, kind of like AJ's and Nick's mixed together. Chris would most likely be a baseball player or something in sports. Both excelled in school. Madison was probably going to grow up and be a housewife. She wasn't a good singer, and wasn't a good athlete, but was good at academics. She was the spoiled one of the bunch though.
Taylor sighed once she heard the car leave the driveway. The house was now silent. Like it was most days. She went into the living room and sat down on the couch, picked up a book sitting there and began to read it.
Taylor groaned inwardly as another arguement threatened to erupt. "Are you even listening to me Taylor!?," AJ exclaimed.
"Yes..I am..you don't have to yell."
"I'm not yelling.."
"Fine, you're just talking loudly."
"God! What is your problem?!"
"My problem is..this!"
"What?!"
"This life AJ..I am so sick and tired of being left alone during the day. We never see each other, and when we do we never talk, and if we do its fighting!! I hate trying to get our children to do anything around the house because then they'll go off on how you wouldn't make them do anything if you were home!! Why am I the bad person in this family?!"
"You're not!"
"Oh whatever AJ!"
He threw his hands up in frustration, "Well..if you're not happy, leave!"
She glared at him, "Fine..maybe I will."
"Fine."
"Good.."
"Don't come back.," He said carelessly.
She blinked, not thinking he'd say that . She took a deep breath and started for the stairs. She swallowed hard, "Maybe I won't AJ."
A minute later, Taylor walked down the stairs with two suitcases and a backpack full of her belongings. AJ stood in the kitchen drinking something. She stood in front of him and took off her wedding band and the emerald ring he had given her forever ago. She set them down on the counter and took another deep breath, "I don't think I'll be needing these anymore."
"Where are you going?"
"Anywhere where I don't feel useless."
"Fine with me."
"Its fine with me too AJ."
She turned and walked out the door. He heard her car start, then pull out of the driveway. He slowly set his glass down on the counter and came to a realization...she had left him.
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