ONE

'Mum' She whines.

'Answers still no. And is still gonna be no in half an hour so why don't you give it a rest' The weary mother suggests.

The child is persistent though and trails the adult that's trying her best to stay calm. 'Dad said yes!'

'Well Dad isn't here is he?'

'You're such a bitch right now'

'Hey'

They both startle at the man's voice in the doorway. 'Dad is here and he doesn't want to hear you speaking like that to your Mother. Ever. You hear me?' It's low. A stern warning that is more than listened to. The eleven year old looks sheepish. 'Apologise to your Mum' She puffs out her cheeks. 'It wasn't an optional request Sawyer'

'Sorry' She sulkily murmurs. 'It's not fair though Dad-'

'I don't wanna hear it. She said no. Whatever you're whining about you've got your answer and mine will be the same. Now go get your sister and your stuff' He nods toward the door and the child huffs but scarpers under his piercing gaze. His stare is quick to skitter back to her. She busies herself. Or as he calls it- flaps. It's a dance he'd once teased her for. A dance that would show itself when she was nervous. It's more than that now though. It's a god awful dance he has to witness her do anytime they're in the same room together. 'Tough day?'

She picks up a discarded plate on the coffee table. Puts it back down in favour of carefully shushing a half built lego masterpiece back out of harms way because it's only going to get trodden on where it's been abandoned and no doubt tears will ensue when said demolishment takes place.

'I don't need you speaking for me. I can discipline her just fine' She's on her hands knees and he feels obliged to help.

'Yeah? You looked like you were doing just grand' He's not as careful as the mother of his children; knocks a precarious tower of bricks. 'Shit'

'Give it here' She huffs and expertly fixes the building.

'Has she been talking to you like that a lot?'

'Why do you care?'

'Because Peyton! She's my kid too and I don't want her speaking to you like that'

'Says the man that taught her to speak to me like that'

'That's not fair-'

'Isn't it? She's heard one too many an argument that she shouldn't have-'

'That's not just my fault-'

'Well you know what is? The fact that she thinks it's my fault her Daddy doesn't live here anymore-'

'Well it was your decision' He mutters. He instantly regrets it.

If looks could kill he'd be dead. 'Why was it my decision Lucas?' She glances to the door and lowers her voice 'She hates me and it's not fair. I get the fucking blame for tearing her world apart but you're the one that screwed it all up' She hisses quietly.

He sighs. 'I'm sorry...I'll talk to her ok?...christ I was just trying to back you up with her just then' He sighs because he can't do right. He tries to help and it's wrong. He backs off and he's not doing enough.

'A fucking first'

'She just needs time'

'You're the reason she's acting out'

'Uhuh' He gives up trying to help her with her frantic tidy up because she just keeps snatching items from his hands.

'You undermine me all the time. You tell her yes when I say no' She snaps. She's back on her feet now. Retrieves that plate again.

'I just said no! And I don't even know what I was saying no to, if that's not backing you up what is?!'

'You told her she could go to that party on Friday' She puts the plate down, instead retrieving a ballet slipper from the arm of the sofa. She marches across to the other side of the room and collects it's pair that is balanced atop of the tv. 'I'd already said no!'

'I didn't know that!'

'Yeah so communicate with me! Talk to me' She puts the slippers into an unzipped dance bag sat on the floor and battles a realm of taffeta fabric back inside whilst she's there.

'Well you could've told me I'm not a fucking mind reader! Why can't she go to a bloody party for christ sake?!'

'Because Sarah Donovan's father is on trial for raping a sixteen year old is why! I don't want her in that house. Why those kids haven't been taken into care is beyond me! Fuck' She's caught the tutu in the zip and breaks her nail in her attempt to set the skirt free.

'Here' He reaches for the bag but she twists away from him.

'I can do it'

'Stop being so freaking stubborn' He snatches it from her and her irritation only escalates as he frees the white net with ease a moment later. 'Is it true?' He's still focused on her announcement.

'I don't know but I'm not about to put our child under the same roof as someone that's been accused of that'

'No' He whole heartedly agrees. 'I wasn't suggesting we decide to be the innocent until proven guilty party when it comes to our kid. I just...fuck' He blinks. 'That's awful'

'Yes' She's got that god forsaken plate back in her hand and he wants to confiscate it and hurl it into the nearest wall to save watching her carry it around the damn living room for a moment longer. It's as if she can read his thoughts. There's been times when he's been sure she can read his mind. Her feet carry her out of the room they're in and he trails behind.

'Well she's not going obviously'

'No. Like I told her. But you told her yes and now I'm the bitch that ruins everything'

'I'll talk to her' He follows her into the kitchen. Notes the disarray. Dishes are piled high in the sink. Breakfast sits left over on the table. She sees him take in the mess.

'I've been fucking busy'

'I didn't say anything' He shakes his head. 'Let me-'

'Don't you dare' She steps in front of the sink to prevent him from beginning to tackle the war zone of pots and pans that she knows he's itching to clean because he never could stand a mess.

He puts his hands in the air in surrender. 'So...how was your day?'

She crosses her arms. She's not in the mood for idle chit chat. 'Fine'

'What've you been up to?'

'You're here to pick up the kids. Not to talk to me'

'You were literally just having a go at me for not communicating with you Peyton!' He exclaims.

'About our children' She emphasises and turns around to start tackling the sink.

'Well I'll get a run down on their day from them in a minute. I won't get a run down on yours though'

'Mine is none of your business'

'No?' He hums over the running tap.

'No'

He cringes when she begins to angrily wash the items, bowls clattering onto the drying rack.

He knows he shouldn't ask. Knows he's treading a dangerous path. '...Who was he?'

'...What?' Her eyes narrow because he's suddenly switched topics and she's not following.

'The guy you were with. In town today?'

She looks over her shoulder at him incredulously. 'Please tell me you're not following me'

'I was in town. I happened to see you' He leans around her and turns the tap off because it's on the brink over over flowing unbeknownst to her. 'You know whether you like it or not we're still married right?' He regrets it as soon as it passes his lips because his wife doesn't appreciate an interrogation at the best of times, least of all when she most definitely doesn't deserve it but he can't help himself.

'Excuse me?'

And now he's started he can't stop. 'Are you dating people?' She snorts. Laughs. Loudly. 'I'm not fucking laughing Peyton. Answer me'

'I'm not-' She returns to her washing up 'dignifying that with an answer-'

'You have to answer me-'

'Parents evening is on Friday. I tried to get late appointments so it's more convenient for you. Sawyer's is at 5.15 and Roe's is at 5.45' She tersely changes the subject.

'Who was he?'

'Don't be late please' She continues.

'I won't. Can you please just fucking tell me who he was?'

'Lucas, who I see and do is none of your business'

His fingers constrict around her arm as she places a wet plate on the side 'That better be a god damn joke'

'Or what? What will you do? Are you forgetting we're getting a divorce? I don't plan on being alone for the rest of my life' She growls.

'This divorce has got nothing to do with me! You know if it were up to me I'd still be in this god damn house'

'It's not up to you though is it?! You need to sign the papers Lucas' She jerks her arm out of his hold, simultaneously sending droplets of water into his face.

'Can you stop calling me fucking Lucas!' He snaps because he feels like he's being continuously told off. He supposes he is. He wipes the wetness from his cheek 'Can you just put yourself in my shoes a minute and think about me-'

'Were you thinking about me? When you were fucking her?'

He cringes. Regret swells in his belly because now definitely isn't the time for this. And their youngest daughter's appearance only emphasises that. 'This conversation isn't over' He mumbles as he paints on a bright smile for his little girl.

'Daddy!'

'Roe boat' He lifts the seven year old up as she catapults into his arms. He doesn't miss the way Peyton haphazardly dries her hands on a dish towel and turns her back to them. Knows she's composing herself and that when she turns back around that mask will be back in place. 'You ready to go have pizza?'

'Uhuh. I get to choose this time right?'

'Yup. Where's your sister?'

'She doesn't want to come'

Lucas sighs. 'Here, stay with Mummy while I go have a word' He kisses her nose and sets her back on the floor before venturing off to win round the sulking eleven year old in question.

'...You and Daddy were arguing'

Peyton looks down at the little girl that is peering up at her. Great big blue eyes and lashes that go on forever. Her hair is coming loose from the braids her Mother had tied this morning and the fly away locks whisper around her little cherub cheeks to frame her face. 'Just talking baby'

'You said the F word'

Peyton's face contorts then. She's thankful that it's their youngest daughter that has overheard the heated exchange of words because she's sure their meaning will have floated right over her head. Her eldest daughter is more on the ball. She silently reprimands herself because she'd thought they'd gotten to a point where they were capable of being civil when the children were under the same roof. 'Sorry Roe I, that was naughty of Mummy'

'Daddy said it too'

'Yeah. We just...don't agree about a few things honey'

'Are you always going to be cross at Daddy?'

'I'm not cross. I'm...' Peyton squats down and holds the little girl's hands. 'I know everything is really tough right now and there's lots of changes but it's going to get easier. We're just figuring things out'

'Daddy is going to come home soon?'

Peyton's heart aches with the hope that invades the little girl's eyes. '...No' she swallows. 'But that doesn't mean we're going to stop being a family. We'll always be a family' Peyton nods.

'Me and Sawyer have to sleep in Daddy's bed and he has to sleep on the sofa when we go stay at Nana's and I don't like it'

Peyton wills the lump in the back of her throat to go away. 'I know. But Daddy is just temporarily staying at Nana's honey. He'll have his own place eventually and you and Sawyer will have your own rooms-'

'I like my room here'

'Your room here isn't going anywhere'

'I don't need two rooms. I just need one. I'm only small'

Peyton smiles at the seven year old's pondering. 'I know'

'I just want one room. I don't want two. I don't want two houses and two toothbrushes and two front doors and two gardens' She rambles on. 'I don't want two mummy's and two daddy's'

Peyton softly shakes her head as her daughter gets to where she was always going. 'That's not happening honey'

'My friend Skyla's Mummy and Daddy split up and now they married other people and she has two mummy's and two daddy's'

'That's not what's happening here Roe. Me and Daddy aren't marrying anyone else'

'Ever?'

Peyton pushes her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Her instinct is to say no. Her instinct is to protect the child but she can't lie because that's not protecting her from anything in the long run. 'Well I don't know baby. I can't see the future and I can't speak for your father...I can only speak for me and I don't think that's something I'll ever do again'

'Cause you still love Daddy?'

'Because for me marriage meant forever and I don't think I'd feel right doing it again when it didn't work out the first time'

'But if it's forever for you why are you and Daddy not staying married?'

'Because we're not getting along Roewyn. You don't like us arguing do you?'

'No'

'I think it would be better if we didn't argue don't you?'

'Yes'

'I think for that to happen we can't be together anymore. We just need to be friends'

'I dunno Mum. I don't think you're good at being friends'

Peyton smiles. 'We'll try harder' She strokes her daughter's cheek. 'I'm sorry sweetheart'

The child sighs dramatically. 'Ok' She leans forward and links her arms round her mothers neck. 'Daddy does love you though Mummy'

'Has he said that to you?' Peyton frowns.

'No. I just know'

Peyton presses her lips together. 'He loves me for giving him you and your sister and I'll always love him for giving me the two of you too'

'I am pretty great'

Peyton laughs then. 'Uhuh. The best'

'If you love each other cause you've got me why don't you just love each other here. At home'

'Cause that's a different type of love baby. Being in love with someone is different and...hard for me to explain. You either are or you're not'

'But you were so how can you suddenly not be?'

'Sometimes just time does that. You'll understand when you're bigger'

'Why do grown ups say that?' She rolls her eyes.

'I know- it's mean huh?!' Peyton leaves a loud kiss on her daughter's cheek then and she shrieks.

'Mummy!'

'Sometimes you have to experience something to understand something though. And sometimes that means growing up. You're so lucky you know that? Your adventure is just beginning Roewyn Scott'

The seven year old grins. 'I like adventures'

'Uhuh. Adventure number one, go find your shoes so you can go get pizza with your sister and Daddy'

'I wish you could come on that adventure'

Peyton bats her hand. 'I've got lots of work stuff to do. You can tell me all about it tomorrow'

'Ok'

'Ok. Scoot Roe Boat' She issues her with another kiss before rising back to her full height and giving her a gentle shove in the right direction. 'Love you'

'To the moon?'

'And back' Peyton affirms.

'And forwards?' Roewyn pauses in the doorway and looks back at her, a goofy smile on her face.

'All the directions' Her mother indulges her.

'All at once?'

'Uhuh you goofball. Shoes!' The child scarpers then with a giggle and her mother's smile instantly wanes like always. Because it's just a mask. She's not sure when her life became such a charade but a charade it is. She wakes up and paints on a smile for her children but it doesn't matter how good an actress she can be, they're not fooled. Their world is crumbling along with hers and she just wants to fix it. But there's no fixing this. She never saw herself winding up here. She still wakes up some mornings convinced she must be asleep because this is surely a nightmare because she was never meant to be the girl that gets a divorce. She's not that girl. But it's too messy. Too broken. It's a tangled web of deception that there's no coming back from, of that she's sure.