Shake It Out-
'Cause I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
_______________________________________

Maya's P.O.V

I wasn't feeling good. I missed Lucas. I missed my husband. Mason slept with me for the night because he had a nightmare, but I think it's because kids are able to tell if you're out of balance. Mason was squirming at the moment. I put my hand on his back and started rubbing it gently.

"Mom, have you seen my pointe shoes? Lehanna is going to be here in ten minutes. I need to find my pointe shoes!" Ciara-Ruby called out. I heard her yelling from outside the room. I quickly got up and making sure that I didn't move to abruptly to wake up Mason.

"Cici, why are you yelling? Did you check the floor by the island? That's where you left them last?"

"Thanks, mom." She gave me a quick hug, went to go grab her pointe shoes and out the door she went.

I turned to walk back into the room and Matt stopped me. "Can we talk?" I nodded my head and he led me into the living room. To my surprise, Lucas was there. "What are you doing here?"

"I let him in. And we have to talk because the only way we're gonna make it as a family is if we're going to get through this. Rather it is you guys get back together or you guys break up."

"Well, I don't want to break up with you Maya. You mean everything to me." Lucas said standing up walking towards me.

I put my hand up to stop him and I walked to the other side of the room. "Do I? Because you dumped Riley to go out with me. And it was only a matter of time until you were done with me."

"Dad, is this true?" Matt asked and Lucas nodded his head. "Dad, you're a cheater."

"No, don't call me that. I'm not a cheater. I made a mistake once. Just once and now I'm a — look, Maya please forgive me." He started to walk towards me again and I couldn't deal. Matt saw how uncomfortable I was and he got in the middle of us. 

"Lucas you need to go," I walked towards the door and opened it, motioning for him to go. "I'm sorry, but the idea that you think that I'm going to forgive you in less than a week is ridiculous. Where in fact, I don't even know when I'm going to forgive you; if I'm ever going to." 

Matt started to get upset. He didn't want to be here for this. Especially see me and Lucas go at it.  He went to grab his bag and his keys to the house, "where are you going?" Lucas asked. Matt left the living room and went to my bedroom. I heard rustling and a couple of tired moans. He came out with Mason. "Matt where are you going? You know the rules, you can't just leave without permission."

"Just like how you followed the rules, saying you were gonna be faithful and always love mom, right? And I'm gonna take Mason to the movies if that's alright. We don't need to be here for this and Mason certainly doesn't need to hear it." He walked out of the house and didn't look back.

I pointed to the door and made sure that Lucas knew that I was serious. "Lucas, I still need some time. It's been three days. You cheated." 

He came closer to me, very close, close enough that the tip of my slippers was touching the tip of his shoes. "Don't you miss me, Maya? I know you want me back home." He said leaning in a tad bit closer. I felt myself being drawn in.

"No!" I move away from him and start to cry, I hate being persisted on this way. "Yes, Lucas I do miss you. But what you did was unforgivable. You cheated. It's not my fault that you couldn't commit to me. Now get out of my house!" He walked out of the house and I slammed it after him. 

Lucas and I are married, he's my best friend. I shouldn't have to go through this. He shouldn't have put me through this.

                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Matt's P.O.V

I was walking down the street with Mason and he was very confused about this. He was confused about why he was dragged out of his nap. I really felt bad for him because he didn't have the mental strength to really understand what is going on between mom and dad. "Matty, where are we going?"

"Mase we're going to pick up Ciara-Ruby, and we're all going to go see a movie together," I told him, we were approaching the street where her dance studio is.

"But, isn't she dancing? She's gonna get upset if you take her out of class early." Mason knew exactly what he was talking about. I've known Ciara-Ruby ever since she entered the foster home when she was three. They never took her out of dance. Something had to be consistent in our lives. Unfortunately, Mason and I never had that. We got to the dance studio and the receptionist at the front desk unlocked the door.

"Hi, there! How can I help you? Are you looking to enroll the small in some dance classes?" She asked me very chipper, reminded me of a chipmunk. She didn't notice that I shook my head and looked for enrollment packets. "We have a hip-hop class that he might enjoy with the other boys his age. He looks around six or seven he is still able to learn ballet technique since it is pretty early."

"No, thank you. My brother has two left feet. I'm here to pick up my sister. Her name is Ciara-Ruby, and if I'm not mistaken, she should be in ballet with Ms. Carré." I told her. I really took a guess, I heard Ciara-Ruby mention Ms. Carré once and I knew that she left the house with her pointe shoes. 

"Oh sweetie, her class doesn't end for another hour and a parent needs to be here to sign her out. I can call your mother and ask her if you can sign her out. Your mom's Maya Friar, right?" She went to go pick up the phone to and look through the computer for Maya's phone number and a good thing I came prepared.

"Uhh...no need. My mom wrote me a note to bring to you. She's currently working right now and she hates to be interrupted while she's working." I handed her a note with a forged signature and she examined it very closely before deciding that it was "legit". 

"Okay, wait here while I go get your sister." She got up from her seat and went through a door in the back.

Mason looked up at me and squinted his eyebrows, a common thing that he did, "why did you lie to her? Mommy didn't write that note. You did." He frowned, I knew for a fact that he wasn't gonna let me live it down. In fact, every time I lie around him, he always seems to remember every time I lied, Now, yes, I am aware that lying is bad, but whatever helps me get what I want. The only person I can't lie to is Mason, he's like my rock in my life. And every time he notices that I lied, yes it does make me feel bad, but like I said, whatever helps me get what I want.

"Mason, you're not supposed to say anything. Yes, I understand that I lied, but because you are my brother, you're not supposed to tell anyone that I lied. It's the Bro Code." He looked really intrigued. Mason loves doing things with me but because he's eight years younger than me, he can't always do it. That being said, whenever we find things that we can do together he's always happy that we can do them together.

"Bro Code? What is that? Is it some kind of secret language? Because if it is, I think I know it. Woopity Woot." He exclaimed fairly loud and it made me laugh, I put my hand on his shoulder to calm him down just a little bit.

"Bro Code is like a set of rules to live by with your friends. And you sir, are in fact, you are my best friend. But anyway, bro code states that if I lie, you must go along with it, no matter what." Just as I finished saying that Ciara-Ruby walked out with the receptionist and her teacher. 

"Ahh...I was wondering who was pulling Ms. Friar out of class early. May I ask who you are?" I assumed that this was Ms. Carré.

"I'm Matthius and this is my brother Mason," I told her. Mason did his signature smile showing his teeth. 

"May I ask why she's being taken out of my class early?" Ms. Carré showed no emotion while she talked to me, not even a twitch of her eye. It was like she was totally indifferent.

"No, you may not. We're having a family day and we need to leave pretty early." I lied again, technically not, it was going to be an impromptu family day but with just us three.

"Okay, as that is your decision. Also, in three weeks, there is a family day recital and Ms. Friar here has choreographed her own dance with four other members in her class representing what she thinks of her family." Just when I thought that she was going to smile, she doesn't. 

"Okay, great we won't miss it. We will see you in three weeks then Ms. Carré." I said pretty quickly and started to herd the two outside. "Are you guys ready?"

                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were at Cafe Reggio just having a quick snack after the movie. We were about fifteen minutes from home, we've been out for about three hours, and Ciara-Ruby's class ended long ago, mom's probably wondering why she isn't home by now, but I'm willing to take the consequences for this one. "Mom and dad are probably going to be fighting when we get home, so when we get there I need you guys to go straight to my room because I don't want you guys hearing them fight."

"Why are mom and dad fighting? I thought they loved each other?" Mason questioned. He reached for his hot chocolate before spilling a little bit on the table before it reached his mouth.

"They do love each other but sometimes it's hard being an adult. It's like when you and Matty have an argument, except with older people." Ciara-Ruby tried to bring it down to a level that Mason can understand. She looked at me because even though she is not much older than Mason she does know what is going on. And she might be able to process it a little bit better. "I think we need to head back anyway. Mom's probably worried." 

I picked up Mason, he started to have droopy eyes. Ciara-Ruby grabbed my hand and we walked out. Was this hurting me as much as this was hurting Maya probably not? But, I needed to make sure Mason had a home and he has one. He was staying with me and wherever I went he would have to go. I'm just glad we aren't allowed to choose who we would live with because I know for a fact I know exactly who I would pick.