Under the Influence

The Breaking Point...(Imagine 6)

June 28th 2002.
Detroit, Michigan.

*Chapter Inspired By: Christina Aguilera- Underappreciated*

Due to something traumatic and horrific happening in my family and life (the sudden, completely unexpected death of my father), this will be my last piece of writing for this story. This is a draft from about three months ago (before my dad died) so I'm simply posting what I'd already written.

Enjoy. And thanks for the ride.

- Louisa

I was completely exhausted. My poor feet ached from no breaks and my back throbbed from bending over all day. It turns out the only downside of moving into a massive house was the equally massive amount of housework that had to be done, and to my annoyance I was the only one that did it. Marshall didn't want to hire cleaners because he was paranoid about his privacy, which meant I had to clean because he was too busy. I was beyond over it, and two full days of cleaning with no help had me more frustrated than ever. Marshall and the guys were in the lounge playing video games and drinking and here I was, busting my ass in the kitchen cooking dinner for everyone and minding three kids. I wanted to let Marshall relax and hang out with his friends because he'd just released his new album 'The Eminem Show', and we were set to go on tour soon but I had a job too that I was too busy to attend to which seemed ridiculous to me. I wasn't a housewife, no ma'am.

"Whitney baby please stop crying" I begged, desperately trying to shove the milk bottle in her mouth, but every time I got close she threw her head away from me and screamed even louder than before. Surely Marshall could hear this going on and want to come help, but no. I continued to struggle on my own. I bit back tears as the exhaustion began to reach its peak. For someone that previously didn't want to have any kids at all, I sure was around them a lot. "Hailie can you please stop singing sweetheart" I asked in my sweetest voice possible as Hailie pranced around the room singing some nursery rhyme seriously off tune. She didn't listen, continued to ignore me and started singing even louder. "Hailie" I scolded a bit harsher than intended. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at me with surprised and slightly hurt eyes- I hardly ever told the kids off, but today I couldn't help it. I softened my voice a little realising I was taking my exhaustion out on her which wasn't fair. "Please stop singing honey, I'm trying to calm Whitney down and I need you to be extra helpful for me right now okay?" She nodded glumly, her eyes settling on the floor and I sighed internally, rocking Whitney in the best rhythm I could manage. "Why don't you go watch some tv sweetie?" Her eyes lightened at the suggestion and she ran off excitedly up stairs where her personal tv was. A minor weight lifted off my shoulders as I looked down at a sleeping Whitney, her face all red and blotchy from crying, but at least she was asleep. One job done. I placed her in her cot upstairs, switched on the baby monitor and leapt down the stairs to finish off the dinner I'd momentarily forgotten about. "Alaina can you come here please!" I called out from the kitchen as I checked on the roast chicken.

"Yeah?"

"Can you please go ask your Dad to come help me?"

"Okay!"

I thanked her and continued to flutter around in the kitchen as I tried to get everything else ready, and Alaina returned a minute later without Marshall, much to my agitation. "What happened honey?" I asked calmly even though the tension in my voice was clear.

"He said that he was in the middle of a level on his video game and he couldn't come right now".

I closed my eyes and took the deepest breath possible in an attempt to calm down but at this point it was impossible, not only was my blood boiling but I also just wanted to crawl into bed and have a ugly cry in peace and quiet, away from this too loud of a house. "Can you please go back in there and tell him I really need him right now and that it can't wait?"