You're Beautiful To Me

After Miles and I are ready, stopping by the bathroom to wash the tears off his face, we head out to the car where Frank is waiting for us and once we're buckled in Frank starts driving towards the grocery store, parking in the parking lot out the front but we walk across and down the street until we reach the nearby drug store, going in and as we approach the aisle with all the women's deodorant and perfumes I feel a hand slip into mine and I look down to see Miles clutching my hand, looking a little unsure. I stop walking, kneeling down beside him so we're eye to eye as I say "What's up baby?" "People are looking" he tells me softly and I turn my head to see a sales girl standing at the end of the aisle watching us. "Don't you worry about her, she's probably just jealous of how pretty your hair is" I tell him as I gently stroke his hair back off his face and he smiles softly before letting out a little giggle and I smile back as I stand back up and we keep walking to the right section of the aisle. I glance over my shoulder as Frank and I reach out and grab a few different bottles each, seeing the girl still standing there staring at us and I shoot her a glare, her eyes widening before she quickly walks away and I turn my attention back to Miles, Frank and I spraying small amounts of perfume and the three of us smelling them before Miles picks out the one he likes the most, a very sweet smelling deodorant that smells like apples and candy and we put the others back, Miles taking my hand again as we go to the counter and pay for it, a stand of sparkly hair bands set up beside the register and I catch Miles staring at them so I reach out and grab a packet, sitting them beside the deodorant and Frank glances down at Miles, seeing the huge smile on his face and he smiles to himself as he pulls his wallet out and pays for them. After we leave the drug store Frank hands Miles the paper bag with his stuff inside and we head back over to the grocery store, getting what we need before heading home again and while Frank and I are packing away the shopping Miles disappears into his room with his stuff, coming back a few minutes later while we're making lunch with his hair bands in his hand. "You hungry?" I ask and he smiles and nods, sitting his hair bands on the table before walking over to the fridge and opening it, grabbing out the juice before going to the cupboard and getting three glasses, pouring juice in each before putting the bottle back in the fridge and Frank and I join him at the table with the sandwiches we just made. "Thanks baby" I say to him as we take our seats, picking up my juice and taking a sip and we start to eat in silence.

After lunch Frank and I clear the table before going into the living room and finding something to watch on tv, Miles coming in a minute later with his hair bands and he comes over to me and says "Will you do my hair?" I smile and nod, sliding off the couch to sit on the floor and I grab Miles' hips, guiding him to sit between my legs and I start running my fingers through his hair as I lean in and whisper "What would you like me to do?" Miles shrugs his shoulders so I press a soft kiss to the top of his head before sitting back and taking the hair bands, shaking two out of the packet and I separate his hair into two sections, making two braids and fastening them at the ends with the hair bands while Miles focuses on the tv and when I'm finished Frank glances down at us and says "Wow that looks good" making Miles turn and smile at me before getting up and leaving the room to check it out for himself.

Later that afternoon Frank goes to pick up Anna from school while Miles and I stay home, his school books spread out in front of us at the table and I read over what he's been learning, going through the next few pages of work in each subject with him and Miles smiles up at me and says "You make this easier to understand," a smile spreading across my face too as an idea crosses my mind and I make a mental note to discuss it with Frank later. Just as Miles and I finish up his school work the front door opens and Anna comes into the room with one of her friends, her friend looking at Miles with his braided hair and she starts giggling to herself, Miles' face dropping as he climbs out of the chair and runs from the room. I stand up, ready to open my mouth and say something when Anna's face flashes with anger and she says "Don't laugh at my brother" before running after him, the door to his room banging closed a few seconds later and I smile, slightly shocked but happy that Anna has her brothers back. Her friend stands there looking shocked, the smile wiped from her face and I look over at her and say "I think you owe an apology," her head nodding as she heads off in the direction the kids went in. The rest of the afternoon passes a lot smoother, Anna and her friend playing with Miles, painting his finger nails and toe nails and they play with each other's hair, using some of his hair bands and by the time Anna's friends mother shows up to pick her up the earlier disagreement is forgotten. After the girl has gone home we all sit down to the dinner that Frank cooked and when we're done Frank asks the kids to join us in the living room. Once we're all seated Frank says "So we all know some things are changing around here at the moment and I think we're all a little confused about what's happening. Daddy and I are confused too and that's ok, it's alright to be unsure about this so tomorrow after school we're all going to go and have a talk with a lady, she's a therapist and she's gonna help us figure out what to do, is that ok with you guys?" I glance over to Anna and Miles and Anna nods her head, looking unconcerned but Miles is looking at his lap, biting on his bottom lip and I say "Allie, baby are you ok?" "Because of me?" He chokes out, not looking up and I stand from my chair and quickly cross the room, kneeling on the floor in front of him and he looks up, his face a mask of upset and scared. "It's not a bad thing baby, it's perfectly ok for us to feel confused. We're not seeing the lady because of anything bad, we're just gonna go talk to her and she's gonna offer us some advice, that's all." A look of relief crosses his face as he nods, finally understanding that he's not in trouble and therapy isn't a bad thing and I offer him a reassuring smile, getting a small smile in return as I pull him in for a hug.

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