A/N: This chapter is from Piper's point of view. Just humor me and I swear the next chapter will be back to Chris's POV. Happy reading!
After Chris left the room, I heard Leo sigh. I knew what he was going to say even before he said because he said it every time he and Chris were in the same room with each other.
"He hates me," Leo said, shaking his head. I looked at my husband,
"No he doesn't." I said, trying to convince Leo as well as myself of that fact. I know that Leo and Chris don't get along and I don't think I'll ever know exactly why but a boy can't hate his father, can he?
"Yes, he does." Leo contradicted. "I'm not that horrible of a father, am I?" Leo asked, turning to face me.
I shook my head, "Of course not." I tried to sound reassuring but it came out fake and non-convincing. "Look at how much of a great father you are to Wyatt. He practically worships the ground you walk on."
"That's exactly the problem." Leo didn't say this; no it was my sister Paige. Paige had overheard what Leo and I were talking about and she chose to butt into another conversation that didn't include her. For some reason, Paige always had a habit of butting in on conversations that included Chris. I think it's because of how close she and Chris are. He runs to her more than he does me.
"What are you babbling about now, Paige?" I was exasperated and my voice showed it.
"That Leo pays more attention to Wyatt than he does Chris and that's exactly why Chris hates him so much." Paige never had a problem with not being frank. In fact, she was overly frank.
"I do not," Leo protested. I stopped him from saying anything else because I was not in the mood to play peacekeeper between my husband and sister.
"Did he tell you that, Paige?" I asked, hoping that I had finally discovered the reason my youngest hated Leo so.
"He didn't have too," Paige answered instead of a direct 'yes' or 'no'.
I shook my head slowly, trying my hardest not to blow up at Paige. She accused my husband of treating his younger son like crap and had no actual proof. "Did he tell you, yes or no?" I stressed the 'yes' or 'no' part, trying to convey the message to her.
She understood, and answered sheepishly, "Not exactly, no." I nodded slowly,
"Paige, I think Phoebe's right. I think he's just going through a stage to get attention. I did it when I was his age because I felt that Prue was getting all of the spotlight. It's normal for him to think that his parents hate him at this age."
Paige nodded, slowly, just as I had done. "Or maybe he's right and the both of you really do spend more time with Wyatt than him." Paige ended the conversation. Well, she didn't, Katie, her daughter did, by yelling for Paige. Paige didn't stick around to hear what Leo or I had to say, instead going to find what her daughter wanted.
Leo shook his head, and said once again, "He hates me."
I had to admit. It did seem that way. From the outside, it looked a whole lot like Chris hated his father. Why, I could never figure out. Chris was the most like Leo. He was kind and gentle and quiet except when it came to helping his family and thoughtful and would do anything to help an innocent. All the reasons that had made me fall in love with Leo had been passed down into Chris. Sometimes I swear that if Chris makes a certain face, he looks just like Leo.
Chris had even been named after Leo's father. It was Leo's idea originally and I pushed to make it happen. True, that our first son Wyatt was named directly after his father, Leo Wyatt. And I guess that would make Leo favor Wyatt just a little bit. Men and their namesakes, I don't think I'll ever understand that one.
Once, when Chris was seven or so, Leo and I had arranged for Leo's father to 'visit'. Well, visit as much as a man who's been dead for well over 80 years. But the magic of the Charmed Ones was enough to summon Leo's father's ghost so Chris could meet the man he was named after. I can still remember the look of amazement and happiness on my son's face. He was so happy for weeks after that. It didn't help with Paige insisting that Chris help her and Richard name their newborn daughter who came just two weeks after the visit from Leo's father. That really pushed Chris over the edge and made him the happiest little boy in the world for at least three months. I haven't seen him that happy in a long time.
I miss that special smile Chris has. He didn't inherit the smile from anyone. It was all his own. Whenever he smiled, his dimple on his chin would show, and his green eyes would light up making them look like Christmas lights. But lately, I haven't seen that smile of his that I love so much. He's been distant and moody and he never wants to talk to anyone but Paige or Katie or even Richard.
I sometimes think that Paige is stealing my little boy away from me. But then I remember that even though he's mad at me, he has nightmares and yells for me in the middle of the night. Me, not Paige. I know Paige isn't meaning to 'steal' Chris away from me, just as I'm not trying to steal Katie away from her. Paige accused me, lightly of course, about a year ago of trying to make Katie my own because I was teaching her how to make cookies. But Paige knows that Katie would much rather make cookies with her mother, who can't-for-the-life-of-her make a batch of cookies that doesn't look toxic, about a thousand times more than her aunt. I wish I could say the same about Chris.
Now that you have humored me, you will now press the really pretty purple button that is enticing you to review. The button is too hard to ignore and you will press it and review.