Chapter 1

"Hey, Mom." Lucy said into her cell phone, after dropping off Savanna and Lexis off for school. "How did you do it with all of us? You had 7 kids all with different schedules, I have 3 and is about to drive myself crazy."

"A lot of Patience," Annie said as calmly as ever. "Would you like me to walk over and pick up Tommy, for a little bit, I'd be glad to watch him."

"Oh mom that would be great I would be able to get tons done. I don't remember the girls being this bad when they were three. I just don't know what I am going to do with him sometimes."

As soon as Lucy got home her mom was over to get Tommy. She noticed that Kevin was already home from working the night shift the night before. She had taken notice on how lately since they had kids and he was working at night there relationship had hit a standstill. So she decided to go in to see if he wanted to talk. She walked into the room and lay down on the bed.

"Hey Baby, rough night?" she asked as she lay down close to Kevin.

"Yeah every night is rough when you are up all night Lucy I tell you that everyday."

"Oh, well Tommy actually went to be last nigh it was Savanna and Lexis that I couldn't get to fall asleep, and then when they did the dogs started acting up, I miss you being home at night."

"Lucy I don't want to talk about all this right now I am tired please leave me alone." So with that Lucy got up and walked out of her room.

She walked into the kitchen picked up the portable phone and walked out onto the back patio and sat down on the swing, to call the one person who she could always talk to, Mary, even though her family did not know that she had any contact with her at all. After the phone rang what seemed like 500 times, finally, "Hey babe." She heard the familiar voice that she loved so much.

"Hey." Lucy said trying not to sound depressed.

"What's wrong sis, you are horrible at hiding things so you might as well spill."

"Fine, Mare I don't know what to do anymore, I am so burned out, and it seems like every time I go to talk to Kevin he just shuts me out. He has no idea that I need a break. I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Talk to Kevin Luce, tell him."

"I have tried, I really have but every time I go to talk he is to tire or to busy or has to get to work. He thinks I can handle everything by myself and I can't. And lately he has been acting weird, I am scared to tell him the truth, I am scared he will leave me."

"Well Luce, you have two options, Talk to him or do what I did. Just leave for a while."