Work Text:
Cheryl held the baby awkwardly on her hip as she tried to carry her laptop and fruit back to the bed at the same time. The baby normally slept through her morning routine but this morning she was clingier than normal and woke as soon as Cheryl shifted. Nessa still slept with them in the bed at six months despite Toni insisting they move her out. Cheryl was winning that argument and she knew Toni secretly liked it. Cheryl sat the baby down on the bed, leaning up against the pillow before sitting down herself and pulling the covers over her lap. She sat Nessa up beside her closer and began to answer a few quick emails.
It was Teddy, Veronica and Archie’s son’s, fifth birthday and Veronica was super excited to have a birthday party for him. The family had only moved back to New York 3 months ago after spending 15 months abroad in England. Cheryl wasn’t too excited about bringing the baby along to parties since they always messed up her schedule. She couldn’t say no to Veronica though she was so excited to meet Nessa for the first time. The pairs busy schedule kept them apart and Veronica never got to meet the baby yet. It didn’t stop her from adoring her in heart emojis on instagram whenever Cheryl or Toni posted a picture of her.
Cheryl was a little bitter too about taking the day off work since she only started back full time last month but Toni insisted she overworked herself. Cheryl brushed her off saying she never truly took time off work since she could work from home. Still, she was a teeny-tiny bit excited to meet up with everyone again.
She worked away peacefully herself for 40 minutes, moving Nessa’s hands away from the keyboard every time she tried to help by bashing the keys, until her wife woke up. Toni snorted awake and turned to look at Cheryl surprised.
“How are you two awake?” Toni groaned rubbing her eyes, she looked over at her alarm clock, it was only 8:17. She frowned at Cheryl. She can never get the girl awake on a normal day but on a Saturday when they can actually have a lie in she wakes up.
“There’s work to be done, sweetie.” Cheryl told her as she typed away.
“It’s Saturday.” Toni groaned, sitting up in the bed. “You promised me you wouldn’t over work yourself.” Toni reprimanded. She lifted Nessa up from the middle, sitting her on her lap. Nessa kicked her legs against her mother, angry about being separated from the keyboard.
“It’s just a couple of emails and the spreadsheets.” Cheryl said, brushing away Toni’s concern as she continued on with work.
Toni sighed, this was not a fight she wanted to start. “Any requests for what she’s to wear?” She asked instead as she stood from the bed, baby in tow.
“Surprise me.” Cheryl told her. Toni dressed Nessa primarily and Cheryl was always happy with the outfits she picked so she wasn’t too worried about letting Toni pick out an outfit.
Cheryl ran a hand through her hair and stared back at the inbox, only 25 more to go. If she gets through these it will be a lot less work for her on Monday.
Toni took her time changing Nessa, she emerged from the walk in wardrobe 15 minutes later with Nessa changed. Cheryl looked up at the pair an smiled. Nessa was clad in a light baby pink dress, there was a floral pattern stitched into it and a white ribbon tied around her waist. She had white tights on underneath it since it was October in New York. The dress was a gift from Cheryl’s partner J by Jasper when they worked on the line together. Cheryl loved it on the baby, she was her favourite model.
“Aren’t you the cutest?” Cheryl squealed, holding her arms out for the baby. Nessa held her own arms out towards her mother. Toni walked closer to Cheryl so she could reach the baby easier. “Yes, you are.” Nessa giggled and leaned into her mother's embrace. Cheryl saved her work on the laptop and quickly closed it over, sitting Nessa on her lap.
The baby smiled her big brown eyes at her mother and Cheryl couldn’t help but melt. “Can you say Mommy.” Cheryl asked her. “Mom-mee” She repeated saying the word slowly.
Toni rolled her eyes. The baby had just started to babble and Cheryl was hoping the baby’s first word was Mommy. The problem is that Toni also wanted Mama to be the baby’s first word. They’d been repeating Mommy and Mama so much to the infant over the past few weeks that the words have probably lost meaning to poor Nessa. Cheryl knew that Toni was right, that Mommy was too hard a first word for a baby to say. It made more sense logically that Mama would be Nessa’s first word, it was easier to say. That wouldn’t stop Cheryl from trying though.
Nessa looked up at Toni confused. Toni gave Cheryl a knowing smirk. Cheryl scoffed and glared at Toni. “Get ready, we’ve to be there at 11”
****
Toni knocked on the door of Veronica and Archie’s apartment. She had the little boys gift under one arm. Cheryl held the baby and the diaper bag. The door was decorated with blue balloons and streamers with a shiny red 5 in the centre. Toni suspected Cheryl would be this extra for Nessa’s party- she already had a pinterest board in place despite it being six months from now. Veronica answered the door with a hostess like smile.
“Toni, Cheryl.” She greeted happily, opening the door for them. “Baby Topaz.” Cheryl could hear the excitement in her voice as she greeted the smallest party goer.
“Nessa this is your Auntie Ronnie.” Cheryl introduced. Nessa looked Veronica up and down unsure of what to think about the other woman. She looked over to her mother’s for some sort of guide on what to do.
“Can I hold her?” Veronica asked, looking at Cheryl.
“Of course.” Cheryl passed the baby over to her. Nessa looked a bit concerned about being placed in the arms of a stranger but thankfully didn’t start to cry.
“Oh my god.” Veronica squealed. “She’s so perfect.” Veronica told them as she brushed Nessa’s tuft of dark hair to the side.
“She is.” Toni agreed as she took her coat off her, she went to take Cheryl’s from her. “Where will I put these?” Toni asked Veronica. Veronica nearly seemed embarrassed.
“Oh god. Archie will put those away from you. Archie!” She called, turning her head back into the other room.
Archie was quick to run out to them, he had a party hat on his head. Cheryl smirked at that.
“Cheryl, Toni!” He greeted happily giving the pair a hug. “And this is the baby that is all over my social media.” He turned to Nessa. She gave Archie a shy smile, Toni chalked it up to him having red hair. “A belated congratulations.”
“Thanks.” Cheryl told him, with a small smile.
“Archie, take their coats for them will you?” Veronica asked. Archie nodded and took the coats from Toni and running them into the back room.
“Come out back. Everyone else is already here.” Veronica instructed the couple, leading them towards the party.
It was loud, was all Cheryl could think. Kids running in and out from every corner in fancy attire. It reminded Cheryl of her childhood. Having to wear all these fancy outfits for a simple birthday parties. Toni’s was a lot different since a lot of the parties she went to were either in the local park or if someone was lucky Chuck-ee Cheese. She wore her normal clothes, how else would she keep up with the boys.
“Hey.” Jughead greeted. He was seated by the door. Eloise was burying her face in his chest, she had clearly just been crying. “She fell.” He explained. Toni gave a knowing nod, the Jones child liked to play rough.
She would be three in January, another party Cheryl would have to go to. Children’s birthday parties were becoming her new scene. “Are you okay, pumpkin?” Toni asked the little girl, rubbing the side of her face. The girl shook her head, her head still buried against Jugheads.
A group of three kids ran up to Veronica suddenly. She was shocked a little and had to hold tighter to Nessa who had only just gotten comfortable in the strangers arm. “Mom, mom, look!” The middle child demanded. Cheryl was shocked to realise that was Teddy. He had grown so much more since she had seen him when he was just 2. He looked just like his mother. He waved a gift someone had given him, a toy dinosaur.
“Wow, that’s a cool toy.” Veronica said taking the toy from him to examine it. Nessa grabbed onto the box to, to get a look at what was in this box.
“Who’s that baby?” Teddy asked with a furrow of his brow.
“Do you remember Cheryl and Toni?” Veronica asked him. The boy shook his head no. “Yes you do.” Veronica told him, her cheeks flushing red as she looked over at Cheryl and Toni.
“No I don’t.” The boy told her. “Is it their baby?” He asked, looking on his tiptoes at the infant in his mother's arms.
“Yeah it is, go say hi.” Veronica instructed, pointing to the couple.
“Toni is a girl!” The boy exclaimed surprised. Veronica’s face went bright red.
Cheryl and Toni couldn’t contain their laughter. “I am.” Toni confirmed with a nod.
“Cool.” Teddy said with a nod of his head. “Is that for me?” He asked pointing to the gift still in Toni’s hands.
“Ted!” Veronica scolded. The young boy paid her no mind.
“It is, wanna open it?” Toni asked, offering the gift to the boy. He giddily bounced on his feet and nodded taking the gift from Toni. He quickly began to rip the wrapping paper from it.
“Take it easy.” Veronica reminded him.
“Mom! It’s a car!” He yelled loudly. Nessa jumped a little in Veronica’s arms and looked around for her mother’s frantically.
“Teddy, inside voice.” Veronica told him, her voice low and threatening. The boy froze, understanding the repercussions of this and ran back to join his friends. Nessa spotted Toni and began to beg for her, arms spread.
Toni stood up and took her, “You want Mama? Maa-ma” Nessa buried her face in the crook of Toni’s neck and Cheryl glared at her.
“I’m sorry about him.” Veronica said, clearly embarrassed.
“He’s fine, Ronnie. He’s just like you.” Cheryl said, hoping to spare the boy of getting in trouble once the party was over.
“Yeah everyone says that, he acts like his daddy though.” She said.
The doorbell rang and Veronica was back to her hostess duties.
“Mommy. Can you say Mommy?” Cheryl asked the baby. She looked up at Cheryl, lips pursed.
“No, can you say Mama?. Say Mama, baby” Toni instructed.
“Mmmmmm” Nessa held.
“Mommy.” Cheryl repeated at the same time Toni said “Mama.”
“Mo.” The baby babbled.
“Guess we’re still saying nonsense words.” Toni noted as she shook Nessa lightly causing her to laugh.
“She said Mo last night too.” Cheryl told her as she pinched the baby’s thighs.
“You think it means something?” Toni asked. Cheryl simply shrugged.
“Probably not.”
*****
“Happy birthday to you.” The crowd sang as the five year old boy stood on his chair to blow the candles out on his cake. His dad stood off to the side photographing the entire thing. Toni had offered to do it for him so he could get in them himself but Archie took pride in capturing his son. Toni could appreciate that.
Nessa looked interested as the plates of cake past her. “Sorry, sweetie none for you.” Toni said kissing the girls cheek. She was due a feed so she would probably start crying soon if she wasn’t handed over to her mommy. Cheryl was at the other side of the room helping Veronica serve cake.
“I gotta say you have a really well behaved kid.” Jughead commented as he swiped the icing off a cupcake with his finger. Eloise had long left his side and was currently stalking the table for a slice of cake. She was too short to see over it. Toni smirked since she was that kid.
“Thanks. I’m blessed.” Toni smiled as she squeezed Nessa closer to her side.
“Were you ever worried I mean, that they’d turn out like us?” He asked, his eyes locked at the girl who’s hands outstretched her whole body to try and grab at a slice of cake.
“I still am. I can only hope though. I’m giving her all I have though.” Toni told him. The pair never met eyes, it might make everything feel all too real.
“I think we’re doing a good job.” He told her. Eloise was handed her slice of cake and pattered off to a quiet corner to eat it.
“Yeah. I never thought I’d make a bad parent, I mean I know what they look like so I just try not to be like them.” Jughead nodded in agreement. “She has the best mommy ever though.” Toni disclosed.
“Lou might fight you on that.” Jughead joked.
“I’m not mommy, Cher is.” Toni informed him. Jughead nodded again. His stance didn’t change on his point.
“It’s good though. That no matter what sort of parents we all had, we can still try and be the best for our kids.”
“A kids birthday party is a really weird place to have this conversation.” Toni told him finally meeting his gaze.
Jughead laughed. “Well we used to solve murders in a diner.”
Toni nodded. Nessa began to squirm in Toni’s hold. She was hungry and was tired of waiting. She started to kick her legs and pull at Toni’s arm.
“C’mon, let’s get Mommy, sweetie.” Toni told the girl, sitting up from her corner, leaving Jughead on his lonesome.
“Mo!” The baby called out nearly pained, reaching in Cheryl’s direction. She let out a few premature cries.
Toni froze in her steps. Cheryl spotted the crying girl and was quick to move over to her wife. “Are you hungry, baby girl?” Cheryl asked, lifting the girl from Toni.
“Mo.” The baby repeated in tears, pulling at Cheryl’s shirt.
“Mo.” Cheryl repeated, humoring the baby.
“Cher, I think you’re Mo.” Toni told her a little amazed. She was convinced Mama would win but apparently Nessa wanted to gift Cheryl with her own title.
“I’m Mo?” Cheryl asked confused looking at her wife as the baby became agitated waiting for her feed.
“Mo.” Nessa cried again.
Cheryl’s eyes widened in realization and tears sprung to them. She was not about to start crying in front of all these people.
“You’re Mo.” Toni repeated with a big smile.
Cheryl kissed Nessa’s head and the couple moved somewhere more private to feed the baby. “I won.” Cheryl teased, a stray tear making its way down her cheek.
Toni thought later on once they were home that Mo might actually be Cheryl’s boobs but chose to keep that to herself.