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Olivia was not normally an anxious child. She was usually laid back and happy, rarely letting anything affect her sunny personality.
She'd found school a little tough the past few days, although she had kept her worries to herself, culminating in some bad dreams that caused the 6 year old to wake up with a fright.
She automatically found herself running to her parents bedroom. "Momma? Mommy?" Cheryl was in a deep sleep, snoring softly, so Olivia went straight to Toni's side, not even attempting to wake Cheryl up.
"Momma?" She whispered again, fingers touching Toni's face lightly.
Toni mumbled slightly, stirring in her sleep before giving a soft snuffle and curling closer into Cheryl's side.
"Momma.." Olivia shook her slightly, hoping she would wake up.
Toni swallowed, her eyes blinking open. "L-Livvy?"
"I had a bad dream" she mumbled, her thumb in her mouth.
"Oh baby" Toni whispered, shifting onto her side to face Olivia. "Get in here... come cuddle with Momma..."
Olivia shook her head, keeping her feet planted by the side of the bed. "I..I'm okay.." she couldn't get too close. Her momma would know.
"Come here baby" Toni whispered again, reaching out for her. "I'll make it go away."
Olivia took a step closer to her mom but only let her take her hand, not getting any closer.
"Hey, you listen to me" Toni said softly. "If you come here Livvy and you snuggle down, you can stay here with me and Mommy for the rest of the night okay?"
Olivia shook her head timidly, her thumb in her mouth again. "I..I'm a big girl.."
Toni smiled. "I know you are... but even big girls have bad dreams... I do sometimes... mommy too. We all need a cuddle after them."
Olivia's lip wobbled as her anxious, brown eyes avoided Toni's, her messy red hair falling over her face. She knew she couldn't get into their bed with her wet pyjamas, her momma would know if she did.
"Livvy?" Toni's voice was soft and concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing momma" she whispered, taking another step back from the bed.
Toni pulled the covers back and rolled gently out of bed, careful not to wake Cheryl. "Come with me" she whispered, taking Liv's clammy hand and leading her down the hall towards her own bedroom.
Livvy followed Toni, their hands clasped, but ran ahead of her when they got to her bedroom. "No momma. You..you can't go in there.." she stood in front of the door.
"Why not?" Toni asked softly, crouching down to Olivia's level to meet her teary eyes. "What's wrong Livvy?"
"Nothing momma" she cried into her hands.
"Hey, hey, shh..." Toni soothed, hooking her hands under Livvy's armpits and trying to pull her up into her arms, stopping when the young girl thrashed and flailed.
"Please momma. Don't..don't..I'm too big for that now.." in reality she wanted nothing more than to snuggle into Toni's arms but she was too anxious about her mom finding out what happened.
"Never too big for cuddles" Toni whispered. "Livvy... is something wrong? What was your nightmare about baby?"
"It..I..I don't remember.." her thumb found it's way to her mouth again, her wet pyjamas uncomfortable against her skin.
"Let me come snuggle in your bed with you, okay?" Toni said gently, leading her into the room.
Olivia shook her head again but Toni had already pushed the door open. Her blankets were on the floor and there was a obvious wet patch in her bed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, i'm sorry."
Toni's nose turned up almost immediately at the faint smell that hung in the air. "Hey... hey, it's okay," Toni whispered. "It's alright, baby, it was an accident... we can clean it up, it's okay."
Olivia hadn't done anything like this for months and it had upset her a lot that this has happened. "...it's bad. It's not what big girls do." She was so upset, she flung her arms tightly around Toni's neck, desperately seeking her comfort.
"Big girls still have accidents," Toni mumbled, wrapping her arms around Liv's waist to pull her close. "It's okay, baby... you've done nothing wrong."
"I promise i'll clean it up.." she sobbed into Toni's chest.
"Sweetie, it's okay," Toni sighed. "I can clean it up... how about we get some new pyjamas for you, and then you can go snuggle with Mommy while I change the sheets, huh?" She frowned as Livvy cried harder. "Olivia... why are you so upset?"
"It happened before one time ... when..when I didn't tell you..when I was at aunt Polly's."
"Oh yeah?" Toni asked gently, still holding her close. She sat down on the chair in Liv's room and guided her onto her knee. "What happened?"
"You'll get wet momma.." she pointed out as Toni lifted her onto her lap.
"I don't mind, I can change" she promised. "Tell me about Aunt Polly..."
"I had a bad dream and..and I had an accident. Dagwood was mean and said that I was a baby and if you and mommy found out you wouldn't let me sleep in a big girl bed anymore."
Toni let out an angry sigh. "Dagwood's immature," she told her daughter. "He's a 12 year old boy with nothing better to do with his time than terrorise his younger cousin. Don't listen to him, baby... he's just kind of sad and he takes it out on you, okay? We're not gonna take your bed away... you're fine. Accidents happen."
"You're not? You promise?" She started to twirl Toni's hair around her hand.
"Promise," Toni smiled. "Now give me a big hug before we get you changed please."
Olivia buried her face in Toni's neck, relief washing over her at the way Toni put her mind at rest.
"You're alright," Toni whispered. "I've got you."
Olivia was so glad that she wasn't in trouble. She clung tightly to Toni as she continued to cry.
"Will mommy be mad? Dagwood said..he said that she can get really mad if you upset her. Is that true? Can she?"
"No, baby," Toni whispered. "Mommy can get mad at Dagwood, for sure... but she loves you so much, Livvy, she won't be mad. She has nightmares too, you know?"
"She...she does? But she's a grown up!"
Toni laughed. "She does... and I do too sometimes. Grown ups can still have bad dreams, baby." Her mind flicked back to countless nights with Cheryl in her arms... nights where she herself would wake up feeling like she was trapped underwater with nowhere to go.
"Oh..." Liv had never realized that."How did you make them go away?"
"Cuddles," Toni smiled. "And love... and sometimes - hot cocoa."
"Cuddles are my favorite. And love..and I like cocoa too." Her eyes sparkled.
Toni laughed. "I tell you what... if you get some new pyjamas on while I change the sheets and you're real quiet and don't wake Mommy, we can go downstairs and have some cocoa. Would you like that?"
"Yes please, I'd love that momma" she hugged her tight again.
"Okay... be quiet though, it's a secret... Mommy might not let me sleep in the same bed as her for a week if she found out," she tickled Liv's side to let her know she was joking.
"Will she be upset she missed out on the cocoa?"
Toni pursed her lips. "Do you think we should invite her to come with us?"
Livvy nodded. "Can I go wake her up once I'm changed? I don't want her to feel sad she missed out."
"Sure, baby," Toni grinned.
As much as Cheryl hated being pulled from her slumber, Toni knew she'd make an exception for her daughter. Liv was her weak point.
Livvy got changed quickly, running into Cheryl and shaking her awake. "Mommy? Mommy.." she whispered, getting into the bed beside Cheryl.
Cheryl mumbled sleepily. "Livvy? Where.." she opened her eyes. "Where's momma? Are you okay?" Her eyes opened fully, starting to panic.
"Momma is in my room. She said we can go down for cocoa in a bit. Are you going to come too?"
"C-Cocoa?" Cheryl asked. "At... at three am? Why?"
"Oh uh.." Liv buried her head under the covers.
"What is it, cheeky?" Cheryl asked, smiling, almost fully awake now. "Come up here... talk to me, or else maybe I'll say no to cocoa."
"I.." she hesitated . "I did a bad thing, but I didn't mean to and momma didn't get mad with me. She said it was okay."
Cheryl rolled over, reaching out to pull Olivia up into her arms and wrapping her in her warmth. “Is that so?” She mumbled.
"Mhmm" Olivia nodded quietly, snuggling into Cheryl.
Cheryl smiled her, looking up to Toni as she walked into the room in one of Cheryl’s tops. “Heard you promised this one hot cocoa?" she said softly, eyebrows raised.
Toni smirked sheepishly. "Did I? I can’t remember...”
"Are you going to come too?" Olivia asked quietly. Normally she would be more relaxed and jokey with her mothers but her nightmare and what had happened were still weighing heavy on her mind.
Cheryl pressed a kiss to her damp forehead. “Of course sweetie... lets go.”
"You..you don't want to know what bad thing I did? If you get mad you might not want to come with us."
Cheryl shook her head. “You don't have to tell me. You can tell me if you want to though.."
Olivia looked anxiously at Toni, not knowing if she should.
“Tell her if you want baby,” Toni smiled. “She won’t be mad.”
"I..I had a bad dream. And then I had an accident in my big girl bed" tears leaked down her cheeks.
Cheryl bit back a smile, happy that Liv had chosen to tell her. Her eyes travelled to Toni’s before going towards Liv. “Really?”
Liv nodded, hiding her face in the pillow.
Cheryl reached out to her, tilting her teary face up to hers. “It’s okay... bad dreams happen to all of us, you’re okay.”
"That's what momma said.." her thumb found its way into her mouth again.
“Momma’s usually right,” Cheryl grinned, looking up at Toni. “Now..did you two say something about cocoa?”
"Momma said we could go down and make some and then have some snuggles. Will you come too mommy? Please?"
“Of course... can’t pass up on time with my favorite girls, can I?”
Toni smiled. “You definitely can’t.”
"Me and momma will always be your favorites right?"
“Obviously,” Cheryl laughed. “No one can beat either of you.”
Liv giggled, getting out of the bed to head downstairs with her parents. "I like being your favorite."
Toni laughed. “I’m glad.” She took Cheryl’s hand and lead her into the kitchen. “Okay... imma make some cocoa and then back to bed for all of us, okay?”
"Can you add some whipped cream to it? Please?" Liv gave Toni her puppy dog eyes that she knew her parents couldn't say no to.
Toni sighed. “Okay then.." she grinned with a mock roll of her eyes, adding it to the cocoa. “Happy now?” She asked, hanging some to her wife and daughter.
"Yep!" She giggled, taking the warm drink. "Can we drink them on the couch?"
“Manners,” Cheryl said softly, smiling.
"Pleassseee?" She added with a sweet smile.
Cheryl grinned. “Okay.” She led Toni over to the couch and pulled her down into her lap, grinning as she curled in.
They’d been together almost 16 years and Toni still couldn't find a position she loved better than sitting in Cheryl’s lap with her arms around her waist and her head on her shoulder.
Liv curled into Cheryl’s other side, all three of them sipping the cocoa silently.
Liv opened her mouth to ask them something but changed her mind at the last minute, sipping her cocoa instead
Cheryl noticed. “Livvy? What’s up?”
"Why are some kids mean? You always said I should be nice and I always am. I just wish everyone was nice back"
Toni shifted, locking eyes with her. “Some people aren’t raised like you are...” she thought about when she’d first met Cheryl. “Who’s being mean to you?”
"Just some mean kids at recess."
Cheryl growled softly. “Who?”
"I don't know mommy."
Toni put her hand on Cheryl’s thigh. “Chill, baby. Livvy - If it gets too much...you tell us, okay? Tell us if we need to step in and say something.”
"No..no you don't. It's okay." She didn't want to tell her moms what they said to her. She knew it would upset them.
“How are they mean?” Cheryl said, definitely not ready to chill.
"Just saying some mean stuff mommy. I ran away from them so they'd stop."
Toni gave a soft laugh, running her hand through her daughter’s hair. “That was a smart move. What kind of mean stuff baby girl?”
"Just about..our family. I don't remember what they said exactly.." even at 6 years old she was aware the impact someone's words could have on others and was trying to shield her moms from that.
“Our family?” Cheryl was fuming. “What about our family?”
“Cheryl" Toni said firmly, sending a warning look to her. Liv was watching them with wide eyes. “Baby... can you tell us, please?”
"I..I don't remember what they said.." she mumbled, putting her cocoa on the coffee table. "I..I'm really tired. Maybe I should just go back up to bed.."
“Olivia, stay here please,” Toni said, scooting off Cheryl’s lap to pull Livvy into hers. “Please tell the truth.”
"I don't want to upset you.." she mumbled, curling into Toni's chest.
“You won’t,” Toni whispered back. “I promise. Me and mommy are strong.”
"They said..said..that..we're not a proper family..cos..cos..." she knew the real reason would upset them. "Cos I don't have a brother or sister.." she lied instead.
Cheryl could tell straight away what Liv meant and gripped Toni's hand tightly. "Really?" She whispered.
"There..I told you..can I go to bed now please?" She moved to climb off Toni's lap.
Toni held her close. "Baby... we need you to tell us the whole truth, please... that's what big girls do... tell their moms the truth, okay?"
"Uhuh" she tensed in Toni's arms but didn't try and run away. "They said.. that..we weren't a proper family cos..cos..i don't have a daddy..."
Cheryl bit her lip. "That's not true, baby...we are absolutely a proper family" she whispered, clutching Toni's hand. "Does it bother you that you don't have a dad?"
"No..because I have the two best mommies ever."
Toni smiled at her, her eyes filling with tears. "They're wrong, Liv... but if you want us to say something, we will."
Livvy hugged both her mothers, one with each arm. "I just didn't want to make you sad."
Cheryl sniffed, smiling. "It's okay, Livvy, we can deal with it... can you, though? Are they the reason for your bad dreams?"
"In my dream, they were saying mean stuff and i couldn't run away and then you and momma were gone and I was on my own."
"Oh, sweetie," Toni whispered. "You'll never be alone, I promise... me and mommy aren't ever gonna leave, okay?"
"Promise?"
"Promise," Cheryl whispered, guiding Livvy's head down into her lap and stroking her fingers through her hair. "We love you."
"Love you both too" she smiled, relaxing with them and falling asleep quickly.
"What happened before she woke me up?" Cheryl turned to her wife, her fingers still playing with Livvy's hair as she slept.
Toni shrugged. "She was really upset that she'd had an accident... said Dagwood took a crack at her last time she went to Polly's... she thought we'd be mad."
"Our poor baby.." she hated the thought of Liv being upset.
"Yeah," Toni whispered. "Are you okay? What those kids said..."
"It sucks..but we always knew there would always be closed minded people out there. I'm just sad our baby has had to come across them at 6 years old."
"How about you TT?"
"I'm alright," Toni smiled up at her. "Kind of tired..."
"That wasn't what I meant TT.." she wasn't sure if Toni was avoiding the question or was just okay.
"I'm okay, Cher, really," Toni said softly. "I just wish it didn't have to be like this... she doesn't deserve it, being picked on because of us..."
"I hate that too. Shall we carry this little muchkin up to bed?"
"Yeah," Toni nodded. "And then... I want a cuddle. And kisses."
"You can always have my cuddles and kisses" she chuckled, scooping Liv up. "Forever and ever."
Toni followed behind her with a happy grin. "You put her down and I'll pack up the cocoa?"
"Will do" she chuckled, carrying Liv back to her bed and tucking her in.
Toni put the mugs in the sink and flicked off the light, traipsing upstairs towards their bedrooms and watching Cheryl and Liv from the doorway silently.
"She's all set" Cheryl smiled, leaving Liv tucked up and heading back to their bedroom together.
As soon as they were back in bed, Toni snuggled up close, letting out a long breath. "I didn't really plan on being up at 3am..." she breathed, running her fingers over Cheryl's waist.
"No..me either babe" she chuckled, Toni's feather light touch causing her to grin.
Toni smiled, her fingers just grazing the light skin of Cheryl's side. "Dyou think she'll be okay, Cher?"
"She will" Cheryl assured her. "It may knock her confidence a little but luckily for her she has two of the *best* mothers to build her back up again."
Toni nodded. "She's really lucky she has you," she whispered. "So am I."
"Oh please.." Cheryl scoffed, waving her comment away. "We're both the lucky ones to have you."
Toni blushed, tilting her head up to look at Cheryl. "I love you, and you're doing such a good job at raising our daughter," Toni whispered.
"Me? Toni stop. You're the amazing mother. I'm just hanging on by your coat tails."
"You're not... you're doing so well... we both are."
"I never had a role model of what a mom is supposed to be. I feel like I'm learning as I go..I just don't want to mess it up."
"You won't mess it up," Toni promised. "I'm learning as I go too... but we're doing it, and she's turning out to be a pretty great kid, hey?"
"She is!" Cheryl agreed. "I didn't know it was possible to feel so much love for anyone besides you."
"Like nothing else in the world. And I wouldn't want to be on this journey with anyone else."
Toni sighed happily, leaning up to take Cheryl's lips in hers in a soft kiss. Not a day went by when she didn't kiss Cheryl at least once, yet never did she think she'd get sick or tired of her lips meeting soft red ones, of the feeling she got when Cheryl kissed her, of the love that they shared in each and every way.