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Lexie couldn't wait for the school bell to ring to signal it was the end of the day. She wasn't sure which of her mother’s was collecting her, but she hoped that whoever was coming would be on time.
She wanted to be home and snuggle on the couch with her favorite stuffed animal- his name was Walter and he was a blue elephant, she’d had it for as long as she can remember.
Unbeknownst to Lexie, Cheryl was hurrying to school, knowing she was probably going to be late. Anyone who knew anything about Cheryl Topaz-Blossom knew that she hated to be late for anything.
But her meeting had overrun and she hadn't been able to get away.
"Lexie. I'm so sorry I was late.." she was almost out of breath when she reached the school yard, Lexie being the last child waiting.
”Mrs Topaz-Blossom, I’d prefer it if you don’t come this late again,” Miss Hathaway mumbled coldly, not giving Cheryl a chance to respond before turning back into the school.
Cheryl could feel her anger at the teacher's rudeness threatening to take over, but it disappeared as soon as it came when she saw how Lexie rushed towards her, coliding into her knees. Cheryl dropped to her knees to greet her daughter in a tight embrace.
"Mommy.." Lexie mumbled quietly, nuzzling her face into Cheryl and throwing her arms around her tightly. "I thought you forgetted about me.."
Cheryl’s heart clenched.
”Of course I didn’t.” She gently brushed her fingers through Lexie’s hair as she brought her out of her embrace. ”I could never forget about you, my little love" she said sincerely.
Lexie clung tightly to Cheryl with one arm, the thumb of her other hand finding it’s way into her mouth. "Will you carry me mommy?" she asked quietly.
That was odd.
Lexie had always been the more outgoing hyper child out of their two children. So her suddenly being clingy was a clear sign that something was up. She figured she’d get them home first so they could talk about it in a safe place, rather in the school yard.
”Of course,” Cheryl answered easily, standing up as she adjusted Lexie against her hip.
Lexie laid her head against Cheryl's shoulder, holding on tightly as they walked to the car. "Will momma and Livvy at home when we get there?"
”Livvy will be home for sure, but momma won’t be home til late today,” Cheryl mumbled softly, slowly opening the door with her free hand, she tried putting Lexie down but the girl held onto her tightly.
"I wanna stay with you.." she whimpered, not wanting Cheryl to put her in her seat.
”You’ll still be with me baby, but we have to get home, okay?” Cheryl cooed softly, squeezing the young girl in her arms gently.
"O..okay.." she sniffled, letting Cheryl put her in her seat, sucking her thumb and cuddling her bunny close.
Cheryl pressed a gentle kiss to her daughter’s forehead, tucking a lock behind her ear before making her way into the drivers seat.
The usually chatty Lexie spent most of the journey home in silence, staring out of the window, lost in her own thoughts.
Cheryl spent the whole car ride racking her brain for what could be wrong, but if Toni had taught her anything, it was that overthinking never helped. So she decided that she’d leave it for now.
”We’re home now bub,” she informed softly, collecting the small girl into her arms.
Lexie clung on tightly when Cheryl picked her up. "Can we snuggle on the couch please?" she asked softly.
”Of course,” Cheryl answered in a heartbeat, unlocking the door with her free hand and stepping inside the house as she put Lexie down.
”Why don’t you go say hi to Livvy first though? She missed you a whole lot,” she crouched in front of her daughter as she waited for an answer.
"Okay mommy.." she nodded in agreement, taking her shoes off and going to find her sister. "Livvy?" she called out, looking for her sister.
Cheryl let out a small sigh as she watched her daughter disappear around the corner, running a hand through her hair as she felt worry flood her whole body.
She really needed her wife.
"Livvy?" Lexie made her way up the stairs, reaching Livvy's closed bedroom door. "Livvy?" she knocked on the door.
"You can come in Lex.." Livvy called. "I'm just doing my homework.." she waited for Lexie to open her door. Usually Lexie bounded in without knocking.
Lexie softly opened the door, stepping in as she looked around timidly, she made her way to Livvy quietly.
"Hey Lex! Did you have a good day?" Livvy smiled at her sister, holding her arm out from where she was sat on the floor doing her homework.
Lexie grabbed onto Livvy’s outstretched arm, her head resting against it softly. ”What are you doing?” she asked in a small voice.
"Just some biology homework" she smiled, noticing how quiet and clingy her sister seemed. "Are you okay bub?"
Lexie stayed quiet as she replayed what the kid at school had said today. Why had she said that her and Livvy weren’t real sisters?
”Sissy, can I ask you something?”
"You can ask me anything at all cutie.." she promised, pulling Lexie gently to sit on her lap.
”Are we real sisters?” Lexie asked quietly, twirling one of Livvy’s red locks around her finger.
"Real sisters?" Olivia was not expecting Lexie to ask that. "Of course we are sweetie. What made you think we're not?"
”I d-don’t know..” Lexie lied as she let out a small sniffle, leaning against her sister.
"Don't cry bubby.." she kissed her cheek, holding her close. "What's got you so upset?"
Lexie stayed quiet as the girls words repeated in her head. If Livvy said they were sisters, then why was the girl from school saying something different? ”I’m not upset Livvy..”
"You don't look very happy to me, Lex." she cuddled her close. "Shall we go downstairs and find mommy?"
Lexie nodded quickly, climbing off her sister’s lap, and waiting for her patiently.
"Come on.." Livvy held out her hand to her sister, walking down the stairs with her.
"Mom?"
”I’m in the kitchen!” Cheryl called out as she finished up the dishes, closing the dishwasher before wiping her hands on a towel.
"Someone's not her usual cheery self tonight.." Liv gestured to Lexie, who was stood by the island with her thumb in her mouth. "Can you go grab my phone from my desk please bear?" she asked her sister, who nodded.
"Something is bothering her.." Liv shared with her mom once she was sure Lexie was out of ear shot.
Cheryl watched her youngest daughter leave with a sigh, nodding to what Liv said. ”I know..she’s been off since I picked her up..did she mention anything to you?”
"Only something really random.." Liv shrugged. "She asked me if we were real sisters. I told her of course we were and asked her why but she said she didn't know. She was clingy though and then she got upset when I asked her why she said she wasn't.”
”I hate it when she's sad mom." Livvy mumbled quietly.
Cheryl thought hard about what her daughter said, her eyes softening at the end of her sentence- it warmed her heart how much Livvy cared about her little sister.
”I know baby,” She gently brought Livvy into her arms. ”But don’t worry about it, okay?”
"Will you talk to her? She totally clammed up when I tried to question her.." Liv hugged her mom tight.
”Of course,” She pressed a soft kiss to Livvy’s hair just as Lexie came back into the kitchen, stretching her hand out to her sister.
”Here Livvy,” the small girl muttered as she held out her phone for her.
"Thanks bub" she took the phone from her sister. "Will you call me when dinner is ready? I have to get my homework done first.." she hoped if she left her sister alone with her mom she would talk to her.
”I will, good luck with your homework my love,” Cheryl said softly, sending her off with another kiss to her head as she focused her attention on her youngest.
”How about those snuggles Lexie bear?”
"On the couch? With the snuggly blanket?" She asked hopefully.
”Yes, on the couch, with the snuggly blanket,” Cheryl chuckled, gently picking Lexie up as she started walking towards the couch, grabbing the blanket up at the same time.
Lexie buried her face into Cheryl's neck, trying to get as close to her mother as possible.
Cheryl cooed softly as she laid down on the couch, covering them both in the cozy blanket as she held her daughter against her. ”What’s wrong hmm?” She asked softly.
"Nothing mommy.." she whispered, snuggling against her mother. One thumb was in her mouth, other reaching up to twirl Cheryl's hair around her fingers.
”Okay..well can you tell mommy what you did in school today?” Cheryl asked, hoping she could get Lexie to open up to her that way.
"Uh..math..writing and recess.." she mumbled, continuing to twirl her mom's hair around her fingers.
”Mmh, did you do anything fun on recess?” Cheryl probed softly, her hand rubbing soft circles on Lexie’s back.
"My tummy was hurting at the end so I sitted by myself on the bench.." she remembered what the kid at school had said, her stomach starting to churn all over again.
Cheryl furrowed her brows in confusion, she doesn’t remember her teacher mentioning anything about Lexie having a stomach ache or something. ”Why was your stomach hurting, baby?”
Lexie shrugged "I don't know mommy" she shrugged. "It's getting all hurty again.." she mumbled.
”Do you have a stomach ache bub?” Cheryl checked, reaching her hand out to rub soothing circles on her daughter's stomach.
"No..” Lexie whispered, her lip wobbling as tears welled in her eyes.
”Okay..does it hurt because of something else?.” Cheryl asked, her heart breaking as she saw how tears quickly welled up in Lexie’s eyes. ”Mommy just needs to know if your stomach hurts because you’re sick..or because of something else..” she reassured.
"I don't know the answer mommy" she cried, trying to burrow under the blanket, worried her mommy wouldn’t be pleased that she didn't know.
She was too young to be able to articulate that her stomach was hurting due to her increasing anxiety. All she knew is her stomach was hurting and she didn't know how to make it stop.
If it wasn’t a stomach ache, Cheryl’s almost certain that it must’ve been something that happened at school that her daughter refused to tell her about.
”Hey..hey, it’s okay, don’t cry my love,” she gently held her daughter against her, brushing her fingers through her hair soothingly.
”Can mommy ask you a question?” She added, hoping it would distract her daughter from the panic she was feeling.
Lexie nodded against Cheryl, although refused to meet her eyes.
”Can you look at me?” Cheryl asked softly, her hand continuing to run through her hair.
Lexie brought her glassy eyes up to meet her mother's slowly.
Cheryl’s eyes softened as their eyes met, wiping the remainder of tears away on Lexie’s face. ”Did something happen at school today?” she asked gently.
"W..what? Why are you asking me that mommy?" There's no way her mother could know anything had happened at school. Lexie hadn’t told anyone. "Nothing happened.”
Cheryl looked at her suspiciously, the way Lexie tensed up when she asked her that was a dead giveaway, but she decided to leave it alone, she hoped that Lexie would come around in her own time.
She hated how she compared herself to her wife in these instances, it felt like Toni was able to get anything out of everyone and she had to struggle to do the same.
”Okay..if you say so baby.” she mumbled quietly.
"I do" she nodded resolutely as she went to climb off Cheryl's lap. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore mommy." It was making her feel sad and she didn't want to say anything. Maybe if she ignored it it would just go away.
Cheryl sighed sad, she decided that maybe it was best to give Lexie her space. Or maybe Toni could try to talk to her, speaking of, her wife should be home anytime now.
Lexie buried herself under the blanket, sniffling quietly, worried that she had upset her mother.
”Would you like to watch a movie?” Cheryl asked, hoping it would get her daughter’s attention.
It did.
"Can we watch Moana again please?" She asked hopefully, peeking out from the blanket.
”Of course..mommy has to start dinner though, is that okay?” She asked as she turned the tv on, coincidentally moana was already up and ready to be played.
"You can't snuggle with me?" she felt anxious, her thumb finding its way to her mouth again.
”Do you wanna wait until after dinner to watch the movie? I’ll be able to watch it with you then."
Lexie shook her head. "I wanna watch it now. I can watch it by myself, it's okay.."
”Are you sure bub?”
"Mhmm" Lexie mumbled quietly, laying herself down on the couch and pressing play on the movie.
”Call me if you need me, okay?” She pressed a kiss to Lexie’s forehead, making her way into the kitchen.
Lexie nodded, settling down to her movie.
...
Toni was relieved to finally be home. She had a long day at work and wanted nothing more than to get home and just spend some time with her family.
She was surprised to find the house quiet when she came through the door. "Anyone home?" she called out, wandering down the hallway.
"Hi baby.." she smiled once she saw her wife, coming up behind Cheryl and wrapping her arms around her. "How was your day?" she hummed, peppering Cheryl's neck with kisses as she hugged her from behind.
Cheryl let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in as soon as Toni wrapped her arms around her, she felt her whole body sink into the body behind her.
”It was...okay?” Cheryl answered shortly. ”What about yours, my love?”
"Only okay?" Toni held Cheryl in her embrace, feeling her wife's apprehension. "My day was nothing out of the ordinary. Tell me more about yours though.." she promoted gently.
At the question, Cheryl couldn’t help but let a few tears slip.
She was so overwhelmed and being in the arms of her wife as she gently asked about her day made her crack immediately.
After over 10 years together, Toni was still the only one able to make Cheryl’s walls crumble that fast.
”Am I enough?” Cheryl whispered quietly, her insecurities immediately bubbling up at the sound of Toni’s gentle voice.
"Enough? Babe...you're so, so much more than that.." she turned Cheryl gently in her arms so they were face to face.
”I feel so useless.”
"Hey..hey.." Toni took a step forward to look at Cheryl, her brow furrowed. She ran her hands down Cheryl's arms until she reached her hands, grasping them lightly. "What's brought all this on baby?"
”There’s something bothering Lexie..a-and I tried to get her to talk about it,” She cut herself off to harshly wipe away the tears that were starting to stream down her face.
”B-but she doesn’t want to t-talk to me. And then I started comparing myself to y-you because you always get everyone to t-talk so e-easily and I don’t” Cheryl muttered brokenly.
Toni wiped Cheryl's tears gently with her thumbs before she pulled her close. "Please don't cry.." she hated to see her wife so upset.
"It's not that she doesn't want to talk to you. Both our girls confide in you just as often as they do me.." she reassured her wife. "She would be the exact same with me if I tried, okay? She'll talk when she's ready.." she trailed her fingers lightly over Cheryl's scalp as she soothed her.
Cheryl nodded weakly, she heard Toni’s words loud and clear, but she still felt uncertain and she knew exactly why.
”Toni..am I like my mother?”
Toni didn’t hesitate.
"There isn't a single bone in you that is even remotely like her.." Toni promised. "You are so loving and caring. Two qualities your mother simply did not possess."
”Do you promise?” Cheryl asked softly, wrapping her arms around Toni’s neck.
"I absolutely promise.." Toni reassured her, wrapping her arms around Cheryl to caress her back gently.
”Okay..thank you.” Cheryl spoke in a small voice as she stayed in her wife’s embrace. ”I know this wasn’t what you envisioned would happen when you got home after already hearing people talk about their problems..I’m sorry if I added to that,” She apologized sincerely.
"Cher...you're my wife. You didn't add to anything. I always want to hear about how you're feeling or what's going on with you, no matter how many people I've listened to okay?"
”I know..I know. I just don’t want you to feel like you can’t come home and relax, just to immediately feel like you’re back at work because you have a literal nutcase for a wife."
"Firstly, you are not a nutcase in any way.." she reassured. "And second, I would much rather come home and hear what's on your mind than you bottle it up because you think I've been listening to people talk all day.."
”But I feel like I’m taking away your chance to get a break from work, and I want you to enjoy the moments at home when you’re off.” Cheryl trailed off as she brushed away a lock from Toni’s eyes.
"Simply being home with all my girls is enough for me." Toni reassured easily.
”Promise?”
”I promise.” she said sincerely
”Good..thank you.”
”You don’t have to thank me Cher..” Toni looked around her, Cheryl was definitely about to begin dinner, so she thought her helping could be a great excuse to spend some time with her.
”How about..I help you with dinner?”
That would..be very nice actually.” Cheryl responded with a small smile, moving out of Toni’s embrace as she started moving around the kitchen.
”Of course. What would you like me to do?" Toni offered.
”Could you..maybe start cutting up the vegetables?”
"Whatever you need.." Toni smiled, taking direction from Cheryl.
....
Dinners at the Topaz-Blossom family house were usually filled with laughter and conversation.
But not tonight.
Lexie, usually being the master of conversations at the dinner table, was completely quiet and barely even touched her food- so yeah, even if she denied it, something was really wrong.
"Are you sure you don't want to try eat a bit more?" Toni checked as she went to clear Lexie's plate away. "How about a few bites hmm?"
Lexie let out a small whimper as she shook her head rapidly. ”I’m sure momma,” she replied quietly.
"Okay sweetie.." she handed the plate to Cheryl before going back to Lexie and holding her arms out. "Come here baby. I've hardly seen you tonight.." she murmured.
Lexie timidly wrapped her arms around her mother. ”I was watching Moana, momma..”
"I saw.." she hummed, settling Lexie on her hip. "Did you have a good day? Normally you've given us a full, in depth report about it by now!"
Lexie nodded against her mother as she ran a small hand through Toni’s locks. ”T’was okay..”
"Only okay?" she pushed gently, walking Lexie though to the living room and signalling for Cheryl to follow.
”Stop momma..” Lexie said quietly, her hand coming to rest on Toni’s neck as she watched her carry her to the living room, her mommy walking behind them.
"Stop what honey?" She sat them down on the couch, adjusting Lexie in her lap.
”Asking questions..” she muttered softly, reaching out a hand to Cheryl once she noticed that she sat down right next to them.
Cheryl happily welcomed her hand as she let her thumb run over Lexie’s knuckles in a soothing manner.
"Am I not allowed to ask my baby how her day was?"
Lexie settled between her two mothers, Toni massaging Lexie's scalp lightly with her finger tips.
The little girl just shook her head in response as she hummed quietly. ”M’not a baby..”
"You're right. You are a big girl now, but I'm your momma so you and Livvy will always be my babies, even when you're grown ups. Mommy's too, right?" she looked at Cheryl.
Cheryl nodded wordlessly, Lexie looking at her with wide eyes. ”Even I’m momma’s baby,” Cheryl added with a chuckle, Lexie’s eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
”But yous not a baby, mommy,” the girl muttered quietly.
"It's just an expression grown ups sometimes use to describe the people they love" Toni tried to explain.
Lexie threw her head back, a small laugh escaping her lips. ”Mommy’s a baby,” she said teasingly, making Cheryl smile widely as she ran a hand through Lexie’s hair.
"Not a baby.." Toni corrected with a smirk. "My baby. When grown ups are together they tend to have lots of names for each other besides their actual name."
”And you call mommy your baby cos you love her?” Lexie asked curiously.
"I don't actually call her my baby" she grinned. "It's usually just baby.."
"Or babe. You say that a lot" Lexie added sincerely.
"I do..” Toni spoke, her heart fluttering. She thought it was cute how Lexie picked up on that.
”But yes, it's because I love her very much."
”Are you saying I’m not your baby?” Cheryl spoke up, pouting playfully, Lexie watching the interaction with a small smile.
"I'm not saying anything of the sort," she winked, please to see Lexie smiling.
”Mmh, I think you just did babe,” Cheryl said with a small chuckle, feeling how Lexie wrapped her arms around her.
"It's okay, you can be my baby,” Lexie said with a gentle smile, making Cheryl audibly aww as she pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head.
"Thank you, my little love.”
"Is there space for momma in this little lovefest?" She pretended to pout that she was left out.
Cheryl opened her other arm, one arm still tightly wrapped around Lexie, inviting Toni in.
"That's more like it.." Toni smiled, snuggling under Cheryl's arm. "You okay bub?" she rubbed Lexie's back as she snuggled into Cheryl.
Lexie just hummed quietly, burying closer into her mommy.
"Looks like you two are all cosy there.." Toni smiled, kissing them both on the head. "I'm gonna go check on Livvy and finish cleaning up from dinner.." she let them snuggle up on the couch together.
Cheryl nodded to her wife, leaning up to peck her lips quickly before she pulled Lexie further into her. They sat there in a comfortable silence after Toni left, Cheryl’s hand running through Lexie’s locks tenderly.
"Mommy?" Lexie asked, breaking the silence. "Was uncle Jason your real brother?"
”Yeah he was. Why do you ask baby?” The question caught Cheryl a little off guard, she still thought about Jason from time to time, but actually being asked about him nowadays was rare.
The question also reminded her of what Livvy had told her earlier, so she sat quietly, waiting for Lex to continue.
"I just..just wondered.." she shrugged, her hand absently playing with Cheryl's hair again. After another period of silence, Lexie spoke again. "Is uncle Fangs momma's real brother?"
Cheryl thought hard about what she was gonna say, Fangs was Toni’s brother, there’s no doubt about it. But he wasn’t her biological brother.
”Have you ever heard of the expression, ’blood doesn’t make family love does’?” she asked softly.
Lexie shook her head. "No..what does that mean mommy?"
”It means that you if you love someone, and you see them as family, then that’s the only thing that matters.” Cheryl said gently. ”It doesn’t matter if you’re related by blood or not.” she added, staying silent to let Lexie process it.
"Oohh..." her eyes widened as she processed things. "Are..are me and Livvy real sisters?" Her voice was so quiet, her thumb immediately finding it's way to her mouth.
”Of course you are,” Cheryl said firmly, but softly, moving Lexie’s thumb out of her mouth as she cupped her cheeks gently. ”Why do you ask baby?”
Lexie averted her gaze with a shrug. "Are you sure mommy?"
”Of course I am. Lexie, did someone tell you that you and Livvy aren’t real sisters?” Cheryl asked gently.
"But I was in momma's tummy and Livvy was in yours.." she ignored her mother's question, wanting hers answered instead.
”That’s very true, but it doesn’t make you less sisters because of that."
"Are you sure? Because she said Livvy isn't my real sister because we look different.."
Cheryl’s heart broke, it upset the red head beyond words that someone would say that to her.
”I’m very sure baby,” Cheryl reassured her easily. ”Remember what I said? The only thing that matters is that you love Livvy and that Livvy loves you, right?”
Lexie nodded, trying to wrap her head around all this. Was her mommy saying it because they weren't real sisters? It was all so confusing.
”It’s a little confusing, I know, but you never have to doubt that you and Livvy aren’t sisters, cause you are." she said with a firm, but gentle tone, hoping it would get through to her daughter. ”It doesn’t matter if you came from momma’s belly, and Livvy from mine, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re sisters, okay?”
Lexie nodded, finally starting to piece it together. ”And..you're still my mommy right?" She hugged Cheryl super tight as she asked.
”I’m still your mommy,” Cheryl reassured her. ”It’s kind of the same thing there, just because you didn’t come from me doesn’t mean I’m not your mommy,” she said softly, her arms wrapping around her daughter tightly as she pressed a kiss to her head.
Lexie felt relaxed about the situation now that she knew had been reassured. "You and momma are the best mommies in the whole world..."
Cheryl’s heart fluttered.
”You and Livvy are the best daughters in the whole world,” Cheryl said softly, pulling Lexie out of her embrace shortly so she could see her face.
”Do you have any more questions baby?” she asked.
"Uhhhh..".she thought about it for a bit before shaking her head. "I can't think of any mommy."
Cheryl slowly got up from the comfortable couch, Lexie still in her arms. ”Are you sure?” she probed gently as she made her way upstairs.
Come to think of it..Lexie did have another question.
"Will you and momma have any more babies?"
Cheryl stopped for a second in shock before she continued walking, heading for her and Toni’s room. ”No, I don’t think so baby,” she answered honestly.
"So I won't ever get to be a big sister like Livvy?" she whispered, tears in her eyes.
”Is that something you’d like to be?” Cheryl asked softly, rubbing soothing circles on Lexie’s back.
"Uhuh. I wanna be a big sissy like Livvy is."
Cheryl was at a loss of what she should say, she and Toni hadn’t talked about the possibility of a third child. ”We’ll see bub. How about we started getting ready for bed first, okay?” she suggested.
"Okay mommy.." she pouted. "Will you read me a bedtime story?"
”If that’s what you want,” Cheryl said softly, setting Lexie down on the floor. ”Do you wanna go get momma?”
Lexie nodded. "I'll go find her.." she ran off down the hallway.
"Momma? Will you come read a story with mommy?"
"I'll be up in 2 minutes.." Toni called up. "Get ready and I'll be up soon.."
Lexie nodded quietly to herself as she made her way back into her mommies room.
”Come on bub, let’s get into our pyjamas and brush our teeth before momma comes up,” Cheryl was already holding Lexie’s pyjamas in her hands when she got back in.
Lexie nodded quickly, rushing to get ready by doing everything but brush her teeth and put her pyjamas on. "Momma's here.." she squealed when she saw Toni at the door.
”Well come here then silly,” Cheryl said through a laugh, crouching down so she could help Lexie put her pyjamas on.
"Is my little pumpkin ready for bed yet?" Toni grinned, coming into the room.
”I need to brush my teef first,” Lexie exclaimed, disappearing into their bathroom.
Cheryl used that to her advantage, walking over to her wife and wrapping her arms around her neck as she looked at her lovingly. ”Kiss me,” she whispered softly.
"Always. Everything okay?" she checked, pulling her close and kissing her softly.
Cheryl hummed against her lips, a hand coming up to cup Toni’s cheek gently. ”Mmh, I just wanted to be close to you,” she mumbled.
"All the best people do.." she winked, kissing Cheryl again.
Cheryl pulled away with a roll of her eyes, shoving Toni playfully. ”You’re so annoying.”
"But you love me anyway, right?" she pulled Cheryl close again with another smirk.
”Mmh, debatable,” Cheryl said through a chuckle.
"Oh that's how it gonna be tonight?"
Toni loved the easy banter she always had with her wife.
”That’s exactly how it’s gonna be tonight,” Cheryl said amused as she ran her fingers through Toni’s hair, leaning in to press a small kiss to her cheek.
"Maybe we can have some 'us' time later?" she raised her eyebrows suggestively. "What do you think?"
”Mmh, define ’us’ time,” Cheryl said, scratching her nails comfortably against Toni’s scalp.
"You and me...alone...naked.." she hummed, relaxing into Cheryl's touch.
Cheryl clamped her hands over Toni’s mouth. ”Toni!” she exclaimed in a quiet whisper. ”Don’t say that here, our daughter is in the bathroom.”
"She's brushing her teeth, she can't hear me.." Toni reassured the redhead.
”You’re so cheeky,” Cheryl said through a small laugh, her hands finding their way back to Toni’s hair.
"So you like my idea?" she wanted to sound her wife out before Lexie reappeared.
”I do...but we have some things we need to talk about first..” Cheryl tensed up, feeling anxious about talking to her wife for the first time in a long time.
"Of course. What do we need to talk about? Is everything okay?" she could see how Cheryl had tensed up and it worried her.
”Let’s just wait until Lexie’s in bed, okay?” she asked quietly, Lexie coming out of the bathroom right on time.
”I’m done mommies!!” Lexie exclaimed, smiling widely as to show them that she really brushed her teeth.
”Great job baby!” Cheryl encouraged, stepping out of Toni’s embrace to grab Lexie’s hand, motioning for Toni to go along with them.
"Have you picked out which story we're reading tonight?" Toni moved towards the bed.
”Can you tell me the story of how you and mommy met again..?” Lexie asked with hopeful eyes, crawling into her bed as she waited for her mommies.
Toni nodded happily, knew how much Lexie loved that story, so she took her time to tell it just the way Lexie liked.
As predicted, Lexie was asleep long before it was over, Toni and Cheryl tiptoeing from the room to let her sleep.
Cheryl grabbed a hold of Toni’s hand nervously as soon as they got out of Lexie’s room, playing with her fingers for a short moment before she looked at her wife. ”Should we go to our room?” she asked quietly.
Toni nodded, squeezing Cheryl's hand gently and leading her to their bedroom. "Is this a conversation we need to have with the door locked?"
They only locked the door if it was something they didn't want their girls to overhear.
”Yeah, just incase,” Cheryl said softly, sitting down on the bed after she locked the door, playing with Toni’s fingers in her lap without saying a word.
"Hey.." Toni got her attention softly, tucking some of her wife's red hair behind her ear. "Talk to me baby..what’s on your mind?"
”Lexie finally came around and talked to me..” she started, scooting closer to her wife for comfort.
”Someone at school had told her that she and Livvy aren’t real sisters because they don’t look the same.” she said through a deep sigh.
Toni eyes softened in understanding as she took in Cheryl's words. "Oh god."
Poor Lexie, no wonder she had been so quiet.
”I hate it Toni.” Cheryl said, turning towards her wife.
”They’d never say that if it weren’t for the fact that we’re two moms..”
”And I hate it even more that it’s effecting Lexie.” she barely whispered.
"I know..I get it.." she hated that it was affecting her too. "Some people are still so prejudiced towards us."
”I’m sorry Toni.”
"Why are you sorry baby? You've got nothing to be sorry for."
Cheryl shrugged. ”I just feel bad, my love,” she mumbled through a sigh.
"Come here.." Toni pulled Cheryl tenderly into her arms, rubbing her back gently.
Cheryl let herself sink into her wife’s embrace, both sitting in silence as they processed.
”There’s one more thing we need to talk about..” The red head mumble her body going tense as she interupted the comfortable silence.
"We can talk about anything Cher..." she ran her hands up and down Cheryl's arms gently to sooth her, seeing how tense she was.
Cheryl let out a deep sigh.
”Anything?”
"Anything at all.." she reassured her quietly. "You know that my love.."
”Mmh..Lexie mentioned how she wants to be a big sister like Livvy and asked me if we were going to have another baby..” Cheryl spoke lowly, looking down at the floor distractedly.
”I told her it’s not something we’ve talked about..but now that she’s mentioned it I can’t stop thinking about it.” Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence, nervous about how Toni would react.
Toni ran her thumb soothingly over Cheryl's hand.
"It's perfectly natural to get broody when talking about babies. What is it that you're thinking? Is it something you'd like to do?"
Cheryl sat up slowly as she looked at Toni, her anxieties disappearing the second their eyes met.
”I don’t know,” she answered honestly. ”Is it something you’d like to do?”
"I adore our girls and our family. Would I love to have another baby with the love of my life? Of course I would. But I am also perfectly happy with things just as they are. What about you?"
”I’m perfectly happy with how things are too..” Cheryl said honestly, leaning her forehead against her wife’s.
”But if you’re up for it and don’t mind taking care of a very hormonal and pregnant Cheryl, or it be me taking care of you- it’s something i’d like to do..”
"You would?" Toni was so happy to hear that, a wide grin spreading across her face.
Cheryl nodded with a teary smile.
"Me too" Toni whispered against her lips.
”Really?” Cheryl asked with a little smile.
"Really, really.." Toni nodded softly.
Cheryl smiled widely at that, burying her face into Toni’s neck. ”I don’t know why I was so nervous to talk about this..” she mumbled into her neck, wrapping her arms around Toni’s waist.
"It’s okay..I understand." she hummed as she played with the baby hairs on the back of Cheryl's neck.
”Who do you think should carry?” The red head asked after a little while.
"We've each carried so I honestly don't mind. You haven't carried for years though babe. Is carrying again something you'd want to do?"
”I really want to, but if it’s something you’d rather do I’m fine with that."
"If you'd like to carry again, you go right ahead baby. Me and pregnancy were not exactly the best of friends.."
”Mmh I know, but you looked so cute,” Cheryl hummed, a hand coming up to twirl one of Toni’s locks around her finger.
"As did you.." Toni remarked, resting a hand over Cheryl's flat stomach. "Your bump was adorable."
”Please, I looked like a beached whale,” Cheryl said through a chuckle
"No you didn't. You looked beautiful" Toni smiled.
”You’re just saying that because you’re my wife.”
"Not at all. I'm saying it because it's the truth."
”You’re so whipped Toni.,” Cheryl chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her wife’s neck.
"Says you!" She chuckled. "We both know who's really the whipped one here.."
Cheryl sat up, staring at her wife. ”How am I the whipped one?” she exclaimed.
"Relax .." Toni smirked, her hands moving to Cheryl's shoulders to massage them gently.
”Don’t tell me to relax,” Cheryl said, a small pout forming on her lips as she looked at her wife.
"Now now..come on Cher. No need to pout.." she kissed Cheryl's pout. "How about you let me take that pout off your face?" she suggested.
Cheryl hummed, incredibly intrigued. ”And how would you do that, my love?”
"I can think of a few ways to do that" she husked. "But I think you have a few too many clothes on for most of them.."
”Oh?” Cheryl straddled Toni swiftly.
”What do you suggest we do about that?” she asked, her nails scratching at Toni’s scalp lightly.
"I'll give you one guess.." she teased, her hands moving under Cheryl's shirt to caress her sides.
”Mmh, why don’t you just show me instead?”
Toni wasted no time, immediately pulling Cheryl's shirt over her head. "Take these off baby.." she tugged lightly at Cheryl's jeans.
Cheryl stood up with a roll of her eyes, slowly unbuttoning her jeans as she looked at Toni with a teasing smile.
Toni watched with a happy smile, feeling her own arousal growing.
Once Cheryl’s jeans were off, she slowly walked back to Toni, straddling her again.
”I missed this.”
Her hands came up to cup her wife’s cheeks, leaning in to kiss Toni needily.
"I have too..it's been too long.." Toni returned the kiss, her hands cupping Cheryl's ass to pull her closer.
The red head let out a tiny whimper as she pressed herself closer to her wife. ”You’ll miss it even more with a newborn,” Cheryl hummed.
"Better make the most of it while we can then.." she smirked, kissing Cheryl deeply, her hands coming around Cheryl's back to unclasp her bra.
Cheryl kissed her back just as passionately, helping Toni get her bra off.
"This is a view I've really missed.."
Cheryl blushed slightly, her hands resting on Toni’s neck as her thumbs brushed along her jawline.
”Touch me.” she hummed.
Toni let her thumb grace lightly across Cheryl's nipple. "Like this?" she smirked.
”That’s barely counted as touching,” Cheryl pouted.
"Tell me what you want my love."
”Mmph,” Cheryl whimpered, pressing herself harder against Toni. ”J-Just..I want you to touch me.”
Toni eased Cheryl back onto the bed, placing teasing kisses down her neck and chest, inching closer down her body.
Cheryl let out a small moan, hips bucking into Toni. Just as she was about to remove the pink haired girl’s shirt, a loud knock echoed through the room.
"Mommy? Momma? Why is the door locked?” A small voice exclaimed from the other side of the door, Cheryl letting out a small sigh of frustration.
”Will you get it?” Cheryl asked her wife sweetly. ”And can you give me my shirt?”
"Just coming Lex.." she called, tossing Cheryl's shirt towards her.
”Why was the door locked momma?” Lexie questioned as she made her way inside their bedroom.
"Sometimes grown ups need some time alone.." she hoped Cheryl wasn't too displeased at being interrupted. “what are you doing up anyway pumpkin?"
”Why? What do you need time alone for?" Lexie asked through a yawn, ignoring her mother's question as she clung onto her leg.
"Grown up things that you're far too young to hear about.” her hand fell to Lexie's back, she rubbed soothing circles into it as she knelt down to her daughter's height.
"Lex? What's wrong?" Lexie rarely got out of bed like this after she had gone to sleep.
”Just thinking bout a lot of things momma,” Lexie muttered tiredly, leaning against her mother.
"Oh yeah? Tell me about them.." she picked Lexie up and sat her on their bed.
Cheryl shuffled forward from her position in bed, placing a comforting hand against Lexie’s shoulder, rubbing her thumb against it soothingly.
”Is it about what we were talking about before?” she asked gently, earning a small nod from Lexie.
"Mommy told me what was making you sad.." Toni told their youngest quietly. "And it's okay to be thinking about it."
”But why would they say that?” Lexie asked quietly, fiddling with the covers of their bed.
"Because some kids are mean. And others just simply don't understand that some families have two moms or two dads instead of a mom and a dad."
Lexie decided that she was pleased with the answer she received, leaning into Toni’s side fully. ”I'm the luckiest cos I have the bestest mommies ever" Lexie yawned sleepily, her eyes drooping significantly.
"You do indeed.." Toni chuckled, pleased to see Lexie already dozing off again.
”I don’t like mean people momma..” Lexie barely whispered as sleep consumed her body, her breathing evening out.
"Neither do we Lex...neither do we.." she waited a while before daring to move incase she woke their youngest up.
"Who's carrying her back to bed?" she checked with her wife.
”I can do it,” Cheryl said softly, getting out of bed as she gently took Lexie into her arms, the girl sleepily cuddling into her mother. ”See you soon,” Cheryl winked as she left the room.
"Hurry back.." Toni had missed the one on one time and was keen to spend some alone time with Cheryl.
…
Cheryl tucked Lexie into bed, planting a kiss to the girl's forehead before making her way back to their room.
Somehow that brought back all the feelings of having a newborn, and Cheryl couldn’t stop thinking about it .
Once inside, she closed the door behind her softly and returned to her place on Toni’s lap. ”Should we do it then?” she questioned, her mind far away from sex by this point.
"Do it? Cher, come on.. we've been married for how long? Since when did we ever call sex 'doing it'." Toni couldn't help but chuckle.
”No..um, I’m sorry.” Cheryl apologized quickly, cupping Toni’s cheeks tenderly. “I didn't mean sex. I guess my mind is somewhere else right now." she mumbled.
"I want to be wherever you are so tell me.. what's on your mind?"
”What I was referring to was; should we go through with the whole baby thing, and are you sure that’s something you’d like to do?”
"Am I sure? With you Cher, I'm totally sure.."
”You really mean that?” Cheryl’s eyes softened significantly as her thumb brushed over Toni’s cheek affectionately.
"I really mean that" she agreed with a soft smile.
Cheryl smiled widely at that, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Toni’s lips. ”I love you so much..”
"I love you too.." Toni grinned, holding Cheryl close.
Cheryl’s heart fluttered at the words- they still had the same effect on her. ”You mean the world to me, Toni.” she whispered softly.
"You and our girls are the best things to have ever happened to me."
”You’re gonna make me cry" Cheryl warned, looking at Toni with glossy eyes.
"Oh, we don’t want that..” Toni cooed as she cupped Cheryl’s cheeks.
”But I fully mean this when I say that my love for you has never been stronger.." Toni pulled her cheeks close tenderly with a kiss.
Cheryl smiled into the kiss, letting her hand fall to Toni’s neck as she pulled her closer still.
"Now..let me show you exactly how much I love you" she pulled Cheryl on top of her, grinning into their kiss.
"Be my guest.." Cheryl grinned. "The rest of my night is reserved only for you."
And make the most of it they did.