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“I can’t believe you after everything we’ve been through?” Cheryl said practically yelling as she threw Toni’s phone down.
“Babe, I’m not cheating on you!”
“Then who is Rose?”
Toni went to grab her wife’s hand but she pulled away, “Rose is one of the Serpents, she was asking me some questions about her motorbike, feel free to read the messages if you haven’t already.”
“I can’t trust you, not after all that we went through last year with your affair,” Cheryl said throwing herself onto the couch.
Toni sat down next to her, “I fucked up Cher, big time it was a mistake, one that I will never make again.”
Cheryl chuckled, “Toni, that’s really hard for me sit here and believe. I was grieving over losing our child, while you were out hooking up with some slut in a hotel room.”
“Cher, I fucked up.”
“Is that all you really have to say?”
Toni sighed, “What do you want me to say? I was grieving too.”
Cheryl couldn’t even bare to look at her wife, “You make me sick.”
“Cheryl, I’m not going sit here and play like I’m a victim or that I’m this great amazing person because I’m not. What I did was awful I’ll own up to that. But I promise you, I’ll never put you through that again.”
Cheryl stood up throwing her hands up, “You should of never put me through that to begin with, what happened to you Toni you used to be so loyal and sweet, now when I look at you it’s almost like I don’t know who you are anymore.”
“I’m still the same woman you married eight years ago.”
Cheryl shook her head, “No you’re not, the lying, the cheating and let’s not act like I haven’t noticed your drinking problem.”
Toni inhaled deeply, “Then why are you with me?”
“Because I love you! In a crazy messed up way and maybe I’m holding onto something that isn’t even there anymore.” Cheryl shouted.
Toni raised an eyebrow, “Are you saying I don’t love you?”
“If you loved me you wouldn’t of done what you did, you would never of put me through that. You made me feel like I wasn’t enough for you. Which hurts because when were teenagers you always made me feel like I was more than enough. Even in the first part of our marriage, then it’s like something just changed, you changed.”
Toni sighed, “I was hurting, okay is that what you want to hear? I was hurting because we lost our child, it hurt me seeing you hurt. That’s when the drinking came in, then you and I weren’t having sex or even really being affectionate. None of that is an excuse, but don’t ever sit here and tell me that I don’t love you. If I didn’t love you I wouldn’t of called off the affair, I have never looked at her or any other woman since. Because all I think about is you, you’re all I want.”
Tears were falling down Cheryl’s cheeks, she turned her head so that her gaze was now on the floor, it was hard for her to look at the girl in front of her, “Get out.”
Toni raised an eyebrow, “What?”
“Leave, go stay with Sweet pea or whoever, I can’t stand the site of you right now.”
“We were doing fine up until, you saw a text from some chick now you’re bringing all this stuff back up. I thought we were past this?”
Cheryl shook her head, “I don’t think I can ever get past it, just go stay with Sweet pea for the night or with whoever, I don’t care as long as it isn’t here.”
Toni scoffed, “You can’t be serious.”
Cheryl wouldn’t even look at her she just kept her eyes on the floor not saying a word.
“Cher?” She said making her way over to her wife trying to pull her in her arms, Cheryl shoved her back.
“Fine, if that’s what you really want then I’m gone,” Toni shouted.
-
“Can I crash here for tonight?” Toni said as Sweet pea opened the door to his apartment.
“Of course, you and red get into it or something?”
“You could say that,” Toni said throwing herself onto Sweet peas couch.”
“Here, looks like you could use one,” He said handing her a beer.
“Thanks,” She said taking a quick swig out of the bottle.
Sweet pea sat down next her running his hand through his hair, “What happened?”
Toni let out a loud groan, “She doesn’t trust me.”
Sweet pea shot Toni a look, “I don’t mean to sound like a dick because you’re like my sister, but can you blame her?”
Toni looked over at the boy with a glare, “Thanks for making me feel better Sweets.”
“Look all I’m saying is what you did was shitty, I told you that when I found out. I mean once your partner cheats on you it’s kind of hard to trust them.”
Toni threw her head back, “I don’t know what to do I want to be with her, I know what I did was wrong. She’s the woman that I love and now she thinks I don’t love her.”
“You never told me, why did you cheat on red?”
Toni sighed, “Because I’m an idiot.”
Sweet pea chuckled, “That’s your reasoning?”
Toni rolled her eyes, “Do you want me to sock you in the throat?”
The boy sighed, “What was really your reasoning?”
Toni shrugged, “We were both dealing with losing a child, I feel like after that Cheryl and I just hit a rough patch in our marriage. I started drinking to cope with the pain, hell I’m still drinking to cope with the pain. I don’t even know how the cheating happened I just remember that for the longest time Cheryl would barley talk to me. I tried so hard to comfort her, to be there for her. She acted like I just wasn’t there when I was hurting too. It hurt me seeing her hurt the way she was, but it hurt me more that my wife wasn’t there for me, because I was hurting too. One night I went to the Whrym for a drink and there was this brunette, she had a couple of tattoos and a nose piercing. Some guy kept harassing her and me being the person I am said something to him causing a fight. After that she thanked me and bought me a drink we got to talking and then before I knew it we were hooking up in the bathroom at the Whrym.”
Sweet pea was at a loss for words, “Yeah see I didn’t know the extent to that whole situation.”
“Well now you do and I’m not saying what I did was right because it wasn’t. I honestly wish that it never happened or at least that it only happened that one time.”
“How did red even find out? You never really told me, I just remember that you had to crash here and you told me you didn’t want to talk about it.”
“I left my phone laying on the kitchen table like an idiot and the chick sent me a dirty text followed by a nude. I guess Cheryl just so happened to see it when it popped up.”
“Did you have feelings for her?” Sweet pea questioned.
Toni almost choked on her drink, “Not at all, literally all we did was have sex. I didn’t take her out on dates, I didn’t tell her that I loved her, there were no strings attached, to me she was literally just some girl. Cheryl is the woman that I love and I wish I could take it all back, do things differently, but I don’t think there is anything I can do to fix it.”
Sweet pea sighed, “I don’t really know what to tell you, I’ve never been in a situation like this before.”
Toni groaned while resting her face in her hands, “How could I be so stupid.”
“Well, this could be a long shot of an attempt, but maybe you could try showing her how much you care. Maybe it might possibly help and make her see that you do love her.”
“How am I going to do that if she doesn’t want me at the house?”
Sweet pea took a deep breath, “I honestly have no clue I say you should just sleep on it, think more about it tomorrow.”
-
“What Toni did to you was unforgivable, I honestly don’t understand why you stayed with her after finding out what she did,” Veronica said as she poured Cheryl a glass of wine.
Cheryl shrugged, as Veronica went to hand her the glass she shook her head, “I’m not in the right head space to drink.”
“Suit yourself,” She said downing what was in the glass.
“Is it bad that I miss Toni?”
Veronica nearly spit out her drink, “Part of me wants to say yes, then theres a part of me that knows you and Toni had something special. The kind of relationship that most people would dream of. So no I can’t really tell you that it’s bad, although it’s not good. Considering what she did, don’t get me wrong I love Toni. What she did though was just cruel I honestly couldn’t believe she did that at all.”
It was silent for a moment, Cheryl had been contemplating on telling Veronica something she hasn’t told anyone. Not even Toni. Something that has been weighing on her a lot recently.
“Veronica, can I tell you something?”
Veronica nodded.
She took a deep breath she went to say what she had been wanting to say the moment Veronica walked through the door. Before she knew it she started to feel consumed with emotions, she began to sob.
“Cheryl?” Veronica said sitting her glass down making her way over to Cheryl, pulling her into her arms.
“Hey, it’s okay I’m here. What’s wrong?” She said as she rubbed her hands up and down the girls back.
“I-“ She hesitated.
“You what?” Veronica said becoming more worried than she was when she first walked through the door.
“I’m pregnant.”
Veronica was taken aback, “How?”
Cheryl took a deep breath before wiping at her tears, “I haven’t told anyone this, Toni and I after all that happened. We started trying again thinking maybe it would fix things. I found out a week ago, I just haven’t told Toni. I haven’t told her because I don’t think she can handle a kid, I don’t think either of us can. I feel like we really didn’t think this through, we were just so focused on trying to fix our marriage we didn’t even take into consideration what we would be bringing this kid into.”
“I can’t say that I blame you for not telling her, So what do you want to do about the
situation? Veronica questioned.
“I don’t know, I’m conflicted with everything. I haven’t talked to Toni since we got into it last night, part of me wanted to text her. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
“Well all I know is the ball is in your court, whatever it is you decide to do just know I’m here.”
Cheryl looked over at the raven haired girl with a smile, “I appreciate it V.”
-
Toni had been contemplating for days on texting to Cheryl or just even what she could do to try and fix things. So here she was standing outside of their apartment with a bouquet of flowers along with a cherry phosphate from pops. She knocked twice before she was greeted by her wife.
“What do you want?” Cheryl said crossing her arms.
“I want to talk.”
“We have nothing to talk about.”
Toni sighed, “Cher please, look I even brought you this.” She said handing her the flowers along with the phosphate.
“You think flowers and soda will fix the situation?”
“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry and before you say it I know sorry doesn’t exactly fix anything. I just want you to know that you really are the woman that I love. I wish I had never done what I did, that girl meant literally nothing to me. No girl has ever made me feel the way you do. It honestly makes me sick thinking about what I did and how it happened.”
Part of Cheryl wanted nothing more than to grab Toni and never let her go. Only thing was the part of her that knew it was wrong had a little more sense than that.
“But, you can’t take it back. You can’t go back and fix it, why did you even come here? You’re just making this harder on me.”
Toni grabbed Cheryl’s hand before saying her next words, “Because you’re still my wife and I can’t stand the thought of not being with you. I know you feel it too you’re just too stubborn to admit it.”
Cheryl looked down at their hands she hadn’t even noticed that her thumb was rubbing small circles over Toni’s hand, “Come on Cher let me come home, I promise I’ll try and be better. You won’t ever have to worry about me straying away again.”
She let out a deep breath, “Toni, I think we just need sometime apart, maybe you should still stay with Sweet pea for a few days, I don’t think we’re good for each other.”
“So what you want to get a divorce?” Toni said sounding angry.
“I-“ Cheryl hesitated for a moment.
“You what?”
She wanted to tell Toni right then, but she couldn’t get the words out. She wanted to tell her that she was pregnant. She knew though if she did it would only make things worse.
“I don’t know, you should go.”
“Seriously?” Toni scoffed.
“I don’t want to deal with this right now Toni, I’m tired of everything. I told you I need my space so can you at least give me that?”
“Whatever Cheryl, I tried take your time.” She said before walking off.
Before Cheryl knew it she was crying, and she didn’t know why everything just hurt. It was all becoming too much.
Toni was driving around trying to clear her head, she had thought about going to a bar for a drink. She had to mentally slap herself when that thought crossed her mind, because that’s where all of her and Cheryl’s problems came from.
She couldn’t get the girl out of her mind, all she wanted was to go home and be with her wife. She knew that was out of question though, what she did know was that her heart hurt. The whole ordeal is driving her insane, she can’t eat, can’t sleep, she’s love sick. Her mind kept wandering to her and Cheryl’s high school years. They used to be so happy, she used to be a better partner. She honestly couldn’t even think of what made that change, her and Cheryl used to have this great amazing relationship one that Toni had never had before. She still remembers the first time she ever laid eyes on her wife, she remembers being truly mesmerized by everything about the girl.
Toni groaned as she felt her phone buzz, she pulled it out of her pocket and of course it was Sweet pea.
“What is it Sweets, I’m kind of driving right now.”
“I was worried about you, you haven’t answered any of my texts and you’ve been gone for a few hours.”
“I stopped by to talk to Cheryl and of course that didn’t go so well, I just needed to clear my head.”
“Well I ordered a pizza and stopped by the convenient store for some beer, thought maybe we could crack out on the PlayStation?”
Before Toni could give the boy an answer she was taken by surprise when a huge Semi-truck came out of nowhere she went to try and get of the way then it was too late, it was all a blur after that all she saw was black, she could hear Sweet pea on the line calling her name, that’s the last thing she remembers.
-
Cheryl was woken up to loud knocks coming from the front door, she grabbed her robe before answering.
“Sweet pea?” She said surprised.
“Red-“ was all he could say Cheryl noticed that he was out of breath, he also looked very distraught. Not to mention it looked like he had blood on his shirt. Which caused her heart to drop she was not prepared for what the dark haired serpent was about to tell her.
“It’s Toni I don’t know how to say this, we were on the phone while she was out driving around. The line went silent, I couldn’t hear anything so I got on my bike and I just drove around trying to see if I could find her. That’s when I saw an ambulance over by the Riverdale Register they had someone on a stretcher. So I hopped off my bike and ran over, it was Tiny. She was unconscious and all banged up, I rode up to the hospital with them its bad Cheryl.”
She couldn’t speak, she sunk to the floor her ears felt like they were ringing, she began to sob uncontrollably, “Hey,” Sweet Pea said dropping down next her.
“I shouldn’t of told her to leave, then maybe this wouldn’t of happened. It’s my fault I should of just let her come home.”
The boy shook his head, “It’s not your fault, it’s going to be okay, Tiny is a fighter you know how many injuries I’ve seen her in?” Sweet pea felt bad because what he just said was a lie he knew Toni was a fighter, but this was different from any injury Toni has ever had. He was honestly terrified, he was just trying to stay strong for Cheryl’s sake.
“I want to see her, I have to go see her,” Cheryl said standing up making her way into their bedroom.
Sweet pea followed behind her, “I’ll take you to go see her, but first I think you should take a breather.”
Cheryl shot the boy a glare, “I don’t need to take a breather, I need to see my wife.” She said tossing some clothes onto the bed.
“Fine, suit yourself,” Sweet pea sighed.
-
When they made it up to hospital Cheryl made a beeline to the front desk, “How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Antoinette Topaz.”
The lady began typing on her computer, “Whats your relation to the patient?”
“I’m her wife.”
The lady nodded, “Okay, looks like they have her in the ICU right now.”
“So can I see her?”
“I’m afraid not.”
Cheryl couldn’t take it anymore she was overwhelmed and upset she was about to snap, “Why not? I’m her wife she needs me and I need her what the fuck?”
“Ma’am you’re just going to have to wait.”
“For how long?”
The lady sighed, “Maybe an hour or two.”
Cheryl laughed she was about to say more when Sweet pea pulled her to the side, “Red I get that you’re upset, we’re just going to have to wait okay? So let’s go sit down.”
He had to practically pry Cheryl away from the desk, when they sat down she rested her head on the boy’s shoulder, “I called Veronica, Betty, Fangs, Archie, and Jughead. They’re all on their way up here.”
Cheryl just nodded, “Do you want anything? Coffee, some food?”
She shook her head, “I just want Toni,” She said in between sobs.
Sweet pea rubbed his hand up and down the girls side, “I know.”
“Sweet pea?” The girl whispered.
“Hmm?”
She sat up so that she was facing the boy, “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“I’m pregnant.”
The boy was at a loss for words, “Did I hear that correctly, did you just say you’re pregnant?”
Cheryl nodded before saying it again, “I’m pregnant.”
Sweet pea took a deep breath, “I didn’t even know that you guys were trying again.”
“Yeah, we didn’t tell anyone. We honestly didn’t even think about anything when we started trying, we just thought it would fix our marriage.”
“Does Tiny know?”
“No, I didn’t tell her. I didn’t think she could handle it, hell I didn’t even think I could handle it.”
“I don’t even know what to say, I mean you are going to have it right?”
Cheryl sat there a moment, “I’m not going to lie I was having second thoughts about having it. Because I honestly didn’t even know if I wanted to be with Toni and I didn’t want a baby in the mix. You know Toni better than me probably and you know that if I told her it would just make things worse it would make her want to stay with me even more. I didn’t know if I wanted that.”
“Well what do you want?” The boy questioned.
“With everything that’s happened her getting in this accident, it made realize a lot of things. One of those things being I can’t be without her the thought of her not being here hurts. I want to try and make it work, I want her to come home.”
Sweet pea nodded he was about to say something else when the gang arrived, Cheryl was immediately swarmed by everyone asking her if she was okay, pulling her in for hugs.
“How is she?” Fangs asked.
“We don’t know,” Sweet pea spoke up.
“They haven’t told you anything?” Archie chimed in.
“They told us we would have to wait an hour or two.”
Jughead shook his head, “How long have you guys been sitting here?”
“An hour at most,” Cheryl said.
Right when Cheryl said that a doctor approached them, “Are you guys here for Antoinette?”
Everyone nodded, “How is she?” Fangs asked.
“She’s stable, she had some broken ribs a broken leg. She’s still unconscious we don’t know when she’ll wake up.”
“Can we see her?” Sweet pea asked.
“One person can go in, I’m afraid all of you can not.”
Sweet peas eyes immediately averted to Cheryl, “Let Red go,” The boy spoke up.
Cheryl looked at the boy with a soft smile, “We’ll all be out here, go see your wife.”
Cheryl nodded while following the doctor, when she made her way into the room she rushed over to her wife’s side. It hurt her to see Toni like this, she pulled up a chair grabbing Toni’s hand.
“I know you can’t hear me, but I’m so sorry TT, I should of let you come home. I can’t help but feel like this is my fault.” Cheryl said resting her forehead against their hands.
“I need you get through this to fight to wake up, for me.” She paused before saying her next words.
“For us,” She said bringing Toni’s hand to her stomach.
“We need you, I need you. I’m still mad at you, the thing is though I can’t be without you just like I know you can’t be without me and maybe it’s messed up and unhealthy, I don’t care. You are the love of my life, you are the mother of our unborn child. I just need you to fight TT, you’re the strongest person I know, I need you to wake up.” Tears began to fall down her cheek.
She sat there for hours just holding Toni’s hand, even though she knew Toni couldn’t hear her she still talked to her. She talked to her about when they were in high school and when they first got married, when they first met, She never left her side.
-
It’s been weeks and Toni still hasn’t woken up, which was only making Cheryl all the more worried. She’s practically been living up at the hospital with Toni, Sweet pea and them have stopped by a few times to see Toni and to check on Cheryl. Sweet pea even made her take a break to go get some food, even though she told him about a thousand times that she didn’t want to he still made her go.
It finally got to a point to where Toni could have at least two people in the room so for the most part, Cheryl and Sweet pea sat up there with her.
“Do you think she’ll ever wake up?” Cheryl said looking over at Sweet pea.
Sweet pea let out deep breath, “I hope so I mean the only time I feel like I gotta worry about that is when the doctors say otherwise.”
Cheryl sighed, “I’ve been talking to her I know it’s stupid, I just keep hoping that maybe it’ll make her wake up.”
Sweet pea smiled, “No I don’t think that’s stupid, I’m not gonna lie the times I’ve made you go eat and I’ve had to sit here with her, I talk to her too.”
Cheryl smiled, “Really?”
“Yeah I tell her I’m gonna kick her ass when she’s better.”
Cheryl chuckled, “That makes two of us.”
“She really scared me, I almost lost it when I saw her on the stretcher. It really freaked me out I was so scared that I was going to lose my best friend. I cried before I came to tell you don’t ever tell Toni that though, I was terrified. She looked horrible there was a lot of blood, I’m still a little scared. I just keep trying to tell myself that she’s got this and that she’s going to wake up.”
“I keep having to tell myself that too, there’s just so much I want to say to,” She said looking over at her wife.
“You’ll get to eventually,” Sweet pea said giving the girl a soft smile.
When it got late Sweet pea decided to go home to get some rest, Cheryl was sitting beside Toni’s bed reading a book when something happened.
“Cher?” She heard a very weak voice say.
Cheryl practically threw her book down, “TT!” She said with a smile.
“What happened?” Toni said attempting to sit up.
Cheryl shook her head, “My love you need to lay back, you have some broken ribs. You were in an accident you don’t remember?”
Toni looked puzzled a moment, “I remember going to visit you, I remember being really upset so I just drove around for a few hours. Then Sweets called me then I just remember a Semi-truck, after that it’s all a blur.”
“You’ve been unconscious for about a week, you really scared me Toni.”
“I’m sorry, I know I keep saying that, I just feel awful about everything. I really want to do better, I want to be with you. You were the last thing that I thought about before I got hit or whatever. I thought about you l the whole time I was out it’s like my life flashed before my eyes and it’s like this little picture show of memories went through my head and then it stopped and all I could see was you.”
A tear fell down Cheryl’s cheek, “I’m not going to lie to you, I’m still mad at you, you messed up you did. I want you to come home, I still want to be with and I want to try and get through whatever it is we’re going through. I can’t stand to be without you Toni.” She paused a moment, “We couldn’t stand to be without you.”
Toni raised an eyebrow in confusion, “We?” She questioned.
Cheryl put a hand over her stomach, Toni went from shocked to confused to excitement. Toni smiled, “You’re pregnant?”
Cheryl nodded before grabbing Toni’s hand putting it over her stomach, Toni looked up at Cheryl with nothing but pure love, “I love you Cher, I want to do better for you and our child. I promise I will do anything and everything I can for both you. No more lying, drinking, cheating, I want to go back to the old Toni.”
Cheryl smiled leaning down so that she was now at eye level with her wife, “I love you too,” Cheryl said leaning in till her lips were met with Toni’s.