Work Text:
"Mom, can we get a dog?"
Grace freezes in the act of folding laundry, her usually sharp, analytical mind briefly short-circuiting as she processes Emily's words.
Mom.
She turns, slowly, already gaslighting herself into believing that Emily misspoke or that Grace misheard. Emily stands with one hand on the doorway, looking at Grace with that perpetually passive expression, patiently awaiting an answer.
Grace swallows.
"W-What did you say?"
"Can we get a dog?"
"No, before that."
"I didn't say anything before that."
"No, I mean- "
Her words are coming too quickly. This happens whenever she gets nervous. She swallows again, trying to lubricate her parched throat.
"You...did you call me...mom?"
Emily's expression changes to a look of worry.
"Shouldn't I have?"
Grace moves quickly, going to Emily and kneeling in front of her.
"No, no, no!" she says, taking Emily by the shoulders. "S-Sorry, I didn't m-mean it like that. It's just..."
Her sentence trails off. She can feel something soft and squishy inside her stomach, like a cotton ball is nestled inside of her. Mom. Emily called her mom. She thinks of her own mother. Not biological, but the only person who had cared for her as one. Grace's vision goes a little blurry.
"What's wrong?" The worry has crept into Emily's voice now. "You're crying."
"S-Sorry." Grace hurriedly wipes her eyes. "I...you've never called me that before."
"Well..." Emily lifts one shoulder in a half-shrug. "I've never had a mom before."
Grace smiles, and this time she lets the tears run down her cheeks as she pulls Emily into a hug. The little girl is surprised for a moment, but soon returns it.
"Of course we can get a dog."
"And a cat too?"
"We can get anything you like, Emily."
"Thanks, mom."