⚠️slight mention of homophobia⚠️
Turning double digits is a big milestone in the Topaz house. For Hunter's 10th birthday, last year, they took a trip to a nature resort, per Hunter's request, and they had a ball.
Over the last few months, the couple has been keeping up with Aliana on what she'd want to do for her birthday. And they always got the same response. "A trip to Washington, D.C."
So Toni and Cheryl gladly planned the whole thing out. The kids had school, but the couple excused them for the week. They were going to fly out to Washington a day before their daughter's birthday, which is a surprise, and then that's where they'll be staying for the rest of the week.
Aliana was confused when Toni told her to pack a week's worth of clothes. When the girl asked where they were going, Toni only replied, "It's a surprise." so she stopped asking.
So that's what everyone is doing at the moment. Cheryl helped Grayson and Leileena pack since they were five and have no idea what they were doing. Hunter had already packed since he was in on the whole plan. His love for surprising his family only grew as he got older. The boy loves to see the people around him genuinely happy.
"Hunter, you can only bring your switch. Not the whole console. We will be out and about so you won't really be on it anyway." Toni packed away her clothes.
"But momma, I wanna put it on the Tv in the hotel room. I like it that way." the boy huffed.
"She said no, Phoenix. Give up." Cheryl entered the room, Leileena holding onto her hand. The small redhead was ready packed so she was just following her mommy around.
"Fine." the 11-year-old groaned and walked out, grumbling under his breath. "Keep that up, and you won't be bringing anything with you! Don't test me, boy!" Toni called after him.
Toni breathed out through her nose, shutting her eyes for a moment. Sensing her wife's stress, Cheryl told Leileena to go see if her older sister needed help. The mini Cheryl complied excitedly and left the room in a skip.
"Baby, how about you relax for a few? I got the rest of this." the redhead requested and rubbed over her wife's shoulders. "You're so tensed, my love." she frowned.
Toni let out another sigh and took a seat on the bed, Cheryl following suit, only getting on her knees so she can see Toni's face. "What's wrong, TT?"
"I just want everything to be perfect for Alia. She's so excited to turn 10 and I don't want this to be ruined for her." the woman explained. Cheryl smiled softly and reached up to cup her face, tucking some curls away from her wife's pretty face. "TT, Aliana appreciates everything we do for her. She knows that sometimes things don't go according to plan and she understands that." Toni looked down as her wife spoke.
"And, hey..." Cheryl picked her head up. Brown eyes met blue ones and Toni felt all of her worries melting away. "She loves us so whatever we do for her, she wouldn't care because she just wants to be around us. So don't stress your beautiful little head, my baby. All is well, kay?" the redhead smiled softly.
"Thank you, Cher. I needed that." the brunette squeezed the hand that was resting on her cheek, leaning into it slightly.
"It's what I'm here for, TT." the lawyer kissed her softly before standing up. "Now, you relax while I finish packing so we can get to the airport in time. For once."
Toni laughed at the last part, nodding at her wife's demand. The brunette leaned back into the bed as she watched her wife put away the rest of their folded clothes. "Do you think she'll cry once we reveal where we are going?" Cheryl asked, a hint of a smile on her face.
"Of course." Toni nodded. "She's been wanting this since she turned nine last year."
"I can't wait to visit all of the museums and see all of the sights. This trip will be good for all of us."
"I agree," Toni said as she got up. "I gotta change the film in my camera. That's going to come in handy."
"Oh, right, yes, that is a crucial travel item." Cheryl zipped up their suitcase. "Should we bring her presents with us? Or do you think we should wait until we get back?"
"We're bringing them. I think a week is too long to wait."
Just as Toni finished talking, Aliana appeared in the door frame. "Can you tell me where we are going now?"
"Nope. Sorry, my love, you'll have to wait until we get to the airport."
"Why can't I know now?" the hazel-eyed girl whined, throwing her body onto her parent's bed. "Because we want it to be a surprise."
"Can I at least get a hint!?" she sat up.
"Mmm..." Cheryl turned to her wife and Toni thought for a second. "Okay." she gave in. "It's something you'll enjoy very much."
"Okay...okay...oh! Oh! I-"
"Don't try to guess, my love. We want it to be a surprise." Cheryl reminded her. Huffing, Aliana crossed her arms but nodded nonetheless.
"Go help your brothers and sister get their stuff into the car. We're about to go."
The couple decided it'll be better to leave at 6 pm, so when they land in Washington, it'll be late. The Topaz kids loaded their luggage into the trunk of the family car as their mothers gathered the snacks and blankets for the plane ride.
"Even if I don't know where we are going, I'm so excited to ride on a plane!"
"Baby, you've been on a plane before." Cheryl chuckled as she helped Grayson buckle himself into his booster seat.
"So? I just love airplanes." Aliana shrugged, buckling her seat belt. "You take after Toni in most ways, my love." the redhead sighed.
"Do you have the passports, baby?" Toni asked as she put her book bag into the passenger seat. "Uhm, check the bag. I think they're in there." Cheryl replied as she made sure their kids were good.
Toni unzipped the bookbag and immediately found their passports. She went through all of them to make sure she had all of them before zipping up the bag and getting into the car.
Cheryl rushed back into the house to make sure they had everything. Once double-checking, she nodded to herself and left the house, locking the door behind her.
The sun was setting so they needed to hurry if they wanted to beat airport traffic. "Everybody good?" the redhead questioned as she got into the car, buckling herself in.
"Yes!" a series of replies followed.
"Are you ready for the best birthday week, Alia?!" Toni cheered.
"Yes!" the smaller brunette threw her arms up in cheers. Cheryl smiled as she pulled out of their driveway. "You're going to love this, Alia. And you deserve it so much."
"True. You're a good sister and daughter. And you're bringing in good grades." Toni listed. "I hope you enjoy this as much as we enjoyed planning it." the tanned woman turned to look at her daughter.
"She will. I think Alia is the most humble out of all of us." Hunter spoke up, referring to just him and the twins.
"Well...we don't want to discredit anyone, bub. You guys are all amazing and we are proud of you all."
*****
The airport wasn't as crowded as the couple expected. They felt immediate relief when they made it through security and baggage drop-off after checking in for their flight.
The Topaz group took over a section of seats in front of their gate. Aliana was practically bouncing in her seat as she looked around, trying to at least find something that give away where they were going.
"Okay." Cheryl cleared her throat, grabbing her children's attention. "Alia, you get your first gift of the day." she pulled out a pink envelope. Aliana's name was written in calligraphy, something the couple knew their daughter found aesthetically pleasing.
"Open it, Alia! Open it!" Grayson encouraged excitedly. The twins didn't know where they were going because the couple knew they couldn't keep a secret.
Having got caught up in looking at the pretty signing of her name, Alia snapped out of her daze and tore open the envelope to reveal a pretty birthday card.
"Dear Aliana, we know how much you love art and history, or anything that has to do with learning. So for your tenth birthday, we decided that you deserve something so meaningful to you. So...pack your bags, we're going to Washington, D.C.!- WHAT!?" the girl looked up at her mothers.
Toni held a smirk while Cheryl smiled widely at her. "You're kidding?! Are we actually going!?"
"Yes, we are." Toni conformed. "Everything is scheduled and planned so we have a week's worth of history to learn and sights to see."
"Oh my god!" the girl squealed and jumped up to hug her mothers. "Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome, my love." Cheryl chuckled, squeezing the girl softly. "As we said before, you deserve it."
"Plus, we'd do anything to see you smile this big." Toni stood up, opening her arms for her daughter. Aliana switched from Cheryl to Toni, sighing when the brunette squeezed her with so much love. "You guys are the best!" she pulled away from her mother.
"We do what we can, baby." Cheryl caressed her hair.
"Good, now I can finally talk about it." Hunter groaned. "You knew!?" his sister snapped her head towards him. "Of course," he smirked. "I know everything."
Aliana rolled her eyes before stomping over to him and putting him into a headlock, rubbing her fist into his hair. "Yeah? Do you know everything?"
"Ow! O—Ow, mommy!" he whines, trying to get her vice-like grip off of him. "Okay, Aliana, that's enough," Toni warned with a slight laugh.
Smiling sarcastically, much like Cheryl, Aliana let her brother go before skipping off to her seat.
"I can't stand you," Hunter grumbled and the latter stuck her tongue out at him.
"I'm glad Leileena and I don't fight like that." Grayson leaned into his twin sister, Leileena wrapping her arm around him.
Cheryl cooed quickly while Toni snuck a picture. "That's because you two have brain cells, while Aliana has none!" Hunter teased.
"Oh, trust me, I have brain cells. Plus...your last math test doesn't back you up on that." the hazel-eyed girl shot back.
"Ohhhh." Cheryl, Toni, and the twins played along.
"Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Well...well...gah, I got nothing." the boy huffed and leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed. They all shared a laugh, Cheryl shaking her head at how silly her family is.
"Flight B-217 to Washington, D.C. will be boarding in 2 minutes at gate 6. I repeat, flight B-217 to Washington, D.C. will be boarding in 2 minutes at gate 6."
"Okay, guys. Make sure you have all of your stuff." Toni stood up, picking up her backpack. Hunter grabbed his Nintendo switch carrier, since it was the only thing he had. Cheryl made sure she had their blankets and had the twins hold onto the pocket of her sweats so they won't get lost.
Boarding the plane wasn't much of a hassle. Some people caused a ruckus, but it was quickly resolved. Cheryl sat next to the twins while Toni sat next to Hunter and Aliana. They were in first class so they had plenty of arm and leg space.
"Hunter, move your arm." Aliana whispered.
"I was here first, Alia." he huffed. "I do not care, boy. I do not care." the girl mumbled, "Now move!" she whispered/yelled.
Hunter only rolled his eyes and moved his hand, plucking her ear as he went.
"Oh, I am gon-"
"This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard flight B-217, I hope this flight is peaceful for you all. I will ask that you buckle your seat belts and I will let you know when you're free to get out of your seats. Enjoy the flight."
Sighing, Cheryl leaned back against the cushioned seat. "Mommy," Grayson whispered. "Yes, my baby?" the redhead replied.
"Could you hold my hand?"
Cheryl met his matching blue eyes and smiled softly. "Of course, Gray." she held her hand out. The boy placed his hand in his mother's soft palm, feeling better when Cheryl squeezed it. "You're okay, bubbas. I'm not going to let anything happen to you," she reassured, leaning down to kiss his curly hair.
"Thank you, mommy. I love you." he snuggled into her.
"I love you more, love." the lawyer replied. Toni watched the moment with a small smile. Cheryl met her wife's eyes and smiled, holding her other hand out. Toni reached over to hold onto it, caressing the back of her hand with her thumb.
The plane started to move, getting ready to take off. Aliana could see Hunter's anxiety and she frowned. "Are you scared?" she asked.
"No." Hunter scoffed, looking out of the window. "Just tired." he waved off. Aliana shook her head before grabbing his hand and squeezing it. She didn't say anything as the boy looked over. It wasn't surprising that she was comforting him because they comfort each other all the time. What surprised him is that she didn't tease him about it before comforting him. It wasn't important anyway. The older boy squeezed his sister's hand and continued to stare out of the window.
********
When they finally landed in Washington, D.C, it was 1 AM Eastern time. The shift between timezones threw the family off since it was only 10 PM in California and they'd usually have had dinner and be in bed by now.
"Come on, my loves." Cheryl looked back at her dragging kids. They were exhausted since they barely got any sleep on the plane. So much turbulence.
"I know, I know, guys. We're going to get our luggage and then we'll go to the hotel so we can eat then head to bed." Toni picked up Grayson and Leileena, the twins immediately resting their heads on her shoulders.
She carried them over to the converbelt, holding them while Hunter helped Cheryl pull their luggage from the conveyor belt.
"Shit, I have to go rent the car." Toni sighed deeply. Grayson and Leileena were passed out against her shoulders. "I'll take Leileena." Cheryl offered. She wasn't an athlete as her wife was, she couldn't hold both of them. She didn't have the strength her baby does.
"Thanks, babe. I'll be right back." she adjusted Grayson in her arms before hurrying off to the car rental office. Aliana leaned against Cheryl as Hunter slumped over his suitcase.
"Will you two be able to eat dinner?" the redhead asked, using her free hand to get the knots out of her daughter's wavy hair. She received tired groans in response and sighed. "Figured. We're going to get you both into a bed, kay?"
Aliana faintly nodded against her waist, her arms barely able to hold onto her mother. No less than 6 minutes later, Toni returned with the car keys. "Okay, let's go family." she grinned at her wife, taking Leileena back so Cheryl can pull their luggage.
The family made it to the car and Toni buckled Grayson and Leileena in as her two eldest got into the back, instantly relaxing into the seats. The drive to the hotel was about 30 minutes away, so they had time to sleep. Hopefully, they'll catch a second wind so they can eat.
"It's her birthday and she's sleeping." Cheryl giggled as she packed the car with their suitcases. "Well, it's past her bedtime in Cali, so it's explainable," Toni replied, shutting the truck. "Wanna drive?" she held up the keys and Cheryl gladly accepted them.
The couple got into the car, making sure to lock the doors before Cheryl pulled off.
"If they do stay asleep, that's a good thing too, we need them up early tomorrow if we want to catch the tour of the White House," Toni spoke up.
"That's true. Fuck, we didn't think the whole different timezone thing through." Cheryl sighed. Toni grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. "Remember what you told me earlier? Don't stress it, baby. Whatever happens, happens, and we will go with the flow."
"Right." the lawyer took a deep breath. "You're right, my love."
They sat in comfortable silence for a few, the sounds of their kid's soft snoring could be heard and it made Toni smile. She looked back at them and stared at their peaceful faces. "Is it crazy to think about the fact that we have four kids together?" she chuckled.
"Oh, it's so bizarre, yes. I was just thinking about it the other day. I could remember me so desperately wanting kids with you and after we had Hunter, I was in awe. And then we had Aliana, then the twins. It just feels...complete, you know? Like this was how our life is supposed to go."
"Exactly." the athlete caressed her hand. "And we're just missing one thing..." she took a deep breath.
"Yeah?" Cheryl turned to look at her briefly. "And what is that?" a hint of a smile formed on her face.
"Well, I thought about our conversation a few months ago...on our date, and I've been looking into different breeds of dogs."
"Baby, are—"
"Yes," Toni answered her unasked question. "I think it's time that we get a dog." she breathed out. "Baby...I'm so proud of you." the redhead smiled, kissing her hand repeatedly. "I know how hard that decision was for you to make."
"Yeah. I visited Nala, near the fireplace, and I just...talked. I didn't get a reply of course, but I felt better after a while, better than I've ever felt after her passing, and I just knew that this is something we all want. Even if I was suppressing it."
"I'm glad that you got to have that moment, baby. And just so you know, we completely understood why you were hesitant."
"I know, my love," Toni assured. "Good because Hunter felt bad. He came to me the other day and was like he felt like we were pressuring you and I had to calm him down. It was a whole mess."
"Aww, my babies care about me." the soccer player pouted earning a chuckle from her wife. "We adore you, my beauty. So much. You keep us grounded and know what's best for us in the long run."
"Thank you, baby. It feels good to hear that." Toni smiled at her lovingly.
The rest of the drive was spent with the couple talking about the day ahead of them. They were equally excited to reveal everything to Aliana in the morning.
Cheryl finally pulled up to the hotel, finding a decent parking spot before shutting off the car. "Okay, I'm going to check us in and have them bring out a bag carrier so we can put the luggage and kids on it," Toni explained, unbuckling her seat belt.
"Fine by me." her wife chuckled. They always did this. Whenever the kids would fall asleep, Toni would go check-in, and then once she was done, they'd bring out the luggage cart and load the bags before having the kids sit on it so they can roll them to the elevator and their room.
Cheryl sat in the car as she watched her wife go. Toni entered the hotel and sighed at the smell of lavender. "Good evening, I'm here to check-in." she tapped her fingers against the desk.
"Name please?" the woman said tiredly.
"Antoinette and Cheryl Topaz." the brunette replied. At the mention of the names, the woman looked up and instantly smiled. "Oh my god, it's you! That athlete."
"That'll be me, yes." Toni chuckled.
"My two daughters love you so much. They have every jersey for every season. My husband goes and by them every time they stock."
"That's dope. I love that." the brunette smiled softly. The woman typed on the computer and nodded. "It's a suite, right? 2 bedrooms, one being a kids wing, and two bathrooms, plus kitchen and pool."
"Yes, that's it."
"Great, I'll just need your ID." Toni didn't hesitate to pull it out. "It's just hotel policy, you know."
"Don't worry, I understand." the brunette waved off.
After a few moments of silence, the receptionist handed her the card back. "You're all set. Will you need a luggage cart?"
"Yes, please." Toni nodded, tucking her card into her wallet.
When Toni excited the hotel with the luggage cart, Cheryl got out of the car and opened the trunk. "The lady in there has two daughters that fans. How amazing is that?"
"So amazing." Cheryl chuckled. "Maybe we'd get a discount on breakfast tomorrow." she joked.
"Knowing my fans, they'd do it for us." Toni sighed and loaded the last suitcase onto the cart. Then they got their kids out of the car, Hunter automatically sitting on the cart while his little siblings follow suit in a sleepy state.
When they finally reached their suite, Cheryl shut on the light and Toni picked up the twins while guiding Hunter and Aliana into the kid's bedroom. It consisted of 4 twin-sized beds, two on each side of the room. Their bathroom was right near the closet so Cheryl rolled their luggage into the closet.
"You think we should make them change?" Toni whispered as their children passed out against their beds. The couple watched them before looking at each other. "Nah." they both shrugged before leaving the room, Cheryl being sure to shut off the light.
********
Aliana woke up to the sound of something rustling. She blinked her eyes open before shutting them right at the glaring light from the sun.
Suddenly she heard something pop. "Happy birthday!" the sound of her family filled her eyes and her eyes blinked open. She looked around to see balloons and gift bags on the end of her bed.
Cheryl and Toni held used confetti canons with big smiles on their faces as they watched their daughter wake up.
"You guys scared me." she rasped out and stretched her limbs out, groaning as she did so.
"Sorry, my love. But it's your birthday! You're officially 10!" the redhead smiled, going over to hug her and press a kiss to her forehead. Aliana closed her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, momma. Thank you, mommy."
"We'd do anything for you, baby. For all of you." the brunette simpered.
"Now, open your gifts! And hurry because we have to get to breakfast so we can get ready for your day." Cheryl rambled.
"Okay, baby, calm down. You don't want to overwhelm her." Toni joked, reaching over to massage her wife's shoulders.
Sitting up, Aliana reached for the first gift bag. Wanting to get a closer look, Leileena jumped down from her bed and went to sit on her older sister's.
Aliana reached into the birthday bag and pulled out a book. Not just any ole book. "Facts about monarch butterflies you may not know." she met her parent's eyes after reading and her face lit up. "How did you know I wanted this?!"
"I saw the history on our home-office iMac." Toni grinned.
"I love it, thank you." the girl smiled widely. The couple loved how humble the girl was. They tried their best to make sure their kids knew that they should value the stuff that they're able to receive because most kids don't get what they do. And Aliana stands by that most.
"Okay, next one!" Leileena said excitedly. Aliana reached for the smaller gift bag and her eyes lit upon seeing the Swarovski label on the box. She gently opened it and gasped upon seeing the prettiest diamond earrings. "These are the ones I wanted for Christmas last year."
"They didn't forget this year." Hunter snickered. Toni shot him a glare and the boy held his hands up in playful defense.
"I love it! Look at how sparkly!" the girl grinned.
She went through the rest of the gifts and her eyes would light up each time. Cheryl enjoyed watching her open them, she felt good knowing that her kids valued the things they buy for them.
Aliana got a Gucci heart necklace, a portable Polaroid camera, money (of course), a Taylor swift hoodie, some pink air force ones, and beats headphones for whenever she uses the iMac back at home. The girl was extremely thankful and gave her mothers big hugs.
After doing that, the couple told their kids to shower and get ready. Since there were only two bathrooms, they had to take turns. The twins went first then it was the older kids, then the couple next.
After they were clean and fresh in new clothes, they were ready to head down for breakfast. It was only 9:34 AM. Meaning it was 6 am in Cali, which is the time they'd usually wake up. But since they were pushed 3 hours ahead, they were somewhat tired.
"You guys got everything? Because we won't be coming back up after we eat, we're heading straight to our first destination." Cheryl addressed her family.
She received a series of murmurs, confirming that they were ready. Toni opened the door for their kids, the four of them excitedly exiting the room.
"It's so good to see them excited." Toni smiled, shutting the door after her wife stepped out. "I know." the redhead pouted with a coo, making sure she had their room keys. She handed Toni hers before grabbing her hand.
"You look beautiful today, my love." Cheryl complimented.
"You think? I picked it out just for you." Toni smirked, rubbing her nose with the redheads. "Mmm, in that case, you look amazing." the redhead kissed her softly.
"Yuck!"
"Ew!"
"Why do you guys always do this!?" their kids teased them. Toni pulled away from her wife and rolled her eyes. "You know, we can easily leave you guys here and have a day to ourselves."
"But it's my birthday!" Aliana gave them her puppy dog eyes.
"That's right. 10 years ago today, I almost died pushing your big head out." Toni wrapped her arm around Cheryl. Only to have the redhead softly pinch her arm.
Aliana looked terrified at what her mother had just said and Cheryl chuckled nervously. "Don't listen to her, my beauty. It was a minor complication that happened because she was exhausted—" she paused, glaring at her wife. "—and she was completely fine afterward. Don't worry." the redhead comforted her.
"Okay." Aliana's smile was brought back to her face as they stepped into the elevator.
"What the hell, Toni?" the redhead whispered to her wife.
"I know, I'm sorry." the brunette sighed. "She'll be fine." she then waved off earning a shake of the head from her wife as they stepped into the elevator with their over-excited children.
"Momma almost scarred Alia." Hunter snickered and Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Like mother like son," she grumbled, the elevator doors shutting.
As they made it to the lobby, the receptionist greeted them briefly before getting back to work. It was a different person than last night.
A big sign that read "Breakfast serving" and the family followed the sign. "Good morning." the guy at the door greeted. "Good morning," Toni replied. "Table for 6."
"Alright." he nodded and reached over to grab a table number. "Table 4." he handed her the card.
"Thank you." Cheryl nodded at him as Toni guided their kids into the room. They immediately found their table and she put the card on the stand as they took a seat.
"It's a buffet." Cheryl read off the sign. "We can just go up and get it," she added.
"Alright. Hunter and Aliana come with us. What do you two want?" Toni asked the twins.
It wasn't as crowded so it didn't take them long to get their food. Aliana set her plate down. She ordered pancakes, sausages, eggs, and cereal.
Hunter ordered the same thing, but instead of pancakes, he got waffles with strawberry syrup. "Here, bub." Cheryl placed Grayson's waffles in front of him. "Thank you, mommy." he hummed.
"Of course." she smiled at him and placed Leileena's cereal down. The family settled down and started to eat. "So...are you going to tell me what we're doing today?"
"It's a surprise." Toni shook her head.
"Ugh! Surprises this, surprises that!" the girl grumbled, getting upset.
"Okay, Alia, calm down." Cheryl chuckled, reaching over to rub her back. "We can tell you one thing."
"Okay! What is it!?" she perked up.
"Well, we're going to a space museum later!"
"A space museum?" the girl grinned. "That sounds like fun." Hunter agreed. "How come I didn't get to do this for my birthday?" he joked.
"Baby, you'd give us shit if we planned a Museum for your birthday," Toni said. She was only joking though, Hunter stopped caring about his birthday after he turned like 9.
Instead of replying, Hunter stuck his tongue out to her causing everyone else to laugh.
"Anyways, do you like the idea, Alia?" Cheryl ate some bacon.
"Mhm!" the girl nodded. "I can't wait!" she bounced in her seat. Toni looked at her phone and huffed. "Okay, guys, the bus will be here in a few. We better hurry if we want to watch it."
"Bus?" Aliana looked at her parents in confusion. "Wait...are we taking a tour!?"
"Yep." Cheryl nodded. "Yes!" the birthday girl fist pumped. "You guys are the best mommies ever."
"Thank you, love. We try." Toni's heart warmed.
After the family ate, the couple led them outside where the double-decker tour bus was just pulling up. Toni let out a sigh of relief while her wife went over to check them in.
"I'm so excited!" Aliana squealed then hugged Toni tightly. "Thank you so much for this, momma!" Toni smiled softly as she rubbed her daughter's back. "No problem, baby. We love to see you so happy."
When Cheryl returned, she handed everyone their lanyard, their names are written on them in sharpie. "These are so cool!" Hunter chuckled excitedly upon seeing the 3D card that was attached to the lanyard. He turned it from side to side, watching in awe as the white house and the Washington Monument faded in and out.
"It is." Grayson agreed before looking over at his twin sister. "Look, Lei, it's the White House."
"Are we going to see that, mommy?" the small redhead asked Cheryl. "Yes, my love. We are." the lawyer confirmed.
"Okay, everyone, it's time to board the bus. Please take your time, we are in no rush, nor are we on a timeslot. If you're here to take pictures, please sit at the top where all of the tourists sit." the director instructed. Everyone who was standing outside of the bus started boarding in an orderly fashion.
When the Topaz family got on, Toni led them to the top, and they claimed their seats in the back. Grayson sat in between Aliana and Toni while his twin sat in between their mother and Hunter.
"First stop is the Washington monument." the driver said into the intercom system. Toni checked her film and made sure she had space. She brought extras but she still wanted to make sure.
She caught Aliana's attention once the bus took off. Aliana listened as her mother explained to her the works of the camera. Despite the girl knowing how to take pictures, she only ever used her iPad camera. The 10-year-old was so excited to be able to use a real camera for the first time.
Toni took the strap of the camera from around her neck before placing it around her daughter's. Cheryl's heart melted at the sight of Aliana's huge excited smile. That's all the couple ever want...is to see their kids happy.
"Okay, so as we pass these buildings, you have to set the angle so it won't come out blurry." the brunette explained.
Aliana turned the camera a bit before pressing her eye against the viewfinder and clicking the shutter button. "Like...this?" she asked once the picture appeared on the display screen. "That's right, my love. Good job." the soccer player grinned proudly.
"Thanks, momma." the smaller girl blushed in flattery.
"Take a picture of us, Alia!" her older brother suggested. The birthday girl complied happily and the three people across from her posed. Cheryl's smile made Toni smile. Her face was soft as she watched her wife compliment their daughter's work.
They locked eyes shortly after, their kids gathering around to look through the rest of their momma's artwork. Cheryl sent her a brief wink and the brunette found herself blushing. She felt like she was in high school all over again.
"Momma, when did you take this?" Aliana broke their bubble. Toni averted her gaze to her camera and she smirked. "Oh, yes, that was the other day."
"What is it?" Cheryl questioned. "Me, you, and the twins sleeping." Aliana grinned and turned the camera, the scrap slightly tightening around her neck.
"Aww. We looked so exhausted here." Cheryl giggled.
"Alright, everyone, if you turn to your left, you'll be able to see the Washington monument."
Everyone turned their heads and Aliana squealed in excitement. "It's there! It's actually there!"
"Wow." Hunter and the twins mumble in awe as the guy continued to speak. "The Washington Monument was built in 1884. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in Washington, D.C. It stands 554 feet tall and it was built in memory of our first president, George Washington."
"Get a picture, Alia." Hunter reminded. The girl quickly held the camera up to her face, squinting one eye closed so she can peek through the viewfinder. She quickly snapped a picture and squealed. "I did it! It came out good!"
"Lemme see." Toni chuckled. Her daughter passed over the camera and she nodded in approval. "It's amazing, Alia. You're a fast learner."
Hunter leaned forward to see, the two of them discussing the other pictures.
Cheryl always loved how the two got along. Now that they're older, they fought more often, their personalities very much different from each other. But despite that, they did share the same interest, and their bond was always stronger than ever.
The people around them conversated and pointed out some pretty views. Small kids clung to their parents while babies stood in their seats, their parents tending to them of course. The environment was productive. Cheryl liked it.
"Next stop is the capital."
"Mommy, momma, when are we going to get to the White House?" Leilenna questioned.
"Soon, my love. We're not going on track, it's spontaneous." Cheryl pushed some of her hair back. A woman a seat down heard the small conversation, causing her to turn around.
Feeling eyes on them, Toni looked up from her phone and the woman sent her a friendly smile. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to stare. I just saw your family before we got onto the bus and I wanted to say you guys make a beautiful family."
"Oh, thank you so much." Cheryl nodded at her. "You're so sweet."
"I have a boy, he's a seventeen. And he recently came out to me and at first, I was sort of questioning him. But then I realized who I was speaking too, my baby boy. And he was so scared that I'd be upset and I felt so bad. No kid should feel scared about telling their parents about themselves."
"I couldn't agree more." Toni smiled softly.
"We cried for a few and I told him that I'll love him no matter what. And he was so happy. He told me about his boyfriend, what they liked to do together, and their favorite place to eat together. And the excitement behind his eyes made me feel so good that he was happy." the woman paused briefly, seemingly emotional. "And I think that's all that matters. That he is happy and healthy. Now, every time he has his boyfriend over, he always invites me to hang out with them, and watch a movie. Sometimes, I decline because I know his boyfriend would want some alone time with him."
"That's beautiful. I'm so glad he has a mother like you." Cheryl spoke up, holding Leileena as the go leaned into her. "I think if most parents would be more open-minded about it, their kids would have a safe place"
"I agree. I admit I wasn't okay with it before my son. I had never said it out loud around him, but I can tell he knew and didn't feel safe. So that night, I sat him down and he explained to me what was bothering him. I realized then that there's nothing wrong with it. My son was telling me, letting me in, about who he is. And when he started smiling and laughing with me as he shared memories of himself and his boyfriend, I realized how happy he is. It made us closer and It gave me some perspective." the woman smiled. "I did a lot of research and now we go to pride parades together, with his boyfriend and best friend. And I brought him this big pride flag that he had hanging on his wall in his bedroom."
"That's good. You were very open-minded and I love that." the athlete grinned.
"Thank you, ladies. Truly. If my boy was here, he'd be so happy to see this, a family that he wants."
"I hope your son gets married to a very good young man and that they have a beautiful family too." Cheryl simpered.
"Thank you..." she trailed, silently asking for their names.
"Oh! I'm Cheryl, and that is Toni."
"I knew you looked familiar!" the older blonde laughed softly. "You're that famous athlete."
"That's me." Toni chuckled. "Oh, this is so great. I'm Esmeralda by the way." Esmeralda gave her a courtesy nod.
"That's such a gorgeous name, wow." the lawyer complimented.
"If you turn to your right, you'll be able to see the United States capital."
******
"Careful, my love!" Toni called after Graysk . They finally made it to the space museum. Toni has never seen Grayson so excited. "Baby, let him be a kid." Cheryl clung to her arm, chuckling. "I know. I'm sorry. Just nervous. This place is huge."
"I can see." her wife's blue eyes scanned over every exhibit. "Can we go see the space rovers first?!" the birthday girl ran back to her mothers.
"It's your day, Alia. Whatever you want." encouraged Toni.
The girl squealed and squeezed them in a quick hug before running off in the direction of what the couple assumed were the space rovers. They called for Hunter and the twins before following behind the girl.
When they approved her, Aliana was checking out the playable rover. "Did you know that the NASA scientist names their rovers? It's like having kids." the girl looked up at her parents. "This one is curiosity. They put it on Mars in 2012 to find out if Mars had what it takes to hold human life."
Toni looked at her wife in slight shock. "We should get her an IQ test when we get back." she leaned over to whisper in her wife's ear. Cheryl only nodded in agreement.
"Wow...how do you know all of this, Alia?" Hunter asked, coming to stand beside her. "I read about it once." the smaller girl smirked.
"You're smart, Aliana. I wanna be smart too." Leileena pushed Hunter aside.
"You are smart, Lei." her older sister assured. "We are all smart in our own ways, okay? Don't compare yourself to anyone. It's important that you believe in yourself."
"Make that two IQ tests," Cheryl spoke up this time.
The family walked around museum, taking in everything with fascination. Aliana told them all about the satellites and most of the missions that astronauts have achieved. Toni took a lot of pictures of her family, both excitement, and happiness displayed in each photograph.
It was lunchtime by the time they left, so they caught a bus back to the hotel. "Bye, Esmeralda! Tell Collier we said hi!" Aliana waved at the older lady.
"Bye, Aliana. I will! Now you behave for your mothers! Oh, and happy birthday." the older woman smiled while waving.
"Esmeralda is a super sweet lady." Grayson tilted his head. "I agree." his red haired mother spoke up. The family of six entered the hotel once more and the woman at the desk smiled at him. "Hey, you guys, how was it?"
"Amazing. Beautiful sights." Toni spoke up.
"That's good." a friendly grin possessed her face. "They're serving lunch in a few, I suggest you get in there before it starts to get crowded."
"Will do," Cheryl says playfully. Lunch went by smoothly for the family. They shared laughs and memories as they ate. The kids were pretty tired so they went back up to their room so they could nap before the play they were appointed to in the next 5 hours.
Cheryl served as the big soon, her arms wrapped around Toni tight. They lay in silence, the tv playing lowly, serving as background sound.
"Do you ever wonder if things would be different if my mother were here?" the brunette broke the silence.
"Define different...?" the pale woman asked above a whisper.
"I don't know." Toni sighed. "Like, if she were to live. Would I have still met you? Would I still have Alexa as my sister later on? Would Marie still be working for my dad? I just...I just think about how things would go down if my mom would actually be here."
"Well, for one, I know for sure that we'd meet. I'd still be related to Betty so...but the other parts, I don't know." Cheryl mumbled. Toni only sighed. "I'm sorry, my love. I wish I had the answers."
"It's alright, baby." Toni waved off, cuddling closer to the redhead.
"One thing I do know..." the lawyer trailed off. "She is so proud of you, baby. I know because I'm proud of you. Your father, Marie, the kids, even Alexa. We are all so proud of you and your achievements." her wife squeezed her hand. "I wouldn't be who I am without you. No one would be who they are without you. You pushed me out of my shy shell. You encouraged Alexa to go to college. You encourage our kids to be the best version of themselves. She's proud of you, my love. You may have not met her earthbound, and neither have I, but I can tell that she lives through you. Everything that she was about, you carry that around with you. You get to shine the light that she once had on everyone else."
Toni picked at the bedspread as she listened to her wife's words, her heart thudding in her chest. She looked up and locked eyes with her wife's blue ones. They held so much love. "I love you, baby." the brunette whispered.
"I love you more, TT." plump lips planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered close and a smile found its way to her face.
She lives through you.
*******
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Aliana! Happy birthday to you!" everyone around the girl sang with big smiles. Most of the people in the restaurant sang along. Aliana basked in the love, a smile on her face, one that her mothers absolutely adored.
"Blow out your candles, my love," Cheryl instructed.
Smiling, Aliana leaned forward and closed her eyes. She waited for moment...I wish for a dog...before blowing out her candles.
"Yay, Alia!" her little brother and sister cheered for her. Hunter reached over and put some frosting on his hand. He quickly smeared some on his little sister's face and Aliana gasped with a giggle. "Hunter!"
I know, I know. I haven't updated in a month. I've been working on myself and shit. And I'm starting to feel better about myself, and stuff. For now, that is. I know my bliss won't last long, lol.
Sad news, I have the epilogue to this book all planned out and I'm so sad that it's ending soon. (don't worry, I have other books in my drafts) I will still be taking a hiatus once this book is done. I don't know how long💀 but just know that I won't leave y'all hanging!
This chapter has over 7 thousand words 🤯 longest chapter I've ever written, I believe. Anyways, I have summer school, so if this book isn't finished by then, updates will vary.
I love you guys, I hope all is well, and congratulations to the people who have graduated or are going to graduate! I'm super proud of you!🤍