Work Text:
Cheryl never normally finished work so early on a Friday. She was pleased to get home early, starting dinner for her wife and daughter before catching up on some household chores. Wow, i am so domestic these days. She chuckled to herself, the thought bringing a smile to her face. She has been married to Toni for 8 years, together for 18 years in total.
Usually on a Friday, they had a babysitter pick 6 year old Layla up from school and take her to her after school art activity.
Cheryl typed out a quick text to their babysitter, telling her she would collect her today instead. It would be nice to do something like this for a change, it was such a rare occurrence.
It was only a short drive from their house across town, Cheryl arriving early and parking up in a shady spot. She hated to be late for anything, instead preferring to arrive everywhere early. It just helped her to feel more organized that way, more in control. And that was how she liked it. She had spend most of her childhood and adolescence feeling controlled by her parents and sometimes she had to pinch herself to remind herself she was now free of them.
She had never collected Layla from here before, but figured she would follow the other parents into the building to locate the right room.
She smiled politely at the other parents as they gathered outside of the room, children being handed to their parents as the group leader spotted the familiar faces at the paint splattered door.
Before she knew it, Cheryl was the last one there, moving closer to the door to peer into the room.
"Excuse me.." she approached the lady stood at the door. "I'm here to collect Layla, is she here?"
The woman looked Cheryl up and down with a frown. "I'm sorry ma'am, we don't let anyone pick children up unless we have the parents permission. You are not the girl who collects her every week."
"No, I'm not.." Cheryl could already feel herself getting annoyed. "The reason our babysitter, or 'the girl' as you put it, collects her is because myself and her mother have to work. I finished early today so told our babysitter she didn't need to come."
"Im sorry ma'am, I still can't let her go with a stranger. I have no idea who you are."
"I'm her mother."
The woman scoffed at Cheryl's words with the shake of her head. "I think maybe you've come to the wrong room then because the Layla we have waiting is most certainly not your daughter."
"Excuse me?" Cheryl crossed her arms over her chest.
"She looks nothing like you. You're a pale red head and she's..well..she's not. There's no way she's your daughter."
Cheryl was left momentarily speechless by the rudeness and utter ignorance of the woman in front of her.
"Are you really that stupid?" Cheryl was done trying to be polite. "If you think that just because we don't look the same that she isn't my daughter, you need some re-education. What the hell decade is this? Now let me have my daughter please."
"I'm afraid I can't do that. I need to call her mother and get permission before I can let her go with you."
"But I AM her mother" Cheryl had to resist the urge to stamp her foot. That was ridiculous. "Granted I didn't carry her, my wife did, but that doesn't make her any less mine. Her name is Layla Topaz-Blossom. That's me. I'm the Blossom in Topaz-Blossom. Go ask her yourself if you don't believe me."
"I cannot take a 6 year old's word for something like this. My job could be on the line if I let he go with a stranger. Please excuse me while I call her emergency contact." The door was closed on Cheryl and she was left alone in the corridor, angry and upset.
Cheryl stood impatiently outside the door, pulling out her phone and firing off a text to her wife.
Cheryl: Can't stand this art club. Layla is never coming back here, that's for sure.
Toni: What are you talking about? Are you not at work babe?
Cheryl: No! I finished early and came to collect Layla. They won't let me take her as apparently I'm not her mother. I am RAGING.
Toni: WHAT? I'm gonna call you...
Cheryl: No don't..that's why I didn't call you. They are going to call you as her mother to check that me- the stranger, has your permission to collect her.
When Cheryl didn't get a response from Toni, she assumed that they must be on the phone to her. She wasn't even sure how this has happened, surely her and Toni should have been listed at Layla's parents with the club.
A couple moments later, the door opened again, the woman looking suitably less confident than she had a few minutes earlier. "So uh..we spoke to her emergency contact. She confirmed that she is your wife and that you are Layla's other mom. She's just getting her stuff together now."
"Do you have any idea how outdated your view is? Just because I don't look like Layla, it doesn't mean that I am any less her parent than my wife."
"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to coming across people of your..persuasion."
"Being gay you mean?" She glared. "I have no idea what the hell your problem is but it burns me that there are still people in this town that believe that being gay is anything less than rapturous."
"Not everyone believes that being gay is a decent life style choice."
"Life style choice?" Cheryl was getting more and more wound up but knew she needed to stop before she said something she would regret.
"Mommy!!" Layla ran up to her, throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly.
"Hi baby!" She returned her hug, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.
"I didn't know you were coming to collect me!" She was excited.
"I wanted to surprise you" she smiled at her daughter, her anger ebbing away somewhat when she looked down into her daughter's sweet, innocent eyes. "Now say goodbye to your teacher... you won't be seeing her for a while" she muttered under her breath.
"Bye miss Karen" she waved.
"Bye Karen" Cheryl glared at her. "And to think..they put you in charge of children." She shook her head in distain at the woman. "I wonder if miss Karen knows that your mommy happens to be the best lawyer this side of New York?" Cheryl said to Layla, deliberately loud enough for the woman to hear. "I hope she realizes that her days running an art club are numbered.."
"What does that mean mommy?" Layla asked innocently. "I don't understand.."
"Oh but Karen does. Right Karen?" She flashed her a fake smile. "Please be advised that you'll be hearing from my legal team shortly." And with that, she picked Layla up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm taking my daughter home."
...
She was still fuming inside when they got home, but didn't want Layla to pick up on it, instead choosing to do the right thing and focus on her little girl.
"How about a movie and popcorn afternoon? I don't think you've watched Moana in..ooo, atleast two weeks now?" she grinned, leaving their stuff in the hallway.
"Yes please, I love Moana" she grinned excitedly. "I'll go set it up mommy!" She raced off to the living room, setting up the film while Cheryl got the popcorn.
...
They were a little way into the movie when Toni got home, still not entirely clear on what had happened.
After Toni had greeted her daughter, she went in search of Cheryl, who Layla had informed her had disappeared "about 2 songs ago momma."
"Cher?" Toni called, unsure where Cheryl had taken herself off to. She eventually found her, sat at the desk in their study, her emails open and her phone in her hand.
"Baby, What happened?" Toni asked softly, her hands moving to Cheryl's tense shoulders as she leaned round to kiss her cheek.
"The stupid woman at art club wouldn't let me take Layla. Said I couldn't possibly be her mother.." she trailed off, the anger now giving way to anguish as she tried to hold her tears back.
"Come here.." Toni twirled the chair around, sitting herself on Cheryl's lap and hugging her tightly as she waited for Cheryl to calm down.
"I told her she'd be hearing from my legal team.." Cheryl mumbled into Toni's neck.
"Cher! Was that really necessary?"
"She was rude TT. Said she wasn't used to seeing people of our..our..persuasion. She called it a life style choice!!" Cheryl's voice was getting louder with every word.
"Okay..okay..let's try and stay calm about this okay?" she stroked her cheek. "What she said was completely unacceptable. I agree with that. But it sounds like it was coming from a place of ignorance rather than malice."
"She should not be running a kids club with archaic attitudes like that."
"Maybe not..but maybe rather than going straight in with threats of your legal team, We put in a strongly worded complaint to her manager in the first instance."
"And pull Layla out. There's no way I'm letting our daughter spend even a second longer in her company at that stupid club."
"That sounds reasonable" Toni agreed, pleased that Cheryl seemed to be a little less stressed now.
"I'm really sorry that happened today Cher" she soothed, running her fingers through her hair. "It was unjust and completely unfair to you. We will do whatever it takes to make sure that never happens again okay?"
"Okay" Cheryl agreed, leaning up to press a kiss to Toni's lips. "I love you, you know that right? Thank you for making me feel better."
"I love you too. Now and forever" Toni reminded her, deepening their kiss as her hands moved behind Cheryl's head, wrapping around her neck to pull her closer. "Never forget that."
"I have a feeling you'll make sure I don't" Cheryl grinned, feeling better.
"You know it" she winked. "I've been told my methods are very effective."
"Maybe later on you can remind me?"
"Oh I will baby, I absolutely will."