Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

6 years later

Almost 6 years later
Cheryl's POV
The last few years have been amazing. After we graduated, Toni, Reggie, RJ, Olivia, Elizabeth, Pea, Fangs, and I all travelled the world and had a ton of fun. We moved back to Riverdale and settled down for a bit, I found a high paying job that I literally do whatever I want, still work with Blossom Industry and T joined the military.
It hasn't all been great, we tried to have a baby right when we got home and I did- then miscarried unfortunately. We kept trying and then T got sent off to Afghanistan.
That's when I found out I was pregnant.
She knows obviously, we talk almost everyday but it's hard on her not being able to see our daughter for the first 2 months of her life. We decided to name her Alexis Jayla Topaz because I thought it was cute.
I hear Alexis starting to get fussy in the other room so I go in and take her out of the crib.
"Hi baby," I smile "is someone done with nap time?"
She smiles and grins at my shirt.
"Ya you're keeping mommy company right?" I say
I kiss her cheek and she giggles a little bit.
I go into the kitchen and put her on the high chair while I warm up her bottle. I couldn't breast feed because of low breast milk supply. She's fine though, and so am I
I give her my phone to hold, she's still really small but she sometimes just taps on it.
I get her milk and turn back around to see her looking at pictures.
"Silly girl, what are you doing?" I ask in my "mommy" voice
I see she pulled a picture of Toni and I up on coincidence and I smile.
"Momma's coming home soon baby, she wants to see you,"
Obviously she has no clue who Toni is but Tones has FaceTimed with me throughout the process of learning how to be a mom and she promised she's coming home soon. She's been gone 11 months and 5 days and should come back in 25 days.
I get a call from her a smile.
"Hey TT," I say putting her on speaker phone so I can feed Lex.
"Cheryl? It's Reggie,"
"Oh where's Toni?" I ask
"Are you holding the baby?"
"Currently yes,"
"Put her down," he says calmly
I put Lex in the high chair again and take my phone off speaker.
"Reggie what's going on?" I ask
"Toni was shot," he says bluntly
"Shot? Is she okay?" I start
"Calm down, she's alright C, I promise," he says "lower leg during active combat. But she's coming home now,"
"She is? Oh my god okay, but she's okay?" I ask "she's not dying or dead or lying in a dirty ditch?"
"They said there might be complications with the extraction but that's all I know. They won't give it to either of us until she's on us soil you know that,"
I sigh
"How are you Reg?" I ask
"I'm coming home too, it's time,"
"I agree," I say "I miss you two- it's hard with everyone away caring for Lexi,"
"We'll land at 17:09 EST,"
"Please english," I say
"5:09 in New York time,",
"JFK?" I ask
"Yes," he says
"I'll see you there. Please make sure she doesn't die,"
"That's my job Blossom,"
I hang up and start crying.
She was shot
But she's okay
Lex reaches over and touches my arm.
"I'm alright baby," I say picking her up and bouncing her "Mommy's alright, I promise,"
I kiss her temple and bounce her up and down.
"Let's get you some food sweetheart," I whisper grabbing the bottle
She only eats when she has skin to skin contact with me so I take my shirt off and feed her.
Literally everyone I like is gone, except Tyler. Everyone else is travelling or is living in Manhattan.
Tyler walks in.
"Shit sorry Cheryl," he says noticing I have no shirt on.
"It's okay Ty, come sit down, she's almost done," I say softly
"How's it going?" He asks
"Did Reggie not call you?"
"No, why? Is everything okay?"
"Tones was shot, and there might be some difficulties taking the bullet out," I sigh
"Is she going to be okay?"
"They're on their way home, it sounds like it was below the knee and she's okay though,"
"Then don't freak out unless they give you something to freak out about,"
"Wanna come for the drive? I was going to leave in an hour or so," I say
"Of course Cheryl,"
"Thank you,"
She finishes her bottle and I put my shirt back on to burp her.
"Need me to grab anything for the road trip?" He asks
"Wanna grab a diaper bag and some of her toys?" I ask "she should sleep but I really don't want her to cry the whole way,"
"Of course,"
"It should all be in her room,"
He nods and walks upstairs
She burps and giggles.
"Hey babygirl," I say rocking her "we get to see mommy today, yes we do,"
She yawns and I kiss her forehead.
"You're a cutie, ya you are. Just like your mom, Mhm. Just like Toni, she's a cutie too baby,"
"You're a good mom Cheryl," Ty says coming back down
"I'm trying," I sigh "she's a really easy baby which helps,"
I lay on my stomach and lay her down facing me so I can play with her and tire her out.
I do that and Ty watches TV for like an hour and a half before we leave for JFK.
"I'll drive if you want," he says
"Would you?" I ask "she hasn't been in a car for more than 5 minutes really, I might sit back here with her,"
"Ya of course, no problem," he says
I put her in her car seat and I sit on the other side.
She looks at me and I let her play with my fingers.
After half an hour she starts crying and having a meltdown.
"Hey hey baby, Lexi cmon we're almost there," I say "I'm here calm down,"
I grab my house keys from my pocket and jingle them. She stops and looks at them. I put her soother in her mouth so she doesn't try and eat my keys.
"Sorry Ty, I know it's kind of distracting," I sigh "it's alright Cheryl, it's good practice for whenever me and Reagan have kids,"
"Awe are you two looking into it?" I ask
"Starting to, she wants to get married first though,"
"That's sweet,"
"Mhm," he sighs "don't get me started on the 'cute' things you got her into,"
"What? What did I do?" I ask
"Everything we talk about she says it's either "cute" or "ew not cute" it's not fun,"
"Oh I love Reagan," I laugh
Alexis starts shaking the keys at me and I tickle her stomach.
"What do you want you little troublemaker?" I laugh
She spits out her soother and throws her hands in the air.
"Wa!"
"Someone's getting some energy," I laugh tickling her "maybe you'll stay awake long enough to see mama,"
She sits there holding my fingers and Ty and I talk for a while before making it to JFK.
"Do you know where they're coming in?"
"Uh no, Reg texted and said that a general would meet us in the embassy," I say "so just park here and we can walk,"
He parks and I get the stroller and put Alexis in there.
"Okay baby, we're not making a scene okay?" I say buckling her in "here's Ducky and Moo Moo,"
She smiles and cuddles the two small stuffed animals
I push the stroller and we get the the embassy. The stroller is tipped back into pretty much so she's laying all the way down she can look at me and she doesn't hurt her neck.
She throws her Duck out of the stroller and Ty catches it.
"Good thing you're a receiver," I laugh
He laughs and gives her the duck back.
We make it to the embassy and meet General Hughes.
"Mrs. Topaz I'm assuming?" He asks
"Yes sir," I reply
"It's Thomas," he says "I'm heard Topaz was shot, but she's just fine and they're about half an hour out, they won't give me any other information since they are still overseas technically so I don't know what complications they had," he says
"Okay thank you,"
"You can go right into the airport but you have to use the military supplied strollers just as a safety precaution, you can leave that one here and pick it up on your way out,"
"Thank you so much," I say "this is one of Toni's best friend's Tyler,"
"Nice to meet you,"
"You as well," ty says
I pick Alexis out of the stroller and grab one of the stuffed animals.
She gets fussy and starts crying a little.
"Hey baby, hey baby," I whisper kissing her temple and bouncing her "youre alright, we get to see momma soon, very very soon little girl,"
She starts to settle down a I say a silent apology to the people near me.
"It's no problem Mrs. Topaz," General Hughes says "I'll show you to where Topaz and Mantle will be,"
We go down a long reclusive hallway and to a gate.
"Just got word that they're landing now, the two of them will be the first people out of the plane,"
I sit with Lex in the stroller, rocking it back and forth.
"There they are," Tyler says standing up
"Stay with Lex?" I ask
"Go get your girl blossom," he winks
I walk over and T's on crutches.
"Cheryl?!" She asks
"Toni!" I smile hugging her
She hugs me back dropping her crutches and kisses the side of my head.
"I love you Cheryl Topaz," she whispers
"I love you too Tones,"
I let go of the hug and Toni grabs my arm for balance. I look down expecting to see a cast
But she has no leg under her knee