Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

Birthday

Little over a month later
Cheryl's POV
Today's Alexis's birthday and I'm setting up a small party in our backyard. Liv had her baby a month ago and they're bringing him. Pea and Fangs, Toni's football friends, you know.. pretty much everyone that's always here.
Toni started showing a little but a couple weeks ago. I'm so excited to find out the sex of the baby.
I'm pretty sure she wants a boy. I don't really care. I already have a perfect little daughter, so it doesn't really matter.
Sky is coming down from Seattle, her family moved there when she was 14. She's 17 now, haven't seen her in forever.
Toni stirs beside me and I kiss her.
"Good morning baby," I say
"Morning princess," she says
"How are you feeling?" I ask
"I'm hoping morning sickness is gone,"
"I feel like when you always threw up in the mornings we should've known something was off,"
She giggles and I kiss her again.
"I love you Toni,"
"I love you too Cher," She says
We get up and I help her put on her leg.
She's in a bra so after I finish I kiss her stomach.
"Cutie,"
"What, I wanted to say hi to it," I say
Lexi starts crying and we go to her room.
"Hey babygirl," I say walking into her room
She's standing in her crib and she claps when she sees me.
"Happy birthday baby," I say picking her up
"Happy birthday Lexi," Toni smiles at her
"Mama, Mama, pwease," She says
"Please what sweetheart,"
"Mama PWEASE," She says again
"I think someone's hungry,"
"Let's go have breakfast sweetheart," I say
We walk downstairs and Tones sits with her while I make everyone breakfast.
I turn and Tones has her head on the counter sobbing and Lexi is leaning over her high chair and touching her head.
"Baby what's wrong?"
"I'm just so sad," she sobs "Lexi is already a year old, but I've only known her for 10 months and no matter what I do I'll never get the two months back. I'm just, just so sad. I wanna know her for twelve months Cheryl. I want twelve,"
Oh yes, mood swings. Between her being pregnant, me being me and Lexi getting more teeth- our house sucks.
"Baby it's okay she won't even remember,"
"She won't remember me?" She cries
"No no no Toni, she's going to remember you," I say "she loves you, she won't remember her first two months of life because that's insane. She barely remembers Sweetpea at most points,"
"So she remembers me?"
"Yes baby, she remembers you," I laugh "look at her,"
Toni looks at her and smiles.
"She's cute,"
"Very," I say "now let me make breakfast,"
"I'm sorry C,"
"It's alright TT," I laugh "I was so mean to Ty when I first got pregnant. At least you aren't throwing things at me,"
"You threw things?"
"A lot of things,"
I finish breakfast and we eat together.
"I love you," Toni says finishing
"I love you too babe,"
We play out back until everyone starts showing up.
"Hey birthday girl," Liv says picking Lexi up off the ground
"Hey Liv, hows the baby boy?"
"Not sleeping at night," she sighs "neither am I,"
"It gets better,"
"How soon?"
I purse my lips and shrug.
"It takes a while?"
"Yup,"
She laughs and I see Sky walk into the backyard.
"I'll be right back," I say standing up
"Skylar!"
"Cheryl!"
She hugs me and I laugh.
"I missed you kid," I say
"I missed you too," she says
I see Toni hobbling over.
"Hey Sky," She says
"Hey toni,"
"Babe can you help with my leg again? It's coming loose,"
"Your leg?.." Sky says confused
"Did we never tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"Toni had her leg amputated under the knee," I sigh "she's okay though,"
"I will be okay, if you fix my leg so I don't fall on my stomach,"
"That's specific," she sighs
"Well I am pregnant," Toni says
"Oh my god congratulations," she says hugging Toni "Cheryl you literally told me nothing was different,"
"Ya I wanted to surprise you,"
"What else did I miss?"
"Reggie's engaged, and RJ has a baby,"
"Reggie's engaged to who?"
"Her names Elizabeth,"
"Cheryl's best friend, aka the only person other than Cheryl allowed to swear around Lexi,"
"She's cute, they're coming soon,"
"Where's Alexis?" Sky asks
"Over here with Liv,"
"Babe I'll just ask RJ,"
"No come over I'll help,"
"I gotta talk to him anyways,"
"Alright,"
I walk with Sky to where Liv is sitting with Lexi.
"Olivia this is my sister Skylar, Sky this is my friend Olivia,"
"Nice to meet you," Liv says
"You too," Sky says sitting on the grass
I sit beside her and Lexi crawls over to me.
"Mama!" She says "up, up,"
"You wanna stand up Sweetheart?" I laugh
I help her stand up and she looks from me to Sky.
"That's my sister sweetie," I say
"Reggee?"
"Not reggie you silly bug," I laugh fixing her hair "reggie isn't here yet. That's Sky,"
She looks up at the actual sky and laughs.
I don't know if she knows she made a joke through it.
"Yes that is also the Sky you little troublemaker," I laugh tickling her
"Mama no," she says through her laughing
She turns and walks towards Sky
She stumbles and falls into Sky's lap. Sky helps her stand up and laughs.
"Hey kiddo,"
Lex reaches and puts her hand on Sky's face.
"Why does she do that?" Liv asks
"I don't know, Tyler used to do it to me when I was sad so I think she just associates it with making people happy,"
"He used to.."
"Put his hand in my face," I say "I don't know why,"
We see reggie and Liz walk in and Lexi points at him.
"Reggee,"
"Yes that's uncle Reggie," I laugh standing up "let's go see him since you are so interested,"
I walk over and give Lex to Reggie.
"She has said your name 4 times today, I think she misses you and thinks you should hangout with her more often," I say
"You miss me kiddo?" He asks
"Reggee, pwease ra!" She says
"Do you.." he starts
"No clue what it means," I say "just let her babble,"
"We got her this," Liz says handing me a present
"I told you guys we didn't need anything," I say taking it out of the bag
A football
"Did Toni tell you to get this?" I ask
"No reggies idea," Liz says
"Thank you, but you are well aware that she will not be playing football,"
"Why not? I want her to break Toni's records so I don't have to listen to it,"
I roll my eyes.
"There's also a stuffed animal in there, I thought more age appropriate than a full size football,"
"You're probably right," I laugh taking the stuffed giraffe out of the bag "the football is for him and Toni,"
"Most likely," she agrees
"Look at this sweetheart, Uncle Reggie and Aunt Lizzy got you a giraffe,"
"Mama," She says reaching for me
"Are you done with uncle Reggie?" I laugh
I take her
"Go give the football to Tones, you two will enjoy it more than her,"
"You got it,"
We grab Livs boy from rj so the boys and Toni can throw the football.
"Have you guys picked a name?" Liz asks
"I think we're going g with Louis Jacob,"
"he won with LJ?" I ask
"It's a family thing," she sighs
We laugh and talk for a while before Liv and I put our kids to sleep.
"Hi baby," Toni says hugging me from behind
"Hey tones, how are you feeling?"
"I'm okay," she sighs
"What's wrong love?"
"I was about this pregnant when I was shot," she sighs
I think back to how psychologically terrible that was on her.
"Oh baby, I didn't even think about that,"
"I just.. I just," She says
I think she's getting overwhelmed lately
"I just need a few minutes, I'll check on Lexi and I'll be back. I just need to be alone,"
"Two conditions," I say
"What?"
"One no driving and two don't stress yourself out it's bad for the baby,"
"Deal and deal,"
"I love you,"
"I love you too," she says
She goes inside and I walk back over to everyone
"Where's T going? We just bet how far she can go without her leg," rj says
"She isn't feeling well," I sigh "she should be out in a bit,"
"What's wrong? She was fine a second ago," Reggie asks concerned
"Oh it's.. it's nothing she's fine. Might be another mood swing,"
Everyone else accepts this but reggie doesn't.
"Cher.."
"Reggie, she'll be alright," I whisper seeing him staring at me "it's probably just a pregnancy thing,"
I can tell he's thinking.
And then he stands up and runs inside.
"Why's he acting so weird?" Liz asks
"He's worried about Toni," I sigh rolling my eyes
"Ever since we met those two, they've been over worried about one another," RJ says
"I think if Reggie died it would kill Toni- even more so than if I died. Ever since they became friends they've been inseparable. It's just like the football field- they know what's going on with each other,"
"What is going on?"
"I don't even know," I sigh "She was around 3 months pregnant when she was shot in high school. I don't know why she'd really think about it, especially today. What were you guys talking about?" I ask
"Different options for baby names," rj shrugs
"What were they?"
"George, Jake, Charlie," he says
"Charlie, shit," I mutter standing up
"What's wrong?"
"She named her other baby Charlie, only me and Reggie knew that," I sigh "I'll be right back,"
I walk inside and see Toni and Reggie looking at our high school photo album.
"Hey guys,"
Neither of them really notice me and they fixate on a picture.
They're hugging and in the second they're smiling at the camera
"What's the significance of this picture?" I ask
"It's the last one I took before that night," she says "I'm trying to see if I was showing or whatever,"
"You weren't Tones," I say "I would know,"
She sighs and nods
"I'm sorry C, I just got sad,"
"It's alright babe,  I was about to start dinner. You two come out when you're ready,"
She nods
I go upstairs and grab both babies because they're awake. Go outside and start dinner.
"Cher wheres Toni?" Liz asks
"Still inside I'm guessing,"
"What are they doing?" She asks
"Looking at pictures," I sigh "or rather a single picture,"
"Sometimes I think reggie forgets that she's still fragile,"
"I think Toni forgets Toni's still fragile," I sigh "but reggie forgets he's still fragile too,"
"What do you mean?"
"Reggie doesn't think he deserves to feel pain or be scared or anything just because we didn't go through what Toni went through. He has to stop comparing pain and start healing. Her going missing in her first year affected him as much as it affected me because he loves her and when all the dust settles they don't wanna be heroes or broken or anything they wanna survive,"
"High school really sucks for people in Riverdale, huh?"
"Only them," I sigh
They come back out and Toni walks over to me.
"Mama?" Lexi asks pointing at Toni and looking at me
"Mama's coming over here sweetheart," I laugh "don't worry she's alright baby,"
"There are my two favourite girls," Toni says
"Hey babes, how are you feeling?"
"I think I'm alright, Reggie helped me out with something so I'm better,"
"Good Baby, I'm glad,"
"Plus, I can't spend her entire first birthday crying," she says
I hand her Lexi and she smiles
"Happy birthday little girl," she says "I love you and always will,"
We say bye to everyone and decide to sit back on the grass.
"Cheryl something's wrong, Cheryl something's off," she says putting her hands on her stomach "Cher I'm scared, Cher please,"
"Okay, Okay Baby, what's wrong? What's happening?" I ask calmly
"My- my stomach.. something's wrong,"
I move over and kneel in front of her
Is that what I think it is?
"Oh Tones that's not bad, the opposite really,"
"What?" She asks frying her tears
"Your Baby is kicking Toni," I say
I kiss her and she smiles
"That's good right?"
"Very Babe, it's very good,"
"I don't wanna lose this one Cher,"
"You won't TT, I know you won't,"
"I love you Cher,"
"I love you too TT,"
"Isn't it a little early for it to be kicking?"
"I've never known a Topaz to show up at the wrong time, so maybe it's just a reminder that they're there,"
She giggles and goes back to playing with Lexi.
I love my girls