Choni One Shots

Recluse

Seasons 5 vibes - Ever wonder why and when the twins moved into the Smith-Cooper household and out of  Thornhill? Here's my take on it.

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Cheryl was sitting in her painting room, working on some small paintings with Juniper and Dagwood - her twin five year old niece and nephew. Soft music was playing as the afternoon sun was shining through the stained glass floor to ceiling windows.

Juniper was painting a field of beautiful wild flowers on her small canvas, while Dagwood was working on an ocean and a sunset. Their aunt had taught them everything that she knew about painting. She herself had taken many lessons as a child and continued working on her skills through her teenage years, and now as an adult.

"Aunt Cher?" Juniper caught her attention, pulling her away from her own painting, consisting of a multitude of pink and purple flowers.

"Yes, dear?" She lifted her brush from the pink rose, giving her niece her full attention.

"When will Aunt Toni come see us, again?"

"We miss her," Dagwood looked up at his aunt with a pout.

She felt like her heart stopped at the mention of her ex girlfriend. She took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "I'm not sure. She hasn't called in a while."

The twins spoke of Toni regularly, as if she had never left their lives. The tanned woman would send them birthday cards with little doodles or polaroids inside, along with kind words. She even sent them cards for every holiday from Easter to Christmas. On occasion, one of the twins would ask to call her, which always broke the older redhead's heart.

Cheryl loved that the children thought of Toni as their aunt, even though they broke up two years ago.

"Can we call her, then?" Juniper asked.

Cheryl sighed, "I'll text her and see her when she can talk, okay?"

Both twins nodded with smiles on their faces as they got back to their artwork and Cheryl texted her ex.

Cheryl: Hey, Toni. The twins want to talk to you, if you're not busy. If that's okay.

She hated bothering the other woman, even if it was just a text. The only time they really ever communicated, was only because of the twins. Toni would send a random text occasionally, usually about a class or a fact she thought the redhead would enjoy, but otherwise it was radio silence.

The older redhead continued on her painting, now working alongside the rose and starting on a purple tulip. It was only a few minutes later when her phone chimed with a text.

TT: Sure. I'll call in a few hours after my last class.

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Sure enough, Toni had called a few hours later with a FaceTime call. Cheryl felt her heart stop again at the contact photo she had never changed. She held her phone in her right hand as her left hand clenched into a fist, nails digging into her palm.

She put on her perfect smile before finally hitting accept. "Toni, hi!" She spoke cheerfully with a smile on her face, walking towards the playroom.

"Hey, Cher. How are you? I haven't heard from you in a while."

That damn nickname that Toni had gotten the twins to call her. It sounded so different coming from the other woman. As Cheryl's left hand tightened, her nails were certainly breaking the skin.

Still with the smile on her face, she responded. "Yes, Toni, it has been awhile. I'm perfectly fine, though. How are you?" She asked. She really did care for the other woman, as she always had. It was just difficult to see her, knowing they would never be together again.