Choni One Shots pt: 2

319: The One Where Cheryl's There For Her

TONI POV:

"I can give it to mommy when she comes home." I look at my litter sister, Jessie. She's 3. I take a deep breath and hold back tears. "Jess." I squat down to her level. "Yeah?" She ask smiling. "Mommy's gone." I whisper. She laughs. "Obviously! She's not here." She says quietly. I shake my head. "She's not coming home." I tell her. "Why not?" She ask as her mood shifts drastically. "Mommy died." I whisper letting tears leave my eyes. "I told you this." I tell her. "Oh yeah. I'll give it to her when we see her again." I shake my head. "We aren't gonna see her again." I whisper. "Why?" She ask quietly. "We can't. She's dead. Once someone dies you can't see them again. I'm sorry kiddo." I explain. "How many people have died?" She ask concerned. "A lot. It's normal thing. It happens to everyone." Her eyes widen. "So I might not see you again?" She ask scared. "Not for a while. I'm not going anywhere for a while and you aren't either." I tell her moving hair out of her face. "I miss mommy." She says quietly. I nod. "I do too." I whisper trying to stay strong. I wipe her tears. "Is it ok to cry?" I nod. "It's always ok." I tell her. I pull her into a hug and let her cry. About 20 minutes go by and I realize she's stopped. I look down and realize she's asleep. I pick her up and bring her into her bedroom, I put her on her bed and tuck her in. I walk out, close the door, I look over to the living room and see Cheryl. "I forgot you were here. I'm sorry." She shrugs. "It's ok." She whispers walking over to me. "You ok?" She ask quietly. "I don't think I can explain it to her again." I whisper. She cups my cheeks. "I can talk to her." She says quietly. I look at her. "I don't know. I'll see how she's been doing in a few days." She nods. "Do you need anything?" She ask quietly. I shake my head. "I just need you to stay with me and keep me from spiraling." She nods. "I can do that." She whispers.

CHERYL POV:

"Where's Jess?" I ask as Toni hands me a drink. "With our aunt." She whispers. "Why?" She ask quietly. "I just figured you'd be with you sister for this." I say quietly. "I didn't sign ask to be taking care of her while I grieved the death of my mother!" She says pissed. "And your aunt did?" I ask quietly. "She's my dad's sister. They didn't hate each other but she wasn't besties with my mother so she offered to watch Jess for a few days. While I got my shit together." She explains. She sits next to me, puts her head in her hands and takes a very shaky breath. I rub her back. "Hey..." I whisper. "I'm sorry." She says sitting up and wiping her tears. "Your sister isn't here, you don't have to pretend anymore." I tell her. She looks at me and I watch her face crumble. I move some hair out of her face. "I'm sorry." She whispers. I pull her into a hug and let her cry. "I'm sorry!" She cries. I rub her back.

Toni walks out of the bedroom. "Feeling better?" I ask quietly. She nods. "Do you think it was a good idea to let her stay with my aunt?" She ask quietly. I shrug. "You needed a break." I whisper. "But I feel like- I told her I wasn't going anywhere and I wasn't gonna leave her, then I go and put her with our aunt for the weekend." She tells me. "I honestly, don't know! I mean you haven't gotten a call from her so I guess that means she's ok." I tell her. "Honestly I don't know how to handle stuff like this." She nods. "I know." She whispers. "I don't think she really knows what happened, I don't think I know what happened." She whispers. "Like I know what happens when you die, I just haven't wrapped my head around how she died." She explains. "I don't know how to take care of her." She whispers. "I'm grieving and so is she! I don't know how to help her with her emotions when I can barely deal with mine!" She explains, slowly raising her voice. "I'm sorry." She whispers. "I'm not mad." I whisper. She looks at me. "I know. I just feel bad for raising my voice." She says quietly. I nod. Toni's phone rings. She looks at it. "It's my aunt." She says getting up and taking it. "Hey!" She says quietly. "What? Ok, I'll be there in a bit." She says grabbing her jacket and keys. "What's wrong?" I ask quietly. "Jess, decided to have a nuclear meltdown and now I have to take on a responsibility that I never wanted to take on!" She says pissed.