Love On The Court

𝔽𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕪-𝕤𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟

📆: April 15th, 2023
📍:  Cheryl's Penthouse apartment, upper east Manhattan, NY
⚠️: ANGST, mentions of mental health illness

The stress on her shoulder doesn't release itself after she steps out of the shower. Toni grabs her hair towel and wraps it around her head before wrapping a soft, freshly washed towel around her body. She sighs when she sees her reflection.

Dark rings reside under her pretty eyes and her lips look so chapped.

She's been downplaying it for weeks now but today she is exhausted. Mentally and emotionally. With everything that happened a few weeks back with her mother, the brunette has been on edge. Every time her phone rings, she's on alert. Every text she receives from her sister when she is sleeping or even a missed call will have her heart hammering in her chest.

Elaine has been fine, of course. The woman is still taking her meds and using her oxygen tank, but Toni cannot shake the feeling of dread after her mother's last hospital visit. The feeling of being on edge every second of the day.

Cheryl has noticed this, of course. She took notice of her girlfriend's anxious mannerisms. How she'd get up at three am to sit on the balcony outside and just think. How'd she'd stay near her phone all hours of the day, even while on the game. Oh, and let's not forget her obsessive gaming sessions.

Cheryl also notices her tossing and turning through the dark hours of the night. She soothes her to sleep by running her fingers through her hair softly and humming a soft tone. It helps Toni beyond words and the athlete sometimes finds herself subconsciously cuddling closer to her girlfriend to feel a sense of security.

The redhead will always be that for her. Even when they're apart.

Like right now.

Toni woke up to a note from her love stating that she has a few errands to run for the penthouse and that she'll be back before noon to make lunch for them. The brunette took that time to shower and collect her thoughts before having to put up her front for the new week.

And yeah, you're probably saying "Tell Cheryl, dumbass!" but Toni also knows that the redhead has enough on her plate and she doesn't need her to worry.

She hates to make her girlfriend worried.

With a sigh, Toni snaps out of her thoughts to grab the body lotion on the marble counter under the mirror. She applies the bodily substance to her torso, arms, and legs before doing her face.

She quickly dresses herself in her boxers and a hoodie, not feeling up for a whole outfit. Plus, she's pretty sure she and Cheryl will be having an inside day today.

Once she is done with drying her hair, she unplugs the blow dryer before tucking it away into the cupboard and leaving the bathroom, stuffing her used towels into the laundry basket.

Toni loves to be alone in Cheryl's penthouse. It's big and very spacious, and the brunette loves to look at the redhead's family portraits and some of her skilled paintings.

Cheryl used to paint a lot in high school. She has some of her prized possessions hanging around the penthouse so Toni enjoys looking at them. It brings her peace, in some way.

The sounds of the beeping cars and the soft pitter-patter of the rain on the streets below also bring her peace. It allows her to let her thoughts run wild without having to hide her emotions.

Her hazel eyes scan over the abstract painting before her, smiling softly at the little 'CMB' written in tiny cursive letters at the bottom, the date adjacent to it.

Toni thinks that her girlfriend has a beautiful name. Cheryl Marjorie Blossom. Marjorie. She definitely wants to name one of their daughters that one day. If the model wants to, of course.