Blossom-Topaz

Blossom-Topaz Part One

I hear the door close and I know she's home. Of course, she wouldn't yell and tell me she's home. Our current household motto is ' Let sleeping dogs lie'. 'Dogs' being Tommi Blossom-Topaz, our son.

"Cheryl Marjorie Blossom!"  My mother. Why she's here, I have no idea.

"Mother? Keep your voice down!" I whisper-yell.

"Why would you not tell me you're expecting, Cheryl?" I sigh. Why on earth does she think she has the right to know about my life?

"Because, Mother, I don't care about you. You lost the privilege to know about my life a long time ago."

"Cheryl, can't you let that go? It's been years." She sounds exasperated. Why can't I let it go? I ask myself that question every day. She peppers me with more simple questions (why haven't you called? etc.) and I quickly realize can't deal with her alone. I reach for my phone and call Toni and tell her the situation.

"I'll be there soon, baby. You said she yelled? Did Tommi wake up?"

"No, thank God. I don't think I could tell her about him with becoming a complete and utter mess."

"I love you, baby. Don't worry, I'm on my way."

I stay in Tommi's room until Toni gets here. When the door closes, it's a bit too loud and Tommi wakes up. I calm him down and bring him downstairs.

"Why is your... partner here, Cheryl?"  She says the word 'partner' with such disgust.

"Penelope, with all due respect, I'm not Cheryl's 'partner'. I'm her wife. I know you don't approve, so say what you need to say, because you and your wicked ways aren't welcome here."

"I have many questions," she says in a rather measured voice, "Firstly, where did that baby come from? Why was I not informed about my grandchild? Secondly, Cheryl. Why would you refrain from telling me about your pregnancy?"

"That baby, Tommi, came from Toni. We didn't tell you because-" She cut me off.

"Who's the father? I thought you were... homosexuals" She truly doesn't understand. We spend the next hour, though it seems like forever, explaining how we used a sperm donor, someone we didn't know, to have Tommi and our new baby. We had decided to use the same donor for each child. The decision was to keep her out of our lives and our children's' lives. Betty slipped up, accidentally telling Mother about my unborn baby.

She kept asking us, "Why? Why keep them away from me?" I snapped.

"You abused me! That's it, plain and simple. You may not call it abuse," my voice broke and Toni wrapped her arms around me. "But that's what it was. We're much better mothers than you ever were. Now get out and STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM ME AND MY FAMILY!" I break down. I'm sobbing and Tommi is wailing. Toni calls Betty to come and help with Tommi. She arrives quickly, calming him. She has a way with babies. I can't seem to calm down, so Toni takes me out to the garden, where I sob uncontrollably for the next half hour.

When I compose myself, Toni tells me, "You're okay. It's okay. She's gone for good, baby. She's gone." I can't seem to believe it. My wife takes me inside and Betty gives me Tommi.

"I got a lead on a case I'm working, so I have to leave. Jug and I are going to Pop's tonight if you want to join. 7:00. We have a babysitter already. You can drop Tommi off."

Toni tells her, "Thanks for the invite, B, but I think we'll skip tonight."

"Alright. Feel better, Cheryl."