Fixer Upper (A Choni Fanfiction)

Thirteen

I wasn't even clear on as to whether it was me who I said I love you, or her, if I was being honest. I hoped it was her, because then I wouldn't have to worry about her not saying it back, but I just laid there, numb and confused, unsure on what to say.

I loved Toni, honestly, with a large part of my heart, the part that didn't consist of my son, of course. But I genuinely didn't know if it was a figment of my imagination that she said it, or if I had said it in my stupor of intoxication, caused by the love I was flooded with when I saw her, lying beside me, taken by my ministrations.

"I-I'm sorry..." Toni muttered, and this was the first time I had ever seen her riddled with suck insecurity. She stood up and went to her dresser for a pair of pants, then a sweater. "I'll drive you home now. I just thought-"

"Hush." I interrupted, jumping up off of her bed and approaching the beautiful woman in front of me. I took her face in both of my hands and looked between her eyes, which welled with tears. It made my own face buzz as tears threatened from my eyes. "Toni, I love you too." I whispered, and she looked between my eyes, likely searching for any sign of a lack of sincerity, and when she found none, she took my waist and pulled me close, kissing me deeply. I felt her tears

Run between our cheeks, and I pulled her closer.

This is exactly what I wanted. Somebody to love me unconditionally, no matter what my life was like. Someone to make me feel like I was special. Someone who made me feel like I had a reason to be on this earth. Someone who loved my family, and accepted me for all my flaws.

She embraces the craziness, and takes it as though she was ready for it. She would worship me, if I asked her to, and I knew that. She showed me that this world needs me for so much more than fashion, but for inspiration, and for strength, and to be a role model. My family trusts her with their lives, and she didn't just accept my flaws, she took extra care to show me that she loved my flaws just as much as the other things.

I let out a sob against Toni's lips, and she moved her hands up to tangle in my hair, and I felt like no amount of closeness was close enough.

"Lie with me, Toni." I whimpered upon pulling away from her tear stained face, and she nodded, pulling her sweat shirt and her pants off to walk to her bed with me.

I removed the strap and my panties, then lifted the covers and slid beneath them, allowing Toni to follow me. She turned toward me, and I tucked my left knee between hers, and my right one atop them. I wrapped my arms around her body, and she laid her head on my bare chest. We laid there like that, my hands caressing her hair until we fell asleep together.

...

"Good afternoon, kids!" Called my mom from the kitchen, and Toni and I walked through the house, hand in hand to go see my son for the first time in 18 hours.

"Mom, we're in our late twenties." I questioned as I walked in to see Alice sitting in a kitchen chair, feeding Mason, whose eyes were slowly closing.

"I tell her that all the time," Complained Betty as she walked from the bottom step, into the kitchen to get a juice from the fridge.

"For as long as I'm your mom, you'll all be my babies" Alice insisted, looking over my shoulder to Toni, who leaned against the sink, her hand out at Betty, asking her to give her a juice as well.

"You too, Antoinette." She assured, and I looked back to see Toni's eyes cast downward bashfully.

"That means I can do this." Betty said before sticking her finger in her mouth, then into Toni's ear."