Ocean's 8 1/2

6 Is A Crowd

"Keri? Derek?" Tammy shouted in the seemingly empty loft. Deb had been locked in her room for the last 4 days and only came out to take and put back a small plate of food which Tammy left for her. The first 3 days she didn't take the food, but the brunette's better judgment reminded her that she indeed need to eat. Tammy and Nine had already packed the minivan up for their upcoming journey to California. Tammy really did not want to leave Deb given the state the woman was in, but Tess, Constance, Amita, and Harold all promised they'd look after her and made sure she'd eat. She only agreed to because she knew Tess was probably the only other person in the group that would get through Deb's thick skull. If it were just up to the others, she'd stay. Nine had also pointed out that the kids were already missing too much school. Tammy knew she was right, and she had to get them enrolled soon. 

"We're in the office Mommy!" Derek called out. Tammy walked there in a hurry. Deb specifically told the kids not to go in there and Tammy was not about to have Deb in any more of a worse mood. 

"What did Auntie Deb tell you about being in here?" Tammy scolded as she saw Roni helping the younger kids grab books. 

"She asked us to come in here," Keri said softly. Tammy raised her eyebrow. While she loved her daughter to pieces, the uncanny resemblance to Debbie at that age was enough for her to question her word at times.

"What do you mean she asked you to come in here?" Tammy asked. 

"She slipped em a note," Roni said as she pulled out a piece of paper from Derek's coat pocket. Tammy took it and read it, "Hey munsters, please go into my office and grab me the 3 books on the coffee table, thank you. Love Aunt Deb<3" 

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tammy said softly. The two kids shrugged and carried the books out of the study. Roni walked downstairs as the two younger ones went to drop off the books. They didn't wait for her to open it as they knew she wasn't in a good mood. 

"Ight is everyone ready to go?" Leslie called up. Tammy looked down from the top of the stairs at her woman holding her youngest in her arms. Tammy couldn't help but smile at the sight. While Leslie held Lucas often, Tammy couldn't help but beam as she watched them interact.

********

"You know you don't have to do that," Tammy said sleepily. Leslie looked back at the half-asleep woman and just shrugged. She had heard Lucas crying and immediately got up to check on him. Tammy had only woken up a few seconds after her but the cocoa colored woman who she adored had beaten her to it. 

"I don't mind, honestly," Leslie said with a smile. She then checked Lucas's diaper and changed it. Tammy smiled as she rested her chin in her hand. She watched the woman carefully, not because she didn't trust her, but because she was so good with him.  Ashton was never a hands-on dad, he rarely ever held them and had never changed a diaper in his life. Leslie, on the other hand, was sometimes even more hands-on than she was. Leslie was usually always the first to attend to Lucas's crying or Keri and Derek's squabbles. She was taking to motherhood faster and easier than she did when she first held Derek in her arms.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I'm sure this wasn't your ideal when you pictured how your love life was going to be.." Tammy trailed off. Once Leslie finished changing Lucas, she picked him up and sat down on the bed next to Tammy. She looked directly into the blonde woman's dark brown eyes and said, "You're right, this is not exactly what I imagined when I pictured my future family.." 

Tammy immediately sunk her head, she felt so guilty about dragging Leslie into her complicated mess. Her head didn't hang low for long as Leslie's finger lifted her chin up and made Tammy look into her eyes. 

"But, that's only because I never pictured myself havin a family other than Roni, Tam. I never saw a wife or even a husband. I never saw little human beins. I saw myself alone or shot up before I ever got a chance to begin one. I don't mind that you have an ex-husband. I absolutely do not mind, at all, that you already have kids. 18 years ain't nothing to me. To me, this just means you've lived your life girl. In choosing to be with me, I take that as I am givin you somethin that you were missin out on before. And I take that as a huge win. I take that as you finally takin charge and takin what you want. I couldn't be happier that I am what you want. So stop apologizin to me and just get used to me bein in your life. I ain't leaving," Leslie said with conviction in her voice.