Misty sat on the couch with Cordelia's head in her lap as she ran her fingers through neat blonde hair, "I just can't believe how gorgeous she looked," Cordelia nodded in agreement and caught Misty's hand in her own before kissing her knuckles.
"I know, baby. Our little girl's all grown up and dating boys," Misty grimaced at that and Cordelia laughed up at her wife's face, "Come on, Misty, he's a nice boy and she really wanted to go to his prom. Plus wasn't it worth it to see her excited and all dolled up?" Misty nodded down at the woman before bending to place a kiss to her lips.
"I hate ta ask ya ta move, but I need ta go take a shower," Cordelia just grinned and lifted up on her elbows to allow her wife to stand. She laid back down and Misty placed another kiss to her lips before walking upstairs to their bathroom.
Cordelia was dozing lightly about half an hour later when she woke up to the sound of movement in the hallway. "Misty?" The movement stopped and she heard a sigh. Her daughter stepped into the room.
"No, it's me, mommy," Cordelia sat up immediately. Stephanie had slowly shortened 'mommy' to just 'mom' over the years. However, sometimes when they were alone or she was upset, it would slip out. Cordelia studied her daughter's face in the dim lighting of the room and noticed her mascara and make up had run down her face in obvious tear tracks. She opened her arms and her daughter sat down next to her and hugged her tightly before letting out a sob that she'd clearly been holding in.
Cordelia held her as she cried and tried to sooth her as best as she could, "Hey, bug, what happened?" Stephanie sat back and wiped her tears as she pulled her feet up under her. She looked at her mother's concerned face and sighed as more tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Hey, Dee? Do ya think that Chinese place would deliver this late?" Misty entered the room and looked up from her phone when Cordelia didn't answer her. She immediately moved to sit next to her wife and ran her fingers through Stephanie's hair, "What's wrong, darlin'?" Stephanie attempted a laugh that came out more like a choked sob and Misty pulled her into her arms.
She finally pulled back and the two looked at her for an explanation. She sighed out shakily, "Umm, I'm sorry. There's no telling what you're thinking at this point," Misty shook her head and Cordelia reached a hand out to grasp Stephanie's own. "We were leaving the school and Trevor started driving in a different direction than the restaurant that we had chosen and when I questioned him about it, he made some lewd comment and…. Well, I'm not repeating it but you can take a guess at what he wanted for dinner," Cordelia gasped and gripped her daughter's hand more tightly. She pulled her and the girl laid her head in her mother's lap and felt both of them running their fingers through her hair. "I don't even know why I'm upset, I mean I didn't even like him."
"It's okay ta be upset about what happened, hell, I wanna go beat the kid myself," Stephanie laughed lightly before burrowing into her mother's lap.
"That's okay, Mary took care of him," Misty grinned.
"I knew we liked her for some reason," Cordelia continued to run her fingers through her daughter's hair.
"Did he drop you off here?" Stephanie shook her head.
"No. I told him it wasn't happening and he got mad and tried to…" Misty felt tears running down her face and wiped them away before her daughter could see them, "Well, he tried to do it anyway. But I had already texted Mary and Ava. Mary dropped me off after she threw a few punches and expletives around," Cordelia pulled her daughter into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around her feeling the girl lean into the hug.
"I'm so sorry, bug; your first date experience should never have been like this."
"Yeah he's a real douche canoe," Misty laughed loudly and slapped a hand over her mouth before looking to Cordelia who was laughing quietly at the girl as well, "Mary said that one when she hit him the third time," she felt Misty wrap her arms around her as well. She settled into their usual Stephanie Sandwich and heard her phone beep. The three pulled away and she pulled the phone from her clutch.
"It's Ava," Stephanie laid back down in Cordelia's lap and Misty met her eyes knowingly over her head. Cordelia smirked.
"Is she on her way over?" Stephanie shook her head.
"She's in the driveway," They heard the front door open and Ava entered the room still dressed in her pajamas being that it was so late. The two women looked up at her before standing and leaving the room. Ava took Cordelia's place and ran her own fingers through her best friend's hair. Stephanie sat up after a few minutes and the two hugged for a long moment.
'You didn't have to come, you know?' Ava looked at her like she was crazy and signed her own reply.
'Are you kidding?! Where else would I possibly be?' Stephanie grinned and leaned her head on Ava's shoulder, 'Let's get you out of this dress and make up and into some awful sweats and then eat all the junk food that we can find," Stephanie laughed and nodded before standing and going up stairs with her best friend.
oooOOooOOooo
Cordelia came downstairs the next morning and grinned at the sight of Stephanie and Ava asleep on the couch. She noticed all of the empty containers and junk food scattered around the room and the cheesy romance comedy that was stuck on the title screen in the background. She stepped into the room and her daughter opened her eyes and had the decency to look sheepish.
"Sorry?" Cordelia just laughed.
"Are you kidding? Your mama eats more than this at every meal," Stephanie giggled and sat up carefully so as not to wake Ava. "Do you feel better?" Stephanie nodded and looked up at her.
"I actually feel a little sick," Cordelia laughed and looked around the room again.
"Well considering the amount of pizza rolls, ice cream, and cookies you two ate, it's no wonder," Stephanie nodded in agreement and Cordelia bent and grabbed the half eaten pizza from the table before grabbing a now cold piece and taking a bite. Stephanie raised her eye brows, "What? I don't want to make breakfast," The girl grinned at her as she left the room and shook her best friend awake.
Ava sat up slowly, 'Have your moms seen this yet? Or do we have time to hide the evidence?' Stephanie laughed and shook her head.
'Mom already came down and helped herself to some pizza for breakfast,' Ava nodded and the two cleaned up the room together. They sat back down on the couch after they finished and Stephanie looked over at Ava, 'Thanks for last night. I needed it,' Ava nodded and hugged her best friend again.
'I should probably go. My mom wanted to do something with me today. I don't remember what it was she said,' Stephanie nodded and walked her to the door. 'Text me later and we'll do something.'
'Okay. Thanks again, Ava-bop,' the girl grinned at the nickname that had started when they were little.
'No problem, Stephi-boo.'
oooOOooOOooo
Misty had eaten the rest of the pizza and the three sat at the table in the kitchen just enjoying each other's company. Misty looked up at her daughter, "So? Did the Ava treatment work its wonders?" Stephanie laughed at the wording and nodded.
"Why can't I find a guy as perfect as my best friend?" Stephanie asked it jokingly as she looked at her phone and Misty met Cordelia's eyes. The woman finally nodded at her wife.
"Maybe it's time we told her, Dee?" Stephanie looked up and moved her gaze between the two of them.
"Told me what? Is one of you pregnant?!" Cordelia laughed and shook her head as Misty's eyes went wide.
"Did you learn nothing in health class?"
"Well, you're both witches, I didn't know if that was possible."
"Actually, I don't know either. But no neither of us are pregnant," Stephanie nodded and looked at them expectantly.
"Baby girl, did ya ever think that maybe ya don't want someone like Ava.. But that ya might just want Ava?" Stephanie sat forward with her mouth open ready to tell her she was crazy but stopped short of doing just that. She closed her mouth as she thought about their friendship over the years. They'd only grown closer after their first meeting and had practically become inseparable. She had other friends as well, but none as close as Ava. They'd shared everything over the years and had never fought for more than a few hours before one of them ran the short distance to the other's house to apologize.
Misty and Cordelia watched the emotions play over their daughter's face and slowly watched as realization dawned on her. She let her forehead fall to the table with a loud thonk and the two women looked a little concerned before she mumbled, "I'm in love with my best friend," They looked at her wide eyed and Cordelia bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I'm in love with my best friend and I only realized it because my moms told me."
Misty did laugh at that and watched as her daughter finally sat up and rubbed at her forehead where she'd hit it only moments before. "How long have you two known?" Misty scrunched up her face in thought and Cordelia answered.
"We always thought you two loved each other. We didn't know to what extent until around a year ago. But come on, bug, you came home the moment you met her and learned sign language. If that doesn't scream love in some form, I don't know what does," Stephanie nodded thoughtfully and Misty reached out to grab her hand.
"So what are ya gonna do now that ya know?"
"Well, I can't tell her."
"Why not?" Stephanie looked at her like she was crazy.
"Because there's no way she loves me back like that, mama," Cordelia laughed.
"You know, I reacted the same way before we got together. It was Queenie that opened my eyes and Misty happened to be walking by the room when I was shouting about how she would never love me back," Misty grinned at her wife and the memory before looking back to their daughter.
"I don't know. I've never gotten an 'I like girls' vibe off of her," Cordelia laughed.
"Did you ever get one off of yourself?" Stephanie shook her head and looked down at her dark phone screen.
"I think I'm going over there. I don't know if I'm going to tell her, but I'll think about it," The two nodded and watched as their daughter stood and walked out of the kitchen.
"It's about time."
oooOOooOOooo
Stephanie rang the doorbell and Madelyn opened it, "Hey, Steph, she's in her room," Stephanie thanked her and entered the house before making her way to Ava's room like she had done so many times before. She stopped in the door way and watched as her best friend sat with her back to her as she typed on her computer. She took a deep breath and spoke.
"I'm in love with you. I'm so in love with you that I don't know what to do. I don't know how I didn't see it before, but I know now. I'm crazy about you," She sighed and looked down at her feet and felt her shoulders fall, "I'll never actually be able to tell you that."
"You just did," Stephanie looked up wide eyed and saw that Ava had spun the chair around and was looking at her. She looked at her curiously.
"That thing my mom wanted to do? I guess we finally found an implant that works," Stephanie grinned widely and ran to hug Ava.
"That's great, Ava! You can hear me?" Stephanie momentarily forgot what she'd just admitted and watched as her best friend's face lit up and she nodded.
"Yes. I can hear you.. And I heard you," Stephanie's face fell again and she stepped back from her friend. Ava stood and made Stephanie look up at her, "Stephanie? I love you too," Stephanie gasped and looked at her with wide eyes. "I never thought you'd feel the same way and I cared about you too much to lose you. I'd rather have you as a best friend than not have you at all. But I'm crazy about you too," Stephanie felt her tears roll down her face and Ava wiped them away.
"Can I kiss you?" Ava laughed lightly and nodded to her best friend. Stephanie brought her hands up and cupped her best friend's face gently. She looked deep into her eyes before leaning in and bringing their lips together for the first time in a sweet kiss. She pulled back grinning and Ava opened her eyes to look down at her.
"Gosh, why did we ever wait so long?"