Hey guys! My friend and I were watching 'Arrivals and Departures' and Toby says that line "Lunch is served" when Happy gets all dressed up in the lunch lady outfit. So we laughed for like three years over the idea of like a future where Toby is desperately trying to get Happy to dress as a lunch lady. And that is this. I know I haven't be updating my other fics recently, but I am working on it. I think I just needed a break. I think it will be back again next week. Anyway, let me know what you think and send me your ideas.
-Aislin
"Mommy! Mommy!" The two young children, black-haired, part-time hat-wearing twins, shout as they run through the door after their father.
Happy exits from the kitchen and carrying two bowls of goldfish. She hands one to each of her kids, Kieran and Nessa, and sits down on the couch. She has gotten used to this energy in their home. The 'little'ns', as Toby liked to call them, were now in Kindergarten, and they loved it.
"Mommy, it's a..." Nessa trails off searching for the right word. Toby falls down on the sofa next to Happy and places an arm around her.
"Catastrophe," Her brother finishes. Happy shoots a glance at Toby. Their children are smart, well as smart as kindergartners can be, but they do not know words like 'catastrophe' or how to use them.
Toby immediately starts to explain. "The lunch ladies are having a strike," Toby groans. "We're panicking."
"By 'we' you mean you and the other soccer moms?" Happy clarifies.
"The PTA," He corrects.
"Ah, yes and that's so very different," She rolls her eyes. "Soccer mom," She mocks.
"If you're trying to make fun of me for trying to make sure our children's educations are the best they can be, you're not going to make me feel bad," He chuckles. He presses a kiss to the side of her head.
"Mommy, what are we going to do without the lunch ladies to help us?" Kieran crawls into his mother's lap shortly followed by his sister. They both cuddle against her and she wraps her arms around her squirmy five year olds.
"I don't know," Happy admits. "Why doesn't Daddy tell us what the PTA wants to do about it?" She turns to look at Toby.
"Well, right now the PTA is looking for volunteers to be replacement lunch ladies until the full time lunch ladies come back," Toby announces. "But no one really wants to do it." An idea enters his head, and he immediately grins. "Hey, Happy, do you remember that time in the hospital when you got all dressed up in that cafeteria worker gear, and-"
"No, I don't," She cut him off knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"What happened, Daddy?" Nessa presses. Happy gives her daughter a tight smile.
"Well, one time Mommy dressed up as a lunch lady to save the day, and so I was thinking she could save the day again," Toby suggests. The children's faces light up with excitement. They share their father's love of annoying their mother, and they know that, unlike Toby, they can actually get away with it.
"Mommy could help as a lunch lady?" Kieran questions innocently.
"No, I-" Happy dismisses them.
"But, Mommy, someone needs to save the day," Nessa whines, "And isn't that what you guys do?"
"I'm sure someone else will volunteer," Happy waves her hands as. "Daddy and I have work anyway."
"But, Mommy," They all whine.
"You need to," Nessa squeaks.
"Please," Kieran adds.
"Can I at least think about it?" Happy sighs.
"I'll sign us up."
"I think you're way more into this outfit than you should be," Happy flings half a spoonful of corn at her husband.
"Hey!" He complains. The kids haven't entered the cafeteria yet, but the teachers are going to start bringing them in any minute.
"Don't be such a wimp," She chastises. She pushes a loose strand of hair back into the hairnet. He let's out an 'mm' sound. "Ok, seriously, what is with you and the lunch lady getup?"
"I don't have 'a thing for the lunch lady getup'," He shrugs his shoulders and pretends to focus all of his brainpower on the task at hand.
"Oh, you totally have a thing for the lunch lady getup," She teases. He rolls his eyes at her and tries to hide the blush that's starting to appear on his cheeks.
"No, I do not," He denies. "And you're being inappropriate. Five year olds are about to come in here, Happy."
She bursts out laughing. "I can't believe you had us volunteer to be lunch ladies just so that you could satisfy your weird lunch lady fetish. Oh my God, Toby."
"Shhhh, Hap," He hushes her. "We are not discussing fetishes, that I don't have by the way, in front of five year old." He is saved from continuing the conversation as the kids stampede through the door.
Unsurprisingly, their little bundles of joy are near the front at the line excited to see their parents at school serving lunch. "Do you want some green beans, sweetheart?" Toby asks his daughter, and for the first time her response is an eager 'yes'.
Other than learning about Toby's apparent, and also very weird, lunch lady thing, Happy thinks that the smiles on her kid's faces are what make this worth it. She can hear them telling their friends that 'those are their parents', and that they saved the day.
"Admit you enjoyed today," Toby presses Happy before as they exit the twins' shared room. They had just finished telling the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar for what Happy was nearly sure was the thousandth time.
"I will do no such thing," She dismisses as she starts to walk to their bedroom. He grabs her hand and pulls her until she's close enough that he is able to pick her up. She hits him in the chest in protest, but it's half-hearted, and he know's that she is completely fine with this.
"Come on," He grins. "As my prisoner, you've got to tell me the truth." He sits down on their bed, her still trapped in his arms.
"Then you have to admit that you were turned on my that lunch lady costume," She grins.
"On second thought, I already know you enjoyed today because I am a very good shrink," He let's go of her, but she doesn't move.
"And I already know that you have a weird lunch lady fetish," Happy counters.
"You do realize our kids could be listening right now?" He asks. "I mean I don't know about you but I don't want to be the one to explain to them what 'Daddy has a fetish' means." She quickly kisses him.
"Well, I also realize that our kids have your capacity for always falling asleep at the best and the worst times," She teases. She kisses him again, and this time he pulls away.
"You're never going to let me live down sleeping through that first date, are you?" He questions.
"Nope," She pops the p. He begins to press small kisses down her neck, and she thinks she is smart enough to see where the night is going. "You know, I still have that hair net."
"I hate you."