The day of Olivia's arrival dawned bright and clear and to say Cordelia and Misty were excited was an understatement, the two were over the moon. They had planned a picnic in the park, complete with a delicious lunch and a special guest: Buckingham, sadly their cat Stevie was at the groomers.
"The gumbo's ready Dee!" Misty chimed, placing the container in the basket before going to inspect her wife's creations across the kitchen.
The swamp witch wrapped her arms around Cordelia's middle and gave her shoulder a peck before resting her chin on the soft fabric, smiling at the various foods she found.
"I can't wait to try those cute chocolate decorated strawberries or those lil' finger pb&j's, mmm or those pizza bagels! Oh is that what I think it is?" Misty gasped as she dipped a finger into the pitcher and licked it clean, then dipped it again before Cordelia could chase her hand away.
"Hey!" Cordelia giggled, nudging Misty's arm with the tongs she was using. "No contaminating my fresh lemonade! There will be more than enough when it's time for the picnic." She chided lightly.
Misty gave a soft snort and broke the hug to help."I know there's plenty to eat, we made enough food for the whole academy.. and then some! It all just looks so good!"
"I hope Olivia likes it… I'm actually quite proud of all this." Cordelia admitted as she handed things to Misty for her to pack.
"Ya should be! An' of course she will ya goof." Misty replied brightly, giving the older witch an earnest kiss."There ain't nothin' better than you're cookin'!"
Cordelia nodded, a giddy smile overtaking her lips. "I love you."
" I love ya too!" Misty replied, pecking Cordelia sweetly before they gathered the last of the food and put in the first aid kit and sunscreen.
The supreme giggled and threw an excited fist into the air, "Lets go bring home our Olivia Hayes, or soon to be 'Olivia Goode-Day'"
Misty chuckled at her wife's rhyme and picked up the basket with one hand, intertwining their fingers with the other. They headed to the car where Buckingham was already waiting, with his head out the window.
They were on the way to pick up their baby girl.
/
Thirty minutes later they were at the park and Misty was hoisting Olivia into a swing while Cordelia took Buckingham to the bathroom.
They swung in comfortable silence until Misty decided it would be fun to tickle Olivia every time she came swinging backwards, eliciting shrill squeals and giggles from the young girl.
Cordelia watched fondly as Misty played with Olivia. Seeing them starting to form a bond made her heart swell with happiness.
"How's it going over here?" Cordelia signed as she walked over by the two who were now sitting side by side on the swing set.
Misty smiled up at the supreme before turning her attention to Olivia. "It's goin' good I think. Olivia just loooves bein' tickled don't ya'?" Misty signed, wiggling her fingers playfully at the tiny blonde.
Olivia shook her head side to side vigorously. 'No tickles please! Cordelia'll protect me, she's the supreme, so she has to!' She signed, reaching for the older blonde who's only response was a teasing 'and let Misty have all the fun?'
Before Olivia could scream Misty help or think to move, Cordelia's fingers were launching into her sides. They tickled her rib cage and tummy relentlessly until the little girl was slumped against the swing. She was out of breath with a goofy grin on her face, thinking that these two may be the death of her, in the best way of course, killing her with their playfulness and joy and unbelievable love.
'You could have tickled me to death!' Olivia signed, shooting a playful scowl and Cordelia.
'Never' Cordelia giggled, ruffling her blonde curls before transmutating to grab cups of her strawberry lemonade for all three of them. 'Do you want to play more before lunch or after?'
Misty and Olivia were marveling at the tastiness of Cordelia's lemonade and the young witch looked up with a pink mustache accompanying her smile. 'After if that's alright with both of you. I'm real hungry!'
'All that ticklin' sure made me hungry' Misty mused, standing and offering Olivia room to squeeze in between them.
The young girl hopped off the swing and took both of their hands. She couldn't help but smile when Cordelia laughed and threw an arm around her and Misty. 'Everything makes you hungry.'
/
The three we're sitting on a blanket under the shade of a large oak tree, Misty and Cordelia were holding hands, leaning against the other while Olivia sat inches across from them.
They started pulling out container after container of food, and the young witch couldn't believe her eyes. Upon seeing Olivia's shocked expression Cordelia tried to explain.
'I didn't know what you liked… I looked up family picnic ideas and found these cute little lady bug strawberries and-'
Olivia picked one up and examined it before placing it in her mouth, grinning up widely at the supreme.
She couldn't decide what was sweeter; the strawberry, the fact that Cordelia looked up designs, or that she and Misty even went out of their way to make her so much in the first place. 'It tastes so good! I can't wait to try everything else!'
Olivia's eyes widened as she remembered something she needed to tell them. 'I'm a vegetarian, I hope that doesn't cause too much trouble.' She signed, biting her lip worriedly.
The two witches shook their heads and Misty reached out her arm and pulled Olivia into a side hug, which only confused the child more. 'Don't ya worry munchkin, so am I!'
Olivia let out a breath of relief, brightening up immediately and wrapping an arm around her shawl covered back. 'We really have a lot in common. Food preferences, hair and everything!'
Misty laughed along with Olivia, who's head was laying on her shoulder.
Misty's eyes darted from the top of her head, to Cordelia's face and then back. She hoped Olivia couldn't feel the pounding of her heart, because it was really racing. This was so new…so wonderful. She adjusted her grip on the tiny blonde so she could hold her and eat her food, and Olivia was in shock at how much Misty could pile away.
When she looked at Cordelia, who was curled up next to them, with a baffled expression the supreme only shrugged and mouthed "I don't know where she puts it all either."
/
"No way! We brought cupcakes too!"
"Misty you just ate an entire stack of cookies…"
The Cajun was about to reach for the tub when Cordelia swished her hand and it disappeared behind Olivia. Misty whipped her head to either side and squinted her eyes skeptically at the two. Olivia looked at Misty innocently but when she turned her head and saw Cordelia suppressing a giggle and mouthing 'shhh' she burst into laughter.
"Here Mist- you want your cupcakes so bad?"
The swamp witch had no clue what she was talking about but with a small lift of Cordelia's finger the cupcake rose, hovering just above her head, Misty was peering around the blanket, still oblivious.
'on three' Olivia signed, smiling mischievously at Cordelia.
Cordelia nodded, wearing the same sly grin 'ready?'
"Then have it!" The cupcake feel and pink icing decorated Misty's hair. Her head slowly turned to the two witches who were giggling loudly.
"Payback for the lemonade, my love!"
'And you wanted one so Delia gave you one!' Olivia reasoned, still laughing when Misty began pelting them with grapes.
/
The girl's smile only grew toothier as the afternoon went on. It was partially due to her plate full of pb&j finger sandwiches, bagel pizza, fancily decorated fruit, veggie (soy) meat, Misty's vegetable gumbo, and dessert.
It was also thanks to Misty and Cordelia. She watched them laugh and argue over who made the best dishes and exchange playful banter, and Olivia even added in some of her own. She felt so happy and so warm and so at peace, like nothing bad could happen.
This is what a real family is like.
/
When Olivia had finished thanking them profusely for lunch, with two bear hugs and all, she went chasing Buckingham.
Of course he had decided to run onto the playground, tripping a boy about her age who was playing basketball with a big crowd of children. Everyone was huddled around them, all laughing their heads off except for him.
/
Misty and Cordelia let Olivia go have fun because they wanted her to know they trusted her, and also because they wanted some alone time in the park.
"Hey, help me with the desserts pretty lady."
Misty handed her the tray of cupcakes and ice cream but kept the whipped cream in her hand to snack on. "Here" she said playfully. "I helped."
"I really am surprised you haven't sneaked off to chase Olivia around with that can! You are quite the saving grace when it comes to cleaning up." Cordelia teased, "What would I ever do without you?"
"Ya would lose your damn mind." Misty deadpanned.
Cordelia nodded her head at the accurate response. "I want to say something sarcastic, but you're definitely right." Cordelia leaned over and kissed Misty, long and tenderly.
Just as Cordelia pulled back and began to think about how happy she was now that everything was coming together, and that Olivia really seemed to be warming up to them, she felt something sticky land on her cheek.
"Misty Goode-Day!" The supreme squealed, squinting her eyes at the cheeky Cajun, realizing that she had drawn a line of whipped cream down her face. "First my lemonade and now this?" She groaned.
Misty scooted closer to Cordelia, who's head was turned straight ahead, and stared at her with the cutest pout she could conjure. "I was just tryin' to give you some sugar, n' I also wanted to get ya for that cupcake."
Cordelia tried to keep a straight face but failed when Misty began to peck at the whipped cream covering her.
"Buuut I guess that means more for me!" Misty winked before licking in one downward stroke to get it off of Cordelia's face.
"You're impossible ya know that Mist?" Cordelia giggled, wiping spit off of her cheek.
"I do." Misty said proudly, throwing her head back to spray more whipped cream into her mouth.
Cordelia tapped Misty's arm and the swamp witch looked over at her, whipped cream on her lips.
"Save some of that for Olivia's snack later!" Cordelia reminded, leaning to kiss away the sugary foam.
Misty placed the bottle down and stood up to stretch. "We should probably go check on her don't ya think?" And with a nod they went to the play ground to see what she was up to.
/
Olivia had caught up to Buckingham and the boy. She extended a hand politely, giving him an apologetic glance. She was about to pull the dog away when the boy muttered something to her.
Judging by the scowl on his face she could tell it wasn't something nice. He just kept talking with that nasty look and she was getting annoyed. Why was some boy she didn't know hounding her over a silly mistake..?
After she glared at him a second longer she realized maybe it wasn't that.
Oh. He was making fun of her. Thinking because she was deaf she couldn't read lips.
"Ew, get away from me!" He hissed with a glare. "Better put your mutt on a leash you deaf freak!" Olivia said nothing but she was growing increasingly irritated, and hurt, those words had hit her as hard as the slaps from her previous foster parents.
"I bet you wish you could scream for your mommies". He took a step closer with every word, and Olivia flinched away. He was in her face now, staring down at her. "but you can't."
Olivia sucked in a shaky breath, hands clenching at her sides, she was doing everything in her power not to freak out and blow him sky high or turn him to ash. But she knew the pain showed on her face because the boy's smirk only grew wider.
"Aaawwww are you gunna cry like a little girl?" Anger was bubbling inside her, making her tiny hands shake. "Well It's just too bad nobody can hear you crying for your gross mommies."
She cocked her head, feeling confusion along with her pain and anger.
"You heard me, your. gross. mommies." He accentuated every word and flashed her a sickening smirk. "They're dykes and that's disgusting." He was in her face again and she couldn't breathe, she was so overwhelmed and felt like she was about to break into a sheer panic, mouthing 'stop, please, get away'.
She couldn't transport anywhere like she normally did when her other families lashed out, something inside her willed her to stay and stand up for Cordelia and Misty, they vowed to protect her, so she would protect them, they were her moms after all. Tears stung in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.
"Hey!" Misty screamed, storming over to the pack of kids and shoving some out of the way. She looked furious, her hair was stuck out in all directions from running so fast and Cordelia practically had steam coming out her ears.
He stepped closer, about to spew another string of insults but the young witch put both hands in front of her to shield her body and screamed with all her might"I said stop, get away!"
The words came out as more of a snarl, and she was disgusted she let so many people hear her atrocious attempt at normal speech. But no matter how mispronounced, they did the trick because suddenly the asshole was sent flying back a few feet, hitting the pole of the swing set before falling to the ground with a thud.