Chapter 7

"Haley, get out of the way." Leah whined,

Joanne sighed from the kitchen table, resting her head in her hands. She peaked through the cracks of her fingers, eyeing Maureen who was lounging on the couch watching TV.

"Maureen…" Joanne said through clenched teeth, "Can you go check on them? I'm a little busy."

"They're fine." Maureen said, with a shrug.

"Stop throwing those!" Haley shouted,

Joanne huffed, standing up, "Maureen, you're not being a very good mother…"

Maureen glared, and finally stood up, storming passed Joanne and into the girls' bedroom, "What's the problem?" she asked in an angry voice, but once the two of them faced her with pouting lips, her heart melted and her angry face went soft.

"Mommy." They both called out at the same time, each of them hugging one of her legs.

"Aw…Joanne…" Maureen said, running her hand through both of their hair. "How can you punish them?"

Joanne stood up, walking over to the bedroom, shaking her head, "You have to start now, or they'll walk all over you in the future." She eyed Leah and Haley, her hands on her hips, "Clearly you two can't play together, so I want one in the living room and one in the bedroom."

"But Mama…" Leah sighed,

"Do as I say." Joanne said, and with a little hesitation both of them went off into separate rooms and played nice and quietly just the way Joanne preferred.

"You know…" Maureen said in a pondering tone, following Joanne back to the kitchen table, taking a seat on her lap, "Maybe we should buy a bigger place, this way they both have their own room and won't fight as much."

Joanne smiled, wrapping both her arms around Maureen's waist, "I was thinking the same thing, honeybear."

"So should we get a bigger apartment?" Maureen asked with widened eyes.

Joanne sighed, taking a moment to kiss Maureen's shoulder, "Actually…I was thinking more along the lines of a house…"

"A house?" Maureen asked.

"Yes, a house with neighbors, where our kids can run off and play and be back before supper. Maybe even a house with a pool and a yard…" Joanne explained, "I…I want to move out of the city…I don't want to raise our family here. It's too busy and dangerous."

Maureen was hesitant for a moment, opening and shutting her mouth before finally speaking, "But Joanne…I…I…this is my-"

"Home." Joanne finished for her, "I know Maureen. You live, eat and breathe the city…but don't you think it would be safer and…more accommodating to raise our kids somewhere with less noise and traffic?"

"Yeah…but…" Maureen began, not sure what to say.

"We can always move back to the city when the kids all move out of the house…" Joanne said, "I know that's not for along time…but still…"

Maureen still didn't say anything, processing everything in her mind.

"Please honeybear…" Joanne pleaded, kissing up Maureen's neck, "We'll find a place that's close to the city…and you can always come back and visit the loft, you can even have little getaways if you want and spend the weekend or something." She paused for a moment, kissing Maureen's cheek, before adding one last, "Pease?"

Maureen sighed, slumping against Joanne. She hadn't ever remembered hearing Joanne beg for something so much before.

"Can I at least think about it?" Maureen asked,

Joanne's eyes lit up, slightly smirking, "Yes, you can think about it." She knew Maureen would come around, it just took her time.

Sure enough the next day when Joanne arrived home from work, Maureen came running for her, tackling her into a hug.

"Those two need separate rooms!" She huffed, burring her face in the lawyer's neck.

"So does that mean…?" Joanne smiled,

"Yes!" Maureen said dramatically, "Let's buy a fucking house."

"That's great. Maureen!" Joanne said, pulling Maureen close, kissing her on the cheek, "Good think I worked my ass off for that promotion then, huh?"

Maureen's head sprang up in surprise, her lips forming a giant smile, "You got it!?"

"Yup!" Joanne smiled, nearly laughing; she even picked Maureen up and spun her around.

"Pookie! I'm so proud." Maureen smiled, grabbing her wife's face and kissing her tenderly on the lips.

"Can we celebrate?" Leah asked, getting the impression something good was going on.

Joanne and Maureen both turned to face Haley and Leah, smiling.

"Come here." Joanne said opening her arms, accepting Haley in a big hug, while Maureen scooped up Leah. "How would you two like your very own room?"

Haley's eyes lit up, "You mean, Leah won't touch my books no more?"

"Nope, they'll be in your own room." Joanne said, smirking.

"Yes, please." Haley nodded, "My own room."

"Me too!" Leah said, raising her hand.

"So it's settled then." Joanne said, looking over towards Maureen.

"We're moving…into a house." Maureen smirked.