A/N: I know it's not quite Easter yet but this came to mind so I wanted to get it down.
"Why did we come here again?" Violet grumbled, looking around at the troves of teenagers and crowds of shoppers pushing past one another in the busy mall corridor.
"To get Luke an Easter outfit!" Clementine grinned, smiling down at her 9 month old boy, squeezing his foot as he dangled from the baby carrier attached to Violet. "We're going to Sunday service with your Grandma on Easter and then having dinner at her house after remember? Luke's gonna be the cutest boy there, aren't ya Luke?"
Violet sighed, "He'd be the cutest boy there even if he wore nothing but his diaper."
"Come on, today's a family day! Don't you enjoy spending time together?" Clementine hugged Violet's arm, fluttering her eye lashes at her cheesily.
"Of course I do!" Violet glared, looking offended, "I just prefer to spend time with just you two, at home... Not with these strangers..." Violet eyed the people all around her, making Clementine chuckle.
"If I buy you some pretzel bites will you cheer up please?" Clementine offered, pointing at the nearby soft pretzel kiosk.
Violet tried her hardest to still look grumpy, even though she was excited at the prospect of buttery salted treats, "Maybe..."
Clementine patted Violet's cheek with a smile and bee lined for the pretzel kiosk, Violet following behind. Clementine turned around with the cup of pretzels. She held them up to Violet. "Do you need me to hold Luke so you can eat?"
"No, he can share with me." Violet took the food and Luke babbled as he reached his chubby hands out for it.
"Vi, he's got two teeth, he can't eat that." Clementine looked at her seriously.
"You worry about his clothes and I'll worry about the pretzels." Violet said as she took a bite of a pretzel, revealing it's soft center, she pulled a small bit off and stuck it in Luke's mouth. He smiled as he smashed it around in his mouth with his gums. Clementine rolled her eyes and continued walking along, looking at the shops.
"Oh! Let's go in here!" Clementine exclaimed, dashing into a nearby store with kids clothes displayed in the front. The mannequins dressed in their Easter best. Violet had to wait for an opening in the crowd before she could follow behind her. By the time she got in Clementine was already combing through the racks of clothing, picking things off of shelves and squealing at how cute each item was. Violet rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself, the tiny outfits actually were adorable.
"How about this?" Clementine held up a blue and pink plaid button up short sleeved shirt and grey shorts. Violet eyed it.
"Only if he wears this with it." Violet walked to a nearby display and held up a tiny pink bow tie with matching suspenders.
"Yes! Absolutely yes!" Clementine clapped her hands together, "He's going to be the cutest boy ever!" She brushed her fingers through Luke's hair and kissed him on the head.
"Oh! Oh! And this!" Violet exclaimed, getting excited now too as she caught sight of a blue newsboy cap hanging on a rack, she put it on Luke's head to see if it fit, "Perfect fit! Check out this handsome boy!"
"I'm getting it!" Clementine grinned, grabbing the hat off his head and taking the bow tie and suspenders from Violet, carrying it all to the front of the store to purchase.
After they made their purchase, Clementine clutched the bag of clothes as they walked out of the store. "Your Grandma is going to go gaga when she sees Luke all dressed up!"
"This boy has her heart for sure." Violet continued eating her pretzel bites, giving Luke little tastes as she went.
"I want one." Clementine reached her hand out to take a pretzel, Violet moved the cup out of her range, took one out and stuck it in Clementine's mouth for her.
"Mmmthanks," Clementine mumbled as she wiped the grease off her lips with the back of her hand. "VioletlooktheEasterBunny!"
"What?" Violet laughed.
Clementine swallowed hard, "The Easter Bunny!" she pointed over to roped off section of the mall with a chair surrounded by fake flowers and grass, a person in a bunny suit sitting in the seat, taking pictures with children. "Let's get Luke's picture with him!"
"Uh... Clem... that bunny is creepy..." Violet furrowed her brows at the bunny. "It'll scare Luke..."
"It's his first Easter!" Clementine whined, "We can put him in his outfit and he'll be all handsome and we'll have it to remember his first Easter forever."
"Clem... Look at it's eyes, they just stare... at nothing... I've always hated those things..." Violet shuddered, not taking her eye off the giant bunny.
"You're being silly!" Clementine loosened the baby carrier and pulled Luke out. "Come with Mama big boy, I'm going to get you all handsomed up."
Violet groaned as Clementine took Luke into the family restroom. Violet finished her pretzel bites and found a trash can, keeping one eye on the giant creepy rabbit suit. Before too long Clementine came out, glowing with pride as she held Luke up for Violet to see, "Please Mommy, let me meet the Easter bunny, I wove you!" Clementine said in her baby voice.
"Don't use my son against me," Violet pouted but couldn't keep it on her face long as Clementine made Luke hop around in front of her face chanting "bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny," Luke giggled and squirmed in her hands.
"Fine!" Violet admitted defeat, "but if he's scarred for life and has to go to therapy, you're driving him!"
"Deal!" Clementine squealed as she practically skipped with Luke in her arms to the line. Violet stood with them in line, shaking her head as her wife fiddled with Luke's tie trying to make sure everything was just right. Luke kept grabbing for his hat and Clementine pushed his hands back down. "No no Lukey, leave it on."
By the time they reached the front of the line Luke was getting frustrated at being denied his hat, he was babbling nonstop with furrowed brows that made Violet chuckle, "He is cussing you out in baby language."
"He is not." Clementine looked affronted at Violet's words and glared at her as she took Luke up to sit with the Easter bunny. Violet stood off to the side, all was fine and well until Clementine walked over to join Violet. Luke looked over at his moms then up at the giant furry thing holding him and screamed bloody murder. His face contorted in anger and he reached desperately towards his family.
They clicked the picture and Clementine rushed to scoop Luke into her arms, rubbing his back and whispering soothingly into his ear. Violet stood, hugging her sides as she laughed uncontrollably at the situation. "What did I tell you?" She managed between laughs.
Clementine's eyes pierced Violet's and she attempted to stifle her laughter. The workers printed out the picture and handed it to Clementine. She frowned at it before passing it to Violet, walking off down the hall. Violet looked at it, grinning wide as she caught up to Clementine, "This is going in a frame, it's the best picture ever. I'm sorry I doubted you babe. This was a great idea."
After going with Violet's Grandma to church for Easter Sunday, the girls and Luke headed to her Grandma's house for Easter dinner. They had invited a lot of their family and friends to join as well.
"Happy Easter!" Violet smiled, handing a postcard sized paper with the picture of Luke crying on the Easter bunny's lap, "Happy Easter" written at the top, to Lee as he and Carley arrived at the house. Lee accepted the card with a soft chuckle. Carley looked at it and frowned.
"Poor Luke! Where's he at, he needs a hug from his K K!" Carley cried.
"K K?" Clementine asked with a raised eyebrow, "What happened to Cici?"
"Trying out a new Grandma name?" Violet grinned.
"Do you not like it?" Carley asked, looking flustered, "I just can't come up with anything that works!"
"Anything is fine, whatever you decide." Clementine reassured, "He can't even talk yet, it's no rush." Clementine glared as she saw what Violet was handing out. "I thought I asked you to stop handing those out." Clementine said to Violet in a hushed voice.
"You did," Violet whispered back, "but I think they're funny so I'm handing them out anyway." Clementine turned away with a 'hmph' and stomped off.
"Uh oh," Lee said patting Violet on the shoulder, "Good luck with that, I've seen that look before." He walked towards the kitchen, sneaking a deviled egg from a platter only to be popped on the back of the hand by Violet's Grandma.
Carley looked at Violet, "Where's my baby boy?"
"He's in the backyard with my mom," Violet informed, her eyes still watching where Clementine had huffed off too, knowing she was going to pay for her joke later.
Louis and Sophie arrived, breaking Violet from her thoughts. "Happy Easter!" Violet greeted, handing them a card.
Louis laughed when he looked at it, "This is the best picture ever! I love that little dude."
Sophie smiled brightly, "He's adorable even when he's crying."
"Right?" Violet agreed. Louis continued into the room, hugging Violet's Grandma like she was his own, Sophie following behind.
Marlon and Brody walked in carrying a tray of egg shaped cookies, "We brought cookies!"
"Thanks!" Violet welcomed them in, "Happy Easter!" She said handing them the card. Every one she handed out was digging her grave deeper with Clementine. Brody and Marlon laughed and 'awwww'd' at the photo before heading in.
Aasim and Ruby arrived next, "How you doin' Sug?" Ruby wrapped her arms around Violet, "Where's Clem?"
"She's uh, in the house somewhere," Violet scratched the back of her neck, "Happy Easter." She handed them the card.
"Ohhhh poor boy!" Ruby cried, Aasim smirked at it from over her shoulder.
Since everyone had arrived Violet headed back into the house, sticking the extra couple cards in the diaper bag. Violet headed through the kitchen hugging her Grandma as she passed through to the backyard. Luke was the center of attention as he crawled through the grass picking up plastic eggs and sitting down to examine them as everyone stood around 'ooohhhhing' and 'awwwwwing' at him.
She looked around, seeing all the faces of her friends and family, minus Clementine. She sighed as she sat down in the grass next to Luke, he was trying desperately to shove the plastic egg in his mouth. Violet tried to pry the egg from his hand and everyone laughed when he started yelling at her at the top of his lungs. Violet dropped the egg and he shoved it victoriously back into his mouth.
"Where's Clem?" Violet asked Lee.
"She was out here for a little while then ran back in the house right after Ruby came out, you just missed her." Lee answered, "You in hot water?"
"Yeeeaaah." Violet said, laying back in the grass.
"Violet's in the dog house! Woof woof!" Marlon yelled, everyone laughed, "You better apologize, Rosie doesn't like to share."
"What'd you do Vi?" Brody asked.
"Why does everyone always assume that I did something?" Violet said defensively, leaning up on her elbows, glaring around at her 'friends'.
"It's because of these isn't it?" Sophie laughed, pulling out the Happy Easter card.
"Yes." Violet grudgingly admitted.
"But it's so cute, Luke and this creepy giant bunny and he's crying..." Sophie smiled as she looked at it.
"It is cute! I guess Clementine thinks I'm making fun of her because she was the one who really wanted to get the picture taken... but I'm not laughing at her..." Violet said, sounding unsure.
There was a momentary silence in the yard that Louis took pleasure in breaking, "When's dinner? I'm starving!" he whined, falling onto the ground, holding onto his stomach. Luke laughed and crawled on top of his face.
"I'll go check," Violet stood back up and went into the small kitchen, Clementine was leaned over the oven putting a batch of rolls in, no one else was around. Violet quietly walked up behind her, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her backside flush into her body. Clementine jerked up straight, grazing her arm on the oven rack.
"Ow!" Clementine held her wrist, eyes flashing angrily at Violet, "What are you doing? There's people here." she snapped.
"Come here," Violet spoke softly, taking Clementine by the wrist and leading her to the sink. She turned on the cold water and moved Clementine's wrist under the stream.
"Thanks..." Clementine said, other hand on her hip, not meeting Violet's eyes.
"I'm sorry," Violet held her hand as she examined the red mark on her arm, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Clementine tried to pull her hand out of Violet's grasp but she held firm.
"Clementine don't be mad..." Violet pulled her into a hug, "love me."
Clementine rolled her eyes, "I never stopped loving you, I'm just mad that you handed that picture out to everyone."
"Why?" Violet nuzzled her cheek against Clementine's feeling her soft skin, "it's adorable."
"It..." Clementine spoke quietly, "It makes me feel like a bad mom."
"Clem, babies cry, giant bunnies are scary. Luke is fine, he's not even going to remember this in a few weeks, he probably doesn't even remember it now." Violet reassured, continuing to snuggle her cheek, "No one looks at that picture and thinks you're a bad mom, they just think Luke is cute, that's it." Violet kissed her cheek. "Can we just enjoy the rest of Easter?"
"Yeah..." Clementine smiled.
"You better keep an eye on those rolls, my Grandma will kill you if you let them burn!" Clementine pushed away quickly, as Violet smirked, and opened the oven, pulling them out just in time. "Rolls are done, I think we're ready to eat, help me take everything outside?"
"Gladly." Violet grabbed the mac and cheese from the counter and brought it to a table outside. Everyone stared at her, practically drooling when she opened the door, "Dinner's ready, as soon as we get everything out here."
Carley scooped up Luke before Violet's mom could and sat at one of the fold out tables, bouncing him in her lap. Clementine and Violet brought out all the food, everyone standing around anxious to dig in. Just as all the food was out, plates stacked and silverware ready to go, Violet's Grandma exited the house and insisted on saying grace.
As she said it, eyes were half open, everyone planning what they were going to devour first, ending with a hasty 'amen' from the crowd.
"I forgot something!" Clementine yelled as she ran hastily back into the house, returning with a bowl full of chicken nuggets. She set it on the table with the rest of the food.
Violet grinned, "For me?"
"I know you're not really fond of ham..." Clementine shrugged.
"Even when you were mad at me you made me nuggets?"
"I love you Vi, I don't care how mad I get, I'll always want to take care of you." Clementine grabbed a plate and handed it to Violet, "Now you better grab some before Louis eats them all."
"Hands off, my wife made those for me!" Violet yelled as she chased after Louis with a fork as he carried away the entire bowl of nuggets.