Tally was making sure to pay extra attention in mothertongue and all her classes for the day, Abigail joked about how long she could keep it up. Tally only scoffed and cracked a joke about her lack of attention despite her mother being in charge and Abigail only huffed at her with no comeback.
"Geez, Tal, hungry much? I mean more than normal?" Raelle watched as Tally stuffed her face with food.
"Sorry, I just need all my calories. I'm going to need it for combat training."
Abigail picked at her food, "Why, what's so different about it today?"
Tally looked at her surprised she hadn't heard, "You mean you guys didn't hear?"
Abigail rolled her eyes at her, "Obviously not!"
Tally blushed, "Sarah is going to be training us today."
"Oh great, just what we need, you two making googly eyes at each other or having some super sexually charged sparring match," Raelle laughed.
"Hey, you guys, I only found out this morning and we're going to be completely professional," Tally munched down on her sandwich some more.
Scoffing Abigail stood grabbing her tray, "Tell that to the rest of the base."
Raelle gave her a sympathetic look, "Don't pay attention to her, she's just cranky because she misses you so much. She thinks Alder is stealing you away from us. She should just pay more attention to Adil anyways."
With a full mouth Tally clutched her sandwich to her chest and let out an, "Aww, well, maybe I should sleep with you guys tonight?"
Raelle let out a laugh and collected her tray, "The only person you should be sleeping with is your wife."
Swallowing the rest of her sandwich and picking up her tray she followed Raelle, "You know what I mean. I don't want us to grow apart just because, you know. And Sarah will understand, we've discussed it."
"Tally, we'll be fine, honestly. We practically hangout all day anyways, you sleeping somewhere else isn't a big deal. Abigail just has separation anxiety, just give her a few hugs or something, she'll be fine."
Clutching the rest of her sandwich in one hand she leaned over and brought Raelle into a hug and squeezed her tight before taking another bite of her sandwich.
"I said give her a hug, not me. And hurry and finish that sandwich."
Tally smiled and let her go, "You can act like you don't like it but deep down you really do."
Finishing off her sandwich as they joined Abigail for combat training she smiled as she saw Sarah and the biddies enter with Anacostia who glared at Tally, "Uh, oh, I think Sarah told Anacostia. I totally forgot about that."
Raelle laughed, "Oh, yeah, she does not look happy. Good luck with that."
Abigail giggled, "So are you like her step-mom now?"
"Oh, my goddess, you guys shut up!"
The girls lined up and did their stretches, although Tally was a bit distracted by Sarah in her fit black tank top showing off her arms that were holding her tightly this morning. But then her view was obstructed by Anacostia glaring at her some more, "You're sparring with me today, Craven."
"Oh, boy, fun," Tally giggled nervously and looked back to her unit who were each trying not to laugh.
They split into two groups, while Tally and the rest of her unit sparred with Anacostia the others sparred with Alder. And Tally was just a little jealous but she understood why they weren't sparring with her. Tally did hold her own against Anacostia although she still got her butt kicked, she was definitely going to have bruises later. But she thought she was improving regardless of the outcome. She at least did better than Raelle.
Tally panted as she tried to recover from being swept off her feet and landing on her back, "You, you guys, head out without me. I need to catch my breath and wait to feel the rest of my body."
Abigail and Raelle both laughed, "If you say so, Tal. You can have your wife kiss your boo boos."
"You know you guys really suck."
"Good luck, Tally!" Raelle yelled as they ran out leaving Tally alone with Sarah and Anacostia.
Anacostia bent over Tally, "Need a hand, cadet?"
Tally reached her hand out and Anacostia pulled her right up to her feet which almost buckled but Anacostia held her up.
"Sorry for going so hard on you, you understand right?" Anacostia bent closer, "Don't you hurt her anymore then you already have okay? I won't forgive you so easily this time around."
"Yeah, I get it, I don't intend to. I love her."
Anacostia smiled and gave her head a pat, "Good, cuz I will kick your ass real good."
As Sarah cleaned things up she came over dabbing her forehead with a towel, "Everything good?"
Tally nodded with a smile and then nodded back at Anacostia who only sighed at her.
"Okay, well, it should be dinner soon, Tally. You look like you could use it, sorry I went so rough on you."
"Oh, no it's fine, I need to build up my endurance and muscle."
Anacostia laughed and patted her on the back before nodding to Sarah and making her exit.
"Sorry, I just totally got my ass kicked," Tally took a deep breath and deflated into Sarah's arms which only held a little bit of sympathy.
"Yes, I could tell. But you definitely had the drive. It's been awhile since I've sparred with anyone so this felt rather nostalgic. I'd say we could spar one on one now but you need to eat, I remember you need to be fed regularly and so do they," Sarah pointed to the smiling biddies waiting patiently.
"You guys don't need to eat with us tonight, you can do your normal thing, besides I think Abigail is feeling like you're stealing me from her so I should give her a little attention at dinner," Tally smiled with so much affection at her.
"Why do I feel like the new step-parent that the children despise for stealing their mother away?"
Tally blushed and laughed, "Hey, Anacostia gave me the shovel talk, okay?"
Alder looked at her confused, "I don't know what that means."
The biddies snickered in the background because they totally knew what it meant and Tally gave her the cutest smile, "You're really cute you know that? I forget how old school you are. The shovel talk, it's pretty much, if I hurt you she will kill me and bury my body somewhere with a shovel."
"That's horrible and very immature, I'll have a talk with her," Sarah looked so serious and didn't see it as a joke.
"It's just a figure of speech, for the most part, I think. At least I hope. Anyways, it's fine, I told her I didn't intend on hurting you and that I love you. She's just being very protective. Which is really cute, she acts so tough but deep down she just wants to protect her mama," Tally leaned up and kissed her on the cheek.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, "So it sounds like you're saying we're the mothers here?"
Tally blushed and buried her face in her towel, "Oh goddess, I'm too young for this."
Again with the raised eyebrow, "What does that make me?"
Tally giggled, "You've obviously never heard of the term, milf."
Sarah rolled her eyes as she grabbed her jacket from where she left it, "Enough you, go eat dinner. Will I see you later?"
Tally ran up to her and gave her one last peck on the lips, "Do you want to see me later?"
"Well, if you have to babysit the children, I'd understand," Sarah gave her a teasing smile.
Tally snatched her jacket from her hands and threw it on, "Raelle said if I just give Abigail a bunch of hugs she'll be fine. I'll be there later, don't wait up," and she ran out the thief that she was.
"I really need to work on her stealing things," Alder shook her head as she listened to the biddies snicker behind her.
Tally made it to dinner wrapped up in Sarah's jacket and her plate of food, "Sorry, I'm late guys, I got the shovel talk from Anacostia and then I had to explain to Sarah what the shovel talk was."
Abigail laughed, "Aww, family meeting?"
"Speaking of, come here Abi," Tally stood and wrapped Abigail up in a hug which she tried to refuse at first but then melted into, "Sarah isn't stealing me from you guys, I just happen to sleep elsewhere most nights."
Raelle giggled, "Do you guys actually sleep?"
"Not that it's any of your business but yes, okay, the sex is good but we do plenty of sleeping. We even shared a bath last night, she may not seem like it but she's a romantic and-and we're actually communicating now and we're happy. I know it's so sudden to everyone but I think we were always coming to this point," Tally blushed as she sat down to pick at her food.
"We're just messing with you, Tal, we love you and if you love her then we love her too. In a totally different way," Abigail smiled and Raelle nodded.
"Hey, where's Adil been lately?" Tally looked at her with worried eyes.
Abigail sighed, "He's been dealing with his sister."
"Well, you guys know I'm still here if you want to vent to me too. If you get tired of venting to each other. Oh, and Sarah actually really loved the dreamcatcher you gave us, Rae. She hung it on her wall with the painting I stole," Tally saying it like stealing a painting was completely normal to do.
"Good, I'm glad, any nightmares?"
"Nope, none for either of us, thanks again Rae!"
Abigail poked at her sleeve, "Speaking of stealing, what's going on with this Tal?"
Blushing Tally pulled the jacket around her closer, "Oh, I just took it from Sarah."
"Wow, Tally, you get away with a lot. You're so cliche, it's like when the cheer squad captain wears the varsity jacket of the quarterback," Raelle raised her eyebrow at Tally.
Abigail smirked, "Well, she is Alder's biggest cheerleader, or at least you were after…"
"Wow, thanks guys, picking at fresh wounds here," Tally shoved her food into her mouth.
Raelle put a calming hand on hers, "It's okay, Tally, we're just messing with you. We're just doing it because we miss you."
"Well, I can stay with you guys tonight if you want, Sarah will understand. She said if I had to babysit you guys she'd understand," she took another bite and looked between the two of them.
"Oh my goddess, I don't need three moms okay. I already have three dads," Abigail laughed at her.
"Seriously, Tally we're good, but stay the night whenever you want, you have to leave the nest eventually."
They finished dinner and parted ways, Tally promising they'd hangout since tomorrow as the weekend.
She took her time walking back to Sarah's room, pulling her jacket tightly around her and smelling that smell that was just hers and it made her feel like she was wrapped up in her hug.
When she made it back to their room Sarah was sitting up in bed, freshly showered and wearing sweatpants and a tank top and she was writing in the journal she had had laying next to the bed.
"I suggest you shower before you get in this bed, darling," Sarah didn't even look up from what she was doing.
Tally huffed and kicked off her shoes, picking them up and placing them neatly next to Sarah's shoes. She swung Sarah's jacket off and hung it neatly on the hook near the door.
"Yes, dear!" Tally smirked as she grabbed her pajamas and ran into the bathroom.
Some time later she came out in her booty shorts and tank top, hair wet and mouth minty fresh.
"I take it the children didn't need your babysitting," Sarah smirked as she finally looked up from her journal.
"No, but I did give out hugs which should hold them over for awhile," Tally came and sat next to her on the small bed, "What are you writing?"
Sarah didn't say anything, just handed it to her, "Sometimes I write and sometimes I draw."
Tally looked at the picture she had been sketching, it was her, she flipped back a few pages which were all covered in drawings of her, "Wow, Sarah, I didn't know you could draw. These are beautiful and some of them are definitely before we got married," Tally gave her a teasing smile, "So you've been looking just as much as I have been, huh?"
Sarah leaned forward and kissed her till they were both breathless, "You can read through it if you like. You said that you'd read everything you could about me. But if you'd like, I have many journals from over the years that you can read if you like."
Tally squealed, "Can I!?"
"Yes, but you might find more things that may make you disappointed in me. But I want you to know all of me, no secrets, I will bare my soul to you. But just remember to talk with me if you read something that bothers you. Our lack of communication before led us to almost destroy each other and I'm trying to be better," Sarah rested her forehead against Tally's.
"Okay, yes, I promise!" Tally threw herself into her arms, almost knocking both of them to the floor but Tally winced, "Oh, I think Anacostia left bruises."
Sarah righted them and lifted her shirt to look, "Would you like me to heal them for you?"
Tally knitted her eyebrows together and pleaded, "Please?"
"This'll teach you to try harder at combat practice," Sarah placed her hand on her stomach which tensed on her touch and she sang a seed that filled Tally with warmth.
The warmth spread throughout her body and relaxed her so much that she fell asleep, the journal falling to the mattress beside her.
Tally dreamt of when she was a child and her mom held her up high in the sunlight and spun her around, she smelt of flowers.
Sarah kissed her on the forehead and placed the journal on the table beside the bed, turning out the light she settled in beside her, "Sweet dreams, little sparrow."
Sarah followed soon after, dreaming of her own mother and sister and the laughing and happiness they had once shared.