Once Johnny started calling Charity 'Mummy' the two blonde women knew it was only a matter of time before Moses cottoned on and started doing the same for Vanessa. They had discussed it and come to the conclusion that if – when – it happened then they would go with the flow and allow it to happen. Vanessa had tried to play it cool, but Charity knew that if Moses did decide to call her Mum then the vet would be thrilled; and Charity would be too. After everything she had put her kids through with her choice in men, she had finally found someone who was the step-parent they deserved.
It finally happened two days later, and it came as though the most natural thing in the world. So ordinary was it that it took both women a couple of minutes to notice it had even happened. Noah had just left for school and Vanessa was rushing around getting Johnny and Moses's stuff ready for nursery when she asked if anyone had seen her keys. It was an innocent enough question and when she asked it didn't even cross her mind where it would lead them.
"They're here, Mummy," Moses let her know, holding up the keys that had been under a magazine on the table in front of him.
"Thanks, love" Vanessa smiled, ruffling his hair as she took the offered keys before turning to her girlfriend, "don't forget you're picking them up today," she reminded the half-sleeping woman. Charity never had been a morning person and she knew she would have to text her later in the day to remind her again. She didn't mind though, especially when she considered that her keeping Charity up late into the night on most nights was probably a contributing factor to the other woman's grumpiness in the morning. Although, she mused, it wasn't as if her girlfriend complained at the time.
"Course, babe," Charity grunted into the mug of coffee in front of her. It would be another hour and two mugs of coffee before she was fit for proper human conversation.
"Come on then kiddos, say bye to your mother."
"Bye, Mummy!" came the perfectly synced and chipper reply from the two young boys, both of whom were used to Charity in the morning by now and knew not to take it personally when she was less than talkative in the mornings.
"Bye boys," she replied, accepting the hugs that they both offered her, albeit still clutching her coffee as though it was the only thing tethering her to wakefulness. The sight made Vanessa chuckle. For a woman who claimed to be a 'badass', she couldn't look further from that image in the morning. Bed hair, arms full of toddler, and a matching plaid pyjama set did not an intimidating image make.
"See ya later," she murmured, while stooping down to peck Charity's lips. Straightening up, she pulled the keys out of the pocket she had put them in for safe keeping. Catching sight of them she remembered what Moses had said when he had found them.
"Uhhh, Charity?" she began slapping the other woman on her arm to get her full attention.
"Ow, Ness, what?!"
"He called me Mummy," she whispered, almost as if she was afraid that if she spoke too loudly that it wouldn't be true. She hadn't told Charity how much she wanted this, but ever since Johnny had called her girlfriend 'Mummy' a few days previously she had been hoping that this moment would come. She loves Moses, as well as Noah and even Debbie, as much as she loved Johnny, and that he considered her worthy of the title 'Mummy' meant more than she could ever explain, especially to someone as young as him. She knew Charity would understand the significance of this for her, though. After all, she had been in this position herself not that long ago.
"What? Who?" Charity was more awake than she had been a few minutes previously, her mug now empty of coffee, but she still wasn't firing on all cylinders.
"Moses!" she hissed, prompting the landlady to sit up straight, fully awake now.
"Oh!" Charity's eyes went wide. They had expected this, but she had at least thought that they would notice when it happened. Vanessa watched as realisation dawned in Charity's eyes and then as emotions flew over her face. She knew that the other woman was wondering what to do now. They had both agreed that they would have to talk to Moses about it and make sure he understood the implications of calling Vanessa 'Mummy' but they hadn't discussed how they would broach it with the young boy. She decided to let Charity to take the lead and she stood back and watched as mother and son spoke.
"Moses, sweetheart?" the blonde started, "did you just call Vanessa 'Mummy'?"
Looking over from where he was stood playing with Johnny, Moses smiled, "Yep."
"Why did you do that?"
"Well, you're Johnny's Mummy now, too, so Vanessa's mine," he shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Vanessa supposed it was.
"And you're okay with that?" Charity asked, smiling at the beautiful simplicity of it all.
Moses nodded once, adding, "I love Vanessa."
Vanessa beamed and scooped her newly acquired son into her arms, "I love you, too, kiddo," she laughed out loudly over the sound of Moses's squeals.
Putting him back on the ground she looked over to see her girlfriend smiling at them. In that moment she realised that she had never been happier. Her life was perfect and a big part of that was because of Charity Dingle and her children. The thought made her laugh once more, knowing that if someone had told her a few years ago that this is where she would end up that she would have fallen over in disbelief. Now that she was here though, she couldn't imagine her life any other way.
The sound of Charity's voice puled her from her thoughts, "Earth to Vanessa! Hello? You there babe?"
"Hmm, what? Yeah sorry I was just thinking," she shook her head to clear her thoughts, "right boys, we better be off hadn't we? Don't wanna be late."
After another round of goodbyes Vanessa and the two boys were out of the front door, all three beaming, leaving behind them an equally happy woman. It was amazing how much a simple word could mean to so many people. In all honesty, Vanessa knew that no matter what Moses had wanted to call her that she would love him the same and always see herself as his mother, just as she knew Charity felt the same about Johnny, but the fact that Moses loved her enough to make him want to call her 'Mummy' made her heart swell with pride. She loved that little boy, and just as she had when Johnny was born, she silently vowed to always do right by him, no matter what.