"So, Lunchbox, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?" Gail twirled a piece of Holly's hair, not meeting her eyes.
"My day is cleared." Holly was playing it aloof but couldn't help the knowing smirk.
"What would you say to staying here? I mean it'd be rude not to invite you to watch the movie you so graciously brought."
Holly pretended to weigh her options, moving her head from side to side. "What I have going on at home doesn't seem as much fun as building a castle and watching a movie, so I guess I'll stay. Besides the company isn't so bad either."
Gail was also pretending to be aloof as she played with the soft locks that was Holly's hair. "Cool."
There wasn't much left in the way of building the castle, it was pretty much done when Holly had gotten there so the four of them helped Zander finish the decorating before breaking for lunch and then gathered back in the room to play in it. Outside looking in it was small, too small for two adults and two children to comfortably be in it together, and the inside wasn't much bigger. But that didn't stop them. Gail was outside of the cardboard walls as a dragon, Holly bounced in and out as a guard protecting Princess Oliver and Zander was a knight.
It was now rolling around dinner time so Gail called a pause to the game, ordering Holly to pick up a child and go to the kitchen as Zander climbed onto her back and she skipped out of the room.
"Hop on Ollie!" Holly said bending down so the girl could reach.
Rounding the corner and into the kitchen they found the other two well into cooking action. Zander stood on a stool and was ripping a hot dog into pieces, and plopping them into a pot while Gail was beginning to chop broccoli just to his right.
"How can we help?" Ollie asked without taking her chin off of Holly's shoulder.
Gail looked over and her smile grew three sizes, it always filled her heart to see Holly and the twins close. Whether it be with hugs, conversation, hand holding, the general excitement the three had about about each other, it melted her completely to see her three favourite people get along and love each other as much as she did. Wait, she froze, did she just? Yup she did. She said love.
Gail cleared her throat. "Uh, you guys can make desert. See what we have in the way of ice cream or maybe we have instant jello in the cupboard or whatever, you figuring it out." she waved around the room.
"Desert is a big task, think we can do it?" Holly wiggled Ollie's legs and she giggled out a yes. "Alrighty so which are you thinking? And keep in mind that I don't mind running to a store to get ingredients." she placed the girl onto a clear part of the counter and watched as Ollie tapped her finger on her chin.
"Banana splits! Can you see if we have ice cream?" she chirped.
"Sure thing love." Holly smiled to the girl and went to the freezer. "None, looks like a trip to the store it is."
"Ooo can I go!" Zander exclaimed with big blue eyes pleading at her.
"Me too" Ollie joined in the blue puppy eye act. It was the same look Gail uses to get her to do things, which usually involved bringing her things that were two feet away.
"Do you want to come too?" Holly smirked to Gail.
Gail sauntered over to the teacher with a sly smile, stopping when their toes touched. "Yeah but it's gonna have to wait for later." she husked quietly. "And someone needs to stay here and cook, we don't need to see them hose monkeys." Gail said a bit louder, getting laughs from the twins. Holly would have joined but she was still stuck on the first thing she said.
"Shoes and coats, get going" Gail ordered. The gang filed into the tight space of the doorway, finding both shoes and sitting down to tie the laces, almost punches to the face as someone pulls on their coat. Holly wondered if this was what every weekday morning looked like as they rushed to school. Then it was calm, everyone but Gail ready to go out.
Gail opened the door, stopping Ollie with a hand to the chest. "Be good" she said sternly in that mothers did with love and kissed the top of her head. "I love you." she called to the girl who was already out the door.
"You too mom!" was her reply with a wave of her hand.
Zander was next with the same hand to the chest and stern 'be good', then kiss and 'I love you'. To which the boy smiled, pulled her down to his face and kissed her cheek before running out the door to join his sister. The two women watched the blond hair boy climb into the car before facing each other with amused smiles.
And like she did with the kids Gail stopped Holly from walking out the door with a hand to the chest. "Not so fast Nerd." she moved her hand to the back of her neck. "Be good." And she pulled Holly into a kiss, one that lasted long enough to get disgusted shouts from the car which made them giggle as they parted. Holly stole one more quick kiss and headed for the car.
"I love you." Gail called out, she didn't care -too much- that it might be too early, she'd been through the waiting too long and being too late, she'd done the never saying it and she didn't want that with Holly. She feels it now so why hide it? It's not like she expects her to say it back, she just wants her to know this is where she's at and now the ball is in her court.
Holly stopped, hand on the door handle, did she really hear what she thinks she heard? Did Gail really just say that? She turned around slowly. "Pardon?"
"I said I love you" Gail called louder.
She went to say it back but it got stuck in her throat so she tried a smile and a nod instead and got in the car, not looking to the blonde waving at them as the pulled away.
The drive was quieter than she remembered the last one with them. They mostly kept quiet and looked out the window, occasionally singing with a song, the odd question or remark would be made and then it'd go back to silence. At the store they each took one of Holly's hands asking what the list was.
"Well we're here for banana slits, what is needed for making that?" she leaded them into the warm grocery store.
"Ice cream" Ollie offered. Holly nodded.
"Bananas" Zander spoke softly now that they weren't alone. "B-but we have those at home." he added in a whisper.
"Right." she smiled and squeezed his hand for reassurance. She knew the boy was shy and quiet around people, -he wasn't very talkative in the first place and he tended to use sign language more than speaking at home. He probably only uses sign language unless she's there.- especially strangers, but over the past few weeks she's come to see it was more than just being shy. It was more like social anxiety. Zander's breathing would become a bit labored, his usually light blue eyes would darken and the pink tinge to his cheeks would disappear.
"Whip cream" Ollie continued, skipping along. "And chocolate syrup, which we also have eat home."
"So what does the mean we have to get?" Holly asked grabbing a cart.
"Can we sit in the cart?"
"Sure. But let me help you in" She picked up the girl easily and stood her in the basket, not letting her go until she was sitting and looked to see if the boy wanted to too. Holly raised a questioning brow and he nodded in return, holding his arms up. She smiled as he seemed to relax the tiniest bit when settled in the cart with his sister.
Ollie picked up his hand and held it in her lap, "To answer your question, we have to get ice cream and whip cream. But can we also get snacks for when we watch the movie?" And again she shot her the big blue puppy eyes, Zander joined seconds after.
"As long as you brush your teeth extra tonight, I guess it would be ok."
They walked around the store, Ollie read every sign as they passed. Holly had never really dreamed of having kids, not that she wouldn't appose to it, she just never had the urge. But as she walked around the store with the twins the urge became overwhelming. She wanted this, she wanted the boring domestic life with the kids and the wife and the 9-5. She wanted these late evening runs to the store so that they could make dinner and desert as a family, she wanted to spend her weekends playing things like they had today, she wanted to tuck them in bed with a story no matter how exhausted she felt and then crawl in bed with her wife. But most of all she wanted it to be with them, Gail, Ollie and Zander. Holly wanted the four of them to be a family. Hopefully she didn't mess up earlier.
"What snacks are we getting?"
"Cheese puffs!" they said in unison. Of course, what was she expecting?
Holly chuckled, "I thought that was a given. What else?"
"Gummy bears and smarties please."
"Anything to add Zander?" she smiled to the kids in the cart. He thought for a moment then signed something to Ollie. "He wants mini marshmallows, the fruity ones." she translated.
"Ok, we'll pick those up from baking before we go. What would mom want?" Holly asked looking at the shelves of candy.
The twins looked to each other, they're hands moving fluidly as they took turns talking, Holly watched in awe. She'd always found signing beautiful and had always want to learn but she had never found the time, she tried taking a class once but life got in the way and she had to stop. The most she knew was the alphabet.
"Well we have the essential puffs other than that we'd say mars bars and twizzlers." Ollie said and Zander backed her up with a nod.
"Mommy we're home" Ollie bellowed as she kicked off her shoes and headed straight for the kitchen to empty her hands.
Zander and Holly not far behind with bags of their own.
Gail peaked her head out from the living room, "what's with all the bags? I had no idea so many things went into making banana splits."
Holly laughed. "We got snacks for the movie." she kissed Gail quickly as she passed on her way to the kitchen.
"That's why I keep you guys around" Gail informed the house. She went into the kitchen just as Zander was throwing the bags out and Holly was scooping the first of the ice cream, Ollie of course was sitting on the counter getting bowls and organizing the other ingredients. She smiled at the scene. "While you were out I finished making the mac'n'cheese and put together our movie theater. Zander since you couldn't make the dinner I thought you could plate it" she questioned without saying it as a question.
He nodded making his blond waves bounce.
"I'm thinking it's bed time" Gail whispered and chinned at the sleeping girl on her chest. They were all cuddled together on the blankets on the floor, the couch used as a back rest. Gail had her head in Holly's lap with Ollie snuggled into her neck. Zander opted for the couch, stretching out on his stomach with a tight hold on the collar of Holly's shirt.
Holly glanced at the twins, smiling in awe, "yeah I think that's a good idea."
"Oh shit." her face fell. "The castle" Gail explained.
"Uh oh"
"I miss the days they could comfortably sleep on the couch together, this wouldn't be a problem, but no they have to just keep growing and mess with plans. Curse those darn kids and their damn dog too" Gail said with a fist in the air. Holly was shocked the exchange did even stir the kids, Gail wasn't exactly being quiet, and by that she means Gail wasn't lowering her voice in the least.
"Dog? What dog?" the brunette giggled at the staring head in her lap.
"Have you never watched Scooby-Doo?" Gail accused.
"Not enough for references apparently."
The cop shook her head, "that wont do. Now you have to join morning cartoons. They're played early so I guess you have to stay the night"
"Oh really?"
Gail hummed in reply. "So which darling gremlin would you like to carry upstairs?"
"Either is fine, but where are we bringing them?"
"We're gonna have to dog pile in my bed. Which ruins my evening plans all together, well part of them" Gail trailed off in her head.
Holly raised a brow and smirked, "you seem quite confident in those plans of yours. Have you been spending the whole day with the intention of getting me in bed?" she mocked shock with a hand over her chest.
Gail smiled, wrapped a hand around the back of Holly's neck and pulled her into a kiss. In one fellow swoop Gail was standing, Ollie still sleeping soundly with her mouth agape, she winked to the teacher and left the room.