Chapter 40
It wasn’t even noon, and they had a long day ahead of them. Tasha was already deep into a mental prioritization list, a habit which was helping her stave off the lingering panic surrounding their snap decision to move into a whole new apartment. The first order of business was to get Sophia set up for her new room, which was definitely a “Megan task.” It was too early for lunch, but getting further from breakfast, so Tasha tucked a granola bar into Megan and Sophia’s coats as she directed them off to Ikea. That should give her two or three hours to work alone. The top priority in any move was always the bed, because no matter what the state of everything else was, you needed a place to sleep. Because they were staying in the same building, Tasha put that in the “flex” category. She decided that they would move the bed only after Sophia’s new room was set.
That left her moving further down her list to find items that she could handle alone. Clothes and the kitchen fit that description. Tasha started in the closet, quickly sorting items into three piles: Definitely Yes; Let’s See If Megan Wants It; and This Needs To Go. Once done, she moved the Definitely Yes pile and got that hung up in the new place. A quick run to the store netted some boxes, then she started on moving the kitchen. As the kitchens were nearly identical, that was fairly simple, albeit tiring. Tasha was over half done with the kitchen when Sophia found her.
“Mommy needs help with some big boxes, Aunt Tasha.”
“Alright, let me grab a jacket.” Sophia practically dragged her out to Megan’s packed Subaru.
“Is there anything left in the store?”
“Haha. You’re so funny,” Megan responded sarcastically. “I think that we’re going to need to move some smaller items before we get to the big boxes.”
“Yeah, looks like it.”
It took multiple trips, accompanied by numerous unflattering comments directed in the general direction of Sweden, but they got the car unloaded. Panting, they surveyed the scattered boxes of many sizes in the new apartment. “Pizza?” Tasha asked.
“Yes!”
“Okay, let me order some. What would you like?” Tasha placed the order, trying not to be distracted by watching Megan working the kinks out of her back. “Done! This is so much harder than when we were in college.”
“Duh! In college, we could just bat our eyelashes at some frat boys and things would get moved.”
“I wonder if that would still work?”
“I feel like it would. You’re hotter than you were in college, and I’m doing alright.”
“More than alright,” Tasha purred.
Ten years after college and being a mom and Megan is somehow more beautiful than ever. Damn, I am lucky.
“Down, girl! There’s one critical flaw in your idea, though.”
“What’s that?”
“The complete lack of frat boys to bat our eyelashes at.”
“That is a problem. Maybe we should knock on some doors and see if there are any lonely men?”
“Tasha, we are strong, independent women. We got this,” Megan added with mock sternness.
“Yes, we are, but my back isn’t feeling that feminist spirit right now.”
“Tell your back that I’ll rub it later.”
Tasha grinned lasciviously. “Suddenly, I feel much better.”
Megan responded breezily, “Great! Let’s get Sophia’s bed set up then!”
Tasha could only groan in response. The pizza blessedly arrived somewhere around page eight of the pictographic instructions. After they devoured half of the pizza, it was back to work. Sophia was in charge of handing them supplies while the two adults put things together. Once they got the hang of the instructions, things moved quickly. Megan kept most of the clothes, since most of her stuff was still at Brad’s (a problem for another day). Moving their bed and the couch was a more arduous process, accompanied by much swearing. Sophia moved all of Nocturne’s items while they were doing this. The final act of moving, at least for Saturday, was when Tasha carried Nocturne to their new home. Nocturne quickly explored the new space, tail standing high with the tip twitching.
After that, it was time to relax and finish the remainder of the pizza. Tasha was very thankful when Megan handed her a hard cider. She felt like they had definitely earned that. Tasha joined Megan on the couch after dinner, both of them wearily watching Sophia using a string toy to play with Nocturne. It was a peaceful domestic scene, right until Sophia declared, “We need a brother or sister.”
Tasha felt Megan stiffen beside her as her own panic level started to rise. “What was that, sweetheart?” Megan asked.
“I think that Nocturne might like a brother or sister.”
Tasha relaxed, although she felt Megan’s wariness next to her. “Let me talk about that with your Aunt Tasha, okay? Um, Sophia. Is this your way of saying that you would also like a brother or sister?”
With that, Tasha’s panic came roaring back.
“No, Mommy. I’m okay. I just want Nocturne to have a friend while I’m at school.”
With that, they both relaxed. Tasha added, “That’s very sweet, munchkin. I promise that I will talk about it with your mom.”
“Thanks! Aunt Tasha?”
“Yes?”
“Are you going to be my new mommy?”
Tasha was stunned by the question. She wasn’t sure how to answer that, a situation not helped when Megan leaned in and whispered, “This is all you.” She could practically hear the smile in Megan’s voice.
Damn it, Megan. Okay, breathe. This is only the most important oral exam of your life, courtesy of an eight-year-old.
“Um… Well, you will always have your mom. That will never change. But I would love to be your second mom, if you’re okay with that.”
“I’d like that!”
“I mean, if it’s okay with your mom.”
“Is it okay, Mommy?”
“Yes, that’s wonderful, sweetheart.”
“I’m gonna call you Mama Tasha now.”
Wow, I aced that test. And I love that title more than I ever would have thought possible.
Tasha’s heart was thrilled at that. “I love it!” She gave Sophia a big hug. Then, she grinned evilly and stage whispered, “Now, munchkin, I need your help convincing your mom to make it official.”
Megan glared at her over Sophia’s head, but Tasha could tell that her glare didn’t have much force behind it.
Everyone was getting tired by that point, so they put Sophia to bed in her own room not long after. Once that was done, Tasha and Megan got ready for bed in their own private bathroom. Tasha flopped down on the bed and mumbled, “I seem to remember something about a back rub.”
“Of course, my love.”
She felt Megan start to work on the kinks in her back. It felt amazing, but then Megan stopped. Tasha grunted in protest, and then felt her shirt rising as Megan slipped her hands underneath. Megan went back to work, kneading at Tasha’s sore muscles. Mmmm, the first way was good, but this… this is amazing for real. Once again, Megan stopped and Tasha grunted in protest.
“This won’t do,” Tasha heard Megan whisper. “Lift up.” Tasha continued to grunt in protest, but lifted herself onto her elbows. That’s when she felt Megan grab hold of the hem of her shirt and slide it over her head. Megan gently pushed her back down onto the bed and maneuvered the shirt completely off. Megan went back to work on her back. This is MUCH better, Tasha thought as she drifted off to sleep.