Hello again, faithful readers. Here's a little piece that popped into my head alittle whileago, and it took me a while to actually finish it. I'm posting it now because if I wait, I'll keep fiddling with it and never like it. I'm not 100 percent happy with it as it is, and I might go back and work on it at some point later, but I think it's really cute anyway. It gets REALLY fluffy at the end, and I'm actually worried that it's TOO fluffy--cavitiy inducing sugary fluffy, if you will--so please let me know if it's WAY over the top and I'll try to go back and tone it down.
Yes, I know that I'm late for this year's Mother's Day, but as I said, the idea didn't pop into my noggin until about a week after the holiday. Just look at it as really, really, REALLY early for next year! ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Cosmo or Wanda, or anything in the FOP universe, but I do own Tabby and any and all related storylines that involve her. Which is great because I think she's adorable. ;P
Mother's Day. Have you any idea how painful this Hallmark holiday can be for those of us who weren't lucky enough to be able to have children? It's hard enough to come to terms with the limitations of your own body without some phoney-baloney holiday being thrust into your face each year, with advertisements and department stores badgering us to 'show our appreciation for all Mom does' by buying diamonds, roses, chocolate or new tires. What a fantastic marketing ploy in order to crank up sales.
Yes, dear diary, this is one of my 'bad years' when it comes to this particular 'holiday'. Yes, dear diary, I'm being bitter, and I fully admit it. I don't WANT to be bitter, but I simply cannot help it this year. As I sit in our secret home inside Tabby's dollhouse, writing my heart out in a vain attempt to lessen my pain and slap some sense into myself, my goddaughter is out in her room, working with Cosmo to create the 'perfect Mother's Day gift'. They've been very hush-hush about the whole thing, and part of me wants to believe that they're working on a surprise for me, but I'm trying very hard not to hold my breath. Besides, I had asked Cosmo the other day about it, only to be told that they know how upset this day can make me, so they're trying to keep their distance and not add to any of the pain by talking about it. I'm torn on how to react to that. On the one hand, it's very sweet that they don't want to hurt me by going on about it, but, on the other hand, couldn't they at least TRY to understand WHY this day upsets me so?
In all our years as godparents, I've never gotten a real Mother's Day gift. Not even so much as a card. Cosmo tries to treat me out to a nice picnic or something, but he gets nervous because of what the day represents for me—my inability to have children. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate the effort on his part, but sometimes the best thing is to let me totally ignore the fact that this day exists. Sometimes it's the only way I can get through it without crying or destroying something.
I'm almost embarrassed to say that I had higher hopes this year than most. Since we had been assigned to Tabby at such a young age, she sort of imprinted upon us as her stand-in parents. Now, I've been god-mothering for a long time (a long, LONG time, if you want to get technical), and I can honestly say that I don't believe I've felt as close to a godchild as I do with Tabitha. Maybe because she doesn't just view us as friends, or fairies, or godparents who can grant her every wish. I honestly think she loves us as if we were her actual parents. Lord knows she barely sees her own, and we've stuck around for a lot longer than any of her nannies have—2 years and still going strong!—so we're really the only people in her life who have shown her any kind of constant, devoted attention. I guess it would stand to reason that our relationship would be a little different than the usual godparent/godchild fare.
Anyway, as I was saying, I had higher hopes for this year. Tabby is beginning to comprehend the meaning behind things now, and seemed to fully understand the whole idea of 'Mother's Day'. In fact, she spent an entire evening about a week ago carefully drawing a card with her crayons. "What are you drawing, sweetie?" I asked as casually as I could as my heart thumped excitedly within my chest. "Drawin' a card for mom," she answered without looking up. "Oh?" I said, leaning closer. "Uh huh," she said, pushing the paper forward so I could see. "That's me," she said, pointing to a little pig-tailed girl with brown hair, "and that's my mom," she said, pointing to a larger stick figure with blonde hair. Both figures were smiling as they stood in a green field with orange swirly flowers. There was no hint of pink anywhere in the picture.
I'm not sure I can adequately express how hurt I was at that simple crayon drawing. Every time I think about it, my chest tightens and I can taste tears in the back of my throat. I've had an ache in my heart ever since, and haven't been able to stay near Tabby for more than a few minutes these past few days without feeling like crying. Both she and Cosmo have noticed my change in behavior and have asked about it, but I simply smiled and lied through my teeth. I told them I wasn't feeling well. I don't think they fully believed me, but it seemed to take the heat off for a while. I hated lying to them, but I really don't feel like getting into a discussion about my feelings right now—especially when I know they wouldn't fully understand even if I DID explain it to them.
But then again, now that I think about it, I guess it wasn't a complete lie, because I DON'T really feel well. There's a heavy weight in my chest because I feel guilty regarding my behavior. I'M the one who was stupid enough to have some stupid hope that I'd FINALLY be recognized on this stupid day, and when it didn't come to pass (yet again, as if I should be surprised) I have the audacity to be ticked. I was the one who had pre-conceived notions, therefore, I am the one responsible for my current mood. I am, rather unfairly, taking my disappointment out on my godchild. I should not have expected anything from her for this day, no matter how close I believe us to be.
I'm NOT her mother, no matter how much I like to pretend I am.
Wanda paused, startled out of her frantic writing by a soft 'poof' behind her. After quickly wiping away the tears she wasn't aware she had been shedding, she turned in her chair, resting her left arm on the back. Tabby was blushing furiously, standing with her head slightly lowered and her hands behind her back about 6 feet away, with Cosmo floating slightly behind her.
"What are you two doing here?" Wanda asked in a tone that came out harder than she intended, causing Tabby to cringe slightly. Writing in her diary had drudged up Wanda's pain and sorrow, and now her emotions were raw and on edge.
"Go ahead, sweetie," Cosmo told Tabby softly, and gave the little girl a gentle push toward his wife. The little brunette was hesitant at first, shuffling forward with tiny, nervous steps, her head still lowered and her hands still hidden behind her back.
"Tabby?" the pink haired fairy asked, her voice now sounding much softer, and her heart now beating much faster. "What is it, sweetie?"
The little girl seemed to relax a little at Wanda's softer tone, but did not raise her head. Coming to a stop just a foot from where Wanda still sat turned sideways in her chair, Tabby stood staring at her feet, curling up her toes every few seconds.
"Tabby?" Wanda asked again as she left her seat and kneeled before her goddaughter. "What's the matter, honey?"
"I gave mom her card," Tabby muttered, not raising her head. Wanda bit back a few nasty comments that immediately came to mind before answering.
"Oh?" she said instead. "Did she like it?" Tabby shrugged.
"She was on the phone. She told me that we'd play later." The girl's voice held no emotion.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie," Wanda said honestly. No matter what her feelings were about this particular day, she still hated to see Tabby ignored by the woman who had actually given birth to her. The little girl shrugged again.
"Doesn't matter," she said, finally raising her head and offering Wanda a small smile. "I only made her a card 'cause she's my mom, and I was s'possed to."
Wanda's heart sank. She had honestly thought that Tabby understood the whole purpose of Mother's Day. Being wrong meant that her reactions to being overlooked were way out of line and unreasonable, not to mention unnecessary. She had gotten herself all worked up over something that Tabby herself didn't even understand fully.
Great. Now she felt guilty, annoyed, AND foolish. This day was just getting better and better.
"Well, you shouldn't make a card for someone just because it's expected of you Tabby," Wanda said, willing the building tears away. She wasn't sure if she was about to start crying out of sadness, frustration or anger. Her emotions were officially as swirled at her bangs were.
"I know," Tabby said, shrugging again. "But Cosmo said I ought to make one for her anyway."
"Oh?" Wanda said, looking past her goddaughter to give her husband a slightly annoyed look. He looked back, the small smile he had been wearing since appearing in the room never faltering.
"Uh huh," Tabby said, drawing Wanda's attention again. "I didn't really want to, but he said I should."
"Well, sweetie," Wanda said, gently tucking the girl's long hair behind her ears. "You shouldn't do something because you feel you 'should', but only if you really, really want to." The blush returned to Tabby's face as she smiled shyly.
"I know," she said, pulling her hands from behind her back. "That's why I made this." Wanda's heart skipped a beat as her eyes grew wide.
Clutched tightly in her six-year-old goddaughter's hands was a heart-shaped card, with three words printed on the front, each written in different colored marker:
For
My
Mama
"Is that . . . ?" Wanda whispered, never taking her eyes off the card. She saw Tabby nod in her peripheral vision.
"For you," the little girl said softly, a smile evident in her voice. "I made it, and Cosmo helped." Wanda looked up sharply, offering her husband a surprised look.
"You knew about this?" she asked as he floated forward, resting his hands on Tabby's shoulders. He was still smiling.
"I sure did," he said with a nod. "I didn't tell you because it would have ruined the surprise! I helped Tabby with all the writing."
Shocked, dumbfounded and near tears, Wanda took the offered gift and slowly opened it with a shaky hand as she stood. On the inside of the front cover was a five-line paragraph, carefully printed with purple marker in Tabby's handwriting. It read:
I love you because you read to me at night.
I love you because you make everything all right.
I love you because of how much you care.
I love you because I know you'll always be there.
I love you because you save me from things that are scary . . .
With teary eyes, Wanda looked at the opposite page, trying hard to keep her shaking hands steady. It continued:
I love youAnd I wish I was a fairy.
That way you would always be my Mama.
I love you Mama-Wanda
Tabby
The neat printing began to blur as tears welled up in Wanda's eyes. She hurriedly wiped them away before they could fall onto the card and ruin the paper, then gave her goddaughter a loving smile.
"Oh, Tabby," she whispered, holding the card to her chest as more tears fell. "This is so beautiful! Thank you so much, honey!" Tabby stood fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, blushing bright red, and grinning from ear to ear.
"Cosmo helped me with the rhymes and the writing," she said as she played with her long hair. She wasn't wearing it in her usual pigtails right now, and had a habit of twisting a small section when she was nervous.
"But Tabby told me everything she wanted to say," Cosmo chimed in as he placed a gentle hand on the little girl's shoulder. "I just made it rhyme."
Wanda looked between her husband and godchild, hardly able to believe the turn of events this day had taken. Had it only been a few minutes since she wrote in her diary regarding her disappointment in this day? She looked back at the card she cradled against her chest, as though reassuring herself of its actual existence.
"This . . ." she breathed as more tears leaked from her eyes. "This is such a wonderful gift. I . . . I don't know how to thank you. But . . . about the wish . . ." Tabby shook her head, still smiling widely.
"It's okay, Mama," she said, her voice wavering slightly in her excitement. "Daddy-Cosmo said it might be against Da Rules, so I took care of it!" Wanda offered her goddaughter a confused look.
"What do you mean, sweetie?"
"I granted my own wish!" the little girl cried as she turned sideways. "See?" Wanda gasped, a hand going to her mouth and her eyes wide.
Perched on Tabby's back—attached with braided yard that held them in place like a backpack—was a set of tissue paper wings. The frame was constructed of blue pipe cleaners, and the light blue tissue paper had been carefully folded over them and glued in place. Glitter had been sprinkled across them, in order to give them a slight shimmer like her godparents'.
"Oh, sweetie," Wanda whispered as fresh tears ran the tracks of the previous ones. "What beautiful wings!"
"I made 'em," Tabby said softly, turning back to face Wanda fully. Her eyes were shiny as she smiled happily at her godmother. "Now I'm a fairy, and you and Cosmo can be my Mama and Daddy forever!"
Wanda clamped a hand over her mouth in order to keep from sobbing out loud. A quick glance at her husband revealed that Cosmo had also been touched by Tabby's statement, as he wept silently, tears streaming constantly down his cheeks. He was also struggling to contain his sobs, and was doing a surprisingly good job of it.
"Oh, Tabby . . . baby," Wanda said in a shaky voice, carefully placing her card atop her diary before going to her knees before her goddaughter. She then gently cupped the child's face in her hands, caressing Tabby's cheeks with her thumbs. "There's nothing I would want more than to have you as my daughter, forever and ever!"
With a happy squeal, Tabby threw her arms around her godmother's neck and hugged the fairy tight. Wanda happily curled her own arms around Tabby's waist, being careful not to tear the girl's paper wings. Tears were streaming down Wanda's face, falling into the little girl's hair, but it seemed only fair as Tabby's tears were starting to wet Wanda's shirt.
"I love you, Tabby," Wanda whispered before placing a kiss on the side of the girl's head. "You're everything I've ever wanted in a daughter, and I love you so very much!" Tabby responded by hugging the pink haired fairy even tighter.
"I love you too, Wanda," the little girl whispered back as more tears fell onto her godmother's shirt. "You make me happy, and I'm glad you're my Mama!"
Wanda gripped the girl tighter as a strong sob attempted to shake itself loose. She trembled slightly, and—in order to achieve a steadier position—pulled away from the little girl to come to rest sitting cross-legged on the floor. Tabby waited for Wanda to arrange herself comfortably, then carefully positioned herself so that she could sit in her godmother's lap. Wanda immediately re-wrapped her arms around the girl, and Tabby came to rest with her head leaning against the pink haired fairy's chest, her eyes closing contentedly.
"Hey, can I join?" Cosmo asked softly as he floated over and sat close to his wife. "I just can't stay away from my two favorite girls!"
He curled an arm around his wife as she shifted positions slightly in order to allow him to snuggle closer, and Tabby, without opening her eyes, reached forward, searching for her godfather's hand. Cosmo offered it without hesitation, and smiled happily as his goddaughter closed her fingers around it and gently pulled it into her lap, where she held it in both hands. Every now and then she would give his hand a gentle squeeze, and smile when he squeezed her hands in return.
The little family sat quietly for a while, Tabby snuggled in Wanda's lap, Wanda gently stroking the little girl's hair, and Cosmo gently rubbing his wife's back and enjoying the warmth of Tabby's hands around his. Tabby's breathing was becoming slow and steady, indicating that she was starting to fall asleep, tired from the excitement and emotion of the day.
"I can't believe she did all this," Wanda said quietly, wiping the new tears from her cheeks. Cosmo smiled, resting his chin on his wife's shoulder.
"So you liked it?" he asked teasingly. A smile turned up the corners of the pink haired fairy's mouth as she cast a sideways glance at her husband.
"No, not really," she said, making Cosmo jerk his head back in surprise, his jaw hanging slack. He regarded her with narrowed eyes and raised an eyebrow as her smile grew.
"I LOVED it," she whispered as fresh tears trickled from her eyes. "I never expected something like this." Cosmo smiled as he gently pulled his hand free from his goddaughter's grip.
"I thought so," he said as he tenderly tucked a wayward strand of hair behind his wife's ear. "She really did think all this up herself. I helped her whenever I could—like poofing up supplies and helping her rhyme for the card—but other than that, everything was all her idea."
"It was all wonderful," Wanda said with a slight shake of her head. She was watching the girl in her lap sleep, a loving smile on her lips. "She's such a special little girl. I just don't understand why she's so ignored by those who SHOULD be showering her with love and attention. Sometimes . . . sometimes I wish . . ." Her smile faltered as sadness momentarily clouded her face. Cosmo, having caught his wife's line of thought, gently caressed her cheek before bringing his forehead to touch her temple.
"I wish we could keep her too," he whispered, cupping her other cheek with his hand. A soft laugh escaped him then, masking the tears that had started to leak from his eyes. "Too bad WE don't have any fairy godparents who could grant us that wish, huh?" Wanda uttered a shaky laugh.
"Yeah," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Unfortunately, that's not the way it works."
Wanda let out a shuddery breath as she swallowed back the tears that loomed. She didn't want to wallow in sadness when just a minute ago she was happier than she had been in a long time. Tabby was still young and—excluding any major unforeseeable calamities—would no doubt keep Cosmo and Wanda for many more years. What's the point in being depressed when there were still many more happy times to be had?
"But she's still our goddaughter," Wanda said, forcing the blues away and focusing instead on the child in her lap. Watching the little girl sleep made it surprisingly easy for the pink haired fairy to lighten her mood. "We may not be able to stay with her forever, but we'll enjoy every moment we do have with her." She paused, and in a quiet voice added, "It's really all we can do." Cosmo nodded, following his wife's gaze to watch his goddaughter sleep.
"Yeah," he started, gently caressing the girl's cheek. "All we can do is play with her and keep her safe and love her and totally prepare her for adulthood." He paused, a confused look crossing his face as he turned to his wife. "Isn't that what parents usually do?" Wanda thought about this for a moment before smiling at him.
"Yeah," she said, looking back at their sleeping goddaughter. "It is. Good point sweetie."
They sat silently then, each absorbed in their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Cosmo leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his wife's cheek.
"Happy Mother's Day, Wanda," he said softly, a loving smile on his lips. "I'm glad you're happy." The pink haired fairy returned her husband's kiss with one of her own.
"Thank you, Cosmo," she said, offering him a warm, loving smile. "I'm very happy. Very, very happy."
Cosmo smiled widely before giving her another kiss, this time on the lips. Wanda blushed, tilting her head shyly as she continued to smile. The green haired fairy's heart swelled with happiness. He loved his wife more than anything, and especially loved to see her happy. Wanda was a beautiful woman to begin with, but when she was in a good mood, she practically glowed. Right now, she was shining so brightly he thought he might need sunglasses.
Without a word, Cosmo produced his wand and poofed the trio onto the bed, and he and his wife gently re-positioned a still sleeping Tabby so that the girl could snuggle between them. He then poofed the little girl's delicate wings to the top of the dresser, where they didn't run the risk of being torn.
"I love you, Wanda," Cosmo whispered as he and his wife gazed at each other over Tabby's head. The pink haired fairy smiled, reaching a hand forward to gently caress his cheek.
"I love you, Cosmo. Forever and for always."
The two fairies snuggled closer together, eventually drifting off to sleep, their arms draped across Tabby and resting on the hip of the one they loved.
EPILOGUE
An hour later, Wanda awoke from her light doze. Cosmo and Tabby were still sleeping, and at some point the little girl had rolled over and was now snuggled up against the green haired fairy's chest. The touching scene almost kept Wanda from getting up, but there was something she had to do.
Returning to her desk, Wanda carefully set aside the card Tabby had made for her, and re-read her most recent diary entry. Her eyes lingered on the last line she had written, and she read it at least five times.
"I'm NOT her mother, no matter how much I like to pretend I am."
The pink haired fairy sat at the desk for a moment, thinking about the events that had taken place since writing that line. Behind her, Tabby whimpered slightly in her sleep, and Wanda turned in time to see Cosmo—with his eyes still closed—wrap an arm around the little girl and pull her closer. Tabby whimpered for another few seconds before settling back into a deeper sleep.
With a small smile, Wanda turned back to her diary. Picking up her pen, she proceeded to write:
Later . . .
No, I'm not Tabby's mother.
But I am her Mama. And she loves me.
And that's a million times better.
Wanda closed her diary with a smile and carefully crawled back onto the bed, snuggling close with her husband and goddaughter. Until sleep came for her, she watched her family sleep, the contented smile never leaving her face.
So there ya go. Did it get too disgustingly sweet at the end? I'm worried thatit did. I just got to thinking about Mother's Day and what it would mean to Wanda, a woman who couldn't have children, but had cared for who knows how many godchildren in her career. Did any of them ever acknowledge her on that day? For the sake of this story, I said no, but I really hope I would be wrong. Wanda's too loving and motherly to never be recognized like that.
Well, anyway, another oneshot from me. Hope everyone enjoyed it and no one's suffering from sugary fluff overload. ;P
Please send me a review if you so desire!
Thanks for reading!