#third mom

[emein3ntz]

Inspired by this post

Amena takes advantage of always having a camera on her , methinks

(click for better resolution)

[ahopelessblogaboutdinosaurtrain]

Buddy: Mom, can you pass the salt?

[Mrs. Pteranodon and Dolores reach for the shaker at the same time]

[theres-no-protocol-for-this]

Snippet: Third Mom

Mensah’s children had gone to bed for the night, according to the views from my drones, so I sat down on the couch in their family’s expansive living space and started an episode of Sanctuary Moon. After babysitting the kids so that Mensah and her marital partners could attend an adults-only family gathering, I wanted nothing more than to sink into my media and not worry about any humans for a while.

I’d only agreed to help out because the family’s regular child care expert had a personal emergency as did their backup. Mensah had been ready to stay behind, so I’d offered to help in exchange for new media and a hard currency card. I didn’t need either, honestly, but the relieved look at Mensah’s face had been worth it.

And I mostly didn’t mind the children. For a bunch of small, poorly coordinated clients they had turned out all right. Mensah had warned them to behave or else, but I didn’t think that had even been necessary.

All in all, stressful but manageable and frankly easier than a lot of my contracts.

The intro to my third Sanctuary Moon episode of the night was playing when I heard plodding coming down the stairs and my drones registered a small, incoming body. A moment later, the youngest of the children appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

She was dressed in fluffy, green pajamas and was holding a blanket and a stuffed animal with both arms. Said toy was practically the same size as the child and dirty from being dragged around the house and yard all afternoon.

“SecUnit?” she asked timidly.

“Yes?” I looked at her through a couple of drones, and her bright, dark eyes glanced up at them. I hate it when kids do that. Something about that hopeful look did a number on my organic neural tissue, so I added, “Come here.”

“I had a nightmare,” the kid whimpered as she walked over and slid onto the couch beside me. “There were bugs. Are you afraid of bugs, SecUnit?”

“Yes. I rescued one of your Mom’s friends from a very big bug.” Remembering ART’s advice, I added, “I’d rescue you, too.”

“Promise?” The kid yawned. “Third Mom.”

And then, before I could protest that Amena called me that because she thought it was funny and I was absolutely not anyone’s mother, the little girl snuggled close to my side and pulled her blanket over herself. The discarded bunny — or dog or teddy bear toy — fell to the floor and I left it there. Instead, I stared at the kid as her eyes closed and she put a finger in her mouth.

Oh for fuck’s sake, child.

I reached over and adjusted the damn blanket so it would cover the entire little human. And went back to watching Sanctuary Moon. Third mom indeed.

[ahopelessblogaboutdinosaurtrain]

Dolores: You must do something that I was not willing to do all those years ago.

Buddy: FULFILL DESTINY, RIGHT?

Dolores: No... Get some therapy.

[ahopelessblogaboutdinosaurtrain]

Dolores: So... uh... are we done here?

Mrs. Pteranodon, shaking Gilbert begging him to tell her where Shiny is: THIS IS KIND OF SERIOUS, DOLORES! WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Dolores: I may have been a little, uh, pregnant for the past four episodes. So are we wrapping up maybe?

Mrs. Pteranodon: [drops Gilbert] WHY DID YOU THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA?!

Dolores: I needed a couple backups!

Buddy: That was a joke, right, third mom?

Annie: Ma?! Ma!

Buddy: Like you weren't actually going to get backups or anything

Annie: Ma!

Buddy: You didn't mean it

Annie: Ma!

Buddy: you're just throwing that out there

Annie: What do you mean, ma!?

Buddy: you don't think we're going to die or anything right like heh heh

Annie: Hello?! Are you listening?

Buddy: [nervously laughing]

Annie: What are you implying there, ma?!

[ahopelessblogaboutdinosaurtrain]

Headcanon that when Mrs. Pteranodon hurts one of her kids or Dolores hurts Annie, and the other mom hears about it, they're storming to the guilty mom and laying it on them.

"DOOLLOOOOORREESS!!! DID YOU CALL ANNIE A NUISANCE!?!"

"IT JUST SLIPPED OUT I NEVER MEANT TO HURT HER I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE SHE IS SO I CAN APOLOGIZE!!!"

"SHE RAN STRAIGHT TO me DOLORES!!!!!"

"EEELLLLLEEEEEENNNNNNNNN! WHAT'S THIS I HEAR ABOUT YOU SCREAMING AT DON FOR ACCIDENTALLY TRACKING MUD IN THE NEST!?!?!?!?!??!"

"THAT WAS THE TENTH TIME THIS WEEK! I HAD EVERY RIGHT TO YELL-"

"-HE JUST TOLD ME HE HAD CLEANED HIS FEET AND DIDN'T REALIZE HE STEPPED IN A PUDDLE ON THE WAY IN!!!!"