Disclaimer: I haven't written one these disclaimers in a while so let's cover all the bases here. I don't own these characters. I'm simply borrowing them and taking them for a spin. They belong to All My Children, and as to who owns that, well that anybody's guess at this point. I'm just borrowing them for purposes of this story. Now that that's out of the way, on to the (hopefully) good stuff.
/
A/N: Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! I was listening to some Christmas music when the inspiration struck for a one-shot around our favorite couple. Over 4,000 words later, this is the result. It's a little peek into Minx Christmas future and stays within the "Things Change" universe. It is definitely Bianca-centric, and you'll soon see why that is. I hope you enjoy!
/
Bianca glanced up at Philadelphia International Airport's departure board and sighed. No matter how hard she looked at it, the line didn't change. U.S. Airways Flight# 4995 to Pine Valley was still cancelled. A sudden snowstorm in the region early Christmas Eve morning had thrown a huge wrench in the travel plans for thousands, leaving them and Bianca stranded. An emergency meeting at the Miranda Center's New York branch had Bianca making this trip the week of Christmas. It was definitely something she hadn't wanted to do, but sometimes these things couldn't be helped and could only be handled in person. Because it was last minute, she couldn't catch a returning direct flight back home and had to settle for a connecting one in Philadelphia. As a result, Bianca now found herself stuck in the City of Brotherly Love on Christmas Eve and afraid she was going to miss Christmas with her family, more importantly Sparky's first Christmas. With another glance at the board, the brunette made up her mind. She was not going to miss their youngest child's first Christmas. Bianca was going to make it home, no matter what. A decision made and resolve strengthened, the brunette picked up her carry-on suitcase and headed to the Hertz Rent-a-Car counter.
The long line she found had Bianca's hope waver slightly, but she was not giving up. This was too important. As the agents worked furiously to locate cars for everyone waiting, Bianca pulled out her cellphone and called home.
"Hey."
Bianca smiled hearing the voice on the other end of the line. "Hey."
"I heard about the storm. Where are you? Are you someplace safe and warm?" Marissa worried.
"I'm fine. I'm stuck at the airport in Philly and in line to hopefully get a rental car."
"Are the roads even good enough to drive? Because if they're not, I don't want you driving. As much as I want you home, I want you safe more."
"I know, but I'm hearing the roads between here and home are actually okay right now. The real question is whether or not I'll be able to get a car. The line's pretty long."
Marissa could hear the blend of anxiousness and doubt in her wife's voice. "Babe, I know you want to get home and be here for Sparky's first Christmas, but it's not worth you getting hurt or stressing yourself out. We can always celebrate it when you get home. The important thing is that you're okay. If you manage to get a car but find the roads are too bad, promise me that you'll stop and get a room. You mean so much more to me than any holiday."
"I promise, but I'm going to do everything I can to get home to you and the kids in time for Christmas, safely." Bianca added the last part quickly knowing that Marissa was getting ready to protest her statement.
"You better mean safely."
"I do. I promise. What's the weather like there?"
"Just light snow. The kids are a little disappointed because there's not enough for a good snowman according to Miranda, a good snowball fight according to AJ, or some good sledding according to Gabby. Sparky is indifferent and taking a nap. Naturally, they are hoping for a lot more overnight because that will help Santa and his reindeer. As for me, I don't care about a white Christmas. I just want you here."
"That makes two of us." Bianca smiled as she heard Gabby calling her redheaded mother. "What's that about?"
"Lunch."
Bianca checked the time. "Oh, it is lunchtime. What's on the menu today?"
"An oldie but a goodie, grilled cheese and tomato soup."
"Sounds good."
"Make sure you get something to eat."
"I will. I promise. I'll grab something as soon as I find something out about a car. You better go and feed our minions. Give them all a hug and a kiss from me and tell them that I love them."
"You know that I will. Call me when you know something one way or the other?"
"You'll be the first call I make. I love you, Rissa."
"I love you, B."
/
Bianca disconnected the call and sighed when she looked at the line again. She had to get home. The brunette was pulled out of her thoughts by an unfamiliar voice.
"Is everything alright?" An older woman with white hair in line in front of her was looking expectantly at Bianca.
"Oh, I was just talking to my wife and letting her know what's going on travel-wise."
"You seem sad."
"The kids are excited about Santa Claus, the snow and everything we do Christmas Eve and tomorrow. Plus, we just had a baby earlier this year, and …"
The woman smiled knowingly. "Your baby's first Christmas, and you're afraid you're going to miss it."
"Yes, I really want to be there."
"I understand. This is a special time of year, and a first Christmas is definitely something you don't want to miss."
Bianca nodded and held out her hand. "I'm Bianca, by the way."
The older woman took the offered hand. "It's nice to meet you, Bianca. I'm Eileen."
"It's very nice to meet you, Eileen."
"So where is home?"
"Pine Valley. What about you?"
Eileen chuckled. "Well, I live here. You're not going to believe this though, but I'm headed to Center City."
Bianca smiled at the mention of the town that was right next door to hers. "Really? Small world."
"Yes, it is."
"So, who's in Center City?"
"My granddaughter Lauren and her family. I'm hoping to see them and spend some time spoiling my great grandchildren."
"How many does she have?"
"Two, twin girls. Oh, I have a picture." Eileen pulled out her cellphone and displayed a picture of twin blonde girls with big dimples.
"They're adorable."
Eileen smiled proudly. "Yes, they are. They're a little older now than they were in this. Could I see your children?"
"I thought you'd never ask." Bianca grinned brought up the picture that Jessica had taken of the family around Halloween.
"Oh my, they are precious, especially your littlest one. I love the koala bear costume."
Bianca smiled brightly. "My wife made it. Marissa didn't like the ones we saw in the stores or online. So, she decided to do it herself. I think she did an amazing job, if I do say so myself."
"I agree."
"Next." A clerk behind the counter called out.
"You're up!" Bianca smiled as Eileen glanced over and saw the opening.
Eileen walked over to the clerk with a relieved smile on her face. After a few minutes however, Bianca could tell something was wrong. Eileen walked away dejected as another clerk called out.
"Next."
Bianca stepped up.
"This seems like it might be your lucky day. You have the last rental car. Are you okay driving a SUV?"
"Really?! Oh, that's so great. Yes, yes, I am."
"Alright, I just need your driver's license and a credit card."
/
Bianca couldn't believe her luck. She'd somehow gotten the last rental available and couldn't wait to tell Marissa. Bianca walked over to a small coffee shop on her way to retrieve her car as she pulled out her cellphone.
"Hey."
"Hey, yourself."
"Any news on the car?"
"I got the last one."
"Seriously?! Oh, Bianca, that's great."
"Yep, it's a good thing I'm comfortable driving a SUV because it was the only thing they had left. So, step one is complete! I'm grabbing a quick bite and then I'll be hitting the road."
"Be careful. The latest weather report said that the snow has picked up between here and Philadelphia."
"Really? Alright. I'll get something to go and then head out. I promise I'll be careful. I love you and will see you soon."
"I love you too. I'll be waiting up."
After stopping at the ladies' room, Bianca headed to the coffee shop. The brunette paid for a sandwich and drink and was walking out of the shop when she spotted Eileen. She remembered seeing the woman walking away from the rental car agency and the upset look on her face. Bianca took a brief detour and made her way to the older woman.
/
"Eileen, is everything alright?"
"Oh, Bianca, yes, it's fine."
"Why don't I believe you?"
Eileen chuckled. "When he was alive, my husband always said I was a lousy liar."
"Care to tell me what's wrong?"
"The last car available was a SUV. I had to have my shoulder replaced last year, and ever since then, I've found it's hard for me to drive larger vehicles. Since it was the only thing available, I will be staying here."
Bianca connected the dots. Her good fortune came at the expense of Eileen's misfortune. It only took her a split second to make up her mind. "You said Center City, right?"
"Yes."
"What do you say about driving with me and keeping me company?"
"What?"
"Well, because of you, I got the last car."
"Oh good. I'm glad you were able to get it. You should be able to make it home in time now for Christmas."
"Hopefully. I talked to my wife, and she said the snow was picking up. So, what do you say? Keep me company?"
"I couldn't ask you to do that. It's out of your way."
"Not that much. Besides, you'll be helping me stay awake, and it's always nice to have company on a long drive. I know we don't really know each other, but Rissa has always said I'm good judge of character. And you seem like a good person, someone I can trust. Besides, it's Christmas. You should be with family and not stuck in an airport alone, and it looks like you'll be stuck for quite a bit judging by the line of people I saw waiting for cabs." Bianca looked at the older woman hopefully. She reminded her of her grandmother, Mona Tyler.
Eileen looked at the brunette and smiled. Something was telling her that Bianca was indeed someone she could trust. "Only if you let me pay for the gas."
"Deal. Oh, I did promise my wife that I would stop if the weather got too bad."
"As well you should. You need to think about your wife and children. Christmas can be celebrated once you get home safely."
Bianca smiled. "That's pretty much what Rissa said. I've got some food for the road. Do you want to grab something for yourself?"
"Are you sure we have time?"
"Positive. We even have time for you to stop at the ladies' room if you need to."
"Good idea."
"I could get you something to eat while you do that if you want."
"It would save us a little time, if you're sure." Seeing Bianca nod, Eileen pulled a few dollars from her wallet and handed them to the brunette along with her order.
The two met up a few minutes later and headed to their car.
/
The snow had indeed picked up, and it was definitely slow going as the two woman drove. At least, they were moving. They'd been on the road for about one hour and chatting amiably when Eileen paused.
"Could I ask you a question, Bianca?"
"Sure. What would you like to know?"
"You've talked about your wife."
A smile spread across Bianca's face. It was an involuntary reflex when she thought about her wife. "Marissa? We've been married for a little over a year."
"How did your families feel about …"
Bianca could tell it was difficult for Eileen to finish the question so she helped. "About me being a lesbian?"
"Yes. I hope you don't take that the wrong way, and I promise I will explain why I want to know. I'm curious about your mothers in particular."
"I came out a long time ago. At first, my Mom had a hard time with it, but she eventually came around. Now, she's one of my biggest supporters. What I had the hardest time with was her thinking that anyone was good enough for me."
"Does she think that about your wife?"
Bianca smiled. "Yes, she does. She's actually one of Marissa's biggest fans now. It's a little disconcerting how well they get along sometimes."
"What about Marissa's mother?"
Not wanting to go into the particulars surrounding Marissa's parentage, Bianca answered with Krystal in mind. "She was a little surprised but has been supportive of our relationship."
"No threats about disowning you or anything like that?"
"No."
Eileen took this information in. "I owe you an explanation for my question. My granddaughter came out to our family five years ago. Her mother, my daughter, was furious. I remember her shouting that no daughter of hers could be gay. The things she called her own daughter. It turned my stomach. This war between them went on for several months. My daughter was sure it was just a phase. Then, she was convinced that Lauren had fallen under the influence of some evil lesbian who was doing her best to turn her straight daughter gay. I knew nothing could be further from the truth. You see, I'd seen Lauren and her girlfriend together and how they looked at each other. It was love, pure and simple. It didn't matter to me that she was in love with a woman. I just wanted her to be happy. Finally, my daughter said Lauren was no longer welcome in her home, not as long as she was living in sin with Ashley. That's her girlfriend. I guess I should say partner."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure that put you in a hard position."
"Yes, it did. I was having to choose between my daughter and granddaughter. Lauren and Ashley moved to Center City, and since my life was in Philadelphia, I ended up choosing my daughter, who lives there as well, by default. Lauren and I have tried to stay in touch without letting my daughter know. It's been tough, but she is worth the effort. Two years ago, Ashley gave birth to the twins."
Bianca remembered the picture and could tell the girls were only about a year old. "And now?"
"Now, I finally have the courage to stand up for Lauren and her family. I've told my daughter that she's wrong and is missing out on not having her daughter and grandchildren in her life. I'm going to Center City to apologize to Lauren and Ashley for not doing that sooner. I only hope they can forgive me for not doing this years ago."
"Obviously, I don't know your granddaughter, but I've learned over the years that it's never too late to hope or ask for forgiveness. If you tell Lauren everything you've told me, I think you have a good chance of being in their lives. You're taking a huge step today. She'll appreciate that."
Eileen sighed. Talking to Bianca had given her something she hadn't had in a long time. It gave her hope. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"You're very good at listening, you know?"
"Rissa has told me that."
"Tell me about her, if that's okay?"
Bianca smiled brightly again. "It's more than okay. She is one of my favorite subjects. We started out as lawyer/client. She's a lawyer, a very good one, and handled my divorce from my first wife. We became friends and then best friends. A lot of stuff happened, and she was always there for me. I tried to do the same for her. Over time, things changed. Our relationship turned into something more. Before either of us knew it, we fell in love. We finally admitted our feelings for each other on Christmas Eve a few years ago."
"That sounds lovely."
"It wasn't easy to admit to ourselves, let alone each other. We didn't want to lose our best friend, but we had a rather large nudge from some people."
Bianca then recounted the roles that Kendall, Greenlee and Krystal had played.
/
After several hours on the road, they slowly made their way down the streets of Center City. Because of the weather, what was normally around a five hour drive had turned into one that was close to 12 hours. It was now after midnight when they pulled up in front of Lauren's home. They could tell the lights were still on as they came to a stop.
Bianca could see Eileen was nervous and hesitant about getting out of the car. "Are you okay?"
"I'm not sure, but this is something I have to do. Thank you for everything."
"You're welcome, and thank you for keeping me company. Marissa will be relieved to know that I wasn't alone."
Eileen got out and retrieved her suitcase.
"I'll wait here until I know." Bianca assured the woman.
The older woman nodded. "Thank you. Don't forget to text me and let me know that you got home safely. Merry Christmas, Bianca." The women had traded numbers on their journey.
"I will, and you call me tomorrow and let me know how things go. Merry Christmas, Eileen."
Bianca watched and waited as Eileen knocked on her granddaughter's front door. A moment later, a young woman opened the door with a surprised expression. A very brief conversation took place between them before the younger woman stepped forward and hugged her grandmother tightly. After a moment, they separated, and Eileen pointed in Bianca's direction. The young woman smiled and waved before taking the older woman's suitcase and pulling it inside. Eileen turned and waved to Bianca with a huge smile on her face. Bianca returned the wave before she pulled away to make her way home.
/
A relieved smile spread across Bianca's face as she turned the rental car down the driveway leading to Minx Manor. Thanks to the snow picking up in intensity, it had been a white-knuckled drive from Center City. Bianca was sure the kids would be thrilled when they woke up in a few short hours with their Christmas wish of a white Christmas being granted. The brunette pulled around to the garage, turned the car off, sent a quick text to Eileen letting her know she'd made it home safe and sound, and got out of the car. Grabbing her carry-on bag and purse first, she then punched in the code for the garage door and ducked inside. After reaching the door leading into the kitchen, she pressed a button to close garage door.
Once it was down, she entered the home. The kitchen light was on, but the room itself was empty. Bianca set her purse and carry-on down and then removed her snow-covered boots setting them on the mat by the door. Next, she took off her coat, and draped it over a chair before heading to the family room.
/
Bianca paused in the doorway, smiling at the sight that greeted her. Marissa, in her pajamas, was humming softly as she filled the family's Christmas stockings that were hanging by the fireplace. The brunette crept over quietly and wrapped her arms around her wife.
Marissa sighed feeling soft lips place a kiss on her shoulder. "I didn't think you'd ever get here, Santa. You should know that my wife could be home any time now, and as much as I love you, I love her even more. So, I'm sorry, but this can't happen."
Bianca laughed. "She's one lucky woman."
"Oh no, I'm the lucky one." Marissa turned around in her wife's arms and rewarded her wife with a loving kiss that soon deepened.
The two finally separated when air was needed and rested their foreheads together.
Marissa smiled brightly. "Hey. You made it home for Christmas."
Bianca's smile matched the redhead's. "I told you I would."
"Yes, you did. Were the roads bad?"
"They're getting that way." Bianca sighed happily. "It's so good to be home."
"Mmm, it's good to have you home. Do you want something to eat?"
"No, I'm good. I made a pit stop along the way and grabbed something at McDonalds." Bianca glanced around the room. "I'm sorry you had to pull all of the presents out by yourself."
"It couldn't be helped. You were a little busy trying to get home. Besides, you can make it up to me later." Marissa winked.
Bianca chuckled. "That will definitely be my pleasure. So, what can I do to help?"
Marissa smiled. She knew exactly what her wife wanted to do. "Why don't you go check on the kids? I know you want to."
"You really do know me too well. I'll be right back."
/
After placing kisses on each of the kids' heads and making sure they were tucked in, Bianca headed back downstairs.
Marissa held out the plate holding the cookies for Santa. "You can help me with these. I took care of the carrots for the reindeer earlier."
"I like the jobs you come up with for me. No hot chocolate?" Bianca asked as she took a cookie.
"Sorry, I drank it earlier. It's definitely not something you want sitting out too long. I could make some for you if you want."
Bianca shook her head. "No, I'm good, but I will take you up on that offer tomorrow." The brunette looked at the clock sitting on the mantle. It was now after 2:00 AM. "I guess I should say later today."
"Very true." Marissa cupped her wife's face. "Let's go to bed. Everything is as ready as it's going to be in here, and I know you have to be exhausted from that drive."
"A little, yeah."
"You go get ready for bed, and I'll lock up."
Bianca gave her wife a quick kiss. "Deal." The brunette padded down the hallway. She had to admit that the day was finally catching up with her. Bianca wanted to tell Marissa all about her adventure and Eileen, but that could wait. Right now, all she wanted to do was wash up, put her pajamas on and crawl into bed with her wife.
/
Marissa smiled at Bianca when the brunette exited the bathroom. "Feeling a little better?"
"Yes. Were the kids okay tonight?" Bianca asked as she slipped under the covers.
"They were a little worried that you wouldn't make it home in time, but I told them that Santa was on the case and would do his best to help you out. They were good with that, and then turned back to barely contained excitement about what Santa was going to bring, besides you of course."
"Of course."
"I love how AJ and Miranda are still playing along about Santa for Gabby. I know she'll join them doing the same for Sparky."
"Yeah, they are great. What about you? Are you excited about what Santa is bringing you? You know you have been an awfully good girl."
"I do my best. I hope I'm not too good though."
"Oh no, you have just the right bit of naughty. So, you didn't answer my question."
Marissa shook her head. "I'm good. You're home and safe. That's all I wanted for Christmas."
"Wow, talk about a coincidence. You're all I want for Christmas too."
The couple shared a loving kiss before settling into each other's arms with happy smiles on their faces and drifting off into a peaceful slumber. It had been a long day for both of them and would be an early morning as well so their private celebration would have to wait a few hours. Neither woman would complain though because it would be worth the wait.