A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. Thank you also for the birthday wishes. That meant a lot. I'm happy to say that I'm back in the land of the living. I apologize for not posting last week, but I had a cold which I started to get on my birthday (completely sucked but I was well enough to enjoy the day). That and the cough medicine I was taking did not lend to me being able to write anything remotely coherent. This chapter fits in prior to Krystal and Lydia talking which happened in the last chapter. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
Greenlee nudged Kendall as she handed her the coffee she had just fixed for her.
"What? Oh, thanks."
"You're welcome. Take a look over there."
Kendall glanced in the direction Greenlee indicated and saw her sister exiting the elevator. Bianca had a big smile on her face. This was something that had become a regular occurrence since her little sister had met a certain redheaded lawyer, and Kendall couldn't be happier about this development.
"Marissa?" Greenlee asked even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer to the question as to who was behind Bianca's smile.
"What do you think? They have a date tonight."
"Oh, that's right. Bianca's planning it. Do you know what she has up her sleeve?"
"I do, but I'm not telling you. Bianca told me not to."
"What? Why? Tell me!" Greenlee whined.
"Nope. Sorry. Bianca didn't want anyone showing up uninvited tonight."
"And she trusted you not to?"
"Yes. After I promised that I wouldn't. She told me that she would never forgive me if I broke that promise, and I have to say that I kind of believe her. So, I'm not going to show up unannounced and barge in on it."
"Really? Just like that?" Greenlee was skeptical her friend would follow through on that promise because Kendall was very protective of her little sister.
"Yeah, just like that. Well, I pretty much had to take a blood oath. Besides, I don't want her mad at me like she was at Mom. You should have seen her yesterday when she found out that Opal was spying on her for Mom. She really let her have it."
"Seriously?"
Kendall nodded. "Yep. Binx pretty much read her the riot act. I was pretty impressed."
"How did Erica handle it?"
"She was a little shocked. I mean, you know how Bianca is. For the most part, she's easygoing, but she has had her moments." When Kendall saw Greenlee's expression, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay, maybe not as many as me."
"Talk about an understatement." Greenlee smirked.
"Shut up, smartass. Anyway. Bianca let her have it and left before Mom could respond."
"You gave Erica some advice, didn't you? Your Mom can't stand it when either of you are upset with her. I mean, she's this kickass, take no prisoners diva, but you and Bianca are her kryptonite."
Kendall knew what Greenlee had said was true. "I did, and she actually took it."
"Wow. I have to say that I'm a little surprised."
"That makes two of us. She called me last night and told me the two of them talked. It would seem that Mom did enough groveling, and Bianca accepted her apology. They talked for a bit, and Bianca even told her about her date tonight. Of course, she made Mom promise not to show up too."
"Well, that's good, and of course Bianca made her promise. Hey, if we can't go, then neither should your Mom."
"I can't argue with that. You know who Binx is really mad at right now?"
"Who?"
"Opal."
"Yeah, I suppose I can see that. Knowing Bianca, she'll forgive her, eventually. Your sister is too nice for her own good sometimes. Plus, she knows that Opal adores her and that she wouldn't intentionally hurt her for anything. Bianca will see that she didn't mean any harm."
"I know. I just hope that Binx doesn't let her off the hook too easily. She should let Opal squirm a little bit. It'll be good for her and maybe teach her a lesson."
Greenlee nodded. "Definitely."
"Good because that's exactly what I did."
Kendall and Greenlee were startled when Bianca joined them. They had been so immersed in their conversation that they had not seen her approach.
"Bianca, you scared me. Morning."
"Morning, Kendall. Morning, Greenlee."
"Morning, Bianca. That's a heck of a smile. Would a certain redhead be the reason for it?" Greenlee asked as she waggled her eyebrows.
"Maybe. It's not what you think though. I ran into Marissa at Krystal's on my way over here."
"Another breakfast date?"
Bianca shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. She was just getting there as I was leaving so we only talked for a couple of minutes."
"Well, it seems to have done the trick. Of course, I'm in favor of anything that makes you smile like that. Now, did you say you talked to Opal?" Kendall asked.
"I did. She apologized and said she would try and do better. I told her I would think about what she said, but I didn't let her off the hook. I know the two of you think I'm a pushover, but I'm not. Sorry to disappoint you."
Kendall sighed. "That's not what we think, Bianca. You are far from being a pushover. You're one of the strongest people I know, but you're also very nice, nicer than either of us."
"I can't really argue with that. Most people are." Greenlee said matter-of-factly.
Bianca laughed. She knew that you didn't want to cross them, and that it was definitely best not to have either of them as an enemy. At the same time however, she also knew if they said they had your back, they had your back. They also had big hearts and would do anything for those they cared about. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that you're nicer than you let on. Don't worry though. Your secret is safe with me."
"Keep it that way. Seriously though, I'm glad you didn't let Opal off the hook right away. It sounds like you did the same with Mom too."
"You talked to her?"
"I did. According to Mom, you didn't back down from earlier, and she had to do a bit of groveling. Good job." Kendall said proudly.
Bianca smiled. "Thanks, and thank you for talking to her earlier. I know you did so don't try and deny it. I appreciate you reining her in some. I know that's not an easy thing to do."
"You're welcome, and you're right, it's not. You're worth it though. Besides, I owed you one, or several. You've done the same for me multiple times. Now, if you only talked to Red for a few minutes, it must have been one heck of a great conversation for that smile."
"It was pretty good, but I'm also thinking about our date for tonight. I'm really looking forward to it, and Marissa said that she is too." Bianca glanced at Greenlee who put her hands up.
"Don't worry. I don't know anything about the date. Kendall hasn't spilled a thing."
Bianca smiled. "Good. Okay, I better get to work so I can get out of here on time."
"Like there's anyway I would let you stay late tonight." Kendall chuckled as she watched her sister head back to her desk with a bounce in her step.
/
After her conversation with Bianca, Krystal knew she would have to make time to call Lydia later that day. In the meantime, she had customers to take care of, starting with Marissa.
"Here you go, one blueberry muffin fresh out of the oven." Krystal said as she placed it in front of Marissa.
The redhead smiled as she got of a whiff of the baked good. "Smells wonderful. Do you have a minute or two to join me?"
Krystal nodded and pulled out a chair. She could tell that Marissa had something on her mind. "Thank you. So, what are your plans for the day?"
"I'm going to do a little exploring. The Taskers are invading Pine Valley in a couple of weeks so I figured I would do a little advanced scouting and come up with some ideas of things we can do when they get here."
"I can't wait to see them. It's been too long. I'm more than happy to give you some ideas if you want."
"I would greatly appreciate it. Bianca said she would help too." Marissa paused and lowered her voice. "I told Bianca about Fiona."
Even though Krystal already knew this from her earlier conversation with Bianca, she knew that she couldn't let on that she knew. "Really? How did that go?"
"Really well. She understood why I hadn't told her about Fi right away. Then, she asked me all about her, and I showed her a picture of everybody."
"That doesn't surprise me at all about Bianca. She's sweet, kind, and understanding."
"Yeah, that's definitely something that I've found out. She really is something special, Krystal. I don't know what it is about her, but I feel I can trust her. I wouldn't have told her about Fi otherwise."
"I know. You're very protective of her, and understandably so. If I was in your position, I would be the same exact way."
"Well, you are pretty protective of her already. Mom told about the time you let that guy have it when he was making fun of Fi when the three of you went to the movies together."
"He deserved it, and a lot more if you ask me." Krystal scowled.
"Hey, I'm the last person that's going to argue with you on that."
"Well, that's true. You are. I know what you mean about Bianca though. You can trust her. Okay, I better get back to work."
"Krystal?"
The older woman paused. "Yes."
"Is it okay if I hang out here for a little bit? Some of the places I want to check out aren't open yet."
"Of course you can. Stay as long as you want. You won't get bored?"
"Nope." Marissa grinned as she pulled out a well-loved paperback copy of 'Pride and Prejudice'. "I came prepared."
Krystal laughed. "That you did. Let me know if you need anything."
"I will."
/
Erica was a woman on a mission when she walked into Krystal's. While she had promised Bianca that she wouldn't investigate Marissa's sister, the diva hadn't said anything about Marissa. Even though Erica had that loophole however, she knew she had to tread lightly. The last thing she wanted to do was to incur Bianca's wrath so soon after their latest argument by hiring a private investigator. That did not mean that she was without options. After some thought, she decided to go to the one person in Pine Valley who knew Marissa.
"Good morning, Krystal."
"Good morning, Erica. What can I get you?"
"Some tea and a few minutes of your time."
Krystal nodded. She was fairly certain what, or better yet who, Erica wanted to talk about. "Have a seat, and I'll bring your tea over to you. Would you like anything else?"
"No, that will be fine." Erica said before she found a table that offered some privacy. The diva glanced around the restaurant while she waited and noticed a younger woman with red hair who looked to be around Bianca's age. Erica couldn't quite make out the name of the book she was deeply ensconced in.
On her way over to Erica's table, Krystal followed the diva's gaze. Marissa had caught her eye, but from what she could tell, Erica didn't know who she was. As for Marissa, she, thankfully, wasn't aware that she was being studied.
"Here you go. Now, what can I do for you?"
Erica smiled. "Don't play coy, Krystal. It doesn't become you."
Krystal chuckled. "Straight to the point as always, Erica. You would like to know about Marissa Tasker."
"Yes, I would. I'm told you know her and her family quite well. I'm also told that she and Bianca seem to be quite smitten with each other. If that is indeed true, I would like to know more about this young woman. I am Bianca's mother after all, and I wouldn't be doing my due diligence if I didn't ask about her. You know what Bianca went through with her former partner. If there is anything I can do to prevent her from experiencing that kind of pain again, I will."
"I understand. What Reese did to her is completely unforgiveable. If she knows what's good for her, she won't ever show her face in Pine Valley again. There are a lot of people who will be more than happy to deal with her, myself included."
"Thank you. I will keep that in mind should she make the mistake of returning. Now, Marissa?"
"I do know Marissa and her family. Her parents are very good friends of mine, and I've known Marissa her entire life."
"And her sister?" Erica saw the raised eyebrow her question caused. "Bianca told me that Marissa has a sister, but that is all I know. She made me promise not to investigate her."
Krystal nodded. "That sounds like Bianca. What exactly did she say about her?"
"She said that it wasn't her story to tell. It was Marissa's, and that she would tell people in her own time. Bianca also said that she was respecting Marissa's privacy. She believes that people will find out soon enough when the Taskers visit though."
"What would you like from me?"
"I was hoping you could fill in the blanks. Tell me what the big secret is."
"I thought you promised Bianca that you wouldn't investigate her."
"I'm not investigating. If I were, I would hire a private investigator. I'm merely asking a friend questions."
Krystal chuckled. "Sounds to me like you're splitting hairs. Either way, Bianca is right. This is Marissa's story to tell. When her family comes to visit, you'll meet them, and you'll understand."
Erica huffed. "I'm worried about Bianca and what this mystery woman may do. She could take advantage of her, try and con her. I mean is this woman a criminal? Is that why she is such a big secret?"
"She is far from a criminal, and she is in no way a threat to Bianca. You have my word on that. Marissa has her reasons for being protective of her sister, and from what she told me, Bianca understands them. If you don't trust me, then trust your daughter. Despite what happened with Reese, who had us all fooled for a bit, Bianca is a very good judge of character. You know that better than anyone else."
"You're right. She is. It's very frustrating not knowing everything."
"What else can I help you with?"
"Tell me about Marissa."
Krystal nodded. "That, I can do. I suppose I should tell you about her parents, Roy and Lydia, first. I've been friends with them since college. They are good people. They're kind, loving, caring, loyal, and maybe a little idealistic. Here's the thing though, while they believe in right and wrong, they know everything isn't black and white. There's a lot of gray, and they do their best to sort through it. So, their eyes are wide open. If they give you their word, they'll keep it. Trust is everything to them. Once that's broken, it's awfully hard to regain. Those are the kind of people Roy and Lydia are, and those are also the kind of people their daughters are. I've known Marissa and her sister since they were born, and they are just like their parents. Now, you've asked me about Marissa in particular so I'll stick to her. She is very smart. Her getting a full scholarship to Harvard proves that, and you know they don't hand those out to just anyone. She's a hard-worker, as evidenced by the fact that she worked two jobs while going to school. Most of all, Marissa is a fighter. She fights for what she believes in and for those who, for one reason or another, either can't fight for themselves or need help to fight. That's pretty much why she became a lawyer."
"To right wrongs? That is very idealistic."
"Yes, but like her parents, she is also realistic. Marissa learned early on that life is not always fair and that you don't always win. It was a hard lesson to have to learn at a young age, but she did. It's also one that she took to heart and has used it as motivation to try and make a difference. I think that's going to make her a really good lawyer."
"Jack said all of the partners were impressed with her both on paper and in person. They wouldn't have hired her otherwise." Hearing what Krystal had said made Erica really wanted to ask about Marissa's sister, but the diva sensed that she wouldn't get anything else out of the other woman on that subject. So, she decided to tackle another line of questioning. "What about her personal life?"
Krystal chuckled. "Erica, I'm not delving into her past relationships."
"I'm not asking you to." Erica sighed when Krystal raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Fine. What can you tell me? I'm asking for Bianca's sake. Bianca said that Marissa is bisexual."
"She is. Marissa has had a few relationships, and there were very good reasons they ended. It's not my place to go into that. Look, if you want to know if Marissa would cheat on Bianca, I can tell you that she wouldn't. That's not the kind of person she is. She's not Reese. Marissa doesn't play with other people's emotions, and she doesn't cheat. She truly cares about Bianca."
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"Because she told me. Marissa has never felt this way about someone before. She said that there is just something about Bianca. She can't explain it, but she feels this connection to her. She told me that it feels like she's known Bianca for more than just a few days. Marissa sees how special Bianca is and really wants to see where this could go."
/
As Erica thought about what Krystal had told her, she heard a server call out to another customer.
"Hey, Marissa. I hate to bother you, but could I ask you for a favor?"
"Sure. What do you need, Hayley?"
"Could you show me how to change a keg? I was just checking the taps and found out that a keg blew. Matt was going to show me how to change one today, but he's not in yet."
Marissa smiled and walked over to the bar. "No problem. I'd be happy to help."
"Thank you so much. You are a life saver, and I owe you big time. Your breakfast is on me."
"You don't need to do that. Like I said, I'm happy to help. Let's go."
/
It was easy for Erica to put two and two together. "That would be Marissa Tasker."
"Yes, that's her." Krystal knew what would most likely be coming next and that there was no way she would really be able to stop it. This didn't mean, however, that she would just let it pass. "Erica, I know you want to talk to her and that I won't be able to stop you, but know this, I won't allow you to hurt Marissa. She doesn't need me to defend her because I know that she is perfectly capable of doing that herself. But don't attack her."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, it's not a threat. I will do what I can to protect to Marissa, but I'm not the one you need to worry about. I know you're a force to be reckoned with, but you don't know Lydia Tasker. I do, and I'm here to tell you that she will give you a run for your money when it comes to protecting and defending her daughters." Krystal paused. "Like I said before, Marissa is not Reese. She wouldn't hurt Bianca. She honestly cares about her, and I can tell that Bianca cares about her as well. From what I can tell and from what Kendall has told me, Marissa is the only person that Bianca has shown any true interest in since her breakup. I know you worry about her and Kendall, but you have to let them live their lives."
Erica knew Krystal was right on her last point. If she didn't ease up and let them choose their own paths, they would end up resenting her, and that was the last thing she wanted. "I'll take that under advisement, and I'll tell you the same thing with Jenny is older."
Krystal chuckled. "Thank you. I have no doubt that I'll need the reminder."
/
When Marissa returned a few minutes later, she headed straight back to her table where she began to read again, completely unaware of the two sets of eyes that followed her.
As Erica stood, Krystal stopped her. "Remember what I said."
The diva nodded. "I will. I don't wish to hurt anyone, Krystal. I'm merely looking for answers."
/
"Excuse me, Marissa? I was wondering if we might talk."
Marissa glanced up from her book and was shocked to find Erica Kane standing in front of her. Holy crap! It's Bianca's mom! "Uh, sure. Please, have a seat."
