Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination, and a few stray thoughts. . Characters belong to CBS and P&G.
A/N: Takes Place between 02Jan2009 and 15Jan2009 episodes. (After Christmas and before the two mommies presentation.)
Kairos Chapter 7A
Fandom: Guiding Light Pairing: Olivia/Natalia/Emma/ Blake and Clarissa.
"Emma you have an inquiring mind, but my subscription to the psychic network has lapsed. We will just have to wait until Blake and Clarissa get here." Olivia chided her daughter.
"Hey Em, my mu equita, come here and wash your hands, then you can help your mother make the salad Okay." Natalia softly suggested. The Latina pulled a step stool out, and assisted the young Spencer at the sink. "Olivia, come over and wash up." Natalia laugh at the pair splashing each other. "I hate to intrude on this bonding experience, but I need to fill the pot with water for the instant rice." Both Spencers turned and splashed the dark haired women gleefully.
"Hey now I'm a non-combatant in the Spencer war on cleanliness. Here fill this with two cups of water."
The brunette handed the pair a pot. Still laughing Emma held the pot with both hands under the running water. "One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi. All done." Emma handed the pot to her mother who then placed it on the stove.
Natalia turned back to the stove. "Are you kids done playing in the sink? How about working on the salad?" Natalia chucked out loud. "I love being home with them. This just feels so normal."
I'm sorry Emma. I don't know what Clarissa wants to show you. Before you ask the psychic network was a fraud ring that claimed they could read minds, and predict the future. Please forgive me for being sharp with you. I'm just grumpy."
Emma examined her mother, a look of intense concern colored her face. "Mom are you feeling okay? I could help Natalia, and you could take a nap." Emma fretted.
"Em, I'm fine just hungry." Olivia said flashing her daughter a smile. "Would you ask Talia if we can have a little taste of the pork?"
"Yes, Liv fix yourself and Emma a taste. I'm going to go change. Please watch the rice. I've already set the timer."
"Mom if you're Grumpy elf, where are the other six elves?" Emma snickered. "Honey that's dwarfs not elves. I think I'm all seven except Bashful." Olivia replied back as she ladled the fragrant concoction from the crockpot on to a small plate.
"Here Em, share this plate of Puerto Rican ambrosia with me"
Upstairs in her room Natalia Rivera listened to the conversation between mother and daughter. "Olivia you are not the embodiment of the seven sins, or even six sins. You are not that vengeful angry woman any more. You've been though the forge. This time you've come out stronger, happier and whole. You are temper steel. I know you have a sharp edge, but it is used with finesse now. God grant me the ability to tell her how wondrous you've shaped her. Give me the words to tell her how you've fashioned us into a loving family? How can I tell her that you infused us into each others lives?"
Natalia sigh to herself she gazed at a picture of Nicky and Rafe. She looked down at her hands. Her eye was caught by her ring. "Nicky, it is time to put away the past. I will always treasure our time, even the time I stole from Harley."
The Puerto Rican woman removed the ring set it down, and open the clasp to her necklace, and then strung the ring on it. Natalia continued talking to the picture.
"I need to get on with life, the life you gave me, the family you entrusted to me. My sin is ever before me. How could I delude myself. Harley, and the family you built, I demolished it. You gave me a home and I sold it to pay for our son's foolishness. His pride, the pridefulness her learned from me, or from us. Maybe it is Latin DNA? You wanted to help Olivia and Emma. You heard and saw how the Spaulings used Olivia in a power struggle between Alan and Phillip. All you asked of me was to help them."
The Puerto Rican woman sat down and removed her heels. She pulled out a set of exercise pants and long sleeved crew neck shirt with a Springfield Police Department emblem on them. She ruefully laughed at herself, "I really need to go cloths shopping. Here I'm putting away his wedding ring, but dressing in his old sweats." She looked though her jewelry box and saw an old ring of Nicky's. It has a Celtic cross symbol on it. She took it out and placed it on her thumb. " I gave this to him as a Friendship ring, a token of caring. Now it's gather rust and dust in a box, well no more." The Latina located her casual lace up shoes and changed.
Downstairs Emma and Olivia prepared a salad together. Emma and Olivia had set the table, the rice, and slow cooked pork were placed in rustic brown earthen serving dishes with lids.
"Emma what do you think? People eat with all their senses a good cook knows how to engage them." Olivia was in Mom mode. "Close your eyes Em and smell the food, open them and look at the food, does it smell as good as it looks?"
"Mom, can I go get Talia? She is taking forever" Emma pouted.
Olivia responded with a twinkle in her eyes "I'll try the intercom first." Olivia knew the duct system not only provided heat but allowed sound to travel to all the upstairs bed rooms. Olivia glided over to the nearest heating vent and shouted. "Hey there Buffalo gal won't you come downstairs and eat by the light of the moon or do you want dinner in bed." Olivia concluded by high fiving Emma.
The Latina smiled and shouted back at the nearest vent. "Liv, I'm on my way. You are incorrigible. You are teaching Emma this by example. Next time I want your royal sleepiness to come to breakfast, I'll use the 'intercom'." Natalia flounced down the stairs. She inhaled deeply. "It smells like my Abuela Elisa's kitchen." The sound of a car stopping on gravel gave the brunette pause. "Blake and Clarissa are here."Natalia opened the front door and stepped out on the porch. She watched the two red heads emerge from the Volvo station wagon.
"I miss Kevin and Jason." Clarissa wailed. The young girl had her mother's flaming red hair, as well as her flair for the dramatic.
"Your brothers just left for school. How can you miss them already?" Blake seemed harried. Her face looked pinched and pale.
Ever the peace maker Natalia distracted the girl. "Clarissa could you take a piece of firewood into the house while I help your mother."
Blake mouthed thank you over her shoulder while she rummaged in the back seat. "Ah, thanks I just want to get my laptop and her backpack. You and Olivia are saving my sanity. Clarissa got the new doll from my mother and insisted that Emma knew how to load the software for it. Do recall when a doll just came with a change of cloths? Now they come with books, software and an entourage. Well except for Barbie she always had an entourage..."
"Blake slow down, deep breaths..." Natalia took the backpack from Blake and lead her into the house. The two women could hear the giggling girls and Olivia.
"...Take away the credit card." Olivia, Emma, and Clarissa sang out together.
"Emma told me that one Clarissa, do you know more."
"Oh Ms. Olivia I know tons and tons of elephant jokes."
Blake looked at Natalia as they entered the kitchen, Olivia had appropriated an apron, and was demonstrating how to make radish roses, celery curls and carrot match sticks. "alright girls now show Blake and Natalia what we made to nibble on."
"Welcome to the Maler and Spencer sous chef light cooking show. Starring Clarissa 'Chicken McNugget' Maler and Emma 'Banana' Spencer." Olivia did her best Julia Child impression.
Blake looked at Olivia as if she had grown an extra limb. Blake stage whisper to Natalia "Who is this person, and what has she done with the real Olivia Spencer."
Natalia seated herself and guested for Blake to take a seat. "Oh this is the real Olivia. She is like an onion, she has layers."
Blake watched as her daughter and Emma made vegetable garnishes.
"Mom pass me your plate, you have to eat one of my radish roses." Clarissa joyfully said.
The temperamental girl watched her mother and Natalia eat a radish rose, and followed by celery curls.
Natalia observe Olivia. "Home, this is home for us. Being with Olivia and Emma is the best part of my day."
Blake scrutinize Olivia, Natalia and Emma. They appeared to have stepped out of a Norman Rockwell painting. No one would believe me if I told them that Olivia Spencer wore a stained apron and told elephant jokes with her daughter. Olivia's saying something to Natalia. I wonder what..."
Olivia spoke softly to Natalia. "My reputation as a fashion icon has been repealed." The hotelier turned to her guest,
"Earth to Blake, are you alright."
"Yeah I'm fine. Thank you for derailing my daughter's one track mind. If I heard about Jason and Kevin..." Blake replied.
"Are you ready for the main course?" Olivia interrupted.
"Olivia, who's turn is it to say grace?" Natalia chimed in.
"I'm not sure, how about paper, rock, scissor for it." Olivia addressed the table.
Olivia rose and removed the apron. She sat back down and stated "On three everyone" The table occupants displayed their hands both girls held out closed fists, Olivia and Blake followed suit. Natalia held out her hand flat.
"Four rocks and one paper. I think I was set up but okay I'll say grace. " Natalia held out her hand, Olivia took one and took Emma's proffered hand. Blake and Clarissa imitated the others.
Bowing her head " Give us grateful hearts, Bless us in our comings and goings. Bless our families that are not here with us but always in our thoughts. We thank you for the gifts of your bounty which we enjoy at this table. Amen." Natalia softy concluded.
Olivia did not hesitate to plate herself first. Natalia chuckled under her breath, "I see you have a healthy appetite."
Emma smiled at Clarissa "This has Jellybean peppers in it. Natalia said if they are too hot don't eat them."
Clarissa replied "I know. My mom told me about them on the way. They are not as hot as Buzz's Pepper Poppers, and I eat those all the time."
Olivia took a bite and sigh with pleasure. "Chica, this is so good my taste buds are having a party!" Olivia looked at her housemate with adoration. Her green eyes twinkling with emotion.
Blushing from the praise and Natalia nodded her head Her bangs falling across her forehead into her eyes. "You're numbers are really good."
Blake looked from one to the other feeling the emotional tension "Roommates huh, more like friends with benefits. Olivia looks like she wants to take a bite out of her Latino assistant, and Natalia is blushing like a bride. What's this numbers stuff?"
Olivia closed her eyes and tried to school her thoughts. "Natalia is blushing, God in heaven she is too adorable. I want to tuck those stray bangs away from her eyes. Damn Blake being here"
"Between You, Dr. Rick, Emma, Sam and Ava, I should have good numbers. I'm being nudged, shamed, and ickled into better numbers. my cholesterol is down, my blood pressure is almost normal, and my triglycerides shows I've got more of the good stuff than the bad stuff. My business bottom line should be so good. Oy I spoke with the Tillman's today and they love you and Greg." Olivia's voiced this all in Saturday Night Live's Rhonda Weiss voice.
Blake looked at Olivia. "Since when did you start watching 'Saturday Night Live?'"
Olivia smiled and took a sip of water.
Natalia injected "We have Neapolitan ice cream. Girls if you help me clean-up I'm sure we can find some strawberry toppings for it."
"Yay " Clarissa, Emma, Olivia and Blake chorused.
Olivia said "I'll clear if you'll start some decaff mia dolce amica."
Temporarily forgetting Blake was present Olivia reached out and pushed a stray hair behind the Latina's ear."Dinner was great, but we did not do Best, Funnest, Worst part of the day yet."
Blake spoke up. "Natalia, I have not been here since you bought the place. Can I get the grand tour?"
"Yes, follow me, Olivia will you and the girls behave?" Natalia said.
"Yeah if Pinky and the Brain here aren't planning on taking over the world tonight." Olivia replied ruffling Clarissa's hair then turning to Emma and winking.
