The Sunny Chronicles II: Resurrections: Chapter Eleven

Bianca didn't nap long. But, when she woke up, she said she needed to eat, which Sunny took as a good sign. So, they packed up Miranda and drove to B.J.'s for a late lunch.

The car ride there was a quiet one, except for the random baby blabbering from the backseat. Bianca hardly spoke a word, and Sunny didn't really know what to say to her even if she had. She wanted to tell her that Babe did not jump from that railing; that her death could not possibly be Bianca's fault. But, she had promised Maggie she would keep her mouth shut. And, despite what her instincts told her, that's exactly what she intended on doing … much more for Bianca's sake than for Maggie's. After all, she didn't think Bianca could take one more shock right now.

Once Bianca started eating at the restaurant, she slowly came back to life, little by little. She smiled and cooed at the baby, taking pauses in between bites to tug at Miranda's fingers and make silly faces to make her daughter laugh. Sunny only sat across from them in silence, smiling at the spectacle of mother and child, and waiting patiently for Bianca to start a conversation.

But it wasn't until they had both finished their food when Bianca finally spoke …

"I'm not sure how I feel about taking little Lil' A out of his home," she says out of nowhere, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "I mean, I know that the Chandler Mansion isn't the best place for a child to be raised anyway, but … it's still the only home he's known."

"Actually, I hear that's not quite true," Sunny reminds her. "Didn't he live in that town down the road for awhile … with other parents? Landview, I think?"

Bianca smiles, but with a disapproving edge. "Is that supposed to be funny?"

"It made you smile, didn't it?" Sunny asks. "Look, Binks, I think you should just try and trust Babe's judgment on this. She wanted Lil' A and Miranda to be raised together, right?"

"Yes, but … what about Krystal?"

"He can see his grandma whenever he wants," Sunny replies. "Bianca, I think you may be deflecting a little."

"Deflecting?"

"I know you're sad," she says. "… You don't have to act so tough around me."

"I know that, Sunny," Bianca replies. "But, it's not you I'm trying to be tough for …" She looks at Miranda, a sad smile of determination on her face, and Sunny nods in acknowledgement.

"She's only a baby," reminds Sunny. "She won't hold it against you if you want to have a good cry. She won't even remember it."

"But, she will feel it. Babies know when their mommies are hurting, and it scares them. I need her to feel secure about things."

"Then, maybe you should let someone keep her for a few days," Sunny suggests, and immediately Bianca starts to shake her head in disagreement. "Just for a few days, Bianca … You could leave her with Jack, or with Kendall. Someone you trust. Just to give yourself a chance to recover from this. If you don't allow yourself time to grieve, then things will only get worse … for you and your daughter."

Bianca sighs and bows her head. Sunny waits for a response, any response, but she's obviously gone into a silence again. Sunny knows better than to push, so she takes the opportunity to do something she's been holding back on for almost an hour.

"I have got to pee," she tells Bianca. "Will you wait for me? I'll be right back."

"Of course," Bianca replies, looking up with a weak smile. "Where would I go? I'm not going to leave you stranded."

Sunny smiles back and gives a nod before standing to leave the table. Bianca watches her disappear around a corner, and then returns her attention back to her yawning daughter.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it, sweetheart?" she says. "Don't worry. I'll have you home soon."

"That's a really cute baby," says a voice from behind. "She must be yours, right? She looks just like you."

Bianca turns her head and smiles from ear to ear at the sight of Maggie standing there, giving her a sexy grin. "Where have you been all day?" Bianca asks her. "I've been going crazy without you."

"Well, not exactly the response I'd counted on, but it will definitely work," says Maggie. "I was just going to come over here and drop some really smooth pick-up line on you. But if you want to play the butch, I guess I could get into that too …"

"Is that why you're dressed like that?" asks Bianca, referring to the unusually casual attire Maggie has chosen. She wears a plain black t-shirt, faded blue jeans, and motorcycle boots that Bianca can't even remember having ever seen before. She also has her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and is wearing little or no make-up. "Did you think playing some kind of role-reversal game would cheer me up? Because, I have to say, I think it's a little strange, although well intended, I'm sure."

"Well, if you need cheering up, look no further," she says. "'Cause I'd do just about anything to put a smile on your gorgeous face."

Despite her sorrow, and confusion, Bianca smiles as prompted. "I'm just glad to see you."

Maggie turns the chair next to Bianca around and takes a seat, straddling it. "That makes two of us. So whatta' you say we ditch this place and go somewhere a little more private, hmm?"

Bianca blushes under the glare of Maggie's confident grin and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.


As Sunny is leaving the restroom and on her way back to the table where she left Bianca, her cell phone rings. She thinks about not answering it, but only for a moment. And, just as she is pushing the green button to say hello, she sees that Maggie has finally arrived back at Bianca's side. She sighs in relief at the sight, and says into the receiver, "talk to me."

"Sunny?" says the voice on the other end of the line. "Where are you?"

Sunny stops dead in her tracks about four tables away from Bianca, her eyes wide with alarm. "Who is this?" she demands to know from the caller.

"Who do you think, dork?" snipes the all too familiar voice. "It's Maggie."

"Oh shit," Sunny breathes out in a heavy whisper.

"Is Bianca all right?" Maggie questions. "What's going on?"

"I think you'd better head to B.J.'s right away," Sunny tells her. "We have a serious situation on our hands."

"Why? What is it? You didn't tell her, did you?"

"No," replies Sunny firmly. "It's just … well, you seem to already be here … sitting right next to Bianca!"

"WHAT? Just … stay there," she instructs. "Try to stall her. Try to keep her there until I get there. Only … don't let on to Bianca that it's not me."

"Oh, like that's going to be a cake walk."

"Just do it!" she demands.

Sunny hears the phone click on the other end and snaps her own phone shut. She pauses a moment, trying to think how to best go about this, then cautiously approaches the table. Bianca is blushing at the faux Maggie and batting her eyes like a flirtatious child. Frankie Stone looks up at Sunny and narrows her eyes.

"Excuse me," says Sunny, forcefully grabbing Frankie's arm and pulling her up from her seat. "Can I talk to you outside for just a moment?"

"Sunny, what are you doing?" asks Bianca with an awkward laugh.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Frankie exclaims as Sunny drags her towards the door.

Sunny looks back at a dumbstruck Bianca before exiting the restaurant and tells her, "We'll be right back. I just need to clear something up with her."

Once outside, Sunny releases her and puts on her best tough guy face. "I don't know what you think you're doing," she says to Frankie. "But I'm not letting you get one inch closer to Bianca. You'll have to get through me first."

Frankie smiles, attempting to play it cool. "Man, are you ever an overprotective girlfriend if I've ever seen one. Relax, chica. I didn't know she was taken, okay?"

"Look, I don't know what you're up to, but I know who you are, and I know what you did to Babe Chandler."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Frankie replies.

"Sure you do, Frankie," Sunny says with a grin. "You may as well give it up, Stone. I know all about you."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I know your twin sister Maggie. She's looking for you."

"And who told you I had a twin sister? That lying creep Leo Dupres? Is he here?"

"What are you, on crack?" laughs Sunny. "Leo Dupres is dead."

"See, you're already misinformed. Leo is as alive as I am," she tells her. "And he's already tried to feed me this bullshit about some goody-goody twin sister that I do not have. He's only trying to save his own ass."

Sunny takes a cautious step forward, not knowing whether Frankie has bumped her head or is on some serious drugs. "Frankie," she says in a much gentler tone. "It's not bullshit, I swear. You've got to listen to me. Your sister is on her way right now. And Bianca … What are you up to with her, Frankie? You used to love her. She used to be your girl."

"Yeah right," she says with a laugh. "I may have a few memory gaps, but I would remember if I were ever with a girl like that ... which, by the way, would be next to impossible. She's got class … I don't."

"That's certainly an understatement."

"Look, I don't know who filled your head with this garbage about me having a twin sister, but it's not true, okay? And I'm not trying to get between you and your girl, so if you wouldn't mind …" Frankie makes a move to turn and leave, but Sunny reaches out and grabs her arm to stop her.

"Not so fast," she warns, attempting to pull her back.

Before Sunny can even blink, Frankie spins around and elbows her in the eye. Sunny stumbles backwards from the blow, but catches her balance and karate kicks her in the ribs. Frankie omits a sound of pain, "Umph," and decides to battle no more.

She turns to run away. But, before she can, she hears a voice much like her own yell out, "Frankie! Wait!"

Frankie stops, for only a second, and glances behind her. Standing next to Sunny is a girl who could be her mirror image, if not for the pastel colored dress and high heels. She narrows her eyes in wonder, and almost finds herself walking back to see if this image is real or only a mirage. But, when she sees Leo come to join the two women, she quickly changes her mind. She spins around in her boots and jets away.

"Frankie!" calls out Maggie. "Please! Don't … run away."

"I'll get her," says Leo, who sprints off to follow her.

"Maggie," Sunny says, holding a hand over her swollen eye. "You've got to get out of here before …"

"I know," interrupts Maggie. "I'll follow Leo. Stay here. I'll call you as soon as I can."

And with that, she too disappears with a quickness, and just in time. As soon as she is gone, Bianca wanders outside, baby in tow. She spots Sunny wincing from the black eye she has just received, and rushes to her side, holding Miranda tight to her chest.

"Sunny, are you all right?" she asks with concern. "Oh my gosh … what happened to your eye? Where is Maggie?"

"Uh …" stutters Sunny at first. "Someone tried to mug us."

"What?" exclaims Bianca, looking all around to try and spot the culprit. "Did they take anything?"

"Uh, no. I fought them off," she explains. "And, Maggie is chasing them down now."

"My Maggie?" asks Bianca, stunned. "Sunny, you shouldn't have let her do that. What if she gets hurt?"

Sunny rolls her eyes. "She'll be fine. She probably won't even catch up with them. Why don't we just go home? She'll call if she needs us."

"Shouldn't we call the police?"

"Umm … we already did," she lies. "Every thing's taken care of, okay? Just relax and let me take you and Miranda home. It's been a very long day."

"Well, if you're sure …"

Sunny puts a hand on her back and ushers her towards the parking lot. "I'm positive. Don't worry about a thing. Maggie will be home soon, I promise."