A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. Sorry for the late post. The work trip to Chicago made for a long day, but it was productive. It caused me to lose a day of writing though. Plus, I spent the day with some friends on Saturday which was another day lost. I do plan on posting another chapter in this story later this week since I only have one more day of work. This chapter moves forward in time a little bit. Hope you enjoy this update!
For those in the States and any others who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving!
/
"Good morning, Marissa. The usual?"
"Good morning, Krystal. Yes, please." The redhead said as she took a seat at the restaurant's bar. It had become part of her morning routine to stop at Krystal's to grab a cup of coffee and a muffin or bagel on her way in to the office.
"Is Bianca joining you today?"
On some days, Bianca would follow her to the restaurant, and they would have breakfast together. After which, they would part and head off to their respective jobs. Today, however, was not one of those days. "No, I'm going in early to work on some briefs so I can wrap them up and duck out a little early. Caleb is letting me switch up my schedule."
"Ah yes, the Taskers are invading Pine Valley today!"
Marissa chuckled. "Yes, they are, and their first stop is here!"
Krystal pumped her fists. "Yes! I can't wait to see them."
"Are you sure you're okay entertaining them until I get off work?"
"Of course I am. It will give us time to catch up and for me to give your folks my report on how you're doing here." Krystal winked.
Marissa knew that Krystal was, for the most part, joking, but she also knew that there was a kernel of truth to her statement. Her parents would be talking with Krystal to see how Marissa was doing and how she was adjusting to life in the bigger city. "I hope it's a good report."
"It definitely is. I think you have fit right in with everyone here in Pine Valley. Although, some may question just how good of a thing that actually is." Krystal smirked. "That was really nice of Caleb to let you switch your schedule."
"I know, especially since I haven't been there that long." Marissa checked the time. "I really do need to go."
"Okay. Don't worry about your family. I'll take excellent care of them. We'll see you later, and don't forget that we're all doing dinner."
"I haven't forgotten. You know that you don't really have to …"
"Shush! Don't you dare finish that sentence. I know I don't have to do dinner, but I really want to. We need to celebrate your job and welcome your family and my dear friends. Let me do this. Please?"
Marissa smiled and nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, get out of here and get to work." Krystal smiled as she handed Marissa her coffee and muffin to go.
/
"There's a parking spot over there, Dad."
Roy glanced to where Fiona pointed and drove their car in the direction of the free parking spot. "Good eye, Fi! It's just up from Krystal's place. You doing okay back there?"
"Yeah, I just can't wait to see Rissa again. I really miss her."
"I feel exactly the same, Fi. Pine Valley is a lot closer to us now though." Lydia said as she turned off the GPS.
"Yes, it is, and it was a nice, scenic drive." Roy nodded as he turned put the car in park and turned off the ignition. "Let's go, Fi. You know your Mom is chomping at the bit to see Krystal."
Fiona laughed at her Dad's teasing of her Mom. "I know. I'll make sure to stay out of her way."
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Not only am I going to have to deal with the two of you, but I'll have Marissa joining in to give me a hard time later too."
Roy grinned and kissed his wife. "Yes, you will, just like old times, and it's too late to turn back now. Krystal has seen us."
"Hello, Tasker family!" Krystal said as she hurried towards her friends. She hugged Lydia first, then Roy, and finally Fiona whose hug was the longest. With an arm around Fiona, Krystal looked at the family. "It is so good to see all of you! How are you? How was the drive?"
"It is so good to see you too." Lydia smiled as she realized just how much she had missed her friend. "We're good, and no problems with the drive. Thanks to our GPS, Roy didn't get us lost. How are you doing? And Tad and Jenny?"
"Hey! I'm not that bad." Roy protested.
Fiona snorted. "Rissa says he's directionally challenged."
Lydia laughed. "She's right."
"Come on!"
"Tad and Jenny are good. As for you, Roy, give it up. I know all about driving with you. I've lost count how many times I had to tell you to go to your other right." Krystal smirked.
Roy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
"You've got to have one flaw, darling. Otherwise, you'd be perfect." Lydia kissed her husband.
"You forgot his 'Dad jokes', Mom. They could use a lot of work." Fiona teased.
"Hey! You like my jokes, and you know it!"
Fiona sighed. "If telling yourself that makes you feel better, then sure, I guess I like them." Even though she didn't want to admit it sometimes, she really did like those jokes, as corny as they were. In fact, the whole family did because they all shared the same sense of humor.
Lydia and Krystal bit back laughs while Roy eyed his daughter. Before he could come up with any type of comeback, his stomach growled.
"On that note, let's go inside and get you all some lunch. We can't have Roy wasting away, now can we?" Krystal smirked.
Roy grinned. "See. Krystal understands me and cares about me."
Lydia rolled her eyes as she saw Roy grin. "Oh, no. We can't have that. As you can see, he's nothing but skin and bones."
Fiona laughed at her parents. They loved to tease each other, but it was easy to see the love behind it. "Krystal, Rissa said that you make some really good chili cheese fries."
"She did, did she? Well, your sister is right. In fact, she's had them a few times along with Bianca." Krystal said as she led the family towards her restaurant.
"Ah yes, Bianca. We need the full scoop on her before we meet her tonight." Roy said as he held the door open for their group.
/
No sooner were they inside than they a heard an excited squeal. Krystal turned and saw Opal rushing their way and chuckled. The woman just couldn't help herself. When she had heard that Marissa's family was coming for a visit, she was as excited as anyone else. With Marissa's permission, Krystal, because of her longstanding relationship with the woman, sat Opal down and told her about Fiona. Everyone thought that was the best way to handle it. No one believed that she would say or do anything to hurt Fiona, but they did want to prepare her. After Krystal and Opal talked, Marissa was more than happy to answer any questions Opal had regarding her sister and Downs syndrome.
"Welcome, Taskers! It is so good to meet you. Between Krystal and Marissa, I feel like I already know you!"
The family froze and glanced at Krystal who smiled at the unasked question.
"Lydia, Roy, and Fiona, this is Opal."
"Oh, Opal! Marissa has told us about you, and Krystal has as well. It's nice to meet you too." Lydia said.
"Don't believe anything this one says." Opal smiled as she nodded in Krystal's direction.
"Even if it was all good? Because it was." Roy said as he took Opal's hand and flashed her a winning smile.
"Well … Thank you."
Krystal's eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw Opal actually blush. That was something that was rare indeed, but she really wasn't surprised because Roy was the one talking after all.
Lydia and Fiona exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison. They were used to people, particularly women, having this reaction to him. Roy was nothing if not charming.
"We've got a table set up so we talk and catch up before tonight's dinner." Krystal said as she directed the group to a corner table.
"What would you like to drink?" Opal asked as she snapped out of her fog.
"Is iced tea good with everyone?" Krystal's suggestion received nods from the family.
"One pitcher of iced tea coming up!" Opal said as she headed towards the bar.
/
Lydia glanced around the restaurant after they had sat down. "The place looks great, Krystal. I really like what you've done with it."
"Thank you. I'm pretty happy with it."
Fiona pointed to an empty room near where they were seated. "What's that for?"
"Oh, that is a new addition. It's mainly going to be used for private dinner parties, like the one we're having tonight."
"About tonight, we appreciate you having this party for Marissa and us, but it's too much. Lydia and I want to pay for it." Roy said.
"No."
"What do you mean 'no'?"
"I mean simply that. Your money is no good here. I want to do this for all of you."
"I understand, and again, we appreciate it." When he saw he wasn't getting anywhere, Roy sighed and decided to try another tact. "Let us at least pay for part of it."
"No."
"Come on, Krystal."
"Roy, I appreciate the offer, but I have it covered. I know you're worried about the cost for me, but don't. To be honest, someone else is helping to defray some of it."
"Who?"
"I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell Marissa."
"We promise." Lydia said.
"It's Caleb."
"As in Caleb Cortlandt, Marissa's boss?"
"Yes. He has definitely take a shine to your daughter. She's really impressed him at work, and I think he sees her as the daughter he never had. Marissa invited him tonight because she wants you to meet him. Caleb was touched by that, and when he came in the other day, he offered to pay for some of tonight on the condition that she didn't know. He wanted to do something for her, and he knows from talking with her how much the three of you mean to her. He actually offered to pay for the whole thing, but I told him 'no' too."
Lydia nodded. "Marissa has told us a lot about him. He's been a great mentor to her, and she is learning a lot from him. It's nice to know that someone else is looking out for her."
"Yes, it is. I can't wait to meet him and thank him." Roy said thoughtfully.
"He's looking forward to it as well. Just so you know, he wasn't the only one who wanted to contribute to tonight."
"Really?" Lydia asked.
Krystal nodded. "Really. Your daughter has quite the fan club here. In addition to Caleb, there was Kendall, Greenlee, and Erica. They all offered to pay for dinner."
"I told you so." Fiona looked at her parents and grinned before turning back to Krystal. "They were worried that Rissa wouldn't have many friends here yet. I mean seriously? Everybody likes her, at least if they have any sense."
The restaurant owner laughed. "I couldn't agree more, Fi! The two of you really should listen to her more."
"I tell them that too." Fiona smirked.
Lydia sighed. "Yes, you do, and we do listen to you. We know you're right. It's just that we're parents, and we can't help but worry about both of you. We always will. You should be used to that by now. I'm very glad to hear that Rissa is fitting in well and making friends." She recognized Kendall's and Greenlee's names from her conversations with Marissa, and of course she knew who Erica was. It definitely said something about her daughter that people she hadn't known for very long wanted to do something for her.
"She is. You and Roy have done a wonderful job with both of your girls. I know you're proud of them."
"Yes, we are very proud of them."
"Lyd's right. Thank you for keeping an eye on Rissa. We know that she's an adult and can take care of herself, but knowing that she's not here alone makes her being so far away from us a little easier to take." Roy said.
"It's my pleasure."
"Who's coming tonight, Krystal?" Fiona asked.
"Let's see. Tad and Jenny will be here."
"Oh good. I can't wait to see them again." Lydia said.
"They're looking forward to seeing you too. Bianca, of course."
"Of course." Fiona grinned. "Erica?"
"Yes, she will definitely be here along with Jackson Montgomery who is her significant other. Kendall and Greenlee."
"I can't wait to meet them. From what Rissa's told us about them, they sound like they are a handful but a very fun one." Roy chuckled.
"That describes them perfectly. Caleb. Oh, Bianca's grandmother will be here as well as a close family friend. There are a few others, but I can't think of them off the top of my head. I think it's going to be a good crowd."
/
Marissa checked around her condo one more time to make sure everything looked right. She had left work early to get home before her family got there. They had talked earlier that day and decided to just meet at her place. With the GPS in their car and her Mom handling navigation duties, she knew they wouldn't have a hard time finding the complex. Marissa couldn't wait to see her family in person again. Being able to skype with them was nice, but it wasn't quite the same as actually being together. When she heard the knock on her door, Marissa hurried over to it and checked to see who it was before she opened it with a huge smile on her face.
"Mom! Dad! Fi! Hi! It's so good to see you guys. Come on in!"
Hugs were exchanged, and then, Marissa gave them a tour of her condo.
"Mom and Dad, you can sleep in the guest room. Fi, we can share my room, or the sofa pulls out into a full size bed."
Fiona simply shrugged. "Whatever you want."
Marissa glanced at her parents who shook their heads.
"I'll go get our bags, and then, we can get settled." Roy offered.
"Okay. Mom, I'll show you where the towels are. We'll be right back, Fi. If you want something to drink, help yourself."
Fiona nodded. "Okay."
/
Once Marissa and Lydia were alone with the door to the guestroom closed behind them, they could talk.
"What's going on with Fi? She seems off." Marissa asked.
"You noticed that too, huh? I don't know. She was fine earlier when we were at Krystal's. It was after she went to that ice cream place across the street that her mood changed."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. She went by herself, and when I asked, she wouldn't say. Maybe you can get her to talk, Rissa."
"I'll do my best. I have a feeling I'm not going to like what she's going to tell me though."
Lydia nodded sadly. "I have a feeling you're right."
/
Roy returned with the family's luggage and immediately headed back to the guestroom. He could tell his daughters were going to talk, and he was relieved. Roy had noted the difference in Fiona's mood as well and was just as anxious as the others to find out what caused the shift in it.
Marissa sat down on the sofa next to her sister. "Hey, Fi."
"Hey."
"What's up?"
"What do you mean?"
"Something's bothering you. What is it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Fi, it's me you're talking to, and I know you. Something happened today that's got you kind of down. Even if I didn't know you like I do, Mom said your mood changed when you went to get some ice cream after lunch, and she said you wouldn't tell her what happened. So, talk."
Fiona sighed. She knew she had to talk because her sister wasn't going to let it go. "You're not going to like it. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want all of you to get in a bad mood and ruin tonight."
Marissa nodded. "I appreciate that, but I want you to tell me anyway. If something is bothering you, I need to know. Maybe, I can do something to help. It's what you would do for me, isn't it?" Marissa nudged her sister's shoulder and received a tiny smile in return.
"Yeah, it is." Fiona took a deep breath and began. "Something did happen at the ice cream parlor."
/
A/N: Yeah, I'm leaving it there. My evil side is wide awake and looking for trouble. See you soon!