Note: Hi folks so I'm back….we're back Ela, how many times do I gota tell you it's we not you?….folks unfortunately Muse is also back….hi peoples did ya miss me?….I doubt it Muse….Ela I got fans too ya know…sure you do….I do, I got me Sheilas and leprechauns….Muse do you remember that conversation we had about figments of the imagination?….eh no, I remember something about fig leaves, ever notice the way artists put them in the places you sooo want to see?….Muse stay on point….what point?…oh never mind. Folks thanks so much for the reviews I ….we….we appreciate them. This be chapter 25 please enjoy. :-)

Chapter Twenty Five

It was Gabrielle who first noticed that her parents had moved from the picnic rug, the discovery didn't so much alarm her as it did pique her curiosity. Family days out generally meant the whole family so she didn't think her parents would have went far. Taking her gaze from the rug she turned in the opposite direction towards the trees. The young girl rolled her eyes at the sight of her two mothers kneeling together sharing a kiss, she should have known they'd be doing that, they were always doing that. Gabrielle nudged her older sister bringing Miranda's attention to what was going on behind them.

Miranda turned seeing her mothers share a kiss, unlike Gabrielle, the discovery didn't make the teenager roll her eyes in fact it had her squinting a little. Why would the couple be on their knees? Realisation was slow to dawn but when it did Miranda smacked at her birthday twin.

AJ's hand settled upon Lydia's shoulder as he turned his attention from her to query the smack his older sister had given him. Miranda's gaze darted from AJ back to their parents. AJ followed it and grinned, man those two just couldn't help themselves. He shrugged and turned back to Lydia who was trying to edge closer to the ducks, the little girl was fearless.

"AJ!"

Miranda's voice was a pitched whisper, she wanted to be discreet but she also wanted her brother to realise there was more going on. AJ turned back to her.

"What?"

"They're kneeling."

AJ nodded.

"I see that."

This time Miranda's eyes did roll.

"AJ they are kneeling."

AJ was missing something, that much was becoming obvious in the way his birthday twin was gazing at him. He turned back to his parents wondering if they were planning to come up for air anytime soon. Then his brow furrowed, what had Ma said earlier about needing to tell Bianca first? Hazel eyes widened.

"Holy shit!"

The shocked words took Lydia's attention from the ducks and to her brother.

"Mama don't like that wowd AJ."

AJ grinned, then giggled and then all out laughed. Lydia's little eyes began to bug out.

"Waz funny?"

"Nothing's funny Lyd, this is happiness. I'm happy, I'm so happy right now."

Miranda began to giggle as her brother tried not to guffaw again. Lydia looked from one to the other and then to Gabrielle.

"Waz wong with them?"

Gabrielle was trying to figure that out but was failing miserably. She shook her head.

"I don't know but we're going to find out. Mimo what's going on?"

Miranda was like AJ now unable to hold her delight in, she give her younger sister a one armed hug.

"Mom and Ma, they're kneeling."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes again; she was beginning to think teenagers were just as weird as adults sometimes.

"I know that, so?"

Miranda grinned.

"Think of your fairytales Gabby, what happens when someone kneels in them?"

Gabrielle shrugged.

"They pray?"

Miranda shook her head.

"Prince Charming wasn't praying was he?"

The younger Montgomery thought about that then turned back to her mothers.

"Huh."

AJ and Miranda could both see the understanding begin to seep into Gabrielle's mind, she smiled, then grinned, then giggled and finally started to clap. Lydia began to clap too because well just because her big sister Gabrielle was cool.

/

Marissa was lost in the soft sensuous feel of Bianca's lips, in the heat and love of the brunette's amazing kisses. It never failed to happen, anything that lingered more than a quick peck always got Marissa a little lost. She had long ago given up on trying to understand it and now eight years on she knew it was never likely to change. Marissa loved Bianca, loved everything about the beautiful brunette but she especially loved her partner's kisses. No one had ever kissed her like Bianca did. Marissa's mind was fuzzy as her lips continued to be caressed by soft luscious ones. Somewhere in its hazy recesses she thought she heard clapping but then Bianca's tongue slid into her mouth and she imagined she was hearing fireworks as well as clapping.

Bianca poured all of her heart and all of her happiness into the kiss and didn't want it to ever end but her subconscious was registering voices and claps and cheers that she was sure weren't there a moment ago. Reality finally seeped in when little arms wrapped around her, followed by more and more arms.

Marissa and Bianca broke their kiss as Lydia squeezed herself against them, followed by Gabrielle and then Miranda and finally AJ. The family hug was full of giggles.

"Gwoop hug."

Lydia was squealing her delight into the space between her still kneeling parents. Bianca and Marissa both laughed. It was long moments before the hug broke up and when it did both AJ and Miranda kissed their parents cheeks. The couple looked at each other.

"Did you…."

"How did they…."

The questions died before either could finish as the birthday twins laughed.

"Because you two are like so obvious sometimes."

The drawl in Miranda's voice earned her a chuckle.

"Thanks sweetheart that's reassuring."

Miranda grinned.

"So are you going to show us the ring?"

Bianca grinned liked a love struck teenager suddenly remembering the jewellery box that had snapped closed in her effort to kiss her amazing lover. She opened it up in front of her four children.

"Wow."

AJ didn't know much about jewellery but the ring sitting in that little red velvet box looked absolutely stunning to him.

"Nice."

Miranda wanted to pick the ring up, it looked amazing. A white gold band that twisted in the centre to encase the bed of small diamonds in which a large solitaire nestled.

"It's lovely."

Gabrielle loved the way the ring glittered.

"Is spowkly Mom."

Bianca thought her smile might never end, the ring was perfect just like the woman who had bought it. Her eyes met Marissa's and the redhead's eyebrow arched.

"May I?"

The brunette grinned in answer and watched as Marissa removed the ring and delicately placed it upon Bianca's ring finger before lifting the hand to her lips and kissing it softly.

"So when's the wedding?"

AJ shrugged when his sisters glared at him for interrupting the sweet moment.

"What? They're always kissing."

Bianca and Marissa laughed, it was true they did have a tendency to kiss a lot.

"Well?"

AJ was still waiting for an answer and wasn't all that surprised when his parents both shrugged.

"It needs planning."

Miranda and Gabrielle shared a look at their mother's words.

"Uhh ohh."

Bianca turned to her daughters.

"What?"

"You sound like GE."

Gabrielle's answer was joined by Miranda's.

"That's what GE would say."

AJ spoke in unison with his two sisters.

"You're turning into GE."

The melody of answer had Marissa and the kids all laughing. Bianca scowled then laughed too.

/

When the family returned to Monchasker Lydia went down for her nap and the birthday twins disappeared to their rooms. Gabrielle sat at the kitchen table scribbling into a text book.

"Have you started on your homework already Gabby?"

Marissa came in to unpack the picnic basket and noticed the 10 year old bent over her books.

"Yeah I thought I better."

The lawyer paused in her activities to glance down at her daughter.

"You're not still worried about Mr Weaver are you?"

Young eyes looked up at Marissa with a smile.

"No I'm not worried Ma but I still need to do my homework."

Marissa grinned.

"That's my girl So what do you think of law Gabby? Do you think you might want to study law some day?"

Gabrielle started to laugh.

"Ma I'm ten."

Marissa nodded.

"Yeah but you always know the right questions to ask that's very important in law."

Gabrielle was still laughing when Bianca came in.

"What did I miss?"

"Ma wants me to study law."

Bianca turned a wide eyed look to her lover.

"Marissa she's ten."

Gabrielle laughed even more. Marissa smirked.

"I'm so glad you Montgomery girls all know how to count."

Bianca crossed the kitchen to her smirking lover, her smirking fiancée.

"Someday soon you'll be a Montgomery woman too."

Marissa's eyes dimmed a little as Bianca put her arms around her.

"We should maybe talk about that."

Bianca smiled.

"No we shouldn't Mrs soon to be Montgomery Tasker."

Hazel eyes glistened recognising the understanding in Bianca's; the brunette knew without having to ask that Marissa wouldn't want to lose her surname it was all she had left of Roy and Lydia Tasker.

"I love you."

Bianca leaned in for a quick kiss.

"I love you more."

Hazel eyes darkened.

"Not possible."

Bianca couldn't resist leaning in for another kiss.

/

By 9pm Miranda had about as much of chemistry as she was able to take. She closed up her books and packed them into her bag for tomorrow deciding if she didn't know it now she never would. Her eyes trailed to her cell phone, should she call Chloe? They hadn't spoken today just traded quick texts but Miranda didn't want to tell her girlfriend about her parents via a text message. She picked up the phone and scrolled through the address book noticing the now familiar ping pong sensation begin in her stomach; that was something she wanted to ask her girlfriend about. The ping pong seemed to bounce higher when she used that noun.

The call connected within two rings and Miranda could almost picture the smile in Chloe's voice as she spoke.

"Hi M I was just thinking about you?"

"You were?"

Chloe giggled and the ping pong went haywire inside Miranda's tummy.

"Yeah I was, have you finished studying? I've had enough."

Miranda nodded then realised it couldn't be seen.

"Yeah I finished just now, had enough too. Chloe this is going to sound like a completely out there question but do you get a ping pong ball sensation in your tummy when you think about having a girlfriend?"

Chloe giggled again.

"No M, mine's butterflies and they've only ever been there when I've thought about you, even before you were my girlfriend."

The ping pong threatened to jump right out of Miranda's stomach when she heard those soft happy words.

"Me too."

Chloe giggled again and Miranda wondered if it would be too nerdy to record the sound, she loved it so much.

"You too what? You've got butterflies now too on top of that ping pong ball?"

Miranda laughed at the teasing words.

"No I mean it's you that causes it not just that you're my girlfriend. The ping pong has been going crazy since you became my girlfriend before that it was under control."

"Maybe you ought to have Doctor Cara check it out."

Miranda laughed.

"Yeah I can imagine how that would go, "emm Cara I get this weird sensation in my tummy when I think about my girlfriend, do you think I might be sick?""

Chloe was laughing now too.

"You'd never know maybe she has the cure for it."

"I don't want it to be cured."

There was a moment of silence before Chloe spoke again in a soft whisper.

"Me neither."

Miranda couldn't stop smiling.

"Are you still there M?"

"Yep yeah yes I am."

Chloe giggled.

"Good. So how did the picnic go?"

And so Miranda got to share her parents happy news with her girlfriend.

/

By 11pm Monchasker was in darkness. Marissa climbed into bed next to her smiling fiancée.

"Today was wonderful."

The redhead settled herself around Bianca nuzzling her face into fragrant brown tresses.

"Yes it was."

Bianca turned into the embrace capturing Marissa's lips for a lingering kiss. The redhead pulled back to gaze into happy eyes.

"We still haven't talked about a date baby."

The brunette shrugged.

"We have time, so much time. The rest of our lives in fact."

Marissa smiled.

"Yes but we should maybe set a date. Your Mom and sister are going to want a date."

Bianca giggled.

"Yes they will."

"And I'd like to know when I can start calling my fiancée my wife."

The brunette stared into lovely hazel eyes.

"You like that word don't you?"

Marissa settled a kiss upon Bianca's cheek.

"No I like you being that to me. Partner was always too impersonal and lover was too personal but wife, wife is just perfect. "This is my wife Bianca." Okay maybe I do like, it sounds good. It sounds better than good. My wife Mrs Bianca Montgomery Tasker."

Bianca smiled as Marissa continued to roll the word around.

"How about you stop talking and kiss your future wife?"

Marissa's eyes darkened at the change in tone, her body registering it just as quickly as her mind did.

"Why certainly my beautiful future wife."

And that was the end of verbal communication as the newly engaged couple let their bodies do the talking.