It was Monday morning, and Franky's week off had come to an end. She didn't have any students this week, but this was her time to take inventory of supplies, order things she needed for the summer classes, and pick out the recipes she'd be teaching in each class. Bridget had woken up before the alarm, and she reached over to turn it off. She knew the brunette was used to sleeping in now, and she thought she'd save her the harsh sound of the alarm on this first morning back.
Franky was laying on her back, and the blonde had been snuggled into the brunette's side. Bridget carefully raised herself up and placed a soft kiss on her girlfriend's lips. When the younger woman didn't stir, she placed soft kisses along her cheek.
"Baby," she said softly next to the brunette's ear. Bridget knew this was something that Franky liked.
The younger woman heard the blonde's voice, and let out a contented sigh. She pulled Bridget closer against her.
"It's time to wake up," the blonde said, as she pressed her lips against the skin just below Franky's ear.
"Mmm, not yet." The brunette grinned. She knew that if she resisted waking up, then Bridget would continue her efforts.
Franky felt the blonde shift her weight and straddle the younger woman's hips. She slowly opened her eyes to see Bridget smiling down at her.
"I love you," the brunette said, as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind the other woman's ear.
Bridget's smile widened even further. "I love you, too." She leaned down and gave Franky a slow kiss.
The brunette slid her hands down her girlfriend's back, and under the waistband of her pants. They came to rest on the older woman's butt, and Franky gave a small squeeze as she pulled Bridget down into her. The blonde let out a small moan against her girlfriend's lips.
"Is this supposed to make me want to get out of bed?" Franky mumbled when they broke the kiss. "Because it's definitely not working."
The blonde let out a small laugh. "Mmm, that was the original idea, yeah." She glanced at the clock. "We've got a couple minutes."
"Babe," Franky said as she reluctantly separated their lips after another few minutes of kissing and wandering hands. "We need to get up."
Bridget let out a sigh. "Okay."
After they dressed, the blonde went to wake Emily while Franky made them all breakfast.
"So what are you two up to today?" Bridget asked as they ate their food.
"Well, I have to pick out recipes for my classes, then count inventory and decide what I need to order, and when, so that I have what I need each week. Did you want to help me with that, Em? Or did you want to bring something to do while I work?" Franky didn't expect Emily to want to help her the whole week, but she wanted her to know the option was there.
"I want to help you," the young girl said as she ate her eggs.
"Okay, but you should bring something fun with you to do as well in case you get bored with me." Franky laughed a bit at her own joke.
"Auntie Bridge, can I go to work with you someday?"
"No, love. It's not allowed." Bridget saw the look of disappointment on the child's face. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." Emily shrugged and went back to eating.
When they finished breakfast, Emily decided that she would pack her drawing paper, some markers, and one of her other toys. They said goodbye to Bridget, then left for the Centre shortly after that. Normally Franky didn't have to start work this early, but with no actual classes, the sooner she got there and put in her hours, the sooner she got home.
The morning had passed quickly for Franky and Emily. The young girl had helped her pick out most of the recipes for a couple of her classes. Franky decided not to let her help pick the ones for the class she'd be taking with Bridget. They still hadn't told her that they'd signed her up for that one, and Franky wanted it to be a total surprise. Emily knew that she was taking Bea's art class and the science class over the summer, and of course one of Franky's cooking classes, but she didn't know about the one with her Aunt.
The brunette heated up the leftovers they'd brought for lunch, and they sat down at the table in her classroom to eat.
"We need to go Christmas shopping soon so you can pick out a present for Auntie." Franky said between bites of her lunch.
"I don't know what to get her, and I don't have any money." Emily pushed around the food on her plate with her fork.
"You have some time to think about it, and maybe I can help if you get really stuck." The brunette thought for a minute about how to solve the money problem, then it came to her. "You helped me a lot here all those days after school, and you're going to be helping me all summer. I think that's like a job and you've earned some money for doing that. You can use that to buy Auntie a present, okay?"
The young girl's face brightened. "And I can buy one for you, too?"
Franky shook her head. "I don't want anything, bub. Spend it on Auntie."
"Is the ring her present from you?"
"No, I just want to ask her on Christmas morning because I want you to be there too. It's a family holiday and I want all my family there with us." Franky smiled. "I want to ask Liz to be there, too. What do you think?"
Emily gave a big smile and nodded.
"Where do you want to ask me to be?" Liz asked as she entered the classroom. "Hi, love." She gave Emily a kiss on the head and squeezed the brunette's shoulder on the way by. She sat down at the table with them.
"I was going to ask if you'd like to spend Christmas with us. You can come over for Christmas Eve, stay in the spare room, and then you'll be there in the morning when we wake up." Franky watched as a look of confusion came across Liz's face.
"You're asking me to spend Christmas with you? Are you sure?" She looked from Franky to Emily.
"Of course! You and I have spent Christmas together for years now." Franky had pretty much assumed that Liz would have been expecting the invitation.
"Yeah, but this is your first one with Bridget and Em. I figured you guys would have your own plans."
"We do, and they include you. So you'd better be there." Franky reached out and squeezed Liz's hand that was resting on the table.
"Sure, love, I'll be there." Liz's earlier look of confusion was now replaced by a huge smile.
Just as they finished eating, Bea showed up.
"I'm taking your art class!" Emily said excitedly when she spotted the redhead.
"I know! I've got some good stuff planned for you guys. Right now though I've got something I could use your help with. Think you're up for it?" Bea didn't really have anything she needed Emily for, but Liz had asked her to take the young girl for a bit because she needed to talk with Franky.
Emily looked at the brunette. "Go on, bub. I won't do anything too fun without you," Franky said, giving her a small wink.
The young girl happily left with Bea, and the brunette turned her attention back to Liz. She knew from the look on the other woman's face that there was a reason the redhead had come to get Emily.
"What's going on Liz?" Franky asked. The older blonde gave her a look like she didn't know what she meant. "Come on, I can read you better than that by now."
Liz sighed. "There's someone coming here soon who's asked to speak with you. I told them I'd see if you'd agree to it."
Franky's walls and defences were fully up now. "Who is it?"
"Her name is Jillian. She seemed very nice. She's from the Foodlife Networ-"
"No. Nope, just stop there." The brunette shook her head. "The article was the end of it. I don't want to be involved in anything else."
"Love, just hear her out? She seemed really nice on the phone." Liz glanced at the clock. She didn't have much time to convince Franky to agree.
"What did she want?" The only reason the brunette was even considering this was because she trusted Liz.
"I don't know. She just asked for a meeting." She held Franky's stare. She knew the brunette was trying to read her; to see if she knew more than she was letting on. Maybe she did.
If the brunette knew that Liz was holding back, she didn't let on. "Fine. But I want you here."
"Sure, if you want." Liz was willing to give her whatever support she needed. "She should be here any minute now. I told her I'd meet her in my office then I'll bring her here."
Franky nodded slowly as Liz left. She looked at her empty plate, suddenly wishing that she hadn't eaten. She had always had a nervous stomach. There were times as a young child, when her mother was going through one of her really bad times, that she wouldn't be able to keep food down for days. Of course that was assuming there was any food in the house to begin with.
The brunette stood and gathered up hers and Emily's dishes and put them in the sink. She'd deal with them later. She paced up and down the length of the classroom, trying to find something outside the window to distract her. It wasn't long before she heard Liz talking with someone as they approached the room.
" -and this is her classroom." Franky turned when she heard them come through the door. "Franky, this is Jillian" Liz introduced them as the woman held out her hand to shake the brunette's.
Franky quickly sized her up. She was young, maybe twenty-five, with long, curly light brown hair and brown eyes. Franky had a few inches on her, and she made sure to stretch up to her full height to take advantage of any intimidation that might cause.
The brunette reached out and shook Jillian's hand.
"Maybe we could all sit down and have a chat?" Liz motioned towards the dining table.
"So what's this about?" Franky asked as she sat down. She didn't want to be rude, she just wanted to know what this network person was after so that she could tell them to leave her alone.
"Um." Jillian cleared her throat, and Franky could tell she was nervous. "As Liz has probably told you, I work for the Foodlife Network. I'm the producer for a new reality show that will start filming in a couple of months, and I'd like for you to be a part of it."
The brunette looked to Liz, then back at the producer. "You want me to compete again? Are you serious?"
"Yes. Very." Jillian willed herself to hold eye contact with Franky. She wanted this. "That's why I came myself instead of sending one of the casting agents."
"Why?" The brunette leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. She didn't know if this woman knew what had happened with Mike Pennisi or not. She wasn't from the same network as the other show, but word got around in industry circles.
"To show how serious I am about working with you." She gave a small smile.
"No, I mean why do you even want me in the first place?" Franky shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
"I know you've had a difficult history wi-"
"What do you know about my difficult history?" the brunette asked, leaning forward.
Jillian decided it was time to play the only other card she had in her hand. "Because I was there." Franky gave the woman a look that told her the brunette had no idea what she was talking about. "I used to work for that network. I was only an intern back then. You probably didn't know who I was, I didn't interact with the cast really, at all, but I liked your style, the dishes you came up with. There was always something different about them. You were my pick all the way through."
"And then I fucked it up. Not just for me, for everyone." Franky shook her head, and looked towards the window.
"Mike was an ass. He deserved it. You did what everyone else had been wanting to do for a long time. There were lots of people with smiles on their faces when you took him down," Jillian said, smiling a bit at the memory.
"What I did was wrong. Don't make it sound like it wasn't." She saw the smile disappear from the producer's face when she realized she'd made a mistake by making light of the incident. "Look, thanks for coming all the way here, I guess, but I'm really not interested in doing another show." Franky stood, hoping Jillian would take the hint that this was over.
"Franky." Jillian stood as well, moving to stand in front of the brunette. "That was years ago. As soon as I knew I was working on this show, I knew I wanted you on it. You had so much potential back then, I can only imagine how much better you've gotten over the past few years."
Franky just shook her head.
Liz, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke up. "Franky, love, you don't have to make a decision right this moment. Why don't you think about it? Talk to Bridget."
"Here." Jillian handed Franky her card. "We're not starting anything until February, but if you could think about it and let me know for sure one way or the other within the next month, that would be great."
Franky took the card, but didn't say anything. Liz knew that when the brunette was quiet like this, the conversation was over.
"Jillian, why don't I walk you out. I think Franky has some things to think about for now." Liz put her hand on the producer's shoulder.
The brunette looked at the card in her hand. It brought up a lot of memories, most of them bad. She knew that she had changed since what happened with Mike, but she was also worried that being put back in almost the exact same situation would trigger something in her again. She didn't want to be that person again, and she certainly didn't want Bridget or Emily to see that side of her.
"Love, you alright?" Franky hadn't heard Liz return, and jumped a bit when she spoke.
"Yeah." The brunette shoved the card into her pocket, and went to the sink to wash up the dishes from lunch.
"I know you've probably got a million things running through your head right now." Liz came to stand beside Franky at the sink, and spoke quietly. "But just take your time and sort it all out. Really think about it, and talk to Bridget. I'll support you whether you decide to do it or not, but for what it's worth, I think you should take the offer." When the brunette didn't say anything, Liz simply gave her a pat on the arm, and left her to finish the dishes.
Bridget hadn't wanted to say anything in front of Emily, but now that her niece was gone playing in her room, and her and Franky were cleaning up after supper, the blonde felt like she needed to find out why her girlfriend had seemed preoccupied since she'd gotten home.
"Baby." Bridget wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist from behind, and rested her head against the younger woman's shoulder. "You've been lost in thought since you got home today. What's going on?" The blonde felt her girlfriend sigh.
"Nothing." Franky knew Bridget would see right through that answer, but it was her go-to response when she was still trying to process something herself. "Okay, it's not nothing." The blonde didn't say anything, but Franky felt the older woman's arms tighten around her just a little bit. Bridget's way of saying 'I'm here, I'm listening when you're ready'. "Someone came to the Centre today. A producer from the Foodlife Network." The brunette turned in Bridget's arms to face her. "She's a producer on a reality cooking show, and she wants me to compete again."
Bridget was rarely caught speechless, but this was the last thing she was expecting the brunette to say. "Franky…"
"She was an intern on the show with Pennisi, and she saw the article about me teaching at the Centre. She said I deserved a second chance." Franky broke eye contact and looked down at the floor.
"You don't think you do?" the blonde asked quietly.
Franky shrugged. "I ruined the last one. Not just for me, but for everyone. What if it happens again?"
Bridget shook her head. "You're not the same person you were then."
"Gidge." Franky took a shaky breath. "I'm scared. I'm scared that if I put myself back in that situation, then I will be the same as I was back then."
The blonde reached up and cupped the younger woman's cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into Bridget's touch.
"Baby, you won't be." She stretched up and gave Franky a small kiss. "Whatever you decide to do, I'm here, okay?"
The brunette nodded, and pulled Bridget closer. She had a lot to think about.
Franky's mood hadn't lightened much throughout the evening. She was physically there with Bridget and Emily, but her mind was still somewhere else. The brunette was torn. On one hand, she loved cooking, she loved creating new dishes, and she loved a challenge. She had no problem with those parts of being on the previous show. What she couldn't handle was the emotional manipulation and mind games that the network liked to play with the contestants. She didn't see why this time would be any different in that respect.
When Bridget had finished her shower and put on her pyjamas, she made her way into their bedroom, and found Franky laying in their bed staring up at the ceiling. The blonde lifted the blankets, and the younger woman automatically put out her arm, welcoming Bridget to lay close beside her. After a couple of moments of them laying there in silence, Franky motioned for the blonde to move up a bit.
Bridget moved so she was now face to face with the brunette, and half on top of her.
Franky reached up, and placed her hand on the blonde's cheek. "Come here," she said, pulling Bridget gently towards her, and connecting their lips. Their kiss was slow and soft, and the brunette felt her body relax immediately when Bridget rested more of her weight against her.
When the blonde pulled back, she could see the storminess in Franky's green eyes. "Baby." Bridget leaned down and gave her another soft kiss. "Talk to me."
"I don't even know what to say, Gidge. There's just a million things in my head right now. I always thought I'd say 'no' right away if someone asked me to do a show again, but here I am actually thinking about it." The brunette pulled the older woman a bit closer. "I don't want to think about it anymore tonight."
"Okay, we can talk about whatever you like." Bridget smiled at her.
Franky connected their lips again. "You smell good."
The blonde let out a laugh. "Is that what you want to talk about? How I smell?"
The brunette took Bridget in her arms and flipped them over. Franky looked down at her girlfriend with a big smile on her face. She gave Bridget a quick kiss.
"I got a new body wash." The blonde mumbled against the younger woman's lips.
"I like it. You should keep that one." Franky moved her lips to Bridget's neck.
The blonde let her linger there for a moment before she flipped them back over. "Take off your shirt and turn over," she whispered next to the younger woman's ear. Franky opened her mouth to question why, when Bridget put a finger on the brunette's lips to silence her. "Just do it."
Franky reached down, and rid herself of her t-shirt. The blonde shifted enough that her girlfriend was then able to turn over and lie on her stomach before settling back on top of her, straddling her thighs.
Bridget let her hands run lightly over the brunette's back. "I'm going to help you relax. No talking."
Franky answered with a small moan as the blonde's hands continued across her back. She knew that rubbing Franky's back was something that usually relaxed her, and she felt like the younger woman could certainly use that tonight.
Bridget started at the brunette's shoulders and slowly worked her way down and then back up. She could see that Franky had closed her eyes. She took that as a good sign since the brunette had been wide awake staring at the ceiling when she'd walked in a few moments ago. After she felt like the initial edge had been taken off of Franky's restlessness, she leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the nape of the brunette's neck.
Franky sighed. "I don't want to lose you, Gidge."
"Mmm, why would you lose me, baby?" The blonde placed another kiss on the back of her girlfriend's neck.
"I'm scared that if I do the show, and you see who I really am because I fuck up again, that I'll lose you."
Bridget placed a kiss on the back of Franky's shoulder. "I know who you really are, it's the person you are now. The person you are with me, and Em. You're not going to lose me, so don't let that be a factor in your decision. If you want to try it again, try it. At the end of it, no matter what, you'll still have me, you'll still have Em, and we'll still have our life together, okay?"
"Okay." The blonde felt Franky take in a deep breath then let it out slowly. "I'm still not deciding yet though."
"Okay, baby." Bridget continued leaving a trail of small kisses across the brunette's shoulder, then down the middle of her back. She felt Franky's muscles twitch under her lips a couple of times, but by the time she had made her way back up the younger woman's back, she could tell that she had fallen asleep. Bridget smiled to herself, and gently moved to lay beside the brunette. She pulled the blanket up to cover Franky, and placed a hand on the middle of the younger woman's back, slowly brushing her thumb back and forth over her soft, smooth skin. Bridget placed a final kiss on the back of the brunette's shoulder before resting her head there. She hoped that her girlfriend was able to come to a decision without too many restless nights.
