Title: Snapshots: Anthology of a Life Well Lived
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimers and Other Assorted Ramblings: The characters of Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia Rivera are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters of Lena Kundera, Bianca Montgomery, Kendall Hart Slater, Zach Slater, Erica Kane, Jackson Montgomery, Travis Montgomery, Alexander Cambias, and Paulina Kundera are owned by All My Children, ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. The original characters of Jordan, Alexandria "Lexie", Tori, Katy, and Jax Montgomery-Kundera, Ashton Daughtry, Taylor McAlister, and Miah Bryant are the property of this author, and any resemblance to fictional characters, or real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, AMC, ABC/Disney, or any other person or entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
Rating: Overall, Chapter 6 is rated R, though this particular update is rated PG. The story will eventually reach NC-17.
Synopsis: It's a stroll down memory lane for Olivia and Natalia, Lena and Bianca, and their friends and family, as two of our favorite couples' daughters prepare to enter into wedded bliss, in a double wedding… of sorts…
Author's Note: Pay particular attention to the transitions in time, as this chapter contains flashbacks within flashbacks.
Snapshots: Anthology of a Life Well Lived
Copyright September 2012
"You cannot explain, with the limitations of language and inexperience, why your body can cause such a sudden, fumbling response in someone else, nor can you put into exact words what you feel about your body, explain the thrum it feels in proximity to another warm-skinned form. What you feel is a tangle of contradictions: power, pleasure, fear, shame, exultation, some strange wish to make noise. You cannot say how those things knit themselves together somewhere in the lower abdomen and pulse."
— Marya Hornbacher, Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia
Chapter 6.5—Awakenings:
Jordan's Dorm Room, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts—August 20, 2022
"Why don't you take Mom shopping with you," Jordan suggested to Lena, as they unpacked another box of her belongings. They had just arrived at Smith that morning, and they had been gradually moving her into her new dorm room ever since. "I'll stay here with Jax."
Lena's method of dealing with the idea of leaving Jordan behind when they returned to Pine Valley was to distract herself with making her eldest daughter's room an oasis away from home. To that end, she had manufactured in her head at least a dozen more items that Jordan simply could not live without, and thus, she had suggested a quick outing to the local shopping mall. Jordan loved her mama; loved being with her. But one more trip to the mall for things she didn't really need, well that just might send her over the edge.
"Other than the doctor's office, the two of you haven't been anywhere alone together since he was born, and… I'm sure she would enjoy the time alone with you," she added. And then she grinned. "Who knows… you might have a chance to christen the new SUV," she teasingly suggested.
A puzzled expression on her face, Lena appeared to be contemplating the suggestion. Jordan wanted to laugh. It was so unlike her Mama to not have a quick, if not witty, response to any sort of humorous comment from one of her daughters—especially when it came to her active sex life with her wife. Finally, an eyebrow arched, "Who's to say we haven't already?"
Jordan laughed. She'd learned long ago that it was best to embrace the fact that her mothers never seemed to get enough of one another, because trying to pretend otherwise was an exercise in madness. While they were always careful in what they shared, they never shied away from being honest about their active physical relationship. It was simply a part of who they were as a couple, and they weren't ashamed to allow their children to see how important that was to a healthy relationship.
"What are the two of you conspiring about in here?" Bianca teased, walking back into the room that would be Jordan's new home, at least for the next year or so.
Jordan smiled at her. "Mama is convinced that I need more shi… uh, stuff… to make me feel at home," she chuckled. "So I told her she should take you shopping with her. That way, I can spend some time alone with my baby brother, and you… can keep Mama from going overboard—'cause you know she's gonna," she teased, winking at her mama.
Bianca laughed. "That she will," she agreed, casting a playful smile at her wife.
Lena made a face at her. "Very funny," she said, her heavily accented voice wry with humor. Glancing toward her daughter, she attempted to protest. "It's your first day, Jordan," she pointed out. "We don't want to leave you here all alone, while we're out running around."
"I won't be alone—I'll have Jax with me," Jordan smiled. "Besides, I need to unpack some things, and I want to get my bed put together."
"I think that sounds like a great plan," Bianca interjected, her fingertips lightly fluttering along Lena's spine.
The subtle intimacy of the contact made Lena's entire body flush with desire, and she had to fight hard to tamp it down. "I guess we're going shopping then," she said, smiling over her shoulder at Bianca.
Bianca looked pleased enough that Lena had to wonder if she hadn't put Jordan up to this. But she didn't really care. A little time alone with her wife would be a delight—a rarity when you had five children.
"Jax just ate, so he should be good for about three hours," Bianca reported. "But if he gets fussy, and nothing else works, I put the container of expressed milk in the refrigerator. His bottles are in the bag. Just don't forget to…"
"I know… don't forget to squeeze the air out," Jordan interjected, finishing the instructions. "We'll be just fine, Mom," she said with an amused laugh.
Stepping toward her eldest daughter, Bianca pressed her hands against Jordan's cheeks with affection. "I know, my sweet girl," she said tenderly. "Your old mom just likes to fuss over you a little sometimes," she smiled.
"You're not old, Mom," Jordan declared, her tone sincere. She glanced across the room to find her baby brother, sleeping soundly in his carseat. "Seems to me you're just getting started."
Bianca offered a faint smile. "In some ways more than others," she said, sounding a bit nostalgic. "I remember when you were that little. It was a lifetime ago, and yet, sometimes it still feels like yesterday."
A bittersweet smile played across Lena's lips as she reflected upon Bianca's comment. And then she slid her arms around their daughter, pulling her close. "No matter how grown up you get, you'll always be our Little One," she whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple.
Swallowing hard around the lump of emotion that suddenly sprang up in her throat, Jordan fought back the threat of tears. "You're gonna make me cry," she announced. "Both of you. So stop it, and get outta here!"
Jordan's two mothers laughed in unison, causing her to roll her eyes and laugh as well.
Bianca leaned forward, kissing her daughter's other temple. And then she glanced up at her wife. "I guess that's our cue to leave," she said with a teasing lilt to her voice. But in that same moment, she reflected on the fact that the next time they walked out of this dorm room, they would be leaving their daughter behind, with no plans of seeing her again until Thanksgiving weekend.
Her heart sank for a moment. But then, noticing the shift in Bianca's mood, Lena smiled at her, and Bianca remembered how truly blessed she was to have her family. Funny, how even the simplest gesture from her wife could right her entire world, no matter how tumultuous.
"You don't need to ask me twice," Lena declared, more than pleased to steal a little time alone with her wife. Not that they wouldn't have time on the way back to Pine Valley—it was a little more than a four-hour drive—but Jax would require most of their attention. Lucky for them, they both loved doting on him.
Jordan laughed at her mama's eagerness. "Enjoy your outing," she said with a teasing wink. "And Mom, please don't let Mama buy the entire mall, okay? My dorm room can't handle much more."
Laughing, Bianca made eye contact with her wife. "You heard her. I have strict orders to put that shopping bug of yours on a diet," she teased.
"Spoilsports," Lena playfully accused. And then she pressed the palm of her hand against the small of Bianca's back as she led her toward the door into the hallway. "We'll be back in a few hours," she called back to Jordan.
"Be safe," Jordan called back. "We'll see you then."
And with that, Lena closed the door behind them, leading Bianca down the hallway toward the elevators.
Back in her dorm room, Jordan slipped the corners of the slate blue fitted sheet over the edges of the mattress on her new bed; smoothing out the surface with her hands. Grabbing the matching top sheet, she unfolded it and flipped it outward, causing it to snap loudly, and then billow across the bed before settling down.
Straightening the fabric, she turned the top of the sheet down about four inches, then deftly tucked the sheet under the bottom portion of the mattress, forming perfect hospital corners, just like her mama had taught her. She smiled to herself, as she lifted the next item from the box—the patchwork quilt her Babcia (grandma) Paulina had made for her when she graduated from her crib to her "big girl bed," so many years before. It had been strategically sized to cover a queen-sized bed—for when Jordan grew up and married, but when folded in half, it covered the twin-sized bed in her old bedroom perfectly, doubling the warmth it provided.
Over the years, she had dragged that quilt with her from Pine Valley to the Vineyard each time they traveled, insisting that she simply couldn't sleep without it. It would serve the very same purpose here in her dorm room—providing warmth, both physical and emotional, a sense of home—and Jordan was proud to display it for all to see. She drew it toward her, hugging it tightly, as she inhaled a lungful of its freshly laundered scent. Even after all these years, no matter how often it had been laundered, it always smelled of a mixture of fabric softener and her grandmother's house. She lovingly settled the treasured quilt on her bed, then fluffed her pillows, and set them in place.
Jax stirred in his carseat, and Jordan gently lifted him out. Smiling and cooing at him, she climbed onto her new bed, leaning back against the pillows. She bent her knees, creating an incline the way her mama always did, and she propped the baby up in her lap. "We have tons of pictures of Mama sitting in that old chaise in the family room, holding me and the girls exactly like this," she said quietly, as she lovingly traced a finger across her brother's forehead, and down his cheek, reveling in the softness of his newborn skin. "And we already have pictures of her holding you this way, too."
She paused for a moment, soaking in the picture before her: her newborn brother, dozing contentedly in her lap, not a care in the world. "You know, I'm sorry I have to go away so soon after you joined our family," she whispered apologetically, "but… I have to become an attorney, so I can help the women and children at Mommy's shelter, because not everyone is as lucky as we are, Buddy," she explained. "Some mommies don't have kind, loving partners like our mommies do—and some children don't have superhero daddies like we do."
Jax grunted and squirmed in her lap, and Jordan grinned at him. "I know, right?!" she exclaimed, in mock dismay. "I couldn't believe it either, but… it's true," she said, softly. "So they need our help."
She sighed softly, the gravity of that reality weighing on her tender heart. Then, setting the somber thoughts aside, she turned her attention back to the tiny treasure in her lap. "Anyway, I may not always be around, but… I promise you, I'll be there for all the important stuff," she vowed. "Like… teaching you how to eat Oreos. And how to catch fireflies on warm summer nights. And showing you the kind of snow that makes the best snowballs, and how to ambush Mama, because she's not as good at snowball fights as Mommy and I are." she whispered conspiratorially.
"I'll be there to teach you how to shoot hoops, and… how to build roads and tunnels in the dirt in the back yard for your Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars," she promised, marveling at his tiny fingers wrapping around her index finger, as she ran it under his hand. "I'll teach you how to horseback ride, and how to swim, and how to ride a bike, and… how to throw a perfect pitch," she declared. "So, don't you let Lexie teach you those things, okay? 'Cause I have dibs on 'em," she smiled.
"And I'll tell the Moms that you need a puppy. I had Sandy, and I couldn't imagine having grown up without her. Now that she's gone, they'll probably balk, but don't worry—I'll convince them, because every little kid needs a puppy to grow up with—especially a little boy," she asserted.
"And just between us… Mommy is a lot of fun, and she'll hug you a lot, and play with you and read you bedtime stories—just like Mama, but… she's also the disciplinarian in the family," she informed. "She'll make you behave in public, so no blowing bubbles in your milk glass at dinner—especially at Grandma Erica's. And she'll make you clean up your room before you can go out to play on Saturday mornings, she won't let you leave your dirty socks in the family room, and she'll make you eat your peas," she reported, scrunching up her nose.
"Mama is the easy one—she'll let you get away with almost anything, if you shoot her a dimpled smile," she grinned, naturally forming her own perfect set of dimples. "Oh, and if you want chocolate milk, your best chance is to get Mama on your side… It's her favorite, so she understands how crucial it is to a little kid's growth and development. That one's important, because it makes Mommy blush, and Mama always laughs at her."
"Hello?" a semi-familiar female voice called out in the sweetest southern drawl; interrupting Jordan's conversation with her baby brother. "Anyone here?"
Jordan bent forward, nuzzling Jax's ear. "I'll bet that's one of sissy's new roommates," she whispered. "Let's go meet her," she said, lifting the baby to cradle him in her arms.
She kissed the top of his head, and gingerly climbed off her bed; walking toward the common area of the suite of rooms that would be her home away from home for the next four years.
Entering the larger room, Jordan offered a bright, welcoming smile to the blue-eyed beauty, with hair the color of roasted walnuts. The woman was about Jordan's height, and dressed in faded cut-off jeans, brown leather boots, and a form-fitting black tank top that sported the word "Y'all," where the L's were cowboy boots with little hearts near the top. Jordan surveyed her quickly. This was not what she'd expected from a proper Southern Belle, but she decided she liked her style. "Hi!" she greeted cheerily.
"Hi!" the brunette replied, smiling sweetly at her, as she gently set the suitcase and garment bag she was holding, on the floor. "I'm Ashton Daughtry," she announced unnecessarily, her smooth Southern drawl dripping of her Charleston roots, as she stepped forward, extending a hand toward Jordan.
Jordan recognized the name and face immediately. They had corresponded briefly after receiving their room assignments, and chatted a few times over FaceTime and Skype in the days leading up to their initial meeting, though they hadn't exchanged much personal information. She reached out, taking the proffered hand. "Jordan Montgomery-Kundera," she replied, introducing herself formally, as she shook the young woman's hand.
"That's quite a mouthful," Ashton grinned, her blue eyes sparkling.
"Yeah," Jordan chuckled; shaking her head. "Try being five, and having to say all that," she grinned.
Ashton tittered in response. "I'll bet," she empathized. "Guess that answers my question though—you're not married," she surmised. "I wondered… you know, since you're living in the dorms."
"Nope… Just have two moms," Jordan replied casually. "They hyphenated when they got married, so all our names are like a bazillion syllables long," she said, dark eyes widening in playful emphasis, as a grin teased at her lips.
"Ah… I see," Ashton said, her own eyes widening curiously at the announcement. So far as she knew, she had never even met a lesbian before, let alone someone with two mothers. But despite her sheltered upbringing, she prided herself on being open-minded, and she took the information in stride. "Cool," she said with a nonchalant shrug of her slight shoulders. She smiled at Jordan then, "Who's this?" she inquired, motioning toward the baby.
Jordan grinned proudly. "My baby brother, Jax," she explained. "I'm just spending some time with him while my Moms are out shopping for more unnecessary crap for my room," she laughed. "I love 'em, but… they totally go overboard sometimes."
"I know what you mean," Ashton sighed. "My parents practically had to rent a U-Haul to get all the crap they bought me, up here. I was like, seriously—who needs all this?! And they're still downstairs arguing about how they're going to get it all up here." She laughed, and her blue eyes twinkled.
Jordan laughed with her, and immediately felt a kinship between them. "Well, at least that gives us some time to get acquainted before the invasion."
"True," Ashton chuckled, arching an eyebrow.
"Wanna sit and chill for a while?" Jordan invited, motioning toward the couch and chairs.
"Sure!" Ashton replied jovially, moving toward the sofa. She was eager to get to know her new roommate, and thankful for the invitation. She gingerly sat down, turning toward Jordan, who had taken a seat at the closest end. "So… how old is your little brother?" she asked, soft bluish eyes fixed on the baby.
"Three weeks," Jordan smiled proudly.
Noting Ashton's fixed gaze on the baby, she tilted her head to the side, and asked, "Would you like to hold him?"
Ashton's eyes lit up at the offer. "I would love that," she said softly. She'd never held a baby before; never really ever been around one. "If you're certain it's okay."
Jordan nodded her head. "I'm certain," she said, reassuringly.
Moving closer to the other woman, she gently placed him in her arms. "Just make sure you support his neck," she instructed, gently taking Ashton's hand to demonstrate exactly how to accomplish that.
Ashton smiled down at the baby in her arms. "And his name is… Jax?" she asked, her voice low and sweet.
"Jaxson Travis, actually," Jordan clarified. "Jaxson after our great uncle, and Travis after our grandpa Montgomery. Grandpa died when my Mom was a teenager, so none of us ever met him, but… Uncle Jack is still kickin' it," she grinned.
"So… is it just you and Jax in the family?" Ashton inquired, watching Jordan curiously. Eighteen years was a huge age gap between siblings.
"No, actually I have three younger sisters, an older half-brother, two younger half-brothers, and a younger half-sister," Jordan reported. "And my younger half-siblings are also technically my step-siblings and my cousins, because my Dad is married to my Mom's older sister," she explained, pausing for a moment to consider the complexity of her lineage. "Wow, when you say it out loud, it sounds rather… convoluted," she grinned. Damn, we sound like characters in one of those Soap Opera's Auntie O is addicted to watching.
She didn't dare get into how Uncle Jack was her great uncle, Godfather, and step-grandpa; that Aunt Kendall was her step-mom and dad was her uncle; or that Grandpa Alex was granddad twice over, because he was her Daddy's father and Babcia's husband.
Ashton studied Jordan carefully, picking up on her unease. "Sounds like you have a big, closely-knit family," she reframed, patting her roommate's arm.
Jordan offered her a crooked smile. "Thanks," she said appreciatively. "We are close," she shared, her quiet appreciation for her family evident in her expression. "So what about you?" she inquired. "Any brothers or sisters?"
"No, I'm an only child," Ashton answered straightforwardly. "Guess that's why they spoil me so much."
There was a light rapping on the open suite door, followed by a familiar booming voice. "Anyone seen a gorgeous, brown-eyed princess around here?" Zach inquired, his voice gruff with affection, as he smiled at his eldest daughter.
"Daddy!" Jordan exclaimed. She was on her feet in an instant, as he moved toward her. She flung herself into his arms, and he scooped her up as if she weighed nothing. "I thought you were in London on business all week," she said, kissing his scruffy cheek.
After hugging her, Zach put her down, and gently cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. "Well, I couldn't miss my best girl's first day at college, now could I?" he asked rhetorically, bending down to kiss her other cheek. Eighteen years after the fact, he no longer even remembered that he wasn't her biological father. She was his child in every way that counted, and he adored her. "This is a big day."
His hand was warm and tender, and she instinctively pressed the side of her face against it. He never missed the big days. Never missed the little days either—her softball and soccer games, high school debates, band concerts, you name it, he was there, cheering her on from the front row alongside her moms, her Aunt Kendall, and both sets of grandparents. She was one lucky girl, and she knew it.
"I'm glad you're here," Jordan smiled through her reverie. "The Moms are out shopping for a few last minute things, so Jax and I were just hanging out here with my new roommate, Ashton," she explained, turning toward the other woman, as she led her father into the room, her hand tucked protectively inside his larger one. "Ashton, this is my dad, Zach Slater… Dad, this is Ashton Daughtry," she introduced.
Ashton eased herself up from the sofa, motioning for Jordan to take Jax from her. She smoothed non-existent wrinkles from her tank top, then, and nodded her head at the tall, broad-shouldered gentleman in blue jeans and a Detroit Redwings jersey.
Zach stepped forward, extending his hand toward the young woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Daughtry," he said, gruffly.
"It's nice to meet you, as well, Mr. Slater," Ashton replied congenially, offering him a coy southern smile. "And please, call me Ashton…"
"Alright, Ashton," Zach smiled warmly, "as long as you call me, Zach…"
"Agreed," Ashton smiled.
Zach turned his attention back to Jordan and Jax, wrapping an arm around his eldest daughter. "How's my little guy doin'?" he asked. "Is he enjoying being on a campus full of women?" he teased.
Jordan grinned. "He's already breaking hearts."
"He's definitely stolen mine," Ashton interjected with a sweet smile as she gazed at the sleeping baby.
"Well, that's a Slater man for ya," Zach crowed proudly. His dark eyes twinkled teasingly as he reached for the baby, lifting him gently from his sister's arms.
His comment drew a giggle from Ashton, and an exaggerated eye roll from Jordan, as she dropped back down on the sofa. She watched appreciatively as he sat down next to her, cradling the baby close to his chest. A virtual mountain of a man, it amazed her, how gentle he always was with those he loved. She adored him for that, among countless other things. And in that moment she realized just how very much she was going to miss him while she was away at school.
Fighting back tears, she tucked her bare feet up underneath herself, and leaned into the solid strength of his body, cuddling with him just as she had as a child for what might be the last time in what seemed like an eternity—Thanksgiving break was three very long months away.
The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—Saturday, April 21, 2029, 9:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Jordan was yanked from her reverie by the sound of a car as it rolled up the gravel driveway toward the cottage. The next thing she knew, there was a chorus of high-pitched squealing as all four doors on the dark, midsized sedan slammed shut in unison. And then there was a stampede of young women barreling toward the front porch, as the driver moved to the rear of the vehicle to retrieve their luggage.
"Damn, you're a sight for sore eyes," Jordan exclaimed the moment she caught sight of Ashton. "I swear to God you were wearing this exact same outfit the day I met you," she teased, as she eyed Ashton up and down, before pulling her into a full body hug.
A corner of Ashton's mouth quirked into a grin. "Well, you can take the girl outta Charleston, y'know…," she said in her best southern drawl, the remainder of the comment dying on her lips.
Jordan laughed. "My God, I've missed you," she sighed, taking another long moment to look her up and down. And then she pulled Ashton back into her arms again.
"Hey, what about us?" a tall, willowy brown-eyed blonde groused from two steps behind. Taylor McAlister was never one to tolerate being ignored, and Jordan was no exception—not even at her own wedding shower.
"Yeah, what are we, chopped liver?" the shorter, dark-eyed woman added. The teasing lilt in her heavy Brooklyn accent belied the crossed arms and jutted hip as she feigned that tough exterior Jordan had grown accustomed to seeing whenever they were in public. Miah Bryant never took crap from anyone, even her, and Jordan doubted that would ever change.
The sound of their voices yanked Jordan from Ashton's embrace, and she grinned widely at the women she knew were vying for her attention. God, they'd never looked better. They, along with Ashton, had been her suitemates for the entirety of her tenure at Smith, and she adored them all in equal measure. "Oh, and I've missed you guys, too!" she exclaimed, gathering the other two women into her arms.
And then they were laughing, all of them together, as they ascended the steps onto the porch arm in arm for the first time in nearly three years. This weekend was going to be the best they'd ever spent together. That was setting the bar extraordinarily high, but none of them doubted the truth of it for a moment.
Moshup Beach, Martha's Vineyard—Saturday, April 21, 2029, 9:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Emma's cellphone rang, drawing her out of her reverie. She slowed to a brisk walk, and fished it from the pocket of her shorts. Glancing at the caller ID, she grinned. And then she slid the bar, accepting the call. "Afraid I'll miss your party?" she asked teasingly.
"Terrified, actually," Jordan answered with her usual dry wit. She was lounging casually on the sofa in the family room, her Smith suitemates chattering animatedly around her. She'd only taken a break from them when they asked about Emma's whereabouts. "Jealous you won't be getting any gifts today?"
"Nope." Emma popped the 'p' just like she did as a kid, and Jordan laughed in response. "My day is coming. This one's all about you."
"You're kind of awesome, you know that," Jordan said fondly.
"So I've heard," Emma replied, feigning arrogance.
Jordan could practically see her buffing her nails on her shoulder. She grinned at the image, and shook her head. "I'm almost sorry you can't be my maid of honor," she commented. "Almost."
Emma laughed. "Ditto."
"Where are you?"
"On my way back now," Emma reported. "Sorry… I got a little sidetracked this morning."
"By what?" Jordan asked curiously.
"Memories," Emma answered wistfully.
"Dare I ask?"
"Remember that tell-all conversation we had on the beach?"
Jordan laughed. "How could I forget," she said. It wasn't a question. "Why on earth were you thinking about that?"
"Just… feeling nostalgic, I suppose," Emma answered lightly.
"Yeah," Jordan sighed. "Me too. Guess that's why I've been thinking about it all morning, too," she confessed.
A hearty laugh bubbled from deep within Emma's belly, tumbling over her lips. "Why am I not surprised."
A soft smile teased at Jordan's lips. "Seems fitting, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Emma answered quietly. She paused for a beat, and then asked, "Are the girls in yet?"
"Just got here," Jordan said excitedly. "They asked about you, which is what prompted the call. I swear I'm not stalking you."
Emma laughed. "Tell 'em I'll see 'em in a few," she said.
"Hey, will you bring…"
Emma smiled into the phone. She knew exactly what it was that Jordan wanted, and she was just two blocks away from getting it. "Already on it," she said, cutting Jordan's request off before it was even uttered.
"Thank you," Jordan said, amused. "You really are kind of awesome."
"So you keep telling me," Emma smirked. "See you in a bit."
With that, she terminated the call, tucked her phone back into her pocket, and hastened her pace. It wouldn't do to keep Jordan or her friends waiting any longer. They had a shower to get ready for this afternoon, and a weekend filled with celebrating all things Jordan. And Emma couldn't wait to get started.
TBC in Chapter 6.6—Awakenings…
