"Well… that should be it, then. Although I'm sure Miranda will find something we haven't thought to put out of reach, I really do think it's the best we can do," Kendall commented as she surveyed the living room of Zach's condo.
Zach was placing a glass bowl on the top of a cabinet when he exclaimed suddenly, "Kendall!"
"What is it? What did we forget?" she said with a surprised look
"That this was once Michael's condo… that this is the place… where Bianca…" Zach said softly. "We need to go to your condo…"
"Oh, my God… you're right… I don't even think about it that way anymore… it's been your condo for so long that I…" Kendall said. "You're right… I'll meet them in the courtyard and… Oh no!"
"What is it?" Zach asked in alarm.
"We can't take them over there… the boxes… Ethan's things… I put them there this afternoon. There are boxes everywhere!" Kendall wailed.
"Then where do you suggest? A trip to the penthouse? Or should we call and cancel?" Zach said softly, disappointment tingeing his voice.
"I don't know… I wish the loft was ready…" Kendall began but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Kendall and Zach shared a glance before she finished, "I guess we ask Bianca."
Zach nodded before Kendall opened the door and greeted her sister and niece. Bianca was holding Miranda in her arms, and the baby smiled and chattered happily upon seeing her aunt. Kendall immediately started talking to Miranda, "Well, hello there little cutie pie… and how are you tonight? Do you want to come to Auntie Kendall? You come right here to Auntie Kendall and let me spoil you, okay sweetie?" The baby happily reached out to Kendall as she pulled the baby into her arms and held her tight. Kendall then looked at her sister who was still standing outside the condo, "Bianca… I'm so sorry… I… we… should have realized. Let's go play with Miranda in the courtyard."
Bianca looked at her sister and shook her head, "I knew what I was doing when I invited myself over. It's time I faced this demon. I went back to Myrtle's and I've been to your condo loads of times… you told me yourself that the place is completely different now. Please… let me in."
"Are you sure you want to do this, Bianca? I… we… understand," Kendall said softly as she allowed Miranda to investigate one of her long, dangling earrings.
"Yes, I'm sure," Bianca answered her sister before focusing her attention on the baby, "Let's show Auntie Kendall your new trick, Miranda… show Auntie Kendall how well you can walk."
Kendall looked at Bianca in delighted surprise before setting the baby on the floor and watching her take steps with the certainty of a child who had been placing one foot in front of the other for at least a few weeks. Bianca followed her daughter into the condo and Kendall closed the door behind them, never taking her eyes from the little girl as she studiously placed one foot down and picked up the other as if she was marching to something by John Philip Sousa. Kendall walked over to stand beside her sister and placed a gentle hand at her back, still not certain how she would react to entering the room where she had killed Michael Cambias in self-defense.
For her part, Bianca was so intent on her daughter's progression across the floor that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. She focused on Miranda as she stepped carefully and determinedly toward the man who was crouched on the floor at eye level with her, his arms opened wide and a broad, happy grin on his face. Neither man nor baby said a word but the joy they felt at seeing each other was potently infusing the room. As Miranda finally stepped close enough to touch Zach, he enfolded her in his arms while she peeled with laughter joined by his deep chuckle. Without encouragement she placed her head against his heart and snuggled tightly against him, issuing a deep sigh of contentment. Zach kissed her forehead gently before looking up at Kendall and Bianca, warm golden eyes pooling with tears at the immense joy he felt in holding this child he so dearly loved.
Kendall didn't even recognize her own reaction to seeing Zach and Miranda together for the first time until she felt the tears on her cheeks and realized that she was crying the same tears of joy that her husband had. She turned to her sister, moving her hand to her shoulder and laughed aloud as she saw Bianca have the same reaction and tears. Without a word, Kendall and Bianca embraced each other tightly and laughed together before turning back to watch Zach still holding Miranda close. He had seated himself on the floor and was whispering something that they couldn't hear. Miranda was looking at him with a very serious expression, as if she was drinking in and understanding each and every word.
After a few moments of whispered conversation, Zach looked up at Kendall and Bianca, "We were just getting re-acquainted. Why don't you come down here and join us?"
Kendall and Bianca both laughed and joined Zach on the floor. It was a few moments longer before he relinquished the little girl to explore and Kendall laughed when the first thing she did was to start pulling pillows and the throw from the sofa onto the floor. Kendall had placed her hand on Zach's leg and was leaning against him, his hand gently stroking her back. Neither of them was conscious of the contact, but Bianca was very aware of the current running between them. Despite recent events, she noticed a contentment in her sister that she had never seen before and also noticed a gladness to Zach that she would have thought impossible if she hadn't seen the change for herself.
"You were right… it's completely different in here. I don't feel Michael at all," Bianca commented quietly upon glancing around the room while Kendall continued to watch Miranda play.
"That's good," Zach answered. "I'm glad you can face coming here… although we won't be doing it for much longer. Our loft is almost ready and when we move we'll sell both condos."
"A fresh start," Bianca said with a nod of her head. "I highly recommend it."
"For us all," Kendall commented. "In spite of the fact that it's too far away, Paris does seem to agree with you."
"It does," Bianca answered. She reached over to touch her fingers lightly against Kendall's temple before asking, "How's your head?"
"I'm fine… and I wish everyone would quit asking me that!" Kendall said emphatically. She was too happy in watching Miranda play, and Zach's joy, and having Bianca with them to snap at her sister, but she felt like she would scream if one more person asked how she felt.
"Everyone?" Bianca asked looking at Kendall carefully.
"You told Zach and then JR told Erica… it's a never ending battle to get people to leave me alone," Kendall answered.
"Okay… wait a minute… JR Chandler told Mom? What does JR have to do with this?" Bianca asked in confusion.
Kendall groaned, "He's taken to spying on me… after he saw me with Maria he ran straight to Erica. Does anyone in this town ever mind their own business?"
"The answer to that question is 'no' and you already knew that. But I'm still confused… Why were you with Maria? Isn't that like a conflict of interest or something?" Bianca asked, laying her hand on Kendall's arm.
"Maria is not my doctor!" Kendall said emphatically. Bianca pulled back from her sister with an expression of surprise. "I'm sorry, Binx. I shouldn't snap at you. I went to see Maria about something else… just to talk… she overreacted to my headache and insisted on examining me and JR was skulking outside taking notes. Some friend he's turning out to be!"
"Kendall…" Zach said softly. When Kendall turned her attention to him, "You didn't tell me that Maria was concerned about you… you said it was a physical. Do you want to tell me the whole story now? Or should I call Maria myself?"
"Yeah… I'd like to know about that myself," Bianca answered.
To give herself a few moments to consider her words, Kendall stood and picked up her niece. The baby wasn't very happy about having her exploration impeded and squealed and squirmed for release from Kendall's arms. After a moment Kendall set her back on the floor, frowning in frustration at the little girl, "Well… I guess you're mad at me too?"
"No one's mad at you Kendall," Zach said in the same soft tone. "We're just concerned. I'm beginning to think you're trying to hide something."
Kendall threw herself on the sofa and began picking up pillows from the floor. Miranda giggled and pulled them off as fast as Kendall picked them up, thoroughly enjoying the new game. Kendall smiled at her niece and kept playing 'Auntie Pick-Up' while answering, "No… I'm not. Maria noticed my headache and is well aware of the stress we've been under. She's worried about you, Zach… and she blackmailed me into taking her silly tests because she didn't want you to have any more stress."
"Thank you, but I'm perfectly capable of managing my stress," Zach answered softly but firmly. "Nevertheless… Maria was concerned enough to take the tests so that leads us back to the question of why. When will she have the results? Did you make a follow-up appointment?"
"Ugh… JR and his big mouth… I am never going to forgive him for this!" Kendall said in frustration. "I told you before… Maria said she'd call if anything comes back that gives her alarm. But since there's nothing wrong with me except having too many busybodies in my life, she won't be calling!"
"Hey… come here," Zach said as he stood and took her hands in his to pull her into an embrace. "Don't get angry because we worry about you."
Kendall had tears in her eyes again, this time out of anger and frustration, and she wrapped her arms around Zach's waist and buried her face in his chest for a moment before pulling away, "I know… I know… listen… let's just enjoy Miranda while we have her. She's going back to Paris much too soon."
Zach smiled and nodded, seating himself back on the floor to help the little girl with her pillow game. Kendall sat on the sofa and started picking up pillows again to Miranda's giggles. Bianca sat down next to her sister and asked, "What's with JR? Why is he so interested in your life?"
"I'd like to know that myself," Zach said still smiling at Miranda. "I only know that he spends entirely too much time sniffing after my wife."
Kendall giggled, enjoying the edge to Zach's tone when he mentioned JR. She answered, "Oh… he had this brilliant idea that Zach and I would get married and give him Chandler Enterprises when we won Cambias away from Ethan."
Bianca looked closely at her sister, "And why on earth would you do that?"
"Yeah, why would we do anything for Junior?" Zach asked in the same tone Bianca had used.
Kendall turned a bright shade of red before admitting, "Because he was planning to keep me… um… satisfied… during our business marriage." The smile never left Zach's face but his eyes narrowed and got a cold light in them. Kendall noted the change and shivered slightly before commenting, "That was JR's idea… and I never…"
Zach's expression softened immediately and he placed his hand on Kendall's, "I know that."
"Well, things certainly have gotten interesting since I left Pine Valley," Bianca said brightly.
Miranda's fascination with the pillows came to an abrupt end as she sat on the floor and started crying disconsolately. Before Bianca could pick her up, Zach had pulled her into his arms and the baby relaxed against him with her eyes drooping, sucking on two fingers. When Bianca made a move to take her from Zach he shook his head, "No… she's fine. She can nap on me… unless you'd rather…"
"If you don't mind, then neither do I… she can sleep on Uncle Zach for as long as you like," Bianca whispered.
Zach smiled and leaned his back against the sofa, "Uncle Zach would like that for a very long time. Kendall… tell Bianca what we learned about Ethan today."