Title: A Little Respect
Author: Misty Flores
Teaser: Pursuing a relationship with Aiden after discovering Bianca in bed with Babe, Maggie begins to question even her own self worth when she finds herself delving deeper into a baby kidnapping mystery, and an intense love triangle.
PART TWENTY
everything you think you know baby is wrong
and everything you think you had baby is gone
certain things turn ugly when you think too hard
and nagging little thoughts change into things you can't turn off
everything you think you know baby
is wrong
it's all over but the crying
fade to black I'm sick of trying
took too much and now I'm done
it's all over but the crying
-- It's All Over But the Crying, by Garbage
--
Her baby sister was a Kane.
Kendall remembered a moment, just a specific scene, that stood out in her head, as she watched Bianca now, her baby sister holding her baby in her lap, cuddling Miranda so close, lies coming so glibly as she smiled at J.R..
She remembered the boathouse, the day she had first felt Miranda move, inside the sweet haven of Bianca's belly. She remembered teaching Bianca to lie, nearly dying of chortling laughter at Bianca's extreme supremely fake expressions, adoring her baby sister so much she felt filled by it.
It had been months ago, and since then, a piece of them both had withered away and died. Losing Miranda had changed Bianca forever, but her fierce, undying loyalty had remained the same.
Bianca, beautiful Bianca, with her dark brown shiny hair and her luminous eyes, rolled her lies so easily off her tongue, smiling at J.R. with aplomb, so sincere in her words as she spoke to him about doing the right thing and enabling them all to put things behind them, explaining everything that she was planning to do in Florida with just the right spin, coming 'clean' with J.R. about meeting Babe in Florida, all for the sake of a happy ending.
J.R. stared at her with open suspicion, and when he glanced at Kendall, she found herself so choked up she could offer nothing more than a bewildered shrug, careful to control her emotion in front of the man they were both deceiving, for different reasons.
Kendall always felt alone, but since Bianca, she had never felt lonely.
Now, she felt both, and her heart ached suddenly, as she felt her eyes water, doing all she could to keep sitting as Bianca held her baby girl in her lap, loved her and had no idea at all who she really was.
"Bianca, tell me the truth - do you know where they are?"
"J.R., I swear - I have no clue." Bianca sighed, conflicted expression crossing her features, mouth turning down. "I don't know where they are, or what they're even doing now."
Kendall's jaw hardened, and when there was again a tense silence, she took the opportunity to rise out of her chair, reaching for her bag and offering them both a smile. "Excuse me."
She moved, leaving them to their fake conversation, and turned into the small bathroom, locking it shut behind her. Alone and a little uncomfortable, Kendall grimaced and shifted until she could pull out her cellphone, flipping it open and dialing a number she had come to memorize by heart in the last week.
It rang once, twice, and finally, Kendall sagged in relief against the aluminum sink, when Maggie's voice came on the line, a flat 'hello.' her greeting.
"Maggie, I didn't know who else to call," she said furiously. "I just don't think I can do this."
It wasn't encouraging when Maggie didn't answer.
Kendall blew out her breath, and kept going. "Maggie, I need you on a plane. Now. Meet us in Florida, help me talk to her. This is getting out of control, and I can't do this alone." Again, nothing. "Maggie!"
"Kendall, what on earth makes you think I have any say in what Bianca does or how Bianca conducts herself?"
The tone was so dark, so bitter, that Kendall found herself struck speechless, unable to respond, mouth opening and closing.
"Bianca won't listen to me," Maggie continued. "I'm not her best friend. I'm not her girlfriend. I'm just me, and she's proven to me that that means nothing. It's up to you, Kendall. I can't help you."
The line disconnected, and Kendall was left alone in the bathroom, staring at her phone in disbelief.
--
Bess was in her arms, insisting on trying to stand, and so Bianca held her, letting the precious baby use her as a crutch, as her padded feet bounced on her thighs, giggling and pointing at her Daddy, who slept soundly.
It was quiet, the middle of the night, and Bianca's thoughts lingered in the silence, flashbacks of the moments that had brought her here churning in her brain and her heart.
In her arms was the catalyst, a little girl who had changed her life for good, and even as she held Bess, Bianca closed her eyes and smelled her hair and ached for Miranda. It broke her heart, a thousand times over, every day, and each moment she thought she could get used to it. She didn't.
The yearning still existed, and the need to do the right thing by this baby was more powerful than ever.
Bianca loved Bess like she loved Miranda, and that was dangerous. Just so dangerous.
She thought of Babe, of moments, and as she glanced at JR, remembered the dark haired boy with the hurt eyes, remembered him with Frankie, and she sucked in her breath at the image it conjured, shutting her eyes against it.
Invariably, thoughts of Frankie led to Maggie, and Bianca's heart stung in retaliation, as she held Bess tighter to her, tried hard to ignore the memory of Maggie moving over her, settling into her lap as if she belonged there, grinding down against her and sliding hot lips over her own like she loved her.
Bianca had shut the door on Maggie when she had made her choose, and while Bianca would not regret it, she couldn't help the hurt, the maybes.
Maggie loved her. She had seen it. She had felt it. She had tasted it, felt the warmth of it on top of her, savored it, and in her mind, she could imagine lazy mornings, light brown hair spilled over a white sheet, hearing Maggie's groans, like the one she heard that night, as Bianca skimmed lips over the curve of her neck, over her delicate collarbone, to Maggie's perfect breasts.
It was a fantasy, but it could have been real. Bianca knew that. She knew it could have happened, it would have happened tonight. She'd be tasting Maggie, opening legs with palms on impossibly smooth thighs, glancing up from the heady scent of Maggie in desire, to discover dark, dark eyes looking at her.
She could have seen Maggie arch up, moonlight highlighting beautiful features, could have felt Maggie come down, and could have told her she loved her, over and over, cradling her in her sleep, knowing it would have been the first of many nights just like that.
If she had stayed.
Bianca sighed raggedly, ignoring her doubting heart and trying not to linger on Maggie's devastated face when she had the gall to ask her to choose her over this beautiful child.
She had chosen Bess - Maggie would always see it as her choosing Babe.
Bianca knew it didn't change her actions, but in this silence, she let herself grieve for it, placing her cheek against Bess's baby powder smelling head and holding her close.
--
She had been so close to believing it could be real.
Maggie held her cheek against a heavily muscled torso, masculine and desirable. Holding her in his arms, was a beautiful man who loved her completely, who asked no questions and asked for nothing in return, who simply held her because she needed it, who loved her and never had to prove it.
He just did.
She had been so close to throwing it away.
For a lost moment in passion? For a fruitless love? Because Bianca said all those things and didn't mean a word of them?
Maggie sucked in her breath, careful to keep quiet, not wanting to disturb Aiden's even breathing.
She maneuvered his big hand closer to her, carefully fitting her smaller hands in his, watching as their fingers tangled together, feeling their rougher, firmer texture.
She felt safe.
It was a small, remarkable revelation.
This could very easily be the rest of her life. The thought made Maggie smile, coming from a part of her that Bianca hadn't broken, and she kissed the fingers, thankful for Aiden and his support, his love, his acceptance.
He had his faults. He did. He wasn't perfect, by any means. But he was smart and kind and beautiful, and despite her complete tunnel vision for Bianca, and what she had made him do because of it, he still loved her.
Maggie made a resolution, in this darkness, holding onto her lover with both hands, that she wouldn't let him go.
Bianca and her confusing, aching association was over, and Maggie wished it good riddance. She was tired of being confused, tired of hurting, tired of being scared of something she couldn't control. It was done. Bianca would get her proof and her baby, and that would be her life, and Maggie could move on, too.
It was her promise, and Maggie kept her promises. Just the thought made her smile through her tears.
Because of that, she could forget about the maybes, the what ifs, and she wouldn't... she WOULDN'T think of the maybe, of the what if -
Of the small lingering image of Bianca in his place, tonight.
When the phone rang, the second time tonight, she nearly jumped, accidentally elbowing sleeping Aiden in the gut, making him suddenly growl, jerking against her.
"Oh, God- I'm sorry!" Already, she was reaching over him to get to the phone, offering an apologetic smile in return, fumbling for the phone. "Are you okay?"
"Bloody hell-"
"Sorry!" she whispered again, rubbing distractedly at his hurt tummy with one palm, bringing the phone to her ear with the other. "Hello?"
"Maggie!" The voice belonged to a breathless Anita and when Maggie remembered suddenly her reason for calling, her heart jumped into her throat.
"Anita! Well?"
"It's a girl," Anita said immediately. "Bess is Miranda."
--
J.R. was not a stupid man.
He wasn't smarter than Ethan, but he had his merits. He was calculating and smug and sometimes his inflating ego blinded him to things he would have otherwise have noticed, but Kendall had never made the mistake of underestimating his penchant for suspicions. Too many betrayals in his life had not inclined him to think the best of people.
Kendall was Bianca's sister, and no one had more loyalty for her than Binks. He knew that.
As soon as they were settled, as soon as he had her alone in his hotel room, he began the inquisition.
"You're working with her against me, aren't you?"
It was a direct accusation, and Kendall was taken aback by it.
"No, I'm not."
It was a half-truth. She wasn't working with Bianca, that was true enough, and still, she felt the sting of guilt as she stared him directly in the eyes. Kendall was a liar, and a good one, but feeling bad about it - that was new.
J.R. studied her, eyes narrowed in a deep squint, holding his daughter closely to him as he regarded him. "Listen, Kendall," he said immediately, "I won't be able to kill Babe's plan if you're not siding with me on this."
No one in the world would have dreamed Kendall had her own stakes in this power play, not Bianca, and not J.R.
She considered how to answer him - to allow him to think she was on his side, or to play innocent, the devoted sister, allowing Bianca to see her best friend if that was her wish.
She opted for nothing, only stared at him with open conflict, allowing J.R. to see there whatever he wanted to see.
"Babe doesn't care about Bianca half as much as she claims," he suddenly spat angrily. Kendall fought the urge to smile wryly, licking her lips and glancing away. If he only knew. "Babe ditched Bess and Bianca - she wrote in her letter to Bianca that Bess is Miranda."
She turned her head sharply, the infamous letter. "And you didn't believe it."
He blinked, taken aback by the statement. "It's LIES!" he snapped.
"So why would Babe want to drag you all the way to Florida just to keep a lie going?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he said, carefully placing Miranda into the crib, a father's doting attention on his little girl. She swallowed hard. "She wants to make me suffer!"
Kendall's mind was racing. If it was indeed Babe's intention to tell Bianca the truth, if that was why they were all here, what on earth would make Babe think it would play out so easily?
Noting J.R.'s possessive palm on the top of Miranda's head, Kendall shook her head slowly, "Babe can't think that you would just hand Bess over to Bianca."
"Over my dead body," he muttered. He looked up, eyes flashing with hate. "Babe will go after what ever she wants. She's going to blackmail me with her stupid lie. I'm sure of it. And Bianca's going to get hurt because of it. Kendall, you have to keep her away from Babe."
If she allowed Bianca to see Babe, maybe Babe could convince of the truth, if that was indeed what Babe was planning on doing. But she trusted Babe as much as she would have trusted herself a year or two ago, and Kendall wasn't particularly inclined to think the bitch had the best of intentions. It would be in character, for that blonde asshole to take Bianca's baby again, all the while Bianca pleading with her to do it.
"What's wrong?"
It was a bad interruption, and when Kendall looked up to discover her sister, in a beautiful red dress, staring at them both, huddled together, trading secrets.
Busted.
Kendall sighed, straightening up. "We were talking about you," she said finally, keeping her voice easy, light. "It's about Bess." Bianca's eyes narrowed, her body stiffened. "We're just concerned that you're staying here, in the hotel, to take care of Bess, when there's so much going on outside."
Bianca arched a disbelieving eyebrow, a too wide smile crossing her features. "Don't worry," she answered easily, "I'm perfectly content taking care of Bess."
"Only if you're sure, Bianca," J.R., oozing just as much charm.
"I'm completely sure, J.R."
There was a moment of awkward silence, and suddenly J.R. was interrupted, forced to leave them to speak to the stage manager. Following his glance, Kendall walked with him.
"I need to know if I can trust you," he whispered furiously, when they reached the door. Kendall swallowed, and avoided the question completely.
"I'll keep Bianca away from Babe." That satisfied him, as he squeezed her hand gratefully, and closed the door. Kendall closed her eyes and held her breath, trying hard to bring clarity to herself when she released it, avoid the awkward thumping in her heart and the excitement and tension racing through her veins.
Maggie had completely blown her off, but that didn't mean they wouldn't call her with the test results. They had to. If not she would fly back to Pine Valley when this whole mess was over and kill them all. Starting with the blonde shrimp and ending with the brunette Barbie doll nurse.
Turning around, Kendall sucked in another lungful of air, straightening her shoulders and tossing her hair, striding back into the room to deal with her sister.
"Everything J.R. told her is a pack of lies." Bianca nearly shouted it the moment she set foot into the living room. "J.R. will do anything to stick it to Babe." Kendall blinked, shocked by the sudden animosity, and it only got worse when Bianca stepped forward with hard eyes and an even harder tone, "And if you help J.R. do it, our relationship is over."
She couldn't think. Overwhelmed, Kendall could only stare at her, eyes unexpectedly filling with tears at the look of true conviction on Bianca's face.
For a moment, Kendall tried to reprocess the words, figure out Bianca's ultimatum and have it somehow make sense, take the words that had cut into her soul and try to understand how her baby sister could ask that of her, could say those words and mean it.
She couldn't respond. Kendall blinked, staring from Bianca to Miranda, and suddenly she sighed, found herself backing away, mumbling, "I forgot my water bottle."
Out in the hallway, she collapsed against the wall, sucking in her breath through her teeth, closing her eyes and nearly letting out an angry yell in frustration and anger.
The phone rang, and she fumbled with it, desperate for something to do.
"What!" she snapped into it.
"It's me." Maggie. Kendall stopped blubbering, holding her breath when Maggie didn't wait, "It's positive. We got it. We're going to the hospital right now, and we're going to Florida-"
She blinked, swallowing hard. "WHEN?"
"Aiden has a four pm flight-"
"That's too late!" she snapped. "No, Maggie! The concert starts in a few minutes, and Bianca's gone batshit crazy! Get here sooner!"
She slammed the phone shut, palms to her forehead, the reality of her situation sucking her in. She was drowning, and Maggie and Aiden were at the least four hours away, and she couldn't handle this by herself.
Kendall's eyes blinked open, and she took in a haggard breath. Opening her phone, she began to dial with trembling digits.
When her mother picked up the phone, Kendall felt a moment of childlike security encompass her, hugging her free arm around her waist. "Mom?"
"Kendall! Honey, what is it?"
"Mother, I'm sorry," she managed. "I've been hiding something desperately important. But Mother, I need your help. I can't help Bianca by myself. I need you."
--
Kendall had actual panic in her voice. And while Kendall was known for her open hysterics, when it had come to Bianca, there was no exaggerating. Kendall was breaking down, and Maggie's heart thumped with anxiety as she held on tighter to Aiden's hand, letting him lead her through the stark white corridors of the hospital.
"Isn't there an earlier flight?" she asked again.
"I told you, Maggie," he snapped, "I tried, we missed the last flight by a full forty five minutes, we can't leave -"
"Then how about just me?" she asked urgently.
"Maggie-" He paused before continuing his annoyed tirade, spotting Anita, and Maggie's hard swallow seemed almost to defeat her, as she let him go, and wrapped palms into fists, shaking herself with the sudden reality of the look on Anita's face.
She moved fast, meeting them both as Anita spoke in low tones, pushing what had to be the results into Aiden's hands, furtive and soft.
"It's unmistakable," Anita said, glancing between them. "She can't ignore it."
"She will," Maggie snapped, sucking in her breath, trying to control her racing heartbeat. "She's completely gone, Aiden. Unless we stick this into her face and hold her down and beat her with it, she won't listen-"
"Well, maybe she'll listen if you fax it," Anita suggested, "Called her or something-"
"It won't work," Maggie said, shaking her head. "She won't listen to me."
Aiden cocked his head, thinking it through. "Maybe if you tried, Maggie-"
"What makes you think I haven't?" she said, rubbing her fingers into her neck. "She won't listen to me, and she won't listen to Kendall - maybe if all three of us got her into a room, we could make her listen..." It was a dying argument, but had to believe that somehow it would work. "Maybe catch that bitch Babe and get her to admit it-" She shuddered, remembering suddenly the nervous hysteria of Kendall's voice. "But we have to go NOW, Aiden!"
"Maggie, I told you, there's no flights-"
She swung her head sharply, overtaken by a familiar figure sitting in a chair, wearing a haunted, horribly conflicted face, hands buried in his expensive tailored overcoat.
Ryan.
Biting her lip, she swallowed hard, and glanced at them both. "Come on."
--
Her mother was quiet, too quiet, in Kendall's opinion, after listening to her rambling, every explanation, from Maggie's first confession of the truth to Maggie's last phone call, confirming the results.
"Mother?"
"Why wasn't I told this earlier, Kendall?"
She closed her eyes, genuine shame creeping through her. "I'm sorry, Mother. I am. But there's no time for explanations-"
"Kendall, I'm already on a plane. I'll be there in an hour."
Her eye shot open, jaw dropping in surprise. "What! How-"
"We'll discuss it when I'm there," Erica interrupted. "For now, do what you can, darling. And keep your strength. We'll finish this, together."
Kendall closed her eyes and clutched her phone, a small burst of actual hope exploding from within.
--
"Maggie, wait- he's in no shape-"
She didn't care. What she was doing was disrespectful, she knew it. She knew why Ryan was here, had heard it from Anita on their way over. Someone had drugged his wife.
But Greenlee was going to be okay, and now, she needed the Cambias heir.
She came forward, moving fast, ignoring Aiden and Anita behind her, ignoring Jonathan's immediate glare, as he rose to meet her, intending on blocking her path.
"What the hell are you doing!" he snapped, hissing at her with venom.
She had no use for him. "I don't want to talk to you, Jonathan, so it's really none of your business."
"Like hell it's not-"
"Maggie?" Ryan looked lost, and staring down at him, Maggie felt a genuine ache of sorrow for him.
"Ryan, I'm sorry. I know this is a horrible time. But Bianca and Miranda both need your help."
--
"You're either with J.R. or you're with me."
Her sister was surprised by her emotion, Bianca knew that, but she was past caring. They were getting close, so close to finishing things, the way they were supposed to, and she had already lost Maggie. She had already made it clear - she would lose everything for Bess. Even Kendall.
Her sister wore a pained, angry expression, obviously displeased with being attacked again in Bianca's own hotel room, so soon after their last confrontation.
"Bianca, no one has supported you more than I have. You have no idea. But that doesn't mean I have to agree with everything you do." Bianca sighed, glancing away to shake her head. "Bianca, you don't know the whole story-"
"Oh, please-"
"These secret meet ups with Babe, these... plans - Bianca, I'm just so afraid you're going to hurt yourself more than you ever dreamed!"
A white hot flash of anger shivered through her.
"I'm already hurt!" Bianca snapped. "You have no idea how much I hurt!"
Kendall shook her head, mouth in a thin line.
Bianca didn't want to see the obvious judgment. "Get out, Kendall."
"Is that what you told Maggie?"
She froze, the name suddenly causing a jumpstart inside of her, acute pain that made her whirl, take in her sister's flashing eyes and angry expression. "Yeah. I talked to her, Bianca- I don't know what you did to her, but-"
"I told you to get out."
"What the hell did Babe do to make you take her side above everyone else!" Kendall finally snapped, and Bianca winced at the words. "Maggie, me - we love you a hell of a lot more-"
"This isn't about BABE!" she shouted, losing her composure in her emotion. "This is about protecting Bess." Kendall shook her head, licking lips. "I'm Bess' godmother and I won't abandon her-"
"No one's asking you to do that, Bianca."
A knock at the door cut Kendall off, and Bianca shook her head, sighing heavily as she pushed past Kendall and opened it, discovering a hesitant PA, taken aback by her flushed face, bright e yes.
"We need you to report to the stage, Miss Montgomery."
She swallowed, managed a smile, and nodded, moving back to carefully pull Bess from her crib, dropping a kiss on the precious baby's head and depositing her into Kendall's arms. When her sister stared at her, Bianca only shook her head, warning her with a glance that they weren't through.
"You mess this up for me," she said thickly, "And I'll never forgive you."
Bianca turned, and stalked out of the hotel room, ready to face the world, alone if she had to.
end chapter
Coming soon
Florida, cont.