A/N: First, thanks as always for the great reviews! I love them so keep them coming! I noticed something after I posted my last chapter. A couple of my settings for the site were changed. It must have happened during some maintenance because I'll definitely take anonymous reviews, and I definitely don't care about the profanity filter. You should hear me driving in rush hour traffic sometimes! On second thought, maybe you shouldn't! Anyway, those things have been fixed.
Next, I'm sorry for not posting sooner. Part of this got a little tricky to write. You'll know what I'm talking about when you get to it. I didn't want to make someone too out there, but unfortunately, stories in the news lately have proven that I really didn't have to worry about that. I hope I pulled it off.
Lastly, you can tell by the title of this chapter what happens. I'm not giving much away by it since I'm pretty sure you all knew what was coming anyway. With that said, I'll get out of the way and let you read. Hope you enjoy!
/
"So, why am I going to this PTA meeting again? I've been in meetings all day long, and I'm really not in the mood for another one." Greenlee asked as she glanced over at her friend from the passenger seat.
Kendall chuckled and shook her head. "We already went over this."
"Humor me and go over it again."
"Fine, I'll go over it one more time. You're going for several reasons. First, it's good to put in an appearance at these things every once in a while to get your face out there. Second, there is going to be a sign-up for the next event. You need to be there so we can work the same booth or table or whatever they're having because we have to get our required event in. Third, we're going to be there to support Binx and Red. I'm sure that shrew Tammy will be there, and if …"
"If there's any type of action or fight, we want to be there to either pull them off of the shrew or get in a few shots ourselves or both." Greenlee smirked.
Kendall laughed. "Exactly. Last but not least, as my partner, you need to be there to support me."
"Ah, you're right. I need to be there to keep the shrew away from you, to stop her from hitting on my woman." Greenlee chuckled.
"Now, you've got it!" Kendall laughed as she pulled into the driveway of the Tasker-Montgomery residence and honked the horn. Bianca soon appeared and got into the back seat of her sister's car.
"Thanks for picking me up, Kendall. I really appreciate. Now, Marissa and I will just have one car at the school. Hey, Greenlee."
"Hi, Bianca."
"It's not a problem, Binx. Is Red still in court?"
"She was just leaving the courthouse when I talked to her a minute ago. She needed to make a quick stop at the office before heading out for the day. She should be at the school before the meeting starts."
Greenlee turned around in her seat. "Have you heard anything from the principal yet?"
Bianca shook her head. "No, we haven't yet, but Marissa called the school earlier. Ms. Evans wants to meet with us either before or after the meeting depending when she gets there. So, it looks like we might know something tonight."
"That's good to hear. Did Red get any indication of which way the principal is leaning?"
"No, she didn't speak to her. It was just a message given to Mrs. Benson to pass on to us requesting to talk with us tonight."
Kendall looked in the rearview mirror at her sister. "How are you guys holding up?"
"We're doing okay, trying to stay positive. We really just want this resolved."
"I know you do, and I can't tell you how much I hate that both of you and the kids are having to go through this." Kendall pulled into the school parking lot and found an empty space right away. The three women got out of the car and walked inside.
While Kendall and Greenlee found seats for their group, Bianca was stopped by Brandon Douglas. They briefly discussed the current situation. Both were hopeful for a positive resolution. Bianca chatted with a few other parents as she made her way to her seat.
"Why am I not surprised that everyone wants to talk to your sister?" Greenlee asked.
"It's because you're right. They do. Most of the PTA meetings I've been to are like this. What can I say? They all love my sister. They're the same way with Red too. The only exception is the shrew." Kendall grinned when a thought crossed her mind.
"I know that look. What are you thinking about?"
"I'm just thinking about what the shrew's reaction will be when Red gets here, and she sees her and my sister together."
Greenlee laughed. "I'm thinking her head will explode. Speaking of, where is the shrew?"
The friends glanced around the room and finally saw Tammy Baldwin enter on the other side of the room. The woman glared at them when her eyes made contact with their's. Both women merely grinned and gave her a quick wave which infuriated the other woman.
"Speak of the devil!" Kendall chuckled. "She doesn't look happy to see us."
"No, she doesn't. Do you think it was something we said?" Greenlee smirked.
"What did you say now and to whom, or do I want to know?" Bianca asked as she took her seat.
"We were just saying that Tammy doesn't look very happy to see us. Think we should go talk to her?" Greenlee wiggled her eyebrows as a grin that meant nothing but trouble spread across her face.
Bianca rolled her eyes. "No, I really don't think you should. I really need Marissa here to help me keep you two under control."
"Somebody say my name?" Marissa appeared and smiled brightly at her girlfriend. The redhead gave Bianca a quick kiss as she took her seat at the end of the row. "Hey, beautiful. Did I miss anything?"
Bianca sighed, giving her girlfriend the goofy grin she loved so much as she took her hand. "Hey, yourself. You're just in time. These two want to stir up trouble again."
"Want to or already are?" Marissa smirked.
Across the aisle, Tammy muttered something under her breath that no one could make out and continued to glare in their direction. Kendall and Greenlee looked at each other, and at the same time, both gestured an explosion, causing the friends to laugh almost uncontrollably.
"You know, Kendall, I do believe I'm going to enjoy this meeting a great deal. Thank you for convincing me to come."
"You're welcome. What's the famous Bette Davis line from 'All About Eve'? 'Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night.' I couldn't agree more."
Marissa snickered, and Bianca snorted after trying unsuccessfully to keep from laughing. The redhead then turned to glance at Tammy who was still glaring at them.
Marissa shrugged and turned back to look at Bianca and smiled as she took her hand. "She doesn't look very happy to see any of us, does she? Have you seen Ms. Evans yet?"
Bianca smiled at her girlfriend's reaction. "No, I haven't. It looks like we'll have to speak with her after the meeting. I talked with Susan earlier, and she can stay as long as we need."
Kendall whispered to Greenlee. "Red doesn't look very intimidated to me. I think the shrew was expecting her to be quaking in her shoes. Either that or she was expecting Red to cause a scene."
"You're right. She's not. Of course, why would she be? That glare doesn't even begin to compare to any of your family's. I have to admit that was a pretty slick move by Marissa. Tammy looks even more hacked off if that's possible. Guess her plan kind of backfired on her."
"True, it did. I don't think she knew how those two manage to block pretty much everything else out when they're together."
The meeting started, and not long after that, the school principal appeared and took a seat towards the front of the room next to the school secretary. She spoke briefly with Grace who nodded while making a few notes.
Marissa saw her and whispered to Bianca. "Ms. Evans just got here." The couple found it hard to concentrate on what was being said. They were extremely anxious for the principal's decision.
Throughout the meeting, Tammy continued to glare and mutter under her breath. Marissa and Bianca simply continued to hold each other's hands, tried to focus on what was being said and ignored the woman. Kendall and Greenlee couldn't help but look over at her from time to time, offering a wink or a short wave which, coupled with the fact that Bianca and Marissa were unfazed by her, infuriated the woman even more. When the meeting finished, a number of parents remained to sign up for the next event and just to talk. Ms. Evans made her way towards Tammy and gently pulled her aside, leaving the room with her to speak with her in private.
Bianca turned to her sister. "You and Greenlee should probably head out. Who knows how long we'll be here. I'll call you as soon as we know something."
The friends looked at each other. "If it's all right with you, Binx, we really want to stay."
"I agree with Kendall. I think things are just getting interesting."
"Okay, if that's what you want, sure."
"Marissa, I was wondering if I could talk with you privately for a minute."
The redhead glanced at the parent who had addressed her. It was her friend Joanna Gallagher, and the woman looked distressed. "Hi, Joanna. Is everything alright?"
"I'm not sure. Could we talk someplace private? I have what I guess you would call a professional question for you."
Marissa looked at her girlfriend. "Are you okay if we …"
Bianca nodded. "Yeah, of course, go ahead. I'll come and get you when I see Ms. Evans. I hope everything's okay, Joanna."
The woman gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Bianca. I promise to have her back in a couple of minutes."
Marissa followed the woman to a quiet area. "So, what's the professional question? Is everything alright with you and …"
"Oh, it's not for me. We're fine. It's in regards to my sister Colleen."
Marissa knew her friend's sister but only in passing. "Okay, what about her?"
Joanna paused before continuing. "I'm really worried about her. I think her husband may be abusing her. It's not something I can prove outright because I've never seen anything. It's just this feeling I have. She's withdrawn and has been having a lot of so-called 'accidents'. My sister is not accident prone."
"What kind of accidents?"
"She's run into a door, fallen down the stairs and tripped in the shower. These 'accidents' have resulted in a black eye, a broken arm and some cracked ribs along with too many bruises to count."
"It does sound a little suspicious. They have a son, right? What about him? Is he alright, any accidents?"
"Thankfully, he's okay and hasn't had any accidents. It's just Colleen."
"What do you need?"
"I need some advice."
"You've tried talking to her?"
"I have, repeatedly. What can I do to help her, get her to open up to me, tell me the truth and get help?"
Marissa looked at her friend. "She needs to talk to someone who is better trained in this area. I can help, but only to a certain point. To be honest, you should be talking with Bianca. You know she founded and runs the Miranda Center, right?"
"I do. I have to admit that I get a little nervous talking to her sometimes because of who she is and who her mother is."
Marissa shook her head. "Yeah, I can tell and so can she, but Bianca isn't like that. You know that, right? She's one of the most down to earth people you're ever going to meet. She doesn't put on airs like Erica does sometimes. With Bianca, you get what you see."
"I know. I just forget sometimes. So, you really think they could help Colleen at the Miranda Center?"
"I do. They've helped countless people in the same situation as your sister. The counselors are excellent, and if she's worried about her safety, they can place her and her son in a safe house. Her husband won't be able to find her."
"How many people know about the safe houses, their locations?"
"It's a very limited number. They keep it that way for the protection of the individuals living there."
Joanna nodded. "I should talk to my sister then about going in to see someone there. Would you be willing to represent her?"
"I'd have to talk with your sister first. She has to be the one to ask me to represent her. If she needs my help, I'll do what I can."
"She doesn't have a lot of money. Maybe, we can work out a payment plan of some sort."
Marissa shook her head. "Joanna, let's not worry about that right now. Talk to your sister. If she wants to talk with me, give me a call, and we'll set something up. If you need someone to go with you to the Miranda Center, I'll be more than happy to go with you. Your sister has to make that first step though."
/
Bianca was keeping one eye on the doorway that Ms. Evans and Tammy had gone through. The other eye was on Marissa and Joanna who were engrossed in conversation. Bianca could see the concerned look on Marissa's face, and it had the brunette wondering what the reason was behind it. She then saw Jessica's and Bobby's parents make their way towards the door and disappear into the hallway.
A moment later, Tammy burst through the door, her anger evident. The woman scanned the room, spotted Marissa with her back to Tammy and headed straight for her. Fear gripped Bianca as she saw the scene unfold before her in what seemed like slow motion.
/
"If you want, Bianca will be more than willing to talk with you tonight. She's always willing to help anyone who needs it. She's really kind of amazing that way."
Marissa suddenly felt someone yank her arm and spin her around.
"Who the hell do you think you are? What right do you have to attack my family?" Tammy shrieked at the redhead.
/
Fear instantly turned into rage when Bianca saw the woman attack Marissa. As she rushed forward, Bianca immediately found herself being restrained by Kendall and Greenlee. Bianca struggled to free herself from their tight grip.
"Let me go, Kendall. I have to get to Marissa. She needs me."
"No, Bianca, not until you calm down. You won't do her any good rushing over there when you're like this." Kendall couldn't remember the last time she had seen her sister in such a state. Bianca was always the calm, cool and collected one, but now, she was absolutely furious and barely able to contain herself. It was taking every ounce of strength both Kendall and Greenlee had to hold her back.
As Bianca continued to struggle, desperate to get to Marissa, Greenlee tried to calm her down. "Bianca, listen to Kendall. We need you to calm down. Marissa's okay. Look. She wants you to stay here." Greenlee nodded in the direction of the redhead who was gesturing that she was okay and for Bianca to stay where she was.
/
Marissa was startled at suddenly being yanked back. She immediately shifted her stance and found Tammy shrieking at her. Once she had her bearings, she quickly glanced at Bianca. Her girlfriend was struggling to get free of Kendall and Greenlee, but the pair could not be moved and were holding her firmly in place. Marissa gestured for her to remain where she was and that she was okay. The redhead had never seen Bianca that angry, and she was worried that her girlfriend would do something she would later regret. Marissa also wasn't sure what Tammy was going to do, and she wanted to make sure Bianca was out of harm's way.
"What the hell, Tammy?" Joanna asked, shocked by the other woman's actions.
"What are you talking about? I'm not attacking your family."
"Oh really! I can't believe you people. I can't believe you'd want to associate with someone like her, Joanna!"
Marissa had a sudden thought. She could use the woman's own anger against her and to the redhead's advantage. While Tammy's attention was briefly directed away from her, Marissa shot a quick smile and wink to Bianca.
/
Kendall couldn't believe what she had just seen. "Did Red just wink?"
"Yeah, and I think so. I'm pretty sure she just smiled in this direction too." Greenlee was equally incredulous.
It had the desired effect on Bianca, and she stopped struggling. She's amazing. "You both can let go now. I'm okay. I'm not going to rush over and rip Tammy to shreds, yet."
Kendall looked at her sister. She did appear calmer and more in control. "Are you sure? I'm not letting go until I have your word."
"I'm sure, and I promise. And to answer both of your questions before, yes, Marissa did smile and wink. It would appear that she has a plan of some sort."
"How do you know that? Never mind, forget I asked. Of course, you'd know that." Greenlee smirked.
"Look, I've promised to behave. So, could we move a little closer? I need to at least hear what's being said, and I know the two of you are dying to know."
The friends shared a look. Bianca was right. They really did want to know. Kendall nodded. "Alright, we can move a little closer, but remember, you promised."
The three women moved closer to hear what was being said. Kendall knew full well that her sister's promise would go right out the door if she sensed there was even the slightest hint that Marissa was in any jeopardy. The same held true for her and Greenlee. If they got the sense from Red that she needed any help, the friends would be right beside the couple in a heartbeat.
/
"Someone like her? Tammy, you're really losing it. Marissa is one of the nicest people I've ever known. Why wouldn't I want to associate with someone like her?"
"Well, it's obvious she has you fooled. What were the two of you talking about? No doubt, she was probably bad mouthing my family and spreading lies!"
"Not that it's any of your business, but we were having a private conversation. It had nothing to do with you or your family. Your name never even came up. I think you need to get over yourself and calm down. You're causing a scene."
"Calm down, Joanna? I'm not going to calm down! How would you feel if someone like her and her partner was attacking your children? Amber is only eight years old and defenseless! Your friend, her partner and their brats are spreading lies and attacking her!"
"Do you know how ridiculous you sound? Bianca and Marissa are not like that and neither are their kids."
"Enough. I'll let you rant all you want about me, God knows you have, but you will not talk my children like that." While she remained calm, there was an edge to Marissa's voice that if anyone that knew her well had heard it would tell you the person on the receiving end of those words had crossed a line. "Your daughter has been the one bullying my children as well as others, spreading lies and doing her best to hurt them. I'm not really sure why, but she seems to be taking some perverse pleasure from it. Tell me, Tammy, what have AJ and Miranda done to deserve that?"
The woman took a step back. She was not expecting the redhead to be so calm. "I don't know what you're talking about! My child doesn't lie! We speak the truth in my house! I encourage her to voice her own opinion!"
"What a coincidence. Bianca and I do the same thing in our home. We believe it's important to encourage that along with tolerance, acceptance of others and the difference between right and wrong. We also teach them to take the feelings of others into account and to think before they speak."
"Oh please! How is any of that possible with the lifestyle of you and your partner? You think you should have the same rights as normal, decent and moral people!"
Bianca knew exactly what Marissa was up to even if no one else did, and she found herself a little in awe at how adeptly her girlfriend had accomplished what she had set out to do. Marissa had carefully led Tammy down a path that exposed the other woman's true nature and the level of her hatred to the crowd that had gathered. Should plan B be needed, they now had more than enough witnesses.
"Why shouldn't we? We haven't done anything wrong. All we did was fall in love. There is nothing wrong that."
"Nothing wrong with that? It's immoral and a sin! And you're exposing your children to that! Do you not see the damage you're doing to them?"
"Our children are in a loving home. They're happy, healthy, bright and loving kids. Bianca and I couldn't be prouder of them. There's not one thing wrong with them. And as for Bianca and I being together, who are you to say it's a sin?"
"The bible says it is! God created woman for man, Eve for Adam and not Steve for Adam!"
"Like I haven't heard that one before." Marissa smirked.
"You're going against His word! The bible says that a man that lies with another man as he does with a woman should be punished severely! The same holds true for two women!"
Bianca felt Kendall's hand on her shoulder to calm and steady her. It wasn't needed, however. There was a quiet calm about Bianca which belied the fact that she was ready to spring into action in a heartbeat, and she never took her eyes off of Marissa. She wanted to wipe that smug smile off of the other woman's face, to rip her to shreds, but the gleam in Marissa's eyes held her in place, telling her that her girlfriend had this under control, telling her that she knew Bianca was there if she needed her.
Marissa felt Bianca's eyes on her. She could sense the brunette's presence and knew instinctively that nothing or no one would stop her if Marissa needed her. The redhead continued. "Oh, you want to quote the bible? I can do that too. The book you're quoting from also states that you shouldn't wear clothes made of more than one fabric. Hmmm, your shirt doesn't seem to meet that requirement. It also says that you shouldn't cut your hair or shave. That's a very nice hairstyle you have, seems shorter than the last time I saw you though. Oh, here's my favorite. It states that you shouldn't get tattoos either." Marissa grinned as she slowly shook her head. "That is some nice ink you're sporting on your ankle there, Tammy, but according to the bible, having it constitutes committing a sin."
"You're twisting that to justify your own actions! Those are just minor things compared to what you're doing!"
"I'm just saying 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'." Marissa paused, and not hearing a response from the other woman, continued. "For myself, I've always been partial to 'judge not lest ye be judged'."
"That, that's not the same …"
"That's not the same as what? How about a commandment? 'Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor'."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'll break it down for you. Bearing false witness means lying which is exactly what you've been doing. You've been spreading lies about me, Bianca and our relationship."
"How have I lied? I've told nothing but the truth!"
"No, you haven't. You've been saying that I thought my relationship with Bianca was wrong, that I left town to get fixed and when that happened, I was basically going to kick Bianca and our girls out of our home thus ending our family. All of that couldn't be further from the truth. There is nothing wrong with how I feel about Bianca and how she feels about me. I love her, and she loves me. No matter what you or anyone thinks, there's not one thing wrong with that. I don't need fixed either because there's nothing wrong with me. The only one with a problem is you with your twisted thinking and hate. If you want to direct that at Bianca and me, fine, we'll take you on. Now, however, our kids are being affected by it, and that is the one thing we will never stand for. No one hurts our children. No one."
"I haven't said anything to them!"
"Well, you've obviously said something to your daughter, and she thinks it's just fine to bully other kids. It's not, and it's going to stop. Either the school will do something …"
"It's all because of you two that my daughter is being labeled! She is only speaking her mind and the truth! If you don't like it, you can go back …"
"Oh, you can be sure that we don't like it, and we're not going anywhere. We have just as much right as you do to live our lives and be happy. We're not bothering anyone and neither are our children. You and your daughter need to learn that lesson."
"You know what? I don't care what the principal says or what she thinks my daughter is guilty of or how she needs to be punished! I'm not going to accept it! We're going to fight it!"
Marissa shook her head. "That's too bad and totally your decision. If you're smart though, you won't fight it, but if you do, we'll have the courts sort everything out."
"What can the courts do? I haven't done anything against the law!"
"Ah, see that's where you're wrong. You see all of that lying you've been doing has given me a great case for slander and defamation of character. I also have the time and resources to pursue that for as long as I need or want to. You're entitled to free speech but only to the point when it becomes slander, and you have crossed that line. Now, either the bullying will stop, or we'll be finishing this on my turf, in the courtroom."
"That minister was right! You should all be rounded up and be put behind a fence! That's the only way to protect our country and our children!"
There was a gasp of disbelief in the crowd as Tammy's words hung in the air.
Marissa took a deep breath to steady herself. She was determined to finish what this woman started. "I hate to break it to you, but in this country, we follow the rule of law. There is a separation of church and state. So while you may want to do that and think it's justified in your twisted logic, the law says otherwise. Let me ask you something. Who's next? What group would you round up next? For people like you, there's always going to be someone else different from you, someone else you disagree with, someone that you don't believe is entitled to have the same rights as you. So, who's next and where does it stop? What happens when someone decides that people that think like you do should be rounded up and put behind a fence? Who will stop that from happening? Will there be anyone left to stop them? Do you want to know the real difference between us? I'm a strong proponent of 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' and so is Bianca. While you may want something like that to happen to us, wish for it, even pray for it, neither of us would want that to happen to you or another group. And that is what we're teaching our children, the kind of people we want them to be. We don't want them to bully someone else because they are perceived to be different or because we simply don't like their parents out of some twisted sense of morality."
Something inside Tammy snapped when she could not come up with a response. She reared her hand back to strike Marissa. As it was brought forward, the redhead stopped it from striking her. Marissa lowered her voice, speaking with a steely edge. "No, I don't think so, not this time. You only had that one shot when my back was turned. You don't get a second one."
Bianca lunged forward, before Kendall had a chance of stopping her, and was at her girlfriend's side in the blink of an eye. The brunette fixed the other woman with an icy glare that was pure Kane.
Tammy nervously looked between the couple. She had not expected either of the other women to react so quickly or so fiercely. She wasn't sure which frightened her more. The edge in Marissa's voice had stopped her at first. That edge contained a warning that she had almost missed. It was a warning to her that she had crossed a line with Marissa. And Bianca, well, she had seemingly appeared out of nowhere to stand next to the redhead. The sheer force of the brunette's the icy glare had Tammy take a step backwards and sent chills down her spine. She was now frozen in place, unsure of her next move.
"Mrs. Baldwin, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I won't allow this kind of behavior in my school." Mrs. Evans spoke in a sharp tone which forced the woman's eyes from the couple. When Grace saw what was occurring, she left to retrieve the principal. Ms. Evans had entered the room at the precise moment that Tammy had tried to strike Marissa.
Tammy suddenly became aware of the crowd around them and wrenched her hand free of Marissa's grip. "It's not what it looks like! She, she started this!"
Joanna stepped forward. "That's not what happened, and you damn well know it. Marissa and I were having a private conversation when Tammy came up and yanked her back. Then, she started yelling at Marissa, accusing her and Bianca of all sorts of things. I'll be honest with you. Most of the things Tammy said were downright scary. I can't even believe someone would think things like that let alone say them. I'm not sure what's going on with Tammy, but Marissa did nothing to deserve any of that. And Bianca, she was just standing over there until Tammy tried to hit Marissa. There's a roomful of witnesses to all of that."
Bianca grasped Marissa's hand, the concern evident in her eyes. "Are you okay?"
Marissa smiled and squeezed her girlfriend's hand. "There's no need to worry. I'm okay. I swear. What about you? Are you okay?"
Bianca released a sigh in relief and nodded. "As long as you're okay, I'm okay."
The principal nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Gallagher. I appreciate you letting me know what happened. As I said before Mrs. Baldwin, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, now. We've talked. You know my decision, and I've explained it to you. I suggest you go home and think about everything we've discussed. As I told you earlier, I'd like your decision by tomorrow morning. What you're doing right now is only making things worse for yourself and your daughter." The principal tried to usher the woman out of the room.
"I'm not done!"
"I think we should talk about this in private. This isn't something you want to talk about in public."
"As I told you earlier, I'm talking to the superintendent! I don't accept your decision, and I don't care what you think!"
Ms. Evans sighed. Mrs. Baldwin seemed intent on doing this in public. "I told you that I spoke with the superintendent this morning, and he agrees with my decision."
"You want Amber to apologize when she didn't do anything wrong! You're punishing her for telling the truth!"
"That is not what's happening. What Amber did is wrong. She bullied several children which is a clear violation of the school district's policy, and that behavior will not be tolerated. We talked about this the other day when we met. Amber was told to stay away from the children involved in the incidents that were reported. The very next day, she attempted to go after Miranda. The consequences of such actions were explained to both of you."
Tammy started to protest again when another parent stepped forward to pull her from the room. "You need to stop. You're making things worse. What Amber's been doing is wrong. Let's go."
A collective breath was released as they left the room. Ms. Evans turned to Bianca and Marissa. "Ms. Montgomery, Ms. Tasker, could we go somewhere in private and talk?"
The couple nodded and followed the principal. "First, let me apologize for taking so long to get back with you. I needed to make sure that all of the procedures were being followed. I'd also like to apologize for what happened with Mrs. Baldwin. If I had known she was going to come back in here, I would've escorted her out of the building myself. I should have done that anyway. I'm sorry."
Bianca nodded. "You're not responsible for her actions. I'm just glad that she didn't hurt Marissa." She's damn lucky she didn't hurt Marissa. If she had, she wouldn't have walked out of here.
Marissa squeezed Bianca's hand, sensing what she was thinking. "I gather from what you said before that you found that Amber has violated the anti-bullying policy. What type of punishment is she facing?"
"I have instructed her mother that Amber will be moved to another classroom permanently and is to stay away from Miranda, AJ, Jessica and Bobby. She is to write them each a letter of apology. Amber will also have detention for the next four weeks. During this time, she will undergo counseling sessions that will outline the consequences of her behavior and attempt to teach her tolerance. I truly hope she learns from this. If her mother does not accept this punishment, Amber will have to stay home. We'll set up a meeting with the superintendent. If they do accept this punishment and Amber violates it any way, she will be suspended while her case is evaluated. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in my school. And of course, we will continue to monitor this."
"Thank you. Marissa thought something like that might happen. I guess I need to listen to her more."
Marissa grinned. "I guess you do."
The principal chuckled watching the interaction between the couple now that their tension had eased. She got the distinct impression that they listened to each other no matter what was being implied. She sobered and continued. "I appreciate how difficult a time this has been for you and your family. You have handled this better than I could have hoped. I thank you for that. I'd also like to say how brave I think AJ and Miranda were in coming forward. It took a lot for them to do that, and it speaks volumes as to your relationship with them."
Bianca smiled. "Thank you. We think they're pretty amazing kids ourselves."
"Well, I better go. It's been a long day, and I need to fill the superintendent in on what happened tonight. Good night."
"Good night." Marissa turned to look at Bianca and immediately pulled her into her arms and held her tightly. She slowly felt the tension leave her girlfriend. Marissa looked into Bianca's eyes. The brunette was returning to her normal self. "I'm okay, really. I promise. You don't need to worry."
"I'm always going to worry about you, Rissa. When she yanked you back, all I can say is that she's damn lucky Kendall and Greenlee stopped me. And then when I saw her try and hit you, I wanted to rip her apart. I wanted to rip her apart anyway for what she was saying to you."
"Yeah, I know. I'm always going to worry about you. I'm glad they stopped you. I would've lost it if anything happened to you. She did say some pretty nasty stuff. I wasn't expecting her to be that bad."
Bianca regarded her girlfriend for a moment. "You knew what you were doing though, didn't you?"
Marissa grinned. "Yeah, I kinda did. It took me a couple of seconds to get over the surprise of her yanking me back. Once I did though and I knew you were safe, I figured out what I wanted to do."
"You are absolutely amazing." Bianca pulled Marissa close for a tender kiss.
"I have to agree with my sister, Red. That was pretty amazing back there."
"I agree with both of them. I was not expecting you go with the biblical references on the shrew. She didn't know what to do with that." Greenlee smirked. "Where'd that come from?"
"Rissa is a woman of many talents, Greenlee." Bianca grinned.
"Thank you. I grew up going to church every Sunday. We have different views of what we were taught, different understandings. Someone like her would have driven my parents crazy. They couldn't stand someone who was not only intolerant but also ignorant."
"That's pretty obvious." Kendall looked at the couple. "Are you both okay?"
"Yeah, we are, Curly. Do you want to know what Ms. Evans decided?"
"Rachel told us. Let me tell you, it's good to hear. Oh, Joanna said she'll call you in a couple of days on whatever you were talking about with her."
"Okay, thanks. Yeah, it is good news."
"I'm wondering who scared the shrew more, Bianca or Marissa?" Greenlee smiled.
"Oh, I definitely think it was Binx, no offense, Red. When she gave her the look, I swear I thought I saw the shrew start to shake."
Bianca silently pleaded to her girlfriend when she saw the look in her eyes. Don't say it, please.
"No offense taken." Marissa grinned mischievously. "There is something about that Kane death glare."
Bianca rolled her eyes as she checked the time. "We better get home. We need to let the kids know some of what happened tonight. There's no way I'm telling them what Tammy said. They don't need to know any of that. I'll be more than happy to tell them what Ms. Evans decided though. I think that will take a big weight off of their shoulders."
"You're right. Let's go home." Marissa held out her hand which Bianca took and smiled.
The group turned and headed out to the parking lot.
"You certainly know how to make things interesting, Red. If PTA meetings are going to be this exciting, Greenlee may come to more of them."
"You know, Kendall, I just might."
The lot was nearly empty now. They arrived at Kendall's car first and said good night to each other.
The couple got to Marissa's car, got in and fastened their seatbelts.
Bianca saw an amused look on the redhead's face. "What? What's so funny?"
Marissa grinned and leaned in closer, giving the brunette a lingering kiss. "Did I ever tell you how hot you are when you give the Kane death glare?"
Bianca moaned when Marissa pulled away. "You really are impossible. How quickly can you get us home?"