A/N: In the little world I've built here, it's the day after Bianca and Marissa had lunch with Erica. I think that'll do it in the way of an explanation. As always, thanks for the reviews! I like getting notices from this site much more than any spam that makes its way to my inbox. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
"Are you sure you're okay with dropping the kids off at school today, Bianca? I know it's my day, but this meeting came up at the last minute."
"I understand, and yes, I'm okay with taking them to school. It's no problem. You'll just owe me and will have to pay me back later." Bianca flashed a mischievous grin.
Marissa laughed. "I've never enjoyed being in someone's debt so much in my life. I look forward to paying you back."
"So, what's the meeting about, mom?" AJ asked.
Well, I'm going to attempt to set Erica straight on a couple of things regarding Bianca and our family. This could either be a really good idea, or it could be the worst one ever and blow up in my face. Yeah, I don't think I'll tell them that. "Well, buddy, I'm going to try and help a family take care of a situation before things escalate and get out of hand."
"You can do it, Rissa. I know you can." Miranda told her confidently.
"Thank you, Miranda. I'm going to try my very best."
Bianca smiled. "I'm with Miranda on this. You'll be able to help them, and you always do your very best. That's what makes you so good. Right, Gabby?"
The youngest member of the family nodded and smiled. "Mommy's really good at everything she does."
Marissa smiled at her family. I'm going to give it everything I can. God, I hope this works because I can't let them down. I'm going to fight tooth and nail for them, and if they aren't worth fighting for, I don't know what is. "Well, I thank all of you for your support. You don't know how much it means to me." She checked the time. It was time for her to go. She knew from talking with Bianca last night that Erica would be up early since she had planned to interview new assistants this morning. If she timed things just right, she would be able to catch Erica off guard and get there before the interviews started. Marissa gave each child a kiss before turning to Bianca and giving her a quick kiss. "I'll see you tonight. Love you."
"Love you too. See you later, and good luck with your client."
/
Marissa stood in front of the door to Erica's place. She'd been okay on the way over, thinking about what she wanted to say, but now, her nerves were finally starting to get the better of her. She hadn't had much time to come up with a plan, but she did have the element of surprise on her side. Marissa planned on using that to her advantage if at all possible. After all, it was only fair given the number of times Erica had shown up unannounced at her office to catch her off guard. A little payback was definitely in order. Bianca didn't know what Marissa had planned for today. She had accepted the redhead's explanation of an early meeting to help a client and their family, and that was essentially true. Marissa just didn't tell her the meeting was with Erica who had no idea she was stopping by and that the family in question was theirs. She hated not telling Bianca what she had planned, hated keeping things from her, but if she had told her, she knew that her girlfriend would have stopped her. She wouldn't have wanted Marissa to confront Erica, wouldn't have thought it was worth it, but to Marissa, this was something that needed to be done and was something that was more than worth it. Nothing else was worth more than sticking up for Bianca and setting Erica straight on a few things. She just hoped she could keep her temper in check. Okay, suck it up, Tasker. You can do this. You need to do this. Remember, this is for Bianca. The redhead took a deep breath and knocked.
Erica answered the door in complete shock. "Marissa? Good morning, dear. Is everything okay? Bianca and the children, they're not hurt, are they?"
"No, everyone's fine. I was hoping we could talk. There are a couple of things I'd like to discuss with you. Is it alright if I come in?"
"Who's at the door, mom?" Kendall smiled when she saw Marissa. "Good morning, Red. I wasn't expecting to see you. Come in. Would you like some breakfast?"
Marissa smiled and entered when Erica waved her inside upon her daughter's invitation. "Good morning, Kendall. Thank you, but I had breakfast at home with Bianca and the kids. I'm not interrupting anything between the two of you, am I?"
"No, of course not. I'm helping mom with her interviews for a new assistant today. I came over early to go over a few things before they started. What brings you here this early?"
"I wanted to talk to Erica about something."
"Okay, do you want me to leave?" Kendall offered even though she wanted nothing more than to stay and hear what was on Marissa's mind. There was a look in the redhead's eyes that told her something was definitely up, and she wanted to know what it was.
"Would you like Kendall to leave?"
Marissa had wanted to do this without an audience, but maybe having Kendall present might work to her advantage. "No, that's fine. Kendall can hear what I have to say."
"Very well. Shall we get comfortable?"
The three women took a seat, and Erica waited for the redhead to begin.
"When you asked me if something was wrong with Bianca, I wasn't exactly truthful. There was something going on with her last night after I got home from work, something that started after I left the two of you at the Yacht Club yesterday. I have to ask you something, and I hope this doesn't come out wrong because I really don't want to offend you. You have been very supportive of not only of my relationship with Bianca but of AJ and me and that whole mess with JR. You've welcomed us into your family, and I will never be able to tell you how much that means to me."
"Go on, dear. Ask your question."
"What exactly did you say to Bianca after I left the two of you at the Yacht Club yesterday?"
"Why do you want know?"
"Because whatever you said got her upset, and before you say it was a private conversation between you and your daughter and not really my business, I have to tell you that you're wrong. Anything that affects Bianca, anything that makes her upset or doubt herself is my business, and whatever you said, did exactly just that."
"What happened, Marissa? Is Bianca okay?" Kendall couldn't hide the concern in her voice.
"Bianca's okay, now. Remember when she told you that she was going to go back to school next semester and take a psychology class?"
Kendall nodded. "I remember. She was so excited about it because she'd been wanting to go back for a long time and now she finally could. Bianca told me you were encouraging her to do it because you knew how much it meant to her, how important it was to her. Having your encouragement means the world to her."
Marissa smiled. "One of the many things I love about Bianca is this thirst for knowledge that she has and how she uses it to not only better herself but to better the lives of everyone she touches. She searches for new ways to help all the time and never settles when it comes to that. She says it's more to improve herself, but if you ask me, she doesn't need improvement. Bianca's about as close to perfect as you can get, not that I'm biased or anything."
Kendall snorted. "Of course you're not. You're completely impartial when it comes to my sister, just like she is with you."
"Exactly." Marissa grinned at the playful sarcasm from Kendall before turning serious again. "When I got home last night, I could tell something was bothering her. She was just too quiet. I finally got a chance to ask her what was going on after the kids were in bed. That's when she told me she was going to drop the class, that she was being selfish and asking way too much of me in order for her to go back to school."
Kendall turned to her mother. "What did you say, mom?"
"I only suggested that she re-think going back to school, that it might not be the best time to do it. I never said she was being selfish or even implied it. I never would do anything like that. There is not one selfish bone in her body which is a trait she inherited from my mother."
"I hope you set Bianca straight on that, Red."
"I did. Bianca wouldn't know the first thing about being selfish. Selfless, yes, but selfish? Not a chance. Erica, why did you tell her she should re-think her decision?"
"Marissa, dear, I was only thinking of your family. All of you have a great deal going on during the next several months. I believe your plates are full enough and don't need one more thing added to the mix."
Marissa sighed in mild frustration. She knew Erica was only trying to help, but she had ended up hurting Bianca instead. "Erica, I know that, but you have to give us some credit here. Bianca and I discussed all of this about a month ago. I honestly believe we can handle this."
"That's all well and good to say but how …"
"We're going to get Susan to watch the kids when Bianca has her class and I have to work late. We've also enlisted Aunt Kendall to help out when needed. Besides all of that, I really am capable of taking care of my children for a few hours by myself. I do it all the time. When Bianca has to work, I take care of them just like she does when I have to work late. When Bianca had to run to New York to handle that crisis the other week with the Miranda Center branch there, I took care of them just like she did when I had that convention. Bianca and I are partners in every sense of the word. Neither one of us gives it a second thought when anything regarding our family needs to be done. There's another reason why this is so important. Bianca really wants to do this. When was the last time that she did anything for herself? Please let me know when because I can't think of a time. So, if it's at all possible, I'm going to help her every way I can so that she gets to pursue this dream. Look, I'll keep telling you this until you believe me. Bianca and our children, our family, will always come first. And just so you know, I've promised Bianca that if things get too overwhelming for me that I'll let her know. I don't break my promises to her, and I don't lie to her. I just can't do it because I know what it feels like to have someone you love and trust betray you. I simply won't hurt her like that. She knows what it feels like too, and she won't hurt me like that either. I know I'm asking a lot here given my family's history with yours and given the track record of Bianca's former partners, but please trust me. Bianca and our children mean everything to me, and I will not risk losing them for anything or anyone."
Erica studied the redhead and heard her impassioned plea. Dammit if I don't trust her and believe her. "Alright, dear, what would you like me to do? I could call Bianca and give her my permission if you'd like."
Marissa shook her head. "Bianca has already decided to move forward with her plans and go back to school. And she doesn't need your permission to do it. I hope you don't take that wrong way, but it's true and you know it. What I'd like is for you to call her and give her your support. That's what she needs and wants. She needs you to tell her that you believe in her and trust her to do what's best for her and our family. She hasn't let you down yet, has she?"
"I know you hate to admit it, mom, but Marissa's right about all of it. They can handle this, and I'm more than ready and willing to help if they need me."
"Very well, I'll call her and do as you ask if you think that's what she wants."
"Thank you, and it is. You know, it doesn't matter how old we are. We're always going to want our parents' support and understanding whether they're still here or not. That's something you can still give Bianca so thank you for doing it."
Erica nodded slightly. She recognized the look in Marissa's eyes. It was the same one she had seen reflected back at her from a mirror whenever she thought of her own mother and felt her loss. Erica had never truly appreciated Mona until she was gone. She knew this wasn't the case with Marissa. She had heard a few stories about the bond between Marissa and her parents from Bianca and Kendall, ones they had passed along to her. And now, she was here trying to not only help Bianca but Erica as well it would seem. Marissa could have easily left everything alone with a strain remaining between mother and daughter, but she didn't. She couldn't because she knew how much this meant for all concerned. "You're welcome and thank you."
"For what?"
"I think you know, dear."
A small smile tugged on the corner of Marissa's mouth and a knowing look flashed in her eyes. "You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to work."
"I'll show you out, dear."
"I'll see you later, Kendall."
"See you later, Red." Kendall watched as her mother escorted the redhead to the front door and the two shared a hug goodbye. I could swear the two of them shared some sort of moment there. That's definitely something I've never seen mom do before with anyone outside of the family. Interesting.
When Erica returned, Kendall couldn't help but ask her mother a question. "So, what was that with Marissa?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart?"
"It looked like you and Red had some sort of moment."
"It was nothing. I simply believe Marissa and I realized we have something in common other than Bianca."
Kendall let that particular subject drop sensing her mother would not allow her to pursue it further. "You know, you handled her surprise visit better than I thought you would, unless it really wasn't a surprise."
"No, I was not expecting Marissa to stop by this morning. Although, I do have to say that I'm glad she did. She showed me something by doing so, something she needed to show me."
"What would that be?" Kendall had an idea.
"That she is willing to fight for Bianca, do what needs to be done to ensure her happiness even if that means taking me on to make that happen. There aren't many people willing to stand up to me. I can only actually think of a handful of individuals brave enough to do so. I have to say that I'm glad she does that in regards to your sister. It doesn't seem like I intimidate her."
"That's a hard one. I'm not sure that you do. If you did, Red's not going to let you know. She keeps some things private from everyone, everyone but Bianca that is. What I have learned about her is that everything goes out the window when it comes to Bianca and the kids. She will take on whoever she needs to, whenever and wherever she needs to. I've seen her in action, and it's something to see. We both know that we're never going to stop worrying about Bianca. She's too special to us. I don't believe we need to shoulder that worry by ourselves anymore though. Marissa is more than willing and able to as well. I mean, she did come here unannounced and wasn't going to leave until you agreed with her and promised to back Bianca which I'm glad you did, by the way. What were you thinking, mom? You know that Bianca would never put anything above her family just like you know that she always puts everyone else's wants and needs above her own. For once, she was doing something that she wanted to do for herself and then you go and …"
"As I told Marissa, I honestly didn't mean to undermine Bianca. I only wanted her to be sure of what she was doing and to think about everything involved with her decision. I know all too well the risks of not having the right priorities. Bianca is not me, however, and I don't have to worry about that."
"No, you don't. If anyone in this family has their priorities straight, it's my little sister. She's the best of us." Kendall smiled.
"Yes, she most certainly is. Speaking of which, I have a call to make and a promise to keep."
/
"Just what do the three of you think you're doing?" Bianca had her hands on her hips and gave the children her sternest look.
The kids looked down at the ground clearly remorseful. "We were just …"
"Do you know how long it took me to rake those leaves and get them in that big pile?"
The kids mumbled. "We're sorry."
It took everything in her to keep a straight face. "I would hope so. I do all that work, and you go ahead and jump in that pile without me."
Three heads jerked up suddenly in surprise and found Bianca with a wide smile across her face. It took them a minute to realize that they really weren't in trouble and that Bianca had just been pulling their legs. Once they did, they all started laughing.
"I thought you were really mad at us, mom." Miranda grinned.
"Me too, Bianca. You got us good." AJ added.
"Did I get you, Gabby?"
"Uh huh, you really did, mommy."
"I'm sorry, but I just couldn't help myself. Now, what do you say that we get these leaves piled back up and I show you how it's done?"
"Yeah!"
/
A car pulled into the driveway taking the spot behind Bianca's car and leaving the spot next to the brunette's car free. The driver got out and headed to the front door before stopping. The laughter coming from the backyard changed their course, and they headed in its direction.
Carolyn Walker watched the scene in front of her and laughed at the family.
All four family members glanced up. Bianca smiled while the kids waved and continued to giggle.
"Mrs. Walker! What a nice surprise." Bianca got up and began brushing leaves off of her.
"Now Bianca, how many times do I have to remind you to call me by my first name?"
Bianca chuckled. "Quite a few apparently. I'm sorry, Carol. What a nice surprise to see you. You'll have to excuse my appearance. The kids needed a lesson on leaf jumping." Bianca directed the older woman to have a seat while the kids continued to play in the leaves.
"So, I gathered. How are you, Bianca? How are things coming with the new house?"
"I'm great, and the house is really coming along. How are you?"
"I'm pretty good. You know, dear, while I'm happy for all of you, I have to admit that I'll be sad to see you go. I really have enjoyed your family living here and making this place truly a home again. Whoever moves in after you will have some awfully big shoes to fill."
Bianca smiled. "Thank you. We've loved it here. You know that you have an open invitation to visit us anytime."
"Good. I plan on taking you up on that. I was wondering if Marissa was around. I didn't see her car in the driveway."
"Not yet, but I know she's on her way and will be home soon. Is everything alright? Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Everything is fine. I just wanted to get her expert opinion on a couple of things. I don't really know any lawyers other than her, and I trust her opinion. I thought I could pick her brain a little. You don't think she'll mind, do you?"
"You won't get any argument from me on how good of a lawyer she is. And no, she won't mind a bit."
"Who won't mind what?" Marissa smiled as she rounded the side of the house. She gave Bianca a quick kiss and waved to their children. "Having fun in the leaves without me, huh?" She chuckled as she picked leaves out of her girlfriend's hair.
"The kids started it."
"And you say I'm the big kid around here." The redhead smirked before turning to their guest. "Carol, it's nice to see you. How is everything?"
The older woman laughed. She did love being around this family. "As I was just telling Bianca, everything is fine. I was hoping we could talk for a few minutes if you have the time."
"Ah, that's what Bianca was talking about. Of course, I don't mind."
"Is this where the party is?"
"Hey, Aya!" Miranda called from the pile of leaves that had been rebuilt. AJ and Gabby greeted her as well. She was by far their favorite worker at the Miranda Center.
"Hey, guys! What's up? Do you remember Sam?"
AJ nodded. "Hi, Sam."
"Hi, AJ. Hi, girls."
"Hi!"
Sam greeted the couple.
"I was getting ready to take Sam home when this email came in for you, Bianca. I thought I'd drop it off on the way and see if you need me to do anything about it for you." She handed the printed email to Bianca.
While Bianca read, Marissa handled the remaining introduction. "Sam, this is Mrs. Walker, our landlady. Carol, this is Sam. She helps out at the Miranda Center."
"Hello."
"Hello, Sam. Do you like helping out at the Center?"
The blonde nodded. "Yeah, I do. Everybody there is great, especially Bianca, and they've helped me a lot. Marissa's helped me out a whole lot too."
Mrs. Walker wondered at the precise meaning behind that comment.
"There is something you can do for me, Aya. Why don't you and Sam come inside? Marissa and Mrs. Walker needed to talk about a couple of things, and I need to check on dinner."
Aya nodded. "Lead the way, boss."
"Kids, time to wash up. Dinner will be ready in a little bit, and I think the three of you will need some extra time to clean up."
The kids clambered out of the leaves and stopped to give Marissa a hug before heading inside.
/
The redhead turned to her guest. "So, Carol, what can I do for you?"
"There are two things actually. The first is for me, and the second is for my son and daughter-in-law."
"Okay, let's start with you first and then we'll move on to Alex."
"I was hoping you could help me update my will."
Marissa leaned forward with concern. "Is everything alright? You're not sick, are you?"
"No, I'm perfectly fine, dear. There's no reason to worry. It's been a while since I've looked at it, and there have been some changes I should have added to it, like this place for example."
"I'm relieved to hear to that you're okay." Marissa smiled as she glanced back at the house. "This place is great. I really love it. I'm excited to move to our new home, but this place will always be special. This was where Bianca and I and our kids became a family. There are so many great memories here. This was my real home since moving to Pine Valley. I remember Bianca and me looking at places. By the time I got here, I was getting pretty discouraged because the others were busts. Talk about false advertisement. I saw this place though and knew it was perfect. If it wasn't for Bianca urging me to keep it under control, I would've agreed to pay you anything wanted for rent."
"I remember that day very well. If it wasn't for my son, I would've given you the keys immediately. I didn't need a background or credit check to tell me that you were the perfect one to rent to. I was struck that day by how much the two of you reminded me of my husband and me when we were just starting out."
Marissa was surprised by that revelation. "Bianca and I weren't a couple yet. We were just friends."
"So I found out later, but I knew. I could tell there was something special between the two of you."
Marissa shook her head in disbelief. "It amazes me that other people saw it before Bianca and I did."
Mrs. Walker chuckled. "Sometimes that happens when you're too close to something. If it makes you feel any better, Alex didn't see it either. He looked at me like I had two heads when I told him the two of you made a nice couple. Of course after I pointed it out to him and he saw the two of you together, he finally saw it. My daughter-in-law Gail gave him such a hard time for doubting me. You see, I realized he was in love with her long before he did."
Marissa laughed. "Sounds you have quite the superpower."
"That's what my husband used to tell me. I have to say that you and Bianca still remind me of us."
"Thank you. That means a lot. So, as to your will, I'll be more than happy to help you and answer any questions you might have. I would feel more comfortable though if someone whose specialty is estate planning actually drew up the will. I want to make sure you have the best representation possible, that nothing's missed."
"Thank you. Do you know someone?"
"I have a friend at work who is one of the best in this field, and she owes me a favor or two. I know she'll be happy to help. I could set something up for you if you'd like."
"I would like that very much. Thank you."
"You're welcome. It's the least I can do. Any questions you have in the meantime, please feel free to ask. Now, you said the other question had to do with Alex and Gail. I hope everything's alright with them."
"Yes, everything's fine with them. Let me clarify that. Everything's fine with their marriage. As you know, they don't have children. They've tried for years but have been unable to have any of their own."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Have they thought about adoption?"
"They have. Gail has gone online and done some research. As you can probably guess, there is a high demand for newborns so they've considered adopting an older child. They are a little overwhelmed. It's very long and involved process and has made them hesitant about doing it. I was hoping they could meet with you to discuss it and that you could answer any questions they might have."
Marissa heard a burst of laughter coming from inside the house and glanced inside through the patio door. A thought struck her suddenly. She knew Alex and Gail Walker quite well. They were a loving couple and could provide a wonderful home for a child in need of one. "I'd be happy to. Carol, have they ever considered becoming foster parents?"
/
"Thank you for bringing this over right away, Aya." Bianca snuck a peek in the family room making sure their conversation couldn't be overheard.
"You're welcome. As soon as I saw it, I knew that you'd want to know. Do you want to tell her or should I?"
"No, I'll tell her. I want to talk with Marissa about this first. She knows better than anyone else how to talk to Sam. We'll tell her tomorrow at the Center."
"Sounds good. We better go. I need to get her back to the safe house so she can finish up her homework."
The two women entered the family room and saw Mrs. Walker and Sam engaged in conversation. Bianca looked at Marissa who was standing nearby observing the pair. The redhead smiled when she saw Bianca and Aya and walked over to them.
"What's going on, Rissa? What are you up to?"
"I'll tell you later, but I think we might have found a solution to something. Everything okay with you?"
"That's another discussion for later too. Aya needs to get Sam home. Is it okay to interrupt them?"
"Yeah, it's fine."
Aya nodded and headed into the family room. "Are you ready, Sam?"
The young blonde glanced up and nodded. "Yeah, I have that history paper I need to work on. It was really nice talking to you, Mrs. Walker."
"I should be heading out myself. It was nice talking to you too, Sam. I hope we can do it again soon."
After goodbyes were exchanged and the visitors had left, Bianca turned to the kids. "Okay, guys. I need you to finish setting the table so we can eat. Marissa and I will there in just a few minutes."
The kids nodded and headed into the kitchen.
"First things first." Bianca grinned wickedly before pulling Marissa in for a fervent kiss.
Marissa gasped for air when they finally separated. Her own goofy grin spread across her face. "What was that for?"
"That was for going to see my mom this morning and talking with her. Thank you."
"Judging by your reaction, you're not upset that I did."
Bianca shook her head and smiled. "No, I'm not. Mom called this morning, and we had a really good conversation. After lunch, I had an interesting call from Kendall."
Marissa laughed. "I'm guessing I don't need to fill you in on much, huh?"
"Nope, Kendall gave me a pretty detailed description of what happened, but I would like to hear more from you about it later."
"You know that I'll tell you everything. Want to give me a highlight of what was going on with Aya?"
"We received a report from the detective agency we hired to track down Sam's aunt. She passed away three months ago. I was hoping we could tell her together tomorrow. I thought it would be better coming from us."
"I think you're right. I'll clear my schedule tomorrow afternoon and come over to the Center."
"Thanks. Sadly enough, it's official now. Sam doesn't have any living relatives, and we still haven't found a good foster home for her."
"I might have stumbled upon a solution there."
"Does this have something to do with Carol?"
"Yeah, a little. It has more to do with Alex and Gail. They've been talking about adoption, specifically an older child, but are a little overwhelmed by the whole process. I mentioned the possibility of them becoming foster parents to her."
"Let me guess, you mentioned Sam and her situation to Carol."
"You know me too well. Carol wanted to talk to Sam. She told me on her way out that she's going to talk with her son and daughter-in-law when she gets home and see if they may be interested in meeting with Sam."
"That would be so good if they did. They're a great couple, and I know they're great with kids. Our's love them and you know they are excellent judges of character. What do you think the chances are of this working out?"
"I'm not sure. I mean, we don't even know if they would be interested in this. If they are, they still have to meet Sam. Plus, there are background checks to be done, not that I see a problem there. I don't want to get Sam's hopes up though. She's been through so much."
"You're right. She has. We won't say anything about this until we know more." Bianca grinned. "It seems you've been very busy today, Rissa. So busy in fact, that I think you deserve a reward."
Marissa raised an eyebrow at the dip in Bianca's voice. "I'm never one to turn down a reward. Do you have anything specific in mind?"
"I do, but it will have to wait until after the kids are in bed."
"Do you we could get them to go to bed early?" Marissa asked with a mischievous grin.
Bianca laughed. "Let's have dinner first and then will see about that."