A/N: Thanks as always for reading and reviewing and sticking with me on this adventure! I know I sound like a broken record, but I honestly do appreciate it. So about that cliffhanger, did I surprise you? You gotta have a little angst for them to make it interesting, right? I have a nice long chapter for you this time. I couldn't figure out a good place to stop it so you get all of it. It picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
"Welcome to the Miranda Center. I'm Jan. How can I help you?"
"Hello. I was hoping to see Bianca Montgomery."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, I don't."
"I'm sorry then but she is booked solid today."
"I only need a moment of her time. How about now? It's lunchtime. Surely she takes a break for that."
"I'm sorry, but she has a lunch meeting today and should be leaving for it in a few minutes. I could schedule something for tomorrow if you'll give me your name and tell me what the meeting is about."
"It's Dr. Stone. Why do you need to know what I want to meet with her about?"
"Given the circumstances that bring our clients here, we have to ask. It's for Ms. Montgomery's safety as well as that of the staff." Jan was extremely protective of Bianca's privacy and wasn't about to tell a stranger that her boss's meeting was actually lunch with her fiancée. There was no way in hell she was going to schedule an appointment with said stranger without some idea of what she wanted. Jan was serious about Bianca's safety. She had voluntarily promised Marissa that she would keep an eye on her after the Brennan incident. To that point, the assistant pointed out the security guards that were strategically yet discreetly placed throughout the Center.
"I see."
At that moment, Bianca opened her door. Her head was down as she was retrieving her keys from her purse. "Jan, I'm going to head out. Don't worry. I'll be back in time for my next meeting."
The smile that Bianca had been wearing since receiving Marissa's text quickly vanished when her eyes met those of the visitor.
"Maggie?!"
Jan watched as her boss stood dumbfounded in front of the petite brunette visitor. Obviously, Bianca knew who she was since she had said the woman's first name, but it was evident that she was surprised by the woman's appearance. Whether or not this was a pleasant surprise, however, was anyone's guess.
"Hi, Bianca. It's good to see you again. You look like you're doing really well."
"What are you doing here, Maggie?"
"Here at the Center or here in Pine Valley?"
"Both."
"I'm here for a medical conference and had some free time before it starts tomorrow. I thought I would take a chance and see if I could convince you to have lunch."
Jan seized the moment. "Bianca, you have that other meeting that you're going to be late for if you don't leave now."
Her assistant's words and urgent tone cut through Bianca's shock. "You're right. Thanks, Jan. I can't do lunch today. I have somewhere important I need to be. If you want, you can schedule something with Jan."
"I'll do that. It was good seeing you."
Bianca didn't reply because she honestly didn't know what to say. All she knew in that moment was that she needed to get to Krystal's. She had kept Marissa waiting long enough.
/
Marissa was smiling as she took a seat at the couple's table. Bianca hadn't arrived yet so she took the time to go over her plan for the surprise date night she had started planning. She was convinced more and more that it was exactly what the doctor ordered. She knew she'd have to get some help in order to pull it off but figured she would be able to count on Kendall.
Bianca spotted Marissa immediately when she entered the restaurant. It was easy to see that the redhead was deep in thought, but those thoughts looked to be happy ones given the smile on her face. As much as Bianca didn't want to, she knew she was going to have to tell Marissa about Maggie being in town. All the way over to Krystal's, Bianca couldn't think of anything else. She had thought briefly of not saying anything to her fiancée, but that thought was dismissed as soon as it crossed her mind. The last time she had kept something from Marissa it was about the break-in at the Center. She had gotten her fiancée to come to the police station without telling her the whole story. It all worked out in the end, but it did cause some problems between them. After that incident, Bianca had promised Marissa she wouldn't do anything like that ever again, and she was going to keep her word. The brunette wasn't looking forward to it though and wasn't sure what she was going to say when Marissa asked her, and she knew she would, why Maggie wanted to see her and what she thought about it. Bianca honestly wasn't sure how to answer either of those questions. She didn't know what her feelings were about seeing her ex-girlfriend because she hadn't had time to process it. What she did know was that she would be responsible for Marissa losing the smile that was on her face, and she hated that more than anything.
The redhead glanced up and smiled even wider seeing Bianca. "Hey."
"Hey, yourself." Bianca leaned in for a quick kiss. "I'm sorry I'm late."
Marissa shook her head. "It's okay. Waiting for you is never a problem. I'm sorry about this morning."
"No, I'm sorry. It was my fault."
"How about we agree that we were both to blame? We've got a lot going on right now, and I think everything just bubbled over."
Bianca nodded. "You're right. It did. Thanks for meeting me."
"It's definitely my pleasure. Thank you for the flowers. I love them, but I don't think Brian's too happy about them. He was afraid Stef was going to find out so he decided to make a call to florist. He grumbled that we're making him look bad."
"I'm glad you loved the flowers. Tell Brian that I'm sorry, and there's no way that he could ever look bad in Stef's eyes. I suppose it works out pretty well for her though."
"Yeah, it does." Marissa paused. She could tell something was going on with Bianca. "What's wrong? Is everything okay at work? Did something come up there and that's what kept you? If that's the case and you need to get back, then I understand. I'll be okay."
Bianca sighed. She wasn't surprised at all that Marissa had picked up that something was going on, and just as she had feared, that smile was starting to fade. "Everything is okay at work, and I'm right where I want to be."
"Then what's up? Don't tell there isn't anything going on because I can tell that there is. Talk to me, B."
"I was late because someone stopped by and wanted to meet. It was someone I hadn't seen in a very long time."
"Who was it?"
Bianca took a deep breath knowing that it was time to come clean. "It was Maggie."
The surprise could not have been more evident on Marissa's face. The redhead knew exactly who the other woman was and the role she had in Bianca's life at one point. "Oh. Maggie. She's in town and wanted to meet with you."
"Yes, she is. She wanted to do lunch, but I'm not going to change my plans with you for her or anyone else." Bianca stated earnestly.
Marissa smiled softly at the honesty behind her fiancée's words. "Why is she here?"
"She said she's here for a medical conference."
"I see. How long is she here for?"
"I don't know. We didn't really talk other than just a few words."
"How are you doing with seeing her again?"
Bianca sighed. "Honestly?"
The redhead nodded.
"I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've seen her, and it wasn't something I thought would happen. We didn't end well. It wasn't as bad as with Reese though. I …" Bianca noted the expression on Marissa's face. "Hey, I can tell you one thing I'm certain about. I love you."
Marissa smiled. "I love you too."
"Good to know." Bianca grinned.
"Yes, it is. Are you going to meet with her?"
"What do you think I should do?" Bianca truly wanted to know and was leaving this decision up to Marissa. She had told Maggie to set up an appointment with Jan, but if Marissa didn't want her to meet with her then she wouldn't. She would not go behind her fiancée's back.
Marissa thought for a moment. It meant so much to her that Bianca was leaving this up to her to decide, and she didn't want to come off as not trusting Bianca or having her jealousy get the best of her. "I think you should meet with her and at least see what she wants."
"Are you sure?"
"I am. I don't know her, but I do know you. I trust you."
Bianca smiled at the words uttered by her fiancée. "Thank you."
/
The next day
"Bianca, Maggie Stone is here."
After a deep breath, Bianca answered her assistant. "Thanks, Jan. Please send her in."
A moment later, Maggie entered the office.
"Hi."
"Maggie. Please have a seat."
"Thanks. Sorry about just dropping in like that yesterday. I would've called, but I didn't know any of your phone numbers. I figured this would be the best place to find you."
"Why are you here? And please don't say it's because of a medical conference."
Maggie chuckled. There was no beating around the bush with Bianca. She wanted answers and wouldn't settle for anything less. "I wanted to see you. It's been a long time. I wanted to see how you and Miranda were doing. How is she?"
Bianca smiled. This was a safe topic, and they both knew it. "She's great. If you can believe it, she's nine years old already. I also …"
A knock on the door followed by the appearance of Bianca's assistant interrupted her.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Bianca, but that one client you were expecting earlier just arrived."
"Thank you. What room is available?"
"The back conference room is free."
"Okay. Could you take her back and get Aya? She'll be taking her to the safe house. I'll be right behind you."
Jan nodded and disappeared just as quickly as she had appeared.
"I'm sorry, Maggie, but I need to take care of this. If you would like to wait, I'll be back as soon as I can."
"No problem. I'm happy to wait."
Bianca nodded and left.
/
Maggie decided to take a look around Bianca's office while she waited for her return. The room was comfortable with a simple elegance in its décor and clearly reflected the personality of the woman who occupied it. Maggie had to admit she was impressed by what Bianca had accomplished here, not that she was terribly surprised. If she set her mind to it, there wasn't anything Bianca couldn't do.
A painting on the wall caught her eye. Bianca was in between two girls with an arm around each of them. The children were smiling and resting their heads against her while she was reading to them. Both girls looked like carbon copies of Bianca. Maggie guessed that the older one was Miranda. She wondered when the younger girl came into being. She then glanced at Bianca's desk and started looking at the pictures there. The first was of the three Kane women at what looked to be a holiday gathering of some sort. Erica was settled in between Kendall and Bianca. All three were smiling and all three didn't look like they had aged much in the time she had been away. Erica would love to hear that. Maggie shook her head and chuckled to herself at that thought.
The next was a shot of Bianca with a blonde haired boy. He looked to be about Miranda's age, and Maggie couldn't help but wonder who he was and his connection to Bianca. Another frame contained a photo of Bianca and the three children with another woman added to the mix at a fair. All were smiling brightly. The last picture was in a frame made of Popsicle sticks and held a photo of Bianca and the other woman. The couple was looking at each other, smiling and seemingly lost in each other's gaze. Looking at the photo, it was plain for Maggie to see the love in each of their eyes. She carefully returned it to its previous position and picked up the one of Bianca and the boy again puzzling over their connection.
"Sorry about that." Bianca saw Maggie quickly place the frame back on her desk. She knew which one it was.
Maggie returned back to her seat. "It's no problem. I'm impressed with what you've done here. You should be proud of yourself."
"Thank you. I didn't do this all by myself though. I had and still have a lot of help."
The petite brunette shook her head. It was still hard for Bianca to take a compliment. "I have to say that you look great. Life must be agreeing with you."
Bianca smiled. "It is."
"So, Miranda?"
"She's nine and will be starting 4th grade the week after next. She's so smart, kind and thoughtful, and I couldn't be prouder of her."
Like mother, like daughter. "Is that her?" Maggie asked as she nodded towards the painting.
"Yes, it is."
"She's beautiful."
"You won't get any argument from me. And that is my baby, Gabby."
"I thought they were related. She's adorable."
"Yes, she is, and so inquisitive and full of life and love. I had her while I was married to Reese."
"I wondered. I was sorry to hear about you and Reese splitting up."
Bianca raised an eyebrow. She knew the divorce made headlines so she wasn't surprised that Maggie knew about it. She did, however, doubt the other woman's statement. She and Reese had run into Maggie years ago in Paris by accident, and it did not go well. Maggie's distain for Bianca's now ex-wife was evident, and it was a sentiment that was shared by Reese.
Maggie shook her head and grinned. She knew Bianca wasn't buying that. "What?! I was. Well, at least I was for you. Her, not so much."
"Uh huh." Bianca smirked before turning her attention to the photo Maggie had been looking at when she came back into the office. "If you're wondering, the boy is AJ Chandler."
Maggie couldn't hide her surprise. "As in Babe and JR's son?"
"One and the same."
"I had heard about Babe."
"Yeah, she died while saving her son's life."
"Well, you know how I felt about her, but I do feel bad for AJ. How's JR?"
"When last heard from, he was … working on things."
Maggie cocked her head. "Working on things? What does that mean?"
"It's a long story."
"Okay. So, you're close with AJ."
"Very. He's great. He's smart and caring and very protective of the girls. He lives with us."
"Wait. He doesn't live with JR? I'm missing something. Why is he living with you?"
Bianca nodded. "After Babe died, JR remarried a woman by the name of Marissa Tasker. You're actually related to her."
Maggie was getting really confused. "What? How?"
"David is Marissa's biological father and is Babe's fraternal twin."
"Her twin? So wait a minute. Where did she come from? I don't remember her."
"Marissa grew up in Devon and was adopted and raised by the Taskers. After they died in a car accident, she found out that Krystal was her biological mother. She convinced Marissa to move here and to continue with law school."
"She's a lawyer?"
"Yes and a pretty good one too. She handled my divorce and stopped Reese from getting custody of the girls."
"What?! Reese tried to take your daughters?" Maggie knew there was a reason she didn't like Reese.
"She tried, but like I said, Marissa stopped her."
By the look in Bianca's eyes, Maggie knew there was definitely something between the women. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. So, how did we not know about her before? Oh wait, let me guess. It's a long story."
"Yes, it is and not one that I feel I should tell."
Sensing she wouldn't get any more information on the subject out of Bianca, Maggie asked another question. "So, she married JR."
"She did, and she also adopted AJ. Marissa and JR are divorced, and she has custody."
"Why'd they split up?"
"JR cheated on her."
"Oh." Maggie had no other words. She had no right to comment on the subject of infidelity.
"They were trying to get along for AJ's sake, but JR was being JR. The long and short of it is that Annie, the woman he had the affair with pretty much lost it when she found out that JR was lying to her and trying to get Marissa back so she tried to kill her."
"What the hell?"
"Yeah, there's some other stuff that happened, but Annie is safely tucked away in Oak Haven. Marissa wiped her hands of JR."
"Good for her. So?"
Bianca smiled. "Marissa and I were friends for a while and then things changed. We fell in love, and now we are getting married next month."
That's when Maggie saw the diamond ring on Bianca's left hand. She didn't know why she hadn't seen it before that moment. It hadn't been like Bianca was trying to hide it because she wasn't. It was that Maggie wasn't letting herself see it, to acknowledge its existence until she absolutely had to, until there was no way to no longer deny its presence. Maggie deflated a little at that statement but did her best to cover. "Congratulations. I have to ask. How does Erica feel about you marrying Krystal and David's daughter?"
"Thank you. Actually, Mom is good with it. She knows that Marissa is different from them and could never or would never do anything like what they did. They have a really good relationship. She gets along even better with Kendall." Bianca could talk about her family all day long. They were definitely her favorite subject. She decided to switch gears though. "So, enough about me. What's going on with you, Dr. Stone?"
"I'm no longer in Paris. I moved back to the States a little over a year ago."
"Oh, where are you living?"
"Chicago. I'm on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I really enjoy it. It keeps me busy, almost too busy sometimes. I can't say I've had the luck that you've had with my personal life though."
"Well, don't get so busy that you forget to have a life outside of work."
"I'll keep that in mind. I noticed the text book. Is that yours?"
"Yeah, I've wanted to go back to school for a while and get my master's. Marissa convinced me to go for it."
A knock on the door interrupted them again.
"Hey, Bianca. I just wanted to check and see if you needed anything before I left for the day."
Bianca checked the time and wondered where it had gotten to. "Thanks, Jan, but I'm good. Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow."
Jan smiled. "You too. Tell Marissa and the kids 'hi' for me."
"I will." Bianca turned back to Maggie. "I didn't realize it had gotten so late. I've got a paper I really need to get to work on."
Maggie took that as her cue to leave. "Say no more. I'll let you get to work. What's it on by the way?"
"It's for my child psychology class, and I'm writing about the effects of bullying and the parental influence behind it in some cases." Bianca had chosen that particular subject for a very specific reason. She had unfortunately witnessed it firsthand but considered her family lucky that they were able to stop it before it had gotten too late.
"Unfortunately, that's an all too real problem in today's society. You know, I think I have something that might help, if you're interested. It's some statistics and data we gathered for a study that was conducted at Northwestern."
"I would be very interested. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll drop them off tomorrow if that works."
"That works fine. Just drop them off here at the office. I work on the paper here. It's a lot quieter. The kids can get a little loud sometimes."
"Marissa's okay with that?"
"Yeah, she is. She's pretty understanding and even more supportive."
"I'm glad to hear that. I … I had a good time."
"I did too. I'm glad you stopped by."
"That makes two of us. I'll see you tomorrow."
Bianca nodded and watched Maggie leave. It had been a good visit. They had skirted the heavy topics so there hadn't been any drama. Whether they came up while Maggie was visiting was anybody's guess. Bianca sighed and pulled up her notes and began work on her paper. She was going to make every effort to be done by next weekend for Sam's party, not only for the birthday girl but for Bianca's family.
/
A week later
Marissa answered the front door and smiled. "Hey, Kendall. Thanks for coming over."
"No problem, Red. What's up?"
"Would you mind coming to the kitchen? I'm just cleaning up dinner."
"Sure." Kendall followed the redhead out of the family room and into the kitchen. She took a seat while Marissa loaded the dishwasher. "Are you sure I can't give you a hand?"
"I'm sure. Besides, I'm almost done. I just need to make a plate for Bianca."
"Where are the kids and my sister by the way?"
"The kids are downstairs watching a movie, and Bianca is still at the office working on her paper. It's quieter there for her. Plus, it gives us a chance to talk."
"Okay. I'll repeat my earlier question then. What's up?"
"Well, I need your help with something. Bianca and I have been so busy lately that we haven't had any time for just us."
"Ah, Mom and Krystal are driving you nuts with all the wedding planning, huh?"
Marissa chuckled. "A little, yeah. I know they mean well, but multiple calls every day starts to wear on you."
"I understand. So, what can I do to help?"
"Would you mind having the kids over for a sleepover this Friday?"
"I think I can do that. What do you have planned?"
"A romantic dinner for two. Oh and I want to keep it a surprise."
"That sounds perfect. I'm sure Bianca will love it. I'm guessing chocolate cake from Krystal's is on the menu." Kendall smirked.
"Yes, it will definitely be. In fact, I've already placed an order for it."
"Binx will be very happy to hear that. I hate the fact that she's alone at the Center."
Marissa shifted uncomfortably. She knew Bianca wasn't alone. She was with Maggie. Bianca had come home from work last week and told her about her meeting with Maggie and of her offer to help with her paper. Marissa listened quietly and could tell it meant something to Bianca and that she was looking forward to the help. Her fiancée had been stressing out over this paper, and the redhead really didn't want her to. It wasn't good for her. Marissa told her that she understood and that she was okay with her working with Maggie. Besides, she trusted Bianca.
"She's not alone. Maggie is with her and helping her out."
Kendall raised an eyebrow. She knew Maggie was in town. Bianca had told her she was. She didn't know this though. "Um, how do you feel about that?"
"I'm okay."
Kendall eyed the redhead not buying that completely. "Seriously? You expect me to believe that you're 'okay' with your fiancée spending a lot of time with her ex? Sorry, that's not happening."
Marissa sighed and took a seat. "Okay. I'm not exactly thrilled by it. I trust your sister. I really do. It's just …"
"I get it. I do. I don't know of anyone who would be completely understanding in this situation."
"Yeah, it doesn't help that I'm working on this case that hits a little close to home."
"How so?"
"My client thought she was happily married. Her husband got a friend request from an old girlfriend. The next thing she knows is she's walking in on them in her own bed."
Kendall could see the similarities and how it would be hard for Marissa. "Wow. You know that Bianca wouldn't do that, right?"
"I do. I just don't like it. I can't help it. It's bothering me some."
"Have you told Binx?"
Marissa shook her head. "No, I haven't, and I don't know how I can. Maggie's helping her with her paper and you know how much this class means to Bianca and how much she really wants to do well in it. Besides, Maggie will be leaving soon."
Kendall sighed and nodded.
"Can I ask you something, Kendall?"
"Sure. What do you want to know?"
"Tell me about Maggie. Before you ask, yes, Bianca's told me about her, but I want to hear it from you. Am I being weird, overreacting and worrying about nothing or should I be worried? I need you to tell me the truth." Marissa needed to know because she was struggling. Her hormones were wreaking havoc with her rational side.
Kendall thought for a minute. She could see the concern etched on Marissa's face. If their roles were reversed, she would be asking the same thing. Kendall owed her that. "Maggie and Bianca started out as friends. After a while, Bianca's feelings changed and she fell in love with her. Maggie didn't or couldn't return those feelings. I don't think she could accept that she felt that way for a woman."
Marissa nodded. "Sounds familiar."
Kendall smiled. "Yeah, I suppose it does. There's a big difference though. With you, once you realized how you felt about Binx, there was no going back. You didn't have any doubts. You didn't hide from it. In fact, you ran to it."
"How could I do anything else? I knew where I belonged. I knew who had my heart. None of that other stuff mattered."
"That's why I think you're so right for Bianca."
"Maggie changed her mind though."
"She did, but not for a while. They still remained friends though. Maggie was the first person that Bianca told about the … um …"
Kendall didn't need to finish. Marissa knew what event she was referring to. Knowing what happened to Bianca made the redhead sick to her stomach and her blood boil. If that bastard Cambias was still alive, god help him because Marissa knew he couldn't run far enough or fast enough to get away from her and what she would do to him to make that son of a bitch pay. Marissa took a deep breath to calm herself down. She knew she wasn't the only one to feel that way. She could see it in Kendall's eyes. Marissa simply nodded and that was enough. Neither woman wanted to chance the kids overhearing, especially Miranda. God knows that amazing little miracle of a girl was the only good thing to come from that horrific crime.
Lowering her voice and knowing that Kendall would follow suit, Marissa continued. "I didn't know that."
Kendall lowered her voice as expected. "Yeah, she was great. Maggie wanted Bianca to go to the police, but she couldn't, not at first. When Bianca told her about being pregnant, Maggie didn't think she should keep the baby. Bianca had made up her mind to do just that at that point and nothing was going to change her mind about that. Maggie understood and stood right by her side. Then, Bianca gave birth and …"
Marissa shook her head. Again, she had that sick feeling to her stomach, and it wasn't because she was pregnant. It was because of what her biological family had done.
Kendall could see the ill-placed guilt in Marissa's eyes and quickly did her best to reassure her. "Hey, you are not responsible for what they did to her. Bianca doesn't blame you. I don't blame you, and our Mom doesn't blame you. That was them, not you. We know that you couldn't do anything like that. Alright?"
"I know. I just hate what they did and will never understand it. There's no justification. There never will be."
"No, there isn't. I don't know how she forgave them. I don't know that I could have."
"Neither do I. That's what makes Bianca so amazing."
"Yeah, it is. Maggie was there for Bianca during that whole time. It wasn't just one-sided though. Bianca was there for Maggie too. She was in an abusive relationship. Bianca tried to get her to leave, but Maggie wouldn't. She just couldn't get through to her. It took Bianca and Jack bringing an old girlfriend of the prick's and him threatening Bianca to convince Maggie to leave."
"I didn't know about the abuse. I'm not surprised though and don't take it personally that she didn't tell me. Bianca respects other people's privacy and wouldn't reveal something like that without their permission. I'm also not surprised that she put herself in jeopardy."
Kendall shook her head. "I agree. I expect no less of her. Binx finally decided she needed to get out of Pine Valley. She asked Maggie to join her and Miranda. For a while there, it looked like she might not take her up on the invitation, but she finally did. They still took things slow. Maggie still struggled and Bianca understood. Maggie finally accepted her feelings and their relationship turned romantic. Binx was really happy, for a while. She came back home and told us that Maggie had an affair. When Maggie eventually followed her back here, she tried to get Bianca to go back, but she just couldn't. Binx had been hurt too much. She just couldn't trust Maggie quite the same way after that. Before Maggie did what she did, I thought she was the one, the great love of Bianca's life. She sure as hell proved me wrong."
Marissa listened. It broke her heart to hear of Bianca being like hurt like she had. The redhead knew of Maggie's betrayal and again didn't understand how she could've done that to Bianca.
"You, though, are different, and you've proved me wrong. You are without a doubt the one that was meant for my sister. You make her so happy. I've never seen smile or laugh as much as she has since you became a part of her life. You, Red, are the great love of her life, without question."
"She's the love of my life, Kendall. I can't even remember when I wasn't in love with her. She's amazing, and I don't think she realizes just how amazing she really is."
"And I take it that it's your personal mission to make her see that?" Kendall asked with a smile.
Marissa smiled in return. "It is, and that's why I want to do this dinner for her. She's been working so hard lately, and she needs something to give her a little break and let her know how special she is."
"Well, I'm completely on board with whatever you need. Oh, and you should talk to Bianca. Let her know how you feel about her spending so much time with Maggie. She'll understand."
"I will. I'll talk to her on Friday."
/
"Alright, I think I finally have this right. Would you mind taking a look and let me know what you think?"
Maggie put down her container of sweet and sour chicken and turned Bianca's laptop around so she could read what Bianca had typed. "I'd be happy to."
"Thanks!" Bianca picked up some General Tso's chicken and started to eat. She felt conflicted. It had been nice working with Maggie and spending time with her old friend. She liked reconnecting with her and finding out about where life had taken her. The petite brunette was still trying to find someone to share her life with. Her work at the hospital had made it challenging, but Bianca encouraged her to try. She wanted Maggie to find the happiness that she had found. Bianca also appreciated all of the help Maggie was giving her on her paper. It was very helpful, and Bianca wanted to do really well on this paper. Marissa had so much faith in her, and she didn't want to disappoint her. So while part of her liked reconnecting with Maggie, she really missed Marissa and the kids. Bianca was looking forward to having this paper done so she could get back to them. If all went well, she would be done with the paper in a couple of days and would be able to enjoy the weekend with her family.
"It's good. I wouldn't change anything."
"Thanks again." Bianca took the laptop back.
For her part, Maggie loved spending time with Bianca again. She had missed her a great deal over the years. For so long, she had felt like something was missing from her life. Now, she knew what it was. It was having someone to share her life with and not just anyone. It was Bianca that was missing, and she had no one else but herself to blame for that. Maggie thought for a minute. Something had been on her mind for a while and she needed to know. "Could I ask you something?"
"Sure. What?"
"You're really marrying Krystal and David's daughter, Babe's sister? How is that? I mean, they kept Miranda from you and let you think she was dead. How is it possible you're marrying into that family? I know Erica can't be okay with that. There's not a chance in hell that she is. I know how she feels about Krystal. Your mom would as soon kill her than look at her, let alone spend family functions with her. I have no doubt it's the same with David."
Bianca looked at her old friend, took a deep breath and counted to 50 in order to control her temper before responding. She knew Maggie meant well, but she had crossed the line. "First of all, I'm not marrying Krystal and David's daughter or Babe's sister. I'm marrying Marissa, the daughter of Roy and Lydia Tasker. They raised her, taught her and set examples for her. She could never nor would never do what Krystal and Babe did. It's not who she is or how she was raised. She has a harder time with what they did to me than what Krystal and David have done to her. She isn't them. Do I really have to remind you that you're her cousin and share some of the same DNA? And do you really want to bring families into this? I don't hold you responsible for what yours did."
Maggie immediately knew she crossed a line, and Bianca was pissed. She was also right. Maggie held up her hands in surrender. "You're right. I'm sorry. I overstepped."
"Damn straight you did. You don't know Marissa, what she's been through and what she's done for me and the girls. Whenever I've needed her, she's been there, no matter what. She's risked her life and career for me and others who have needed her help without a second thought. I'm lucky to have her in my life. As for my Mom, I told you before that she likes her and trusts her. The fact that she's helping us plan our wedding should be a testament to her feelings about our relationship."
"I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to question her when I don't know her."
"You're right. It was."
Bianca turned back to her laptop while Maggie focused on her dinner. The silence became uncomfortable, and Maggie decided it was best to leave, hoping that tensions would ease by the time they saw each other again.
"I should go. I have an early round of lectures tomorrow."
"That's probably a good idea then."
"I'll give you a call, and we can work on that last part if you want."
"I'll talk to you later."
"Goodnight, Bianca."
/
Friday
Marissa was up earlier than usual. She had an early deposition as well as some last minute details to take care of for tonight. She glanced at Bianca as she lay sleeping in their bed. Marissa knew she had to be exhausted. Bianca had been working late for over a week to finish her paper. The fact that a large chunk of that time was spent with her ex-girlfriend did not go unnoticed by the redhead. Marissa was fighting the jealousy caused by that fact. She trusted Bianca, but the redhead was only human. The fact that Maggie was spending more time with her than Marissa was lately bothered the hell out of the redhead, and the damn hormones caused by the pregnancy were not helping her at all. In the few minutes the couple had talked last night, Bianca had said she would drop the kids off before heading into work. She also said she was wrapping her paper up at lunch and sending it to her professor. Bianca promised she would be all her's and the kids' starting that evening. Marissa softly kissed her fiancée's cheek before heading to her office.
/
Bianca popped out of her office surprising her assistant. "Hey, Jan. I'm leaving a little early today."
Jan smiled. "Seriously? Good for you. Any big plans?"
"I'm going home and spending the weekend with my beautiful fiancée and our wonderful children."
"I'm glad to hear that. You deserve it, and I'm sure Marissa and the kids will be thrilled."
"I hope so. I've really missed them. I definitely need to re-work my schedule for my next paper. It's been hard being away from them."
Bianca's cellphone interrupted them. "Bianca Montgomery." The brunette listened to the voice on the other end of the line and frowned. "I'll be right there."
"Is everything okay?'
"I think so. I'll see you at Sam's party tomorrow."
"See you then."
/
"Hi, I'm Bianca Montgomery. I received a call from the manager. Her name's Julie."
"Oh yes, Ms. Montgomery. Hi, I'm Julie. Thanks for getting here so quickly. Your friend's over there."
Bianca turned and saw Maggie. "Thank you. I'll take it from here."
Maggie glanced up, saw Bianca and smiled weakly. "Sorry. I didn't know who else to call. The manager refused to let me drive."
"I'd say with good reason. How much have you had to drink?"
"More than a little but less than a lot." Maggie grinned slightly.
Bianca shook her head. She checked the time. She was still early and would beat Marissa home with ease. "Come on. Let's get you some fresh air and try and sober you up some before I drop you off at the hotel."
Maggie nodded and followed Bianca out of the bar. She'd stopped by to have a quick drink after her last lecture. It had been boring as hell and only gave her time to dwell on the fact that was leaving town tomorrow. One drink turned into two which turned into three and so on. The more Maggie thought about how she'd screwed things up with Bianca, the more depressed she became and the more she drank. The bartender called the manager over who refused to let her leave and insisted on calling someone to retrieve her. The only person she could think of was Bianca. The pair made their way to the park nearby.
After a few minutes, Maggie broke the silence. "Thanks for getting me. I'm sorry for this."
Bianca turned to her friend. "What's going on, Maggie? Getting drunk like this isn't like you."
/
Marissa couldn't help but smile. Today had actually been pretty good. Her cases were going well. The quick text she had received from Bianca earlier told her that her fiancée's paper was done and turned in. To top it all off, the redhead was able to leave work a few minutes early. Kendall had picked up the kids which gave Marissa time to stop by Krystal's to pick up dessert for tonight's dinner. In fact, she was on her way there now. She hadn't been able to find a parking spot close to the restaurant so she parked on the other side of the park. Marissa was fine with that and took the shortcut through the park. The short walk was good for her anyway.
Marissa stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Maggie and Bianca.
/
Maggie's mind went blank. Bianca was right there in front of her. A part of Maggie knew what she was thinking was wrong and that she shouldn't do it. She couldn't find it in herself to care anymore though and alcohol had drowned all reason. She leaned in wanting nothing more than to capture those soft lips of Bianca's. It had been so long since she had.
/
Marissa saw Maggie lean in and knew what was happening. Her mind went numb, and her only thought was that she couldn't bear to see what was happening so she turned and bolted as fast as she could from the park and the heartbreaking scene that was unfolding. It was against her nature to run, to avoid, to fight, but in that moment, it was the only thing that she could think to do. Her brain was no longer thinking rationally due to the hurt, jealousy and hormones, and her body was simply reacting to that mix.