A/N: As always, thanks for reading, reviewing and following! It's much appreciated. Okay, as promised, we have reached Bianca and Marissa's wedding day! I won't say anything else. I'll just let you get to it. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
The alarm clock sounded at 7:30 AM on Saturday, September 23rd. The song playing made both women snicker, and without even a single word uttered between them, a silent agreement was reached to let it finish. It was a pretty appropriate song for the day. Both lay snuggled together, Bianca spooning Marissa as they listened to the Jason Derulo song, 'Marry Me'.
A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head
When I think of all the years I want to be with you
Wake up every morning with you in my bed
That's precisely what I plan to do
And you know one of these days when I get my money right
Buy you everything and show you all of the finer things in life
We'll forever be in love so there ain't no need to rush
But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough
I'll say will you marry me
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say will you marry me
Singing oohh, ooh, ooh
Oh yeah
How many girls in the world could make me feel like this?
Baby I don't ever plan to find out
The more I look, the more I find the reasons why
You're the love of my life
You know one of these days, when I get my money right
Buy you everything and show you all of the finer things in life
We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush
But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough
I'll say will you marry me
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say will you marry me
And if I lost everything
In my heart it means nothing
'Cause I have you, girl I have you
To get right down on bended knee
Nothing else would ever be better, better
The day when
I'll say will you marry me
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say will you marry me (Yeah)
I'll say will you marry me (The day I get on my knees)
I swear that I will mean it
I'll say will you marry me (what you do to me baby)
Got me singing (ooh)
Got me singing (ooh)
Would you marry me baby (ooh)
A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head
When I think of all the years I want to be with you
Wake up every morning with you in my bed
That's precisely what I plan to do
When the song finished, Marissa turned in Bianca's arms to face her, both still smiling.
"So, will you, Bianca?"
"Will I what, Marissa?"
"Will you marry me?"
"Only if you'll marry me."
"Deal!"
Their lips met lovingly and lingered until they needed to break for air.
Marissa laughed. "As much as I hate to admit it, Kendall and Greenlee are right. We are really cheesy sometimes."
Bianca joined her. "Yeah, you're right, but I don't care. Do you?"
"Nope. Good morning, beautiful."
"Good morning, yourself." Bianca lovingly placed a hand on Marissa's belly. "Good morning, little one."
Marissa grinned at what had become Bianca's standard morning greeting to their unborn child.
"In a just a few hours, Rissa, we'll be married!"
"Yes, we will. I can't believe this day is finally here."
The couple sighed happily and remained in each other's arms in a comfortable silence until Bianca finally spoke again.
"I had a really interesting dream last night."
Marissa sat up. "You did? So did I. Tell me yours first and then I'll tell you mine."
"Okay." Bianca moved so she was now sitting next to Marissa. Their hands joined together and the brunette began. "I met your parents. Well, in my dream, I met your parents."
"Seriously?"
"Yup. I dreamt that I heard a noise and got up to check it out. I walked into the kitchen, and there they were at the table. It was really nice to meet them and talk with them."
Marissa couldn't contain her curiosity. "What did you talk about?"
"Everything, but you in particular. It was our favorite subject." Bianca leaned in for a quick kiss. "They were exactly like I thought they would be. It was a dream though so I guess that would be the case." Bianca then proceeded to tell Marissa all about her dream.
"Huh."
Bianca cocked her head. "What?"
"That sounds a lot like my dream except I met your Grandma Mona and Myrtle."
"You dreamt about my Grandma and Myrtle?"
"Yeah, I did, and they were just how I imagined they would be, so warm and welcoming. We had our conversation in the family room. Your grandma was really nice and so sweet. Both of them were. Myrtle was really funny. Like you and my parents, we talked about everything but you were our favorite subject."
"Tell me everything about it, please?"
"Of course." And so, that's what Marissa did. "They wanted me to give you and everyone else their love."
Bianca smiled. "The same with your parents. Your Dad wanted me to tell you to keep your chin up and to keep smiling."
Marissa grinned. "He always used to tell me that when I had something big coming up."
"I guess you do have something big coming up, huh?"
"I guess I do. We both do."
"Yes, we do." Bianca grinned as she leaned in for a loving kiss.
Whether their nighttime visitors were merely dreams or something else entirely, neither woman knew, and there wasn't time to discuss it any further at the moment either.
"Did you hear that?" Marissa asked.
"Yeah. Do you think we have more visitors?"
"Judging from the sound of it, I'd say we have three pint size visitors headed our way."
Bianca heard the none-too subtle warnings to be quiet being uttered between their kids and couldn't help but laugh. "You know they'd have better luck at surprising us if they didn't keep telling each other to be quiet."
Marissa grinned, thoroughly amused by the kids' antics. "You're definitely right but where's the fun in that?"
A knock was heard at the bedroom door.
"Come in."
Gabby bounded into the room. The girl raced to her mothers' bed and scampered onto it as she greeted them with hugs. "Morning, Mommies!"
"Good morning, Baby."
"Good morning, Monkey."
AJ and Miranda followed suit and joined their other three family members in bed.
"Morning!"
"This is a very nice surprise!" Marissa smiled.
"Yes, it is. The three of you are up a little early though." Bianca noted.
"We have a surprise for you!" AJ grinned.
"You do?"
"Yup, but to get it, you and Mom need to come to the kitchen." Miranda added.
Gabby nodded. "You're really gonna like it."
"Okay. Rissa and I need to brush our teeth and fix you breakfast. Do you want us to come now or can we do that first?"
A knowing grin was shared among the three younger family members and wasn't missed by their mothers.
"You can brush your teeth first, but don't take too long. We'll meet you in the kitchen." Miranda answered. With that, the three scampered off the bed and raced down the hallway.
The couple chuckled knowing their children were up to something.
Marissa sighed. "As much as I would love to stay in bed with you for a while longer …"
"That makes two of us, but it would appear the kids have other plans for us." Bianca got out of bed and held out her hand for Marissa. "Come on."
/
"They're coming!"
The couple bit back a laugh as they heard Gabby's so-called 'whisper' to her brother and sister.
Marissa entered first with Bianca right behind her. A brightly colored handmade sign on poster board and plenty of glitter was propped up against the kitchen window reading 'Happy Wedding Day, Mom and Ma!' and greeted them. On the kitchen table, a breakfast of cereal, fruit, toast, grape and strawberry jams, juice and coffee was waiting for them. Bianca and Marissa knew that AJ and Miranda had made the toast and coffee. While Gabby was too young to handle those appliances, the couple had shown their older children how to operate both without hurting themselves when they had asked their mothers to show them. In the center of the table, was the vase with the last two roses the couple had sent to each other the day before yesterday. The roses were in full bloom and were the final perfect touch. Tears of pride and love threatened to escape from hazel and warm chocolate eyes.
"This is great, guys. You know that you didn't have to do this though, right?" Marissa said as the kids looked on expectantly.
"We know, but we wanted to do something special for you and Mom. I mean, it's your wedding day." Miranda said simply.
"There's no doubt in my mind, Rissa, that we have the best kids."
"You are so right, B. We love it but …"
"Not as much as we love the three of you. Come here."
The three rushed forward and were engulfed in the arms of both mothers. After a few moments, the family separated.
Bianca stood as she heard some stomachs growl. "I don't know about all of you, but I'm starving. Let's eat."
Marissa took a sip of coffee and moaned. "Mimo, this is perfect. It's just the way I like it. You've really been paying attention, haven't you?"
Miranda grinned. "Yep!"
The kids were excited about their roles for the wedding, and they chattered away happily as they ate.
"Mom, Ma, are you nervous about today?" Miranda asked. It was something she had to ask. She knew it was a big day and always heard about people that were getting married being really nervous, but her moms didn't seem that way to her.
"Well, Sweetie, I can't speak for Rissa, but I'm not nervous. I'm really excited though. I can't wait for Reverend McSherry to tell everyone there today that we're married."
Marissa grinned as she took Bianca's hand in her own. "I couldn't have said it better myself. I want this day to go really fast, but at the same time, I want it to go slow so I can enjoy every minute of it because I know it's going to be great."
"Is there a particular reason you asked, Sweetie?"
"Huh. I thought people were always nervous on their wedding days. Jessica had a cousin that almost called her wedding off because of cold feet."
"Ah, I see." Marissa nodded. "That happens sometimes, but I'm not nervous because I know in my heart that marrying Bianca is absolutely, positively the right thing for me to do. She is the one for me, and I don't have any doubts so there's no reason for me to be nervous."
"I couldn't have said it better myself." Bianca grinned at the redhead before turning to her daughter. "Rissa's right. When you know something's right, there's no reason to be nervous. Do you understand?"
Miranda thought about what her mothers said, and it made sense to her. "I do."
Gabby looked between her brother and sister. "Can we give them their presents now?"
AJ nodded. "Yep, let's go get them."
The three quickly retrieved three brightly wrapped packages, one large and two smaller ones, from the kitchen pantry where they had hidden them when they had come downstairs earlier that morning. Each woman was handed a smaller package which they opened revealing a simple but tasteful picture frame. Instead of the generic placeholder for a picture in each frame was a drawing of how the kids' imagined a scene from the wedding would appear. Bianca and Marissa were in the center wearing dresses with the kids next to them dressed up as well. Kendall and Greenlee were on either side and the reverend was standing behind the couple. It had tears falling from the eyes of both women.
"This is perfect. Thank you." Bianca wiped a tear away.
Marissa struggled to find her voice. "It really is. Thank you. This is amazing."
"That's just to hold the place until you get your real wedding pictures. You know, the ones the photographer's gonna take." AJ assured the women.
"I don't know of any photo that will be more perfect than this."
"Your Mom's right. I'm definitely going to be keeping this one. Who helped you pick out the frames?"
Miranda grinned. She had told the others that their moms would say something like that. "Susan did. We all chipped in from our allowances for them, and she took us to the store on our way home from school one day."
"Now?"
AJ and Miranda nodded to their little sister. "Now."
Gabby lifted the larger package and handed it to her mothers. "This is for both of you."
The couple opened the package together and revealed a homemade 11x14 frame made from paint sticks with another drawing of the same scene from their wedding.
AJ piped up. "They didn't have the frame we wanted so we made that one until it comes in, but we wanted you to have it now so you know it's coming."
"That one is for here, and the other ones, you can take to work." Miranda explained.
Marissa shook her head. "I don't know what to say. This is all so thoughtful."
"Do you really like them, Mommy?"
"Oh, Gabby, we love them. These are the best gifts." Bianca looked at Marissa and knew that they would be displaying this frame and picture just as prominently as what the photographer produced for them.
"Thank you, guys." Marissa wiped away more happy tears before hugging all three children. Bianca followed suit. Neither woman was really surprised by their thoughtfulness and knew how lucky they were.
Marissa heard the front door and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Wow, this morning is flying by. I'll get the door. It's got to be either Kendall and Greenlee or your Mom or Krystal."
"It has gotten late, but whoever it is, they're still half an hour early. I'll start cleaning up in here while you see who it is."
"We'll help, Mommy!"
"Thank you, Gabby."
/
Marissa opened the door to a laughing Kendall and Greenlee.
"Good morning, Red." Kendall stopped when she saw the redhead. The older woman could tell the other woman had been crying. Kendall stepped forward quickly. "Marissa, what's wrong? Is everyone alright?"
Marissa waved her off to allay her fears. "Everything's great. Why?"
"I can tell you've been crying."
The redhead chuckled. "You have your nieces and nephew to thank for that. They made us breakfast and gave us the most thoughtful gifts."
Greenlee smiled, not surprised at all. "We'll check it out, but you and the other bride need to get a move on."
"You're right. I know we do. You guys are here early though. What's up with that?"
"Ah, there's a very good reason for that which we will share with you after Binx and you have gotten your showers. Greenlee and I will take care of the kids while the two of you are doing that."
"Alright, I'll go get started. Bianca's in the kitchen with the kids. They had their baths last night."
"Okay, we'll go get her moving along and help the kids get dressed."
"They have clothes picked out already that they want to wear until they have to get dressed for the wedding. Thanks!"
"You're welcome. Now, get going." Greenlee smiled as she followed Kendall into the kitchen.
/
By the time Bianca and Marissa were showered and dressed, a crew had arrived and had begun setting up things outside. The team from the florist was at the door by the time the couple was entering the family room.
"Hi, Nolan."
"Hi, Marissa. Hi, Bianca."
"Hi, Nolan."
"Are we good to take these around back?"
Bianca nodded. "Yes, you are."
Greenlee interrupted. "You'll need to go around outside. They started putting up the drape for the doors leading to the patio."
"Thanks." Nolan nodded and headed back outside.
Kendall joined the three women. "The kitchen's clean, and the kids are downstairs watching a movie."
"They're setting up in the back, and Krystal called and is on her way."
"Mom is too. That gives us just enough time to show you something."
Marissa eyed the pair. She could see the mischievous glints in their eyes. "Alright, let's have it. What happened?"
"You need to sit down for this." Greenlee smirked as she went to retrieve her tablet.
When all four were settled, Kendall began. "When we left last night, Greenlee spotted a light coming from the woods. I told Zach, and before we left, he had someone over here checking it out."
Bianca looked at her sister. "Why didn't you tell us? What if something happened?"
"I'm sorry, Binx, but we didn't want to worry you. You have a lot going on, and we wanted to take care of this for the two of you. Besides, we knew all of you were safe inside because of your security system. And like I said, we didn't leave until the security guards were here."
The younger sister started to protest but was stopped by Marissa. "Babe, it's alright. Remember that dream I told you about?" Bianca nodded and the redhead continued. "This backs it up."
"What dream?" Greenlee asked.
"We'll tell you about it later. You and Curly need to keep going."
Kendall shook her head and continued her story. "A couple of security guards checked it out and found someone back there. They didn't approach them right away though. Instead, they called Zach to see what he wanted to do about it. When I heard who it was, I called Greenlee, and we decided to have a little fun with them."
"Who was it? It wasn't JR, was it?"
"No, Binx, it wasn't him. He's still out west. This was someone else from your past."
"Can I please be the one to tell them, Kendall?"
"Sure, go for it, Greenlee." Kendall chuckled at her best friend's excitement.
"It was your favorite so-called reporter, the recipient of Rocky's vicious right hook."
Marissa couldn't hide her shock and rubbed her right hand subconsciously. "Carmen Navarro was in the woods by our house? She's on probation, and we have a restraining order against her."
"Oh, we know. From what the guards could tell, it looked like she was setting up camp in hopes of getting the scoop on your wedding."
"Yeah, it seems good old Carmen still hasn't found a reporting gig since her trial and all too short stay in prison. Kendall and I think she was hoping to leverage photos of your wedding into something permanent and lucrative for her."
"With that in mind and like I said earlier, we decided to have some fun as well as teach her a lesson."
"What did you do, Kendall? And now that I think about it, do we really want to know?" Bianca knew that look in her sister's and Greenlee's eyes all too well.
Marissa chuckled. "I want to know. Spill it, you evil geniuses!"
Kendall grinned. "Thank you! See, this is why I like you so much, Red. To you, we're not just pretty faces. You truly appreciate that which is Greenlee and myself."
Bianca snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. What did you do?"
"We set her up." Kendall replied simply.
Greenlee jumped in. "We arranged it so she overheard the guards discussing the wedding. They let it slip that to be sure it wasn't disrupted by paparazzi that the two of you had moved the ceremony to a neighbor's home."
"Which neighbor?"
Kendall's lips twitch at her reply. "The Kagans."
"As in Judge Sonya Kagan and her family?"
"That would be correct."
Marissa knew the judge and her reputation well. Judge Kagan had served on the bench for several years and was highly respected by almost every attorney that appeared before her be they for the prosecution or the defense. Law enforcement especially respected her though. She was a no nonsense jurist and extremely fair. Her husband was successful in his own right and was able to retire early. Upon retirement, he took up the hobby of raising horses. Their property was larger than the Tasker-Montgomery's and easily accommodated the half dozen horses they now owned. When the kids found out about their neighbors' horses, they were beside themselves. The judge and her husband were gracious and let them visit often. While Marissa wasn't fond of having the other family's privacy disturbed by the likes of Carmen Navarro, she knew that if anyone could strike fear into the heart of the former reporter and get her off their backs it would be Judge Kagan. The redhead knew she would have to apologize to her later that day when she saw her at the reception, but Marissa couldn't help but laugh at the image of the former reporter having to deal with the formidable judge. "I have a feeling this is not going to end well for Carmen."
"Again, you would be correct, Red."
"Carmen took the hint and packed up some of her stuff and headed over there. She left enough over here to make it clear she violated the restraining order though. The guards followed her and recorded what happened. We just so happen to have that recording. Would you like to see it?" Greenlee grinned.
Bianca raised an eyebrow. "Do you really have to ask?"
The video was cued up, and Carmen appeared on screen at her stealthiest best approaching the Kagans' barn. The four watched as the former reporter cracked open the barn door and went inside. Before they knew it, she was running back outside screaming. Judge Kagan's husband Aaron soon followed with a shotgun at the ready. The camera found Carmen trying to hop a fence, losing her footing and falling face first into a large, fresh pile of horse manure. The woman screamed multiple expletives and struggled to her feet. When she saw Aaron Kagan approaching, she took off, but again didn't make it very far before finding another pile of manure. By the time she righted herself, Aaron's shotgun was trained on her, and he could be heard telling her to stay where she was. Sirens were heard in the background, and in a matter of minutes, two squad cars appeared as did the judge. Aaron lowered his shotgun as two of the police officers approached. They winced when they got a whiff of Carmen. Handcuffs were placed around her wrists and the officers were arguing who would be taking her in. Judge Kagan wore what looked like an amused expression on her face as she and her husband spoke with the other two officers. One of the officers dealing with Carmen was seen stalking to his car and retrieving a towel which he placed on the backseat. Carmen was then hauled over to the same car, placed inside and was soon joined by the two officers driving it. Their windows were rolled down to help handle the smell of the woman, and the car tore off down the road. The other two officers nodded to the Kagans and shook their hands before leaving themselves.
By the time the video ended, the couple was wiping away tears from laughing so hard.
"Thank you for that! That was priceless!" Bianca said when she was able to catch her breath. "We're going to need to apologize to Sonya and Aaron when we see them later."
"We really are. We're also going to have to show this to them. I think they'd appreciate the humor."
"I don't think you'll have to apologize to them too much, but you're right about them needing to see this." Kendall smirked.
Greenlee happily continued seeing the curious expressions on the couple's faces. "They may have gotten a heads-up on things and not been as surprised as they looked. They also may have had a hand in some of the set-up."
Marissa laughed loudly. "You called them and told them about everything. I can see both of them going along with this. Now that I think about it, the police did get there pretty quickly, and Sonya did kind of look amused by everything."
Bianca shook her head. "I feel better knowing they were in on this. You two have definitely outdone yourselves." A knock at the front door prevented further discussion.
Erica greeted Bianca as she opened the front door. "Bianca, sweetheart, you've been crying. Did something happen?"
"No, Mom, everything's fine. Kendall and Greenlee were just showing us something really funny."
"Oh good, you had me worried for a minute. Marissa dear, it's good to see you, but now, you both need to go to separate rooms. We have a great deal to do and need to get to it. This includes you both getting ready. That means no seeing each other again until the ceremony."
The couple sighed. They knew Erica was right, but they didn't like the fact that they wouldn't be able to see each other again for a few more hours.
Kendall caught the glance shared by the couple. "Mom's right. Don't worry. It's not forever, just a few hours. You'll see each other soon."
The couple shared a few loving kisses before they were drug away from each other by a chuckling Kendall and Greenlee.
"I love you, Rissa. I'll see you soon."
"I love you too, B. I'll meet you by Reverend McSherry."
/
Krystal arrived not long after Bianca and Marissa went to the separate parts of the house and immediately set about helping Erica organize things inside and outside.
The valet service arrived and set things up at the front of the house. As guests arrived, the valets would park their cars in an area that had been cordoned off for their vehicles. The DJ began setting up in the backyard and was doing sound checks. Chairs were set up and an aisle took form while the drape covering the kitchen doors had been installed. Some tables had been set up around the perimeter for the reception. The bulk of the tables, however, would be set up immediately following the ceremony. A temporary bar was erected as well, and the bartenders were hard at work making sure they were ready for action when they opened the bar once the wedding ceremony was over. Grayson Florist had gotten to work with the floral arrangements, and everything looked amazing. A table for gifts had been set up next to the stand holding the guest book, and the programs were inspected one final time to make sure everything was correct.
Things were just as busy inside. The kitchen was roped off for the caterer to do their work, and they had commandeered the dining room as well. This would have guests using the side door to access the restroom. Once the ceremony was over and pictures were being taken, the wait staff would be circulating with hors d'oeuvres to tide the guests over until dinner was served. They also prepared a light lunch for Bianca, Marissa and the other members of the wedding party. The cake was delivered with the baker making her final touches. The photographers and videographer arrived at the same time. While the videographer began setting up outside, Erica reviewed a few last minute details with the photographers. Once they were done, they headed outside to get their initial light readings in the various spots where photos would be taken. After they were done with their scouting, they would return inside to take some shots there before the women were escorted outside for individual photos.
Once Erica deemed things to be under control, she set about helping Miranda and Gabby get ready while Krystal helped AJ.
/
Marissa and Greenlee were settled in the guestroom downstairs. The redhead's hair and makeup were done, and she ate something while Greenlee did hers. Bianca had been insistent that Marissa eat something that afternoon before the ceremony. She didn't want the redhead getting sick. Her morning sickness was much better now but would still rear its ugly head every once in a while. Small meals helped a great deal in keeping it at bay. Neither woman wanted to take any chances on having to deal with it today. Marissa had been equally insistent that Bianca eat something as well. She didn't want the brunette getting sick either.
"So, do you have your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?"
"Well, my something blue is this." Marissa pulled out a brilliant sapphire on a platinum chain.
"That's a beautiful necklace. Where did you get that?"
"It was my Mom's. I always loved it. She told me that she hoped that I would wear it on my wedding day, but only if I wanted to which I definitely do. It's like having her and my Dad part of everything going on today."
"That's nice. They are you know, part of today. From everything you've me about them, I just have this feeling that nothing would keep them away from this."
"Thank you. That means a lot, and you're right. I can kind of feel them here."
"What's your something new?"
"That would be this. Bianca gave me this last night." The redhead handed a sapphire and diamond bracelet over to Greenlee. Marissa smiled to herself as her friend examined the piece of jewelry. While Bianca did give her the bracelet and it was new, it wasn't really her something new. No, her something new was the couple's unborn child, their little one. It was a secret that only she and Bianca knew.
"Bianca definitely has good taste. Okay, we need something old and something borrowed."
Before Marissa could answer, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Erica and Kendall entered.
"How is everything going in here?"
"Are you holding up, Red?"
"I'm doing great. How's Bianca?"
"She's doing great too. Krystal wanted a minute alone with her so Mom and I decided to come down and talk to you."
"How about the kids?"
Erica smiled. "They are dressed and ready. And at the sake of being biased, they all look adorable. Everything is running smoothly with all of the set-up as well."
"Thank you, Erica, for everything. You and Krystal have been so helpful during all of this. I know it's not easy working together, but you've done a great job. I can't tell you how much Bianca and I appreciate it."
"You're quite welcome, dear. Kendall and I each have something for you if that's alright."
"Of course it is, but you don't have to give me anything."
"We know, but this is a little different. I think you'll be okay with it. Kendall, would you like to go first?"
"I would. Bianca told us that you have your something new and something blue. I'd like to give you something borrowed." Kendall held out a small box for the redhead.
Marissa opened it to reveal a lovely platinum bracelet that she had seen Kendall wear several times.
"This is what Zach calls my 'lucky' bracelet. Among other fortunate events that have happened, I was wearing it when we sealed the deal with Macy's. I would consider it a huge favor if you would wear it."
"I'm honored to. Thank you."
Kendall helped Marissa fasten the bracelet and examined it after. "Good, it doesn't take away from what Bianca gave you. I didn't think it would, but it's good to know for sure."
"It's my turn." Erica handed over a small box to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "I had something in mind that I wanted to give you. When Bianca told me what her gift was, I knew I had the perfect thing."
Marissa opened the box and saw a pair of sapphire earrings. "These are lovely, Erica. Thank you. These match my Mom's necklace and Bianca's bracelet perfectly."
"Yes, they do. These belonged to my Mother."
"These were your mother's? Oh, Erica, I can't. I appreciate this more than you'll ever know, but I simply can't. You should give these to Bianca, Kendall or the girls."
"Nonsense. I have plenty of other pieces of jewelry to pass on to them. I want to give these to you. You have become just like a daughter to me so they are in good hands and staying in the family. I also think my Mother would be very happy with you wearing them on this special occasion and would love you just as much as I do. No crying, dear. You don't want to ruin your makeup, and I will simply not allow for mine to be."
Marissa took a shaky breath and chuckled. "No, we can't have that. Thank you. I can't even begin … Thank you. I love you too, both of you. I couldn't have asked for a better family to become a part of."
/
After Erica and Kendall left, Krystal was alone with Bianca. She had asked for a few moments alone with her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and Erica had graciously agreed and took the opportunity to visit Marissa.
"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me for a few minutes."
"You're welcome, and it's not a problem."
"How are you holding up?"
Bianca smiled. "I'm doing great."
"No nerves or cold feet?"
"No, none whatsoever. I've never been more sure of anything in my life."
"I'm glad to hear that. You look very happy."
"That's because I am."
"You deserve it. Oh, you should see the kids. Erica's probably told you about the girls."
"She has. What about AJ?"
"He is the handsomest young man that I believe I've ever seen. We're holding off on the tie for a little while longer."
Bianca chuckled. "Yeah, that was his least favorite part of the suit. We promised to limit the amount of time he would have to wear it today as much as we could."
"Speaking of things to wear, I, uh, have something for you that I hope you wouldn't mind wearing. Talking with Marissa as well as Erica and Kendall, I believe you have everything except something borrowed. I would be honored if you would consider this."
The brunette took the jewelry box from Krystal and opened it to reveal a platinum bracelet. "It's lovely."
"It was my mother's. I managed to hold onto a few things when things were tough, this being one of them. I had wanted to give it to Marissa today, but Erica, Kendall and I talked about these items. They both had something they wanted to give her which is so generous of them. You had told me you had something 'new' for her, and I knew she had planned to wear something of Lydia's. I'll give this to her another time. Until then, I would be honored if you borrowed it for today."
"It would be my pleasure. Would you help me put it on?"
"Of course." After the bracelet was in place, Krystal smiled. "It matches your locket. What did Marissa get you? I didn't have a chance to find out."
"Oh, she actually got me a couple of things." Bianca smiled as she recalled their exchanging of gifts last night once they were alone.
/
Marissa grinned when Bianca settled next to her on the sofa in the living room. "Okay, I have something for you, two things actually."
"I have something for you too." Bianca saw the excitement in hazel eyes and decided to let her go first. "You first."
The redhead grinned and handed her a familiar looking box. "You can use this as your unofficial something new for tomorrow."
Bianca couldn't help but be a little confused when she found her locket inside. "You're giving me my locket and it's unofficial?"
Marissa scrunched her face as she considered the question. "Well, I guess I am kind of. Open it though. The 'new' is inside. I'll explain the unofficial in a minute"
Doing as instructed, Bianca found a new family photo inside. It was a shot of the five of them at Universal during their vacation. The photo happened to be Bianca's favorite. "I love it. How did you get this in here though? I wear this all the time."
"Ah, you took it off earlier when you were getting a shower and didn't put it back on so I seized the opportunity."
"It's perfect. Thank you."
"You're welcome, but we'll have to keep it unofficial and between us for now. Kendall wants to give you something new for tomorrow. I couldn't really tell her I had this already and could see how much it meant to her so I told her that was fine. That's why I have this for you as well. This will cover the something blue."
Bianca opened the second package and revealed a pair of platinum hair combs encrusted with sapphires. "Oh my god, Rissa, these are absolutely gorgeous."
"They were my Mom's. Blue was her favorite color. For their anniversary one year, Dad gave her these. She fussed about him spending too much money, but we could both tell how much she loved them so she didn't put up too much of a fight over them."
"Rissa, you should …"
"No, I shouldn't. I want you to have these, please."
"I will wear them proudly tomorrow." Bianca kissed Marissa tenderly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Okay, my turn. This is your something new."
Before Marissa opened the present, she grinned. "Actually, you already gave me my something new."
"I did? What's that?"
The redhead took Bianca's hand and placed it on her belly. "You gave me our little one."
Bianca laughed. "I guess I did. We're not telling anybody else about them yet though so we probably should have something else to show the others for now."
"I suppose you're right. Alright, let's see what this is." Marissa gasped when she saw the sapphire and diamond bracelet. "B, this is simply beautiful."
"Not quite as beautiful as you though. You just glow. I know you're wearing your Mom's necklace, and I thought this would match it."
"It does, perfectly. Thank you. I love it, and I love you."
"I love you too."
/
"So, she got you the new picture for your locket and Lydia's hair combs, and you gave her the bracelet."
Bianca nodded. While she had revealed that information to Krystal, she held back the news about the baby. "Yeah, but don't tell Kendall about the picture."
Krystal chuckled. "I won't. I promise. Thank you for wearing the bracelet and more importantly, thank you for making Marissa so happy."
"She makes me happy too, Krystal. I promise I'll do my best to keep her safe and happy, to let her know that she's loved."
"I know you will."
/
"You look beautiful, Marissa." Krystal smiled as she saw Marissa with her dress on.
"Krystal's right. You do. You're going to take Bianca's breath away." Greenlee added sincerely.
"You look really pretty, Ma."
"Thank you all, especially you, AJ. Alright, Buddy, it's time to do that tie. Come here."
AJ sighed and stepped towards his redheaded mother. Marissa couldn't help but chuckle at him.
As Marissa tied his tie, her son looked thoughtfully at her. "Are you still not nervous, Ma?"
"Nope, I'm steady as she goes. I'm excited and can't wait to see Bianca."
"She looks really pretty too."
"I bet she does. Your sisters looked very pretty too, and you are so handsome and dapper. You know, we all clean up pretty well, don't we?"
AJ blushed and nodded. "Yep, we do."
Trinette, one of the photographers covering today, snapped away as Marissa helped AJ.
Greenlee answered the door as the florist delivered Marissa's and Greenlee's bouquets and AJ's ring bearer's pillow.
/
Erica held a hand to her chest as Bianca turned around. "Absolutely beautiful, Sweetheart."
"Mom's right, Binx, you are. It's going to take everything for Red not to run towards you when she sees you."
Bianca chuckled. "Thank you. I'll have you know, that contrary to what you might think, Marissa does have some restraint when it comes to me."
"Not much." Kendall smirked. "What do you think, girls? How does your Mom look?"
"You're really pretty, Mom, and you look really happy."
Gabby nodded in agreement with her big sister. "You are really, really pretty, Mommy. We saw Mommy earlier too and she is too."
"I know she is. The two of you though, well, I don't think I've ever seen a prettier junior bridesmaid or flower girl, ever."
Miranda giggled. "Ma said the same thing."
"Well then, it must be true if we're both saying it. Your brother is pretty handsome as well. Is Rissa helping him with his tie?"
"She was going to do it in a few minutes."
Erica watched as Bianca helped the girls with their final touches. It made her wish that her mother was there. Mona would have doted on them.
"Bianca, I have something for you. I cleared it with Marissa that I could give you something new. She said that it was fine because she had your something blue covered. I didn't know exactly what it was though."
"Her mother's hair combs are exquisite and the perfect touch for your hair." Erica added.
"Thank you. They really are, aren't they?" Bianca smiled as she opened Kendall's present, a diamond tennis bracelet. "Kendall, this is …"
"You like it?"
"I love it. Thank you. Would you help me with it?"
"I'd like nothing better."
"It's lovely, Kendall. Now, I have the something old. These were my mother's, your grandmother's."
Bianca revealed a pair of diamond earrings. "These are so beautiful. I don't recall Grandma ever wearing these."
"She didn't wear them a lot. My mother was more understated and wasn't into all of the flash and glamour like some of us are." She glared playfully at her daughters as they snickered, knowing full well she was referring to herself. "She did wear these on special occasions however, and if she were here today, she would be wearing them. The next best thing to that is to have you wear them in her place."
"Thank you, Mom. I'll wear them proudly." Bianca hugged her mother tightly.
When they separated, Brenda, the lead photographer, spoke. "Excuse me, but Marissa wanted to make sure that I got some photos of the Kane women."
They happily obliged as three generations of Kane women were captured for posterity.
Kendall answered the door to Bianca and Marissa's bedroom. The florist entered with bouquets for Bianca, Kendall and Miranda as well as Gabby's flower girl's basket.
/
The women in both rooms agreed that the florist had outdone himself on their bouquets. As they admired his work, the brides read the card enclosed with their bouquets. The wording was the same for both women.
Ladies,
I'm sure the first thing you noticed is that bouquets are a rainbow. This was done for a very specific reason. As the two of you are well aware, the colors of flowers have certain meanings. This is especially true for roses. A yellow rose represents joy and true friendship. A white rose means unity, pureness of a new bond of love, honor and reverence. An orange rose means desire, passion, excitement and is an expression of fervent romance. The lavender rose represents enchantment. A pink rose means grace and harmony. The turquoise rose stands for fertility, life, abundant growth, and the constant renewal of life and energy. The blue rose means you are extraordinarily wonderful. The peach rose is for appreciation and closing the deal. Finally as you know all too well, the red rose represents love and romance. Just as colors have different meanings, so do numbers. You have a total of nine roses. Nine roses symbolize 'we'll be together forever'. I believe all of the above is true for both of you. As for the ribbons, I couldn't help myself. You'll notice that they have the letters of the alphabet scripted on them. I thought you might like it, and just so you know, your bouquets are the only ones with those ribbons. Congratulations and may you have a long and happy life together.
Charlie Grayson
The heartfelt sentiment had both Bianca and Marissa smiling brightly. While they shared the card with the others, neither revealed the meaning of the ribbons.
/
The girls joined Marissa, AJ, Greenlee and Krystal outside for several photos in Bianca's garden. When those photos were completed, the kids stayed behind while the women went back inside. Upon receiving the all clear, Bianca, Erica and Kendall joined the kids in the garden for their photos. Each group carefully avoided being seen by guests that had begun to arrive and were milling about. A check of the time indicated that it was time for everyone to take their places. Susan had arrived and taken the kids to their starting point in the garden. Krystal gave Marissa a kiss before heading outside. Erica shared a kiss with each of her daughters before leaving with Jack.
Kendall and Greenlee met briefly before Bianca exited the bedroom and went outside with Kendall. When it was all clear, Greenlee led Marissa outside.
/
"Are you ready, Binx?"
Bianca smiled brightly at Kendall. "I'm more than ready!"
/
"Marissa, are you ready?"
A brilliant smile crossed Marissa's face as she looked at Greenlee. "Oh yeah, most definitely!"
/
A/N: I know it's kind of a cliffhanger, but I think it's a fun one. I don't own the song "Marry Me". That is owned by Jason Derulo. Oh, I may be in training this week at work. If I am, I will be having a few long days which will cut into my writing time so there could be a delay for the next chapter. See you soon!