A/N: Happy Saturday! Thanks for continuing to read, review and follow! It's appreciated. This is a little bit of a filler chapter. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
The day after Erica and Jack's wedding was a lazy one in the Tasker-Montgomery household, and they needed it after the swirl of activities surrounding the event. They had finally got dressed after a leisurely breakfast and then headed outside to relax by the pool. Bianca ducked inside a short while later to take a call from Erica. She and Jack were headed to Paris later that day, and Erica wanted to check in with both of her daughters before they left since the newlyweds would be gone for a month while they traveled through Europe. While Bianca was inside, the others relaxed and discussed the wedding.
Suddenly, Jo remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. You won't believe what I brought from home, Marissa."
"What?"
"I'll be right back. It's in the car." Jo dashed around the side of the house to where her rental car was parked.
Marissa glanced at Jessica who simply shrugged.
"Don't ask me because I have no idea."
Jo returned a minute later proudly carrying a well-worn guitar case.
Marissa cracked up when she saw her friend. "Wow! I can't believe you still have that thing, and that you brought it!"
"You have a guitar, Jo?!" Miranda's eyes lit up.
"I do. I learned to play a long time ago. My parents wanted me to learn to play the piano, but I just didn't like it. When I saw the guitar though, it just clicked for me. Thankfully, Mom was good about getting me lessons."
"She used to take that thing everywhere, especially when she would stay overnight with your Ma." Jessica smiled.
"We would get in trouble sometimes because we would stay up all night. Jo would play, and we both would sing whatever came to mind. My poor Mom and Dad would have to get up early the next day for work after hardly getting any sleep."
"I would hear it from Lydia the next day. She'd beg me to have Jo leave it home. I'd try, but you would sneak it out. After a while, we gave up. We did love hearing the two of you sing, and you made our church choir so good. You haven't played in a long, Josephine."
Jo sighed. "I know. I just got so busy with everything."
"Will you play us something, Aunt Jo?" Miranda asked.
AJ nodded and looked at his redheaded mother. "And you have to sing, Ma."
"Please, Mommy?" Gabby pleaded with her best puppy eyes, and Marissa knew she was toast.
"That is a wonderful idea! I haven't heard you two sing in forever." Jessica added as she made another funny face at the baby in her arms causing Danny to laugh. "See, Danny agrees with us."
"I'm a little rusty, Mom. Like you said, I haven't played in a while, but I'm willing if you are, Marissa."
"Let's do it! You have something in mind?
"How about something new? Do you know this?" Jo whispered to her friend.
Marissa pulled away and smiled. "Yeah, I do, and I love that song."
Bianca rejoined everyone and glanced around. "What's going on?"
"I was just going to come get you." Marissa knew that if she and Jo had performed without Bianca present there would be problems.
"I didn't know you played, Jo."
"It's been awhile, but I do."
"Aunt Jo and Mommy are going to perform for us!" Gabby explained excitedly.
"Oh! Well, it looks like I made it back just in time." Bianca quickly took a seat across from Marissa. Listening to her wife sing was one of her favorite things.
Jo counted off softly and began to play. Marissa started to sing with Jo's voice joining her part of the way in.
I found myself dreaming
In silver and gold
Like a scene from a movie
That every broken heart knows
We were walking on moonlight
And you pulled me close
Split second and you disappeared
And then I was all alone
I woke up in tears
With you by my side
A breath of relief
And I realized
No, we're not promised tomorrow
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
And I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye
Wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when, when we'll run out of time
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
In the blink of an eye
Just a whisper of smoke
You could lose everything
The truth is you never know
So I'll kiss you longer baby
Any chance that I get
I'll make the most of the minutes
And love with no regrets
Let's take our time to say what we want
Here's what we got before it's all gone
'Cause no, we're not promised tomorrow
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye
Wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when, when we'll run out of time
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye
Wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we'll never know when, when we'll run out of time
So I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
Bianca's eyes never left Marissa, and hazel eyes locked onto warm chocolate when the chorus was sung. Marissa meant every word, and Bianca could feel it. As Jo and Marissa finished the song, everyone cheered loudly.
"That was wonderful, girls. I couldn't tell that it's been years since the two of you have sung together."
"Jessica is right. You both were amazing." Bianca rewarded her wife with a kiss.
"Thank you!"
"Danny really liked it too, Ma!" Miranda said as her little brother was clapping along with everyone else.
Marissa leaned over to her youngest who immediately reached for her. "Look at you, big boy. Are you clapping for Mama? Thank you! I know. How would you like to go for a swim?"
Danny clapped his hands again.
"Somebody has a new trick! I'm also thinking that answers your question, Rissa." Bianca smiled. "Anyone else want to go swimming?"
The others shouted. "Me!"
/
"Hi, Ellie."
"Hi, Dr. Shel …, Jo. How are you?"
Jo chuckled at the secretary catching herself. "I'm good. How about you? Marissa isn't working you too hard, is she?"
Ellie laughed. "Oh yeah, she works me to the bone. Seriously, she's the best boss, and I love working for her."
"Yeah, she's okay." Jo grinned.
The secretary shook her head. While she may not have known Jo that long, it was clear to her how much the doctor and Marissa cared about each other. "Marissa's in her office so you can go on back. She had me block out some time for you so the two of you can enjoy your lunch." Ellie took note of the bag from Krystal's that Jo was carrying.
"Great. Thanks!"
/
Jo knocked on the office door before poking her head inside. "Hey, are you ready for lunch?"
Marissa glanced up and smiled when she saw her friend. "Yes, I am, and I'm starving. Come on in. Ah, you stopped at Krystal's."
Jo had wanted some privacy so they decided lunch at Marissa's office worked the best. "I did, and I got you a club sandwich. Is that okay?"
"That's perfect. Thanks." Marissa took the carryout container and set it on the desk before she stood and walked to her small office refrigerator. She grabbed two bottles of iced tea for them and handed one to Jo.
"Thanks. Oh, I should probably tell you this before you eat or drink anything. I don't want you choking on me. Remember, I've got a PhD and not a MD."
"Now, I'm intrigued. Do tell."
Jo sighed. "When I stopped by Krystal's to get us lunch, I ran into Opal."
"That's Reverend Opal." Marissa added with a chuckle.
"Yeah, she reminded me. She also said that if I was in the market for a minister that she could give me and Mom a two-for-one wedding special."
Marissa lost it and burst out laughing. The redhead was grateful for the warning because if she had been eating or drinking something they would have a mess on their hands. She was nearly in tears by the time she was able to contain her laughter and her side hurt slightly. "Oh my god, that is too good. I'm sorry."
"No, you're not." Jo deadpanned.
"You're right. I'm not. Can you really blame me though? I can just see the expression you had to have had on your face. I bet it was priceless. Oh wow, I just got a picture of Opal performing your and Jessica's double wedding." Marissa cracked up again.
As much as she didn't want to, Jo started laughing along with Marissa. The redhead's laughter was infectious, and she was right. It was a pretty funny visual.
The two calmed down after a minute.
Marissa cleared her throat. "Okay. How did it go at the hospital?"
"It went pretty well. I really like Dr. Martin."
"That's great, and Dr. Joe is an institution there. I don't know what they would do without him. Everyone loves him. Well, everyone except David. He's not really a fan of his."
"Even more reason to like him." Jo smirked.
"Very true. So, what else?"
"I met with the head of the department. I like her. She's smart and very good. She has an excellent reputation as well. They want me to meet the board on Wednesday. Are you sure you don't mind me staying with you? I can always get a room …"
"Just stop it. Of course I don't mind and neither does Bianca. We love having you and Jessica."
"Thanks. Oh, speaking of Mom, Caleb wants to take her and me out to dinner tonight."
Marissa smiled. "Really? That's nice."
Jo nodded. "It is. It's really the first time we'll be doing this."
"It is, huh? How do you feel about it?" Marissa sensed there was more there.
"I'm not sure. Don't get me wrong. I like him. He treats Mom really well and makes her happy. I'm all for that. It's just that this feels …"
"Kind of like a family outing and makes it all feel real?"
"Yeah. I know they're adults and together. God knows I know too much about that." Jo shuddered at the memory of finding her mother and Caleb in their pajamas.
Marissa chuckled. "Yeah, you do."
"Shut up." Jo scowled playfully. "It's just …"
"He's not going to replace your Dad, Jo. I know you went through a lot with him, but I also know how much you loved him. I think it's only natural that you might feel a little awkward about your relationship with Caleb and how you feel about him."
Jo looked at her friend. "I thought you were the lawyer, and I was the psychologist."
Marissa laughed and shrugged. "I picked up some stuff from Bianca. You forget that she's working on her master's in psychology."
"I did forget that. You're also very perceptive, and always have been. Most of all you're too damn smart for my own good."
"You know what you need to do, right?"
Jo scrunched her face up. "Don't say it."
"You have to talk to your Mom and tell her what's on your mind."
"And you said it anyway." Jo sighed. "You're right. I do have to talk to her."
A knock on the door interrupted the women.
"Hey, Marissa. I was just going to run out and pick something up for lunch. Do you want me to get you anything?" Brian paused and saw that the redhead had been taking a bite of her sandwich. "And you already have something."
"Hi, Marissa's work husband." Jo grinned.
Brian laughed. "Hi, Marissa's best friend. I didn't know you were still in town."
"Yep, I'm taking a little time off. Where better to stay then here and catch up with this one? I'm glad to see that you're taking care of our favorite redhead."
"Just doing my job as a good work husband. I don't want Bianca coming after me."
Marissa shook her head and laughed at the two. "If you're done."
"I think so." Brian grinned. "I'll leave you two to enjoy your lunch. It was good seeing you, Jo."
"You too, Brian. Tell Stef I said 'hi'."
"Will do." Brian waved as he left.
Jo turned back to the redhead and smirked. "Okay, where were we, Dr. Tasker?"
/
The following week.
"Good afternoon, Jan."
"Good afternoon, Rafaela. It's good to see you."
"Thank you. It's good to see you as well. Is Bianca in? I know I don't have an appointment, but I need to talk to her. I could really use her advice."
"Okay, let me check with her. I'll be right back."
Rafaela nodded and waited nervously. It had been a little over a week since Erica's wedding, and things had been going well. That was until that morning. As Rafaela was leaving the Yacht Club to meet Maura for breakfast, she was stopped by a clerk at the front desk and given an envelope. The model didn't stop to open it at that time because she was anxious to see her girlfriend. Maura had been on call and was at the hospital late the night before delivering twins. Rafaela opened the envelope after they sat down for a late breakfast. What she found inside sent chills down both hers and Maura's spines. After talking for some time, the couple decided they needed some outside advice, preferably from someone they trusted and who had dealt with this type of thing before. The first person who came to mind for both was Bianca. Rafaela knew that Maura was exhausted and needed to rest so she had insisted that she go to bed and get some sleep. The model would talk with Bianca and then return so they could talk some more.
"You can go on back. Rafaela?"
The model jolted back to the present. "I'm sorry."
"Bianca's free right now. You can go on back to her office."
"Thank you."
/
"Rafaela, hi. Come in." Bianca's smile quickly faded as soon as she saw the other woman's worried expression. "Please have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?"
"Some water would be nice."
Bianca retrieved a bottle of water from her mini-fridge and handed it to the model before taking a seat.
"I'm sorry. I should have asked before. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"
"No, don't worry you're not. In fact, you're actually saving me from budget reports." Bianca smiled again hoping to put the other woman at ease. "So, what's up? Jan mentioned something about you needing some advice?"
"Yes. Something happened this morning, and I'm honestly not sure how to best handle it. Maura and I discussed this and thought that you might be the best person to offer us some insight."
"I'll try my best."
Rafaela nodded, removed the envelope she had received that morning and handed it to Bianca. "This was dropped off for me at the front desk this morning."
At Rafaela's urging, Bianca opened the envelope, and her eyes grew wide when she saw the contents. Inside, she found a letter and a handful of photos of Rafaela and Maura. It was obvious the photos had been taken from a high angle, possibly from a drone. While intimate, both women were clothed, either fully dressed or in swimsuits. Bianca read the letter, and it was just as she feared. It was a demand for $100,000. Either pay it, or the photos would go public.
"This is blackmail. Do you have any idea of who sent this?"
Rafaela sighed in despair. "No, I don't. The letter says they will contact me tomorrow for my decision. I hate this. I hate that someone is doing this to Maura."
"They're doing it to you too."
"I can handle it being done to me. I don't like it, but unfortunately, I am used to it. She is not, and this is only happening to her because she is with me. I don't know if something like this could damage her career. I could not live with myself if that were to happen."
"Well, the photos themselves aren't bad. They reveal a romantic relationship between the two of you, but fortunately, they're not graphic."
"There is that. I can tell you if they were, they would be fake. We're very careful about what we do in public, and if we are in private, the blinds are closed. Those moments are only for Maura and myself. I know too many people who have had their most intimate moments exposed for not being careful."
Bianca nodded. "Marissa and I are the same way."
"What makes me really angry is that Maura and I have talked about going public. We were taking our time and making that decision on our own. This person is taking that away from us. What do you think? I know that you have probably not gone through this exact same thing, but your sexual orientation is widely known."
"Well, I'm thinking a couple of things. The first being, we need some legal advice because of the blackmail."
"Marissa?"
"If it's alright with you, yes."
"We did discuss possibly consulting an attorney. So, it is alright with me, and it makes sense. I trust her, and so does Maura."
"Alright, let me give her a call and see if she's free."
"I should call Maura and ask her to come over now. I was hoping to let her sleep longer since she was at the hospital late because she had to deliver twins, but I know she will want to be part of this discussion."
/
"Hey, this is a nice surprise." Marissa smiled as she answered her wife's call.
"Hey, yourself. Are you free right now?"
Marissa recognized the tone in her wife's voice immediately. This wasn't flirty Bianca. This was serious Bianca, the one who had a very good reason for calling and asking that question. "I'm meeting with Lisa in a few minutes to go over a few things. What's up?"
"A mutual friend is in need of some legal advice?"
"Which friend and what kind of legal advice?"
"Rafaela. Do you remember an incident we had with a certain reporter?"
"I do. So, something similar to that?"
"Yes, and it involves Maura as well."
Marissa thought for a moment. "Alright. Would you ask her if it's alright if I bring Lisa? The extra pair of hands could be helpful, and it would also be a good learning opportunity for her as well."
"Hold on. I'll ask." Bianca turned to Rafaela. "Would it be alright with you if Marissa brought one of her associates with her? She would like to bring Lisa Walsh."
"Marissa trusts her to be discreet?"
"Yes, she does, and so do I."
Rafaela nodded and gave her consent. She remembered meeting the young lawyer on one of her visits to the law firm. "That's fine then."
"Rissa?"
"Still here."
"She's good with you bringing Lisa. You don't mind coming to my office?"
"It's no problem. I'll see you in about 20 minutes."
"I'll see you then. I love you."
"I love you too."
/
"Bianca agrees with what we were thinking about talking with a lawyer."
"Do I have to guess with one?" Maura teased.
Rafaela chuckled. "No, I believe you know which one. Besides, she is one I trust."
"That makes two of us. I'm just leaving the hospital now so I can be there at the Center in 10 minutes."
"The hospital? I thought you were off. You were supposed to be getting some sleep."
"I am off. I also tried to go back to bed after you left, but I started thinking. As a result, I called Joe Martin to see if we could meet. He agreed, and I just got finished telling him what's going on."
"What did he say? No, wait. Don't tell me yet. You are going to be driving, and I don't want you distracted."
"Okay. I'll be there soon."
"Drive safe."
"I will."
/
"Maura is on her way. She just finished a meeting with Dr. Martin, and she told him what was going on."
"That's probably for the best. I know Joe, and I think he'll be very supportive. Let me tell Jan that we have some people coming to meet us so we won't be interrupted. Can I get you anything else to drink?"
"Thank you but no. I'm okay at the moment. Although, I do think Maura might like some coffee. I have a feeling she is running on fumes right about now."
"You're probably right. I'll have Jan get some for her."
/
Maura sighed as she swallowed her first sip of the coffee Bianca had arranged for her. "Thank you. I really needed this, and thank you for helping us."
Bianca smiled as she watched Maura take Rafaela's hand. "You're welcome. So, would you like to hear more of my thoughts on your situation?"
"Yes, please."
"I know you wanted to go public with your relationship on your own terms, and whoever this person is, well they're taking that decision out of your hands or trying to at least. If it were me, I wouldn't pay them."
"You wouldn't? Why?" Rafaela asked.
"Because even if you pay them, it won't be the end of this. It never is with people like this. They'll keep coming back and demanding more and more money. You'll never get rid of them because they will keep holding this over your heads. That's no way to live. Living under that constant threat is something that could eventually drive a wedge between the two of you."
"And that could ultimately destroy our relationship." Maura nodded understanding Bianca's point.
"Unfortunately, yes."
"What do you suggest we do?"
/
A/N: The song that Marissa and Jo performed is called "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", and I don't own it. Meghan Trainor and John Legend do. I just really like it. Like I said earlier, this is kind of a filler chapter. I do have some angst/drama coming up for our favorite couple. I just need to get in that mindset to write it. See you soon!