A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review and follow! I appreciate it. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Please see my author's notes at the end of this. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
Bianca and Marissa were up earlier than normal on Saturday. They had a lot to do in a short amount of time before they hit the road and headed to Philadelphia for the family's long weekend away. It had been a little hard to get the kids to go to sleep the night before because they were all keyed up about the trip. Danny even appeared to sense something exciting was going to happen and didn't want to go down as easily as he normally did. Out of all of them though, Miranda probably had the hardest time getting to sleep Friday night. She had had a great day with Marissa at the law firm and hadn't been able to stop talking about it when the two got home. Bianca couldn't help but smile as she listened to her daughter relate everything she did. When they had gotten a few minutes alone, Marissa let Bianca know about the break in Rafaela's case and the pending extradition of the man responsible for the blackmail plot. The redhead also told her, with a great deal of pride, about Miranda's comment to Mike, and Bianca laughed along with her wife. Their daughter's quick wit and humor had been on full display, and the couple knew when they related the story to other family members that they would also be proud of her.
After the kids' bags were packed and they were finally asleep, Bianca and Marissa packed their own bags and headed to bed. The couple allowed themselves a few minutes of peace and quiet before they finally threw off the covers and started moving the next morning. After they both showered and dressed, Bianca headed to the kitchen to start breakfast while Marissa headed upstairs to wake up the kids. AJ, Miranda and Gabby soon joined Bianca in the kitchen while Marissa changed Danny's diaper and got him ready for his first road trip before they headed downstairs to their family. Marissa secured Danny in his highchair before helping Bianca. At nearly five months old, he was able to sit in it fairly well with the support the chair offered him.
When breakfast was finished, the older kids went up to their bedrooms to change while their mothers cleaned up. Bianca then went to help the older kids finish getting ready, and Marissa took Danny and padded down the hallway to the couple's bedroom to finish packing the last few items they would need on their trip. She placed Danny in the middle of the bed while she packed their toiletries.
"Oh my god!" Marissa's eyes grew wide as she watched her son. "Look at you, big boy! Your Mommy needs to see this!" She went to the doorway and called for her wife. "Bianca, I need you to come to our bedroom now!"
Less than a minute later, Bianca rushed into the room. "What? Is everything all right?"
"It's great! It's better than great actually! You really need to see this!" Marissa picked Danny up and spoke to him. "You want to show Mommy your new trick?" She then placed him on his tummy in the middle of the bed again.
"What's going on?"
"Just wait."
The mothers watched their son quietly, and then, it happened again. Danny rolled over.
"Oh my god!" Bianca exclaimed. "He rolled over! Danny, you rolled over all on your own! You are such a big boy!" The brunette scooped him up and kissed him before turning to her wife. "I can't believe he just did that! Thanks for calling me down here to see this. You had me worried for a minute though that something was wrong."
"Sorry about that, and you're welcome. I didn't want to spoil the surprise though. He's getting so big." Marissa leaned in and kissed her son.
Danny laughed and waved his arms happily, somehow knowing he'd done something to be proud of.
"Okay, I better go help the others finish up. I'm so proud of you, Danny." Bianca transferred Danny over to his other mother and gave him one more kiss before she left.
Marissa placed the tiny redhead in the middle of the bed on his back this time and placed pillows on either side of him. He could still move around, but if he rolled over this time, a pillow would be there to act as a buffer. "I'm going to have to be ready to record you, aren't I? There are a lot of people who are going to want to see your new tricks."
Danny replied kicking his legs and blowing some raspberries, something he'd started doing recently. Marissa laughed and finished packing while she continued to talk to her son.
/
Marissa pulled her SUV to the front of the house, and the couple began loading everything they needed for their trip into it. The older kids were keeping an eye on their little brother while their mothers were busy figuring the best way to pack all of their bags along with Danny's pack-n-play, which the baby would be using to sleep in at the hotel along with his stroller they would use as they walked around the city, into the vehicle. Susan pulled up while this was going on. The trusted babysitter would be staying at the house and watching it along with taking care of Max for them while they were gone.
When everything was ready, the kids were loaded into the car. Bianca turned to Susan and smiled.
"Thanks again for watching Max and the house for us."
"You're welcome, but I really should be thanking you. It gets me away from the apartment while Eva's boyfriend is in town. I like them both, but they can be a little much sometimes, especially when they haven't seen each other in a while. It's been over two months since they've seen each other."
Marissa laughed. "Well, enjoy the break then, along with the pool."
"I definitely will! Have a good time."
Bianca nodded. "I'm sure we will, and you'll hear all about it when we get back."
"I look forward to it."
With that, the couple joined their kids in the car, buckled up and headed out.
"First stop, Philadelphia!"
/
For their stay in Philadelphia, Marissa had reserved a suite at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing. The hotel was located in the city's historic district and provided views of both the skyline and waterfront. They pulled up to the hotel a little over an hour after leaving Pine Valley, and a valet sprang into action helping them unload their luggage onto a cart. He agreed to keep their car at the station since the family would be leaving the hotel shortly.
Marissa had somehow arranged for them to have an early check-in so they wouldn't have to worry about their luggage while they explored. After they checked in, the family followed the bell boy up to their suite. This was only a pit stop that had them depositing their luggage along with quick trips for everyone to the restroom and a diaper change for Danny. With all of that accomplished, the Tasker-Montgomery's loaded themselves back into their car and drove to the zoo.
/
While AJ and Miranda were excited about their first stop, Gabby was almost beside herself. She loved animals, and the Pine Valley Zoo was probably her favorite place. The girl couldn't even begin to imagine seeing one that was twice its size, but she was definitely up for the challenge. Once they were parked, the older kids scrambled out of the car and waited for their little brother to be settled into his stroller. After paying, they were given a map that detailed where everything was. Thanks to some online research done in advance of the trip, Marissa and Miranda had found several attractions they knew everyone would enjoy. There was one in particular that they had in mind for Gabby.
"Where are we going first?" Bianca asked.
"There's something called 'Chomper Chums Scavenger Hunt' that we thought would be fun." Miranda said with a smile.
"That does sound like fun. Where do we go?"
Marissa pointed towards a path. "It's that way. We have a little time before it starts so we can see some exhibits on the way."
"Let's go!"
/
AJ handed Gabby the last item on their list for the scavenger hunt, and she ran to turn it in. The zoo worker reviewed the list and nodded.
"You've got everything on the list! Good job! You can pick from one of these prizes." She pointed to a shelf that contained a variety of stuffed animals. While the kids decided which animal to choose, the worker turned to Marissa and Bianca. "If I could have a cellphone number, I'll call you in an hour and let you know if you've won the grand prize."
"Here's my number." Marissa handed the young woman a business card.
"Thank you, and good luck."
"Oh, I hope Gabby wins." Bianca smiled as she watched their three older children peruse the prizes.
"Me too."
Miranda had pulled AJ aside before the scavenger hunt began and explained what the grand prize was. After talking about it and knowing they had activities geared towards them, AJ and Miranda decided that they wouldn't enter the contest. Instead, they would help their little sister. If she ended up winning the grand prize, that would be great. They told their mothers about their plan, and they all decided not to tell Gabby about the big prize. They didn't want to get her hopes up in case she wasn't picked.
"Okay, what's next?" Bianca asked.
"Well, how about we do the Zooballoon?" Marissa looked around, and her family nodded eagerly. "This way then."
/
The Zooballoon was a tethered hot air balloon sponsored by a Philadelphia TV station. It went 400 feet up in the air, and provided views of the Zoo and its various exhibits along with Center City and Fairmount Park. It was pretty amazing, and they all loved it. While up in the air, Bianca glanced at her wife and saw her smile. It was radiant. Marissa was captivated by the view, and this had Bianca make a mental note to look into something when they got back home. The brunette mused that they did have an anniversary coming up, and what she had in mind might be a perfect way to celebrate it.
After the hot air balloon was back on the ground, the family disembarked and headed for the pony rides. Bianca, Marissa and Danny watched as AJ, Miranda and Gabby rode.
"They really are naturals."
Bianca nodded. "Yeah, they are. We really should get to the stables more at home." Hearing her wife sigh, the brunette turned to face her. The scowl on Marissa's told her everything. "It was one time, Rissa, and could happen to anyone. The horse was spooked."
"Well, it didn't happen to anyone else there. I fell off trying to get on the damn horse, right on my butt. Everyone laughed at me. Well, everyone but you."
"You laughed too." Bianca reminded her wife.
Marissa grumbled. "How could I not laugh when the kids were? I didn't want them to feel bad for doing it or be worried about me being hurt when I really wasn't. What made it bad was that complete strangers were laughing, and I was completely embarrassed."
Bianca wrapped an arm around the redhead. "I'm sorry. I wish you would've told me all of this. We don't have to do the stables."
"No, we do. The kids love it and so do you. I don't want you all to stop doing something you love because of me. Besides, Danny can't ride yet, and will need someone with him. So, the two of us will watch the four of you ride."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive." Marissa nodded.
There was something in the way Marissa was eyeing the ponies that told Bianca her wife hadn't completely given up on horses. She knew the redhead and wouldn't be surprised at all if she wasn't riding by the time Danny could sit in a saddle. Yes, her ego was bruised, but she was a fighter and didn't give up easily.
"Okay. We'll see if we can come up with a day."
"Sounds good." Marissa's cellphone rang. It was a number she didn't recognize. "Hello?"
"Yes, is this Marissa Tasker?"
"It is."
"Hi, this is Olivia at Chomper Chums Scavenger Hunt."
"Oh, hi."
"Hi, I wanted to let you know that your daughter Gabby has won our grand prize!"
"She has?! That's wonderful! She'll be so excited." Seeing Bianca's questioning gaze, Marissa informed her wife that their daughter won. The redhead then turned her attention back to the call. "What do you need from us?" Marissa gathered the necessary details from Olivia and disconnected the call.
"So?" Bianca asked.
"We have to back there in three hours."
"Gabby's not going to know what to do with herself. Three hours, huh?"
"Yeah. What are you thinking?"
"I think we should wait to tell her. If we tell her now, she's just going to be focusing on that, and the next three hours are going to drag by for her. It'll feel like an eternity."
"True. Okay. How about we tell her when we head back over there?"
"I like it."
"What do you think we should do next?"
"Why don't we grab something to eat? I'm sure the kids are starving."
Marissa chuckled at her wife's dramatic response. The kids would say that in exactly the same way. "Good idea. I can tell Danny's getting hungry."
"We'll stop at the restroom so they can wash their hands. Then, we'll find someplace to eat. We can figure out where else to go from there."
/
The kids were unanimous in their decision to go to the camel safari after lunch. Three sets of eyes grew wide when they approached the camels. The handlers helped them on and gently led each of them around the pen. Bianca held Danny while Marissa snapped several pictures of them just as Bianca had at the pony rides. They also had taken a lot of pictures from the hot air balloon. When the kids were done with their rides, the family visited several animal exhibits. The favorite had been the giraffes since they were able to feed them as well as see the newest baby giraffe. Marissa checked the time and nodded to Bianca. It was time to head over to the scavenger hunt station for Gabby to claim her grand prize, but first, they had to let her know she had won.
"Gabby."
"Yes, Mommy?"
"Do you remember the scavenger hunt from earlier?" Bianca asked.
"Uh huh, AJ and Mimo helped me win." Gabby smiled at her brother and sister.
"Yes, they did. Because you won, you had a chance to win another prize."
Gabby cocked her head. "Really?"
"Yep. The names of the winners were put into a drawing to see who would win the grand prize. They picked your name."
"Really?!" Gabby started to bounce up and down excitedly. "What did I win, Mommy?!"
"You won a behind the scenes encounter with an animal."
"I did? Which animal?" Gabby was practically vibrating with excitement.
Bianca glanced at Marissa who was smiling and recording the moment.
"A monkey."
Gabby's eyes widened as she squealed. "Really?!"
"Yes, really."
The girl threw her arms around her brunette mother and hugged her tight before looking at her redheaded mother.
"I get to see the monkeys up close, Mommy!"
Marissa laughed and hugged her youngest daughter. "You sure do, Monkey."
"When?!"
"We're on our way over there now."
"We are?! Let's go!" Gabby tugged on Marissa's arm to get her and everyone else moving.
/
Gabby had the time of her life that afternoon. The zoo's handlers were very good with her as well as being fairly surprised by her knowledge and her way with the animals. Some children were a little shy when it came to being up close with the animals, but not Gabby. She walked right up to them with no hesitation. Gabby listened carefully to the handlers and watched closely what they did. When it was time for her to pet one of the baby monkeys, she did exactly what she was told and peppered the handlers with questions which they patiently answered. Gabby then asked if her brother and sister could join her since they were part of the reason she'd won. With permission granted, Miranda and AJ were able to enjoy the experience as well. With Danny settled in his stroller, Bianca and Marissa captured the moment with the redhead on the video camera and the brunette on the digital camera. Gabby looked over and waved at her mothers. Her smile was as bright as the sun, and they had to fight back the tears. Seeing their child so happy meant everything to them.
When the hour was up, the older kids, particularly Gabby, were still hyped up. So, their mothers decided to take things down a notch with a trip to the swan boats. The good thing about this ride was that Danny could go on it as well. Bianca rode with the boys, and Marissa rode with the girls. It was getting late by the time the ride was over, and everyone was getting a little hungry. They had time enough for one more ride though before they left the zoo. It was something that had caught both Marissa's and Miranda's eye when they were doing their research, and they were positive the others would like it. It was the zoo's carousel.
This was no ordinary carousel however. While it was all-wooden and featured animals that were hand-carved and painted by hand, that's where the similarities ended. This one featured endangered species found within the Amazon Rainforest. It had been the first of its kind in the States when it was built and included 30 bird, reptile, mammal and amphibian seats. It also had two spinning snake chariots which immediately caught AJ's attention. Miranda picked a jaguar to ride while Gabby found, of course, a monkey, a tamarin to be exact. Bianca rode in a non-spinning chariot with Danny, and Marissa rode a colorful dart frog. They all had such a good time that they rode it one more time. This time, Marissa rode with Danny so Bianca could ride a giant river otter. AJ picked an anaconda, Miranda an Amazon Pink River Dolphin, and Gabby a marmoset.
/
When they got back to the hotel, they were all starving. It was decided to go someplace close by since they were all a little tired too. The concierge recommended a family-style Italian restaurant just across the street, and they all agreed it sounded perfect. After a wonderful dinner, they headed back to their suite where everyone changed into their bathing suits and headed to the hotel's swimming pool for a bit. It was decided when they returned to their room after their swim that the kids would get their baths that evening to allow them time the next morning. When everyone was bathed, they found a movie on TV that they could all enjoy. Gabby nodded off a little less than halfway through it, and Marissa carried her to bed and tucked her in. About 15 minutes later, AJ and Miranda started nodding off and shuffled off to bed with help from Bianca. When the brunette returned, Marissa had put Danny down in his pack-n-play. It was then that the couple decided to head to bed themselves. It had been a long but fun day, and they knew tomorrow would be the same.
/
The family slept in a little the next morning and had a leisurely breakfast delivered by room service. Once everyone was dressed, they headed out to tackle the next item on their list. Marissa put the address into the SUV's GPS for directions to Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Zach's casino owned a box at the ballpark, and it was usually reserved for high-rollers as one of their many perks. The casino's owners saw the benefit of Philadelphia's close proximity to Pine Valley and had the casino purchase boxes at the larger city's various sports venues. Besides the Phillies, they had boxes for the Eagles, Flyers and 76er's so they were covered no matter what time of year. When he heard about his in-laws' trip, Zach immediately arranged for the box to be reserved for them. There was something else he thought they might be interested in so he checked with Bianca and Marissa before he pursued the idea. Once he had their blessing, he made the necessary arrangements.
This was the family's first trip to the ballpark, and AJ being an avid baseball fan was the most excited. His eyes were wide as he took in everything as they walked through the gates. Bianca found an usher to ask for directions to where they needed to go before turning back to the family. It was time to tell AJ the treat they had in store for him.
"AJ, we have something to tell you."
"What is it, Mom?"
Bianca couldn't help but smile at her son. While the Cincinnati Reds were his favorite team, he also followed the Phillies and was now decked out in a Phillies shirt and baseball cap. He had also insisted on bringing his glove even though the chances of him catching a foul ball were pretty slim given that they would be sitting in a box. The boy brought a baseball as well hoping to get some players' autographs. "When your Uncle Zach heard we were coming here, he made a call to someone he knows that works for the Phillies. You are going to get to go onto the field before the game and stand with one of the players for the National Anthem."
"Seriously?! I can go on the field?!" AJ couldn't believe it and looked back and forth between his mothers for any sign of a joke, even though he didn't think they would joke about something like this.
"Seriously. You get to go on the field."
"This is just like the best thing ever! What do I do? When?"
"Well, we have a little time before it happens. When it's time though, you'll head over to a private elevator where someone will take you to the field. Now, you need an adult to go with you, and we figured that since you and your Ma are the big baseball fans that she should be the one to go with you."
AJ smiled and nodded. Marissa was almost as big of a baseball fan as him and would sit and watch the games with him. She also worked with him on his fielding and hitting. "If that's okay with you?"
"It's perfectly okay with me. She'll wait for you while you're on the field, and then the two of you will join the rest of us in our box where we will be cheering for you."
"Okay. Could we go see if I can get some players to sign my ball?" AJ asked hopefully.
"Of course we can."
"Cool!"
"Who are we playing today, AJ?" Gabby asked. She was dressed in Phillies garb as well. In fact, the whole family was, even Danny. Miranda wore her hair in a ponytail while Gabby had pigtails.
"The Pittsburg Pirates. It's a big rivalry game, Gabs."
The family worked its way to a railing where they watched some of the players warming up. When the players headed back to their respective dugouts, some stopped and signed autographs for the younger fans.
"You want to go look in a gift shop before we head to the field, Buddy?" Marissa asked.
AJ nodded happily. "Mom, will you hold my ball for me? I don't want anything to happen to it."
"Of course. Who all signed it for you?"
"A lot of Pirates players. I got Andrew McCutchen's autograph! He's an All Star outfielder and awesome!" AJ proudly pointed out the signature as he handed Bianca the ball.
"Very cool, Buddy."
The family ducked into a gift shop and picked out something for each of the kids. On their way out, they ran into the Phillie Phanatic, the Phillies mascot, and had their pictures taken with him.
Marissa checked the time. "We need to head down, AJ."
The boy nodded. "I'm ready!"
"Good luck!" Bianca called out before turning to the others. "Let's get to our seats so we can see AJ."
The girls nodded and helped Bianca with their bags while she carried Danny.
A short while later, they were settled in their box and waiting for AJ to be announced.
Marissa was standing next to her son on the field. The redhead could tell AJ was nervous as he played with the ball the team had given him to have his assigned player sign. They had given him a sharpie as well for the player to use. "You got this, AJ."
The boy glanced up at his redheaded mother and grinned when he saw her wink. It gave him the boost of confidence he needed. "I do. I can't believe I'm gonna meet Ryan Howard! He's my favorite Phillie!"
"He's really good. I've got my camera all ready to get your picture with him."
"Cool! Thanks, Ma."
"Any time."
"Okay, kids, it's time to get started." A staff member from the team organized the kids that had been picked for today's pre-game activity.
When AJ's name was announced, he took a deep breath and ran to first base. Marissa started snapping pictures from field level while Bianca was taking them from the box. The brunette made sure to snap one of AJ when he appeared on the jumbotron with his name underneath. His sisters cheered their loudest for him. AJ was beaming when Ryan Howard trotted onto the field next to him. They removed their hats and sang along when the National Anthem played. When it was over, the first baseman signed AJ's baseball and gave him a high-five. AJ wished him a good game before running off the field.
The rest of the game was somewhat of a blur for the boy. He enjoyed the game, but it was nothing compared to meeting actual major league players and getting their autographs.
Bianca glanced at her oldest son and chuckled. The smile had yet to leave AJ's face. "Remind me to thank Zach when we get home."
Marissa nodded as she looked at AJ. "Definitely. I think we need to get him something too." The redhead then turned her attention to the couple's oldest daughter. "Now, it's Miranda's turn."
/
A/N: I just wanted to let you know that I hear your calls for drama, and there will be some very soon. I just have to get myself in that frame of mind for what I have planned because it's a little tricky and could be a trigger. Please be patient. For this chapter, I gathered information on the Philadelphia Zoo from their website and did the same for the Philadelphia Phillies.