A/N: Thanks, as always, for continuing to read review and follow! I appreciate it and all of you. Please read the author's notes at the end of this. There is always a reason why we write them. This chapter picks up after the last one. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
After the game was over, the family returned to the hotel for a short while. AJ put the two autographed baseballs in his suitcase next to his baseball glove for safe keeping. This also allowed everyone else to drop off their souvenirs from the game as well. While the older kids watched TV in their room, Marissa fed Danny. Bianca watched her wife and youngest son and smiled. She always found the scene captivating. When Danny was done eating, Bianca took him to change his diaper while Marissa cleaned up. They then grabbed Danny's stroller, and the whole family headed back out to explore, this time on foot.
It was a short walk of two blocks from the hotel to Franklin Square. Laid out by William Penn as part of Philadelphia's original design, Franklin Square was a public square that had recently undergone renovations to make it more family friendly. The first stop for the family was a round of mini golf which Miranda won with AJ just a stroke behind her in second place. They then walked around and stopped at the park's storytelling bench. A woman dressed in colonial garb related a story from the city's rich history which had the kids captivated. When the story was over, Gabby saw the park's carousel and asked if they could go for a ride on it. Seeing that AJ and Miranda wanted to ride it as well, the mothers agreed. This one featured racehorse heroes such as previous winners of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and Belmont Stakes. It was time for dinner after the carousel, and they stopped to grabbed cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes at a burger shack in the park. Because it was vacation, they relaxed their normal dinner menu somewhat. Bianca and Marissa informed the kids however that they would be eating healthier when they got back home.
When they were finished with dinner, the family walked over to see 'Liberty 360' at the PECO Theater. 'Liberty 360' was a 3-D, 360 degree adventure that was hosted by a digitized version of Benjamin Franklin. With their 3-D glasses on, it looked the images were floating on the panoramic screen. The show gave them a brief history of the city as well as the founding of the country. AJ, Miranda and Gabby had seen movies in 3-D before, but this was definitely something different for them because they were surrounded by the images, and they really liked it. It was starting to get dark by the time the show was over so they walked back over to Franklin Park to see the fountain lit up before heading back to the hotel. On their way, they stopped at a place next to the hotel for some gelato.
/
The next day was all about Miranda. On the agenda were visits to several of the city's and country's most historical sites. The first stop was the Betsy Ross House. It was the home of the woman credited with sewing the first American flag. They visited the room where Betsy Ross sewed the first flag, and they learned flags weren't the only thing she made when they saw the home's basement. It turns out that she also made musket cartridges for the Continental Army. After Betsy Ross's house, they stopped at the Christ Church Burial Ground. This was a small cemetery near the Independence Visitor Center and the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin, his wife Deborah Franklin and other early leaders of the country. It was easy enough to find the Franklins' graves.
"Why are there pennies on his grave, Ma?" Miranda asked.
"Well, it's two-fold. People leave a penny for good luck."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think that is tied to the other reason. Have you ever heard the saying 'a penny saved is a penny earned'?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, Ben Franklin is the person who is known for saying it. Leaving a penny is kind of a nod to him, a small way of honoring him."
Miranda nodded in understanding. "Oh okay, I think I get it. Could we leave a penny for him?"
"Sure." Marissa reached into her wallet and was able to find six pennies, one for each family member. She handed them out, and they all left one with Bianca placing one for Danny.
/
The next stop was The Liberty Bell. As the family waited in line to see this well-known symbol of liberty, they viewed several related exhibits. Marissa also explained some of the history behind the famous bell.
"This was originally known as 'the statehouse bell', and it's actually the second bell that was made." Seeing the confused looks on the kids' faces, the redhead continued. "The first bell was ordered by the speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1751 from the Whitechapel Foundry in London. The story goes that that bell cracked on its first test run. John Pass and John Snow were local metalworkers here in Philadelphia, and they melted down that bell and cast a new one here. You'll see their names on the Liberty Bell. The bell was used to call lawmakers to meetings as well as the local townspeople to hear the reading of the news. This was a long time before there were radios or televisions."
"When did this one crack?" AJ asked.
"It's said to have cracked in the early 1840's. In 1846, they decided to repair it to celebrate George Washington's birthday. Originally, it was a very thin crack. Now, when they were repairing that original crack, the workers used a technique to actually widen the crack to stop it from cracking more and to restore the tone of the bell."
"It didn't work so well, did it?" Bianca smirked.
Marissa chuckled "No, it didn't. The bell hasn't rung since."
By this time, they were at the bell and stood in awe of it.
"It's huge." AJ commented.
Looking at the informational pamphlet they were given, Marissa was able to provide some more information. "It says here that it weighed 2,080 pounds at order. Do you see that wooden piece there? That is the bell's yoke, and it's made of American elm. There are rumors that it's the original yoke, but they can't prove it for sure."
Miranda pointed to an inscription on the bell above the names of John Pass and John Snow. "What's that say, Ma?"
Marissa squinted to read it. "It's a bible verse from the old testament, Leviticus 25:10. It says, 'Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof'. Kind of fits, don't you think?"
"Yeah, it does." Miranda nodded. "Was it always called the Liberty Bell? I saw something that said it wasn't."
"You're right. It wasn't really known as the Liberty Bell until the 1830's. Abolitionists who were fighting to end slavery started calling it that and adopted it as a symbol for their cause." Marissa checked the time. "It's time for Miranda and me to get over to Independence Hall."
"They're not going with us?"
Bianca smiled. She knew the surprise that had been planned for their oldest daughter. "Not yet. We're going to meet the two of you over there in a little while. We'll see you soon though."
Miranda was a little confused but decided to go along with whatever was going on. Marissa held out her hand which the girl happily took
/
"Ma?"
"Yes, Mimo."
"What are we doing?" Miranda asked as she saw her redheaded mother pull out what looked like two tickets as they approached a side entrance.
"Do you remember Claudia's husband Rob?"
"Yeah, he teaches history."
"Yes, he's a professor of history at PVU. Now, Independence Hall is a National Historical Park and is run by the National Park Service. Park rangers, like the ones over by the Liberty Bell, give the tours and answer visitors' questions. I told Claudia about our trip, and she mentioned it to Rob. He remembered how much you liked history so he called a good friend of his who happens to be the supervisor of the park rangers that work here. She agreed to give you a private tour."
"Really?! A private tour?" Miranda wasn't sure she heard her right.
"Yep. What do you think?"
Miranda was speechless and her eyes glistened with happy tears. This was pretty much a dream come true for her. Unable to speak, the girl did the only think she could think of, she lunged forward and hugged Marissa with everything she had.
"Thank you, Ma." Miranda choked out a whisper.
Marissa kissed the top of her daughter's head and squeezed her tight. "You are more than welcome. Your Mom and I think you deserve this. You are a very special young woman and are so very precious to us, Miranda. That's something we want you to know and to never forget. We love you and are so proud of you. Okay?"
Miranda nodded, her head still buried in the redhead's chest. "Okay. I love you and Mom too."
The redhead took a shaky breath and collected herself. "We know. All right. Let's get this tour started."
Marissa, with Miranda clutching her hand, walked to a park ranger. "Hello. I'm Marissa Tasker-Montgomery, and this is my daughter Miranda. We're here to see Ranger Michelle Grissom."
"Ah, Mrs. Tasker-Montgomery, hello. Ranger Grissom is expecting you. If you'll just follow me."
/
The mother and daughter were led to a tall blonde woman dressed in a ranger uniform.
"Hey, Michelle. The Tasker-Montgomerys are here."
The woman turned and smiled. "Thanks, Stu. Marissa and Miranda, right? I'm Michelle."
Marissa shook the ranger's hand. "Hi, Michelle. Thank you so much for doing this."
"Hi." Miranda said shyly.
Michelle shook Miranda's hand. "Hi. You're welcome. I'm happy to do it. Rob told me that Miranda is a big fan of history and gave him a run for his money in that trivia game. When I heard that, I pretty much had to meet her. Plus, I really do enjoy teaching our visitors, especially our younger ones, about the history of this place. So, Miranda, are you ready to explore?"
Miranda nodded eagerly. "Yes, please."
"Follow me."
/
Michelle escorted the mother and daughter through some of the smaller chambers first. She always started her tours out with these because she liked saving what she personally thought was the best for last.
"Do you have any idea of what you want to do when you're older, Miranda? I know you have a few years to decide, but have you given it any thought?"
"Yes, I know exactly what I want to do. I want to be a lawyer like my Ma." Miranda stated proudly.
Marissa winked at her daughter and squeezed her hand.
"Really? That's pretty impressive. Given that, I think you might like our next few stops."
The trio walked into another room. "This is the Governor's Council Chamber. In the 18th Century, the state's Supreme Executive Council met in here. This room was also used as a U.S. District Court. In the 1850's, they held trials for fugitive slaves here."
After a few questions from Miranda, they moved on.
"This is the Courtroom of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The state's Supreme Court met here in the 1700's. King George III's coat of arms used to hang right over there. That changed July 8, 1776. Pennsylvania militiamen were feeling defiant so they stormed the courtroom and tore it down."
"I never heard of that." Miranda said.
Marissa shook her head. "Neither have I."
"So, are you ready for our last stop?"
Miranda nodded with a smile. She knew what room was next. "Yep, I am!"
"Let's go see my favorite room then." Michelle smiled.
/
Marissa could feel the history when they walked into the room, and memories of her trip here with her parents immediately came to mind.
"This is the Assembly Room, and it's been restored to look like it did in the 18th century. The Pennsylvania legislature used to meet here and loaned it to the members of the Second Continental Congress for their meetings. This is where they approved George Washington's nomination as commander in chief of the army. They also voted to create the Marine Corp. Have you heard of the Olive Branch Petition?"
Miranda thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No, it's doesn't sound familiar."
"The members of the congress were still hoping for peace so drafted that petition. It was pretty much what the title said, an olive branch, but they never heard back from King George III. Do you know what else was done here?"
A smile spread across Miranda's face. "This is where they voted in favor of independence and signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution."
Michelle smiled. "Exactly. Follow me." The ranger opened a gate along the wooden railing that separated visitors from the seats and desks on the other side. "This is the desk where they signed those documents."
"Wow."
"And this chair is called the 'Rising Sun Chair'. You can see a sun carved into it right here. They held the Constitutional Convention here, and while they were debating it, George Washington sat right here while he presided over everything."
Seeing the ranger nod, Miranda reverently traced the outline of the sun as she had with the desk. The girl glanced around the room in awe. Marissa remembered feeling the same way when she first visited here, and she actually still felt that same sense of awe standing there all these years later.
Michelle let both mother and daughter soak everything in for a few minutes.
"Ms. Grissom?"
"You can call me Michelle."
"Thanks! Could I have my picture taken with you, Michelle?" Miranda asked the ranger.
"You want a picture with me? Um, yeah, I'd be happy to."
Marissa, who had been taking pictures throughout their tour, took one of them by the rising sun chair.
"How about I take one of the two of you?"
"Yes, please." Miranda nodded.
"Thank you. That would be wonderful." Marissa handed the camera to Michelle and put an arm around a beaming Miranda.
As she walked them out, Michelle asked Marissa a question. "If it's not a problem, would you mind sending me a copy of that picture of Miranda and me?"
"Of course. It's no problem at all."
"Great! Thank you." Michelle pulled out a business card and passed it to the redhead. "I have to tell you that in all the years I've been doing this, I don't know that I've ever had a visitor as inquisitive as her. She really kept me on my toes."
Marissa chuckled. "Tell me something I don't know. She does that to Bianca and me all the time."
Michelle smiled and then turned to the girl with her hand out. "Miranda, it was a real pleasure meeting you. I have a feeling you're going to do great things."
Miranda shook the ranger's hand. "Thank you. It was nice meeting you too. I had a really good time."
"Thank you, Michelle, for everything." Marissa shook the other woman's hand. "You made this very special."
"It was my pleasure. I hope you and your family enjoy the rest of your visit here."
/
When the mother and daughter walked outside, Miranda turned and hugged Marissa tightly. "Thanks, Ma! That was awesome! I mean it was really the best thing ever!"
"You're welcome, Mimo. I'm glad you had a good time. I had a pretty good time too."
"Hey, you two."
Miranda glanced up and saw Bianca, her sister and brothers. "Mom!" The girl raced over and hugged her.
"Did you have a good time?"
"It was the best! I gotta touch the chair that George Washington sat in and the desk where they signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution!"
"Wow! That's pretty impressive."
"Michelle was great."
"Oh, she's Rob friend, right?"
"Uh huh, and she's really nice and smart."
"Good."
"So, did you guys have fun?" Marissa asked their other family members.
"Yep!" Gabby nodded.
Marissa laughed. "I'm glad. Do you have the tickets for your tour?"
Bianca nodded. "Yes, and we should probably get in line."
"Okay. Miranda and I will take Danny and go over to the park. Just give us a call when you're done, and we'll figure out our next adventure."
"Sounds good." Bianca gave her wife a quick kiss before getting in line with AJ and Gabby.
/
The family finished the day together with a little more sightseeing. While Miranda enjoyed it, the other attractions couldn't hold a candle to her private tour of Independence Hall. After dinner and a little swimming, the family watched a movie in their room and turned in early. They left Philadelphia the next morning and headed to Gettysburg.
After they checked into their new hotel, the family grabbed some lunch and then did a self-guided walking tour of the town. Using a map and brochure they had picked up, the family learned how the battle that taken place there affected the town as well as the people who lived there. Marissa pointed out holes that had been left in some of the buildings by bullets and cannonballs that had been fired as the battle had waged for those three days in July of 1863. She explained how the battle of Gettysburg had been a turning point in the Civil War. Confederate troops never regained the momentum that had led to that incursion and were never able to invade that far north again.
They also toured the battlefield itself as part of a guided tour. It felt like they were walking on hallowed ground knowing what had occurred there. An estimated 40,000 – 50,000 soldiers were reported killed, wounded, captured or missing over those three days. The guide pointed out various locations where the battle raged: Little Round Top, The Wheatfield, Devil's Den, The Peach Orchard, Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. He described Pickett's Charge and how nearly 13,000 Confederate troops stormed Cemetery Ridge, the center of the Union's line, only to be repelled at a great loss, and led to the Confederates' retreat. The locations of where the leaders on both sides planned their strategy were pointed out, and the tour allowed them to see the cannons that were on the battlefield as well. They then visited the Soldiers' National Cemetery that had been dedicated in November of 1863 and the monuments to those who fought and lost their lives there. Finally, they were led to where President Abraham Lincoln delivered what would become known as The Gettysburg Address. There had been numerous speeches the day of the cemetery's dedication, some lasting two hours, but none were more powerful or moving than those two minutes President Lincoln spoke.
It was definitely a memorable tour for all of them.
/
The next day was dedicated to something lighter, something adventurous, something tasty. The family loaded up the SUV and headed to the city of Hershey, specifically Hersheypark and Hershey's Chocolate World. After checking into their hotel, they hit the amusement park first. Hersheypark had a number of rides the kids could go on themselves which allowed Bianca, Marissa and Danny to simply watch them and snap some pictures as well. The mothers took turns riding the bigger rides such as the roller coasters with their older children. Besides another carousel, the entire family was also able to ride the ferris wheel.
After a few hours of rides, the Tasker-Montgomery's visited Hershey's Chocolate World. They took the Chocolate Tour, created their own candy bar, did a chocolate tasting (Bianca's favorite activity that day), and posed for a picture that they used to create a wrapper that was put on several candy bars along with a couple of bottles of Hershey's Syrup. Their trip ended in the Chocolate World store. The kids were allowed to pick out a little candy as well as another souvenir. Their mothers showed restraint as well when picking out candy bars for themselves, although Marissa managed to sneak some extra chocolate into their final purchase as a surprise for Bianca.
The Tasker-Montgomery's returned home the next day, tired but happy. They had packed a great deal of activity into less than a handful of days, but each one of them had memories that would last them a lifetime.
/
Two weeks later
Marissa headed into a conference room to take the deposition of a client's soon-to-be ex-wife. The woman was being particularly nasty and trying to make his life a living hell as much as she possibly could which also kept Marissa extremely busy stopping her from accomplishing that particular goal. The redhead was just about to open the door when Ellie ran up to stop her.
"Marissa." Ellie tried to catch her breath, and the redhead could tell immediately that something had happened.
"What's up, Ellie?"
"You had a call on your cellphone."
Marissa usually left her cellphone with her secretary when she was in the office and headed into a meeting or deposition that required her undivided attention. The redhead had given Ellie permission to answer it in her absence in case an emergency came up with Bianca or the kids.
"It was the school."
/
"Come in." Bianca called out from behind her desk when she heard the knock on her office door. Normally, she didn't like to be interrupted when she was with a potential donor, but the man sitting across from her on the other side of the desk was starting to get on her last nerve.
Jan popped her head inside and motioned for her boss. Like Marissa, Bianca left her cellphone with Jan when she was in a meeting in which she didn't want to be disturbed. "I need to speak with you, privately."
"If you'll excuse me for just a minute, Jonathan." Bianca walked over to her assistant knowing something was not right. "What's wrong, Jan?"
"The school called."
/
A/N: Some of the information above concerning the sites the family visited came from the National Park Service website and memories from my own visit. It's doubtful that Miranda would be given the access she was here, but I thought she deserved it. The story regarding the pennies and Ben Franklin's grave is true. When I was there, I was surprised to see the pennies on his grave but figured it was meant to honor him somehow which I later found out to be true. A quick story for you on that. The cemetery is in the city. There is a fence around to separate it from the sidewalk. As I was standing there, I saw a man reach through the fence, take pennies off of the grave and give them to his kids to put back on. I have to tell you that I was pretty shocked and thought it was disrespectful. I'm glad they put the pennies back on, but come on. That just seemed so wrong to me and set the wrong kind of example for his kids. I did enjoy that trip though and seeing where history had been made. It really was inspiring.
I'm going to leave this here with a warning that I will also put at the beginning of the next chapter when I post it. This is an idea I've had for some time now but have been hesitant to write. It came to me towards the end of last year, but I was waiting for the right time, a calmer time for it. I thought it was now. However, events that happened earlier this week in Oregon showed me there doesn't seem to be a right or calm time for it on the horizon unfortunately. The next chapter could be a trigger for some, and that's why I want to warn you now. It's not a subject I broach lightly. Again, I've thought about this for almost a year. I've also reached out to some of you about whether or not I should write it. Without giving too much away, there will be an incident at the school. I'm going to ask you to trust me on this though, like you never have before. I want to warn you now so you can think about it and skip the next chapter if you need to. I understand, and I hope that if you do skip it that you'll be back the following chapter. At the end of the next chapter, I will explain why it came to mind. Basically, it's based on something that happened to me. Again, please know that I don't take this subject lightly and please trust me. See you soon.