A/N: Thanks as always for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it and all of you for continuing to stick with this story which is fast approaching its 5th anniversary! That is really hard for me to fathom. I'm sorry for not posting last week. I had some household emergencies pop up which required my attention and prevented me from finishing up this chapter and meeting my regular posting schedule. On the flip side, once I could resume writing, I was able to make this chapter a little longer than recent ones. One last thing, I'm getting ready to go on vacation so I'm not sure if I'll be able to post next week. I just wanted to give all of you a heads up. Now, back to the story. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!
To all of my readers in the States, Happy 4th of July!
/
Bianca was midway through giving the server her order when she suddenly stopped. Marissa followed her wife's gaze and knew in an instant who the person was who had garnered Bianca's attention.
"Sarah."
All eyes of those in their party turned as one and saw an extremely nervous blonde standing just inside the restaurant's doors.
Bianca started to get up but was stopped when Marissa placed her hand on one of the brunette's arms.
"I got this."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Do you trust me?"
"Always."
Marissa gave Bianca a quick kiss before she got up and made her way over to the blonde.
"My money's on Red."
Jo glanced at Kendall. "If you think I'm going to bet against Marissa, you're nuts."
Bianca quickly finished placing her order as well as Marissa's. When she was done, she noticed Miranda shooting the patented Kane death glare in Sarah's direction. "Miranda, what are you doing?"
Miranda looked at her mother. "I know what she did in New York."
"How did you …" Bianca glanced around the table and saw the others looking anywhere but at her. "Hmm, no need to answer that question. Mimo, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you're looking out for us, but your Ma will take care of this, okay? We're going to talk more later."
"Okay." Miranda toned down her glare but still kept an eye on her Ma and the other woman.
Miranda wasn't the only one keeping her eye on Marissa and Sarah. Bianca and Erica were keeping a watchful eye on the pair as well.
Greenlee and Kendall, who were seated next to each other, barely managed to stifle their laughter. Miranda was definitely a chip off the block. Kendall glanced around the table and nudged Greenlee. Jo, Jessica, AJ, and Gabby were very interested in what was going on as well. Greenlee nodded her head over towards the counter where two others were also observing the proceedings, Krystal and Opal. It seemed that the Dynamic Duo were not alone in their interest, and this was something they really weren't surprised about. Kendall and Greenlee shared a knowing smile and turned their attention back to Marissa and Sarah.
/
For her part, Sarah felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming, speeding car. She was completely frozen in place as a redheaded woman walked in her direction. Sarah may not have met the woman before, but she knew exactly who she was. Her picture was on the Miranda Center's website. If that wasn't enough, she had also seen Marissa's picture on the news that morning. She had caught the interview with Tammy as it was broadcast live. After the mother and daughter confronted the other woman about the truthfulness of her story and were then interviewed to clear things up, the news station had found a picture of Marissa in their archives and had shown it on a subsequent airing of the events. Sarah had to admit that she was impressed by what she had heard. Now seeing the redhead in the flesh with a determined smile, the blonde also had to admit that she was more than a little intimidated. Sarah was a little disconcerted as well by a young brunette girl glaring at her. The girl was the spitting image of Bianca, and Sarah knew it was her oldest daughter and the Center's namesake.
Sarah quickly noted a whole slew of other people of watching her, chiefly among them were Bianca and Erica. She remembered the diva from years earlier. The blonde would be forever grateful to Erica for helping to move the healing process between Sarah and her mother forward. Somehow, Erica was able to get through to Sarah's mother when no one else could, and it was that assistance that helped save Sarah's life.
Marissa stopped in front of the blonde and extended her right hand. "Hi, you must be Sarah Livingston. I'm Marissa Tasker-Montgomery, Bianca's wife."
"Uh … oh, yes, I am. It's nice to meet you, Marissa." Sarah shook the other woman's hand. She couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by the redhead's straight-forward approach.
Marissa glanced over her shoulder and saw all of the eyes on them as they strained to hear what was being said. She shook her head in amusement and turned back to the still stunned blonde. "Why don't we go over to the table over there to talk for a few minutes?"
What Marissa had said may have been phrased as a question, but Sarah knew it really wasn't one. She also knew that there was really no way to avoid this conversation. So, Sarah simply nodded and followed.
/
"It looks like Red has things under control." Kendall whispered.
Jo nodded. "Yeah, she does. Do you see that smile? I've seen it many times before while we were growing up. That's something Marissa picked up from her parents. It's not a real smile. Looks like one, but it's not. When you're on the receiving end of that smile, that's when you really should be worried."
"That's good to know. I've seen something similar from her before, not directed towards me mind you."
"Are we taking bets as to what Rocky's saying?" Greenlee asked with a knowing grin.
Kendall and Jo glanced at each other and shook their heads. "Nope."
/
"Could I just first say that I'm really glad you're okay, and I'm really sorry for my actions?"
"Thank you. I'd like to thank you for helping Bianca get home last night. I'm glad she didn't have to worry about figuring all of that out. She had a lot on her mind."
"You don't need to thank me. I was glad I could do something for her. We both know I'm part of the reason she had so much on her mind."
Marissa thought for a moment before speaking again. She knew a number of people were watching her and Sarah intently. Out of them were the ones she cared for and loved more than her own life, her wife and children. Marissa took a deep breath and continued. "You're right, you are. I could sugarcoat it for you and tell you otherwise, but I'm not going to do that because we both know that I would be lying. Now, I'm not saying that you're responsible for what happened at the courthouse. You're simply not. That blame belongs to the man who brought a gun in there. It also belongs to the woman who helped do this to me." Marissa lifted her casted arm slightly.
"How are you doing with that? I saw the news earlier."
"I'm okay. I have to have this cast on for a few weeks, but other than that, I'm okay. I also know I'm very lucky. It could have turned out a lot worse. So while you're not responsible that a gunman came to the courthouse or my being injured, you are responsible for what you did in New York. Your actions directly affected Bianca. They played a part in some of what she went through last night, and what you did hurt her. She's had a lot of people do that over the years, more than you know. You're one of those people that hurt her before."
"She told you about when we were younger." It really wasn't a question. Sarah knew the answer. Bianca was nothing if not honest.
"Yeah, she did. I can tell you're not really surprised by that though."
"No, I'm not, and you're right, I did hurt her. I … I wasn't strong enough to fight for her, for us. Not being strong enough was kind of the story of my life back then. It's something that almost killed me."
"Bianca said you had relapsed when you ran away here. How are you now?" To Marissa, the blonde looked a little on the thin side. Marissa and Bianca had talked at length about the brunette's struggle with anorexia when she was younger. While she had recovered, it was something that Bianca knew would always haunt her to some degree so she took extra care not to go down that rabbit hole again, and Marissa was mindful of it as well. The redhead did everything she could to help her wife because not only did she love her but she also thought Bianca was beautiful no matter what she weighed.
"I'm … I'm okay. I have good and bad days, but I talk to someone when I'm having a bad day. That really helps. I … I don't want to do that to myself again."
"I'm glad to hear that. It's good that you have someone to talk you through it when things get rough."
/
"Sarah looks thin." Bianca said absently.
Erica quickly glanced over at the blonde. "Do you think she's not eating again?"
"I don't know. We really didn't get the chance to eat dinner last night. We had just ordered at the restaurant when I found out about what was happening back here, and my focus completely shifted to finding out whether or not Rissa was okay and getting back home. I think I saw her eating a little something on the plane. So maybe she is eating, but it's just not a lot."
"And that worries you." It wasn't a question. Erica knew her daughter. Truth be told, it worried the diva as well.
/
Sarah couldn't hide her surprise at what Marissa had said. "You … you are?"
"Of course I am. While I don't like what you did, it doesn't mean that I hate you, and it certainly doesn't mean that I want you to hurt yourself."
The blonde sat back and studied Marissa for a moment. "Hmm, I see it."
"See what?"
"Why Bianca is crazy about you. Why I never stood a chance with her. Why nobody else ever will too. The two of you share the same heart, the same goodness. I'll be honest with you. I was half expecting you to ask me to step outside and then proceed to kick my ass. Instead, you calmly walked over, introduced yourself, sat down to talk to me, and then told me that you don't want me to hurt myself. There's only one other person I know who would ever do that, and that's Bianca."
"I won't argue with you about Bianca having the kindest heart because she simply does. Me on the other hand? I'm not as nice or as forgiving as my wife. I'm more willing to get my hands dirty if and when it's needed."
Sarah nodded. She believed it. The redhead struck her as more of a scrapper than Bianca. That wasn't to say that Bianca was some shrinking violet and not willing to fight when called upon. Sarah knew otherwise. Bianca was tough, a lot tougher than people thought. Marissa was different though. She seemed to be more of a fighter by nature, someone you really didn't want to be on the bad side of, and Sarah knew she was extremely close to being on that side. "I have no doubt about that."
Marissa raised an eyebrow. "So, you thought you had a chance with Bianca?"
"You caught that, huh?"
"I did."
"Maybe briefly. You should know that she shut me down right away." Sarah couldn't quite figure out what the expression on Marissa's face meant. She looked like she was somewhat amused by her admission. There wasn't a cockiness about it though, just confidence. "Why do I feel like you already know about it though?"
"Because I do. Bianca told me everything that happened."
"Of course she did."
"While I don't know you, I do know Bianca, and I trust her implicitly. She has never done anything to make me doubt her, just as I haven't done anything to make her doubt me. Trust has to go both ways, and you need it in order for a relationship to work. I know Bianca isn't perfect. Let's face it, it would be pretty boring if she was, and Bianca is anything but boring. She is wonderfully human, and has faults and flaws just like all of us. We've been through a lot to get to where we are right now. It's a pretty good place, and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect my wife and children, our family. They are my everything. Do we understand each other?" Marissa never raised her voice and kept her tone even, but there was an edge to it. Her eyes never left Sarah's, and there was no mistaking that she meant every word she said.
Sarah cleared her throat and squirmed under the intensity of the redhead's gaze. The point Marissa wanted to make was coming through loud and clear.
/
"Okay, Marissa just made it clear that she means business."
Jessica nodded at her daughter's comment. She had seen that look before. It was one that Roy and Lydia had given others before, especially when someone messed with their daughter. Thankfully, it was never directed at Jessica. Over the years that she knew Marissa, she found that the redhead not only perfected her parents' glares, but she had added her own twist which served to amp up the effects of it. "Yes, she did."
Erica studied her daughter-in-law and had to admit that she was impressed. It was clear to her, and everyone else for that matter, that Marissa was in firm control of the situation. The diva also had to admit that Marissa's glare was rather impressive.
For her part, Bianca was proud of her wife. She wasn't losing her temper, not that the brunette thought that she would, and it actually appeared that she was being respectful of Sarah to a degree. Bianca had a feeling that Marissa was doing this not only for her benefit but also for that of their children. The brunette shook her head, amazed that her wife, as usual, was thinking of family first instead of any desire for revenge. Bianca also had to admit that she understood what her wife always said about the Kane death glare because Marissa looked pretty hot flashing the Tasker death glare.
/
"We do."
"Good. Could I ask you something?"
Sarah nodded. "Go ahead. The least I can do is answer your questions."
"Thank you. Why did you do it? Why answer Bianca's phone and not tell her about until later? While we're at it, why ask her for another chance? You knew she was married and had children. I know this because it's on the Center's website, and to track her down at the New York branch, you had to go to the site to find that address. There's also the fact that she told you."
The blonde winced. "Yeah, I did. It really wasn't one of my finer moments, and I'm not proud of what I did. Why did I do it? I've been asking myself that question ever since I picked up her phone. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am about what I did. Not only to Bianca but to you too. I owe you both an apology and can only hope that both of you will be able to forgive me one day. Why did I do it?" Sarah paused as she tried to find the right words. "When I saw Bianca on the street, everything just came rushing back. Everything that we had been through, all of those feelings. The regrets I had for everything that I put her through back then, for everything I lost because I wasn't strong enough to fight, to stand up for myself, to admit who I was. I blew it. Let's face it, Bianca is a hard woman to forget and even a harder one to get over. Seeing her, it felt like maybe it was a sign of some sort, like maybe I had a chance. Listening to her though, I knew I didn't. I knew I was wrong as soon as I answered her phone. When I found out about what was going on, I can't even begin to tell you how horrible I felt. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if something had happened to you and she never got to talk with you again. I'll never be able to apologize enough to you and Bianca, but please know that I am truly sorry."
Marissa could see how remorseful Sarah was. "When you found out what was going on, you helped her get home."
"It was the very least I could do. I had to do something to make up for being a selfish idiot earlier. I couldn't stand to see her like that. She was scared and needed to get back here to you and to see for herself that you were okay."
"I do appreciate it, and it does help offset the phone call."
"I'm glad. So, you're going to be okay?"
"Yeah, I really am."
"Could I ask you something?"
Marissa shrugged. "Sure. Whether I choose to answer though …"
Sarah smiled. "I got it. What's with that woman who was being interviewed and lied about everything?"
"Ah, her name is Tammy. She started off not liking Bianca."
"She didn't like Bianca? How is that even possible?"
/
"Okay, I have to admit that I'm confused. Why is Marissa laughing?" Greenlee asked. She had been keeping a pretty steady eye on the two women across the room.
Kendall was equally confused. "I don't really know. Binx?"
Bianca shook her head. She wasn't sure, but she did have an idea what was behind her wife's behavior. She and Marissa had discussed the previous day's events fully. While Bianca had been furious about what Sarah had done, she had calmed down considerably and was thinking more rationally than she had been the night before and even earlier that morning. Marissa was being calm and collected, and she was setting a damn good example for the kids. Bianca was so proud of her right now. She had been equally proud of Marissa earlier at the police station. When Jesse was questioning her wife, the redhead hadn't lost her temper over what Tammy had done, and she had honestly explained everything that had happened at the courthouse to the police chief. Her statement lined up exactly with what the others, with the exception of Tammy, had told Jesse. The couple had even managed to see Ruth and Lauren while they were at the station. Grateful hugs were exchanged between Marissa and the mother and daughter, and Ruth couldn't say enough good things to Bianca about how brave the redhead had been. For her part, Bianca thanked them for coming forward and setting the record straight about what had happened.
"Binx?"
"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else. I'm not really sure. If I had to guess, Rissa must be satisfied with whatever Sarah told her. That's not to say that they're going to be best friends or anything like that, but I think they can at least get along."
Miranda looked at Bianca. "You really think so, Mom, after everything she did?"
"You're friends with Amber now, aren't you?"
The girl thought for a minute. Amber had said some things that were really hurtful at one point, but she had apologized. Miranda knew she meant it too, and now, they were really good friends. She also knew that her mothers were just as smart as they were kind. Her Ma wouldn't just sit by and not do anything if there was a threat to their family. Miranda could see what her Mom was saying without really saying it. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Bianca winked at her oldest daughter and gave her a quick hug.
/
Marissa chuckled. "If you stop and think about it, you'll be able to figure out the one thing about Bianca that some people would have a problem with."
Sarah thought for a moment before it came to her. "You've got to be kidding me. She has a problem with Bianca being gay."
"Yep. It's a long story. Suffice it to say that neither Bianca nor I are Tammy's favorite people, she never fails to tell us that whenever we see her. We're also to blame for everything bad that's happened to her. Am I surprised by what she did when she shoved me? Not really. I think I am a little surprised that she blatantly lied on live TV and to the police. That wasn't smart at all, and I'm really not sure what she was thinking."
"Wouldn't she have been better off by just being honest or not saying anything at all?"
"Yeah, but some people can't stop themselves. They can't admit when they've done something wrong and take responsibility for their actions. Tammy is one of those people. This time, I think she just might have gotten herself in too deep. Time will tell though."
"Marissa, I can't tell you how good it is to see you."
The redhead glanced up and smiled. "Jordan, it's good to see you too."
"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?"
"I think we were just finishing up."
The blonde nodded. "We were."
"Jordan, this is Sarah Livingston. Sarah, Jordan Romero. Sarah is an old friend of Bianca's. Jordan is a friend of mine and one of the lawyers who was at the courthouse yesterday."
"I'm glad to see that you're okay."
"Thanks."
Sarah turned to Marissa. "I'm going to place an order to go. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm not sure how long you were planning on sticking around Pine Valley, but don't leave without talking to Bianca."
"I won't. I need to tell her some of what I told you. I owe it to her. It really was nice meeting you, Marissa." Sarah extended her hand.
"You too, Sarah." Marissa shook the blonde's hand before Sarah walked over to the counter. The redhead nodded to Opal and Krystal, who gave her questioning looks, to let them know that everything was okay.
Sarah was relieved that Marissa hadn't invited her to join the large group for lunch because it would have been extremely awkward to say the very least. She knew Bianca would be polite even if she was still mad at her. The others however? Sarah wasn't so sure about. She wanted to avoid a conflict at that time if at all possible.
/
Marissa turned back to Jordan. "Come on over to the table and join us. Bianca wants to thank you."
"For what?"
"Sofia told me what you said, and I told Bianca. So, thank you. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome, but there really isn't any need to thank me. I didn't say anything that I didn't mean."
"I know, and that's why I like you so much. Now, you have to come over, or I'll get in trouble with Bianca."
Jordan laughed. "We can't have that now, can we?"
"Nope. I'm guessing you caught the news earlier and saw your client."
"Former client, and yes, I did. I already called Tammy and told her to look for other representation. I also informed the judge's clerk that I was no longer representing Mrs. Baldwin. Sofia knows too."
"How did Tammy take it?"
"Oh, about as well as you would think. I might have replaced you as one of her favorite people. If not, I'm right up there next to you."
Marissa laughed. "Lucky you, and welcome to the club! It seems to get bigger every day."
"Thanks. I feel like I'm in good company. I learned some new words while she was screaming at me. Let me tell you, my dad would not be happy about what she said to me."
"Yeah, I don't think the good reverend would appreciate anyone talking to his little girl like that."
"Very true. I tell you that woman would test the patience of a saint. I'm glad I'm done with her. She can be somebody else's headache now." Jordan glanced at the cast on Marissa's arm. When she had spoken to Sofia earlier, the other lawyer had given her an update on Marissa. "Sofia told me about your wrist. I can't tell you how sorry I am."
Marissa shook her head. "It's not your fault. You didn't do this, and you're definitely not responsible for Tammy's actions."
"You going to press charges?"
"No, it would be too hard to prove that she intentionally hurt me at the time and didn't do it as a result of being scared by the surrounding events."
Jordan sighed. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking. So, green?"
"Bianca thinks that when Red is wearing green that it brings out the green in her eyes." Kendall smirked as the two lawyers joined the group.
"She does, huh?" Jordan couldn't help but smile.
For her part, Bianca merely shrugged. "It does."
"Bianca, do you remember Jordan?" Marissa asked her wife.
"I do. It's nice to see you again. Thank you for helping Marissa out yesterday. I can't tell you how grateful I am."
"You're welcome." Jordan knew better than to argue with Bianca. "It's nothing she wouldn't do for me."
Marissa simply smiled. "Jordan, my family. I believe you know some of them. Family, Jordan Romero."
"Aren't you Tammy Baldwin's lawyer?" Greenlee asked.
"Ex-lawyer. With everything that happened, there's no way I could, in good conscience, represent her any longer."
Bianca whispered to her wife. "Is everything okay?"
Marissa nodded. She knew her wife was referring to the conversation she had just had with Sarah. "Yep. I made my point. I'll tell you everything later."