A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. Yes, I am back with an update for this story. If you were wondering where I was the last two weeks, I was writing a couple of chapters for Kegs & Eggs. Feel free to check it out. We're moving ahead one month in this chapter. Hope you enjoy this update!
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One month after Briana's adoption had been finalized, Kendall, with a big assist from Bianca and Marissa, threw a baby shower for Greenlee. It was no surprise that at the shower everyone gushed over Briana and that had Greenlee beaming with pride. Waiting that short period of time to have the shower and introduce their newest family member to their friends allowed the Lavery family to settle in. Briana was doing great in her new home, and Emma simply adored her little sister. She doted on her and loved helping take care of her. Although he didn't spend as much time with her as Emma because the girls lived together, Spike like his new little sister as well.
As for Greenlee, she had taken a six week leave of absence from Fusion. This allowed her to adjust to this new life change while also allowing her to truly bond with Briana. By the time the shower rolled around, Greenlee had just over two weeks left before she was scheduled to go back to work, and she still had several things she wanted to take care of before her leave was up. Greenlee had no doubt that it would be difficult to leave Briana, but she also knew how much she enjoyed what she did at Fusion. She was definitely going to be looking to Kendall, Bianca, and Marissa for help dealing with her conflicting emotions and finding a balance.
One of the things Greenlee wanted to plan was Briana's christening which was to be held in one month. What would come as no surprise to anyone was who was chosen for the honor to become Briana's godparents. Greenlee and Ryan asked Kendall and Zach to be Briana's godparents a few days after Briana was settled in her new home, and they immediately agreed. Speaking of new homes, things were proceeding with the Laverys' purchase of the house being vacated by the Slaters' neighbors. Greenlee, Ryan, and Emma fell in love with the house as soon as they toured the inside. It was perfect for them, and there was the added bonus of living next to Kendall, Zach, and their family. With a price agreed upon, Greenlee and Ryan would be closing on their new home in just a few days.
Greenlee had a meeting that day with the decorator that Bianca and Marissa had used at Minx Manor. She loved the work Trish had done for them and was thrilled when she found out the decorator was available. Greenlee and Ryan decided to redecorate before they moved in. This would allow the workers to finish things without having anyone underfoot. Plus, it was better for Briana not to be around all of the dust and noise associated with a remodel. All in all, the year was getting off to a great start for the Laverys.
/
Kendall sighed as she walked into Fusion's offices. It was another day of work without Greenlee being there. She knew it would be hard without her friend and partner there, but she didn't know just how hard it would be. Kendall did not begrudge her friend the time off. Greenlee deserved this time to bond with Briana, and god knows that she had covered for Kendall when she was off with Lexie. She just missed her in the office and was looking forward to working with her again. Now, this didn't mean that the friends didn't see each other during this time because they did. With Greenlee and Ryan buying the house next door to the Slaters, the friends would be seeing each other pretty much every day, and that was just fine with them. Work just wasn't as enjoyable without her friend, partner, and partner-in-crime around for Kendall.
The brunette sighed again as she looked at her schedule for the day. She had a few meetings but nothing pressing. As she was reading through her email, her phone rang, and she didn't bother to look to see who was calling.
"This is Kendall."
"This is Greenlee."
Kendall laughed and immediately forgot about her emails. "What's up, Lavery?"
"Well, I was wondering what you were doing for lunch today?"
"I'm probably just going to grab a sandwich and work through it. Why?"
"How would you like to come over to my place? I'm meeting with Trish today to go over plans for the house, and I'd really like your input. You have great taste, and I could really use a sounding board."
"What about Ryan?"
Greenlee sighed. "All he's focusing on is his man cave."
Kendall laughed. "Zach wasn't quite that bad, but he was close. I would love to help you out. If you want, I could stop at Krystal's and bring something."
"That would be great! I'll call over there and place an order."
"Sounds good."
"Thanks, Kendall. Maybe after Trish leaves, you could catch me up with what's going on at Fusion?"
"You're welcome, and I'd love to. I could show you some new layouts for our next ad campaign."
"That sounds perfect. I'll see you soon!"
"See you soon!" Kendall was definitely in a better mood now.
/
Bianca waved at Michelle, the law firm's receptionist, as she entered the firm's reception area. The other woman waved back before nodding her permission for Bianca to head back to Marissa's office. The brunette was impressed that Michelle never faltered in maintaining her phone conversation during their interaction. Bianca nodded her thanks and proceeded back to her wife's office. She and Marissa were meeting with Vikki Buchanan and Erica shortly to discuss the proposition that Vikki had discussed with them with just over a month ago when the couple was in Llanview for the Lavery adoption.
Things had finally settled down enough for this meeting to take place. They would have met sooner, but Vikki had a few more details to iron out. Bianca and Marissa were busy as well with their family obligations and work. Plus, they had helped Kendall with Greenlee's baby shower. They all wanted it to be special for her because they knew what this meant to her.
With their calendars now clear and Erica in town, the meeting was a 'go'. Both Bianca and Marissa were anxious about this meeting and hoped it would go well. The brunette knew that all depended on how well her mother received the deal.
/
"Hi, Bianca!" Ellie smiled as the brunette approached.
"Hi, Ellie! How have you been?"
"Pretty good. How about you?"
"I can't really complain at all."
"I'm very glad to hear that. Go on back. Marissa is alone and expecting you." Before Bianca could say anything, Ellie held up her hand. "As soon as the other parties are here, I'll send them back."
"Thank you!" Bianca was a few minutes early for their meeting, and it was done on purpose. She always liked having alone time with her wife, and with four kids, it was a priceless as well as a precious commodity at times.
/
Bianca knocked on the open door and was greeted with her wife's beautiful smile. "Hey."
"Hey yourself. Marissa stood and met her wife halfway.
The couple shared a quick kiss before they sat down next to each other on the sofa in the redhead's office.
"How did drop off go? Any problems delivering the science projects?" Marissa asked her wife once they were settled.
"No, thank god for small miracles. AJ's and Miranda's projects made it to their classroom in one piece. That's more than I can say for Amber though."
"What happened?"
"There was a wet spot in the hallway by the water fountain, and she found it. It caused her to slip and drop her project."
"Oh no. Was there a lot of damage?"
"Not too much, fortunately. Doug was there and helping her reassemble it. I offered to help, but he said he had some time before he had to go into the office today so he was okay."
"That's good. Doug has really stepped up. He's like a whole other person without Tammy there." Marissa noted.
"Yes, he is. I think not just having the stress and drama that she caused really has helped both him and Amber."
"I think you're right. She still misses her mom some, but you can tell she's happier with Tammy not there all the time with her negativity and hate. That's something I can relate to when it comes to David. Except with him, it's his plotting and thirst for revenge and power. You know what else also helps even more than him not being around?"
"No, what?"
Marissa grinned and quickly kissed Bianca. "Having the world's best wife."
Bianca laughed. "Smooth, Counselor, very smooth." There was a brief pause before the brunette spoke again. "So, are you ready for this?"
"I think so. If we can get Mom to just listen, I really think she'll agree with us. It's honestly a great idea."
"You're preaching to the choir here. I couldn't agree more with you. If I didn't, we wouldn't be doing this. My only concern is that she might feel like we're ganging up on her."
"I thought about that too, but I don't believe she'll think that. Mom knows that this meeting is with Vikki and that it involves a business proposition. We didn't go into any details with her because Vikki asked us not to. She wanted to nail down the details before she presented everything to Mom. We're just running interference between, making sure they don't kill each other. As long as Mom hears Vikki out, we'll be good."
"I hope so because I don't want to be on your Mom's bad side."
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Please. You don't have to worry about that. She loves you."
"Well, I'm told I'm pretty darn loveable." Marissa smirked.
"Whoever told you that is pretty smart."
"That she is. Did you know that she's working on her master's degree?"
The couple was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Vikki! It's good to see you again." Bianca said as she stood to greet the older woman.
"It's good to see you too, both of you."
"Have a seat. Would you like something to drink? I have coffee, tea, or something else if you'd like?" Marissa asked.
"Perhaps some tea."
"B, would you like some tea?"
"Yeah, I think I will have some."
The redhead nodded and retrieved drinks for the three women.
Vikki accepted the cup from Marissa and took a sip before setting it down on a table nearby. "Thank you. This is lovely."
"You're welcome. It's a special blend we found at a little tea shop here. There's also another reason for having this particular tea today. It's Erica's favorite." Marissa said with a cheeky grin.
"Ah, I see. Laying a little groundwork for me. Thank you." Vikki laughed and took another sip before she continued. "How has everything been with the two of you?"
"Busy, but thankfully quiet, at least now that we've had Greenlee's shower." Bianca said.
"Oh, that's right. It was this past weekend. How did it go?"
"It was great. Briana was the star of the day, naturally, and Greenlee couldn't have been prouder. Oh, she wanted us to thank you as well as Nora for the gifts you sent to Briana. Those outfits are absolutely adorable."
"She is more than welcome. It has been a while since I shopped for a baby, and I really enjoyed it and so did Nora. Am I safe in assuming then that you told Kendall and Greenlee that I was coming to Pine Valley?"
"You are. They were both at our house when we were setting up this meeting with Mom. We did not give them any details though."
"Bianca's right. We didn't tell them anything, and you can only imagine how much not knowing is killing them." Marissa smirked.
Vikki chuckled. "I have no doubt about that. They are quite the pair. How is Briana adjusting? I told Nora I would try and get an update for her."
"It took a few days for her to get settled, but now, she's doing great. Greenlee took some time off to spend with Briana, to bond with her." Bianca said.
"I'm glad to hear that."
There was a knock on the door before Ellie popped her head inside. "Michelle just told me that Erica's on her way."
"Thank you, Ellie. Send her right in when she gets here." Marissa instructed her secretary who nodded and headed immediately back to her desk to await Erica's arrival.
While the redhead set about making her mother-in-law some tea, Bianca filled Vikki in on their preparations. "Everyone around here knows who Mom is, obviously. Rissa talked to the Michelle, the firm's receptionist, and asked her to call Ellie when she saw Mom arrive. A little early warning system, if you will."
"Very smart."
Bianca nodded. "Are you ready?"
"I am."
/
A few minutes later, Erica breezed into Marissa's office.
"Good morning, Bianca, Marissa."
"Good morning, Mom."
"Good morning, Erica."
"Vikki."
"Good morning, Erica. Thank you for meeting with me."
Erica settled into her chair and took the cup of tea that Marissa had prepared for her. "Thank you, dear." The diva took an appreciative sip of her tea and then turned her attention to Vikki. "You're welcome. I have to admit that I was intrigued when Bianca and Marissa told me you wanted to talk with me regarding a proposition."
"I approached them when they were in Llanview. I wanted to get their input as to whether or not it would be worth your time to approach you with it. When they told me they thought you might be interested, I asked them not to give you any details at that time. I wanted to present this to you properly."
"I understand. Go on. I'm listening."
"Thank you." Vikki pulled out a thick file folder and handed it to Erica. "Before we begin, I would like to give you some background. You remember Dorian."
Erica's reaction told those present that she did in fact remember Dorian Lord. "I do, unfortunately. I can't tell you how much I would like to forget her. When she owned The Sun, Dorian took great delight in trying to make me that rag's cover girl. It seemed that every week she was publishing some lie about me or my family. We went several rounds in court with her losing every time. I believe that all of those libel suits cost her that rag."
Vikki nodded. "You would be correct. Unfortunately, she purchased The Sun again. It happened six months ago, and she did it through a shell corporation to keep it under wraps."
"I suppose I should tell Jack to have him ready to file a libel suit when she starts up again."
"That probably wouldn't be a bad idea."
"Thank you for letting me know. This folder tells me there is more."
"You would be correct. As I'm sure you know, if there is anyone that Dorian loves to torment more than you, it would be me."
Erica nodded. "Very true."
"With her owning The Sun, you can rest assured that she will be coming after The Banner. The editorial staff and I have been working on several ideas to update The Banner to increase our readership as well as combat Dorian. I believe we have found it, in you."
"Me? And just why would you ever think I would help you?"
"Mom, you promised you would listen with an open mind. Besides, do you even remember why you don't like Vikki?"
Erica hated to admit that she couldn't really remember why the feud with Vikki ever started.
"You know, Erica, from what Bianca has told me and from what you just said yourself, it sounds like Dorian Lord is actually the one who has caused you the most problems, as she has also done with Vikki. What's the old saying? The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
The diva looked at the two younger women who had been silent up to that point and sighed. "You both make valid points. Please continue, Vikki. What is this idea?"
Bianca and Marissa glanced at each other and did a mental high-five.
"You would lend your talents to The Banner."
That had Erica's attention. "Go on."
"You would have your own byline on an advice column. One of the suggestions that the board came up with is 'Ask Erica'. You would naturally choose the name of it though. The column would be in print and online. You would choose the letters and/or topics to be discussed. The frequency of the column is up for discussion, but we would like it to appear at least once a week. You would have an assistant of your choosing who would be paid for by the paper. As for your compensation, that is also up for negotiation. There is an initial offer in that folder. It includes free ad space for Erica Kane Enterprises, Inc., in both print and online." Vikki knew that Erica had incorporated a few years and branded her name. "A considerable amount of money would be thrown behind promoting your column."
"What exactly does this have to do with Dorian?"
Vikki smiled. "You would be going toe to toe with her in this space. You see, Dorian is going to be starting her own advice column."
"Oh please! That woman couldn't advise someone how work their way out of a paper bag."
"I couldn't agree more. How do you think Dorian would react to the news that you are starting your own advice in my paper?"
Erica gave an evil laugh. "You're good. She would absolutely hate it and explode. I have no doubt that I would be able to hear her all the way from Llanview."
"Yes, she would. What would make it even worse for her is that your column would be much more successful than anything she could ever write."
"You're flattering me."
Vikki shook her head. "You know me better than that. I'm simply stating the facts. You have the name recognition and following that she could only dream about. You are in the top ten of the most followed people on Twitter and Instagram. That folder also contains research regarding name recognition as well as likeability. I believe you will be quite pleased as to how you compare to Dorian. To state the obvious, there really is no comparison."
"I would pick the topics and letters?"
"Yes, you would. You would not be required to work in The Banner's offices in Llanview. With today's technology, you can work anywhere in the world you would want to."
"I'm assuming you would want me to report to someone at the paper. Who would that be?"
"Me. This would make sure there is no miscommunication between us, and unless you hear it from me directly, you know not to believe it."
Erica was definitely interested. This would definitely increase her visibility and sales of the many products that she endorsed as well as her books, and at the same time, it would allow her to stick it to Dorian Lord. Both of those things appealed to her quite a lot. Erica opened the folder and began to read through its contents, stopping every so often to ask a question or to make a point. Vikki answered each question and made her own notes on the points that Erica raised.
/
While this was going on, Ellie popped her head in again and got Marissa's attention.
"Excuse me a minute." Marissa said and walked over to Ellie. "What's up?"
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you've got a call I really think you need to take. It doesn't involve the kids, but it is an emergency. You can take it at my desk."
Marissa followed her secretary and took the phone from her. "Hello. This is Marissa Tasker."
/
Bianca's attention was now divided between her mother and Vikki, and whatever had her wife leave the office. She wouldn't have to wait long to find out what had pulled Marissa away.
"I'm sorry, but I need to go. Please feel free to stay and continue your discussion. If you need anything, just ask Ellie. She'll be more than happy to help in any way." Marissa said as she grabbed her purse and cellphone. "I don't know how late I'm going to be, Bianca. Are you okay getting Danny?"
"Of course. What's going on, Rissa?"
"I just got a call from Doug Baldwin. He's at the police station, and from what he told me, he's going to need a lawyer."
/
A/N: Yep, I left it there! My evil side really loves cliffhangers. I'm finally getting around to an idea that came to me a while ago. I'm hoping you're going to like it. See you soon!