A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I really appreciate it. I want to warn you upfront that this storyline could have some triggers because it does deal with a sensitive topic. Remember what work the Miranda Center does before proceeding. Please read the Author's Notes at the end of the chapter. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!
/
"I have to ask, Tessa, are you positive you want to do this?" Marissa had a damn good idea of what Tessa was about to do and wanted her client to be absolutely positive before she proceeded because once she took that step, there was no going back
"I am. I've never been more sure of anything. I was actually thinking about this yesterday and talked about it with my family last night. I have to do this. I am absolutely done with their lies and intimidation tactics. It's time for me to make a stand."
Marissa nodded. She was immensely proud of the younger woman. "Okay. Go get 'em."
Tessa took a deep breath as she sat down across from Viki again.
"Whenever you're ready."
"Thank you." Tessa looked directly at the camera, her voice loud, clear and determined. "My name is Tessa Mendes. I am currently a member of the Llanview University Gymnastics Team. After I suffered an injury during a competition, I was directed by Coach Stephen Pritchard to see Dr. Jerry Landry for treatment. It was during one these treatment sessions that I was sexually assaulted by Dr. Landry. When I told him that I wasn't comfortable with what he was doing and wanted him to stop, he refused and said it was a treatment, but it wasn't. It was assault. I reported what happened to Coach Pritchard as well as the university's athletic director Vincent Turner. At the time, they told me to stay quiet while they investigated. They told me I could also see my own doctor for treatment."
"That is when you came back home."
"Yes, it was. It took some time, but I told my family what happened."
"How did that go?"
"They were great which doesn't surprise me. They're pretty amazing and have always been there for me. I have a little sister. I'm so proud of her. The two of us talked in private. She's the reason I needed to do something. I don't want what happened to me to happen to her or anyone else. While we were talking, she reminded me about her best friend and her mothers. Her one mother founded the Miranda Center."
"It is a wonderful organization."
"Yeah, I wasn't too familiar with it, but I'm learning about it now. They help people like me there, in addition to others. Her other mother is a lawyer, and she agreed to take my case, to help me through all of this."
"It can be overwhelming."
Tessa laughed nervously. "Yes, it can, but both of them have been amazing. They've listened and helped me find my voice."
"Why are you coming forward?" Viki asked.
"There are a few reasons. First, like I said before, I don't want what happened to me to happen to my sister or anyone else. Next, justice. What happened to me was wrong, and Dr. Landry needs to be stopped, and he needs to face the consequences for his actions. I'd also like to let anyone else he may have done this to know that they are not alone and they haven't done anything wrong. Finally, I saw the interview between Dr. Landry, A.D. Turner, and the editor of 'The Intruder'. It made me both sick to my stomach and mad when I heard the lies they were spewing. They were blaming me for what he did and trying to make him the victim. Landry is a doctor, and I trusted him. He took an oath, and he violated it and my trust just like he violated me physically. They said they investigated, but they only talked to me once and that was when I first reported what he did, and that lasted only 30 minutes. What kind of investigation is that? Not much of one if you ask me. After listening to that interview and hearing that woman take their side, I knew I couldn't remain on the sidelines anymore. I had to step forward and give voice to others who might be going through what I did and am."
Marissa glanced over at Tony and Ana and saw the pride they had for their daughter in their eyes. The road ahead would difficult for them, but they loved each other and were stronger than they thought. With the counseling they would be taking part of, she thought they had a really good chance of coming out the other side of this. Marissa then turned to Nora who returned the look she had on her own face. Both lawyers knew the stakes had just been raised and their timeline shortened. With Tessa going public as she just had, they knew they had to work fast if they wanted to have any sort of element of surprise on their side. They knew Viki wouldn't air the interview for at least another day because she wanted to edit the piece. It wasn't much time, but they would take it.
The interview continued for a while longer with Viki asking a few more questions and giving Tessa all the time she needed to answer. When it was over, Viki thanked the younger woman, and it was clear to see that a weight had been lifted off of Tessa's shoulders. Once the camera was turned off, Tessa looked at Viki.
"How was that?"
"You did a great job, dear. You're very brave."
"Your Mom and I couldn't agree more. We're so proud of you, Tessa." Tony said as he hugged his daughter.
Ana hugged her next. "And we love you so much."
Tessa sagged in her mother's arms. It had been an exhausting day, and she was physically and emotionally drained. Suddenly, Tessa straightened up and looked at Marissa and Nora. "Oh no! I messed things up, didn't I? I should have waited to say some of that until you had a chance to see a judge. I'm sorry. I … I just …"
Marissa held up a hand to stop the younger woman. "Tessa, it's okay. You have nothing to be sorry about. There is no need to apologize. You said what you needed to, and I'm proud of you. It took a lot of courage to do what you just did. Okay?"
"Okay. So, what will you do now?"
"Nora and I will simply adjust our schedules. We've got a little time to work with because Viki will want to edit the piece before she airs it. I was already planning on going to Llanview in a couple days. I'll just move it up."
"I know a judge who will make time to see you." Nora said as she joined the small group. "I agree with everything Marissa told you, Tessa. Don't apologize. We've got this."
"Thank you."
Marissa could see Tessa was exhausted. "I think we're good here. Why don't you go home and get some rest? You've earned it."
"If you're sure, that would be nice. I am kind of tired."
"I'm positive. Call me if you need anything, and I'll give you update of my trip to Llanview when I get back."
"Okay. Thank you."
"Thank you, Marissa. Thank you, Ms. Buchanan." Ana and Tony shook both women's hands.
"You're welcome."
After the Mendes family left, the lawyers got back to work.
"I'll call that judge for you."
"Thanks. I need to call Bianca and let her know we have a change of plans. I also need to let Ellie and the partners know. Viki, do you need any help?"
"No, I'm good. That is a brave young woman. Now for the question I am sure you both want to ask, I plan on posting the interview tomorrow afternoon."
Nora smiled at her sister-in-law. "That should give us time to take care of our business."
"I agree. I need to make some arrangements. Feel free to stay here and finish up with what you need to." Marissa turned to her associate. "Lisa, come with me."
"Right behind you, boss."
/
When Marissa returned to her office some time later, she and Lisa had either accomplished several things or had put them in motion. Marissa had called Bianca to let her know of the change in plans and the reason for it. The couple decided to move their lunch and see if the others could stop by that afternoon, and Bianca would be handling those calls. Marissa then quickly met with Caleb to let him know her timeline had been moved up, and he offered to inform the other partners. With that done, she then held a quick meeting with her staff to let them know what was going on. Claudia would handle any emergencies that arose at the firm while Sofia would be on-call for the Miranda Center. Ellie had been tasked with clearing Marissa's and Lisa's schedules the next day as well as making hotel reservations for the two to stay overnight tomorrow in Llanview. Lisa gathered their files and notes as well as assisted Ellie with the clearing of schedules.
Nora and Viki had just finished packing up when Marissa got back.
"Are you heading out now?"
Viki nodded. "Yes, we have already checked out of the hotel, so we can head straight home from here."
"Are you all set for tomorrow?" Nora asked.
"Almost. I just have a few more details to take care of, and then, I'm going to head home and pack. Lisa and I will be leaving here early tomorrow morning."
"Let us know when you're close. I'm hoping we can time things up so you can see Bo taking Landry into custody."
"I will. I can't tell you how much I want to see that. Have a safe trip home."
"You have a safe trip tomorrow as well. Do you think you and Lisa might be up for dinner?" Viki asked.
"I think we can swing that. We can compare notes from the day's events."
"You read my mind."
With that, Viki and Nora left, and Marissa set about wrapping things up so she could head home and pack before their family came over. She wanted to be able to focus on Bianca and the kids that evening after everyone left.
/
The other women sat in stunned in silence as Marissa told them about the case, not revealing Tessa's name in the process. While it would be revealed soon enough, Marissa didn't feel it was her place to reveal her client's name just yet. She did tell the others, however, that the name would be familiar to them, and they chose not to press, in large part because they knew they wouldn't get it out of the redhead no matter what.
"That poor girl. How is she doing?" Erica asked.
"As well as can be expected. She and her family have agreed to undergo counseling through the Center, so I know that will help them. She's also very brave to come forward like she is. The interview will be hard to listen to, but you will be amazed by her strength." Marissa supplied.
"Between you and my sister, she is definitely getting the best help possible. Not to mention having Viki and Nora in her corner as well."
Greenlee nodded. "Kendall's right. The four of you are forces to be reckoned with. I saw some of that interview Dorian conducted earlier, before I knew about your involvement. I can't believe Dorian was defending him. I mean, that doctor gave me the creeps. He seemed like a total sleaze."
"Yeah, Viki was pretty furious when she saw it."
"If I had to choose between having Viki or Dorian on my side, I would choose Viki every single time." Bianca added. She knew both women fairly well, not as well as Erica, but well enough to know their character. Viki had Dorian beat, no contest.
"Yes, you are not the only one. Dorian does not care who she hurts, and she has always been out for only herself, everyone else be damned. I know that of which I speak. While I may not always agree with Viki, I know I can trust her. With Dorian, I trust her about as far as I can throw her." Erica turned to her daughter-in-law. "If she gives you any problems, let me know."
"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
"I know that you are doing the case pro bono, but if you need any help with legal fees for this young woman or any others you may represent, please let me know that as well. I would like to help however I can. They have more than enough to worry about and don't need that."
"That is very generous, Erica. We're good right now though. Myself and the other partners have all agreed to forgo any legal fees at the moment. Anything down the road however, we will ask as part of any judgement to be paid by any defendants."
"I understand. Again though, if they need anything going forward, please don't hesitate to tell me. My offer stands."
Marissa nodded. "Thank you, Erica."
"So, you're going to Llanview tomorrow, Red?"
"I am. I'll be paying a visit to the university's athletic director, and I have to admit that I'm looking forward to it."
"Based on that interview, he seems like a real piece of work." Krystal observed. "I have no doubt you can handle him though."
"You got that right." Bianca stated proudly.
"So, you're going to Llanview?" Greenlee asked.
"Yes, Lisa and I are leaving early tomorrow morning. Since we're not sure how long everything will take, we decided to stay overnight."
"While I will miss you and won't be able to sleep very well without you, I care more about your safety. I don't want you driving back that late. It's not worth it." Bianca said as she picked up Marissa's hand and kissed it.
Marissa smiled softly at her wife. "I know, and I'm going to miss you too. It's the same way with me on sleep as well. It's just one night though, and I'll make it up to you when I get back."
"I look forward to it, Counselor."
Kendall and Greenlee shared a glance and rolled their eyes, amused by the couple.
Marissa's attention snapped back to the group when she heard throats clearing. "We wanted to give you all a heads up because this case could draw a lot of media attention with me being front and center."
Erica nodded as she had quickly put the pieces together. "Which could bring added attention to us. I think I can speak for all of us when I say we appreciate that. It is always good not to be surprised by the media. Don't worry about us, just focus on your case."
"Mom's right. We'll be okay. If there's anything you need, we'll be there."
"To add to what Kendall said, we've got your back, Rocky."
"I really can't add anything to what they've said." Krystal stated.
"Oh, and we'll keep an eye on Bianca to make sure she doesn't get into any trouble while you're gone. It may only be a day, but the Kane women don't need much time." Greenlee grinned.
Marissa laughed as Erica, Kendall, and Bianca raised an eyebrow in unison to Greenlee's quip. "Anyway, we do appreciate the offers of help. From a home standpoint, Bianca and I should be okay. Susan is picking up AJ, Miranda, and Gabby today and tomorrow, and Jessica is going to watch Danny tomorrow. She's also agreed to stay here with the kids until Bianca gets home."
"The Miranda Center was mentioned in the interview between Viki and Rissa's client. Once that is made public, it's going to be all hands on deck there." Bianca said.
"Sounds like you've thought of everything, not that that comes as surprise with the two of you." Erica wasn't surprised at all by her daughter and daughter-in-law. They were a formidable team.
"Hopefully."
The group continued to talk for a while longer before they left to finish their days.
/
After the kids had finished their homework and the family had finished dinner, they sat down in the family room, and Marissa and Bianca told the kids about Marissa's trip to Llanview the following day. The couple also told them about the interview and its impending release. Miranda understood the implications of that more than her brother and sister and couldn't help but be worried for her friend. She made a vow to be there for her friend. Miranda also promised to go to a teacher if someone said anything hurtful to her friend Jessica. The family spent the rest of the evening together, and when Gabby asked for Marissa to tell her a bedtime story, the redhead was more than happy to comply with her request. AJ and Miranda joined their other family members for the nightly ritual even though they believed they were too old for a bedtime story. With everything going on around them, this actually gave AJ and Miranda that bit of stability they would need in the coming days.
/
"Hey."
Marissa glanced up and smiled as Bianca closed their bedroom door. It was finally just the two of them, and after the long day they both had experienced and with Marissa's trip the following day, they were going to take full advantage of what time they had that night. "Hey yourself."
"Are you all packed?"
"I am. I have nothing else to do regarding tomorrow. So, I'm all yours for the rest of tonight."
Bianca grinned as she joined her wife in bed. "All mine, lucky me. I do love the sound of that."
"Care to show me how much?"
"You read my mind, Counselor." Bianca leaned in and kissed her wife.
The kiss soon deepened as each woman poured all of the love they had for the other into it. While they were only going to be away from each other for one night, they wanted to make this evening one they would not soon forget.
/
Marissa turned off her alarm as soon as it went off so as not to wake Bianca. The redhead carefully got out of bed and padded to their bathroom to shower and get ready for day ahead. When she returned to their bedroom, Bianca wasn't there. Marissa chuckled to herself as she realized that her wife had gotten up early to see her off. It's what she would have done. She finished getting ready and then headed to the kitchen.
/
"Good morning."
Bianca turned and smiled when she saw her wife. "Good morning."
After they shared a kiss, Marissa looked at her wife. "I didn't wake you up, did I? I was wanting you to get some sleep. We were up kind of late last night after all."
"Yes, we were, and I enjoyed every minute of it, immensely. To answer your question though, you didn't wake me up. I set my own alarm. I wanted to see you before you left. I also made you some coffee and a little something to eat."
Marissa kissed her wife again. "Thank you. You're always looking out for me."
"How much time do you have?"
"I have about fifteen minutes before I need to leave and pick up Lisa. Join me?" Marissa nodded towards the kitchen table.
"Like you have to ask." Bianca grinned as she followed her wife to sit down. "Are you ready for today?"
"Yeah, I am. My bag and briefcase are in the car already. The drive there will give us time to review everything."
"I have to say that having a Llanview University alum set up the meeting with Turner was genius and also a little bit devious."
Marissa grinned. "Thank you. I was lucky that Viki was able to find an alum on The Banner's staff that was more than willing to help us out with that. I kind of feel a little like I'm ambushing him, but there is no way he would have agreed to the meeting if he knew I was the lawyer representing Tessa."
"I know, but like you said, he wouldn't see you any other way. You're going to do great today, I just know it."
"Thank you." Marissa checked the time. "I hate to say it, but I need to leave. Kiss the kids for me?"
Bianca smiled. "You know that I will. Call me when you get there?"
"You know that I will." Marissa replied. "I'll call you after the meeting as well."
The couple walked to the kitchen counter where Bianca handed Marissa two travel mugs filled with coffee. "One for you, and one for Lisa."
"She's going to love you even more than she already does." Marissa leaned in for a lingering kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too. Drive safely."
/
A/N: Sorry for the late post. Work has been getting busy, and the week ahead is looking rough. There is a light at the end of the tunnel however. I have one week to vacation! I will do my best to post next weekend before I leave town. See you soon!