Title: Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimers and other Assorted Ramblings: The characters of Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia and Rafe Rivera, Ashlee Wolfe, and James Spaulding are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The original characters of Jennifer, Tracy, Jacob and Dylan Jackson-Morgan and their extended family, Dante Rivera, and Preston Morgan are the property of this author, and any resemblance to fictional characters, or real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, or any other entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
Thank you once again to my pal, MoniRod for the edit. I appreciate you, and I owe you—BIG TIME! And thank you always to everyone for continuing interest in this story. I do apologize for the lengthy wait between updates. Working two jobs is totally kicking my ass right now, and I'm still trying to find a balance. But I want you all to know that I thoroughly enjoy all of your comments, and appreciate the time you take to leave them for me. Thank you also to those of you who have written me personal notes inquiring about the status of the story. I will do my best not only to catch up on responses to you all, but also to post more regularly going forward. You have my word this story will not be abandoned.
Rating: This section of Chapter 14 is rated PG-13 for colorful language.
I hope y'all continue to enjoy!
Kimberly
Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Copyright May 2009
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."
— James 1:2-8, the Bible, New International Version (NIV)
"God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it."
— Unknown
Chapter 14.21 – Trials and Tribulations:
Friday, June 19, 2009—Rafe's 19th Birthday… The Farmhouse of Love—7:15 a.m. Central Daylight Time
Natalia's eyes glistened with love and pride as Rafe walked through the kitchen door. He had come home from his night at the Spaulding mansion, and gone out for a run before she was even out of bed. In the days since his return, she found that she appreciated that particular change in him. Before prison, he had been prone to sleeping until noon unless prodded out of bed with threats of bodily harm—or worse. And now, he seemed to welcome each new day with a sense of anticipation.
He looked so young, so handsome, her son, with his Cub's ball cap seated backwards on his mop of unruly curls. He needed a haircut. At least in her opinion. But he wasn't a little boy anymore. He was a grown man, and that was his decision to make, she supposed. Olivia was helping her with that—letting go, and allowing him to take responsibility for himself. Natalia appreciated that about her, even as she secretly wondered if Olivia would be as willing to cut the apron strings when it came to Emma. Somehow, she knew though, that she would be the one who struggled with that, rather than Olivia.
It was Rafe's nineteenth birthday, and she had been planning it for weeks. It wouldn't have mattered if he was still in prison. She still would have found a way to make it special, despite the fact that he was no longer her baby. A part of her mourned the loss, even as another embraced the man he was becoming.
"I made your favorites for breakfast," Natalia said cheerily. "Hope you're hungry."
Rafe offered a smile that reminded her of her brother Dante, and she felt a fleeting pang of reminiscence. "Thanks, Ma," he said with surprising warmth. He could smell the familiar mixture of scrambled eggs, ham, onions, cheese, and peppers, and that unique blend of spices that only his mother knew, cooking on the stove. His Ma called the concoction revoltillo. But he just called it delicious. His stomach growled in anticipation. "I really appreciate it," he said, as he leaned over, brushing a kiss against her cheek. "And not just 'cause I'm starving."
His dimples, so much like her own, shown as he said it, and Natalia laughed softly in response. "Sit," she said, gesturing toward his place at the table. And then she turned toward the stove, as he plopped down in his chair. "Did you have a nice run?" she asked, making conversation as she plated his food.
"Yeah, it was great," Rafe answered. "It's really nice out this morning. Not too humid." He reached across the table, snatching a quesito from the basket. He smiled to himself as he held it in his hand. She always made quesitos for his birthday breakfast.
"That's good. We could use a few less humid days this summer," Natalia commented, remembering how unbearable the heat had been last summer. "How was your birthday celebration with James and the girls?"
"Fine," he answered with a shrug. "We had fun. Played pool in the billiard room and watched a couple movies." Biting into the flaky, rich pastry, his teeth sank into the cheese filling, and he moaned appreciatively. Apparently it was his great grandmother's recipe. But his Ma had altered it, replacing much of the sugar so that he could eat it. Whatever she had done, hers was always the best.
Without even having to look, Natalia knew he had gotten into them. "Don't spoil your breakfast," she cautioned, as she added another hearty spoonful of revoltillo to his plate.
"Isn't this supposed to be part of breakfast?" Rafe questioned with a grin.
Turning toward him, plate in hand, she smiled. "Part," she said pointedly. "Not all." She set the plate down in front of him. "Now eat, before it gets cold."
"Yes, Ma'am," he said, fork already in hand. He didn't need much prodding. He truly was starving!
Settling into the seat beside him, she propped her chin in her upturned palm. Her soft, dark eyes were filled with adoration, as she watched him devour his breakfast.
"Aren't you going to eat?" he asked, as he shoved another forkful into his mouth.
"In a minute," she said. "When Olivia comes down."
Rafe made a face, but continued eating.
Natalia drew in a deep breath, and released it slowly. She didn't want to argue on his birthday. And yet, she knew they were probably headed for exactly that. Given his recent attitude, and propensity for avoiding interaction, he had no idea about Lena and Bianca's impending visit. And now she was forced to tell him.
Steeling herself, she forged ahead. "Listen, I've been meaning to tell you, Olivia and I have some friends coming to visit this weekend."
"When will they be here?" He didn't sound overly concerned. Perhaps the quesito had helped to mute his temper.
"This afternoon, actually," Natalia answered. "I apologize for not telling you earlier. With everything that's going on with our friends Jen and Tracy, it just slipped my mind." Given the timing, she felt it better to lay the blame elsewhere, than to confront him about his actions. There would be plenty of time for that later.
"Who are they?" Rafe asked. He took a long drink of his orange juice. It was fresh squeezed; sweeter than any he'd ever had before, and he enjoyed every last drop. Setting the glass back on the table, it clunked against the solid wood surface.
"An old friend and colleague of Olivia's, and her wife and children," Natalia announced. "She and Olivia are starting a new business venture together." She sounded beyond proud.
Rafe's heart lurched in his chest. Some woman and her wife, he balked internally. He swallowed hard, and dropped his fork. "So… more lesbians," he said harshly. He pushed his plate away, and glared at her. "What the hell, Ma?"
"That language isn't necessary, Rafael," Natalia censured.
"You get to fill the house with lesbians, and have sex with another woman, and I can't say 'hell'?" he said indignantly.
"It's my home, Rafe," Natalia said, emphasizing ownership. "I am free to express my love for Olivia here, in whatever way I desire. And I can fill this house with whomever I'd like. And yes, I also get to say that I don't appreciate your choice of words."
"But I don't get a say in anything," Rafe pouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You don't get a say in my personal life," Natalia replied. "But you have a say in other things."
"Like what?" Rafe challenged, his penetrating eyes fixed on Natalia's face.
"Like when you come and go," Natalia answered. "You have a car now that's safe to drive, and I haven't set any restrictions on you as to how or when you use it. Once your apartment is finished, I won't even know when you leave, or when you come home unless you want me to, and that's fine with me. And you're free to have your friends over, as long as you behave appropriately in front of Emma. I don't think I'm being unreasonable to expect you to show some respect toward Olivia and me, or toward our friends."
He slumped in the chair, and leaned his elbow on the table. Firmly bedding his cheek in his hand, he said nothing in response. He looked like a pouty five-year-old who had just been told he couldn't play in the mud.
She leaned toward him, gently touching his arm. "Look, I know that you're struggling with this, because I did, too," she said softly. "You know, and with the beliefs that we have, I know that that just makes it so much more confusing."
It was true. He was struggling so much! Even a talk with Ashlee the night before hadn't done much to quell his disquiet; though she had certainly tried her best. Sliding his palm up toward his temple, he glanced at his mother. "Are they… are they still your beliefs?" He was almost afraid of her response.
Natalia leaned her cheek against an upturned fist as she made eye contact with him. "I've had a lot of long talks with God about this," she assured. "And I want to be able to talk to you, too. You know, about everything. 'Cause you're not just my son, you've been my best friend for half my life. And I miss you."
Contemplatively, Rafe pushed the food around on his plate. And then he glanced at his mother. "I miss you too, Ma," he said quietly. His fork clinked against the surface of his plate as he set it down. And then he reached for Natalia, pulling her into a hug.
He held her for a few moments, and then he pulled away. And then she was telling him to eat before his food got too cold.
Grinning, he nodded. "Yes, Ma'am," he said. And then he shoveled another forkful into his mouth.
"Natalia, Honey?" Olivia called, as she bounded down the staircase.
"In the kitchen," Natalia sang out, a bright smile on her face. She loved the sound of Olivia's voice calling out to her.
Rafe couldn't help but notice the happiness reflected in his mother's eyes when she heard Olivia's voice, or the smile that shone with love as she answered. He still hated this. Every minute of it. But he decided he'd rather have a pleasant birthday, than ruin it with an attitude that would make his mother angry. Or worse, hurt her. He couldn't give her much in life, but he could give her that—at least on this day that she always worked so hard to make special for him.
Olivia burst through the entrance, her gaze immediately finding Natalia's. "Did you hear the news reports this morning?" she asked with a sense of urgency. As she awaited Natalia's reply, she shifted her focus to Rafe. Without thinking, placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Morning, Rafe. Happy Birthday."
Taken aback by the ease of the encounter, Rafe blinked twice, and glanced up at her. "Thank you," he said with a touch of politeness that surprised even him. He was surprised that she even knew, let alone cared enough to make mention of it.
Natalia smiled at the interaction. It wasn't much, but it was progress. She turned her attention back to Olivia. "No… I didn't turn on the TV. Didn't want to wake you."
Rafe's stomach churned at the tacit implication that they had awoken in the same bed. But he shoved it aside, and continued eating his breakfast. He wasn't sickened enough by the thought to waste the delicious meal his mother had prepared for him—even if Olivia did pay for it. He didn't know that for certain anyway, and that's how he justified it.
Casually, Natalia dried her hands on a blue gingham towel, and tossed it on the countertop as she walked toward Olivia. Pressing a light good morning kiss to Olivia's lips, she asked, "Why?" She sounded both curious and concerned.
"All hell broke loose last night," Olivia reported. "Arrests made all across the state. Some kind of organized crime bust. And the best part…"
"Yeah?" Natalia said, and then held her breath.
"Preston Morgan is somehow involved," Olivia reported. "He's in police custody right now."
"What?" Natalia gasped. She pressed her hand against her chest. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack," Olivia replied with mirth.
One corner of Natalia's mouth twisted upward as she furrowed her brow. "That's not funny," she censured.
"Sorry," Olivia sheepishly apologized.
"Do Jen and Tracy know?"
"I haven't heard from them, so I guess not," Olivia said.
Rafe hadn't a clue as to who any of these people were, and it made him feel a little left out. Bitter Truth said it was his own fault, but Immaturity refused to take responsibility. Attempting to ignore them all, he focused on his breakfast, as the conversation continued around him.
"We should get to the Beacon," Natalia declared. "They were planning to meet with the attorneys there this morning."
Olivia was nodding. "I agree. We should be there to hear what the attorneys have to say. It could affect our plans for Morgan Financial."
"I hadn't even thought about that," Natalia said. She grinned. "Guess that's why you're the boss."
A soft laugh fell from Olivia's lips. "Only at the office," she commented lightly, drawing dimples and a slight blush from Natalia. "I need to make a few calls," she said. Leaning in, she kissed Natalia's cheek. "I'll be in the study. Let me know when you're ready?"
"Bring you some breakfast?" Natalia offered.
It was then that Olivia noticed the incredible aroma in the kitchen. "Mm… smells wonderful!" she declared. "You don't need to be waiting on me though," she said softly, as she pulled Natalia close against her.
Natalia's arms slipped around Olivia's shoulders. She leaned back, meeting Olivia's gaze. "No?"
"No," Olivia confirmed. She pressed a light kiss against Natalia's lips. "I should be the one waiting on you."
Rafe practically choked on his breakfast. Olivia Spencer, offering to wait on his mother? What was this, the freaking Twilight Zone?
"I'll just take a plate in with me," Olivia was saying, as she released Natalia from her arms. Sidestepping her, she grabbed a plate from the counter. "May I fix you one too, Honey?"
Natalia smiled to herself, as she slipped back into her chair at the table. "That sounds wonderful, Liv. Thank you."
With a skillful hand, Olivia plated Natalia's food, and carried it to the table. "For you, my love," she said sweetly, as she set the plate and clean utensils in front of Natalia. "Bon appétit," she added in a soft, French accent.
An eyebrow arched. "I forgot—you speak French, too," she said dryly.
"My French is not nearly as good as your Spanish," Olivia commented.
Natalia flushed at the veiled reference to their lovemaking the previous night, and cleared her throat self-consciously. "Thank you," she said.
Olivia smirked, and kissed her again, as Emma bounded into the room. "Morning, Jellybean," she said, at the same time Natalia said, "Good morning, Sweetie."
"Morning, Mommies," Emma said cheerily, as she climbed into her chair at the table. "Breakfast smells yummy!" she declared. "What is it?"
"These are quesitos," Rafe explained, as he set one of the flaky pastries on a bread plate for Emma. It had only vaguely registered with him that Emma had referred to Natalia as Mommy. "And that yummy smell is revoltillo. Ma always makes it for my birthday breakfast."
Dutifully, Olivia plated some of the revoltillo for Emma, and set it on the table in front of her, along with a small fork. And then she turned back to the stove, fixing a plate for herself, as Emma scooped up a forkful of the piping-hot egg concoction, and shoved it into her mouth.
"Yummy!" Emma exclaimed around a mouthful.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Olivia and Natalia said in unison.
Rafe chuckled, and shoved another huge bite into his own mouth. "Yummy," he declared, causing Emma to giggle.
Natalia didn't have the heart to scold him. This was the most relaxed she'd seen him since he came home.
Setting her own plate on the table, Olivia turned her attention to drinks. She poured glasses of milk for Emma and Natalia, bringing them to their intended recipients. Receiving a thank you from each of them, she smiled and told them they were welcome. And then she poured a cup of coffee for herself, before lowering herself to her chair next to Natalia.
"I thought you had phone calls to make," Natalia said.
Reaching over, Olivia squeezed Natalia's hand. "A birthday breakfast with Rafe seems more important right now," she said simply.
"Happy birthday, Rafe!" Emma chirped. "I hope you have a good day."
"Thanks, Munchkin," Rafe replied sweetly. "So far it's been kinda nice."
Natalia beamed, and took a bite of her pastry. As they all ate together, noises of enjoyment emanated from around the table, interspersed with Emma's chatter about her weekend plans for "her girls." And when they finished, both Olivia and Natalia were surprised when Rafe stood up, and began clearing the table—not just his own dishes, but everyone else's as well.
"Thanks for breakfast, Ma," he said sweetly, as he rinsed a plate under the hot water.
Wrapping her arms around Natalia's waist from behind, Olivia nuzzled into Natalia's neck. "Breakfast was wonderful," she murmured. "Thank you, Honey."
"Yeah, thanks for breakfast, Ma," Emma chirped from the table. She didn't want to be left out of the love-fest.
Smiling, Natalia glanced from one child to the other, her eyes finally settling into those sincere jade depths. "You're all very welcome. Now shoo, so I can get this mess cleaned up," she said, sweeping her hand to roust them from her kitchen.
"Not a chance," Olivia declared. "You sit, put your feet up. You've done enough this morning. Rafe and I will handle the dishes."
Rafe's head was spinning. Did Olivia Spencer just offer to do dishes? With her own hands? He glanced around, searching for a dishwasher, and found none. "Yeah, Ma, you sit. We'll do the dishes."
"But it's your birthday," Natalia argued.
A lopsided grin played at the corners of Rafe's mouth. "Yeah, it is. And I think you labored enough nineteen years ago," he declared. "It's my turn now."
Natalia smiled proudly at him, and settled back into her seat at the table. "Thank you both."
Olivia's eyes danced as she smiled at Natalia. "You're welcome." She turned her attention toward the dishes then, running steaming hot water into one side of the sink, while Rafe collected the remainder of the dishes from the table. And Natalia busied herself with Emma, chattering with their little girl about her big plans for the weekend.
Before they knew it, the dishes were washed and dried, and Rafe was dutifully putting them away. Olivia dried her hands on another of their blue gingham towels, and hung it over the rack on the inside of the cabinet door beneath the sink.
Leaning over, she pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head. "Get yourself dressed, Jellybean. We have to leave for the Beacon in just a little while."
Emma groaned. "Can't I just stay home with Rafe?"
"No," Olivia answered. She glanced at the young man she regarded as a son. "I'm sure Rafe has plans for his birthday. Besides, you'll be at Jacob and Dylan's today. You can swim all day if you want."
"I'd rather stay with Rafe," Emma pouted.
Dropping silverware into their appropriate spots in the utensil drawer, Rafe met Olivia's gaze. "I don't mind the company today," he said to her. "I mean… if it's okay with you," he added tentatively. He was still feeling guilty for the way he acted toward her the other day, and he thought this would be a chance to make up for it. "I celebrated with my friends last night."
"You sure?" Olivia asked, checking in. "She can be a handful."
Rafe smiled and nodded. "I'm sure."
Olivia returned his smile. "Okay," she assented. And then she looked down at her daughter. "Looks like you're spending the day with Rafe."
"Yay!" Emma squealed. The flung her arms around Olivia's waist, squeezing her. And then she bolted from her chair, clutching her arms around Rafe.
Leaning down, Olivia kissed Natalia. "Phone calls," she said, by way of reminder. Now she had to let Jane know Emma wouldn't be over today, on top of finding out Lena and Bianca's ETA so that Lawrence could be at the airport to pick them up. "Let me know when you're ready to go."
"Fifteen minutes," Natalia said.
"Perfect. See you then," Olivia replied. "Have a great birthday, Rafe," she said warmly, as she moved toward the hallway that led to the study. "And I'll see you at dinner. I hear your mom has a delightful feast planned for all of us."
"Uh… yeah," Rafe stammered. His head was still spinning just a little, as he lifted the stack of dried plates into the cabinet. "See you at dinner."
Glancing at Emma, Olivia said, "Behave yourself for Rafe."
"I will, Mommy," Emma said sweetly.
As Olivia exited the room, Natalia's attention shifted toward her son, and she smiled proudly. He hadn't been rude to Olivia at all. Progress. "Thank you for offering to look after Emma."
"No problem, Ma," Rafe said. "I can show her the progress we're making on her treehouse, and then… maybe go get some lunch at Company?"
His tone asked the question he couldn't put into actual words, and both he and Emma looked at Natalia expectantly. Not really knowing what his mother's financial status was at the moment, or what the arrangements were between Olivia and his mother, he wasn't sure it was okay to ask for extra money for frivolous things like that. They had never had money to spend on meals at restaurants. Not when he was little, anyway. Things had changed a bit once they moved to Springfield, but he was still always a little nervous about asking.
Natalia nodded her agreement. "Sounds like a nice way to spend your day," she declared. "I'll leave some cash for you on the table before we go."
"Can we have ice cream too?" Emma asked.
Natalia smiled at her daughter. "I think that can be arranged."
With that, Emma was hopping up and down, giggling with delight.
"Thanks, Ma," Rafe said.
Gently patting his cheek, Natalia smiled up at her son. "You're welcome, mijo," she whispered softly. "Now give me a hug, both of you," she said to her children. "And then go get ready for your day."
"Yes, Ma'am," Emma and Rafe said in unison.
Emma hugged Natalia quickly around the waist, and then scampered off. Moments later, Natalia heard the telltale clomping of feet on the back staircase, as her daughter ascended to her room. And then she smiled at Rafe, and accepted his hug as well.
"Thanks for everything, Ma," he said sincerely. "Sorry I got so angry earlier."
Leaning back, Natalia looked up, meeting that dark gaze that was so much like his father's. "One step at a time, okay?" she said empathically.
"Yeah," he nodded. "One step at a time."
He kissed her on the cheek then, and whispered that he loved her one more time. And then he was off to his room, his sneaker-clad feet clomping down the hallway as he went.
Natalia smiled to herself as she pulled several twenties out of her wallet, setting them on the countertop for Rafe. It still felt strange to her, having that kind of cash just to spend on fun things; but it also made her feel grateful for the many blessings in her life.
She scribbled a note to him, telling him how proud she was of him for trying, and letting him know he could keep the change. Things weren't perfect but, all-in-all, it hadn't been a bad morning. He was trying, and she was willing to meet him more than half way until he was ready for more.
TBC in Chapter 14.22…