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 Bianca Montgomery and Kendal Hart Slater belong to ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. The original characters of Jennifer, Jacob, and Dylan Morgan, Detective Sargent Langston Malloy, and her parents, Carrigan (Carrie) McKenna Malloy and Lorcán Malloy, and her brother Quinn, Attorney Danika Kováč, and her parents Alaina (Laney) Brennan Kováč and Daněk Kováč, Jake, Jacqueline, and Preston Morgan, and Mariana the nanny 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, All My Children, ABC/Disney, Prospect Park, or any other person or entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
Many thanks to my friend and favorite FFW, WickedWanda926, and to my friend newfan64, for their ongoing willingness to edit my stories. Words cannot express how much I appreciate the two of you and your steadfast support of me, both personally, and as a would-be writer. Due to time constraints, however, this update has not been edited. Thus, any mistakes contained herein are solely my responsibility.
Finally, this update completely focused on the Langston/Dani (or as WickedWanda calls them, DANG) storyline. I apologize for the unbalanced content, and promise there is much more Otalia to come. I just needed to get some loose ends tied up so that we could all move forward together. The next update is already underway, and will hopefully bring you all some closure very soon. Thank you to all who continue to read and/or comment. Fall Break is fast approaching, and my goal is to respond individually to all of your wonderful feedback when I have a few days to myself. It seems that, once again, I am several updates behind, and for that, I sincerely apologize. Please know how much I appreciate the time you have invested in this story, and truly hope you continue to enjoy.
Rating: This section of Chapter 16 is rated R for excessive coarse language. Translation—Langston is pissed.
I hope y'all enjoy!
Kimberly
Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Copyright May 2009
"When you meet someone so different from yourself, in a good way, you don't even have to kiss to have fireworks go off."
— Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Chapter 16.10 – A Few Fireworks of Our Own:
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Bauer Barbecue—7:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Shocked, Jen's mouth dropped open in response to Jacqueline's bombshell. "The detective who investigated my family is your niece?"
"Yes," Jacqueline confirmed. Given all that had happened, she felt no need to keep Langston's identity a secret any longer. There was no reason to deny anything anymore. "She's my sister Carrie's youngest child. You remember Carrie, don't you?"
Jen smiled. "Yes, of course." Her voice was warm, with a touch of lingering empathy for Jacqueline's loss. "I know it meant a lot to Jake to have her at our wedding." She remembered then, Jake's mention of cousins whom he wished could be in attendance—Quinn was one of them. He hadn't named the other, but now Jen easily deduced that it was Langston. And now she understood the reason why.
Just that brief mention of her sister brought the reality of her loss back to Jacqueline, causing her heart to clutch in her chest. There were moments where she could remember her sister and not feel that chasm of emptiness deep inside. And there were others where it was inevitable that she would experience it anew. On the heels of all that had occurred with Langston, today suddenly became one of those latter days, only now, the chasm was infinitely deeper, because ultimately, it was of her own making.
Monday, June 22, 2009… Danika Kováč's Room, The Beacon—5:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Approaching the door to Dani's hotel suite, Jacqueline heard Dani's sobbing pleas for Langston to respond. She sounded frantic, and Jacqueline's training instinctively kicked into overdrive. Outwardly, she remained calm and collected—a remnant of her years as a trauma surgeon. Inwardly, her heart instantly began to pound. She was already running the gamut of possibilities, as she banged on the door, calling out to Dani.
Inside the room, the ornate clock that graced the mantle above the gas fireplace ticked in perfect measure, marking the seconds as they expired. And yet somehow, time stood still. Dani's own heart pounded erratically in her chest, as she continued to beg a response from her wife. She was a mere instant away from casting aside the rules she had been groomed to understand—never engage the police or emergency medical personnel in response to a "family-related" injury—when she was startled by the unexpected thumping at the door. The sound of Jacqueline's voice reached out to her, somehow bringing her hope.
Too overwhelmed with fear, she spoke not a word as she glanced toward Mariana, who knelt on the other side of Langston's body. Words were superfluous anyway. Mariana understood the pleading expression in those dark eyes. Rising to her feet, she raced toward the sound of deliverance.
Unlatching the deadbolt, she swung the heavy wooden barrier open, allowing Jacqueline entrance. "Dr. Morgan, thank goodness you're here!" she exclaimed, as Jacqueline bustled through the ingress with the same deliberateness as she had the trauma bay at Cedars all those years ago.
"What happened?" Jacqueline asked with a juxtaposing sense of calm urgency, as she moved stealthily into the suite, finding Dani kneeling over Langston's crumpled, lifeless form.
"Help me, Jacqué," Dani pleaded desperately, her dark, tear-filled eyes swimming in fear. "Please!"
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—8:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Everything Dani had ever known, ever trusted, had come tumbling down like dominos in the wake of Carrie's death—a cold-blooded murder disguised as an "unfortunate casualty" of a mob war gone astray. But anyone who knew anything about the tangled saga of their two families understood it was a deliberate hit ordered by Daněk Kováč for the humiliation he had suffered as a result of her having slept with his wife for all those years. He had "taken care" of Laney long ago, and bided his time when it came to Carrie, waiting for just the right opportunity to exact his revenge upon her.
Lorcán Malloy, preferring humiliation to death, had exacted his own form of revenge—keeping Carrie chained to him by force, degrading and belittling her at every opportunity, and doing far more sinister things to her behind closed doors. Second only to Daněk Kováč in the art of vengeance, he was evil personified; the Devil's own prize. But much to his vexation, Carrie never allowed his wrath to bring her down. Instead, she focused on raising her children, on loving them, and teaching them to be decent, respectable human beings. She often wondered where she had gone wrong with Pierce—he had turned out so much like his father. But she was beyond proud of Langston and Quinn, and of her granddaughters, Madison and Taylor. And she would have adored her lost grandson, and her newest granddaughter, McKenna. Of that, Dani was absolutely certain. She ached to her very soul that her children would never know the love of their Grandmother Carrie—it was the same ache she felt over their loss of her own mother.
That early-morning dream—the one where Langston was in inexplicable danger—and Langston's subsequent appearance on her doorstep, a bullet wound in her chest, formed the other half of a set of bookends—the ones that held the story arc of their lives from the day Carrie was shot by a hitman at the bequest of Dani's own father. Though they had mourned Carrie together in the beginning, the series of events that followed did little to sustain that sense of connectedness, and their relationship, their lives, had been forever changed as a result of her death.
They hadn't been together in more than three years; a fact that still tore Dani to pieces each time she was forced to acknowledge it. But there had been nothing she could do to change it. Langston had refused her phone calls, never opened her e-mails, and avoided any mention of her for equally as long. Still, Dani had never fully given up hope that one day Langston would come home. Not even that morning, as she watched Langston's lifeless form on the floor of her hotel room in Springfield.
She could still hear the sound of Mariana's voice trying to reassure her; but she still had no idea what the woman had said. And she remembered Jacqueline's arrival, and the sound of her own voice, begging Jacqué for help; but little else beyond that. The next… she didn't even know how long… were a complete blur to her, and there were still moments when she found it difficult to decipher how it was, exactly, that she had come to be here, in this place, with these people, with neither her wife, nor her daughter, alongside her.
Tears of confusion, anger, and latent remorse welled up in those expressive dark eyes as she contemplated her current situation. Why had she allowed her anger to get the best of her? And why hadn't she tried harder to get the truth to Langston?
True, she hadn't known where Langston had gone. Not really, anyway. But she could've used context clues to figure it out. And she could've pushed Jacqueline or Quinn harder. If she knew nothing else, it was that the two of them would always know where to find her. Any attempt to excuse her decision floundered in light of that simple truth.
In a show of astute observation, Kendall came to Dani's rescue, just as the emotions triggered by memories of that fateful June morning threatened to overwhelm her. Rising from her chair, she reached out, gently touching Dani's arm. "Hey," she said softly, not wanting to startle the other woman. "I think I'm going to switch out this iced tea for some wine," she remarked. "Can I interest you in a glass?"
Grateful for the save, Dani smiled up at her through tearstained eyes. "A glass?" she intoned. "How about the whole bottle?"
Laughing, Kendall countered, "Red or white?" She could definitely relate.
"Red," Dani answered. "Sweet, if you have it."
Kendall smiled. "If we have it?" she said with a teasing lilt. "I'm fairly certain Lena has the entire stock of her favorite French vineyard in that wine cooler in there."
"Just the French one?" Dani rejoined playfully.
"Well," Kendall said, reconsidering. "Perhaps an Italian one, as well."
Feeling the weight lifting from her chest, Dani chuckled. "Thank you," she said sincerely.
Regarding the other woman intently, Kendall noted, "Sounds like you're talking about more than just a glass of wine."
Taken off-guard, Dani's cheeks flushed. "Does astuteness run in the family?"
Delivered on a wry tone, Dani's anxious attempt at humor only served to concern Kendall. She didn't want to overstep her bounds. "Would you prefer I tone it down?" she asked.
Dani considered the question for a moment, and then said, "No."
"You know, Binks isn't the only good listener in the family," Kendall commented, clearly giving Dani an invitation, if she wanted it. "She's just the one who gets paid for it," she added on a lighter tone.
"So… you're saying your services are free?" Dani teasingly intoned.
"Indeed, they are," Kendall confirmed.
Dani grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Bauer Barbecue—7:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
"Why haven't I ever met her before?"
The sound of Jen's voice drew Jacqueline from the past. She remained silent for a moment, contemplating her response. "I guess by now you've realized that Preston was involved in some rather… unsavory dealings," she assumed. It wasn't a question.
Jen nodded. It was hardly something she could deny. The accusations had been all over the news for the past two weeks.
"Well, when Langston joined the police academy, she made it a point to distance herself from the family," Jacqueline explained. "Any hint of impropriety could have cost her the career she's worked so hard to build. So our family ties were kept under wraps for her sake. It was imperative when she lived in Chicago, but it became equally as important once she moved here to Springfield, thanks to Preston's increasing involvement in the… family business."
Those last two words were spewed with vitriol, and Jen couldn't blame Jacqueline for the way she felt about it. "I can understand the need for distance," she acknowledged. "Is that why she didn't say anything when she first realized who we were?"
"When it comes to the incident at Company, yes," Jacqueline answered, knowing it was the truth. Langston had come to her the following day, asking her opinion on the matter. Jacqueline assured her she had done the right thing in keeping her connection a secret. Nothing about the situation warranted a revelation that could negatively impact her career. But it was more than just concern for her career, and Jacqueline knew it.
"And what about the investigation involving the boys?" Jen prodded.
Again, Jacqueline fell silent, contemplative. Langston had spoken with her again after the charges were filed against Tracy, concerned that she was too biased to make clear decisions. Her gut told her that Tracy was innocent, and that somehow Preston had been involved in the accusations. But she had no proof; and her job was to investigate the alleged crime, and ultimately, to protect her own cousin's children.
Jacqueline had assured her that if anything, her connection would make her more careful when it came to protecting Jake's sons, and encouraged her to continue the investigation accordingly; but to be careful that Preston didn't catch wind of her involvement. As a result, all of Langston's formal documentation regarding the investigation had been signed into the record by one of her colleagues, per Chief Cooper's instructions. He was the only person on the Springfield police force who knew of her connection to the Malloy/Kováč crime families in Chicago.
"She was worried about not doing Jake's sons justice because she was too close to the situation," Jacqueline finally answered. "I encouraged her to continue, knowing the connection would make her more careful, not less. Ultimately, she agreed with me, and thought it best to keep her familial ties out of it, for fear the case might be reassigned to someone who wouldn't be as meticulous in their work."
A faint smile edged Jen's lips. "So I have you to thank for protecting the boys from Preston's lies," she surmised.
Jacqueline offered a slight smile in response. "What he didn't know, didn't hurt our boys," she said. "But it's Langston you really owe," she admitted. "She felt so guilty about not protecting them from the outset, that she worked herself to the bone to make sure she didn't fail them, and you, again."
"What makes her think she failed us?" Jen asked curiously.
"She kept her distance for the sake of her career, but also because she was concerned about her father's reach, and the possible danger to you and the boys, especially after Jake was gone," Jacqueline shared. "And while that sounds noble to me, in her way of thinking, it left you vulnerable to Preston," she explained. "She blames herself for not being vigilant where he was concerned."
"That's both noble, and ridiculous," Jen said forthrightly.
"That's my Langston," Jacqueline said with an admiring laugh. And then a juxtaposing sadness fell over her, as she realized that Langston was no longer hers.
"Thank you for sharing her with me," Jen said sincerely. "I wish I'd had a chance to know her all these years."
"Thank you for listening," Jacqueline said, gently squeezing Jen's hand. "It's nice to be able to talk about her with someone. I haven't been able to do that in a very long time."
They fell silent for a moment, Jen contemplating Langston's willingness to sacrifice for the sake of others, while Jacqueline's thoughts returned to those final hours with her niece…
Monday, June 22, 2009… Danika Kováč's Room, The Beacon—5:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Jacqueline knelt down beside her niece, a hand instinctively reaching out to her neck. With expert precision, her index and middle fingers sought and found the carotid artery, checking for a pulse, even as her calm dark gaze locked on familiar eyes, burnished black with fear.
"Her pulse is low, but steady," she reported evenly, after counting out the number of beats within the first ten second period. It was less than sixty beats per minute, and ordinarily, that might've concerned her. But she knew that Langston was in great physical shape and very active; thus, that heart rate was very likely close to normal for her. "She's not responding because she passed out. That's all. Okay?"
Tears streaking down her face, Dani clung to hope, knowing that she could trust Jacqueline's assessment. Nodding, she managed to croak out, "Okay."
Peering up toward Mariana, Jacqueline asked, "Would you mind grabbing my medical bag from the bedroom?"
"Right away, Dr. Morgan," Mariana immediately acquiesced. She was gone in an instant.
With that task under way, Jacqueline turned her attention back to Dani. "How did this happen?"
Taking a moment, Dani sniffed back tears. "I… I told her about the miscarriage," she reported, after managing to regain a modicum of composure.
"That must have come as a shock," Jacqueline said, thinking aloud, as her hands made quick work of giving Langston the onceover. Her tone held no judgment.
Dani grimaced. "It happened so fast, but… it looked like her legs gave out, and she tried to steady herself with her bad arm. I guess the pain caused her to black out."
"Okay," Jacqueline said, nodding. She eased Langston's t-shirt upward, and gently peeled back the tape that held the gauze padding in place over the wound. "That makes sense."
"This is entirely my fault," Dani mumbled pejoratively. "It was too much; especially on the heels of meeting McKenna."
Reaching out, Jacqueline lightly brushed Dani's arm. "Stop, okay?" Her tone was as gentle as her touch.
"What if she reinjured herself?"
"Then I'll fix her up again," Jacqueline said simply, methodical eyes already assessing for any new damage or possible re-injury.
"I should've insisted that she sit down," Dani argued.
A dark, chiseled eyebrow arched, Jacqueline chuckled softly. "Have you met my niece?"
Dani couldn't help but smile at the tone in the older woman's voice. "You have a point."
"Exactly," Jacqueline said. "Now stop blaming yourself. Please?" she beseeched. "It does you no good service."
Mariana returned with the requested bag, handing it to Jacqueline. "Here you go," she said with a sense of urgency.
Taking the dark leather satchel from the other woman, Jacqueline smiled into another set of dark, fearful eyes. "Thank you, Mariana," she said, hoping her own calm demeanor would ease the woman's worry.
"Miss Langston," Mariana said, a note of question in her tone. "She will be all right?"
Jacqueline nodded firmly. "Yes," she answered with confidence. "She'll be just fine." She glanced at Dani then, locking their gazes, "Right now she's just suffering the consequences of her own stubbornness."
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Bauer Barbecue—8:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Her thoughts returning to the conversation with Jacqueline, Jen glanced her way, and sighed. "Honestly, I'm surprised Preston didn't throw a tantrum and tell the whole world the investigation was skewed due to a biased investigator."
"He didn't know she was involved," Jacqueline reported, not divulging the details of how her involvement had been covered up. She was thankful for the reprieve from her memories. "And he didn't live long enough to find out," she commented matter-of-factly. The implication was that had he lived, he certainly would have called foul on Langston's involvement in the investigation, if he'd somehow learned the truth. But that no longer mattered, and for that fact, Jacqueline was grateful.
"It must've been difficult for you, having her so close by after losing Carrie, but not being able to acknowledge her importance to you," Jen empathized.
"Yes, it was," Jacqueline confessed. "And it was equally as difficult for her, but it was necessary."
"I can't imagine having to live with secrets like that," Jen said.
"Can't you?" Jacqueline gently challenged.
At Jen's inquiring expression, she expounded. "You and Tracy lived with your secret for years, didn't you? Just like Dani and Langston did."
Considering Jacqueline's comparison, Jen finally nodded. "You have a point," she conceded. "I guess Langston and I have more in common than I realized. Still, she's had to hide far more than just her sexual orientation. She's had to keep her entire family a secret!"
"Again, I could argue nearly the same was true for you and Tracy; but that's neither here, nor there. The bottom line for Dani and Lang is that secrets are a way of life when you come from their world," Jacqueline explained. "It's what they know. And it's more about protecting the people they love, than about the secrets themselves."
"So… that's why Dani kept McKenna's parentage a secret," Jen surmised. She had heard Dani's side of the story, but at the time, had no idea that the two families were so closely linked with her own. This new information made the entire situation so much more understandable—and more frightening.
"Yes," Jacqueline confirmed. "To protect her from Langston's father. If he'd known that McKenna was his granddaughter, he would've tried to lay claim to her, just like Preston did with the boys. With Langston gone, there was no one there to challenge him if he tried."
"What is it with these men, thinking they own children just because they share blood?" Jen asked rhetorically. She sounded uncharacteristically angry.
"Honestly, Dear, I really don't know," Jacqueline said, shaking her head. "And for a moment there, Langston seemed to be of the same opinion."
"What do you mean?" Jen asked, sounding confused.
"McKenna," Jacqueline said simply.
"I take it Langston finally knows about her," Jen surmised. Dani had told them the whole story that night at the farmhouse.
"Yes," Jacqueline confirmed. "I tried to tell her, especially about the miscarriage, but she wouldn't listen to me," she explained. "Every time I mentioned Dani, she shut me down cold."
"And now she's angry with you for not telling her," Jen presumed.
"Furious is more to the point," Jacqueline admitted, tears clouding her eyes as the emotions swept over her. "She won't even speak to me."
"Surely, she'll come around," Jen said encouragingly.
"I doubt it," Jacqueline countered, as she remembered their last encounter. "Not this time…"
Monday, June 22, 2009… Danika Kováč's Room, The Beacon—6:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Just as Jacqueline completed her examination, concluding that no additional injury had taken place, Langston began to rouse. Disoriented and confused, her bleary-eyed gaze shifted wordlessly from her aunt, to her wife, to Mariana, and back again. "What happened?" she finally asked; her voice weak and filled with bewilderment.
Panic set in then, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead and temple as she attempted to get up. Jacqueline's firm, but gentle hand held her in place. "You passed out, Sweetheart," she reported. "Probably a pain response."
And then Langston remembered. "My legs felt like jelly. I grabbed the edge of the sofa."
Still on her knees beside Langston, Dani gently scooped her wife up, pulling her close, as she shifted her legs, leaning against the sofa behind her. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry, Lang. I'm so sorry," she murmured against Langston's sweat-dampened temple.
Outwardly, Langston clung to Dani's embrace, her face nestled against Dani's breasts. Inwardly, Anger warred with Solace, as Langston's thoughts bounced between the pain of the truths that Dani had kept from her, and the comfort she found in simply being in her arms. She wanted to scream of the pain, the betrayal she felt inside—a daughter she had just learned existed—a son she would never know. And in the same moment, she wanted to never be parted from Dani and their daughter ever again.
But could she let go of the anger, and fully embrace the solace?
She didn't have time to debate the question. McKenna cried out from the bedroom, making her presence known. The serious expression on Jacqueline's face instantly softened, as her full lips curled into a tender smile. "Seems Aunt Jacqué's little ladybug needs some snuggles," she announced with obvious affection.
Dani offered a warm smile in return. "She's in the master bedroom. Why don't you go get her," she suggested.
Taking the conversation in, Langston's heart began to pound, her breathing turning ragged, as a barrage of Jacqueline's comments came rushing toward her, at the realization that her aunt had known the truth all along. One by one, the comments echoed through the corridors of her mind…
"Believe it or not, Langston, you're not the only one who's lost someone here."
"You need to call your wife. She really needs you right now."
"I think you've lost far more than you realize, Langston."
"Someday, you're going to regret your stubbornness."
"Oh, my god," Langston gasped. "You knew about this?" she demanded accusingly, her blue eyes flashing dark with fury as she glared up at her aunt.
Feeling her wife's body tense in her arms, Dani gently soothed her. "Langston, please," she murmured. "Getting angry won't change…"
Jerking away from Dani's hold, Langston cursed the pain, as she struggled to her feet, muttering, "Don't fucking 'Langston' me, Dani!" Dark blue eyes turned stone cold, nearly black with rage. "You knew the whole time, didn't you?" she snapped at her aunt.
"Yes," Jacqueline admitted, heart aching as she watched the swirl of emotions play across Langston's face.
"And you didn't see fit to tell me about my children?" she seethed, fists clenched at her sides to prevent her from striking out. The tighter she clenched, the more intense the pain in her chest and shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Langston," Jacqueline said, her own dark eyes filled with a mixture of regret and fear. Langston's temper was triggering flashbacks, and she struggled to maintain her composure. "Dani asked me…"
"Since when is your loyalty to her, and not me?" Langston sounded hurt, confused, and most of all, angry.
"My loyalty has always been to you," Jacqueline said, stung by the accusation in her niece's tone.
"Don't take this out on her, Lang. She begged me to tell you," Dani interjected, her tone quiet, but firm. This is on me, not her.
"Obviously not hard enough," Langston said accusingly.
"Langston!" Dani censured, as she clambered to her feet. "Stop it."
Langston's words struck hard; and Jacqueline felt herself cowering beneath them, the way she always had with Preston. Self-Recrimination laughed at her, telling her she was nothing. But Latent Inner-Strength surged, fighting back. "I understand that you're hurt, Langston," she gently validated. "And I'm truly sorry. You have no idea how sorry."
"But?" Langston sighed wearily.
"No 'buts'," Jacqueline replied. "I can't change what's past. And I can't excuse it, either. All I can do is apologize for my part in hurting you."
"Get out," Langston replied, her tone as icy and distant as her gaze. Jacqueline's apology meant nothing to her. Not after this. "Just… get the fuck out."
"What?" Dani sounded genuinely confused. "Langston, you can't be serious."
"Langston, please," Jacqueline begged, her eyes dark with emotion.
"No," Langston sighed, sounding almost defeated. "Not this time."
"What does that even mean?" Dani snapped in response. Now she was angry. She bore the brunt of the blame for all that had happened, but dammit, Langston's own choices had contributed to their current circumstances.
Langston paused at the question, her head spinning with realizations. And then she locked her gaze on her wife. "It means I'm fucking sick of my family betraying me. My whole life the two of you, Grandma McKenna, mom, Jake, and Quinn were the only people I could truly trust. Half of them are dead. And the other half…"
On the verge of tears, she dragged a hand through her tangle of thick, dark hair, releasing a slow sigh. She didn't even want to contemplate how much of this Quinn knew—and why he hadn't told her. "I can't deal with this bullshit right now," she declared. "I just wanna be with my daughter, and I don't wanna hear any shit out of you."
"You can't just take her, Langston," Dani said coolly.
"Don't push me, Dani," Langston warned.
"I don't want a war with you over our daughter," Dani replied, attempting to hold her composure. "But the bottom line is, the law is on my side."
"She my biological child, goddammit," Langston snapped, emphasizing the blood bond. "I don't give a fuck what the law says, Danika."
"None of that even matters right now, Langston," Jacqueline calmly interjected. "You can't possibly take care of an infant. You're injured, and under the influence of pain killers. You shouldn't even be alone right now."
"I'm perfectly capable of managing on my own," Langston seethed.
"Stubborn ass," Dani said accusingly.
As the argument escalated, Mariana slipped quietly from the room. If two of her girls seemed hell-bent on tearing one another apart, the least she could do was protect the youngest of her precious brood. Reaching the master suite, she lifted McKenna from the port-a-crib, and carried her across the room to the rocking chair. Cradling her close, she whispered reassurances, and as the war raged on in the other room, she prayed that they would all find peace, and soon.
When Langston responded with a smug expression, Dani shook her head in frustration. "You know what, I'm not doing this with you right now," she sighed wearily. "I know you don't really mean what you're saying. You're just not… thinking clearly, that's all."
"What the hell would you know?" Langston growled.
"What I know, is that you can't take her on your bike. It's as simple as that," Dani said firmly. "You can barely walk, for Christ's sake!"
"I don't even know where the fuck my bike is," Langston roared. "I'll take a cab back to my apartment, and figure out where we'll go from there."
"No," Dani countered. "You won't decide anything about our child while you're in this state of mind. I can't stop you from leaving, but you're not taking McKenna anywhere. Not until you get your head screwed on straight."
Langston's eyes narrowed as she glared at her wife. "Fuck you," she said bitterly. Her icy blue gaze shifted toward Jacqueline then. "Fuck you both," she growled. And then she stalked out of the suite, slamming the heavy wooden door with such force it nearly crushed Dani with the finality of it.
Chest heaving with grief, Dani sank down onto the sofa. Burying her face in her hands, hot tears flowed freely, trickling between her fingers, and darkening the heather gray material that covered her thighs. What the hell had just happened? And why did I ever let it get so far out of control?
TBC in Chapter 16.11…