Title: Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimer: The characters Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia and Rafe Rivera, Ashlee Wolfe, and Josh Lewis are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters Bianca Montgomery, Lena Kundera, and Maggie Stone are owned by All My Children, ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. The original characters Nastassia Rivera/Ana Mackenzie, Dr. Kait Mackenzie, and their daughters, Dante Rivera, and Jordan Montgomery-Kundera 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 and Prospect Park, 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.
This update has not been proofread. Thus, all errors are my own.
Rating: Chapter 19 is rated PG.
Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Copyright May 2009
"Sometimes life takes unexpected turns. Sometimes we hide the very core of our existence because we fear the judgment of others. Sometimes the universe shifts and we are provided with a brief moment to begin anew. These moments allow us to become fearless and let our perfectly created souls shine."
― Cori Garrison, New Beginnings
Chapter 19.7 – New Beginnings:
Saturday, May 15, 2010… The North Shore, Highland Park, Illinois—11:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time
Pulling up in front a beautiful lakeside cottage on Chicago's North Shore, Olivia shifted her sleek silver Aston Martin convertible into neutral, and released the clutch, simultaneously engaging the parking break. Cushy black leather squeaked beneath her as she turned toward Natalia, who sat fidgeting nervously in the seat beside her. A compassionate expression filled her eyes, as she tilted her head in that endearing way of hers and reached for Natalia's hands, grasping them firmly within her own. "We don't have to do this if you're not ready," she said supportively.
"I know," Natalia said, nodding unconvincingly, as she remembered her conversation with Ana after dinner the evening prior. Ana had invited them over for drinks with Kait, offering an opportunity for them to finally meet in person—and for Emma to meet some of her cousins. And though she was decidedly curious about her twin's wife, Natalia had declined, citing exhaustion from the long drive and their unexpected reunion, but together she and Olivia agreed to attend a family gathering the next afternoon.
And that was how, on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the middle of May, they found themselves parked outside Kait and Ana's cottage—a place that couldn't possibly have been more different than the home where she, Ana, and their siblings had grown up. And yet, somehow it seemed to suit her twin. Not just the version of her she'd begun to get reacquainted with last evening, but parts of the one she remembered from their childhood and early teen years, as well.
Taking a deep breath, Natalia focused on calming her anxiety by reminding herself that Ana had promised to make the transition back into the Rivera fold as effortless as possible—starting first with Emma and Rafe meeting Ana and Kait—if Rafe was up for it—and then the four of them meeting Kait and Ana's children. Natalia's estrange mother and Abuela, would follow, and then one sibling family at a time, until everyone was there.
It was a reasonable plan. They were in no rush. They had the entire afternoon and evening stretched out before them. Still, Natalia felt edgy, uncertain. After all, the pressure was on her, not them. They had been a family all along, and at this point in their lives, she had been away from them longer than with them, leaving a part of her to feel like an outsider now, an intruder. The "What-ifs" had kept her tossing and turning most of the night.
"I know that we don't have to do this," Natalia reiterated a few moments later. "I just…" She blew out a breath. "They're expecting us, Liv, and… I don't want to let them down."
"Natalia…" Olivia whispered her name on a concerned sigh. "They're the ones who've let you down—every single day of your life, for the past twenty years!"
"And I'm sure they feel plenty guilty for it," Natalia defended almost by way of habit. "We are a family of diehard Catholics, after all," she said drolly.
An eyebrow vaulted as Olivia tried not to laugh. It was a futile cause. "I wonder if Ana's wife realizes that," she teased, a roguish grin forming at the corners of her mouth, as a matching chortle joined her own.
The shared laughter served to relax Natalia a bit, and not for the first time, she found herself grateful for the ease of their banter. "Okay, so maybe we're not as diehard as I once thought," she conceded. "But I know their faith still matters to them. Just like mine does to me."
Olivia nodded, indicating that she understood. Shifting in her seat, she reached up, tipping Natalia's chin. When that mahogany gaze fell into her own, she asked, "If you could change the past, be with your family and still have Rafe, would you?"
"It was hard, Olivia," Natalia admitted after taking a moment to consider the question, "raising Rafe all alone. But I wouldn't change a thing about it, because it led me to you."
An affectionate smile spread across Olivia's face. "You have me," she said with conviction. "And I'll be right by your side, supporting you no matter what you decide to do, today… and always."
Leaning close, Natalia caressed Olivia's cheek with her hand as she pressed a kiss to her lips. "Which is why I have the strength to do this today," she declared. "I wanna go inside. I wanna see my family again; introduce them to you—the person who changed my entire world."
"You changed my world far more than I, yours," Olivia quietly declared, returning the kiss.
When Olivia released her, Natalia locked into her gaze. "I know it took me a while to get there, but I am so unbelievably proud to walk through this life with you by my side," she whispered.
The heat of tears prickled behind jade eyes as Olivia smiled into that gaze so filled with love for her. "I think our timing was perfect," she quietly declared. "Back then, and right now. And I can't wait to be your wife."
Natalia's heart skipped a beat. "And I can't wait to be yours," she countered. "We're officially less than a year away," she beamed.
Nodding, a seductive grin danced across Olivia's full lips. "I know…" she purred softly, her fingertips skimming lightly along Natalia's left arm. Slipping beneath her palm, she lifted Natalia's hand, pressing a kiss against her engagement ring. "Exactly three hundred and sixty-four days from this very moment, you and I will be on San Cristobal with our family, getting ready to pledge our forever to one another."
Mahogany eyes flickering from Olivia's gaze, down to her hand, and back again, Natalia arched an eyebrow. "Yes, we will. And it'll be the last wedding for either one of us," she said in a tone that brooked no dispute.
Amusement flashed in those jade eyes. "And what if one day I wanna marry you all over again?" Olivia challenged.
The sincerity in Olivia's tone belied the playfulness in her expression, and Natalia's breath caught in response. The corners of her mouth curled into a tremulous smile as she searched that familiar gaze. "I would marry you every single day for the rest of my life, Olivia Spencer."
Olivia leaned close. "Be careful what you promise," she whispered, brushing her mouth against Natalia's, allowing her lips to linger. "I might just hold you to that."
Natalia smiled against Olivia's lips. "Promise?" she quietly intoned.
"Easiest promise I'll ever make," Olivia declared, before kissing her again.
A few minutes later, Olivia held tightly to Natalia's hand, steadying her as they climbed the steps leading to Ana and Kait's front porch. The double entryway was flanked on both sides by flourishing plants in huge clay pots that matched the set that held a colorful array of flowers at the base of the stairs. And next to the vases on either side were sitting areas backed by large picture windows that they would soon learn allowed views of the perfectly manicured yard from both the living room and the formal dining room.
The porch was cozy and inviting, much like their own back at the farmhouse, and it made them want to know what lay waiting for them just beyond.
Together, they walked across the solid wooden planks toward the door. Natalia hesitated for a moment, her finger hovering over the doorbell. And then she reached for the handle on the wrought-iron screen door instead. It creaked as she opened it, and she paused again, taking a breath, before knocking firmly on the heavy wooden door.
Barely a moment passed before the door opened, and Ana was there greeting them with a warm smile and welcoming hugs. The moment her twin's arms were around her, Natalia felt the tension slip away. Instinctively, they held one another tighter, lingering a little longer, and by the time they separated, Kait was there to join them.
Once proper introductions were made, they had a moment to take in their surroundings, finding the living room, the focal point of which was a magnificent stone fireplace to the right, and an elegant dining room to the left of the wide open space. The living room furniture that surrounded the hearth looked formal, yet inviting, and the décor reminded Natalia of those houses she would see in magazines or on those shows on television.
"You have a beautiful home," Natalia complimented, her gaze moving from Ana to Kait, and back again.
"Yes, it's quite lovely," Olivia added.
"Thank you," Ana beamed, the pride she felt in the home she and Kait had built together, evident in her smile.
Kait simply smiled. It gave her great pleasure to see how proud her wife was of their home. She gestured toward the back of the house then, and Ana took the lead. Hooking her arm around Natalia, she escorted her across perfectly polished hardwood floors, with Olivia and Kait falling into step right behind them.
"It's a gorgeous day out," Kait declared as they made their way through the spacious double kitchen toward a set of French doors. "I thought maybe we could visit out on the veranda while we wait for Emma and Rafe to arrive."
Ana glanced toward Natalia at the mention of her niece and nephew. "They are still coming—aren't they?" she asked, her tone an amalgam of curious excitement and worry that Rafe wouldn't be ready to meet them. She wouldn't have blamed him for refusing.
Natalia smiled and brushed a hand down Ana's back. "Yes, of course," she said reassuringly. "Rafe and his girlfriend Ashlee took Emma for a swim at the indoor pool this morning to give us a little time together first, but they'll be here in an hour or so."
"In the meantime, the veranda sounds absolutely perfect," Olivia chimed in.
"Fantastic," Kait declared, pushing the sliding screen door aside to allow them access. She followed them through, closing the screen behind her. "May I interest anyone in a drink?" she offered, as she and Ana stepped toward the outdoor bar just to the left of the door.
"We've got fresh-squeezed lemonade, iced tea, cold water, and a couple kinds of juices," Kait was offering as Ana began to prepare drinks for herself and Kait. "Or if you're in need of something a little stronger, there's a fully-stocked bar back here."
Natalia chuckled, realizing the offer of a stiff drink was most likely for her. "I think I'd better stick with lemonade," she said. "But thanks for offering to hook me up."
Laughing, Kait shrugged her shoulders. "Least I could do for my newfound sister-in-law," she commented, as she scooped ice into a glass, the cubes clinking noisily against the sides.
"Sister-in-law," Natalia said, trying the title on for size. "I like the sound of that."
Pouring the lemonade, Kait dropped a fresh lemon slice into the glass, and glanced up at Natalia. "Me too," she smiled. And then she directed her attention toward Olivia. "What can I get for ya?"
"Iced tea sounds good," Olivia answered.
"Ah, that's perfect," Kait declared with a playful grin. "Goes down smooth with the tranquilizer I'm about to suggest. This crew can be a handful if you're not used to them," she teased.
Ana bumped her hip against Kait's. "Oh, would you stop," she scolded mildly, drawing a laugh from her wife as she wrapped her arms around Kait's waist.
Kait looked up from the glass she'd just filled with ice, meeting the laughter in Olivia's gaze. "I'm an only child," she explained. "Took me a while to adjust to all the chaos."
"I can only imagine," Natalia laughed, recalling how loud and boisterous their family gatherings always were when they were children. "Who was the toughest to deal with in the beginning?"
"Tony," Kait and Ana said in unison. And then they all laughed together.
"He was a hot mess in the beginning, for sure," Ana commented, causing Olivia to gulp nervously.
"But don't worry, Olivia," Kait said, reassurance in her tone as she handed her the glass of tea. "I've broken him in for ya."
Olivia grinned. "That's good to know."
"Speaking of familiar family chaos, it's awfully quiet around here," Natalia noticed as she settled against Olivia's side, her feet tucked up beneath her—a perfect mirror image of her twin who had settled in with her wife across from them. "Where are your girls?"
"They're with Mama this morning," Ana answered. "I wanted us to have some time alone before all the craziness begins," she reasoned. "They'll be here around one—along with Abuela and her pasteles."
Natalia smiled over the rim of her glass. "Oooh, I can't wait!" she groaned, practically salivating at the thought of her grandmother's traditional Puerto Rican dish. "I can already taste them." The recipe having been handed down to her as a child, of course she knew how to make them herself, but somehow, they never tasted quite as good as when Abuela made them, and never would. "But I'm also really glad to have some extra time with you both."
"Us too," Kait replied. She paused for a moment, taking a sip of her lemonade. "I, uh… I wasn't quite sure how I'd react, seeing you," she admitted.
"And?" Natalia prodded with a grin.
"And… I'd say so far, it's only slightly unnerving that you look, and sound, exactly like my wife," Kait chuckled.
"Yeah, it's a little unnerving for me, as well," Olivia agreed, glancing from Natalia to Ana and back again. "Gonna take some time to get used to it."
"I think we'll be all right though, as long as I don't accidentally kiss the wrong one of you," Kait said with a teasing grin launched directly at Olivia.
Groaning, Olivia's head dropped. "I'm never gonna live that down, am I?"
"Not in a million years, Babe," Natalia answered wittily, drawing an amused grin from Olivia, as she patted Olivia's arm.
"In all fairness, I didn't exactly help the situation," Ana admitted, sounding almost pleased with herself.
"No, you sure didn't," Natalia remarked, leveling her twin with a knowing glance that drew Ana's delighted laughter in response.
Natalia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Some things never change," she quipped, earning laughter from all around.
They settled in for a leisurely chat then, Olivia and Kait getting acquainted as Natalia and Ana shared stories from their childhood and early teen years, all of them laughing together at the Rivera girls' shenanigans. The longer they talked, the more Olivia and Kait found they had in common. They were equally matched in terms of their commitment to family and professional drive and ambition, and easily established a sense of mutual respect and admiration—especially with regard to Kait's efforts to save the children they had lost, and the way they had handled their parallel grief as parents and partners.
For Natalia, without even realizing it, she was beginning to integrate the Stassi of yesteryear, with the Ana of today, and she found that she truly liked this incarnation of her sister, her twin.
That experience was shared by Ana, as well, as she began to see Natalia for who she was now, rather than the scared teenager she had been the day their Papi threw her out of the house. And together they realized that what had begun as an innate connection tinged by the unique dynamic of twin rivalry at birth somehow grew into a mutual sense of respect for one another's strengths, and deeper understanding of one another's weaknesses. And by the time their Mama arrived with Abuela and the girls, a firm foundation had been established for the family connection and deep friendship the four of them and their children would share for the rest of their lives.
Saturday, May 15, 2010… Penthouse Suite, The Lakewinds, Chicago, Illinois—11:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time
Upon their return from the pool that morning, Rafe dashed off to his room to get dressed for the afternoon, while Ashlee steered a semi-dried Emma into the room they shared just off the common area of the suite. She chuckled softly as she noted that Natalia had laid out Emma's clothing for the family outing, and then slipped into the bathroom to grab a fresh towel. Despite her responsibilities and busy schedule at BGRC, Natalia was always taking care of the little details for her family, and Ashlee admired that about her. Rafe, Emma, and Ava had a good Mama. Ashlee hoped to be a lot like her… someday.
"Here, Em, trade me," she said, holding the towel out to her. She accepted the wet one from her as she handed the dry one over. "Go ahead, get your suit off for me," she instructed, stepping back into the bathroom to hang the first towel to dry. "You can bring it to me once you're dressed. I'll get it hung up to dry."
"Thanks, Ashlee," Emma chirped as she slipped the straps over her shoulders. And then she glanced in the mirror, realizing what a mess her hair was after their swim. "Hey, will you fix my braid before we go?"
"Sure thing, Sweetie," Ashlee readily agreed. "Just let me get changed first, and we'll redo it."
A few minutes later, Ashlee having dried off and changed in the bathroom, they continued to chatter while Ashlee did the repair work on Emma's French braid. Lounging on the sofa just outside Emma's room, Rafe could hear their interactions, and he couldn't help but smile at the connection Ashlee shared with his little sister—and his big sister Ava too, for that matter.
Ashlee and Ava had become close friends since Ava's return home following Dantéa's death last summer, and the three of them were always having sleepovers where they did their hair and nails and god only knew what else. He never paid much attention to the details; he just really loved that they were close.
And despite his initial resistance, he also really loved the relationship he had built with Olivia. He was so grateful for the grounding force that she had become for them all in the wake of Dantéa's tragic death. She had taken charge when Natalia just simply couldn't. She had cared for all of them, especially his mother, in every possible way, including spiritually, despite her own aversion to organized religion, and that was something he would never take for granted. And now he viewed her as a voice of reason when his own voice clamored for things that were out of his control.
He thought about that as he remembered his reaction to hearing Natalia had run into her twin at New Beginnings the afternoon prior.
At first, he was floored. Never in a million years would he have anticipated encountering anyone from his mother's family.
Next, he felt angry. Though he knew it was irrational, it galled him that the woman would have the nerve to apply for a position with New Beginnings after the way she had abandoned his mother when she needed her most.
And then, when he heard that Natalia had been welcoming of her, that they had shared dinner together later that night and planned to attend a family gathering the next day, he felt… betrayed.
How could she possibly forgive those people for abandoning her… and him?
And yet, at her core, that was who Natalia was, and it took Olivia to remind him of that as he sat downstairs, sulking at the hotel bar after storming out of the penthouse suite in a rage last night. He wasn't drinking, of course. He was a month shy of his twentieth birthday, and he knew better than to even try it, even in a bar that was owned by his mother and her partner. But the atmosphere helped to validate his sullen mood, and so he sat there in shadow in the darkest corner of the bar, brooding over his mother's perceived betrayal.
When Olivia found him a couple of hours later, he was slumped over, staring blankly as he traced a finger around the rim of a half-empty glass of unsweetened tea. She had to force herself not to laugh. For all his rough edges, including his oft raging temper, and the fact that he had done time in juvie, he wasn't such a badass after all. Any other disgruntled teenaged boy might've at least tried to score some alcohol, but she knew that he hadn't because her bartender would've phoned their suite immediately, if he had.
"Drowning your sorrows?" she asked with a touch of humor in her tone as she approached his table.
Glancing up at her, he shrugged. "It'll take more than iced tea to drown them out this time," he replied.
"Do you mind?" she asked, gesturing toward the chair across from him.
He gestured back with a hand that said she was welcome to join him. "I'm not good company," he warned.
Olivia pulled the chair out, taking a seat. "Let me be the judge of that," she said, as one of the servers arrived with a fresh drink for each of them. She didn't need to order. Her bartender knew her tastes well by now. "Thank you, Carrie," she said, glancing up at the young server.
"Thanks, Carrie," Rafe said, echoing Olivia's sentiments.
"No problem, Rafe," Carrie replied. "Let me know if you need anything else, Ms. Spencer," she said, nodding an acknowledgment to Olivia before stepping away from the table.
Taking a sip of her drink, Olivia turned her attention back to Rafe. "I know this must be hard on you," she said empathetically, setting the class on the table. "It came out of nowhere for all of us, but obviously, it's much more personal for you and your mom."
"Yeah," Rafe laughed sarcastically. Leaning back in his chair, he ran a hand through thick black curls. "They got a lot of nerve, expecting her to just forgive and forget."
"Kind of like I did when your mom and I first got together, huh?" Olivia said, gently drawing a parallel.
Rafe shrugged. "Yeah, I guess," he grudgingly conceded. They had come a long way since then, and he didn't like to be reminded of the days when he acted like such a jackass. "But she's talking about them as if nothing ever happened!" he exclaimed, recalling how animated Natalia was when sharing all the news she'd gathered from Ana during dinner. "I just can't believe she's actually willing to forgive those assholes without a second thought," he sighed, resigned to the fact that it was true.
"I know it probably seems that way," Olivia agreed. "But your mom and I talked about all of this for a long time last night, before we ever went to dinner with Ana. She's willing to forgive for her own sake, not theirs. And she's willing to move forward with them because she wants you and Emma and Ava to have family other than just Sam and me."
"A day ago that wasn't even an issue," he argued.
"True," Olivia conceded. "But now that it's an option, it's really important to her."
"Yeah, well… I don't need family that abandons me when I need them most," Rafe said cynically.
"None of us is perfect, Rafe," Olivia gently reminded.
"They tossed her aside like she was nothing!" Rafe snapped, the depth of his pain palpable in his tone. "Me too, honestly. And they never looked back. How could she forgive that?"
"I felt that way at first, myself," Olivia sympathized. "And then I realized that it wasn't them who tossed you both aside. It was your grandfather's decision, not theirs."
"They've been adults for a long time, Olivia," Rafe argued, allowing Olivia to follow that thought to its logical conclusion as he moved on with his point. "How many times have you reminded me that I'm a grown-up now, so I have to take responsibility for my actions?"
"More than a few," Olivia conceded. "But I think this is different."
"How?" Rafe demanded.
"A lot has changed in the family in the years since your grandfather has been gone," Olivia reported based upon her conversations with Ana the day before. "They're more open now, more accepting, and I think they carry a lot of guilt for not having stood up to him when they were younger. I know that's particularly true for Ana," she explained, recalling the weight Natalia's twin seemed to carry as she shared her experiences both in the office and at dinner.
"I don't… understand how you could know that," Rafe resisted.
"Well, first of all, do you really think that if it were your aunts and uncles who chose to abandon your mom because of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, they would be so open and accepting of Ana's wife and children?" she challenged. "Your grandfather certainly wasn't, and ultimately that led to his death."
"Really?" Rafe sounded surprised. "How?"
"He had a heart attack when Ana came out to him," Olivia answered. "Dante—he's the paramedic—tried to save him, but he couldn't."
Rafe nodded, processing the information. "Yeah, I guess you're probably right," he finally agreed. "I mean, I know people's beliefs can change, 'cause mine sure have, but it wouldn't make sense for everyone's beliefs to change except his," he reasoned. "So they probably never felt that way at all."
"Probably," Olivia said, holding back her smile. She was so proud of the man he was becoming, and knew that Natalia was, as well. "So, are we good regarding the family gathering?"
Blowing out a breath, Rafe nodded. "We're good," he agreed.
"Thank you, Rafe. You'll make your mom really happy," Olivia said as she gently patted his hand. "And that means more to me than anything."
"Me too."
Saturday, May 15, 2010… Kait and Ana Mackenzie's Cottage, The North Shore, Highland Park, Illinois—12:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time
That burgeoning connection continued to form between the four women with the arrival of Rafe, Emma, and Ashlee a short time later. They were taking a leisurely stroll along the waters' edge when Rafe texted Natalia to say that they were knocking on the front door, without answer. She directed them around the side of the house, and down to the dock where they had congregated a few minutes earlier.
Upon sight of them, eagerly, Emma broke into a run, blazing a path toward the shoreline, leaving Rafe and Ashlee to take their time making the walk down to the water. And once at the edge of the dock, she stopped short, a disbelieving expression on her face as she stared at Natalia and Ana who were standing side-by-side. Olivia and Natalia had prepared her the night before, letting her know that it was okay if she felt a little confused at first, but nothing could have prepared her for this moment.
Two Natalias!
Two of them.
Right there together.
Emma was in complete awe.
But what she wasn't…was confused.
She knew exactly who her Mama was—and wasn't.
A wide grin spread slowly across her face, and without any prompting from either woman, she ran straight into her Mama's arms, grasping her firmly around the waist.
Returning the hug, Natalia greeted Emma. And then, with an eyebrow vaulted and smirk on her face, she turned toward Olivia who was talking with Kait about ten feet away. "Our daughter can tell the difference," she commented.
The playful tone in Natalia's voice drew a hearty laugh from Ana, and an amused grin from Olivia. "Our daughter could see both of you at once," she challenged. "My frame of reference was a little skewed."
Natalia laughed. "Touché," she granted. And then she turned her attention back to Emma. Crouching down, she took Emma's hands into her own. "Hey, Jellybean," she said sweetly. "I want you to meet your Auntie Ana."
Turning her head, Emma peered up into Ana's eyes and smiled. "Hi!" she said cheerily. "You look just like my Mama."
Ana chuckled as she squatted down beside them. "I sure do, don't I," she agreed. "So how could you tell us apart?"
Emma beamed because she knew the answer. "Mama's eyes smile real big when she looks at me," she explained.
"They do, huh?" Ana smiled.
"Yup," Emma said, popping the 'p'. "Just like they do when she looks at Mommy and Rafe and Ava, too," she added, as Olivia and Kait joined them.
"Kait, this is our daughter, Emma," Olivia said by way of introduction. "Em, this is your Aunt Kait."
Emma scrunched up her nose as she peered up at her mother. "Is she kind of like Aunt Lena and Auntie B?"
Olivia chuckled softly. "Not quite, Sweetie," she answered. "Auntie Ana is Mama's sister, and Aunt Kait is Auntie Ana's wife."
Brows furrowed, Emma contemplated. "But Auntie B is Aunt Lena's wife…" Her tone implied the correlation.
"Yes, but Auntie Lena isn't really my sister," Olivia reminded. "Just like Jordan's Aunt Maggie isn't really Auntie B's sister."
"Oh—" Emma sounded even more confused.
"Lena is an old friend from grad school," Olivia explained, glancing from Ana to Kait and back again. "Bianca is her wife, and a close friend of ours."
"Ah…" Kait nodded. "Yeah, those aunt-by-association connections can get a little confusing sometimes."
"What's the difference between an auntie and an aunt?" Emma piped in, still trying to connect the dots.
Amused, Olivia glanced down at her daughter. "Absolutely nothing, Jellybean."
Emma looked completely perplexed now, but she decided to give up trying to figure it out. Sometimes grownups were so weird. So she turned her attention to her brother and Ashlee, who were finally approaching. "Hurry up, Rafe!" she called out. "We got some new aunties to meet."
Gently, Ashlee gave Rafe's hand a supportive squeeze as they stepped into the growing circle of women where Emma had suddenly become the center. He glanced at her, his dark eyes speaking clearly of the appreciation he felt for her support. And then he quickly stooped down, scooping Emma up in his arms, smiling as she squealed with delight.
Ashlee laughed, feeling relieved for him as she watched him playing with Emma, happy and carefree—at least for the moment. She hoped, for his sake, that it would last as she turned to Olivia, engaging her in conversation while Rafe played with Emma.
"Okay, Munchkin, why don't you introduce me to our new aunties?" he suggested in an effort to alleviate some of his rising anxiety.
"Well, first you have to stop spinning me around," Emma instructed.
Rafe laughed. "You got it," he said. Stopping mid-spin, he found himself looking directly into eyes that looked so much like his mother's, and yet, he knew that they weren't.
"This is Auntie Ana," Emma said. And then she cupped her hand around his ear. "She looks just like Mama, but she isn't," she added at a volume that belied the secret she was ostensibly sharing.
Chuckling, he returned Emma to her feet, and watched her scurry toward Ashlee. And then he turned back to Ana, who was looking after Emma with amusement in her eyes. "Hi. I'm Rafe, and… this is my girlfriend, Ashlee," he said, nervously shoving his hands into his pockets after gesturing toward Ashlee.
"It's so wonderful to meet you both," Ana said sincerely, her dark gaze making contact with each of theirs.
Ashlee smiled and waved. "Nice to meet you," she said sweetly.
But Rafe remained silent, prompting Ana to rescue him from having to respond since he was very obviously feeling uncomfortable. She glanced to her left. "This is my wife, Kait."
"Nice to meet you," Rafe said cordially, as he reached out to take Kait's proffered hand. Understandably, he had issues with his mother's siblings, but this woman wasn't a part of that original betrayal, he rationalized, so there was no reason to hold anything against her.
"Likewise," Kait said with a nod and a firm handshake.
Shifting his focus to the lake, Rafe shoved his hands back into the pockets of his jeans as he peered out across the water from beneath the brim of his favorite Cubs cap, watching the ripples as they broke gently against the shore. "The lake is busy today," he commented, noting the heavy boat traffic. He was especially drawn to the sailboats that seemed to glide so effortlessly across the surface.
"It is," Kait agreed, moving to stand beside him. "I love going out on days like today, with the sun reflecting off the surface, waters calm."
"Any good fishing out there?" Rafe asked curiously. Yes, he had grown up in Chicago, with access to other areas of the lake, but fishing never caught his interest, and so he had no knowledge of its' potential. That made sense back when he still considered himself a city boy. But now that he lived in a farmhouse in Springfield, he viewed the world—and himself—very differently, and thus, his interests were changing. And mostly thanks to Josh, he had taken up fishing as a hobby, having found that he enjoyed the quiet solitude of it.
"Excellent, actually," Kait answered enthusiastically. "Maybe we could take the boat out together sometime," she suggested.
Smiling, Rafe nodded. He had been eyeing the sailboat anchored in the slip beside the dock since he'd arrived, and the invitation excited him immensely. "Yes, Ma'am, that'd be great," he said with enthusiasm. "I'll be in town most of the summer, working on renovations at the Lakewinds and at New Beginnings, so I'd love to get some fishing in during my downtime."
Kait gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Fantastic," she declared. "We'll make a day of it. Maybe even cook up some of our catch on the grill for dinner."
"What are you two chattering about over here?" Ana asked, sliding an arm around Kait's waist, as Natalia slipped her arm through Rafe's.
"Fishing," they answered in unison.
Ana glanced at Natalia. "I think we're about to lose them to the lake," she commented wryly.
Chortling, Kait shook her head. "Nah, not today," she assured. "But Rafe's gonna be in town for a while, so I can't speak for any other weekend afternoon this summer."
"You're staying?" Ana asked, sounding pleased by the idea.
"Temporarily," Rafe answered. "I'm heading up the crew that's handling the finish work at the BGRC properties," he explained, not bothering with details since he knew they were already familiar with both locations.
Beaming with pride, Natalia gave him an affectionate squeeze, but she let him continue the conversation. She was thrilled how smoothly his interaction with Ana was going, and didn't want to interfere with the potential for them to build a solid relationship someday.
"So you work for Olivia?" Ana presumed.
"Actually, for her ex-husband, Josh," Rafe corrected. "He runs Lewis Construction."
"Oh, right," Ana recollected. "I saw one of their work trucks out front yesterday."
Relaxing, Rafe pulled his hands from his pockets, planting them casually on his hips, as he nodded. "I was helping the crew hang new doors on the units," he said. "I wanna make sure we finish on schedule."
"Do you enjoy the work?" Ana asked.
"I do," Rafe answered sincerely. "I like to keep my hands busy. Keeps me out of trouble," he grinned.
Stepping away from a conversation with Olivia at the mention of busy hands, Ashlee sidled up to Rafe. "He has very talented hands," she commented, smiling up at him as he wrapped an arm around her. She blushed when she realized how that sounded, and added, "You should see the treehouse he helped design and build for Emma last year."
"Yeah, it's super cool!" Emma exclaimed, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. "It has a play kitchen, and a bed, and it even has curtains that Mama made on the windows."
"It's really is spectacular," Olivia agreed, encircling Natalia in her arms from behind. "Natalia and I even like to steal a few minutes up there from time to time," she grinned.
Craning her neck, Natalia leveled Olivia with a look. "I think that's enough of that story," she said, casting a glance at their daughter.
Olivia laughed. "Spoil sport," she accused, her dry tone drawing laughter from the group of adults, and a curious expression from Emma.
"What do you say we head back up to the house, get everyone some fresh drinks?" Kait suggested when the laughter waned.
Receiving enthusiastic noises of agreement all around, she draped an arm around her wife's waist, and led the group back up the hill toward the veranda where they served up drinks for everyone, and then settled in to chat a bit more as they waited for the remainder of the Rivera clan to arrive.
TBC in Chapter 19.8…