III
Well you're the real tough cookie
With the long history
Of breaking little hearts
Like the one in me
That's OK,
Lets see how you do it
Put up your dukes,
Lets get down to it
Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me
With your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire Away
You come on with a "come on"
You don't fight fair
But that's OK, see if I care
Knock me down, it's all in vain
I'll get right back on my feet again
Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me
With your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire Away
Well, you're the real tough cookie
With the long history
Of breaking little hearts
Like the one in me
Before I put another notch
In my lipstick case
You better make sure
You put me in my place
Hit me with your best shot
Come On, hit me with your best shot
Hit me with your best shot
Fire Away
Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Pat Benatar
Jo was more than happy that she was at work when Blair picked up Monica and Bailey at JFK early that Wednesday afternoon. Part of her was angry that Monica was coming at all, but the other part of her, on reflection, knew that it was important for Blair to allow her mother and little sister to meet David Charles Warner. She could see that, in Monica's place, the woman should be given time with her grandson.
As was the case at any airport in the post-9/11 world, Blair and DC had to wait outside of security for Monica and Bailey to clear customs before retrieving their checked bags. When Blair spied Monica, the first thing she did was look at the girl next to her. Blair's eyes lit up. Despite whoever her father was-and Monica had never divulged that-she was almost a Mini-me of Blair, with the blonde hair and brown eye. She had been a little girl last time they had met, but she had grown so much. Blair promised herself to spend some time with her sister.
"Blair, darling", Monica said, going up to her daughter, then suddenly stopping at the sight of the infant in Blair's arms. She gaped. "My God, Blair-it's your father! The spitting image. He's...he's beautiful, my dear."
Monica gave Blair a kiss on the cheek, foregoing the hug for the moment, as to not squish the baby, then Blair proudly handed over her son to Monica. Monica had tears in her eyes, looking at the baby boy.
"He's precious, Blair", Monica said, wiping at a tear. "It's amazing how much he looks like David."
"I thought the same thing the moment I saw him, Mother. He is pretty cute."
"Blair?" Blair looked down, seeing Bailey look up at her with a smile. Blair bent over to hug the younger girl and give her a kiss on the cheek. Bailey was 11, and really wasn't a lot shorter than Blair herself, although Blair was only 5'2".
"Bailey", Blair said giving her a long, warm hug and another kiss. "I've so wanted to see you again. I'm glad you came. After all, you're Aunt Bailey to David."
"That's so cool", Bailey said. Despite living in France, Bailey didn't talk with an accent, obviously picking up on her mother's dialect for good old Northeast English. "I'm a little young to be an Aunt, but can I meet him?"
Blair looked over at Monica, who obviously didn't want to give David up. Despite the lingering animosity that had built up over the last several years, Blair couldn't help but laugh at the possessive look on Monica's face.
Monica relented with a smile. "Now, be careful, Bailey", Monica instructed. "He's tougher than he looks, but you still don't want to drop him." Bailey nodded, her eyes widening as she cradled the child in her arms.
"Blair", Bailey said with wonder, "he's so little! But he's pretty cute!" Both Blair and Monica laughed at the look on Bailey's face.
"You two are gonna get to know each other a little bit while you're here, Bailey", Blair promised her.
"And Jo?"
Blair knew better than to look at Monica at that moment, simply giving her undivided attention to her sister. "Jo, too. I think she wants to show you her motorcycle shop, and meet her workers."
"That would be so cool!" Bailey jumped a little, Blair grinning at her. She could feel the heat coming off her mother, but ignored it for now.
"Shall we go get your luggage?" Blair turned, nodding toward baggage claim on the lower level. "I've got a house to show off to both of you."
Monica relaxed, realizing that she had almost made a fool of herself by blurting out some derogatory comment about Jo. She was quite certain she'd have the chance to hurl a few insults at the other women in person on this trip.
Jo was trying to keep herself upbeat when driving Blair's car home from work. It was a cold, rainy day, and she hadn't wanted to take her bike. Blair needed the SUV to pick up Monica and Bailey, or else Jo would have driven that. The letter that Bailey had sent a while back had absolutely broken Jo's heart, and made her even more disdainful of Monica Warner. But with their son in the world now, Jo was hoping for a Détente, at least for this weekend.
She arrived home, as usual smiling as she took in the beautiful house. Before entering, she stopped and took a deep breath, making sure she had a smile on her face. She hoped that it didn't look forced.
"Hey Princess!" The usual greeting for Blair echoed through the home. Before she said anything else, she heard a pair of feet running quickly toward her. Her reaction was the same as Blair's when eyeing Bailey. Her jaw dropped.
"Bailey?" Bailey gave Jo a warm hug. "My gosh, girlie, you've grown by leaps and bounds. Let me take a look atcha?" She shook her head. "Are you Blair, and who shrunk you?" Bailey laughed hysterically at the remark.
"Mother and Blair are in the living room. C'mon!"
Jo didn't need to fake a smile now. Bailey had put the genuine article on her face, as the girl held her hand, leading her into her own home. The smile continued even when Jo saw her nemesis sitting on the couch, holding their son. Blair got up to meet her lover.
"Hey there, grease monkey", Blair said sweetly, giving Jo a warm but quick kiss on the lips, Jo understanding why. "How's the world of motorcycles today?"
"Humming along, blondie. I'm really gonna need to talk to you about expansion ideas sooner than later. I want your input. We're just bursting at the seems."
"Ah, my Joey, business woman." Jo rolled her eyes, kissing Blair quickly again. I guess I can't put this off any longer, Jo mused in her mind. She turned toward the recliner, where Monica was holding DC. "Hello Monica", the smile still on her face, Jo concentrating as much on her son as she could. "I see you and DC are getting acquainted."
Well, she's trying to be civil, I guess I need to play along. "He's the most precious thing I've ever seen, Joanna", Monica said truthfully. "Blair did pretty good with this one."
Jo nodded. "I agree, he looks just like his Grandpa did. Handsome devil."
"Yes, well", Monica stuttered a bit, "of that there's no doubt, after all he has Warner DNA."
Jo kept her eyes locked on the infant, ignoring the obvious slight reminding Jo that David wasn't her child biologically. "I guess I'll just have to call him Prince when he grows up."
"That name is taken, I believe, Joey", Blair said with an impish giggle. "His Purpleness might not like the competition."
"Aw, Prince Rogers Nelson, I love his music, but he can eat my shorts, I'll call DC Prince if I wanna." Blair laughed at the jibe her lover gave the famous singer.
"Well, on that, I have to agree with Jo", Monica said, surprised she had said the words. "I'll take our little Prince every day."
"Hey, Monica, do you mind if I say hi to my son for a few? I'll give him right back, I promise."
Jo's smile was genuine, but the flint in her eyes, which were directly on Monica said something different. That's right, lady, he may not be my son biologically, but he's my son in every way that counts.
"Of course, Joanna, where are my manners." Jo detected a slight blush as her words to Monica hit home. Jo leaned in and grabbed the child.
"Heya, Champ, how you doing today?" Jo gave him a kiss on the cheek, letting David grab one of her fingers. "Getting to know Grandma and your Aunt Bailey? I'll tell ya all about my day at work later, sweetie. For now, back to Grandma."
Jo gently handed David back to Monica, taking a seat on the couch next to Blair. The three grown ladies in the room couldn't help but notice that Bailey had decided to sit next to Blair, not near her mother.
Monica actually volunteered to get up in the middle of the night to feed David should he awake. Blair and Jo had wondered that if it were Jo's night to get up if the woman would have done the same thing, but they didn't look a gift-horse in the mouth, either.
Laying in bed that night, the two lovers talked over the day and when was going to confront her mother about Bailey's letter.
"Maybe Friday after work", Blair suggested, "you can take Bailey out to dinner or a movie, and that will give Mother and I a chance to discuss the letter?"
Jo snuggled into her partner. With guests in the house, the two women wore over-sized t-shirts and panties, both missing the closeness of sleeping naked. "Might be better if I weren't around to give my two cents. Do you want me to try to bring up the subject with Bailey?"
"Might no be a bad idea, love", Blair agreed, kissing Jo's cheek. "I have a feeling she's waiting for the right time to do it. I'll need to talk to her as well, but maybe she'll open up to you more than me?"
"I dunno, blondie", Jo wondered. "She wrote the letter to you, but the look on her face when she met me at the door today? Yeah, she wants to talk."
They gently kissed for a few moments. In between, Blair continued. "I was very proud of you today when you came home. I was ready to summons the National Guard if I needed." Jo giggled at the remark. "Thank you for being so nice with Mother."
"Hey, DC's her grandson, and she has the right to get know him. She's smitten with the kid, that's for sure."
Blair giggled back. "Who wouldn't be", she responded, putting on he stuck-up Blair expression and tone, "he's a Warner, after all."
Jo rolled her eyes, making Blair laugh a little louder. "You Warner's, I tell ya. You're all a handful."
Blair looked deep into Jo's eyes, grabbing her hand, and sliding it under her t-shirt, insisting Jo squeeze her breast. "I thought you liked my handfuls, Joey?"
Jo put her other hand underneath, squeezing both of Blair's generous breasts. "I love your handfuls, Princess, but tonight, we have to behave."
"What? You don't want to startle Mother when we scream each others' names?"
Jo started to laugh very loud, Blair putting a hand over her mouth, as they both desperately tried to keep the noise down."
"Damn, Blair, it might be worth it to see the look on her face."
With that, the reluctantly behaved themselves, falling asleep wrapped around each other.
Saturday was another cold, blustery day, business at Jo's shop reflecting the misery of the Winter day, but it gave her a chance to actually work on some of the bikes that were in for repair, which always made her happy. Blair didn't give her the name grease monkey for no reason. Fixing motorcycles were a labor of love for Jo Polniaczek.
Arriving home late that afternoon, Blair and Monica had Bailey ready to go out. Bailey had indicated that she would prefer Jo taking her to a real Brooklyn pizzeria, and just relax after that. Sunday would be the interesting day, with Jo off from work, having to deal with Monica for the better part of the day.
Bailey had eaten pizza before, but never in the few times she'd been to the States, and never a Brooklyn-style pizza in a Brooklyn pizza house. Her eyes were like saucers watching the servers go by with piping-hot pizzas, the smells, by even Jo's standards, just divine.
The pizza arrived, with pepperoni and bacon, Jo's favorite, Bailey watching Jo have the server pile on fresh mozzarella cheese on top of it. Seeing that, Bailey did the same, both of them laughing.
As they ate, the really began to talk in earnest.
"So what do ya think of DC, kid? He's somethin', isn't he?"
Bailey gulped at her glass of root beer before answering. "He looks kinda like me and Blair", Bailey said, nodding. "I just can't believe how little he is."
"You shoulda seen him when he popped outta your sister", Jo continued with a huge smile, really enjoying her evening. "He's grown a lot since then. I was afraid I was gonna drop him."
"It was easier when sitting down", Bailey admitted, "but to me, he's tiny."
"By the time he's your age now, betcha he'll be pretty tall."
"That's such a long time from now, Jo", Bailey said. For her that meant her lifespan would have doubled.
"It'll be her before ya know it, kid, trust me."
They continued to eat and talk, Bailey having the time of her life.
Blair and Monica kept David in on such a miserable evening, Blair making an excellent chicken Marsala for her mother, with a wine that was just as good. Monica had no idea Blair had become such a good cook.
"I remember Edna telling me that you couldn't make oatmeal in the morning", Monica said with a genuine laugh. "This...this is good as I'd get at any Italian restaurant, dear. It's fabulous."
"Why think you, Mother", Blair said with a happy surprise, as little David wiggled in his portable crib near the kitchen table, Blair looking down at him occasionally. "It took a lot of practice. Neither Jo nor I were very good cooks, but we worked at it. Jo's the one who picked out the appliances, the stove, having a grill with an exhaust fan go with it. We never get tired of cooking stuff."
"Well, I for one am impressed. Who picked out your wine selection?"
"That would be me", Blair explained. "Jo hasn't had a drop of alcohol since coming back from California. She probably could have some, but she refuses. She doesn't even want the temptation."
They talked softly as to not startle the baby, Blair knowing that the tranquility of the moment would come to an end after the meal.