Chapter 3

"Don't worry Coral, I'll get it." She was already heading downstairs anyway, expecting David and Bianca to return any minute.

David had suggested they have dinner in Philadelphia at a small Cheese Steak restaurant off the side of the freeway. Naturally she vetoed the entire thing, but Bianca seemed to like the idea. They had convinced her to stay home, and let them decide what to do for dinner. They promised her they would bring home anything else. She knew that wasn't how this was going to go. She'd seen the look in their eyes, and the mischievous smiles they flashed each, and was fully expecting cheese steaks for dinner

It couldn't be them at the door, David had his key, she mused almost to the door.

"Oh, Myrtle. Hi."

"Hi darling," She smiled, pulling Erica in for a hug.

"It's so good to see you," Erica smiled, motioning her inside. "Bianca will be so happy to see you."

Myrtle nodded, studying Erica closely. She seemed happy, peaceful even.

"She and David should be back any minute."

"Bianca is with David?"

"They went to get dinner," Erica told her, her voice tinged with frustration. Why did everyone react this way to her allowing David to spend time with Bianca? Soon he would be her step-father. But that was beside the point, they genuinely seemed to like having one another around and she would always encourage positive relationships in Bianca's life. She needed all the love, support, and strength she could get to aid in her recovery.

"Do you think it's a good idea to have David spending so much time with Bianca?"

"David and Bianca adore each other," Erica reminded her. "And it's nice for Bianca to have someone around who isn't family to talk to, who's judgement she trusts. It's important that they get to know each other. He is going to be her step-father."

"I was hoping it was all just Exposer gossip."

Erica sighed, not wanting to have this discussion again. "Yes, Myrtle. David and I are engaged."

"Oh Erica," Myrtle started, but Erica shook her head.

"I'm happy. Isn't that enough?"

"With David Hayward? Erica after everything that man has done."

"What has he done, Myrtle?" Erica questioned, curious as to what that phrase meant. They all said to her, "after everything" David had done, but none of them could tell her what he'd actually done that was supposed to make her not love him. "Everyone says that me, but no one can tell me what David has actually done that is so horrible."

"He caused your accident. Scared your face," Myrtle reminded her.

"Accidents are just that, accidents. He also saved my life and found me Dr. Fashionella. What else has he done to me that is so horrible? That you aren't even willing to give him a chance."

Myrtle was quiet at that, the answer not coming as easily as she thought it would. "Alright, I will concede that aside from the accident he has been quite good to you. But what about the rest of the town, Erica? He has done a lot of horrible things to the people of Pine Valley."

Erica nodded. She knew who David was. She knew every horrible thing he'd done since he'd come to Pine Valley, and even some things he'd done before Pine Valley. There were no delusions or illusions of whom she was dealing.

"I know who David is. I know everything he's done," She started, her voice firm; confident. "But I also know all the good he's done. All the times he's seen my soul and never flinched. I know what he's done for Bianca. Myrtle, they adore each other, and she brings out something else in him…a part of him even I hardly know," She was all smiles now, confident with what she was saying, what she felt. It had taken her a long time to get here, to this place, where acknowledging her love for him was easy. "I want to be his wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

"I haven't seen a man put that look on your face, in a long time." They both knew she was talking about Dimitri, and they both knew she was conceding defeat. "You really do love him don't you?"

"Yes Myrtle, I do."

Myrtle offered her a nod, and stepped closer to her. "I don't want to see you hurt. And I don't want to see Bianca hurt either. But if you are sure that this is what you want, I will trust you. And I will even try to get to know David."

"Thank you. Thank you." She beamed, pulling Myrtle in for a hug. She wasn't naïve. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. That not everyone was going to come around. That the people of Pine Valley weren't going to make this easy on them.

This time was going time was going to be different.

She was always up for the challenge. And with David and Bianca on her side there didn't seem to be anything they couldn't overcome.

To be continued