A/N Just thought I should give you an update - only 2 chapters to go after this. And thanks again to my loyal few who bother to let me know that they are still enjoying it.

The Offering

Marissa stood in shock as the smile slowly left her face. Part of her didn't even want to take the risk of having Julie upset her day. What would her mother want with her? Should she even give her a chance? Perhaps she should just get James to send her away?

Summer watched the light fade from Marissa's eyes. "I'll get rid of her if you like?" Summer offered.

Marissa hesitated for a moment and then said. "No. Let's see what she wants. But maybe … if you wouldn't mind … could you stay with me? If she is looking for a fight then I might need you to conjure up a rage blackout on my behalf. I won't let her spoil this for us."

Summer laughed. "Consider it done. Rage blackout on the way."

"No. Just keep it on the backburner until I see if it's required." Marissa instructed … wanting to avoid any unpleasantness if possible. Now that she'd made the decision she felt empowered by it ... even if she had asked Summer to act as back up just in case.

"Okay. But I hope that it doesn't end up going to waste." Summer laughed. "I've been looking forward to giving her a piece of my mind ever since I found out what she did."

James quickly perked up and asked. "Exactly what did she do? I've been wondering what went on between you two."

Summer looked to Marissa thinking that it was Marissa's news to share.

Marissa thought for a moment and then spoke to James and Cathy. "It's not something I want to get into right now … but safe to say … without her interference … this wedding would probably have taken place years ago."

They both looked surprised. "Oh." Was all James could reply. He desperately wanted to know more but he could see that Marissa had no intention of revealing anything else to them, at least not today. Maybe sometime in the future he would be able to get it out of her.

Marissa looked back at Cathy and James and asked. "Do you mind giving us a minute?"

"Of course not." Cathy replied moving towards the door. She could see that Marissa needed some privacy. "And Emily … how about you come with us? We'll go and check if they are all ready outside."

Emily looked to Marissa, who smiled and said. "I'll just be a minute. You go with Cathy and make sure that Ryan's ready."

Emily happily left with Cathy to go check on Ryan.

A few moments later Julie knocked on the door.

"Come in." Marissa said trying to sound calm even if the butterflies in her stomach had just changed into large furry bats.

Julie opened the door to find her daughter looking more beautiful than she had ever seen her. And it wasn't just the dress. Marissa had a glow about her that Julie had never seen before. She was momentarily stuck for words.

After a few seconds of silence that seemed to go on forever Marissa cracked. "What do you want?" she asked straightforwardly. She wasn't about to pretend that she expected this to be a pleasant conversation.

Julie looked towards Summer wondering if she was going to leave and follow Cathy and James … and Marissa added. "Summer's staying … so if you have something to say then you'd better just come right out with it. I don't want to keep my husband waiting."

Julie gulped realising that she had no alternative other than to proceed … with an audience. Marissa obviously had no intention of giving her any time alone so she may as well get on with it. She lifted her hand towards Marissa and said "I just thought that you may have wanted to wear this?" Julie said and for the first time Marissa noticed the small box that Julie had in her hand.

"What is it?" Marissa asked timidly … all her bravado suddenly deserting her. She was unsure about taking it from Julie's hand. It was as if she was scared that it would bite.

Julie opened the jewellery case and pulled out a magnificent diamond and sapphire necklace. "I don't know if you remember it but you always loved it as a child. It belonged to your father's mother and he gave it to me just before he left the last time. I sold most of my jewellery but I couldn't bring myself to part with this. It had been in his family too long. I think it actually belonged to your great grandmother."

Marissa looked at the beautiful necklace and memories of her childhood came flooding back. Wonderful memories of spending time with her father at his parents house before they had died. She would sit with his mother … her gran … on her bed and look through all her jewellery boxes and her grandmother would patiently tell her stories about each and every piece. It was on one of these occasions when she'd learnt the true meaning of the Cladaugh Ring from her grandmother and she remembered admiring this particular necklace often. She'd always said that it looked like something a princess would wear … maybe … just as Emily had said … it was her day to be a princess.

"I just thought …" Julie started "…. It could be your something old, something borrowed and something blue all at once." She suggested.

Marissa looked at her mother and their eyes held and in that moment all their problems disappeared … at least for the present … they would deal with them later … Julie was her mother and Marissa was happy that she was there.

"I just …" Julie shrugged still unsure of herself "… thought you might like it since it has a link to your father. I know that he would have loved to be here. For all his faults … there was never a doubt that he loved you."

Marissa nodded. It was the first time that she had thought about her father for quite some time … and she knew that what her mother said was the truth.

"And … " Julie looked up at Marissa and gained strength from the connection that she felt. "I also wanted to say that I was sorry for what happened back when … " she started and then stopped. "… for what I did ... " she couldn't find the right words to express herself so she just gave up and said. "I always wanted you to be happy." She offered up.

Marissa looked at her mother wondering if she was telling the truth. It would be a long time before she would accept anything that Julie said at face value again. "I am … and always have been … happy with Ryan."

Julie nodded. "I can see that now. And I'm sorry. I hope that you will … in time … forgive me." Julie asked. "I'll do anything I can to make things right between us again."

Marissa considered Julie's words and wasn't sure what to say when Summer nudged her from behind. Marissa turned and Summer leaned in to whisper in her ear. Marissa's face broke into a huge smile and she turned back to her mother. This would be a good test to see if her mother was telling the truth. "Did you say that you would do ANYTHING?" she asked.

Julie gulped. She had no idea what Marissa had in mind but she didn't think that she was going to like it because from the looks on Marissa and Summer's face – they were enjoying the thought just too much for it to be very pleasant for her. But then what choice did she have. Marissa was her only child and she would have to do ANYTHING if they were ever to have a chance of getting back to the way they were. She nodded reluctantly. "Yes … " she gulped not sure whether she dared ask. "What do you want?"

---

Sandy knocked on the door. "How's things going in there?" he asked.

"Come in Sandy." Marissa replied as Summer opened the door to him.

"Whoa. Don't you look beautiful? Ryan's a lucky guy." Sandy said looking at Marissa as he walked in to the room and then faltering a little as he realised that Julie was in there as well.

"Yes he is." Julie added.

"I'm the one that's lucky." Marissa assured them and watched as the smile on Sandy's face grew wider at her words.

"I won't argue with that either. You're both lucky to have found one another." He added diplomatically not wanting to appear to have favourites.

"AGAIN." Summer added and glared at Julie as the four occupants of the room all exchanged glances. She had been patiently waiting for her chance to tell Julie what she thought of her but it was looking more and more like that would not happen.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife as they all thought back to Julie's lies and the years of misery that Ryan and Marissa had endured because of them.

"I was wondering if you're nearly ready." Sandy asked hoping to ease the tension in the room.

Marissa smiled. "I think James just wants to get a couple of photos and then we should be good to go. Plus my mother has … " Marissa smiled as she watched Julie squirm "… kindly offered to help us."

Sandy looked at Julie surprised. He knew that Julie was trying to make amends with Marissa but he couldn't imagine what Marissa was referring too. It was obvious from the looks on Summer and Marissa's faces that they were up to something. Plus Julie's discomfit spoke volumes itself. "Um … do I even want to know?"

"I guess you'd better." Marissa said smiling and then looked to her mother. "Thank you for the loan of the necklace. I really do appreciate it. It was very thoughtful of you. But now, you'd better go and take your place out there. And if you wouldn't mind telling James that I'm ready for the photos then we'll be able to get this show on the road. I can't wait." She said excitedly.

Julie nodded. "Sure. I'll see you outside." She said sounding more like she was going to her own funeral.