Very sorry about all the crazy alerts today.-I had technical difficulties. I added an extra chapter to make up for it. Loving the reviews so far. Break up with Sarah, you say? Why? What has she done? Hmm...seems kind of harsh. Yes, my Bianca is still a gentle and beautiful soul, but she is human after all. Seems to have herself in quite the "pickle" as they say. Enjoy this chapter and you may be seeing an appearance from 3 of PV more outspoken characters very soon.
Frankie reached the top of the stairs and saw Bianca standing there. She was fidgeting with the phone in her hands and nervously biting on her lip. I am not really sure what I am supposed to say? Do I pretend that I didn't hear her? Do I stay here and continue to fall for a girl who loves someone else? Bianca met Frankie halfway and wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist. "Good morning. Sorry about the harsh wake up call. Boyd is so loud sometimes and I was on a call…sorry." Bianca apologized sweetly.
"No worries. I didn't sleep long, but I slept like a baby." Frankie said with a wink.
Bianca leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on Frankie's lips and said "Well, let me change my clothes really quickly and we can go see what Myrtle has for breakfast. I am starved." Bianca nodded and disappeared into her room. Frankie stood there, lost in her own thoughts once again. She loves someone else. Aha, Stone…but she said she is confused. She told you that. She said she never expected finding you. She takes care and fusses over you in a way you have never known. You have got to keep that in mind. Think about the conversation that you heard. She misses this girl and has been waiting a long time it seems. Maybe you are what she needs. You are here, right now, being there for her and with her.
Bianca came out of her room causing Frankie to come back to reality. "Let's go." Bianca said with a smile. "I can't wait for you to meet Myrtle! You are going to love her." Bianca took Frankie by the hand and led her down the stairs.
Hours later the girls came back up to the bedroom. Bianca walked over to the chair at the desk and plopped down in it. "Didn't I tell you that Myrtle was a character?" Bianca giggled. Frankie fell into the bed with a smile and patting her stomach. "Oh man, she can talk…but she is great and she can cook." Frankie agreed. "I just love the story about her engagement to the fire-eater." Frankie and Bianca shared a look and spoke in unison. "It turned out it wasn't love, but heartburn." The girls erupted in laughter. They giggled until their stomachs hurt and tears were in their eyes. Bianca got up from the chair and joined Frankie on the bed.
"What would you like to do while you are here?" She asked the blond, while absentmindedly stroking Frankie's stomach. "I can take you to see where I work. I can show you my favorite places to hang out…whatever."
"Sure. Yes…to all of the above." Frankie said with a grin. She reached up her hand, cupping behind Bianca's neck and pulled her into a tender kiss.
"Well, then let's get a move on." Bianca said. With a peck on Frankie's lips, she jumped to her feet and smacked Frankie on the butt. She grabbed her purse and keys and with a taunting wink she disappeared out the door. Frankie hopped to her feet, scooped up her satchel and followed in pursuit. As she tore down the stairs, she yelled after Bianca "That's right, Montgomery! You had better run."
An hour later they had driven through the greater area of Pine Valley and Frankie had seen many of the fabulous homes that Bianca had grown up in. She was very impressed by some of the stately manors and presence of such wealth in a seemingly unknown town. She knew Bianca's mother was a socialite, but seeing some of the sprawling estates that Bianca frolicked on as a youth, well…it intimidated her just a little. She was just a poor kid from Green Bay that ran away to the great state of New York in hopes of something better. For so long I was homeless and sleeping on park benches, I never could have even dreamed of this kind of life. Bianca just blows my mind. She is so normal. She's normal…quirky and...well, she looks like a million bucks. Hell, she may be worth a million bucks, but yet she ate street vendor food with me and marvels at my dull existence. She is amazing.
The girls pulled into a parking garage. Bianca turned to Frankie. "So this is where I work. Well, not the garage, obviously, but inside."
"What is this place?" Frankie asked.
"It's Enchantment Cosmetics. Well, it is one of their offices anyway. This location is considered the Philadelphia office, since we are so close. Mom wanted to keep her office close to home."
"Your mom?" Frankie asked puzzled. "You and your mom work together? I can see where that would be annoying. I would have moved into a boarding house too." Frankie laughed.
"Well, I am just beginning here. I am just getting my feet wet to see if it is what I want to do. I decided to stay home and go to the local university. Mom was pretty mad, so I compromised and agreed to take a job here working for her. It is actually pretty interesting. I think I may stick with a Business degree after all."
"Oh. Your mom is your boss. That must make for interesting days. I mean, from all you have told me about her." Frankie said while rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Oh please don't let us run into her mother today. I am so not ready to meet Mommy Dearest.
"Mom is everybody's boss, silly. This is her company." Bianca smiled and had taken Frankie's hand in her own. She clasped it in her own and was beginning to walk towards the entrance.
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Frankie exclaimed. She pulled back a little, her eyes wide in amazement. "Enchantment Cosmetics? That means that your mom is Erica Kane? Oh my God, Bianca! You…your "meddling socialite mother Erica"…is really Erica Freaking Kane?" Frankie felt light-headed. There is no way I am meeting her mother now.
"Frankie, take it easy." Bianca said while turning to face Frankie and bracing her, just in case she passed out. It was looking like a possibility. "She isn't that bad. She comes across a lot tougher than she really is. You have nothing to be scared of."
Frankie shook her head in disbelief. "I just…I had no idea. She is famous. Like mega famous. What is she doing in a town like this? I always figured her for LA or a New York type gal. And you…you are just so laid back and normal, it's not what I expected."
"Sorry to spring it on you. I just see my mom, you know? I don't always think about what she represents to so many others." Bianca said humbly. "She was born here. My Grandma Mona raised her here, then she worked to be famous and moved away for a while. Not everyone realizes that she is from this quiet little place."
"It's okay, Bianca. You don't need to apologize. I met you and like you for you. I was just nervous about running into your family already. Just because of what you have said about them not always being accepting and stuff. We were looking at all these intimidating places. Hell, you showed me an actual castle…then this news. Forgive me for reacting poorly. I am just a nobody from Green Bay." Frankie scratched at her scalp as she shifted nervously.
"You are a somebody." Bianca said and slapped at Frankie's arm playfully. "I don't want to hear you talk that way." Bianca smiled and leaned in for a kiss. She gently pushed Frankie against a nearby car and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. Frankie answered the kiss willingly. She embraced Bianca, entangling her fingers in the soft brown locks of her hair. Bianca leaned into her and deepened the kiss. Frankie moaned at the contact. The car they leaned against blared to life with the sound of alarm. Frankie jumped out of her skin at the sound and, seeing a woman approaching in her peripheral vision, shouted "Gee, lady…we weren't even touching the car."
The girls gathered themselves and Frankie got a look at the fierce looking brunette that was fast approaching. Oh shit. "Bianca Christine Montgomery, would you kindly explain to me why you are making a spectacle of yourself? And in plain sight of countless numbers of my employees as well as your co-workers…and against my car no less? I would have liked to think that I could expect better of you."
Bianca turned to face her mother. "Oh mother. Calm down. It was a simple kiss in a practically deserted private parking garage. I have seen Leo and Greenlee put on far bigger spectacles and you say nothing."
Erica huffed and fired back without a second thought. "Is that any way to speak to me? And please…do not compare Leo's poor choices in trust fund trash to the level of public decency that I expect from my own daughter." Erica gave Frankie a sideways glance and with a scowl she asked "Are you going to introduce me to your…friend, Bianca?"
Bianca stood tall and then took Frankie's hand for both courage and comfort. "Frankie Stone, this is my mother, Erica Kane. Mom, this is my friend, Mary-Frances Stone…or Frankie for short."
Frankie extended her hand and Erica shook it firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Kane." Frankie said.
Erica flashed her million-dollar smile and replied "Yes it is…So are you from Pine Valley? I can't say I am familiar with any Stone families in the area? Or maybe somewhere in Philadelphia?"
"Syracuse." Frankie said and cleared the frog in her throat. "I live in Syracuse, New York."
"Ah." Erica exclaimed with a knowing look at Bianca. "I am assuming you met my daughter on her recent visit to New York?"
"Yes, Mother…you are correct. Now Frankie and I have things to do. Just as I am sure that you were on your way to an appointment." Bianca interjected.
"As a matter of fact I was." Erica replied and nodded curtly at Frankie. "Mary-Frances. Bianca, I will speak to you later." With a toss of her hair, the older woman entered her car and left the garage.
"Jeez." Frankie exclaimed once the car was out of sight. "I have to hand it to her. She may be small, but that is one big woman. Man, that was intense."
Bianca wrapped her arms around Frankie and kissed her on the forehead. "Come on, Stone. The rest of the tour will be painless after that. Then we can go eat at a place called BJ's…they have the best nachos."
Frankie grinned, shook off the encounter with Erica and followed Bianca into the building.