Well here is the 300th chapter as promised and it may well be my longest chapter yet.
I discovered this morning that XSereneChaos's new chapter for 'Don't Forget About Me' may have stolen my thunder a little (no pun intended) but they do say great minds think alike!
...
When Bianca mentioned bedtime the kids no longer protested, too excited at the thought of the first night in their new home, in their new beds.
AJ and Miranda headed up to their rooms. Marissa followed, a dozy Gabby in her arms. Bianca stopped at the foot of the stairs. She hadn't attempted the climb yet today, and hoped it wouldn't be too tricky.
Marissa paused and looked back. It was clear she was going to wait for her.
"Go ahead - I'm right behind you." called Bianca as she transferred her crutches to one hand, grasped hold of the banister rail and carefully climbed the stairs one step at time.
…
Following the sound of voices, Bianca found Marissa in the girl's shared bathroom helping Gabby clean her teeth.
"I made it." said Bianca triumphantly.
"So I see." said Marissa giving her a grin.
Bianca leaned against the doorframe, smiling at the sight of her little girl industriously brushing her teeth in front of the mirror. Bianca looked across to Marissa;
"You know, all that time I was stuck in hospital, I actually had dreams about this; being a family, putting my girls to bed - I missed it so much."
"In that case she is all yours." said Marissa getting up from her resting place in the edge of the bath. "I want to go and check on AJ. This one still needs to go to potty. Oh and let Miranda know when the bathroom's free."
"Will do." said Bianca.
Marissa kissed Bianca's cheek as she slipped past and headed towards her son's wing of the house. Bianca smiled after her. It still amazed her at how easily they worked together. Their family was such a perfect fit it was incredible it had taken them so long to get here.
Bianca turned back to Gabby who was looking up at her mother, her tooth brush lodged firmly in her right cheek.
"Do you have beautifully clean teeth now?" asked Bianca, as she took over Marissa's perch on the edge of the bath.
Gabby grinned at her with foaming gums, showing off her teeth; the toothbrush still clamped in her cheek.
"Excellent." said Bianca. "You are getting such a grown up girl, you make me very proud."
Gabby pulled out the toothbrush and grinned even wider.
…
Gabby snuggled into her pillow as Bianca smoothed down the covers.
"Do you like your new room?" Bianca asked
Gabby nodded her head sleepily.
"And are you all cosy?" she added tucking the blankets right up under her daughter's chin. Gabby smiled at the familiar nightly custom.
"Yes." she said, happily shutting her eyes.
Bianca traced her fingers over her daughter's forehead. There was one more question that needed asking.
"So," whispered Bianca, glancing around the room, "Do you think your new bedroom is hiding any monsters?"
Searching for monsters was something that started when Reese and Bianca began to drift apart. Somehow her daughter's intangible fears about losing her parents turned into shadowy monsters that lurked in her closet and under her bed. The simple act of searching the room before bedtime was usually enough to let her youngest child rest easy and keep the nightmares away.
Gabby looked thoughtfully around the room, as if the thought hadn't occurred to her, but now it did her eyes lingered on the closet door.
"Shall I check?" asked Bianca. She made her way over to the closet and pulled open the door, waving the end of her crutch inside just to prove it was empty. "Where else might they be hiding?" Bianca asked. "Behind the curtains?" she opened them revealing the rain pitter-pattering on the window, but no monsters. "Under the bed?" she poked her crutch around under the bed. "Anywhere else?"
Gabby looked around again and shook her head.
"No monsters." she said, as she snuggled back under the covers.
"I was certain that nothing nasty could be lurking in this wonderful new house." said Bianca giving her youngest daughter one last kiss. "Sleep well my angel."
"Is Momma 'Rissa going to kiss me goodnight?" Gabby murmured into her pillow.
"I'm sure she will." said Bianca, leaving the door ajar. "And I'll leave the light on on the landing for you. Remember Sweetie I am right next door if you need me… So night-night; sleep tight and I shall see you in the morning light."
"'Night mommy…"
…
Bianca's next stop was Miranda's room. She found her eldest daughter standing at the window watching the rain.
"Shouldn't you be in bed already?" said Bianca.
"I am." cried Miranda, taking a running leaping into the foot of her bed; clambering up to her pillows and plunging under the covers feet first.
Bianca made a show if shaking her head in confusion.
"Funny, I could have sworn I saw you by the window just a moment ago." said Bianca, passing to pull the curtains fully closed. She turned to Miranda "But you're right you are in bed. It must have been a hallucination."
Miranda laughed at her mother's tease.
"Must have been." she said with a giggle.
Bianca took a seat on the edge of her daughter's bed.
"That was a lovely thing you did for Marissa."
"It was AJ's idea." said Miranda. "You are both our mommies now."
"Yes we are." said Bianca. "And are you happy?"
Miranda nodded and grinned.
"And are you happy, mommy?" she asked.
Bianca smiled and pulled her daughter into a hug.
"I am very, very, very happy." said Bianca, punctuating each 'very' with a kiss on her daughter's cheek. "And now it's time for sleep."
Miranda sighed.
"I'm not sleepy. Can I read for a bit?"
"No, angel." said Bianca. "It is already well past your bedtime! I'm sure when you put your head on the pillow you will fall right off."
Bianca tucked the blankets up under her daughter's chin and kissed her cheek.
"Sleep." she said firmly, before running her fingers gently through her daughter's hair.
"Do you want me leave the door open a crack?" asked Bianca, worried about Miranda's recent bout of nighmares after the hospital siege. "I'm leaving the landing light on for Gabby."
"Yes please." said Miranda. "Is Marissa going to say goodnight."
"I promise to send her through." said Bianca, kissing her daughter once more. "…Now go to sleep."
…
Marissa found AJ sitting up in bed waiting for her.
"Teeth cleaned and hair brushed?" Marissa asked.
"Yep."
Marissa paused to pick up AJ's discarded t-shirt from the floor and put it in his laundry basket.
"Tsk, tsk." She scolded light-heartedly. "That is not where dirty clothes live."
"Sorry." said AJ, hoping she wouldn't notice that the rest of his clothes were flung on the floor by his closet.
Marissa settled at his bedside and looked thoughtfully at her son.
"My little man." she said, pulling his hair back away from his face. "You made me very proud today." Her expression changed as she brushed her fingers through his hair again. "Although you need another haircut."
"I hate having my haircut." moaned AJ.
"If you don't get it cut I'm going to start putting you in pigtails." She said pulled his hair into two bunches in demonstration.
AJ shook free of her grasp and wrinkled his nose at the thought.
Then he gave a big yawn.
"That's a sure sign it's bedtime." said Marissa. "But we will talk more about haircuts tomorrow."
"Okay." sighed AJ, but he didn't look very happy. Marissa gave him a kiss and a hug before he lay back down on his pillow.
"Good night." said Marissa.
"G'night." mumbled AJ. "Is Bianca gonna say goodnight?"
"I'm already here." said Bianca from the doorway.
She walked forward and put her hand on Marissa's shoulder.
"The girls were asking after you."
"I'll go wish them goodnight." said Marissa, getting up. "Sleep well, AJ."
"And you mom."
Bianca took over Marissa's spot on the edge of the bed.
"So are you a hugger or a kisser?" she asked.
"Hugs." said AJ, sitting up so she could wrap her arms around him.
"Goodnight, buddy." she said, planting a kiss on the top of his head.
"Goodnight." he replied. Then he looked at Bianca thoughtfully. "Was the present okay?" he asked. "They didn't have one with Binks on and you are super; how you saved us all from that bad man at the hospital. And the way you help people. You are like a real life super hero."
"I am?" asked Bianca with a hint of embarrassment.
AJ nodded emphatically.
"Well I love the mug." said Bianca. "And I love that you gave it to me."
AJ grinned and then he yawned.
"And now you need to sleep." she added
AJ nodded and laid his head back down on his pillow.
Bianca tucked the covers up under his chin just as she did with her girls.
"Goodnight, Buddy."
"G'night, Binks."
…
Bianca met Marissa on the landing outside their bedroom.
"Were the girls alright?" she asked.
"Gabby was already fast asleep. Miranda asked to read for a bit but it's late so I said no."
Bianca laughed and shook her head in annoyance.
"That little madam… Already trying to play us off each other."
Bianca then gave a great sigh and looked up at Marissa hopefully.
"So what now?"
"Well." said Marissa taking a step closer, a coy smile on her lips. "The children are all in bed. I suggest an early night…"
…
Bianca stepped into their bedroom for the first time and her jaw dropped. She had seen plans and she had seen pictures but had no idea that the architect had created something so beautiful. The skylight above their head fitted the room perfectly. She could hear the light pattering of the rain as she looked up into the dark of the night sky.
"That's how I felt when I first saw it." said Marissa, watching Bianca's expression with a grin.
Bianca smiled back.
"Is it bad that I want to explore?"
"Why is it bad?" Marissa asked.
Bianca leaned closer and waggled her eyebrows in mischief.
"I thought you wanted to go straight to bed."
Marissa closed the gap between them and stole a quick kiss.
"I do." she said resting her forehead against Bianca's. "But I can wait."
Bianca laughed.
"Well you know what they say about waiting…" said Bianca stepping away.
Marissa licked her lips.
"No, what?"
Bianca had moved in the direction of the closet but turned back before she opened the door.
"Good things come…" she said with a naughty grin.
She had only meant to peek inside, but the beauty of the walk-in-closet mesmerised her and she had to step in. All of her clothes were lining the wall on the right, arranged by colour. She ran her fingers along the rainbow of cloth admiringly.
She turned back to the door when she felt Marissa's presence. Her girlfriend was watching her, still wearing her dazzling smile.
"Let me guess, mom arranged the closet." said Bianca
"With a little help from Madison and Randi." said Marissa before glancing towards her half of the closet. "My side doesn't look quite as pretty."
Marissa clothes barely filled half of the rail.
"I don't know." said Bianca, as something caught her eye. "This dress puts my entire wardrobe to shame."
She pulled out the gown Marissa had worn in New York.
"I'm going to have to take you somewhere so you can wear this again. Maybe I should arrange a black-tie fund raiser for the Miranda Centre."
Marissa walked up Bianca, taking the dress out of her hands and returning it to the rail.
"You would do all that just so I can wear this dress?"
"It's for a good cause." quipped Bianca, looking down into Marissa's eyes. She grin melted away. The love in the gaze that met hers hit her almost like a blow. She didn't want to blink, almost forgot to breath. She felt like drowning in the passion shining from eyes, turned almost golden by the soft lighting.
Not a word was spoken as slowly they both leaned closer; pressing their lips softly together in a kiss, gentle and loving. Neither woman was quite able to break eye contact as lips moved to taste and savour. Bianca let her crutches drop to the floor and reached up to caress Marissa's neck; her fingers tracing the soft, sensitive skin along her jawline and behind her ear. Marissa moaned and finally closed her eyes, tilting her head to deepen the kiss, her hands finding Bianca's waist and pulling her closer. Bianca closed her eyes too, to better focus on the heat of the kiss and the smoothness of skin under her fingertips and the music of Marissa's soft sighs. Passion took over, and Bianca pressed forward as Marissa's fingers began to tug at her blouse. The searing kiss ended with a shared moan as the need for oxygen became too much.
Marissa pulled away fighting to catch her breath,
"I'm sorry." she gasped, stepping out of Bianca's grasp. "Call me a romantic if you want. But we can't get carried away. Our first time is in this house is not going to be in the closet!"
Bianca smiled, her own heart hammering in her chest.
"To bed?" she suggested.
"To bed." agreed Marissa.
"But I need to powder my nose first." confessed Bianca.
…
The rain was hammering harder against the skylight now as the storm worsened. Marissa waited for Bianca to emerge from the bathroom. She was in bed, dressed in a modest negligee, conscious that with Miranda's recent nightmares and Gabby's sometime erratic sleep pattern they could have unexpected company at any time.
Bianca emerged from the bathroom dressed in a long silk nightgown, the effect spoiled slightly by the fact that she had to hobble across the distance to the bed.
"You made some additions to the Bathroom." said Bianca sitting down to remove the brace from her left leg.
"It was Frankie's suggestion, to make life easier for you." explained Marissa. "There is now a stone bench in the shower here and downstairs and handrails by every toilet; all specially commissioned."
"That handrail is more like works of art." said Bianca. It had been sculpted to look like entwined dragons.
"Well they are. Each one is unique. We talked to Cameron Lightly, the man who sculpted the Chief's Tree sketch for your Get-Better Art Exhibition. He was more than happy to take on the challenge."
"Thank you." said Bianca. She was loath to admit that some things were still a struggle, but she would never be too proud to accept help when she needed it. Especially when it was something done from such kindness.
Bianca pulled herself under the covers and looked across to Marissa. The extra king-sized bed was so large it felt like there was a mile between them.
"Okay, why did we buy such a big bed?" Marissa asked with a laugh.
Bianca slid closer.
"I would be happy to demonstrate." she said seductively.
...
Bianca took charge of the kiss, leaning down over Marissa, their lips clashing hungrily together as the passion that had overtaken them in the closet quickly returned. Marissa wrapped her arms around Bianca neck and lost herself to the sensation of the kiss, and the weight if Bianca's body pressing down on her own.
Bianca briefly nipped at Marissa bottom lip before her mouth began a journey downwards. She kissed Marissa's cheek, along her jaw, pausing at the cleft in her chin before her mouth found the tender spot at the side of her neck; sucking on her pulse point in the way that always made her girlfriend's toes curl.
Marissa moaned happily as Bianca's soft hands moved to her hips pushing up her camisole as finger trailed up and down her side, her lover's moist lips and darting tongue still working that magic spot on the side of her neck.
"God!" exclaimed Marissa breathlessly, she didn't know if it was the hammering rain or the fact that she had been longing for this moment for so long, but it felt magical. They just seemed to fit together perfectly; they fit like they are made for each other.
Bianca pulled away to look lovingly into her Marissa's eyes.
"You are so beautiful." she sighed before bending down to capture Marissa's lips once more. Marissa tangled her fingers into Bianca's hair, wanting to keep her mouth on hers but Bianca pulled away to continue her journey downwards.
Fingers pulled aside the shoulder of Marissa's camisole followed closely by warm gentle kisses. Marissa closed her eyes, an indulgent smile on her lips as Bianca wriggled further down the bed and hands moved aside soft fabric to expose Marissa's tanned, lightly muscled abdomen. Bianca's hot mouth continued to follow her fingertips as they traced down her girlfriend's stomach. Marissa groaned in anticipation as fingers hooked onto the side of her underwear, pulling them slowly down to uncover the hip bone that was to be assaulted next by Bianca's soft tender kisses.
Suddenly, just for a second, the world went white behind Marissa's closed eyelids. She blinked with surprise, looking around to try and find the source. Bianca's mouth was still moving downwards though so she found it hard to concentrate.
Then there was a crash of thunder.
Bianca jumped at the sound, sitting up slightly, a brief look of alarm on her face.
She gave Marissa an uncomfortable smile.
"Sorry, I just… I don't like storms."
There was another flash of lightening and Bianca looked up to the skylight apprehensively. Concern overcame the other sensations that had overtaken Marissa's body. She sat up and pulled Bianca into her arms just as the second rumble of thunder rattled the skylight.
"It's okay." she said, kissing Bianca's cheek and shoulder. "I've got you."
Bianca sighed into the embrace and they soon found each other's lips as the thunder rolled for the third time, louder than before.
...
"Mommy!" howled as high pitched voice, laced with fear.
"Oh god, Gabby." said Bianca pulling away from the kiss. Suddenly the little girl burst into the room clambering onto the bed in order to get into her mother's arms as fast as possible.
Marissa straightened her nightclothes and moved aside to give mother and daughter space.
"It's going to be okay, sweetheart it's just a noise." Bianca said, soothing the terrified four year old clinging desperately to her, burying her own fears instantly.
The storm was raging on in earnest; hailstones were hitting the skylight now with a dried pea rattle as another flash of lighting lit the sky.
There was a shuffling sound on the landing and Marissa turned back to the now wide open bedroom door to see a nervous Miranda standing there. Bianca noticed her too; she simply held out an arm and her eldest daughter ran to her.
The next clap of thunder sounded closer than before and made Gabby wail; she was so petrified by the noise tears were pouring down the poor girl's cheek.
"Mom?" called a quiet voice. AJ was now standing in the doorway. "The storm woke me up."
He was clearly trying to be brave but there was another boom of thunder which made him duck slightly.
"It's a noisy storm." said Marissa. "I think we are all finding it a little scary." She patted a space next her on the bed, AJ didn't wait a second to climb in beside her and snuggled against her.
The hail got louder until they could hardly hear themselves think. AJ was clinging tightly to his mother's side and both Gabby and Miranda were in tears.
"This is ridiculous." cried Marissa. "It's just weather. We shouldn't be afraid of weather!"
The thunder crashed, making everyone wince.
Bianca and Marissa locked eyes. They had to do something.
Then Bianca noticed a misty eyed expression dance across Marissa's face at the next flash of lightening.
"Marissa?" called Bianca, wondering where her girlfriend had gone in that moment.
"I remember." She gasped, and then she grinned. "I remember being with my dad. We were in the car and we were stuck in a big storm and I was scared and he made me count elephants!"
"Elephants?" asked Miranda through her sobs.
"Yeah." said Marissa. "It tells you how close the storm is and if it's going away or coming closer."
The thunder rumbled again.
"You have to wait for the lightening and then you start counting…" The lightening flashed. "One elephant… two elephants… three elephants… four elephants… five elephants… six…"
There was a boom of thunder.
"Five and a half elephants. I think that means it's about ten miles away."
"But is it coming nearer?" Miranda asked nervously.
"We will have to wait for the next…"
Before Marissa could finish the lightening flashed.
She started counted elephants again, only this time AJ and Miranda joined in. They got to five elephants.
"I don't want it to come any closer." moaned Miranda.
With the next bolt of lightning Bianca tried to get Gabby to join in too but they only got to two elephants before the thunder struck, so loud it felt like the whole house shook.
"I don't like it!" wailed Gabby as Bianca rocked her and tried to calm her down.
It seemed like they had to wait a long time for the next flash of lightening.
They began to count;
"One elephant… two elephant… three elephant… four…"
And then the thunder sounded.
"It's going away." gasped Miranda.
"Do you hear that Gabby." said Bianca giving her little girl a squeeze. "The storm is going away. It's going to be alright."
…
From the time they were counting fifteen elephants and more, Gabby was joining in. The storm a little less scary now that the kids knew it was really going away.
By the time Miranda and AJ were counting thirty or forty elephants, straining their ears to hear the sound of thunder, Gabby was fast asleep; curled up in the space between Bianca and Marissa.
AJ unexpectedly gave a huge yawn; follow quickly by a yawn from Miranda. Then Bianca stretched and found herself yawning as well. For the first time that evening Marissa turned to look at the bedside clock. It was nearly midnight.
"Okay, we need to get to some sleep," said Marissa, pushing down her own yawn. Why was yawning so contagious?
Miranda moaned and clung tightly to Bianca. Both children looked unhappy about the prospect of returning to their own beds. The storm had made their new rooms strange and a little too lonely for them right now.
Bianca and Marissa eyes met with the same question in them.
"You can stay with us tonight if you want." said Bianca, "But we all need to try and sleep. You still have work and school tomorrow!"
"Some of us." said Marissa giving Bianca a grin. "One of us can lie in as long as she wants."
Miranda or AJ seemed to like the idea of staying. Everyone snuggled down under the large duvet; the older children on the outside of their parents with Gabby curled up in the middle of the bed.
Bianca wriggled into the mattress making room for herself as she tried to get comfortable sandwiched between her daughters; Gabby's knee in her belly and Miranda pressing against her back. The storm was slowly dying away until only the light pitter-patter of rain could be heard.
"I guess I now I know why we have such a big bed." whispered Marissa as she lay her head on her pillow.
Bianca looked over the head of her youngest daughter to meet Marissa's eyes in the dark.
"I'm sorry the night ended the way it did."
"I'm not." said Marissa. "I'm not saying this hasn't left me a little… um… 'frustrated' but we have all the time in the world to be together. We needed to put the kids first tonight, but there is always tomorrow night and every night after that, for the rest of our lives."
"I love you." whispered Bianca.
"I love you more."
Bianca shook her head and gave her a goofy grin.
"I'm sorry." she sighed, "But such a thing isn't possible."
…