The morning rush was just beginning at the bistro, and while Krystal hurried to pass on the order for table six she noticed her daughter leaning on the bar and staring into space. Not the behaviour you expect from your usually organised and efficient manager.

She put her hand on Marissa's back and her daughter almost jumped out of her skin.

"Honey," said Krystal, "I take it your head is somewhere else."

Marissa gave her a sheepish grin.

"Sorry, what do you need?"

"Now I know, you, along with the rest of Pine Valley, didn't get much sleep last night 'cause of the storm… but is something wrong."

"No... I'm... I'm just worrying about Bianca being home alone." said Marissa. "It's silly. We ended up getting up latethis morning, what with one thing and another. And then she got breakfast while I got everyone ready… She was still in her nightgown when we left. In my head I have images of her fallen down the stairs or slipped in the shower with no one there to help her! She's not used to her new brace yet and she is always pushing herself too hard!"

"You're that worried about her?"

"She supposed to be taking it easy but she won't. She still insists she is coming here for lunch and then popping into the office this afternoon to catch up with things at the Miranda Centre. I told her not too, the doctors told her, Muriel told her, but she won't listen."

"Honey," said Krystal, putting her hand back onto her daughter's shoulder. "Go home!"

"What… no!" said Marissa, stepping back from her mother's kind hand. "I'm supposed to be working!"

"Camilla and I can handle it." said Krystal. "Go home; you're not really here anyway."

"Really?" asked Marissa.

"Rest, put your mind at ease… spend some quality time with Bianca…and I expect you ready and able for work tomorrow."

Marissa didn't need any more persuasion; she tore off her apron and practically threw it behind the counter before racing from the bistro.

"I will! Thanks mom."

…

Kendal was worrying about her sister. Bianca was home alone for the first time; what if something happened?

There was the big finance meeting at Fusion this afternoon, where Kendal was beginning to realise she was going to have to eat some major crow, as her mother's new cosmetics range was now outselling some of their major rivals.

But surely it wouldn't hurt to pop by and just check on Bianca before lunch? She had the perfect excuse; she still had a set of house keys from opening up for the movers yesterday. She would just drop in, say hi, return the keys, make sure Bianca hadn't had any accidents and was taking it easy, and then come back to the office in time to be royally humiliated by her mother.

No problem!

…

As soon as Marissa and the kids were safely on their way Bianca had made her way back to bed to catch up on a bit more sleep. She dozed for about an hour before she started feeling guilty. Marissa and the kids were up and about and she felt like she was just being lazy. So she decided to get up and get dressed and try to do something useful around the house, maybe finish unpacking the last couple of boxes in the mud room.

Bianca had just stepped out of the shower and was heading across to the closet to find something to wear when there was chime on her cell phone. She picked it up from the bedside table. It was a text from Marissa.

*Firstly - Are you still in bed? Secondly - about our discussion earlier, I do love you more.*

Bianca frowned not really understanding the first part of the message. A little confused she sent a reply.

*Firstly – No, I'm up and just getting dressed. Secondly - I love you so much more.*

Marissa's reply came back almost instantly.

*Firstly – Good , stop what you are doing, I'm almost there! Secondly - I love you more times a billion!*

Bianca laughed.

*Firstly – What? Secondly – I love you more times infinity. You can't beat that!*

Suddenly there was a loud bang downstairs that could only be the front door slamming shut and then the clatter of running feet on the stairs. Bianca turned round in time to see a breathless Marissa standing in the bedroom doorway grinning at her.

"I can try!" she said, her eyes slowly taking in the figure of Bianca in nothing but a bathrobe.

Marissa kicked of her shoes as she rushed forward to pull Bianca into her arms and kiss her passionately.

"What's going on?" Bianca asked when the kiss finally ended and they both caught their breath.

"Isn't it obvious? I have the rest of the day off," said Marissa, quickly undoing the buttons on her shirt, "And as I made a few phone calls on the way over, so do you! We are now free to celebrate our new house and our new bed for as loudly and as long as we like." Marissa stopped one arm out of her sleeve, suddenly unsure of herself… "Or am I coming on a bit strong?"

"Oh definately not." said Bianca with a wide toothy grin as she helped Marissa the rest of the way out of her shirt. "But how did you manage it?"

"Let's just say I have a very understanding boss!"

"Hmm." Bianca sighed, pulling Marissa into a fervent kiss of her own as they stumbled back towards the bed. "I must remember to thank her."

…

Kendal rang the door-bell twice but there was no reply. Worried, she let herself in; what if Bianca had fallen down and couldn't get up?

She took barely five steps into the hall when she heard a loud moan. Bianca was hurt!

There was another louder moan… it was coming from upstairs in the master bedroom.

Kendal made a frantic dash up the stairs, hurrying to her sister's aid.

She pushed open the bedroom door to be faced with the sight of two bodies writhing under the sheets just as her little sister called out the name Marissa in a loud, breathless, drawn out cry.

Kendal spun back out of the doorway, and prayed they hadn't seen her. She closed her eyes trying to get the image and the sound out of her head; her cheeks now beetroot red.

Then she heard giggling coming from the bed and her baby sister, in rather husky tone, whisper,

"Now I rather think it's my turn to make you scream!"

Kendal took the stairs two at a time as she fled, all the while muttering the mantra,

"Call first… always, always call first… don't just drop by… never, ever again!"

She closed the front door as quietly as possible and ran to her car; hopefully they would never ever know she was there.

…

A well-deserved moment of happiness for Minx and that should also solve the problem of Kendal interrupting the happy couple at inopportune times in the future! Tee hee!