Bianca followed Marissa and the kids into the dingy motel room that the police department had selected as their safe house.
AJ ran into the room gleefully and leaped onto the nearest of the twin beds.
"Make yourself at home." said Marissa, pleased to see him so enthusiastic about this unfortunate turn of events.
He turned around happily as Miranda and Gabby got comfortable on the other bed.
"I was here before with grandpa." said AJ, but then his smile faltered, "A-after daddy hurt Binks."
Bianca came and sat down beside him, lowering herself down onto the bed carefully with her crutches.
"Then we know we'll be safe here." said Bianca giving him an encouraging grin.
Their police escort, Officer Benson came in with a tray of takeout in his arms.
"Sorry we don't have anything more exciting." he said.
Marissa cleared a space on the desk near the television for him to put down the tray.
"It's fine," said Marissa, "We all like burgers."
Officer Benson smiled back, pleased at how easy the family were taking this forced relocation.
"But," added Marissa, "We don't have any luggage except our carry on… we had to leave it at the airport"
"We can get you the basics for tonight." said Benson. "And we've also booked the adjoining room so you won't all have to share. An officer will be stationed outside all night, but we don't think the risk is large of a disturbance."
"So we can go home tomorrow." Bianca asked.
"We should know if this is anything more than a limited public disorder by tomorrow morning. I know the Chief will be by later to brief you on everything you've missed while you were away."
"We'll be grateful for that." said Bianca addressing the young officer before turning to smile a thank you to Marissa as she handed around the burgers and fries.
"I'll leave you to settle." said Benson.
He paused and reached into his pocket.
"Oh I almost forgot." he handed over the room keys and a card, "Call this number if you have any difficulties, don't try and find our car in the lot."
"I know how this works." said Bianca, taking the proffered card.
Officer Benson nodded and left them to settle.
AJ made a brief fuss that there wasn't enough ketchup with his burger and Gabby needed persuading that a burger was fine and she didn't want nuggets, but eventually the kids, all sat in a row on the carpet, were persuaded to get on with their late supper. Marissa switched on the television, selecting a kids channel to distract them, making a point of missing the news stations.
"Not quite how I pictured our welcome home." said Bianca forlornly as Marissa sat down beside her on the narrow bed.
Marissa picked up the room keys that Bianca had placed with the card on the bedside table.
"And another night we won't be spending together." said Marissa, rattling the keys around in her hand. "I'll take AJ next door in a bit because the kids are going to need their sleep; it's been a long day."
"We'll have to wait for Jesse first… and for the police to deliver the toothpaste and pyjamas."
"At least you've got your medication." said Marissa passing Bianca her purse and one of the bottles of water that came with the meal.
"Yay." said Bianca without enthusiasm, and then she sighed. "And I never got a chance to call the hospital and arrange an appointment with David."
"Well that will have to wait, as we were told not to call anyone outside the police department."
After swallowing her tablets Bianca sighed and laid her head back against the head board as she surveyed the shabby hotel room that was to be there home for the night.
"I suppose it could be worst." she said.
"Yeah," agreed Marissa, "Can you imagine what would have happened if we got caught up in that mob!"
She shuddered at the thought.
Bianca reached out and took her hand.
"It didn't happen." she said firmly.
"But all that ugliness was because of me!" said Marissa quietly. She tried to keep the distress she was feeling from her voice because she noticed Miranda half turning her head to listen and she didn't want the children to see how upset she was.
Bianca squeezed her hand tighter and then brought it up to her lips to give Marissa's palm a warm kiss.
"That wasn't you. That was because people do stupid things. You have to remember that half that crowd was there to support you and AJ… support us. The world is full of idiots, you can't be to blame if half of them decide to show up at Pine Valley Airport just as we are coming home."
Marissa chuckled at Bianca's words of comfort.
"You know." said Marissa giving her girlfriend a grin. "Your humour worries me. The worse the situation is the worse your jokes get."
"So…" asked Bianca, sensing this was going somewhere.
"So…" continued Marissa, "From that effort I can tell things aren't so bad."
"I'm glad to hear it." said Bianca cheerfully.
Bianca then turned back to her dinner, picking up a fry with her left hand before popping it in her mouth. Her right hand was occupied still holding onto Marissa's.
Marissa watched her with a frown as Bianca moved on in an awkward attempt to pick up her burger left-handed without half the filling falling out.
"You can let go." Marissa suggested as she watched her girlfriend struggling with her food. She lifted their joined hands into eyeshot to give her a hint.
"Well I don't want to. I was to keep you close for as long as I can." said Bianca stubbornly, refusing to released her grasp. "Besides it's a good exercise in co-ordination for my weedier left side."
Marissa sighed and kissed Bianca's cheek.
"I love you, you sappy dope." she whispered.
Bianca smiled back before successfully taking a bite from her burger, the fingers of her right hand still happily entwined with Marissa's.
…