Marissa opened the door to a breezy business-suited woman in dark glasses who slipped past into the hall.
"As beautiful as I remember." she exclaimed, opening her arms as if to embrace the room.
"Peggy." said Bianca, trudging from the kitchen on her crutches. "You're early."
"Miss Montgomery," she exclaimed striding forward to shake hands, "A pleasure to see you again."
"And you remember my parnter, Marissa?" Bianca said giving a bewildered girlfriend a grin. Marissa was still stunned on the doorstep after the woman's dramatic entrance.
Peggy swung round, as if registering the red-head for the first time.
"A pleasure." she said enthusiastically shaking her hand.
Peggy then surveyed the room again and clapped her hands with eagerness.
"And I know we are premature in our arrival but we just wanted to case the house before the rest of the crew arrives so we know where to set up. We shall endeavour to make this as painless as possible."
"We?"
Marissa was still standing dumbfounded with the door half open when three men stepped past her.
"This is Robin, Peter and …um... Phillip is it? - The photographer and lighting team. Just carry on as usual; we won't get in the way!"
Before they could respond Peggy led the three men through to the lounge, talking animatedly about structure, light and composition, making herself completely at home.
Bianca and Marissa shared a look of bewilderment.
"What have we let ourselves in for?" Marissa asked.
…
Bianca waited patiently as the hairdresser adjusted the curl at her cheek. The whole family were posed on one of the leather couches in the lounge, with the view of the swimming pool behind. AJ was sat beside Marissa, Miranda beside Bianca and Gabby in the middle. They had been sat in front of the camera and a bank of lights for almost ten minutes. Gabby was loving it, although the photographer had to keep warning her not to pull cheesy grins at the camera. Miranda as always was being an angel but AJ was beginning to fidget. He knew this was important for him and his mom but it was also really boring.
"Okay once more!" said photographer, the man Peggy had introduced as Robin. He peered down the lens for a moment. "Wait a sec." he said suddenly, dashing out from behind the camera to adjust Bianca's crutches which had been posed in the corner of the shot. He got back behind the camera. "Perfect… Now everybody think happy thoughts!"
The back of flash bulbs exploded around them.
…
"Can we go play?" AJ asked, while the camera crew began to pack up their equipment to move to the kitchen for the next shot.
Bianca realised that it might be a good idea to keep the kids out from underfoot.
"Why don't you and Miranda take Gabby up to your play-closet." she said. "I don't think they will want you for a while."
"Thanks Binks!" exclaimed AJ, giving Miranda a grin. Taking a hand each they led Gabby away from the madness of the camera crew, up to AJs room and their shared play room.
"Where are they going?" Peggy asked clipboard in her hand, standing beside Bianca as she watched the kids climb the stairs.
"I thought they could use a little break from this." said Bianca, "You didn't need them did you?"
"No that was an excellent idea." said Peggy, "And while they are setting up the next shot, this is the perfect opportunity to do the interview."
"Sure." said Bianca; she looked across to Marissa who was currently supervising the lighting crew carry their large light rigs through the low door to the Dining Room. "Did you want to interview us together?"
…
They were sat at the Dining Table while the camera crew set up in the kitchen. Marissa didn't trust them not to knock the furniture and so wanted to keep an eye on them.
Peggy put a mini digital recorder on the table between them.
"So, first question," said Peggy referring to her clipboard. "Where did you meet?"
Bianca and Marissa shared a look. This was the sort of question that only Bianca could answer.
"We were family friends really before we got close. Our two children, AJ and Miranda, have been best friends almost from birth. I suppose they are the ones that really brought us together to begin with."
"Adorable." said Peggy, scribbling a note on her clipboard. "Question two, Marissa how has your amnesia affected your relationship?"
"Nothing like an easy question…" said Marissa with a nervous chuckle. She looked towards Bianca and got caught up for a moment in Bianca's dark eyes as her girlfriend gazed back. She gave Bianca a slow smile and lovingly took her hand. "I love her. I loved her before I was shot and I love her now, so I'm not sure how much has changed…"
"Specifics would be better for our readers." said Peggy bluntly, bursting their romantic bubble. "Can you give a before and after example?"
"Oh…" said Marissa. "I'll have to think…"
"Take your time." said Peggy, all business. "Bianca, talk me through the house… room by room."
"Um… sure…" stammered Bianca.
Seeing the confusion on the women's faces at her interview technique, Peggy grinned.
"It's fine; when I write this up it will flow like a seamless conversation… So Bianca, if you could start in the entrance hall…"
…
Three hours later the camera crew was upstairs taking pictures of the bedrooms. Miranda and Gabby had been taken to be photographed in their rooms leaving AJ playing alone in the oversized closet.
Marissa came to keep him company, leaving Bianca with the girls. While he'd been waiting AJ had created a stunt track for his cars in one corner. He just needed Miranda to come back so they could start the race.
"How are you doing?" Marissa asked leaning on the closet door frame.
"Okay, I guess." said AJ. He wasn't enjoying being cooped up, and having to keep out of the way all the time.
"It's almost over." said Marissa, stepping over the doll house that had been abandoned in the doorway. Then she stopped to pick up the bits of doll furniture that had been left strewn over the carpet. "Your room is the last shot. And I'm impressed that you have kept most of it so tidy."
"That was Gabby." said AJ, noticing his mom tidying up.
"I guessed that." said Marissa, putting the last bits back in the house and closing the front. "But before the shoot you have some thinking to do."
"I do?" said AJ with a frown.
"They want to take a picture of you with your favourite thing; a toy or photograph. Gabby picked her rabbit book and Miranda a picture of her pony Dexter."
"I don't have a favourite thing." said AJ, looking around at all his toys. He couldn't really think of one he was say was his favouritest.
Marissa ruffled his hair, and then, having second thoughts, quickly smoothed it down again.
"I'm sure you'll think of something. You're a smart kid."
AJ looked up at his mom and smiled.
…
Peggy pumped Marissa's hand enthusiastically on the doorstep as the camera crew were busy packing their vans in the background.
"You have been excellent, excellent hosts." she said. "Given the publicity, this article will probably be rushed into our next issue. I shall forward you a draft copy via your publishers."
"Thank you." said Bianca taking her turn at shaking her hand.
"And you young man." said Peggy cupping AJ's cheek. "You are a sweetheart."
Peggy's bossy manner slipped slightly as she looked up to smile at the whole family.
"Well goodbye, and I really do wish you all the luck in the world."
"Thank you." said Marissa, pulling her son into her side for a hug.
Everyone waved the camera vans off and then the family stepped back into the house.
Gabby jumped happily down the three steps into the hall.
"That was fun." she cried, full of energy, "Can we do it every day?"
"NO!" said everyone in unison.
Bianca sank back against the door frame.
"I need a sit down." she sighed. "I'm exhausted!"
Marissa looked worried for a moment but Bianca gave her a wink.
"What do you say to a lazy family night? We can order a pizza and watch movies in the den until bedtime?"
"Yeah!" cried AJ eagerly.
"Can M'anda and I pick the first film?" Gabby asked.
"If AJ is okay with that." said Bianca.
"I'm okay." said AJ, "As long as Binks and I have the next pick!"
"Deal." said Miranda, "Just don't pick Cars again!" She then laughed as Gabby dragged her off towards the den.
"Then you can't have the Little Mermaid!" AJ called after them.
"That's okay 'cause I want to watch Finding Nemo!"
"Oh… okay them" AJ said with a nod. He liked that film too.
Then it was Gabby's turn to whine.
"But I wanted to watch p-wincessses!" she cried.
Bianca and Marissa shared a look, pleased to see Miranda acting more like her old self.
"And if we are having pizza we need to find the take out menu." said Marissa.
"I know where it is." said AJ dashing off to the kitchen.
Bianca and Marissa watched him go.
"He really is a sweetheart." said Bianca.
"That's my boy!" said Marissa proudly.
…