I wanted to call this chapter A Chance of Bridesmaids and Burnt Offerings but it won't fit in the caption box :o(

...

Marissa had been lost working on the Joossen contract when she was startled by the sound of a thud against the bedroom door. She looked up to see Bianca had got a bit stuck whilst wheeling herself in. Marissa closed up her laptop and gave her girlfriend worried smile.

"Where have you been?"

"David was thorough." Bianca said with a frown as she finally got through the door. "It wasn't as simple as needing an X-ray. I had a CAT scan as well."

"David?" said Marissa a little confused. Wasn't Griffin going to be the one to treat her? "But it went okay?"

"Nothing broken." said Bianca as she shifted herself from the wheelchair to the bed. "So a week of bed rest and a nurse coming in daily to supervise my physio and then hopefully I'll be hopping around just like before."

"That's excellent news." said Marissa, leaning in to give her a welcome home kiss once she was settled.

Bianca nodded towards Marissa's computer that was sitting closed on her lap.

"I guess I don't need to ask how your day went."

"I'm almost finished. I just need to edit one last paragraph and then I can send it to Liza to review."

"You're meant to be on sick leave." said Bianca, who still didn't approve of Marissa working when she was supposed to be recovering.

"We're on a dead-line."

"Chandler are on a dead-line. You don't even work for them! You work for Courtland!"

"And Courtland needs Chandler. It's just one paragraph. Twenty words and them I'm done."

"Just twenty?"

"Yep."

Bianca gave Marissa a long look.

"Okay, five minutes more and then that computer is banned from the bedroom!"

"I except." said Marissa, "But the five minutes start when I open the file."

"Fine." said Bianca staring meaningfully at her watch with a teasing scowl, but Marissa didn't pick up the computer she just gave Bianca a warm smile.

"You're in a good mood this evening." she observed.

"Well the kids were being exceedingly cute just now when I got in. They always cheer me up."

Marissa nodded, she'd had the crowd of them in earlier, when they all got home from school.

"I'd have thought they would have come in with you."

"Oh no, they had more important things to do. They're cooking us dinner. And my mom is helping them."

"You sound surprised?"

"My mom doesn't cook. I don't think she knows how. So expect burnt offerings or take out."

"That's a little mean. At least she's trying and the kids will have fun cook with their nana."

"Don't call her that!" exclaimed Bianca. "She's Erica to the kids. No one calls her nana!"

Marissa grinned.

"So you don't want to hurt her feelings?"

Bianca paused for a moment.

"No, actually you're right. Call her nana… or better yet granny! It's about time she grew up." Her words were childishly mean-spirited but when she looked across to Marissa her expression grew a little more serious. "How was she with you today? She didn't say anything or do anything?"

"It went fine." said Marissa. "We actually had a little talk."

"About what?"

"You."

Bianca shook her head.

"Don't let her suck you in."

"I won't. But don't you think you're being a little mean? After all you weren't the one who almost died."

"No!" exclaimed Bianca. "No, because she always does this and she never learns! I want her to understand that things have consequences!"

"So how long are you planning on punishing her."

"I haven't decided." said Bianca.

"You don't think you are punishing yourself and the kids more… not going to the wedding?"

"They'll understand."

"I'm not so sure." said Marissa, pulling a drawing out from her bedside table. "Gabby brought us a get better picture from play-tots. She said it was an extra special painting that showed us our future. She even had the teacher help her with the hard bits because it had to be just right! Her words not mine."

Bianca took the artwork from her girlfriend's hand.

The title of the drawing was written across the top in the teacher's careful hand, 'Erica's wedding day'. On the right were the bride and groom, Erica and Uncle Jack, with their names written underneath just to be sure. Beside them, all dressed in pink, were four bridesmaids with the word 'bridesmaids' written over their head. There were two tall bridesmaids and two tiny ones. Three of the bridesmaids had brown hair while one of the tall one's had short orange hair. The other tall bridesmaid was using a pair of crutches. There was no mistaking who was who as they all had their names written underneath, 'Mommy, Mamma, Miranda, Me'.

"It's us." said Bianca looking up from the drawing. "Well, she was thorough. She even labelled the pretty dresses 'pretty dresses'."

"I think it's clear that she really wants to go to this wedding."

"I don't know." said Bianca. "I just don't want to give in to my mother."

"Well then do it for your kids." said Marissa. She pointed at the painting in Bianca's hand. "After all you can't fight the future."

"I'll think about it." said Bianca, putting the drawing by her bedside.

At the same time Marissa moved her computer from her lap and put it aside so she could snuggle in next to Bianca.

"I did miss you today." she sighed, as Bianca turned and gave her another kiss.

"Me too."

"And you're really alright?" Marissa asked, her mind still going back over the fact that David was the one to treat her. She hoped he hadn't tried to push his Orpheus formula again.

"I'll be fine." said Bianca kissing her again and giving her a wide grin. "And you're not working?"

"I'll finish it tomorrow." said Marissa, burrowing into Bianca's embrace. "I think I'd rather rest up now you're here."

"Rest up?" said Bianca with a saucy smile as Marissa planted ticklish kisses along her neck. "I don't know? That kind of move isn't usually a prelude to restfulness."

Marissa stopped her assault on Bianca's neck and moved to plant a new kiss on the corner of Bianca's mouth instead.

"I just think you're beautiful." she whispered.

Bianca frowned in amused confusion and held Marissa at arm's length to look at her. Was she missing something?

"Okay, what did you and my mother talk about?" she asked suspiciously.

Just then the shrill ringing of the kitchen smoke alarm sounded.

They both jumped at the unexpected racket and then shared a grin.

"It looks like take-out then." Bianca said with a laugh.

…

…