Erica came by the next morning just as she had the day before, and again the kids brought in breakfast in bed for their moms. Although Bianca was all smiles for the kids Marissa could sense the underlying annoyance brought on by the presence of the mother she was trying so hard to be mad at.

When Reggie collected the kids to take them to school, Erica left both women to their own devices. Bianca picked up the book from her bedside table while Marissa turned on her laptop and got back to work.

…

Although Marissa had promised that five minutes was all she needed to complete the contract, she forgot to mention the hour or so she would need after Liza and Adam had sent back corrections and alterations via e-mail.

Bianca gave a large sigh as she turned the pages of her book.

Marissa glanced over, sensing her disapproval.

"This is the last of it I promise." Marissa said in response to Bianca's silent condemnation. "I send this to Chandler and my work is finished."

"I'm not judging you." said Bianca. "I just… You should be resting."

Unable to bear it anymore Marissa closed down the file. It's not like she was really concentrating on it anyway. There was something else that she needed to talk to Bianca about.

"Tell you what." said Marissa giving Bianca grin. "I shall do this when your Physiotherapist comes. When's he due?"

"In about half an hour."

"Good." said Marissa. She opened up another file on her laptop and slid closer to Bianca. "Then I can show you this."

Bianca wriggled in to get a look at the computer screen. It was the website to some kind of engineering or building company.

"I was looking at companies that install elevators." explained Marissa. "After our conversation yesterday morning I thought I would investigate. The sooner the better, right?"

"You did?"

"Well, I didn't spend all of yesterday on the contract while you were in hospital." said Marissa. "I found this company… And I spoke to our architect about the changes needed. She said there was no structural reason not to proceed. She even suggested that if we were going ahead with converting the girl's bathroom the elevator wouldn't take up the whole space so there is an option to add a full walk-in closet to Gabby's room so it matches her sister's."

Bianca gave Marissa a confused and amused smile.

"You really looked into this then?"

"Yeah… I figured by the time we get back from your mom's wedding the worst of the building work will be done and then there will be nothing stopping you from our wonderful bed ever again."

Bianca pulled a face.

"My mother's wedding…"

"Hey, none of that!" scolded Marissa. "You said you're going, so you're going. For your girl's sake…"

"I said if I was well enough." amended Bianca.

"Exactly! So as no bones are broken, your physiotherapist starts today and your mother's wedding isn't for another fortnight, there is nothing to stop you from going but your own stubbornness."

"Fine." said Bianca in surrender.

She pulled the laptop from Marissa, to have a closer look at the elevator installer's website.

"So do we have to book a meeting with the architect?"

"She's coming on Thursday."

"You really do have everything planned."

"Well, I did say I'd look after you."

Bianca gave Marissa a look, to show she knew when she was being handled. Marissa only grinned back and puckered up, so that Bianca would lean in for a kiss.

The kiss lingered as Marissa reached up and stroked Bianca's cheek. And the tension and annoyance quickly melted away at the contact.

"I only do this because I love you." whispered Marissa.

"I know." sighed Bianca.

"If the roles were reversed…"

"If the roles were reversed the elevator would have been installed a year ago when the architect first suggested it! I wouldn't have put up with none of this 'I'm not an invalid I'll be fine' nonsense! If you needed it I'd have just got it done!"

"You'd have been a hard task master then?"

"The hardest!"

"So why are you so hard on yourself now?"

Bianca didn't answer right away. This was clearly not a subject she wanted to pursue, so Marissa chased away the new tension with another kiss.

"Although, if you think about it, if our roles were truly reversed then you wouldn't have remembered me. You wouldn't put in an elevator if you didn't know who I was?" Marissa mused, as a way to escape her earlier question.

"That's true." said Bianca. "I hope that a part of me would always love you though. I'd find you like you found me. I think, after everything that Pine Valley has thrown at us, we have proven that there is nothing that can stop our love."

"Nothing!" agreed Marissa.

"Nothing," Bianca said again.

"Not a thing!" said Marissa, leaning in to rest her brow against Bianca's and gaze into her eyes.

"Not… a… thing..!" stated Bianca, playing along.

"Not even your mother."

Bianca's bravado faltered for just a second, but then she quickly found a grin again. She could see exactly what Marissa was doing, but also found she didn't mind.

"Not even my mother." she echoed.

"Good." said Marissa rewarding her with achingly tender kiss. "The let's get back to ordering our elevator before you are whisked away to you physio!"

…