Port Charles Does It Better Part Two

Chapter 19

     Parker, Kristina, and Morgan were all eating breakfast when Kristina's phone rang.  She looked at the screen and saw it was Perks. "Hello?" She said when she answered. "Yeah, I'm in town. Why?" She asked the person on the other line. Parker could hear some noise coming out of the phone, but not enough to catch what was being said. "Mama!" He said pointing at Kristina. "Shhhh." Parker told him. "Mama's on the phone with work." She handed him the other half of his banana and he started eating again. Parker looked over at Kristina who was still trying to figure out what was going on. "I'll be there in a minute," Kristina had said to whoever and had hung up.
    "I have to go to Perks. Apparently someone is making a scene and refusing to speak to anyone but the owner." Kristina explained. "Do you two want to go with me?" She asked her wife. "Yes," Parker answered immediately. "But mainly just to insure that you don't go to jail." Parker joked. "Of course we'll go. I'll get Morgan a cookie or something while you handle your work stuff." She said with a smile. "Who is it?" She asked. Kristina shook her head. "I have no idea, but I guess we'll find out soon." She turned to face their son. "Want to go bye bye?" She asked and he giggled. "Bye bye!" He squealed. "That's right big man. Bye bye!" She told him wiping the food off of his hands and face. 
     Parker got up from the table and grabbed all of their coats. "I hope it's nothing too serious. Do you have any idea what it would be about?" She asked the smaller girl. "Nope. Last I had checked, buisiness was running smoothly. I just checked in with the manager last week and he hadn't mentioned any trouble with any customers or anything." She explained . "Have the roads cleared up any?" She asked, referring to the snow and ice from Christmas. "They seem to be a little better." Parker replied. "You driving?" Kristina nodded grabbing the keys. "I haven't been able to drive in like a week." Parker smiled at her. "You could have driving the truck honey." She told her. "Like hell I could have," Kristina said. "I can't even reach the pedals." Parker laughed as she picked up Morgan and opened the door. "After you love." She told her and they left for Perks to see what all the commotion was about.

     They walked in and immediately saw a familiar face arguing with management. "Melissa?" Parker said walking up to her former student. "What are you doing here professor?" She asked with a snark. "She's here with me." Kristina said popping up next to the blonde. "What's going on?" She asked Alex, her main manager. The guy ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know!" He told her. "She won't say anything until she talks to the owner!" He explained, clearly stressed out from the situation. "And I don't know why I'm still waiting to speak to him." Melissa interrupted. "I thought you already called him!" She yelled at the man. "It's fine Alex," Kristina told him. "You can go home a little early, you only have about an hour left anyway." He gave her a grateful smile and walked off. 
      Kristina turned to face her wife and he son now. "Mommy's got to take care of some work stuff real quick." She told her son, kissing his head. "Mama's gonna take you to get a snack though." She looked up at Parker who took that as a signal to leave. "I'm right over there," She told Kristina giving her a kiss. "Let me know if you need me." Kristina nodded in agreement and turned to deal with her younger sister Molly's old college friend.
     "I am the owner." Kristina finally informed the redhead. "Now what is the problem Melissa?"  The other girl didn't say anything for a moment. She and Kristina did not have the best history. The last time they had came face to face, Parker ended up having to pull Kristina off of her outside the classroom. "I didn't know you ran the coffee shop." Melissa said, pulling her back back up onto her shoulder. "I'll go somewhere else." She told her and began to leave.  "Oh come off it Melissa," Kristina stopped her, grabbing the girls arm. "What is it?"
     Suddenly the girl who had always had a go to hell look stuck on her face had a solemn one. "I need a job, and I need it fast." Kristina scuffed her foot on the floor. "You couldn't have applied with an application?" She asked. "You decided it would be better to cause a scene? Because let me tell you," She said with an annoyed tone. "That does not make me want to hire you." Melissa made a sour face. "I already applied like 2 weeks ago. The sign in the window says 'Now Hiring' and they still haven't hired anyone. It's the only place in town that's hiring right now." Melissa explained. Kristina sighed. "I'll have to talk to Alex about that because I haven't see any recent applications." She gestured to a booth for them to sit down and Melissa did.
    "My mom has gotten sick and her insurance doesn't even cover a quarter of the cost." The redhead continued. "She can't continue her treatment without a payment and she hasn't made one in months. She just can't afford it." She admitted. Kristina thought back to when Parker's mother had a health scare like that and how much money it costed just for tests. "Look, I really don't like you. I feel like you already know this just like I already know the feeling is mutual. That being said, we wouldn't have to see each other very much." Kristina told her. "I sympathize with your situation and I'm willing to give you a position here. However," She continued. "If you act like that even one time while you're in my store I swear you'll be out of the door faster than you can clock in. Got it?" She asked and the redhead nodded. "Got it." "You can start tomorrow." Kristina told her and reached out for her hand. "Welcome to Perks."
    Melissa left and Kristina found Parker and Morgan sitting at one of the tables. "Hey honey," Parker said when she saw her. "How did it go?" Kristina sat down in the booth opposite her and Morgan, picking up her wife's coffee as she did so. "You would never believe what just happened." She told her, taking a sip and giving the blonde back her drink. "Melissa just asked me for a job." Parker's mouth fell open. "Whaaaaaat?" She asked. "Did you say no?" Kristina shook her head. "She starts tomorrow." Parker's eyes went wide. "Wow! Did not see that coming." She told her and Kristina shrugged. "Her mother is sick and needs help paying for treatment. I may hate the chick, but I don't hate her mother. I remember how expensive things were with Lorraine and how it affected you. It was hard to tell her no when it's about something like that. Parker took her hand in hers. "This is why I love you." She told her, giving it a kiss. "Always seeing the good in the worst kinds of people." Kristina smiled. "I didn't used to be that way you know." She informed her. "You did this to me." Parker shook her head. "Nope. Even as a student you were always trying to help people. It's just who you are." She told her. Kristina just laughed it off. "Whatever you say dear." She looked at Morgan. "You ready little man?" She asked him and he nodded his head fiercely. "Alright then. Let's go home."