Bianca sighed as she entered the courthouse. Her mother had proven once again that she just couldn't handle the thought of her being with Frankie. And she doesn't even know the nature of our relationship! All she sees is what she wants to see... She quelled her thoughts as she walked into the courtroom where her lawyer sat.
"Ms. Rader?"
"Ms. Montgomery?"
"Hi. Thank you so much for seeing me so soon." The lawyer moved a chair over for Bianca to sit on.
"Like I told you on the phone, I have to plead a case in about 15 minutes, but let's go over what you need." Bianca took a deep breath as she sat down.
"Ok, well, I guess I won't tell you the long version of the story, but what I want is to legally establish my independence."
"How old are you now?"
"I'm 17." Bianca replied She rushed on. "And I know it can be done because I looked it up on the Internet. What I want is a legal declaration as an emancipated minor."
"My first question is, why? You'll be 18 in a few months." Bianca sighed.
"Well, I'm ready to make my own life decisions now." Ms. Rader sighed.
"Your mother is Erica Kane." Bianca nodded. "And you two have had some sort of falling-out."
"It's been building." Bianca said defensively.
"I know your background, Bianca. I mean, you're the daughter of a very wealthy and famous woman, and I've read about you." The lawyer hinted. Bianca sighed.
"You mean you've heard I'm gay." Ms. Rader smiled.
"Yes." Bianca looked down.
"My mother doesn't want me to be, but she doesn't understand that I can't really control that. So, you see, we actually have a pretty big problem here. She's trying to control my life."
"I understand this is difficult for you, Bianca. But I have to tell you, mothers have been trying to control their daughters' lives since the beginning of time. That doesn't mean you get to divorce them just because--" Bianca looked up as Frankie entered the room. "-- can we help you?" Bianca smiled.
"Frankie." The smaller girl was pissed.
"Bianca, what are you doing?" Bianca was taken aback.
"The only thing I can do to be myself." Ms. Rader was a little uncomfortable at the intimate feeling of the conversation. She cut in.
"Is this your girlfriend?" She inquired. Both girls blushed. Am I? Frankie thought, a little panicked. That IS where we're heading, isn't it? Damn...how'd I get myself into this mess?
"Does that matter?" Bianca said, smiling. Frankie cut in again.
"You're suing your mother because she hates me?" She said incredulously.
"No, Frankie, this doesn't have anything to do with you. This has been going on in my life since last year." Bianca insisted. Frankie sighed.
"Bianca, don't you get it? You're only going to make things so much worse."
"No, it's ok." Bianca said, trying to calm Frankie down.
"No, it's not ok, Bianca, because your mother is going to have me thrown into jail. She's going to have me arrested." Bianca was taken aback. Why on earth would she think that?
"What?" Ms. Rader leaned forward. There was so much going on here that she didn't know about.
"No, no, that's not going to happen." Bianca insisted, getting up from her chair. "Frankie, you didn't do anything wrong. And you're not going to talk me out of this, ok? My mother cannot take over my life and tell me what to feel and who to feel it for." Bianca said strongly, looking Frankie in the eye. Frankie wanted to cry. She sighed, and looked back at Bianca, shaking her head.
"I'm not worth it."
"Yes, you are." Bianca insisted. Frankie sighed. No, I'm really not...
