Joint Venture

by Tey Holden

  Brooke almost smiled. “Why doesn’t it bother you? What makes you different than the whole world?”

  “The whole world? Look, you’ve got this belief that the whole world is against you, well I have news for you, it’s not. I’ve put up with my share of shit around here a couple of times, and now I don’t give a damn. I’m going to tell you why, just to shut you up, so that I can eat. I’m not a lesbian, but my mothers are, okay? Once I beat the crap up of someone because they told me that my mothers were lesbians. I thought I had to set them straight. Later I was talking to my mom, and she said something that struck me. She said ‘you fought someone because they told you the truth?’ That got me thinking. I’ve never denied that fact, or ever fought for that again. My mothers are wonderful women who happen to love each other. I’m very proud of them.”

  Brooke was speechless. Alex continued. “I’ve also been singled out as a lesbian, just because my mothers are. I don’t give a shit what people think of me. I am who I am and don’t think much about what they are thinking.”

  Brooke spoke. “But you are the president of the student council, and captain of the girls varsity basketball team, and track and field star and—.”

  “And yes, a bunch of other things. Brooke, I’m all that because I don’t let others define me. I define myself. I sit wherever I want to, and don’t care what others think. People respect that.” At this point Brooke was smiling in astonishment. “You can wipe that smile of your face. I’m not coming on to you, or want to be your girlfriend. Just get your act together. Mind your business, and don’t let others take the best of you. And FYI, I like guys. I’m not dating anyone because I think all them are a bunch of morons, and I don’t have time for morons. It’s not like I’m going to marry any of these idiots. Now just eat and leave me alone. I need to review a couple of things. I have a test next period.”

  “Sure.”

  Alex continued to eat as if nothing had happened. Brooke, however, was amazed. Years later she told Alex that she fell in love with her at that very moment, and that it took her years to get over her.

  Alex chose to sit with Brooke that day to deliver her message. One of the things she had learned over the years was to speak tough to people when the occasion called for it. A few strong words at the right moment could stop something major from developing. She didn’t like using foul language, but when she did, she used it well, just like Karen did. She thought that Brooke needed to be toughened up, if she was going to survive at school. She was also not going to be tolerant of anti-gay behavior, so rather than having to make a stand at some future time for Brooke, which was going to happen sooner or later, she thought she’d try and toughen up the girl. Brooke responded, well and Alex was happy with her reaction.

  When Alex finished eating, she got up to leave. Brooke looked at her. “Thanks. I’ll see you around.”

  “Are you trying out for one of the teams? Or joining any clubs?”

  “I wasn’t thinking of doing that. Should I?”

  “You should. See you around.”

  Brooke nodded and smiled. She said nothing more. Since that day, they became friends. Later one of her friends insinuated that Alex was Brooke’s friend because she liked her. Alex responded with a question, “what is it to you? Is it that you want her for yourself? Let me know and I’ll tell her. Although, you may not be her type.” The other girl was left speechless. No one ever dared to ask the question again.

  Meeting Karen and Addy also helped Brooke. She loved being around them and seeing how wonderful they got along. Knowing them made her aware that the future could be bright, that she was not alone, that there was nothing wrong with being who she was, and that she could one day also find love. She began to accept herself for who she was, and little by little became a brand new person.

  Alex always teased her. “Just the fact that I’m your sexy, gorgeous friend doesn’t give you the right to look at me in any particular way, missy, let’s be clear about that!”

  “Don’t worry, not going there. I always remember that you are a black belt in karate.”

  Alex always kept things out in the open, it was better that way. Deep down she knew Brooke liked her. But, because of the way Alex treated her, Brooke never thought of her as anything but a friend, although, she constantly kidded about it. She would tell Alex that she had no hopes of ever finding anyone to love. “When you have the most beautiful woman in the world as a friend, what possible expectations could you have for a girlfriend?”

  Alex’s reply was always the same. “One that would go to bed with you?” And they’d both laugh.

  ***

  Alex’s senior year at school was marked by many academic and athletic achievements as well as the many tribulations that came with it. There were the academic achievement and advance placement tests, as well as the regular schoolwork. There were also the college applications, and the decisions to be made once accepted. Alex’s outstanding academic credentials assured acceptance anywhere and since financial concerns were not a problem either, Alex’s possibilities were endless.

  Although Alex wanted to go away and have her college life experience, leaving the moms was piercing her heart. Unlike other teenagers who were eager to leave home and cut away with all parental ties and burdens, Alex loved her home. Home had always been a happy place where she had been nurtured and encouraged to succeed and be herself. She had grown up in an environment of acceptance where displays of affection were the norm and filled every day of her life.

  “So what colleges are we looking at, young lady?” Karen asked.

  “I don’t know, mom. This is very difficult.”

  Addy was surprised when she heard the comment because just the other day she had heard Alex talk to her friends in a very animated fashion about her different prospects. Addy didn’t make much of the matter at the moment and let it go.

  Karen however, was looking at all possibilities. She saw a lot of herself in Alex and wanted to make sure that Alex followed the right path. “You know that you can go anywhere, right?”

  “Yes, Mom. I know.” Addy again noticed the lack of enthusiasm from Alex.

  “I think any liberal arts college will do, since you are not sure of what you would like to do. Here, or the States is also fine. You also have legacy rights at Harvard, Columbia and Oxford, as you know.”

  “Yes, Mom, I know.”

  “So, why do I detect some reluctance? Am I interfering in your business? Should I stay out of it?”

  “No, Mom, your input is good. I appreciate it.” Alex looked at Addy, who was silently sitting on the couch across from them doing one of her Sudoku puzzles.

  “Ker, can you go and check if the clothes I have in the dryer are ready to take out?”

  Karen gave her a peculiar look, since it was a strange request. Addy was not the type to be asking people to do things for her. However, imagining that Addy had some ulterior purpose for the request, she replied. “Sure, I’ll go check. The beeper in the machine is not working as of lately, right?” Karen gave her a knowing smile indicative that she knew she was being sent away.

  Addy smiled, knowing that Karen caught the message. “No, it’s not. Why don’t you take some time and check it out while you are there?”

  “But it was working well earlier, M’Addy. I just had my karate uniform in there earlier.”

  “Well, you know how it is, things can go bad anytime.”

  Karen twisted her mouth and grinned as she got up and walked toward the laundry room. Before Karen left the room, she heard Addy speak again. “Alex, since your mom will be taking care of that matter, can you walk with me to the thinking tree?”

  Karen chuckled. Addy definitely wanted time alone with Alex. This was confirmed when she got to the laundry room and found the dryer empty. She chuckled again. That woman is sneaky!

  “I think that when you go away to college, we are going to miss you, and we might end up being a pain in the butt going to see you wherever you go. I mean, don’t think t
hat you are going to get rid of us just that easy, missy! I’m afraid we are going to be one of those annoying parents who will always be around. I think it will come to a point that you might have to tell us to stop visiting because you may need time for your friends.” Addy chuckled.

  Alex smiled slightly. “What if I end up going far?”

  “Huh! Like that’s going to stop us! You know how much we love to travel. Visiting you then might be even better. I mean, the thrill of a trip just gives me goose bumps.” Alex chuckled. “Look, you don’t believe me? Look at my arm!”

  “M’Addy!” Alex laughed.

  “Would you be coming every weekend?”

  “It depends.”

  “On what?” Alex grinned, like Karen, she was always wondering what Addy would come up with.

  “On where you go, of course! I mean, if you decide to be in some tiny town, we could run out of places to see or things to do and then what excuse could we have for showing up, without embarrassing ourselves?”

  Alex chuckled, and Addy continued talking. “If I may interject my opinion into the mix, I would rather if you stayed closer for undergrad and then go far, if you must, for grad school. By then you would be older and more experienced. Not that I don’t think you would not do well going far now, I just don’t know if I would!” Addy chuckled.

  Alex smiled, somehow knowing that Addy knew what was troubling her. She also preferred to stay close to home for now as well, but was concerned with Karen’s reactions, since she apparently had so many high expectations of her. At least now she felt good that she’d have Addy on her side. In the end, she knew that Addy’s approval was the important one, because she could easily convince Karen of anything.

  “Honeybunch, England is a great country, and it has very fine schools to choose from. And like I said, it would be very easy for us to hop in the car or the train and come to see you.” Addy looked at her straight in the eyes. “We are proud of you, Little Bit, and we will be in your life always. Pick your college. You’ve earned that right, and I promise you that we will be there for you, no matter where you go. I’d even find a way to justify a New York or Boston prolonged stay just as well.”

  Alex hugged her. “M’Addy you are the best.”

  Karen watched them from the house. She smiled “That sneaky woman! What is she up to now?”

  Many applications were sent and ultimately the choice was St. Andrews University in Scotland. Alex told Addy first. Addy congratulated her, and they hugged in the kitchen. “I don’t want to go far, M’Addy. I want to be able to come home on the weekend, if I want to.”

  “Honey, it’s an excellent choice. It’s a great school too.”

  Karen entered the kitchen and found them hugging. “How come she gets hugs and I don’t?”

  They chuckled. Alex then came and hugged Karen as well. Alex always thought, as a child, that Addy’s hugs were so good that it explained why Karen was always hugging her as well.

  “So, what’s this about?”

  “Alex has chosen St. Andrews for college.” Addy preempted in an attempt to ease Alex’s nerves, suspecting Alex’s apprehension to tell her mom that she was not going to Harvard, or Columbia, at least, not just yet.

  “St. Andrews?” Karen asked in an unbelieving tone.

  “It’s an excellent choice!” Addy proclaimed.

  “I’m not saying it’s not. It’s just that it is practically around the corner from here.”

  “I don’t want to go far, Mom.” Karen rolled her eyes when Alex made her position clear.

  “I want to come home some weekends.”

  “Have we made it that good for you here that you don’t want to leave?” Karen asked as she walked out into the living room with Alex following her.

  Alex smiled. “You should be proud when you say that, most kids want to forget about their parents the minute they can.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I guess we are going to have to be mean around here for you to want to leave the nest. No more cookie baking for you! In fact, Addy, stop feeding her!”

  “In your dreams! I’ll always have special cookies for my baby girl.”

  It was not the cookies that kept her home, it was precisely that loving interaction between the two moms, and the nurturing they provided that made home a perfect place.

  ***

  The graduation ceremony was wonderful. The main events were that Alex had been chosen as class valedictorian, and that Lord Fannon had accepted her invitation to attend and be the main speaker. Everyone had been astonished with his acceptance.

  At his age, it was unusual for him to make public appearances, but as it turned out and unknown to all, over the years, Alex had stayed in contact with him. He always read her letters as part of his outreach program, which she had asked him to institute to stay in touch with the people. He promised to do it and kept his word. He also gave specific orders to personally receive all correspondence from one Alexandra Marcos Larsen. Although his staff always wondered who that person might be, they were very familiar with the name.

  At the ceremony, once her name was announced as the highest achieving student of her class and the clapping subsided, she began her brief but emotional speech. “Today we mark the end of our known territory and we begin our walk on unknown roads. As we travel the journey of life, we will be reminded many times the words of wisdom our parents and our teachers have taught us, as well as the many experiences we’ve shared at school and sometimes outside.” There was laughter. “I, however, will like to pass on a message that impacted my life dramatically and made a difference to me. The message is simple, be proud of who you are.”

  “Oh, my God!” Addy was already in tears. Karen was sitting at the edge of her chair.

  “I got that message from two great women a few years back. Those two great women are my parents Adriana and Karen Marcos Larsen. They taught me to embrace the truth, live it, share it and be proud of it. However, and whatever it is, and you will always be respected for who you are.” She looked up and left the script.

  “Oh no!” Karen exclaimed. “What is she going to do? Stick to the script child!”

  Addy was astonished. Her brown eyes were fixed on Alex, in expectation of God only knew what she’d say next.

  Anyone who knew Karen, Addy, and Alex had to conclude that Alex was a perfect merge of the two women. In appearance she looked like Karen, although, as Addy would say, a much improved version. Alex was not only tall, but was more generously endowed in certain parts of her body than Karen. She also had Karen’s coolness, focus and intelligence. But in character she was Addy. She was social, eloquent, fun, passionate and fiery like Addy. When Alex walked into a room her presence was felt immediately, her beauty and charismatic attitude always attracted.

  The women knew that no matter what Alex said, script or no script, it would be appropriate, and wonderful. They had raised a very fine individual.

  “Don’t ever fight the truth,” Alex continued. “However difficult it is. Being different is beautiful. It sets you apart and makes you unique. Make that difference work for you. Accept it, proclaim it, and be proud of it.”

  After she concluded, there was a standing ovation. Karen relaxed, she thought she would say something related to having lesbian parents, but there was no need for that. Everyone knew what Alex was talking about. As a family, they had never proclaimed their way of life as different. They had just lived their lives, and it was reasonable to expect Alex to do the same. To the community in which they lived, the fact that they were a lesbian household was a matter of fact and nothing more. Their lives were like anyone else’s in town. Alex lived that example and carried herself in the same manner.

  Although she had all the privileges of her parents’ status, she was nevertheless like every other girl her age. Alex had been exposed to experiences through her life that few children her age had been. She was as worldly as her parents, and her attitude towards life reflected her upbringing.

  After her speech, she introduced,
Lord Fannon as the main speaker. “And now it is my pleasure to present to you our main speaker. I had the good fortune to meet him years ago, under unusual circumstances, and have since remained in contact with him. It’s my privilege to present to you, one of our countries most outspoken statesmen and a true representative of the people. Lord Thomas Fannon.” The audience clapped, and Lord Fannon slowly made his way to the podium.

  As Alex left the stage, he looked towards her and spoke to the audience. “I predict that that child will someday make it to Parliament! And with luck, she might one day occupy my seat! I will leave a mark on it, Alexandra. Just in case I’m not around to show you where to sit.” Everyone laughed, unknown to all, but three people present, that there was a history behind that comment, and those three people were surprised that he still remembered it.

  “Wow! Addy exclaimed. “I’m surprised he remembered.”

  In the depths of her mind, Karen wondered if his words today, although in jest, carried some kind of wishful thinking that maybe someday someone like Alex, or maybe Alex herself, would carry on his work. She looked at her daughter. Wouldn’t it be something, if Alex got into politics one day? She looked at Addy in awe and wondered if maybe Addy’s political career, although small, would have had an impact on Alex to prompt her into politics. Wouldn’t Aunt Charlotte be proud if her descendant made it to Parliament? Had it all been fate that she had returned to Scotland encouraged by the woman who later convinced her to have a child, and whose insistence also prompted her to reclaim the nobility title that one day might open doors for her daughter? She remembered Addy’s words the day they argued over the nobility title matter. Would those doors be the doors of Parliament?

  Addy noticed Karen looking at her. “What’s that smile about, Blondie? What’s on your mind?”

  “Nothing, just having some crazy thoughts.”