by Carrie Carr
Martha sat next to her and reached for the denim wrapped around Lex's left knee. "Played doctor a bit, did you?" She slowly unwrapped the material, then tore the leg of the jean higher up so that she could get a better look.
Once the pressure was released, the pain flowed back. "Ow!"
"Quit your hollering, Lexie." Martha looked up at Roy, who was standing in the doorway trying to keep a smile off his face. "Thank you for what you did, Roy. I owe you one."
He shook his head. "Don't thank me, Martha. You'd best be thanking that young man there." Roy pointed to Ronnie, who stood back by the kitchen counter. "If it hadn't been for his sharp ears, we'd probably still be out there searching."
Lex turned to look at a now-blushing Ronnie. "That's right.
Roy said something about that when y'all found me. You're the one who figured it all out."
"Well, sort of. I guess." He scuffed his boot along the floor, unable to meet Lex's eyes. "But I'm sure the others would have heard the noise, too. I just happened to be the first one."
Roy said, "Don't you be making light of it, Ronnie. We were well up the trail by the time you called us back."
Martha beamed. "I'm so proud of you, Ronnie." She looked back down at Lex's leg. "You messed this up pretty well. We'd better have Dr. Anderson check you out in the morning."
"It's just sprained." Lex looked around the room. "Amanda must be pretty upset with me if she's not down here hollering with you." Everyone in the room remained silent. "What's wrong? Where's Amanda?"
"Calm down, Lexie. Amanda's perfectly all right. It's just that she--"
Lex tried to stand, but when she put weight on her injured leg, she immediately dropped back into the chair. "Dammit! She what? Where the hell is she?"
"Jeannie was admitted into the hospital today, and Amanda has flown out there to be with her."
"What? By herself?" Lex slammed her fist down on the table. "I should have been here."
Seeing that Lex was about to have a meltdown, Roy ushered Juan out of the house. He knew that his boss showing such emotion in front of them would embarrass Lex later.
"Stop it. Amanda didn't go alone, and even if she did, she's a grown woman. I'm expecting to hear from her or Ellie any time now." Bracing herself for the explosion, Martha wasn't disappointed.
"Ellie? The woman who keeps bitching about my 'lifestyle,' but can't seem to keep her eyes off my wife, went with Amanda? Whose brilliant idea was that?" Lex stood up on her good leg. "I've got to get out there."
Martha grabbed Lex's arm. "Have you lost your mind? You can't even stand up, much less walk. You have no business going anywhere, except to the doctor."
"I'm not leaving Amanda alone with that woman, Martha. Haven't you seen the way she looks at her?" Lex turned to Ronnie. "Would you mind going upstairs and getting me some clean clothes and my old crutches out of my closet? I need to make a few phone calls."
Not wanting to disappoint his idol, Ronnie dashed off to do Lex's bidding.
"You're not going to be able to get another flight out tonight," Martha told her. "The one they took earlier was the only flight until tomorrow."
"Then I'll find another way." Lex took one step and almost cried out from the pain. "Would you mind helping me into the office?" When Martha didn't move or say anything, Lex changed her attitude. "Please? I can't just sit here. I've got to go."
With a shake of her head, Martha put her arm around Lex's waist. "Stubborn woman." She took most of Lex's weight on her shoulders and helped her walk down the hall.
Chapter Ten
THE DRIVE FROM the hospital was quiet, except for Amanda giving Ellie directions from time to time. She had gladly handed over the keys to the rental car, knowing that she had no business trying to operate the vehicle in the state she was in. Ellie didn't seem to mind and had actually been very solicitous the entire trip.
"That's it, there on the left." Amanda pointed to a two-story, Spanish-style house. As Ellie pulled the car into the driveway, Amanda thought back to the last time she had been there. It had been a few weeks before she left for Texas to help care for her grandfather who had been in an auto accident. And not long after, I met the other half of my soul. She wondered what Lex was doing right now. I miss her so much. "I need to call home as soon as we get inside."
"It's kind of late to be calling, isn't it?" Ellie asked, as she got out of the car and grabbed the bags from the trunk. "Wouldn't it be better to wait until morning?"
Amanda closed her door and then took her bag from Ellie. "It already is morning, Ellie. And no, I don't think it would be better to wait. Lex is probably worried sick." She led the way up to the front door and took the keys from Ellie's outstretched hand. "Thanks." After fumbling with the lock, Amanda finally opened the door.
"Whoa." Ellie had followed Amanda inside, and her eyes widened when Amanda flicked on the interior light. The front room was wide, with glossy tile floors and ornate furniture. They dropped their bags just inside the doorway, too tired to care where they landed. "I've only seen places like this on television, or in those fancy magazines at the doctor's office." She chuckled when she thought about what a baby would do to the obviously expensive surroundings.
"What's funny?" Amanda asked in a sour voice.
"Nothing."
Still upset with herself over her own thoughts about Jeannie's baby, Amanda didn't feel like letting Ellie off the hook so easily. "It must have been something, or you wouldn't have laughed. I don't see anything funny about this situation."
"No, really. I think I'm just tired." Ellie didn't want to fight with Amanda over something as silly as what she had been thinking. Deciding a subject change was in order, Ellie made a show of looking around the room. "I bet you'd be living like this, if you had stayed in California and gotten married."
Amanda tossed the keys down on a side table. "I am married. To Lex."
"That's not the same thing, Amanda. I mean, you're an intelligent woman." Ellie stepped closer and touched Amanda's arm. The touch turned into a light caress. "You're beautiful and could undoubtedly have your pick of just about any man you'd want."
Repulsed by Ellie's words, Amanda backed away. "I don't want a man, Ellie. I'm happy with Lex."
"That so-called marriage isn't real, not legally, or in the eyes of God. Everyone answers to Him at some time in their lives."
Amanda reached out and jabbed Ellie in the chest. "Now you listen to me, you holier-than-thou bitch. If I have to 'answer' to your God, believe me, I have a few choice words for Him." She poked Ellie again, causing the other woman to back up against the wall. "And where do you get off being so damned high and mighty, considering how you've been looking at me lately? Do you have a closet to step out of, Eleanor?" Amanda challenged.
"THANKS, ROB. I owe you a big one." Lex shook the hand of the man who helped her off the small plane. "Sorry about the late hour." When Lex couldn't get a commercial flight out, she had called an old high school buddy who owned his own plane.
He helped her with her crutches and then patted Lex on the shoulder. "Not a problem, Lex. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even have this plane. I am glad to finally be able to return your generosity." When the bank had tried to foreclose on Rob's commercial delivery service, Lex had loaned him the money to stay afloat. He had never forgotten the favor. "Besides, I hear the women out here are hot. I may have to spend a few days down at the beach."
"You're right about that, my friend." Lex allowed him to help her through the terminal. She saw a row of pay telephones and stopped. "Thanks again, Rob. I'll let you go find that beach now."
"Are you sure you don't need a ride? We can always share a cab."
Lex shook her head. "No, that's all right. I'm not too sure where I'm going from here. You go on, and have fun."
"Okay. But if you need anything, give me a call." Rob patted the cell phone in his jacket pocket, then waved and walked out of the terminal.
Finding an available pay phone, Lex reached into her jeans
and pulled out the proper change, then fished in her shirt pocket for the slip of paper on which she had written Frank's cell number. She balanced on the crutches while she dialed the phone and was relieved when he answered almost immediately.
"Frank? This is Lex. How's everything going?"
There was a long pause, and then Frank cleared his throat. "Not well, Lex. Has Amanda called you?"
"Uh, no. I just landed in Los Angeles. What's going on?"
"They had to take the baby early. And Jeannie--" His voice broke.
Oh, no. "Are they okay?"
"The baby's fine. She's a little premature, but should only have to stay in the nursery about a week."
"And Jeannie?" Lex dreaded his answer, especially given how the normally stoic ex-football player sounded.
"She's in a coma, Lex. Jeannie had some complications during the C-section, and had a stroke." Frank sniffled. "They don't know if she's going to come out of it or not."
Lex closed her eyes and bent her head. "Damn, Frank. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
He coughed, then cleared his throat again. "Not right now, but thanks. I'm sure Mandy could use you, though. She and Ellie went to get some rest at our house."
Ellie? That bitch is still with Amanda? I'll kill her. "How long ago did they leave?"
"Just a few minutes ago, actually." Oblivious to the undercurrents of Lex's emotions, Frank gave Lex directions to the house.
Lex wrote down the address. "I'll get on over there. And, Frank?"
"Yeah?"
"Let me know if there's anything you need, okay?"
"Thanks, Lex."
After she hung up the phone, Lex tucked the paper back into her shirt pocket and went out the terminal door in search of a cab. Several vied for her attention, and she took the closest one. She gave him the address, then allowed the driver to help her into the back seat, propping the crutches next to her.
The drive didn't take as long as Lex thought it would, and in no time they pulled up behind the rental car in Frank and Jeannie's driveway. Lex paid the driver, then slowly hobbled her way up the walk.
She stood at the front door, about to ring the bell, when she heard Amanda's raised voice. What the hell? Finding the door unlocked, she pushed on it and was surprised by the sight before her.
Ellie was backed against a wall with Amanda in her face. They turned when they heard the front door open.
"Lex?" both women exclaimed at the same time.
"What the hell is going on here?" Lex asked, moving inside. Due to her earlier exposure to the elements, her voice was quiet, but it echoed across the large room. "Amanda, are you all right?"
Amanda moved away from Ellie and met Lex halfway. "I should be asking you the same thing. What happened to you?"
Lex began to explain, but Ellie's attention was still on Amanda's words to her. Closet? What was she . . . No! I'm not like that! Lex is the pervert, not me. But Ellie had always been honest, especially with herself. She considered how her feelings for Amanda had grown, and how her cousin's "partner" had intrigued her from their very first meeting. And my fascination with her breasts isn't quite the "normal" way to feel for another woman. Even I know that. She looked over and saw Amanda touching Lex, as if to assure herself that she was really there. I've got to get out of here.
She decided to take the next flight out to San Diego and worry about her new family later. "I see you're in good hands now, Amanda. If it's all the same to you, I'm going to go visit with my family." Brushing by the couple, Ellie picked up her backpack, went out the door, and jogged down the steps. She spotted the cab pulling out of the driveway and flagged him down. Shaking inside, Ellie climbed into the cab. A few weeks with my mother ought to clear my head, one way or another.
HOURS EARLIER, THE sun had made its appearance, but Lex wanted to let Amanda sleep as long as she could. She ran her fingers through the hair that fanned across her chest, and wished that she could have been with her lover sooner. Lex tried to move her left leg and was gratified that the pain wasn't as bad as it had been the night before. Damned stupid fool. I shouldn't have tried to take a new horse onto unknown property. If I had just stayed
close to the house, Amanda wouldn't have had to go through all of this alone. She thought about the scene that had greeted her the evening before. Although technically, she wasn't alone. She was with that bitch of a cousin of mine. I'd like to know what went on before I got here. I don't think I've ever seen Amanda that mad.
"You're thinking pretty hard about something this morning," a quiet voice mumbled. Amanda turned her head so that she could see Lex's face. "Anything you want to share?"
Lex tried to smile, but the dark circles under her lover's eyes almost broke her heart. "Just wishing that I'd been here with you, instead of Ellie." She was also thankful that her voice was back to normal and hoped she wouldn't have to fight off a cold.
With the previous evening's events still fresh in her mind, Amanda couldn't help but grimace. "I wish that you were, too. That cousin of yours has some real issues to work out."
"Like what?"
"Oh, just that I think that she's got more in common with you than she cares to admit."
"In common with me?" Lex sat up slightly, but kept her firm hold on Amanda. "What could she--oh." She couldn't stop the smile that worked its way onto her face. "Bet that was a revelation for her. I always felt that she was a bit too friendly with you. But then I thought I was just being unreasonably jealous."
Amanda crawled her way up Lex's body until they were eye to eye. "Martha also mentioned something to me before we left that makes more sense now. Am I the only person who didn't see it?"
"Yep." At her partner's outraged look, Lex leaned forward and kissed Amanda. The light peck quickly turned into a more thorough exploration, until both women had to pull away, breathless.
"Now that's my idea of good morning." Amanda nestled back against Lex's chest. "How's your knee? You never did really tell me what happened to you yesterday."
Checking the limb again by moving her foot, Lex sighed. "It's okay. Not as sore as last night, anyway."
"And?"
"It wasn't that big of a deal, Amanda. I got thrown from that new horse and twisted my knee."
Amanda rose and looked down at Lex. She traced her fingers along Lex's normally smooth face, which was marred by a few scratches that were already healing. After they had undressed for bed the night before, she had found several bruises and scratches along Lex's body, but they had both been too tired to talk about it. "You look a little bit more banged up than if you were just thrown. What really happened?"
This conversation isn't getting any easier. Lex took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts. "Well, I was thrown. Sort of. I had taken the new filly out to check the property we had just bought, and she was pretty skittish. There were a couple of explosions off in the distance--"
"Explosions? Where?"
Lex's expression quieted Amanda's questions. "After the second explosion, which sounded further up the creek, the horse reared and pushed me into a tree limb." She rubbed the top of her head, which still sported a painful bump. "My cell phone rang and I was trying to answer it when the horse spooked again and I lost my seat. My boot got caught in the stirrup, and she dragged me for a bit. That's where the scratches came from."
Amanda lowered her head. "That was probably me calling your phone." She raised up and her face was filled with remorse. "I'm so sorry, Lex."
"Hey." Lex cradled Amanda's face with her hands. "I couldn't have stayed on that horse, even with both hands. It wasn't your fault." She kissed the tip of her wife's nose. "Besides, once I finally found that damned phone, I couldn't get a signal, anyway. It seemed like things just kept getting worse. Finally Ronnie and Roy found me and brought me back to the house. That's when Martha told me about you and Ellie leaving in such a hurry. So, here I am. And speaking of getting here, what was that little scene I walked in on? You looked like you were about to kick Ellie's as
s. Not that I would have minded."
Now it was Amanda's turn to be embarrassed. "I don't know if it would have gotten that far. But then again, I was pretty upset." She looked down at where her hands were stroking Lex's chest in a nervous pattern. "She'd made a few rude comments about you, and with the stress of everything that was going on, I guess I just snapped."
"What kind of comments?" Although she'd never admit it to anyone, Lex was secretly pleased with how Amanda always came to her defense.
"Like our relationship was the result of misplaced hero-worship, and things like that." Amanda knew she would never tell Lex everything, for fear it would only hurt her. She doesn't have to know that Ellie thought that she "lorded" it over me. Nothing could be further from the truth.
"Well, she was partly right." Lex pulled Amanda close to her. "Except that she figured the wrong person. You're my hero, Amanda."
Unable to find her voice, Amanda snuggled closer to Lex, happy to feel at least part of her life back to normal.
AT THE SMELL of fresh coffee, Liz opened her eyes beneath the sleeping mask she wore. She stretched and yawned, removed the mask, and sat up as Terence handed her a steaming cup of the fragrant brew. "What are you so damned cheerful about this morning? Do you have any idea what time it is?" After a careful sip of her coffee, she muttered, "And how the hell did you get into my room?"
"It's well after nine, Liz. I didn't think you meant to sleep the entire day away. And, I told the maid down the hall that I'd forgotten my key." Terence pulled a chair close to the bed and propped his feet on the coverlet. "Besides, I know you'll be glad to see me when you hear what I have to say."
Still not completely awake, Liz kicked Terence's feet off her bed. "Cretin. Now, tell me what makes you so full of yourself today."
Terence didn't mind the way Liz spoke to him. If anything, he was amused by her grumpy comments. "Be nice, Liz. Or I won't tell you that you're about to become a grandmother."