by Carrie Carr
"I'd have to say it was hereditary," Jacob said with a pointed glance at his wife. "But you always said you wanted children who could speak their mind. What did Jeannie say to upset you?"
"I hated to bring it up to her, but I had to ask what she wanted to do about Frank."
Anna Leigh, who was still glaring at her husband over his earlier remark, touched her son's knee. "I know that had to be hard on both of you. What did she decide?"
Michael stood up so that he could pace around the small area. "She wants him cremated!"
"So? What's so wrong with that?" Anna Leigh asked.
"You don't get it, Mom," Michael tried to explain. "She told me she wanted him cremated so that she could keep him with her! That can't be a healthy thing."
Jacob stood up also, and stopped his son's movement. "I agree, son. But it's also so soon after his death. Maybe, in time--"
"And what do I tell his parents? As much as I dislike them, this won't be easy. I'm sure they'd rather have a grave that they can place flowers on, and things like that." Michael dropped back into a chair. "As a parent, I know I would want some kind of closure."
A tall man in a lab coat stopped when he saw Michael in the waiting area. "Mr. Cauble? I'm Doctor Webster. I've been checking in on your daughter."
Michael stood up and shook the doctor's hand. "Oh, that's right. How is she doing, Doctor? Have there been any problems?"
"No, she's actually progressing quite well. I was just going to talk to you about her care after she's released." Dr. Webster flipped through a folder, then looked back up at Michael. "If she keeps getting better, I'll release her in the next couple of days."
"That's great." Michael looked to his parents for support. "Is there anything special we'll need to do for her?"
The doctor nodded. "I have a list of nursing homes and rehab centers nearby." He didn't see the pair of women who walked into the area. "These nursing homes are all fully capable of handling a case such as hers. If you like, I can--"
"Nursing home?" Amanda asked. "Are you suggesting that we put Jeannie into a home?"
The doctor turned to address the newcomers. "Well, yes. It would be the best thing for her. She's going to need therapy and twenty-four-hour assistance for the next few months. A nursing home would be the best thing for her, and for all of you."
Lex stood next to Amanda, placing her hand on her wife's shoulder. "How could locking her away from her family be good for her? Isn't there another option?"
"Do you plan on taking care of her? Feeding, bathing, and helping her with all her needs?" Dr. Webster hated to sound so harsh, but he had seen so many well-intentioned families ruined by a loved one's illness. "You'd also have to arrange for physical therapy and speech and occupational therapy as well. It would be costly and difficult. Are you prepared for that?"
Seeing the anguished faces around her, Lex said the only thing she could. "Yes. We'll take her back to Texas with us, and her family will see to Jeannie's needs." When Amanda turned and looked adoringly into her eyes, Lex knew it was exactly the right answer.
"That's right, Dr. Webster," Anna Leigh added. "You don't know our family very well. When can we start making arrangements for Jeannie's trip home?"
He shook his head and sighed. "I'll have the duty nurse come talk to you." Dr. Webster walked away, hoping that this family would be able to handle the extreme stress to which it was about to be subjected.
Chapter Thirteen
THE DARKENED HOSPITAL chapel was filled to capacity, all eyes on the gray, polished metal urn that sat on the table at the front of the room. The minister had just finished the short ceremony and leaned down to speak a few quiet words to the woman in the wheelchair in the front row.
Only able to use one side of her body, Jeannie refused to relinquish the grip she had on the strong hand in her lap. She turned her head and appealed to the owner of the appendage, who sat next to her.
"That was a fine service, Reverend," Lex said, understanding that Jeannie didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone outside of the family, due to her speech problems. "I'm sure Mrs. Rivers appreciates your kind words."
Jeannie nodded, still not wanting to speak. After the clergyman left, Jeannie turned to look at the urn, and then back at Lex. For some reason she had developed an attachment to her sister-in-law, and only wanted Lex around her. She looked up into Lex's eyes. "Pwease? My woom?"
"What?" Lex felt the hand in hers tighten. "You want to take the urn back to your room?"
"Mmm-hmm." Jeannie started to cry again, and Lex pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face.
"Shhh. It's okay. I'll take care of it," Lex promised. There was just something about the Cauble women that she couldn't say no to. "How about if Amanda takes you back to your room, and I'll bring," she looked at the urn, unsure of what to call it, "that back."
"No." Jeannie pulled Lex's hand closer. "Don' weave me."
Lex sighed. "I can't carry that and push your chair, Jeannie." She turned to Amanda, who was sitting on the other side of her. Frank and Amanda had been friends since high school, and it was Amanda who had introduced Jeannie to Frank. Lex knew her lover was taking Frank's death almost as hard as Jeannie was.
There's no way in hell I'm going to ask Amanda to carry what's left of her best friend back to Jeannie's room. There's got to be another way.
Before she could figure out what to do, Anna Leigh, who had overheard the conversation, handed Lorrie to Amanda. "Mandy, I think someone is missing their auntie." She winked at Lex, then squatted next to Jeannie's chair. "Would it be all right if I carried the urn for you, Jeannie?"
God bless you, Anna Leigh. Lex waited until Jeannie nodded, then leaned down to release the brakes on the wheelchair. "Let's get you back to your room." She wheeled Jeannie through the throng of well-wishers, remembering far too well how hard it was to be polite to people when all you really wanted to do was hide somewhere and cry.
It didn't take long for Lex, Jeannie, Amanda, and Anna Leigh to return to the hospital room. The cheery atmosphere of flowers and balloons was more than Jeannie could handle, and she leaned forward in her chair and sobbed.
Amanda, holding the baby, bit her lip to keep from joining her sister. She allowed her grandmother to guide her to a nearby chair, where she sat and began to rock Lorrie.
Lex was torn. She wanted to go to Amanda, but seeing Jeannie in such a vulnerable state broke her heart. With Anna Leigh's help, it didn't take long for them to get Jeannie back into her bed. Trying to be of some comfort, Lex sat on the edge of the bed. Jeannie immediately reached for her with her one good arm, and Lex pulled the crying woman close. She gently rocked the grieving Jeannie, who clung to her as if her life depended on it.
The door opened and Michael stepped in, followed by Jeannie's doctor and a nurse. The doctor had been present at the services, and he thought that his patient would do better after a sedative. "Mrs. Rivers, I've prescribed something to help you rest."
"Nooo," Jeannie wailed, clinging tighter to Lex.
"I'm sorry, but it's for your own good," Dr. Webster explained, nodding to the nurse.
Lex turned to block their access to Jeannie with her own body. "Is drugging her into oblivion absolutely necessary? Can't you damned people just leave the woman alone to grieve?" She held Jeannie's head to her chest, trying to keep her calm.
"I think that as her physician I know what's best for Mrs. Rivers. Now if you'll just move out of the way--"
"Back off," Lex snapped. She'd had all she could stand of the pompous doctor. "If you don't want that shot to become an enema, I'd suggest you both get out of here."
Dr. Webster turned to look at Anna Leigh, who had one hand over her mouth to keep from laughing at his expression. "Did you hear her threaten me?"
"Actually," Anna Leigh chortled, "I believe it was more of a promise than a threat." She got herself under control and began to lead the doctor from the room. "Please, let our family take care of Jeannie. She just needs a little time, no
t more medication."
"Very well. I'll send a nurse back in to check on her later. If she's still hysterical, I'm going to have to sedate her." He left, followed by his nurse, who was grinning.
Anna Leigh turned back around to face the women on the bed. "Lexington, that wasn't nice."
"But it was well-deserved," Amanda added. "I never have liked that man's attitude."
Jeannie pulled back from Lex's grasp, her shoulders shaking, but she was no longer crying. "E'ema?" she asked slowly, then burst into laughter. "Dat a good un."
"Well, he was a jackass," Lex defended herself, glad to see Jeannie in better spirits. She knew it wasn't the end of the tears, but she was happy to see some healing begin. When Jeannie tried to lean back, Lex helped her lie down on the bed. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Yeah. Wan' some 'ime awone," Jeannie admitted. "You, back oonigh'?"
Lex nodded, combing the hair out of Jeannie's face with her fingers. "Sure. We'll come back tonight." She leaned down and kissed her sister-in-law's forehead. "Have them call if you want us back sooner."
" 'kay." Jeannie closed her eyes, exhausted by the emotional ordeal.
WHEN LEX PULLED the rental car onto their street, she noticed a black limousine parked in front of Jeannie's house. She turned to Anna Leigh, who was in the seat beside her. "Do you have any idea who that is?"
"No, I surely don't," Anna Leigh answered. She turned slightly to speak to Amanda, who was in the back next to the baby's carseat. "Mandy? Do you know anything about a limousine?"
Amanda shook her head. "Nope."
They stayed silent until Lex pulled into the driveway. Not long after, Michael and Jacob drove in beside them.
Lex had already gotten out of the car and was on her way up to the house, where a man and woman stood on the steps. Both middle-aged, the man was dressed in an expensive black suit, while the woman wore a gray linen skirt and matching top. "Excuse me, can we help you with something?" she asked them.
The man walked over to her, the woman trailing behind. "Who the hell are you?"
"Hello, Harrison, Veronica. I wasn't expecting you for a few days," Michael said, moving past Lex and holding out his hand. "I'd like for you to meet my daughter-in-law, Lexington Walters. Lex, this is Harrison and Veronica Rivers, Frank's parents."
Lex offered her hand, surprised when she was ignored. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mr.--"
"Daughter-in-law? How's that possible?" Harrison boomed. He looked back at Amanda, who held Lorrie. "You can't mean? That's ludicrous, Cauble." He put his hands on his hips. "Where have you been, anyway? We've just come from the airport and expected someone to be here."
Michael took a step back, confused by the man's ire. He and Harrison Rivers weren't friends, but they had always been at least civil to each other. "I'm sorry about that, Harrison. We were at the hospital chapel, attending the service for Frank. Had we known you were on the way, we'd have postponed it so that you could--"
"What the hell do you mean, Frank's service? And why at the hospital?"
Jacob moved to stand behind his son. "Mr. Rivers, Jeannie wasn't well enough to travel to a large service, so we had a small gathering at the chapel, where she would be able to attend. As a matter of fact, the urn--"
"Now wait just a goddamned minute! Did you say urn?" Harrison leaned into Michael's face. "You had my son cremated? Who the hell made that decision?"
"It was Jeannie's decision, Harrison. After all, she was his wife," Michael explained, getting angrier by the moment. "Not like you seemed to care, traipsing all over Europe."
Harrison glared at his in-law. "Where's the urn now?"
"In Jeannie's hospital room. She wanted it with her."
"What? Is that some sort of sick joke?" Harrison made a point of glaring at Amanda. "One of your daughters is a queer, and the other one's some sort of necrophiliac?"
He was about to say something more when Jacob reached for his arm. "Mr. Rivers, please, I think we all need to calm down."
Harrison jerked his arm away, almost causing Jacob to fall. "This is none of your concern, old man!"
Michael lunged for Harrison. "Hey!" He felt arms grab him from behind and struggled wildly to break free. When his elbow connected with something solid, he was quickly released.
"Ugh," Lex groaned, falling back away from the melee. She had thought she was helping to keep Michael out of trouble until his elbow slammed into her nose, causing it to bleed. She landed on her rear, a few feet away.
"You son of a bitch!" Michael yelled. He was about to punch the larger man in the face when they were both hit with a stream of water.
Anna Leigh trained the hose on her son. "If you're going to act like children, then perhaps it's best we treat you that way," she yelled over their shouts. Once she was convinced that the would-be fight was over, she turned off the hose.
"Are you all right, Lex?" Amanda knelt beside her wife, who was trying to control her bleeding nose. She would have tried to help, but she was still holding Lorrie, who slept through the entire scene.
Michael turned and saw Lex sitting on the ground. "Oh, no. Not again," he said, referring to a time in the past that he punched Lex in the face, thinking that she was after Amanda's money. He ignored a sputtering Harrison and joined his daughter. "I'm sorry, Lex. I guess that's two you owe me now, isn't it?" He pulled out a clean handkerchief and handed it to his daughter-in-law. "Is it broken?"
"I don't think so. Just caught me at the right angle." Lex accepted the handkerchief and held it to her face. "If you keep this up," she joked, "I'll start to think you don't like me." She looked over his shoulder at Anna Leigh. "Nice shot with the garden hose."
"Thank you." Anna Leigh swatted Michael on the arm. "Take Mr. and Mrs. Rivers inside, and the two of you get dried off. I'll expect you to be a good host."
"Yes, ma'am." Michael trudged back to the house, gesturing for Frank's parents to follow him.
"And as for you two," Anna Leigh told the two women, "Mandy, give me the baby, and then take Lexington upstairs to get cleaned up. I'm sure it's not as bad as it looks, but you really need to get that shirt soaking before the stain sets." She referred to Lex's pale gray shirt, which was now liberally stained with blood.
"Yes, ma'am." Amanda did as she was told, then helped Lex to her feet. They both saluted the older woman and hiked into the house.
"OW!"
"Hold still, you big baby." Amanda grabbed Lex's chin to keep her head from moving away. "I thought you said it didn't hurt." They were in the master bathroom, where she stood over Lex, who sat on the edge of the tub.
Lex tried to twist out of her lover's grasp. "It didn't, until you started scrubbing it so damned hard." She reached out and took hold of Amanda's hands. "What are you so pissed off about? It wasn't my fault."
"I know that. And I'm not pissed off, I'm just trying--" Amanda stopped. She had been scrubbing the blood from Lex's face harder than necessary. "I'm sorry." She leaned over and placed a light kiss on the tip of her wife's nose. "Forgive me?"
Pulling Amanda's hands to her lips, Lex kissed them. "Nothing to forgive. But you want to tell me what's got your britches all in a twist?"
Amanda laughed. Sometimes the little things that Lex said were just too cute. "Frank's dad."
"We've heard worse from folks before. Why now?"
"He's always been a bit pompous, but he's never been actually mean before." Amanda started to open the snaps on Lex's western shirt. "He usually just said hello, and then went along and took care of his business. He didn't go out of his way to be hurtful."
Lex sat quietly while Amanda removed her shirt, and watched as she placed it in the sink to soak. "Maybe it's because he's hurting, too. The man just lost his only son, then flew halfway across the world, only to find out the funeral was over." She gingerly touched her nose and was thankful it had stopped bleeding.
"Maybe." Amanda picked up the tee shirt she had brought in from the bedroom. "Arms up."
Although she was
more than capable of dressing herself, Lex allowed Amanda to slip the shirt over her head and pull it down her body. She knew that her lover needed something to do while she talked or she'd get even more upset. Once the shirt was on to Amanda's satisfaction, Lex stood up. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." Amanda felt a little ridiculous over her earlier behavior, but was heartened when she was enveloped in a strong hug. "Can we just stay like this forever?"
"I wish." But with a final squeeze, Lex pulled away. She bent her head forward and captured Amanda's lips, prolonging the kiss as long as possible. When they at last broke apart, she held one of her lover's hands and led her through the bedroom and into the hallway. "But I think we better get downstairs, just in case your grandmother needs to break out the garden hose again."
Hearing voices, they followed the sound into the formal living room. There they found the Rivers sharing a loveseat with Harrison wearing a towel around his neck and his suit coat and tie missing. At a right angle to the loveseat, Michael sat in a matching chair, similarly clad.
"I understand that, Harrison, believe me. But that's still no reason to go off like you did." Michael noticed the two women standing in the doorway, and he stood up. "Lex, Amanda. Come in and sit down."
Amanda led the way, but made it a point to not look at Harrison as she and Lex sat on the leather sofa directly across from their guests. "I'm sorry it took us so long."
"That's fine, sweetheart." Michael waited until Lex was seated before he addressed her. "How's the nose? Should I be expecting a lawsuit?"
Lex laughed, even though the motion caused her face to ache. "Not this time, Michael. But if I were you, I'd be careful the next time you let me saddle your horse."
Jacob and Anna Leigh entered the room at that moment, each carrying a tray. His held the coffee carafe and mugs, while hers contained stacks of small sandwiches. "That sounds like a good trade-off," Jacob teased, placing his tray on the wide coffee table in front of their guests. He winked at Lex. "Just make sure you take pictures when my son slides off the horse, and I'll be happy."