Sedona's Heart

by Sasha Fino

  Dean just laughed at her. “I’m going to bed and want my wife

  to join me now!” Dean said in a voice that said they’d be having

  sex tonight. Kimberly looked at her aunt with sadness in her eyes. “Well, are you coming, or do I have to drag you to bed?” Dean

  threatened her.

  “No, I’ll be right in. Why don’t you wash up, my dear?” Blanche

  asked him Kimberly saw him smile and start to head for their

  bedroom.

  “You don’t have to!” Kimberly exclaimed to her aunt “What choice do I have, Kimberly?”

  Chapter 18

  Kimberly looked around the grand ballroom demerited in white and waiting for the luncheon to begin. She was awed by the beauty of the buffet tables, set like works of art. The food was colorful and arranged with sensitivity to shape and hue. It reminded her of a movie, with people dressed in their Sunday best. A view of the hotel’s pool added a lovely cooling and serene touch

  “This is amazing,” Kimberly said acting like she was part of the party

  “It’s just Sunday brunch in Flagstaff. No big deal,” Lexy commented as they passed by the main buffet table

  Kimberly felt like a millionaire, here with Lexy and her father. She was happy that her aunt was romantically involved with Max. She wanted to tell Lexy but feared what her reaction might be

  “I’m sorry my aunt couldn’t make it,” she said

  “Why didn’t she come? Did the Pig prevent her?”

  “No. The shop opens tomorrow. She’s swamped, getting everything ready.”

  “Oh, that’s right. It’s nice that your aunt let you come with me today. I don’t like going to these kinds of boring events since I have to be on my best behavior.”

  Kimberly laughed and rolled her eyes at her

  “Don’t laugh, Kimberly. You may think it’s grand, now. Just you wait for Kasey to show up, and then you’ll meet all of the rude, snobby Flagstaff girls that we will have the pleasure of talking to!”

  “Don’t be like that. We don’t have to talk to anyone if we don’t want to. Your dad is here, so we can just stick by him.”

  “You’re way too naïve. In our lifestyle, men hang with men and women with women. You and I are stuck hanging out with the snobbiest girls you’ll ever meet.”

  “I bet they aren’t that bad.”

  “Just you wait, my friend,” Lexy commented, rolling her eyes. “I had better explain who these girls are. We all attended the same boarding school until Daddy took me out. There they are… the twin sisters,” she said pointing across the room to a pair of tall, brown-haired identical twins

  “Their names are Amelia and Vanessa Kenilworth. Their daddy is a big shot, high-class tycoon. Don’t let their kindness fool you for a second.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, and who is the Chinese girl with them?”

  “That’s Kay. Her family is old money here in the Flagstaff area. Her parents have been to China, where they hold multiple business interests.”

  Just then, like they knew that Lexy and Kimberly were talking about them, the three girls looked up and strolled over to where they were standing

  “Hello, Lexy, always great to see you,” said one of the twins

  “Hello, Vanessa, nice to see you, too,” Lexy said in a polite voice that took Kimberly aback

  “It’s too bad that Kasey can’t be here today. It’s going to be a great brunch,” Amelia commented

  “Where is Kasey today?” Lexy asked

  “She’s in Scottsdale with her dad and his girlfriend. We just Facebooked with her, and she told us to tell you, ‘hello,’” Kay replied

  “Sure, she did,” Lexy said, rolling her eyes. Kimberly felt she was invisible to them

  “But Kasey did send her best to you, Lexy.” Vanessa told her “So Lexy, who is the new girl?” asked Amelia

  “Right. Kimberly, this is Amelia, Vanessa, and Kay. Amelia, Vanessa, and Kay, this is my new friend from school, Kimberly. Her aunt is opening a shop at Heller Plaza.”

  “A commoner, eh?” Vanessa said, looking her up and down, which made Kimberly uncomfortable and surely unwelcome.

  “Only you would bring an outsider in,” Kay said, turning her nose up at Kimberly. It made Kimberly angry, and she wondered why Lexy didn’t stand up to her like she was known to do with Kasey and her friends

  “Who are you to say I’m a nobody?”

  The girls looked at her in shock. “Yeah, she’s my friend, unlike you three,” Lexy said

  “Oh Lexy, we were your friends, once,” Amelia replied “Yes, sure, until that night,” Kay added

  Lexy’s face turned white. Kimberly wondered what the on earth was going on here. She looked up to see Lexy’s father talking to a beautiful woman

  “Oh, Lexy, did I mention that your aunt is back from Paris?” Vanessa told her happily

  “Who is she?” Kimberly asked kindly

  “You don’t know Renee Rara, the famous fashion designer?” Kay asked with excitement

  “Also, my aunt. Please excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom,” Lexy said in a voice Kimberly had never heard her use before

  “I’ll join you,” Kimberly said

  “No,” Lexy replied as she walked away, leaving Kimberly to wonder what was going on as Kay, Vanessa, and Amelia shared a laugh. She looked at over at Max who gazing into this Renee’s eyes and felt something was wrong.

  Max leaned on the outside deck railing, looking off into the distance. He wished that this brunch was over with so he could go to Blanche. He had wanted her to come with him, but she was busy getting everything in line for the grand opening tomorrow

  His mind went back to Friday night when he had told Blanche that he loved her, and for a moment he thought she would return his commitment. He knew that she was married, but he wished she would devote herself to him and get out of her loveless and destructive marriage. Why was he reluctant to ask her to join him in Italy? He loved her and hoped she was as deeply smitten.

  “Hello, Max,” said a sweet voice that he knew by heart He turned around quickly to see Renee Rara, his late brother’s widow, and the woman he had turned to for love and solace after his beloved wife and brother’s deaths. He had loved her for a long time. She was still stunning, wearing her long, blonde hair cascading down her back in a lovely white dress with pearls

  “Renee…” he said as she took his breath away like she always had. “I’m back! Happy to see me?” Renee asked him,

  “Yes, what are you doing here?” “I’m taking a well-deserved break from Paris. It’s wonderful to see you; how have you been?”

  “I’ve been wonderful just working and raising Lexy,” he answered

  “How’s my Lexy? Still up to no good?” she asked, smiling at him “Yes, have you seen her yet? She’ll be happy to see you.”

  “No, but I did see one of her friends. I imagine she has grown up on me!” she said, reminding him of Blanche.

  “Yes, so how is Garin doing? Are you two still together?” Max asked her,

  “No, we broke up. We both want different things in life,” Renee said sadly “He’s a fool, then. I always keep up with your fashion line. Lexy can’t wait for your fall line.”

  “Is that true?”

  “You can ask her yourself.”

  “Then, I shall.”

  “How long, and where are you staying?”

  “I’m staying with the Kenilsworths for the rest of the summer and then back to Paris. Just in time for fashion week, why is Lexy and the twins are like the worst enemy?” Renee questions him

  “It’s a long story. You must come to Sedona and see Lexy and me. Lexy will be so thrilled to death to see you at last.”

  “How long has it been, Max?” Renee said looking right at him

  “Five years!” Max said in a heartbeat, remembering her leaving him for Paris and a fashion line.

  “Whoa, five years. Are you seeing someone, Max?”

  Just before Max
could answer, Kelly Kenilworth came over, interrupting their conversation. “Renee and Max, are you going to join the brunch, or are you guys still catching up?”

  “Yes, we are. Shall we go in?” Max said walking up to her

  “Seeing you, together, brings back so many memories for me,” Kelly said

  “Me, too,” Renee said taking his arm.

  Max and Renee followed behind Kelly. Max knew that he would have to tell Renee about Blanche, but it would be difficult because she was back in his and Lexy's life, and Max was still in love with Renee. He knew that he was in way over his head.

  “Okay, would you please tell me what’s going on, Lexy?” Kimberly said after entering the bathroom and finding her sitting on the bathroom counter

  “How can you let those girl’s getaway with taunting you without a smart reply or a prank?” Kimberly asked, throwing her hands up in the air.

  “All that you need to know is that we have history. We grew up together, were in the same class, and all of that girly crap.”

  “What about this, Renee?”

  “Aunt Renee broke my heart when she left my dad and me to go to Paris. Yeah, she was my dad’s girlfriend for a long time. While she spent years in Europe, my father started dating bimbos.”

  “Why haven’t you told me about her? I mean, I had no idea that you…you have a mother figure in your aunt.”

  “Sorry, it’s a sore subject.”

  “Do you think that your dad will take her back?” Kimberly asked, not knowing if she wanted to see that answer considering her own aunt’s relationship with Lexy’s dad.

  “I really don’t know. Dad has been pushing this whole motherlike figure concept on me lately and rather furtively. For all I know, he might have been seeing her for the past few weeks.” “Do you like her?”

  “She’s is my aunt, and I love her used to look up to her. Now, after that whole mess, I just don’t know. I knew coming here was a bad idea.”

  Kimberly just looked at her, unsure of what lay ahead.

  Chapter 19

  Lexy was back to her old self as she marched right into her father’s den, wanting some answers. The whole day had been spent living in the past—seeing people that she hadn’t seen in years and reliving memories that kept coming back to her. The worst part was that Lexy didn’t have a prank up her sleeve for those creeps

  She found her father on the computer “It would have been nice to receive a heads up that Aunt Renee was back and that you have been seeing her this whom time.

  Max looked up as she walked in and took a chair right in front of him

  “I had no idea that she would be there. I was just as shocked as you were.”

  “Sure, you were. Dad, come on, you’ve been acting funny since you broke up with that Brianna. I know how much my aunt means to you. Just keep in mind that she left you for a fling in Paris and all of that.”

  “I know, but I still care for her. After all, she was my first love, and your uncle, my brother, was jealous and hated seeing us together. He loved her, too, and seduced her away from me and married her. After he died and your mother had passed, we became lovers once more. I think I still love her, but I just don’t know if I want to test the waters with her. She’s coming to stay for a week,” he confessed to her. “I admit I’m confused.”

  Lexy looked at her father in awe. He’d never been this open about his love life with her

  “Aunt Renee will be visiting us. When?” Lexy asked

  “Tomorrow, and I hope that you will be on your best behavior,” he said eyeing her

  “I will, Father, after all, she’s my aunt, hell more like my mom,” Lexy replied

  “Great, I noticed you were on your good behavior at brunch— no scene with the twins!”

  “Yeah. They got lucky.” She said like it wasn’t a big deal,

  “Kimberly doesn’t know what happened that night?”

  “Nope, and she will never know about it.”

  “How many times do I have to tell you that you did nothing wrong that night?” Max asked her.

  “Can we please drop it? I want to know if you have plans to sleep with Aunt Renee before she goes back to Paris?”

  “Lexy…No! I am not going to sleep with your aunt!” Max said taken aback by what she had said

  “That’s all I need to know. I’d better go to bed—we have a big day tomorrow!”

  “Lexy, wait. Sorry for today. I should have let you stay home and not taken you to that brunch.”

  “Well, Dad, next time, you will know better. I thought we wanted nothing to do with that Kenilworth family.”

  “So, did I, but I needed to be there for business purposes. The State Governor was there and wanted to see me.”

  “Yes, well, I saw you with Renee on your arm. It was kind of nice to see you two together,” she commented

  “I did not know she was going to be there, and I am not planning anything with your aunt, Lexy!” Max said forcefully

  “If you say so. ‘Night, Dad.” Lexy said, still thinking that something was up. Since when had her father last gone for months without a bimbo girlfriend?

  Blanche stood there, amazed, gazing at the store she now owned. At last, it was opening day at The Sedona’s Heart Café. A dream come true, but it came at a high price. Blanche knew that her shop had to be successful. She was placing her whole future, and Kimberly’s respect for her, within these four walls

  Blanche had put her home up as collateral for the business loan against her husband’s better judgment

  “Looking at the shop again?” Annette asked as she carried in a box full of various kinds of fresh meat,

  Blanche turned around and saw her. “I still can’t believe this is my shop!” “Yes, we got lucky. You can’t do any better than a shop in Heller Plaza,

  Main Street Sedona. “Blanche, is everything all right?” Annette asked, “Everything is just perfect. Now, where are Kimberly and my husband?”

  Blanche inquired, as she walked over and opened the shop door

  “Don’t ask! Kimberly and Dean are arguing. Dean doesn’t approve of this café and blames Kimberly for putting the idea into your head,” she said, changing the mood

  “Of course,” Blanche replied, standing by the door. “Dean never liked independent women. Come in, Annette, and then I’ll see what is going on between Dean and Kimberly.”

  “Sound good,” Annette said, walking into the shop

  Blanche turned around and walked to the back-parking lot, where the staff and owners parked. The last thing that she needed was a scene in front of everyone on Main Street. She finally saw them by the car

  “If this undertaking fails, and no one comes today, I will make sure that you pay dearly, my meddling little girl,” Dean hissed at her. They had their backs toward Blanche and didn’t see her arrive.

  “The Sedona’s Heart Café will be a hit! I know it. When are you going to believe in Aunt Blanche?”

  “I like her home at my beck-and-call, not opening a business. I know you and your snobby little friend put this crazy idea into her head.”

  “You know what, Uncle Dean? I’m happy that Aunt Blanche stood up to you at last and opened this Café!” Kimberly told him.

  “Kimberly, why don’t you go and help Annette out?” Blanche called to her before Dean could reply

  Dean turned around and looked coldly at her. Blanche could almost physically feel the daggers of ice leveled at her, and they made her jump in her own skin.

  “Sure, Aunt Blanche, I’d love to help Annette out!” Kimberly exclaimed, brushing past her uncle. Blanche met Dean’s eyes. She waited until Kimberly was out of earshot

  “Dean, what were you doing?” Blanche asked her husband.

  “Just having a heart-to-heart with my niece.”

  “It didn’t look like that to me…We made a deal, Dean, remember? I get my shop, and I stop nagging you about your drinking.”

  “I might change my mind, Blanche. I don’t want you to open this
damn shop,” Dean told her

  “It’s too late. You, of all people, know how much this shop means to me! Blanche admonished him, sticking up for herself, and determined not to let him manipulate her

  “You don’t know anything about running a business like this.”

  “I have been reading books on how to run a business. We need the money, Dean!”

  “I will make money so you can stay home,” Dean roared at her. “I should have never agreed to this in the first place.”

  “Be reasonable, Dean!”

  “I don’t have to be reasonable!” Dean put his hands up in the air. Blanche realized that if she was going to protect her niece from the stranger drink had made of her husband, she’d have to begin standing on her own two feet. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Max walked out of one of the back doors. Leaning against the building as he lit a cigarette.

  “Dean, you gave me your word. Please don’t make a scene. The last thing I want is for the neighbors and customers to see us like this.” She wanted to share this moment with Max, not fighting with Dean

  “I don’t care!” he yelled

  “We need the money to save up for Kimberly, so she can go to college!”

  “Kimberly isn’t going to college with my money! She is a waste of time, and you know it!” he shouted so anyone could hear him

  “You don’t mean that,” Blanche said with sadness in her voice. Dean just stared at her

  “That one has been trouble since the day she came to live here with us. Who does she think she is talking to me with such disrespect? I wish that you hadn’t blown Bethany’s college money on this dumb café!” Dean told her.

  “Dean, we don’t have time for this! I need to open our business.”

  “It’s not my damn business! Now excuse me; I have to go to work a real job,” Dean said, opening their car door.

  “I suppose it was silly for me to think you were going to stay and help us welcome the public.”

  “You bet!” Dean barked, getting into the car.

  “I just don’t understand why you hate me so. What happened to the loving husband I married?” Blanche asked him.

  Dean just stared at her as he shut the car door, started up the engine, and screeched out of the parking lot.