“I believe you will. Do you have a full patient-load today?”
“Unless someone cancels, I’m booked solid. I have hospital rounds to make. I also plan to visit the physical rehabilitation center. I like to check on my rehab patients. I get progress updates from the therapists, but it’s more personal than that for me.”
“That’s because you’re one of the best doctors in your field. Hope I never get injured, but I’d put my health-care needs in your hands in a heartbeat. I trust you as a doctor and as a woman. I trust you completely, Kelly.” I even trust my heart to you.
“You’ve just made my day brighter than bright,” she sang out.
Kelly then told Houston about the odd conversation she’d had with Carolyn.
“You sound concerned. It feels like you need some moral support. Besides that, you might want to do the visit before we leave town. Since we’re getting together later, maybe we could stop by your parents’ home before having dinner.”
Kelly didn’t have to think about Houston’s remarks to know he was right. She was pleased that he’d offered to go with her, though she hadn’t asked, nor had she mentioned her mother’s offer for him to come. “Is five-thirty or so good for you?”
“It’s fine by me. I’ll pick you up at your office. It’s closer to our destination.”
“Great. I’ll need to get back with my mother and see how she feels about the timing. I’ll only call back if our plans need to change.”
“I hope you know you don’t need a specific reason to call me. I love hearing from you any time of the day or night.”
Kelly blushed. “Thanks. Same goes here. See you later.”
“Have a great day, Kelly-Kel.”
Houston stood on the west bank of his brother’s ranch, just a few yards from the grassy knoll, where Austin and Ashleigh were looking out over the lake, fully stretched out on a blanket. Even though the sun always rose and set in their eyes, the happy couple loved to watch sunrises and sunsets together. It was part of their normal routine, along with numerous other adventures they loved to indulge in.
As Houston started toward his family, he watched as Austin engaged Ashleigh in a lingering kiss. He was happy they made each other feel beautiful inside and out. Although Ashleigh had gained weight and her protruding belly kept them a distance apart, Austin still thought his wife was the sexiest, most beautiful woman on the continent.
Houston hurried across the lawn. “Morning, folks.” He dropped down on the blanket. “It must be nice to never have to wonder where you stand with one another. You guys say and show your feelings in so many ways. Your love is a thing of pure beauty.”
Austin was surprised to hear Houston sounding so sentimental. The tone he’d used had been soft and his heart had been in it. Maybe Kelly was getting through to him. Out of habit, Austin looked down at his watch, only to realize he hadn’t put it on. “Is Dallas up at the house?”
“He wasn’t here yet the last time we talked, but he wasn’t too far from the ranch. That was about twenty minutes ago.”
“The cook is scheduled today so Dallas probably has her fixing breakfast.” Austin got to his knees and then slipped Ashleigh’s slippers onto her feet. Being as gentle and cautious as possible, Austin helped his wife up from the ground.
Houston and Austin looked at each other and laughed. Seated at the kitchen table, Dallas was all smiles. The amount of food set out before him was astounding. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, fluffy biscuits, toast and apple butter were all within easy reach of his fork. Pitchers of cold milk and apple and cranberry juices were at his disposal.
Once Houston sat down, he picked up a plate and began to fill it with food. “Man, you had a head start. Looks like I’ll have to play catch-up.”
Dallas grinned. “You won’t catch me, not on this round. This is my second plate.”
“Didn’t your mother teach you not to talk with your mouth full?” Houston asked Dallas in a playful tone. “I just happen to know that she did.”
Figuring he’d have to referee his two carbon copies, Austin took a seat.
Houston shot a puzzled glanced at Austin. “How can you sit in front of all this delicious food and not eat? The aromas alone have to be killing you.”
Shrugging, Austin grinned. “I’m waiting on Ash so we can eat together.”
Ashleigh sauntered into the room. “I just heard my name. And here I appear.”
Austin jumped up and pulled out the chair to the left of his. Knowing just what foods his wife liked, he fixed her plate before taking care of his own.
Houston felt like he was right in the middle of a love story every time he was with Ashleigh and Austin. There were so many people who envied what his brother and sister-in-law had. He’d never begrudged their love, nor had he ever desired the same kind of relationship they had. Even if he’d wanted what they had he wouldn’t be jealous of them. All he desired for them was profound happiness, peace and utter contentment. Although he had been closely watching the love his brother and wife had for each other—not to mention his parents’ relationship—he’d never fantasized about a “future in forever.”
Leading the life of a loner was something he no longer saw in his future.
Kelly had grown on him unexpectedly and in magnificent ways. He’d come to realize that she wouldn’t have been okay getting too emotionally involved with him without a commitment. Although he remained somewhat confused about the drastic changes in their relationship he also felt happy and at peace. The incredible times he’d shared with Kelly kept him smiling.
“I’m assuming everything for the cruise is finalized,” Austin said to Dallas.
Getting up from his seat, Dallas nodded. “Hold up.”
After retrieving the leather, shoulder-style briefcase he’d hung on the back of a bar stool, he reclaimed his seat. He then opened the briefcase and took out several stacks of paperwork. “I made everyone a copy of the itinerary.” He handled stapled sets to Austin and Houston and kept one handy for referencing. “I’ll hold on to Mom and Dad’s paperwork until we get to the port. Giving it to them before then will spoil the surprise.”
“Did we all get the type of cabins we asked for?” Austin inquired.
“Everyone has balcony suites. The travel agent said she’d get us a substantial group discount. And she did. With you and me sharing a suite,” Dallas said to Houston, “we’ll have plenty of extra room to move around in. There was about a hundred dollars more in the price of the balcony cabins after all discounts were applied. If you guys don’t want to pay the extra money, I’ll take care of it.”
Both Houston and Austin reassured Dallas the monetary increase wasn’t a problem. The family group then went over the cruise itinerary, adjourning the meeting a short time later. The guys decided to hang out and shoot a game or two of pool since they more than likely wouldn’t see each other again until the cruise.
Kelly looked at the wall clock in her office. She had less than a half hour before Houston would arrive. She hadn’t signed as many charts as she’d hoped to, but she decided to take them home and finish up there. Reading all the medical notes before she signed the charts was the only way for her. She would never put her John Hancock to anything she hadn’t read and understood thoroughly.
After stacking the last ten or so charts into her briefcase, Kelly slipped out of her office and headed straight for the ladies’ room. All other employees were gone for the day. She used the bathroom first then washed and dried her hands. A fair amount of sanitizer was used next. Just as she exited the lavatory, her cell rang. It was Houston.
“I’m in the parking garage, parked right next to your car. Are you all ready to go, or do you want me to come up to the office?”
Kelly’s heart fluttered at the sound of his voice. “I’ll be right down, sweetheart, as soon as I grab everything I need and then set the alarm. See you in a minute or two.”
“I’ll be eagerly waiting.”
Carolyn and Jared Charleston lived in a gated community, inside
a beautiful estate home, with a four-car detached garage. The home’s European-style furnishings were exquisitely posh and the artwork alone was worth a small fortune. The magnificent backyard and bar-equipped patio area had been designed with lavish entertaining in mind.
Houston wasn’t easily impressed by material wealth, yet the Charleston home was an overwhelmingly expensive architectural design. As the owners gave him a brief tour, he closely viewed the period pieces throughout the palatial estate. It wasn’t the home Kelly had grown up in so he didn’t try to imagine her roaming the lavish surroundings.
“Houston, I’d love to show you my private collection of sports memorabilia. Some of it dates way back to the era of segregated sports leagues. Interested in checking it out?” Jared asked.
“Most definitely,” Houston enthused. “My family also owns an extensive sports collection. We all have trophy rooms in our homes. On display in our parents’ home are the trophies and plaques from our sports activities long before we turned pro.”
“That’ll work out nicely,” Carolyn interjected. “Kelly and I can have a mother-and-daughter chat while you men talk sports.” She looped her arm through Kelly’s. “We’ll have tea in the main library.” There was also a medical reference library on the premises.
As the two couples split up, smiling, Kelly waved farewell to Houston.
Carolyn and Kelly sat down in navy blue leather wingback chairs. A silver tray and antique tea service had been set on a large leather ottoman in the same color. Milk, sugar and artificial sweeteners were provided for use.
Kelly remained perfectly still while Carolyn poured tea into two fragile-looking, porcelain china cups. Covertly, she watched her mother’s every move, surprised that Carolyn knew she liked milk in her tea. The acquired taste had occurred in college.
“Mom, are you and Dad okay health-wise?”
“Of course we are. Outside of old age catching up to us, we’re in perfect health.”
Carolyn served Kelly and then got comfortable in her chair. “How’ve things been for you since we last saw each other at the awards ceremony?”
Kelly turned her palms up and shrugged. “Fine. Things couldn’t be better.”
Carolyn’s eyes narrowed a tad. “They couldn’t be?”
Kelly knew all too well the particular tone of voice her mother had used. It normally indicated her annoyance with something. “Mom, I answered your question truthfully. What didn’t you like about my response?”
“How is it that things are fine for you when you have very little to do with your family, your parents, no less? It’s time we get things out in the open. You have been angry with us since you were old enough to know what the word meant. Why, Kelly, why are you always so angry with your father and me?”
“I’m not getting into this with you.” Shaking her head from side to side, Kelly leaped to her feet. “Once I locate Houston, we’ll let ourselves out.”
“Sit back down, young lady, this very minute,” Carolyn thundered.
Stunned by the loud command, surprised by the threatening tone, Kelly obeyed.
“We are getting into this. It’s long overdue. We can’t right what we don’t know is a wrong. Until you share your grievances with us, we’re forced to live in the dark.”
Rapidly, Kelley’s eyes blinked back the burning tears. “Oh, Mom, please don’t try to make me believe you don’t have a clue about my anger problems. You can’t convince me that you have no idea.”
“I recall an angry outburst from you when you were around sixteen—and a few more that followed later on. The crux of those situations, if I recall correctly, was about us being away so much. Is that still a sore spot for you, Kelly, after all these years?”
Kelly appeared reluctant to respond. She felt like crying but was fearful of showing how deeply emotional she was. Her anger had bubbled and festered for many years now, eventually turning her into a raging river of raw resentment. Referring to it as a “sore spot” was a gross understatement. And it also greatly lacked sensitivity.
“Simply put, I’m filled to the brim with resentment.” She licked her lips. “I’ve felt discarded by you and Dad for as long back as I can recall. You weren’t there for me when I needed you most. It wasn’t either of you, doctors, no less, who taught me about my menstrual cycle. Neither of you were there when I got home from school toting straight-A report cards. I can sit here all night and name instances where I felt abandoned. But what good would it do? The wall around my heart has become impenetrable.”
A curious glint suddenly appeared in Kelly’s eyes. “Why are you asking me about this now? Why does it matter to you all of a sudden?”
Carolyn smiled gently. “It has always mattered. And I haven’t asked before now because I feared your responses.” Her eyes appeared filled with remorse. “Then we saw you with Houston Carrington. Dad and I saw the way you two looked at each other. We not only observed the strong chemistry between you, we felt it, as did Mama Tilley and Papa Joseph. How many young men have you brought around for us to meet?”
Kelly took a minute to think over the query. The answer surprised even her. “Other than you and Dad meeting my dates for high school proms, I can’t remember there being any others.”
“Exactly!”
Kelly shrugged. “And what does that mean?”
Carolyn folded her hands and placed them in her lap. “If our baby is falling in love, and we believe you are, we want to go through the total experience with you. The metamorphosis is astonishing, Kelly. We want to be around to see you open up your heart to all the possibilities true love imparts. Can you please forgive us and let us into your life? You’ll only understand the sacrifices we’ve made once you have kids of your own.”
Kelly was speechless. This conversation flew so far below or so high above her radar she never would’ve guessed the topic. It took her a few seconds more to find her voice. “This talk about love. Where is it coming from?”
“It’s in your eyes, your smile and overflowing from your heart. It’s everywhere.”
Carolyn and Jared had only been in her and Houston’s company for a couple of hours. How could they possibly know how she felt about him? Kelly wasn’t buying into the idea of love oozing from within her, yet she was crazy in love with the man. “I think you and Dad are getting ahead of yourselves over this. We just started dating exclusively. Please don’t say anything like this in front of Houston. I don’t want to scare him off.”
Carolyn laughed softly. “Don’t worry. That man isn’t going anywhere he won’t find you. Houston loves you as much as you love him. His feelings are crystal clear.”
“Mom, please stop talking like that. Houston and I are so brand-new.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll silence my observations.” She got up and walked over to her daughter. Taking both her hands, she propelled Kelly to her feet, pulling her into her arms. “Dad and I love you so much and we need you in our lives. Please give us some serious consideration. We’re not getting any younger, Kelly, and we’d love to spend quality time together as a family. We want to have a meaningful relationship with you.”
As the normally stoic Carolyn began to cry softly, an emotionally shaken Kelly immediately reached out to comfort her. “It’ll be okay, Mom. The three of us will get together and talk when I get back from the cruise. I promise to make it happen.”
Carolyn looked relieved. “Thank you, darling. Let’s go find our men.”
While her mother went off to tend to something in another room, Kelly stood back for a couple of minutes and watched Houston interact with her father. Though they had talked at the awards gala, there hadn’t been much of a one-on-one opportunity. She was fascinated by body language and enjoyed interpreting the movements of others.
Slipping up behind her daughter, Carolyn whispered something in her ear.
Kelly turned to face her mother. “We didn’t expect you to prepare dinner. We made plans to go out to eat. I don’t know if Houston planned on a long visit here.�
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“Let’s ask him. I did my best to fix your favorites. I had to consult Mama Tilley, of course. She recommended roasted leg of lamb and sweet potatoes whipped with lots of butter and a squirt of maple syrup. I came up with the steamed broccoli all on my own.”
Kelly was pleased by her mom’s desire to pleasure her palate. “It’s a sweet gesture. If Houston can’t stay, I will, but I’ll need a ride back to the office to get my car.”
“Anything you need, Kelly, anything at all. Dad and I are here for you. Now let’s get in there and test your man’s willpower.”
Carolyn stepped into the gaming room and immediately announced to the men dinner was ready. Then she leapt righed into a rundown of the menu.
Houston smiled broadly. “I didn’t know dinner was included, but I wouldn’t think of declining.” He looked at Kelly. “Are you okay with it?”
Impressed that he wanted her to weigh in, Kelly smiled sweetly. “I’m fine with it. I’ve never been able to turn down any cut of lamb. I can do marvelous things with lamb shanks and Indian curry. Mama Tilley often slips me some of her hot trade secrets.” The look of regret on Carolyn’s face had Kelly wishing she hadn’t added the last remark.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” said Houston, reaching for Kelly’s hand.
Seated at the formal dining table, large enough to accommodate a party of twelve, Jared asked God’s blessing on the food and on the skilled hands that had prepared it.
The thought of Carolyn moving about in the kitchen, let alone cooking, niggled at Kelly’s funny bone. It was even more comic to imagine her wearing an apron. She hadn’t ever seen her mother prepare a single meal. Sure, she’d set a bowl of cold cereal, juice and hot toast in front of her daughter, but nothing beyond that. Tilley had run the kitchen, preparing all the meals from breakfast to supper. There were many nights the parents hadn’t come home for dinner. On those evenings, Tilley and Joseph dined with Kelly.
After Kelly’s first bite of lamb, she closed her eyes to savor the delicious flavor. Carolyn could take pride in the tender, juicy leg of lamb. “The meat is divine.” She took a forkful of sweet potatoes. “Mmm, they’re perfect.” Despite the manners she’d been taught, she propped an elbow on the table. “How long has Mama Tilley been gone?”
Kissed by a Carrington Page 18