The Prodigal Heiress

by Vickey Rogers

  “Well, I guess I started out all right. Maybe I’ll end up okay too, huh?”

  Miranda hugged Lexi as they got up to turn in for the evening.

  The next day seemed to drag for Lexi. She couldn’t stop thinking about Houston. She had never felt like this before. She was anxious, excited, and a bit terrified. These feelings made no sense to her at all. She had known Houston for a long time; but until yesterday, she had never actually had a conversation with him. She felt very close to him after their afternoon together, and that was a foreign feeling to her. She decided to talk to Miranda about them.

  She found her mother playing with Demetri in the sunroom. Lexi had found out that Demetri loved chocolate, had a thing for dinosaurs, and loved Miranda like a grandmother. Miranda played with him for hours while he was there. They built Lego towers and bridges. They raced cars and watched the train go around and around. Miranda seemed happiest when she was with Demetri.

  “Mom, can I borrow you for a moment?”

  Miranda looked at Demetri.

  “It’s ‘kay, Mirry. I keep playin’.” Demetri dismissed her gently with a kiss on the cheek.

  Lexi’s eyes welled up with the sweetness of the gesture. Demi, as they had begun to call him, really was a special little boy.

  They walked to the far end of the sunroom for privacy. They sat on the long, dark blue velvet sofa that seemed to swallow every ache or pain your body could possibly have.

  “Mom, I feel kind of awkward talking about this. It’s not something I have any experience with and feel like I should at my age.”

  “What is it, honey? Whatever it is, I’m sure we can figure it out.” Miranda patted Lexi’s folded hands.

  Lexi exhaled a deeply held breath.

  “Remember I told you about Houston and that he’s coming for dinner tonight?”

  “Yes. In fact, I saw him leaving yesterday. He’s a very handsome young man.”

  “Yes, he is,” Lexi said with wide eyes. “He’s also a very dear friend, actually one of the few friends I have left that’s my age. Anyway, I’m having a very hard time getting through this day. I can’t wait for it to be dinnertime. And at the same time, I’m terrified of seeing him again. It makes no sense. I’ve spent many hours with him and the others. I just don’t understand why I’m feeling like this.”

  “Honey, have you ever had a boyfriend? I don’t seem to remember you ever talking about a particular boy,” Miranda said with a squinting smile.

  “No; not really. I was never interested. There was a guy in school, but he had his head in the clouds, and I just didn’t have time for that. We dated a few times, but there was no point in it. We had nothing in common,” Lexi said with a shrug.

  “Well, dear, I think you have gotten to know Houston well enough to be interested in him. I believe you like the young man more than you have ever liked anyone before. These are classic symptoms of a crush. But you being older, I think you might have found your first real boyfriend,” Miranda said and smile as she pushed a lock of Lexi’s hair behind her ear.

  Lexi giggled and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Mom, you’ve got to be kidding.”

  “Nope…”

  “I can’t believe that’s how it feels. I’m going to feel so goofy tonight,” Lexi said as she looked up in concerned thought.

  “No Dear. Just dress comfortably but beautifully. I believe the feeling’s mutual.”

  “Why do you say that,” Lexi asked as her gaze came back abruptly to Miranda.

  “He’s coming to dinner to meet an old lady just to have dinner with you.”

  They both laughed heartily.

  As 5:00 p.m. rolled around, Lexi took a hot, perfumed bath, painted her nails, styled her hair, and put on a beautiful, comfortable dress as Miranda had told her to do. She looked in the mirror and liked what she saw.

  The light lavender shirt dress she chose showed off her barely faded summer tan. She wore a small rose pendent on a delicate silver chain. Her chestnut hair was pulled up into a ponytail that fell loose down her back, and she had pulled little tufts of hair out around her face and curled them. She knew she looked very feminine and felt comfortable. She now felt ready to have dinner with Houston and her mother.

  It was true that Houston had not even hesitated to accept the invitation when Lexi suggested they have dinner with her mother. Maybe he liked her the way she did him; wouldn’t that be something, she thought. She had always thought men were just a trinket you adorned yourself with once you were set in life, if you were smart. She never saw herself as half of a couple the way her parents had been. They really loved each other and had always enjoyed being together. It was obvious to everyone around them. Lexi had never been interested in that kind of relationship, at least not until now. Was she really ready for something like this? She decided she would add that to her prayer list.

  She had prayed for about an hour the night before, asking God what he wanted her to do with all the money. She had not received an answer. Then again, she was not used to praying, and she didn’t know how God answered people. She would have to ask her mother. Miranda would know.

  There was a knock at her door, and her mother walked in.

  “Lexi, Houston’s in the great room, waiting for us to come down.”

  Lexi felt like a thousand butterflies had just been let loose in her stomach. She felt her heart racing, and thoughts started fighting for space in her head. She looked at her mother, then started towards her and hesitated. She stepped back to the mirror, smoothed her hair, and looked herself over from head to toe. She realized she was still barefoot, giggled, and put on her lavender house shoes.

  “Dear, you look terrified,” Miranda said, stepping further into Lexi’s suite. She walked to Lexi and touched her arm lovingly.

  ‘“Well, that’s definitely one of the emotions I’m feeling,” Lexi said, tossing her hands into the air slightly.

  “You’ll be just fine. Houston’s the same person you talked to so easily yesterday. He’s still the same,” Miranda said, patting her arm reassuringly. Then she took Lexi’s hand and led her out to the hall.

  “But I’m not,” Lexi whispered as they descended reached the staircase.

  Houston was admiring a painting of one of Lexi’s long-ago ancestors that hung over the huge fireplace in the great room. He turned as Lexi and Miranda entered the room. His eyes locked on Lexi, which did not help her sudden shyness.

  Miranda saw this and came to the rescue.

  “You must be Houston. I’ve heard such good things about you,” she said as she hurried over to where Houston stood.

  “Good to meet you, Mrs. Hunter,” Houston took Miranda’s hand; a slight, friendly smile touched his lips.

  “It’s very good to meet you too. Shall we have a cozy fire built,” she asked and gestured to the fireplace.

  “That’s sound wonderful. It’s rather chilly out tonight,” Houston said with a bit more of a smile.

  Miranda rang for Raymond, who quickly and effortlessly built a large fire that warmed the room quickly.

  Miranda took Houston’s arm and led him to a dark red, velvet-covered sofa. They sat as Lexi walked over to a chair near the sofa.

  “You look very beautiful tonight, Lexi,” Houston said as he gazed at her.

  “So do you. I mean, you look very nice tonight too, Houston.” Lexi could feel her face turning crimson.

  Houston had on a cream colored long sleeved shirt that went perfectly with his honey colored skin. His black hair was slicked back with a few stands loose over his forehead. His black jeans looked brand new. He looked ready for a formal or informal meeting at the same time.

  “Thank you,” Houston said with the largest grin Lexi had ever seen on his face.

  Oddly enough, the grin actually helped Lexi overcome her embarrassment at her newfound shyness.

  “Have you seen any of the group? I’m really worried about Appel. She always seems so together, but it’s just a wall she has built up, you know? And I haven’t
been able to get hold of her,” Lexi said, going with the strength of conversation unrelated to their looks.

  “Appel’s in rehab. From what I heard, when she found out that you were stopping the party scene, she decided she should, also. I think you are the only one she actually liked of the group,” Houston said as he sat forward, his hands clasped in front of him.

  “Oh, I am so happy to hear that,” Lexi exclaimed with a large smile of her own.

  “If you’d like, we could go visit her once she’s allowed visits. They have a step program there, and she has to earn everything.”

  “Yes. I would love to.”

  “Isn’t it amazing the way the Lord works?” Miranda sighed.

  Lexi felt a zing go through her heart, not knowing how Houston would react to her mother’s mention of God.

  “Yes. It’s truly amazing sometimes. My grandmother used to say that all bad turns to good for those who love the Lord. I’ve seen it myself.”

  “I’m so happy you are a Godly man, Houston. I find it very distressing the way our society has turned its back on God.”

  Houston looked at Miranda and nodded his head in understanding.

  “It’s very sad. They doom themselves, and for what? For money that lasts the years of your life and no further. It’s sad and frightening,” Houston said, shaking his head in disdain.

  Lexi sat back and listened and learned a few things as Miranda and Houston discussed God. She was truly amazed that Houston had such deep faith. Even after their conversation yesterday, Lexi had no clue that he was a Christian. Maybe he did not want to scare her away if she had no faith. After all, the life she had been living to just recently did not show her as being a Christian, for sure.

  After half an hour of visiting, Raymond came to announce that dinner was ready. The three got up and made their way to the dining room.

  “I love this house. It’s so elegant, but yet it’s not gaudy like a lot of the other estates I’ve been to. It’s really classy,” Houston said as he looked around, nodding approvingly.

  “I can take no credit. My ancestors and Aunt Camilla were the one who designed and decorated this house. They knew class when they saw it.” Lexi smiled at the memory of her aunt. It made her feel comforted to know that her aunt had become a Christian. Then, suddenly, Lexi realized that since her father’s death, she had been leaning more and more that way; and after listening to Miranda and Houston, she decided she wanted to know even more.

  Once they were seated and served, Miranda said grace. The three echoed, “Amen,” together; and then Lexi looked at Houston.

  “Houston, would you like to attend church with my mother and me this Sunday?”

  Miranda dropped her fork, causing Houston and Lexi to look at her.

  “Oh, I’m so excited. Lexi, you don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that you wanted to go to church.”

  “Well, listening to you and Houston just now made me realize that I don’t know much and that I definitely want to know more,” Lexi said. She paused and looked thoughtfully upward. She looked pointedly back at Houston and Miranda. “I mean, I remember all the basic stuff from Sunday school, like David and Goliath and things like that, but I want to know how to pray and how to know when God is telling you something or how He answers people. I didn’t learn that in Sunday school that I can remember.”

  “Lexi, God answers our prayers in different ways. But one thing is for sure. If we’re paying attention, we know when He’s answering.” Her mother smiled at her.

  “So, Houston, would you like to go with us,” Lexi asked again and smiled at him.

  “Yes. I’d love to. I haven’t been to church since I don’t know when, but I’ve been feeling that I’d like to start going again just lately. I can’t explain why, but there’s this nagging at me.”

  “The Holy Spirit,” Miranda said with a nod.

  “You’re probably right about that,” Houston said with a smiled.

  They chatted about growing up going to church and how Lexi’s small-town church differed from the huge, richly decorated church Houston attended growing up. But one thing remained the same: they were both Bible-based churches and had biblical teachings.

  When the meal was done, they went back into the great room to relax by the fire. Houston sat next to Lexi on the couch this time, and Miranda sat in an arm the chair. They talked for a couple of hours about anything and everything, and then Miranda excused herself to go up to bed.

  “I hadn’t realized it’s so late,” Houston apologized as he looked at his watch.

  “No. It’s all right. I haven’t enjoyed an evening like this in…well, I don’t think I ever have,” Lexi said quickly. “I never realized what I was missing, always thinking about money and how to make it and then recently how to spend it on myself. That really is such a waste of time.”

  “That’s a very mature way of thinking. I guess I came to that realization after the accident. Life is too short and can be taken away at any time. It’s how we live, how we treat others, and the person we are inside that really counts.” Lexi smiled at him and moved closer to him on the couch. Houston put his arm around her and pulled her close to him.

  “Yes, exactly… I never thought like this ’till my father passed on. I never thought anyone I knew would ever really die, you know? This life is temporary, but we somehow honestly don’t believe that it doesn’t last forever. And when we lose a loved one, I guess it shocks us back into reality for a while.” Lexi looked up into Houston’s eyes before she continued. “But I want to remember what it’s taught me. I want to put others before myself. How horrible it feels not to do that and then lose a person…”

  Houston tightened his arm around her for a moment then pushed a curl behind her ear affectionately.

  “It’s good to come to this realization at our age. Some people never come to it, and they die so agonizingly, with so many regrets. It’s truly sad when that happens.”

  “Yeah, I’m so happy my father knew the truth.”

  They both stared at the fire, each with their own thoughts.

  “Lexi, I want to tell you something, but I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable around me,” Houston said hesitantly.

  “To be honest, I was very uncomfortable earlier, but that’s gone away. Please tell me,” Lexi said, sitting up and facing him. She folded her hands in her lap and waited.

  “I really care for you, more than I’ve ever cared for a woman. I felt like a kid with my first crush on my way over here, all nervous and awkward…” Houston face darkened as he stared at the floor.

  Lexi laughed until she had tears coming out of her in her eyes. She laughed so hard she fell to her side away from Houston.

  “I don’t see what’s so funny.” Houston sat up straight. He was clearly upset at her reaction.

  “No…I have to…tell you… Me too,” Lexi gasped out between laughs. She felt hysterical. The relief was so great that she couldn’t stop laughing.

  Houston stared at her, embarrassment and hurt plain on his face until the sudden realization of what she said hit him; and his face cleared, and a large grin appeared before he ended up laughing with her.

  “Wow… Can you believe it… You own all of this… I’m an heir to a fortune… and we were afraid… to let each other know… we’re smitten,” Houston said between gasps for air as he kept wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

  They laughed until it died away, and then Houston took Lexi in his arms and kissed her gently. It was the most wonderful thing Lexi had ever felt. She wrapped her arms around him, and they kissed for what seemed forever and yet it ended far too soon.

  They talked for another hour, about things dear to their hearts, as they got to know each other better.

  Lexi glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost 3:00 a.m. She couldn’t believe how the time had flown. When Houston saw Lexi’s expression, he looked at the clock.

  “I should be going. I have to help my mother with a few things in
the morning. She’ll want me awake to do that,” Houston said and winked.

  “Okay. I’m looking forward to church this Sunday. But you can always drop by anytime,” Lexi said as she stood up. She put her arms around Houston when they stood up and put her head against his chest.

  “I’ll be here so often you’ll get sick of me,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

  “Not likely,” Lexi said as forcefully as she could while yawning.

  They walked out to the front door, arm in arm. Houston kissed Lexi good night again and left. Lexi seemed to float up to her bedroom.

  The next morning, Miranda helped different staff members tie up the loose ends on their vacation plans; and Lexi called the country club to make sure everything was perfect ready for her mother’s and her time there. She knew it would be. They cleaned the apartments every day whether people were there or not, and they kept fresh food for anyone who mentioned being there. Not that they needed to since the chef and beautiful dining room at the club would make it foolish for anyone to cook their own food. Lexi wanted to make sure Miranda had a wonderful time.

  Lexi looked at herself in the mirror. How much she had changed. She realized that her father’s death had made her grow up in so many ways—but not just that. She had become a new person. She took a few minutes to thank her dad mentally for the things he taught her when she was young. They were all the right things. Even though she had turned away from them and from her mother’s teachings of God, she was now returning to a place that felt comfortable and right. She felt the joy of her childhood returning. She never realized the joy she had when she was little; nor did she realize when it disappeared, it had slipped away so gradually. Having it back, even to a slight degree, was something she wanted to maintain for the rest of her life. She knew it was because she was opening up to God. She knew He had never left her. It had been she who had run away from Him. That was changing at an incredible speed, and it felt good.