Mended Fences: Will love and kindness be able to mend the fences broken by intolerance? (Mended Hearts Book 2)

by Sarah Markel

  After the group got the luggage in the car, Kelly took the front passenger seat for the ride to the hotel. During the drive, the two reminisced about the past while Alex and Karen listened from the back seat. When they arrived at their hotel, Alex and Karen went inside to get checked into their rooms. “Kelly, why don’t you and Alex join me and my family for dinner?” Kevin asked his daughter. Smiling, Kelly agreed and the two made plans to meet at her favorite restaurant in two hours. After saying their goodbyes, the pair hugged once more and Kelly went inside to find Alex. Two hours later, Kelly parked her rental car in front of Charlie’s Buffet and shut off the ignition. “You’re going to love this place, Honey. My dad used to bring me here all the time as a kid and it’s my all-time favorite place to eat.” Smiling, Alex stepped out of the car and went around to open the driver’s side for Kelly. Holding hands, the pair entered the eatery.

  “Welcome to Charlie’s!” the hostess said in greeting. “Holy Moly, Kelly Taylor is that you?” the woman exclaimed, pulling Kelly into a tight hug. “What are you doing here? I thought you moved to Alaska or something.” Laughing, Kelly shook her head. “Oregon actually. And I’m here for Kristen’s funeral.” Kelly said, sadness edging its way into her voice. Shaking herself quickly, Kelly told the woman that she was there to join her father, and the woman led them into the dining room. When they arrived at the proper table, Kelly thanked the woman and hugged her father when he stood to greet them. “Kelly, I’d like you to meet my wife, Kendall, and your brother and sister, Kevin and Kylie.” The man introduced, pointing to each person in turn. Smiling, Kendall took Kelly’s hand and pumped it lightly. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Kelly. Your father hasn’t stopped talking about you for weeks.” the woman said, smiling at her husband.

  Laughing, Kelly introduced Alex to the group and the pair took their seats. “Is Alex your girlfriend?” Kevin Jr. asked. Smiling at the boy, Kelly shook her head. “Nope, she’s my fiancée. We’re getting married next year.” she explained to the child. Slapping himself on the forehead, little Kevin gasped. “Next year? That’s tomorrow!” the child exclaimed, making the adults laugh. Not wanting to hurt the little boy’s feelings by correcting him, Kelly changed the subject. “Hey, do you guys know what a ‘niece’ and a ‘nephew’ are?” she asked. When the two children nodded, she went on. “Well since I’m your big sister that means you guys have one of each!” she said with a smile. “We do?” the children asked in unison. Nodding, she told them about Zane and Dej. Alex watched as Kelly interacted with her siblings for a bit and smiled to herself. “Alright you two, let’s get you fed.” Kendall said, scooting out of her seat and taking each child’s hand. As if on cue, Kelly’s stomach let out a loud grumble. “We should probably get that thing fed before it takes over.” Alex said, taking Kelly’s hand.

  “So Alex, tell us a little about yourself.” Kevin said once everyone had sat down to eat. “Well, uh, what would you like to know?” she replied, taking a sip of her drink. “Everything.” the man said plainly. “I want to know everything about the woman who holds my little girl’s heart.” Smiling encouragingly, Kelly squeezed her fiancée’s hand. “Alright, well, I own my own business. Okay to be fair it’s my family’s business, but I took over legal ownership after I graduated business school. Um, I have a twin sister and four brothers. My father passed away about twelve years ago, and my mother remarried ten years ago. As Kelly said, we have two children. Zane is twelve years old and Dej is eight.” When she paused to take a bite, Alex noticed the look on Kendall’s face. “How did your family feel about it when you told them you were gay?” she asked when she noticed Alex studying her. Suddenly uncomfortable, Alex didn’t know what to say. On the one hand she wanted to be honest, but on the other she didn’t want to make her future father-in-law uncomfortable. Seeing the conflict in Alex’s eyes, Kelly patted her hand and leaned over to whisper “It’ll be fine, Honey. Just be honest.” into Alex’s ear.

  Still a bit hesitant, Alex replied “Well, I told them when I was eleven that I wasn’t interested in boys. Their reaction was more of a surprise to me than anything. They both looked at me, then looked at each other with obviously fake shock and did this whole over-dramatic ‘not my baby girl’ thing and just laughed and laughed. When I asked what they were laughing at, my mom took me by the hand and told me that they had known since I was four.” she finished as the group laughed. With a chuckle, she added “They were great about it. They didn’t treat me any differently than they did my siblings, and when my younger brother came out to them they didn’t even act surprised. In fact, my dad’s exact words were ‘Ryan Casey, how many times do we have to tell you to quit copying your sister?’ It was great. When I married my first wife, my parents insisted on paying for the whole thing, and my dad commissioned a glass artist to make us a one-of-a-kind wedding gift.” When the others noticed that Alex had tears in her eyes, the group was silent for several moments. “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to your first wife? Did you two get divorced?” Kendall asked. Shaking her head sadly, Alex explained about Callie.

  Later that night, once they had finished their dinner and said their goodbyes to the family, Alex and Kelly laid in bed and talked. “Your dad seems like a nice guy, Babe. His wife and kids seemed happy to be meeting the infamous Kelly.” Alex said with a chuckle as she pulled the woman close. With a smile, Kelly positioned herself on her side and draped her arm over Alex’s chest. “I don’t know what tomorrow is going to be like, Sweetheart. There are probably going to be a lot of people there who are going to point and whisper, and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” she said, absently drawing designs on Alex’s bare chest. Looking down at the woman she loved, Alex replied “Baby, you don’t have to worry about me. I’ve been to funerals before and I’ve had to deal with adversity too. Just because I grew up with an accepting family, doesn’t mean I haven’t dealt with homophobia. At Callie’s funeral, her grandmother voiced her disapproval of my being there very loudly. She even interrupted the minister to say how she felt my presence diminished the loss her family was going through.” she explained, tracing her thumb over Kelly’s chin. Leaning up, she kissed Alex softly and whispered “I love you.” With a smile, Alex turned on her side and pulled Kelly as close as she could. “I love you more.” she said sleepily. Repositioning herself, Kelly scooted back to spoon with Alex, and the pair quickly fell asleep.

  CHAPTER 13

  The next morning, the two women hurried to get ready. Pulling on her black dress slacks, Alex called into the bathroom. “Babe, do you have my makeup bag in there?” she asked once she had secured the pants on her waist. Thanking the woman when she stuck her arm out of the bathroom with the makeup bag, Alex set the bag on the counter and finished buttoning her white silk blouse. Checking her watch, she rolled her eyes and used the mirror across from the bed to apply her makeup. When she finished, she knocked on the bathroom door. “Baby, come on. We have to leave in about ten minutes, and I need to pee.” she said. Opening the door, Kelly looked into Alex’s eyes with tears in her own. “My sister’s gone.” she said as the tears broke through and spilled down her cheeks. Taking the woman into her arms, Alex held her quietly and let her cry. Knowing that nothing she said could assuage Kelly’s pain, Alex rubbed her hand over the woman’s back and kissed her hair. “Baby, even though you and Kristen didn’t get along, you were still sisters. I can’t imagine what you are going through, but I’m here for you.” she said a few moments later. “You’re right, Honey. I need to finish getting dressed. This day isn’t about me, it’s about remembering Kristen.” Giving Alex a watery smile, Kelly turned and lifted her hair so the woman could zip up her dress.

  *****

  When they arrived at the church an hour later, Alex was tasked with convincing both Karen and Kelly that they needed this. "Karen, you need to be able to say goodbye. I know it hurts, in fact it hurts more than I could ever imagine, but this will give you closure. Kristen may have put you through a lot, but she
was your daughter." she said, patting the woman on the shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Karen thanked her and stepped out of the car. Turning to Kelly, Alex turned the woman's face toward her. "Baby, just like I told your mom, you need this. Just because you and Kristen never got along, doesn't mean that you didn't love each other. When my dad died, I refused to go to his funeral. It took Angie and my mother both, days to convince me that I needed to say goodbye. I thought that if I didn't go, then it wasn't real. But the day of the funeral, Angie told me that not saying goodbye didn't make it any less real. All it does is make you regret not seeing them one last time." she said, tracing her thumb lightly over Kelly's cheek. With a nod, Kelly leaned in and kissed Alex softly before opening her door and stepping out. Holding hands, the two women started up the steps toward the door of the church. When they reached the entrance, both women took a deep breath and walked inside.

  As the pair stepped over the threshold, they were greeted by the sounds of people crying. Alex watched as several people, both young and old, hugged Karen and Kevin on their way into the chapel. After signing the memorial book, Alex stood off to the side while Kelly joined her parents in greeting the mourners. As the threesome shook hands and accepted hugs from friends and distant relatives, Alex took the time to study her surroundings. The entryway of the church boasted vaulted ceilings, intricately detailed stained glass windows, and rich tapestries depicting the life of Christ. All around the room were large urns holding brightly colored flowers and there were easels set up on either side of the chapel door. Carefully inspecting the photos that were presented, Alex got her first look at the woman that was Kristen Taylor.

  The first image was of Kristen as child. Her long black hair and troubled blue eyes looked out at the mourners as they entered, giving the whole scene an eerie feel. The opposite picture held an image of the woman as an adult. Except for the same troubled look from the other photo, Kristen's resemblance to Kelly was striking. In this picture, Kristen wore her long black curls draped over her shoulder so that they cascaded down her chest. Her facial features, almost identical to Kelly's, showed the stress that the woman's path in life had put on her body. While she stared at the photos, Alex made a silent promise to the woman she had never met. I don't know how much you care or cared for your sister, Kristen, but I promise you this: I will never let anyone or anything put the same kind of pressures on Kelly that were put on you. I will do everything in my power to make her happy and give her every reason to smile. I'll protect her, I'll love her, and I will make sure she knows every day that she is never alone. "Honey, we're ready to start." Kelly said, laying her hand on Alex's arm and causing the woman to jump. Taking Kelly's hand, Alex allowed herself to be led through the chapel doors and down to the front row of pews that had been reserved for the immediate family.

  As she took her seat next to Kelly, Alex held fast to her fiancée's hand. Looking around the grand chapel, Alex noted the wreaths of flowers hung from the bottom of the multiple easels that had been set up, each displaying a different image of Kristen. Sitting atop the highly polished oak casket was large bouquet of pure white roses, interspersed with red and pink buds around the base of the arrangement. Turning her attention to the people around her, Alex took note of the family members. Alex, Kelly, Karen, and Kevin and his wife and children all sat along the pew to the left of the dais. In the right pew, Alex noticed several elderly people who kept tossing curious glances her way. Shaking her head, she smiled to herself and turned to face forward as the priest took his place.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to pay our respects to our dear sister, Kristen Eileen Taylor." The man began in a somber tone. When he finished his opening statements, the priest asked that everyone stand and join him in prayer. As she stood and bowed her head, Alex was flooded with memories of her father's funeral. She remembered what it had been like, standing in the front row, as she had joined her mother and siblings in saying goodbye to her dad. She remembered sitting between her mother and sister as the priest recalled her father's life and accomplishments for everyone to hear. Wiping away a tear when the priest had brought the prayer to an end, Alex took her seat and did her best not to let her memories control her emotions.

  When the service had finished, Kelly took Alex by the hand as the pair waited for the pall bearers to take their positions. "The other man in front is my uncle Harry." Kelly whispered as both Harry and Kevin took their places. "The two behind them are my cousins, Josh and Jarred, and the two in the back are the two guys Kristen used to go back and forth between. The one on the left is Grant, he's Grace's father. I don't remember the other one's name." she finished. Nodding her head, Alex walked at her fiancée's side as the pair followed the casket out of the church. When they reached the bottom of the steps, the two women climbed into their rental car and joined the procession a few cars behind the hearse.

  *****

  When they reached the Cemetery, Kelly stopped Alex before she could get out of the car. "Honey, after this is over would you mind if we went for a drive?" she asked. "Of course not, my love. We can do whatever you want to do. Our flight doesn't leave until tomorrow afternoon, so if you want to go for a drive that's fine with me." Alex replied. Once Kelly was ready, the pair stepped out of their car and walked toward the group that had gathered around the gravesite. As they approached, a short, plump, elderly woman stopped them and pulled Kelly down into a hug. "Hi, Nana." Kelly said with a smile when the woman let go. "Kelly Shane, it's nice to see you here. I was surprised when your mother phoned and told me you were coming. Ah, this must be the famous Alex." The woman said, pulling Alex into a hug. "Yes Nana, this is my fiancée Alex. Honey, this is my grandmother, Ellen Anderson. She's the one I invited to the wedding." Kelly introduced. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Anderson." Alex said when the woman let her go. Nodding, Ellen took Kelly's hand and pulled them along. When the pair had taken their places next to Karen, the priest began the graveside prayer. As the man spoke, the casket was lowered and each member of the immediate family stepped forward to toss a handful of soil into the grave. Once the ritual had been completed, the crowd began to disperse. "Let's go, Honey." Kelly said quickly, explaining that she couldn't take anymore condolences. Alex nodded and took the woman by the hand.

  *****

  “Baby, where are we going?” Alex asked a short while later. After leaving the cemetery, the two women had driven for what seemed like hours. They had made their way through the city, stopping occasionally so Kelly could point out different places from her childhood. When they left the city and got on the freeway, Alex wondered what the woman was up to. “I don’t know, I just want to drive.” Kelly replied, keeping her eyes on the road. Remembering the need to just be alone after her father’s funeral, Alex stayed quiet and busied herself on her phone. When the car suddenly pulled over next to a small burger joint, Kelly turned and said “Are you hungry, honey? I remember when we were really little, Nana used to bring us out here because she said they had the best homemade hamburgers in the state.” Nodding, Alex put down her phone and met Kelly’s eyes. “I’m starving, Babe. Let’s have a bite to eat and if you want to talk we can.” Smiling, Kelly leaned in pressed her lips to Alex’s in a deep, passionate kiss. “Thank you for understanding. I don’t even know why I feel this way. It’s not like Kristen was my favorite person, hell she wasn’t even on my list.” Kelly said when the kiss broke. “Come on, let’s go inside and we can talk in there.” Alex said as her stomach protested loudly. With a laugh, both women went inside.

  When they stepped inside, Alex got the sensation that she had been transported back in time. The interior of the restaurant looked as if it had been pulled right out of a fifties-style magazine. The plain white walls were decorated with framed records and autographed photos of long deceased musicians. The booths were done in red and white pleather, designed to look like vintage car seats. “Wow Babe, this place is great.” Alex said as she looked around in awe. “This is all original. Delbert, the own
er, spends a small fortune making sure that the furniture stays pristine.” Kelly replied, pulling Alex up to the long red Formica counter. As they took their seats, a tall, burly man who appeared to be in his late sixties sidled up to greet them. Wiping his hands on his dingy white apron, the man boomed “Good Afternoon, ladies. What can I do ya for?” Smiling at the man as if he were a long lost friend, Kelly replied “I’ll have the Kelly T with all the trimmings, Del.” With a look of surprise, the man removed his paper hat and laughed. “Why little Kelly! It sure has been a long time since you came to see old Delbert. Where you been hiding yourself these days?” the man asked, coming around the counter and wrapping the woman in a tight hug. Alex watched the scene quietly with a smile. “Darlin’, I’m sorry about your sister. I know she wasn’t what most people would call a good person, but she was a person none the less.” The man said as he set Kelly back down. Nodding, she thanked him and turned to Alex.

  “Honey, I’d like you to meet Delbert Boone. Del, this is my fiancée Alex Walker.” Offering a wide smile, Del waved off Alex’s offered hand and hugged the woman tight. “Well, well, well. Little Kelly went and found someone to make an honest woman outta her. You treat this woman right, you hear? Old Delbert may be old, but he’s not too old to whoop some butt.” he said with sincerity, wagging his plump finger at her. Wrapping her arms around Alex, Kelly chuckled “Don’t worry Del. This woman treats me better than anyone I have ever met. She even shared her babies with me.” Clapping his large hands together, the man’s face took on a nostalgic expression. “Oh Kelly, you got little ones?” he asked, his eyes going misty. Nodding, Kelly took out her phone and brought up a picture of Zane and Dej standing next to each other and offering goofy grins. “Oh now ain’t that precious? How old are they and when are you bringing them to visit old uncle Del?” the man asked, looking like a proud grandfather. Before Kelly could respond, the group laughed as both women’s stomachs growled loudly. “Why don’t you two have a seat, old Del will bring you something to soothe them beasts.” the man said with a laugh.