by Carrie Carr
"Uh, well. That's kind of what I came up here to talk to you about." Wayne looked around to verify they were alone. "She didn't make it."
"What?"
"Yeah. The doctors tried, but they told me that even if she'd lived, her brain was so messed up she'd be a vegetable for the rest of her life."
It sounded like poetic justice to Charlie. "Too bad."
Wayne didn't seem to be in agreement. "I guess. So do you want me to do it?"
"Do what? Notify the family? No, I'll take care of that."
Wayne hitched up his duty belt and settled it more comfortably on his hips. "Okay, but that's not what I'm talking about. I meant I'll be glad to bring in Walters."
"Excuse me? What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Well, vehicular homicide isn't something you can write a ticket for."
Charlie glared at him. "That's the last time I want to hear you utter that phrase, boy. Russell saw the entire thing and he told me there was no way in hell Lex could have avoided hitting her. So get that thought out of your head."
"But--"
"No buts. You go on to the station and write your report. I'll be here for a while, so turn it in to Jeremy when you're finished."
Properly chastised, Wayne shrugged his shoulders and stomped away. He wasn't about to argue with the sheriff. He got into the elevator and jabbed the button to take him to the first floor.
With a shake of his head, Charlie watched him leave. "Kids." He turned when he felt a presence behind him.
Martha had returned, with Michael and Lois in tow. She still held a restless Lorrie. "Look who I found."
Michael grasped Charlie's hand. "We got here as soon as we heard from Martha." He was alarmed by how shaken Charlie appeared. "Are you okay? Has something happened to Amanda?"
"No, no. Lex is still in with her, so I'm sure she's fine." Charlie debated on whether to talk to Michael in private, but realized they'd end up telling Martha and Lois, anyway. "I hate to be so blunt, but do you know who would be your ex-wife's next of kin?"
Michael frowned. "I don't know. Her family pretty much washed their hands of her years ago. I guess it'd be me or the girls. Why? Is she screaming for bail already?" Martha had given him the entire story of the kidnapping.
"I'm afraid she won't be doing any more screaming. She's dead."
All three of them spoke at once. "What?"
Charlie didn't want to get into all the details. "She was hit by a truck when she tried to get away from the motel. She died earlier in the emergency room."
"She's dead?" As many times as he had wished death upon his ex-wife, it still came as a complete shock to Michael. "Has anyone told Amanda?"
"No. I just found out. I was about to call you."
Lois took Michael's hand. "Maybe we should keep this from her, for now. She doesn't need the added stress."
Her husband agreed. "I should tell Jeannie though. And I've got to see about making arrangements, I guess."
Martha put her arm around him. "There'll be time enough for that later. I'll help you if you like."
"Thanks." Michael traded looks with Charlie. "I'm going to go see Jeannie. Let Amanda know we'll be back."
"Sure."
"Are you going to tell Lex?"
Charlie paled, knowing what the news would do to Lex, who felt wholly responsible for the accident. No matter how many times he'd already told her it couldn't have been avoided, she continued to feel guilty. "Uh, no. Not right away. Let her focus on Amanda."
LEX STOOD INSIDE the door of Amanda's room and stared at the figure asleep in the bed. Her lover looked more peaceful than she'd seen her in weeks. She decided to keep most of the details of Lorrie's abduction quiet, at least for now. Lex only hoped Amanda wouldn't ask too many questions. She moved slowly to the bed and wasn't surprised to see her partner's eyes open. "Hey, sweetheart." Lex took Amanda's hand and kissed the knuckles. "How're you doing?"
Tears dampened Amanda's eyes. "Much better now." When Lex sat beside her, Amanda squeezed her hand, as if to reassure herself Lex was there. "What happened?"
Lex swallowed heavily. "Your mom picked Lorrie up at the church, saying she was supposed to take Lorrie to the doctor. She took her to her motel, and locked her in the bathroom. We still don't know why she did that."
"But Lorrie's okay, right? She didn't hurt her, did she?"
"No, I don't think so. Lorrie kept crying but I think it was because she didn't know your mother, more than anything else. She's with Martha now."
Amanda noticed a few crimson spots on Lex's shirt. "Is that blood?"
Lex looked down at her chest. "Uh, yeah. It's nothing." Her eyes rose when Amanda touched her chin.
"Is it yours?" At Lex's nod, Amanda looked at her more carefully. She could see some swelling and bruising on Lex's face. "Who hit you?"
Lex blanched. In her relief at getting Lorrie back, she'd put the accident in the back of her mind. The last she heard, Elizabeth had been rushed to the emergency room. She didn't even know if charges would be filed against her for the accident. "It's not important."
"It is to me."
"I'm fine." Lex fussed with the blanket covering Amanda, then placed her hand on her stomach. "How's Junior treating you?"
Amanda shook her head at the name. "Our daughter is going to come into this world answering to that name, if we're not careful. We should think of something else."
"Okay. I promise we'll find something before she's born. Although I think Junior is a fine name."
"You would." Amanda swatted her. "I guess Dr. Vaughn talked to you, huh?"
"Yep." Lex played with Amanda's hair. "Looks like you'll be having room service for a while."
"I'd rather be home with you and Lorrie. Think you can break me out?"
Lex shook her head. "Not a chance, sweetheart. But I'm going to be right here with you until our daughter is born."
"But Lex, it's going to be weeks! I don't want to be stuck here for that long." Amanda felt like ripping the intravenous tube from her hand and climbing out of bed. "Please talk to the doctor? I'll go crazy stuck in here. There's got to be some kind of compromise we can work out." She fought back a yawn. With all the excitement, she was completely worn out.
"I'll see what I can do, okay? Until then, why don't you try to get some rest?"
"I've been resting." Amanda's eyes closed against her will. Her lips barely moved, but her words were clear. "Don't leave me."
"Never." Lex kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you." She brushed her fingers along Amanda's cheek. "Sleep well, love. I'll be here when you wake up." Lex hooked her foot around the leg of a nearby chair and dragged it over. Without releasing Amanda's hand, she sat and tried to get comfortable.
A LIGHT TOUCH on her shoulder jarred Lex out of a deep sleep. She struggled to stay upright in the chair and glared at the intruder. "What?" A quick glance at the bed showed her partner still sound asleep.
The nurse smiled kindly at her and spoke in a low voice. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I've got to get Ms. Walters' vitals and then the doctor will be in to do an exam. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
"I'm not leaving." Lex stood slowly as various aches made themselves known. "I promised her."
Amanda yawned as she woke. "It's okay. Why don't you grab something to eat?"
"But--"
"I'll be fine." Amanda squeezed Lex's hand and pulled her closer. She was rewarded with a kiss. When they broke apart she lowered her voice. "Bring me a chocolate shake?"
Lex glanced at the nurse, who had found something beyond the window very interesting. "Sure." She dropped another quick kiss on Amanda's lips and left the room.
Out in the hall she almost ran into Jeannie, who immediately engulfed her in a fierce embrace. Lex looked at Rodney, who gave her a reassuring smile. They were alone, as they had left Teddy with her grandparents. "It's okay."
Jeannie stepped away and wiped at her eyes. "How is she?"
"Doing good. I've been sent on a quest for
a chocolate shake." Lex tucked her hands into her back pockets. "You should be able to go in to see her after they finish all their tests and stuff."
Rodney appeared anxious and he gestured down the hall with a tilt of his head. "I'll run down and get a shake from the cafeteria, if you'd like." He knew Jeannie wanted to talk to Lex alone, and it gave him a perfect excuse to leave.
"Sure." Lex reached for her wallet but he waved her off.
"Don't worry about it." He squeezed Jeannie's arm. "I'll be back in a flash."
Lex watched him leave before turning her attention to her sisterin-law. Jeannie's eyes were puffy and red. "Are you all right?"
A heavy sigh was Jeannie's answer. She sniffled and pasted on the best smile she could muster. "I will be. It's going to take a little time though. Even though she was a thorn in everyone's side, she was still my mother." In her grief, Jeannie hadn't listened when she was asked to keep Elizabeth's death a secret.
The past tense Jeannie used while referring to her mother caused Lex to pale and stumble until she hit the wall. "Was? She's dead?"
"Yes. I thought you knew." Jeannie didn't understand Lex's reaction. She knew there was no love lost between the two. "She passed away a few hours ago in the emergency room."
"No." Lex felt lightheaded. "I'm so sorry." Bile rose in her throat.
"Excuse me." She stumbled past Jeannie and rushed down the hall toward the restroom.
Stunned, Jeannie watched Lex go. She didn't hear Martha come up beside her.
"Where's Lexie going? Is everything all right with Amanda?" Martha had feared the worst when she noticed Lex's abrupt exit.
"I don't know." Jeannie turned to Martha. "According to Lex, Amanda's doing okay. But she seemed upset when I mentioned Mother."
Martha cupped Jeannie's elbow with her hand. "What do you mean?"
Tears welled in the younger woman's eyes. "I can't believe she's gone." She gave a watery smile. "I always thought Mother was too tough to die."
"You told her?"
"I thought she already knew." Jeannie shrugged her shoulders. "It's not like they got along or anything."
Martha released her arm. "I'm sorry, honey. I know it's a terrible shock to you." She was torn between giving Jeannie comfort and checking on Lex. Her maternal instincts quickly won out. "I'm going to go check on Lexie. I'll be back in a few minutes."
LEX CUPPED ANOTHER handful of cold water and splashed it over her face. She raised her head and studied her reflection in the mirror, the haggard face almost unrecognizable. Her stomach had been empty and the dry heaves had left her weak. She rested her elbows on the marble countertop and buried her face in her hands.
The bathroom door opened and the shuffle of soft-soled shoes echoed in the otherwise empty room. Martha put her arm around Lex's waist, offering her silent support. They stood there for several minutes, until Martha finally spoke. "I'm sorry you had to hear about it that way, honey."
"Does Amanda know?" Lex still hadn't raised her head.
"No, not yet. We thought it would be best to wait until the doctor says it's okay." Martha rubbed Lex's back. "Michael offered to speak to her."
Lex raised and turned to face her. "No, let me. It's my fault and I think I should be the one to tell her."
"You can't blame yourself. The deputy who witnessed the accident told Charlie she ran right out in front of you. There was no way you could have avoided her." Martha shook her head. "God forgive me for saying this, but I can't muster up any sympathy for that woman. But I'm sorry for what this is doing to you."
Her stomach rebelling, Lex spun and raced to the nearest bathroom stall. She dropped to her knees and began to retch again violently.
Martha came in behind her and lifted Lex's hair away from her face. After Lex was finished, she helped her to her feet and wiped her face with a damp paper towel. "It's going to be okay, baby. Don't tear yourself up over this."
Lex took the towel away and exhaled heavily. "I don't see how I can't. This is going to devastate Amanda, and things will never be the same." She went to the sink and washed her face. After rinsing her mouth out, she blotted her face with a dry towel and leaned against the counter.
"No, they won't. All you can do is put this mess behind you and move on." Martha pulled Lex into her arms. "Have faith, Lexie. I truly believe it will work out."
"I hope so." Lex held on to Martha as if her life depended on it. She had no idea how she would tell Amanda that she was the cause of Elizabeth's untimely death.
AMANDA WORE AN extremely satisfied look on her face when Lex came into her room. "Hi. The doctor gave me permission to leave tomorrow."
"That's great, sweetheart." Lex tried to make her smile sincere, but her heart wasn't into it.
"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy."
Lex swallowed heavily and nodded. She sat on the edge of Amanda's bed. "I am." She took one of Amanda's hands into her own. "I, uh, have something I need to tell you."
"Is it Lorrie? Is she okay?" Amanda shook her head. "I thought you said she was all right."
"No, she's fine." Lex lowered her eyes to study the blanket. "It's about your mother."
Amanda frowned. "What has she done, now? I thought she'd be in custody. Did she escape?"
Lex shook her head. "No." She looked into her lover's eyes. "There was an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Amanda read the intense sorrow on Lex's face and it scared her. "Lex?"
"I'm so sorry. She's gone, sweetheart. They did everything they could for her."
The frown on Amanda's face grew and she shook her head slowly. "No. That's not possible." She started to breathe heavily. "It's another one of her tricks."
"I'm afraid not, love." Lex brought their linked hands to her chest. "She was trying to get away from the deputies and ran out in the middle of the street." Here she inhaled deeply to gather her courage. "It happened so fast." Lex blinked away the tears that filled her eyes. "I never saw her. One minute I was driving along, the next," she lowered her head, "the next second she jumped out right in front of me."
The words slowly registered to Amanda. "You hit her with your truck?"
"I couldn't stop. I tried." Lex felt her heart break when Amanda pulled her hand away.
"You killed my mother?"
Lex reached for her but was rebuffed. "I swear, Amanda. I did everything I could to avoid her. I'm so--so, sorry. Please forgive me."
Amanda closed her eyes and raised a shaky hand to cover her mouth. The moment felt so surreal. "I think I need some time alone."
Her head bowed, Lex swallowed a sob. "I understand." She tripped over a chair as she backed out of the room. "I'll be right outside, if you need me." She stumbled through the door, her grief at what she'd done overwhelming her.
MICHAEL HANDED HIS daughter another tissue. He'd been with Amanda for the past couple of hours, holding her hand. Jeannie had left earlier, promising to return with dinner, although none of them had felt like eating.
Amanda blew her nose. "Thanks." She dropped the used tissue on the mounting pile in her lap. She couldn't remember when she'd cried so much. "It's hard to believe she's gone."
"I know. I keep expecting her to barge in here any minute, making some ludicrous demand."
She smiled at his comment. "She was something, wasn't she?"
"Yeah." Michael rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. He felt it was time to broach another subject with her. "Lex is devastated, you know. She's taken the responsibility entirely on her own shoulders."
"She would." Amanda watched their hands then raised her eyes to his. "It's not her fault. If it hadn't been Lex, it would have probably been someone else. It was just a shock, you know? I needed some time to come to grips with the whole situation."
He tightened his grasp for a moment before standing. "Let me go get her."
"Thanks."
Moments after Michael left, the door opened slowly. Lex stepped inside the room but stood close to the door. "Hey."
T
he grief-stricken expression on her partner's face was more than Amanda could bear. She held out her hand and in seconds Lex dropped to her knees beside her.
"I'm so sorry." Lex held Amanda's hand to her cheek. Her tears quickly dampened their fingers.
"Shh." Amanda pulled Lex to her and tucked her head to her chest. She used her free hand to stroke her lover's head. "It's going to be all right." Amanda hadn't been as upset with Lex as she was with herself. At the news of her mother's death, all she could think about was the relief of knowing they'd never be bothered by Elizabeth again. It was her guilt at that revelation that engulfed Amanda, and she knew it would be a long time before she would be able to forgive herself.
Chapter Thirty-Five
AMANDA SLAPPED THE fake leather arm of the wheelchair. "This is ridiculous, Lex. I'm perfectly capable of walking." Lex ignored her outburst and continued to push her toward the front pew of the sparsely filled church. "I mean it. I've been cooped up in the house for two days. Even the doctor said I was fine." She turned so she could look up into the still face of her partner. "Are you even listening to me?"
"I heard every word you said." Lex lowered her face until her lips were almost touching Amanda's ear. "But I also heard Dr. Vaughn say you were to stay off your feet. So please try to relax." She left a quick kiss on Amanda's cheek before standing tall once again. She didn't miss the heavy sigh that answered her, but elected to stay quiet and continue the short trek. This was one gathering Lex was not looking forward to. Even though Amanda had insisted she didn't blame her for Elizabeth's death, Lex knew her sentiment would not be shared by Elizabeth's family. Today would be the first time she would meet the rest of the Kingston clan.
The front pews had been taken over by the family and their spouses. Morris, Christina and their partners were on the far end, a conspicuous space between them and a severe looking matron, Paula Kingston. The oldest of the clan, Paula's bleached hair was pulled into a tight bun and her face was pinched in perpetual disapproval.