Hope's Path

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Hope's Path Page 13

by Carrie Carr


  Amanda jumped back as if she had been burned. "Oh, Lex. I'm so sorry." She could see the pain in the eyes above her. "Are you okay?" She took a tentative step forward and touched the clenched jaw. "Honey?"

  "It's okay." Lex closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. "Just a little tender, that's all." She blinked her eyes open and forced a smile onto her face. "See? No harm done." The sharp pain in her arm slowly receded. "Come here, beautiful." Lex pulled Amanda close and gently tightened her grip. They stood quietly for several minutes, lost in each other.

  "Is everything all right in here?" Laura, Dr. Anderson's nurse, poked her head into the room. "The doctor said that he was ready for you in his office." She smiled at the rancher, who still had her left arm wrapped around Amanda.

  Lex gave her a wry grin. "Just great. We were just on our way out." She allowed Amanda to leave the office before her, winking at the nurse holding the door. "Thanks, Laura."

  "Any time, Lex," Laura assured her.

  "DID YOU GET everything on Martha's list?" Amanda asked. Lex was scowling at the road ahead of them and fighting the swirling wind to keep the truck on the road. They had spent the last two hours fighting the crowds at the local supermarket, much to Lex's discomfort. "Lex?"

  "Hmm?" Lex turned her attention away from the road for a moment. "I'm sorry. Did you ask me something?" She looked down at the small hand that rested on her thigh. She had stubbornly insisted that she drive, even though her arm was still causing her pain. But now she wasn't so sure it had been such a good decision.

  Amanda lightly stroked the denim-clad leg. "I was just wondering if you got everything at the store that Martha had asked for." She studied the profile beside her. "What's wrong?"

  Lex released a deep breath, then smiled. "Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking." She gingerly grasped Amanda's hand with her own. "I think that we got everything that Martha wanted. At least I hope so." Lord knows I don't want to make another trip to town tonight or in the morning.

  "What's on your mind? You seem a million miles away." Amanda could tell that something was bothering her lover and was determined to get to the root of the matter. "I'd like to help, if I could."

  "I know. I was wondering if Martha might know more about my grandparents. I've never really talked to her about them." Lex squinted as the afternoon sun came out from behind some clouds. "Guess it can't hurt to ask, right?"

  "That's right. And I've got a few leads to follow up on the computer when we get back to the ranch." Amanda smiled broadly as the truck traveled across the old bridge to the ranch. The hired hands had completely rebuilt it after a large tree had wrecked it recently. Proud of their accomplishment, they had asked Lex and Amanda to ride down to the structure a week ago.

  It seems like a lifetime has passed since my car was washed into the creek from here, not just a month. So much has happened. I nearly drowned, was rescued by the most incredible woman in the world, and fell in love. Sounds perfect to me.

  Lex watched her companion's face as Amanda's thoughts drifted. She privately loved it when her lover got distracted like this. The look in her eyes when she's thinking turns me to mush. Jeez. Do I need to get a grip, or what? But she couldn't help but smile as she watched Amanda gaze off far into the distance. "Now you've gone off somewhere. Want to share?"

  "Hmm?" Amanda turned her attention back to Lex, who was smiling at her. I love that grin. She looks like a little kid who knows a secret. "Sorry. Just reminiscing." She scrutinized the way the light chased across Lex's face. "So much has happened in a month, hasn't it?"

  "Yep." Lex fought the truck as a gust of wind tried to blow it from the road. "Best month of my life, if you ask me." She maneuvered the vehicle down the recently renovated road. "Damn. I think it's going to get nasty later on tonight." The sudden jerk of the steering wheel shot renewed pain to her healing arm. I'm going to soak in the tub for hours tonight. Lex glanced over at her lover with a devilish smile. And I bet I can get some company, if I ask nicely.

  Amanda watched as Lex grinned at her. "What?" She glanced down at herself and then back up to meet the rancher's smirk. "That's a sneaky look you have. What are you up to?"

  Lex parked the truck next to the house by the mudroom entrance. "I was thinking about how good a long soak in the tub would feel tonight." She got out and hurried around to open the door for Amanda. "And I was wondering if you would care to join me." Lex reached into the back seat of the truck to grab a bag of groceries, only to have her hand gently slapped away by Amanda. "Hey," Lex said.

  "Dr. Anderson said for you to take it easy for the next few days. Martha and I can bring stuff in. Why don't you go upstairs and get the bath water ready? I'm feeling a little dirty myself."

  Lex laughed. "Ooh. That's a good one," she whispered into Amanda's ear. "I'll save you a spot, cutie." She swatted Amanda on the rear, then raced into the house.

  "I'll get you back for that," Amanda shouted after the retreating figure, trying to keep a straight face. Just when I think I have her figured out, she acts like a little kid. She's certainly not the big tough rancher she wants people to think she is.

  Martha walked into the kitchen and was almost bowled over by a quick moving form. "Aaah!" She jumped back into the hallway holding one hand over her heart. "Lexie! I didn't even hear you drive up. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

  "Sorry about that, Martha." Lex grasped the older woman by her elbows. "Are you all right?" She led Martha into the kitchen and helped her to a chair. "Here. Sit for a minute."

  "Stop that." Martha swatted at the tall woman. "I'm not that old." She studied Lex carefully as Lex squatted next to her chair, balancing by bracing her hands on one of the arms. "You certainly look a world better."

  Lex allowed Martha to stroke her hair softly. She unconsciously leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. "I feel one hundred percent better, too. Guess a couple of days rest was just what I needed." A noise from the mudroom made her stand and open the adjoining door. "Dammit, Amanda." Lex grabbed one of the three bags Amanda struggled with. "I thought you were going to wait for help."

  "I was, but there was no sense walking in empty-handed." Amanda carried two bags over to the cabinet. Lex placed her bag beside the others and turned in the direction of the door. "Don't even think about it, Slim." She grabbed the back of Lex's belt to curtail her progress. "You're going upstairs, remember?"

  Lex glared at Martha, who was snickering from her seat at the table. "Not one word out of you," she warned the housekeeper. Lex turned around and enclosed Amanda in her arms. "Why don't you let me help you with the groceries, then we can go upstairs together?"

  Amanda kissed Lex on the chin, then ducked under her arms to get to the mudroom door. "Nope. I'll get the rest of the groceries and then bring the overnight bag upstairs with me." She slipped out of the room before Lex had a chance to argue.

  "Damn. I lost again, didn't I?" Lex asked the housekeeper, who had risen to put the groceries away. "I used to be a lot tougher than that."

  Martha laughed. "Not really. You just used to be a little bit better at hiding it, that's all." She stopped what she was doing to give the rancher her undivided attention. "I'm really glad that you're feeling better, Lexie. You scared me pretty good this time."

  Lex moved forward and pulled the older woman into a powerful hug. "I kind of scared myself, Mada." She found herself calling Martha by the long-relinquished childhood nickname more and more recently. She kissed the top of the graying head lovingly. "I'll try to do better in the future, okay?"

  Tears burned the housekeeper's eyes. "See that you do. I have too many years of hard work invested in you," Martha teased as Lex released her. "Now get yourself upstairs before we both get into trouble." She gently patted Lex on her hip.

  "Yes, ma'am." Lex playfully saluted the older woman and swiftly left the kitchen.

  Martha wiped her eyes with one corner of her apron. I'm glad your good luck is still holding, Lexie. I don't know what I'd do if an
ything ever happened to you.

  LATER THAT EVENING, the three women were enjoying coffee in the den when Lex decided it was time to ask Martha for her help. Lex was comfortably seated in one corner of the sofa with her chin resting on Amanda's head and Amanda tucked securely between her legs. "Martha? Do you remember my mother's parents?" She felt Amanda's hands tighten on her own where they rested on Amanda's stomach.

  "Well, yes, honey. I certainly do. Although I believe that the last time I saw them was at your dear momma's funeral." Martha shifted slightly in the oversized chair so she could look Lex directly in the eye. "Why do you ask?"

  "Hubert received a letter and some legal papers this past Friday. It appears we were named in the will of Melanie Edwards, our grandmother. Dad told me years ago that all of my grandparents were dead. Do you have any idea why he would lie to me like that?"

  Martha's heart nearly broke at the anguished look on Lex's face. "I don't rightly know what your daddy was thinking. I hadn't been here that long when your poor momma passed away, but I do remember that Mr. Walters and his in-laws didn't get along very well. After the funeral, they took separate cars from the cemetery, and I never saw or heard from them again."

  "But why wouldn't they at least try to contact their grandchildren?" Amanda wondered aloud. "What kind of people were they?" She gently stroked Lex's left arm, careful to stay away from her injured one.

  "Well, from what little contact I had with them, I can tell you Mr. Edwards was a quiet, dignified man. Tall, dark hair, and very handsome." Martha smiled at the young couple on the sofa. "I do believe that's where your good looks came from, Lexie. Mrs. Edwards also had dark hair, but she was small and had fair skin." She slapped her leg and jumped up suddenly. "I wonder--" She hurried to the doorway, then turned. "Well? Aren't you two coming?"

  Amanda stood and offered a hand to the still-reclining rancher. "Where are we going, Martha?" She pulled Lex up and started for the door without releasing her hold.

  Martha blushed slightly. "Oh. Just look at me. Must be getting old or something. I thought we'd check upstairs in the storage room where Mr. Walters had most of Miss Victoria's belongings packed away. She probably kept photographs and letters from her family."

  "I don't know." Lex balked at the door and pulled Amanda back with her. "It doesn't seem right--going through her things like that." I remember packing a few things when I moved into the master bedroom, but it was only a box or two. I guess Dad kept a bit of her stuff out for sentimental reasons.

  "Honey," Martha walked back over to Lex and cradled her face in her hands, "I truly believe she'd want you to see anything she had. I'm just sorry we waited so darned long to do this."

  Lex blinked back tears. What is wrong with me? It's not like I ever really knew her. Martha has been more of a mother to me. "It's not your fault, Martha. I should have asked about this long before now." Get a grip, Lexington. You're worrying her for no reason. "Come on. Let's go exploring." She kissed Martha's cheek and left the den, pulling a somewhat startled Amanda behind her.

  The storage room was actually an old bedroom, part of which had recently been converted into what was now the guest room and guest bath. Lex opened the door and flipped a switch that activated a large fluorescent light in the center of the room. Martha moved past her and opened the dark curtains to allow the early evening light inside.

  The housekeeper made her way over to the far corner of the room and opened a box. "I believe this is where Mr. Walters put everything. He boxed most of Miss Victoria's belongings up the day of the funeral and never set foot into this room again." She pulled a couple of silk scarves from the top of the box. "Come here, Lexie, Amanda. This is the right box, all right."

  Amanda gently led her lover to where Martha stood. She leaned over and peered into the box curiously. "Those are pretty." She watched as Martha reverently folded the items and continued her search.

  "Wait. This looks like letters." Martha pulled the tied bundles from the box and handed them to a still-silent Lex. She dug a little deeper. "Ah ha! Bingo." The housekeeper pulled several large photo albums from the bottom of the box.

  "Good job, Martha." Amanda didn't notice when Lex quietly slipped from the room. "Hopefully these will shed some light on the mysterious Edwards family. Maybe I can check those notes and letters and find an address. Right, Lex?" she turned to ask her lover. "Honey?"

  Martha looked to the open door. "I'll gather this stuff up and bring it downstairs. Why don't you go find Lexie? I think all of this shook her up more than she cares to admit."

  Amanda bit her lip and followed the housekeeper's gaze. "You're right. I'll meet you back downstairs in the den." She gave Martha's arm a reassuring squeeze and hurried from the room.

  A search of the upstairs rooms came up empty, so Amanda hurried downstairs. She finally found Lex in the sitting room, staring at a small photograph on the far wall. All of the regular furniture had been moved out and in its place were a long formal dining table and ten chairs. There had originally been twelve chairs until Amanda's parents had not-so-politely declined their invitation.

  Lex turned to the doorway and met Amanda's eyes. "Hi." She dropped her gaze to the floor. "Sorry I left like that. I just needed to get some air."

  Amanda crossed the room and came to stand directly in front of her. She grasped Lex's chin and gently forced her to look into her eyes. "Hey. This is me that you're talking to." She waited until the eyes sharpened and focused on her. "Please, let me help. Tell me what's bothering you."

  "I'm not sure," Lex whispered as she put an arm around Amanda's shoulders and led her back to the wall. She pulled the photograph down and handed it to Amanda. "Even looking at this picture, I can't remember anything about her."

  "She's beautiful." Amanda took the framed portrait from Lex and studied it carefully, then looked at her lover. "You could be her twin."

  The woman in the picture sat in a lush garden, wearing a white beaded wedding gown. Her waist-length dark hair practically shimmered in the sunlight. Blue eyes sparkled with undisguised happiness into the camera. There was a rugged-looking young man standing behind her with his hand gently placed on her shoulder. He seemed uncomfortable in the black tuxedo he was sporting. His hazel eyes looked tired and weary, although he appeared to be barely out of his teens.

  "Yeah. I kind of think that's one of the reasons he left home. I remind him too much of her." Lex peered over Amanda's shoulder at the picture. "I feel bad, not being able to remember my own mother. I wish I could have known her."

  Amanda turned and looked up into Lex's still face. "But don't you see, love? You have a perfect chance to do just that. I'm sure that's why she saved all of those things, so when you were older, she could share them with you." Amanda reached up and touched Lex's clenched jaw. "She just had no way of knowing she wouldn't be here with you, that's all."

  Lex wrapped her arms around Amanda and buried her face in her hair. She gasped as the walls that she had erected around her heart so long ago began to fall.

  Amanda felt the heavy sobs shake the normally strong body she held. "It's okay, love. Let it go." She held on tightly to her lover as Lex released emotions she had held in control for so many years. "That's it." She continued to gently stroke Lex's head until the convulsive tears slowed. In the distance, she heard the ringing of the phone.

  Lex had practically crumbled to the floor, which forced Amanda to sit in a nearby chair. Lex looked up from her kneeling position and drew in a large lung full of air. "I'm sorry, Amanda. I didn't mean to fall apart on you like that." She began to wipe her face with her shirtsleeve when Amanda's hand halted her movement.

  "Please don't apologize." Amanda looked around, spotting a linen napkin on the table. She picked it up and gently dried Lex's tears. "How are you feeling?"

  "A little foolish, to tell you the truth." Lex stood stiffly and sat in the chair next to her partner. "I don't usually do that, but it seems you bring out that part of me."

  "Do you have any i
dea how good it makes me feel when you share yourself with me like that?" Amanda asked quietly. She grasped one of Lex's hands and pulled it into her lap. "It's like you're trusting me with something very special. And I'll try to always be worthy of that trust."

  Lex sniffled slightly and stared at their linked hands. "Worthy? Good lord, Amanda." She lifted her free hand and brushed her knuckles against Amanda's cheek. "Of all the people in this world, you are the last one who should ever worry about being worthy of anything."

  Martha struck her head in the room and looked around. "Is everything okay in here? I hate to bother you both, but there's a phone call for Amanda." She came into the room and noticed the picture now lying on the table. "Amanda, I think it's your sister."

  Amanda smiled at Lex and stood. "I love you." She kissed her partner on the lips and started for the door, then hesitated. "Are you okay? I can call her back later, you know."

  "Never been better. Tell Jeannie hello for me, all right? Martha and I will be in the--" She looked up at the housekeeper with a questioning glance.

  "We'll be in the kitchen. You can keep me company while I get some things ready for tomorrow." Martha ruffled the rancher's hair. "Let's go. I'll even give you some cookies."

  "Sounds like fun. I'll see you both in a few minutes." Amanda waved as she left the room.

  Lex sighed and climbed to her feet. She startled Martha by wrapping her arms around her and squeezing the housekeeper tight. "Thanks for putting up with me," she whispered quietly. "I love you." She kissed the older woman's forehead and then released her.

  "I love you, too. Come on, brat. I may even put you to work." Martha grabbed the front of Lex's khaki shirt and pulled the grinning woman from the room.

 

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