Two weeks later Bren and Alex made their way by train to New York. Since it
was late Friday night when they arrived, they decided to check into their
hotel and visit Bren’s mother the following morning. Alex had arranged for
them to stay in the same hotel where they first stayed, since it was a
common place for her when she was on business, and after they dropped off
their luggage, Bren convinced Alex to go back to the bar where they had
first met.
As they stepped inside the tiny club, they were instantly overwhelmed with
smoke and loud music. Bren led the way over to the bar where they ordered
drinks and stood to observe the dance floor. “Well, this place hasn’t
changed a whole lot.” Alex shouted to Bren over the music.
Bren shook her head in agreement. “You want to dance?” Alex nodded, so Bren
led the way over to the floor where they began to slightly move to the music
as they drank their beers. An hour passed until they decided to call it a
break. Bren said she was going to the restroom, so Alex said she’ meet her
at the bar afterwards. Making her way back to the bar, Alex took a seat on a
stool in the corner. She ordered another beer for herself and then began to
just watch the crowd as she waited. A few minutes passed before Alex caught
the eyes of a woman that looked familiar. The woman was studying her
intently from across the bar, and when their eyes met, she made a move
toward Alex.
“Hi there.” she greeted.
“Hello.” Alex replied, wondering why the brunette looked familiar.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I was thinking that maybe I could show you around, give you a good
time. You are looking at New York’s finest.”
Alex gave a wide smile as the woman said that, figuring out exactly who she
was. “Oh, Chloe, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “How do you know that? Have we met before?”
“Yeah. What is it about me that says I’d make a good trick?”
“You were a trick of mine? I don’t remember you.”
“Well, you should. About four years ago you and a co-worker tag teamed me
at this very bar. You stole a diamond ring from me that night before you
left my hotel room, and you left me with an underage high school drop out.
Any of this ringing a bell for you?”
Chloe nodded. “A mid-town hotel across from the Garden. I do remember now.
I didn’t dump that girl on you. She was my protégé, but you stole her from
me if I remember correctly.”
“Well, think what you will. You say I stole. I say you stole. It’s in the
past now, and I ended up with the better deal.” Alex noticed Bren making her
way over to her, so she stated, “Maybe you’d like to see how your protege
turned out.” Chloe turned as Alex held her hand out to Bren.
Bren smiled as she took it before glancing at Chloe. Knotting her forehead
in confusion, Bren inquired, “Chloe?”
“Chloe, I’m sure you remember Bren.”
Chloe looked Bren up and down for a moment. “Well, well, you were a fast
learner. Snagged yourself a benefactor your first time out. Just remember,
little girl, you’d be nothing without me.”
Alex scowled at Chloe. “Chloe, just because you weren’t honest with me,
don’t take it out on Bren. Had you not stolen that ring, this could’ve been
you. Now I suggest you go back to the rock you crawled out from under and
leave us alone.”
Chloe sneered at them. “Fuck you.” she snarled before turning to go.
Alex smiled at Bren. “Well, that was unexpected. Who would’ve ever thought
we’d run into her?”
“I’m so glad that I left this city with you when I did. I could have turned
out like that.”
“I don’t think you would have. You’ve got more going for you than she ever
did. It’s getting late. Maybe we should go back to the hotel and try to
rest. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow, and I know you want to look your
best.”
“You’re probably right.”
Once they were back at the hotel, they began to get ready for bed. Alex
knew Bren was thinking about tomorrow and her mother, so she gave her quiet,
introspective time until they climbed into bed together. Bringing Bren into
her arms, Alex began to play with Bren’s blonde hair while her other hand
caressed her back under her night shirt. “Are you ready for tomorrow?” she
quietly asked.
“I don’t know. I’m scared. She hurt me so badly, Alex. I’m not sure why I’m
doing this.”
“Because regardless of what’s happened, she’s your mother, and you still
love her. It would be better if you two at least came to an understanding of
what happened if nothing else. Don’t force anything. The right thing will
happen. I feel sure of it.”
Bren squeezed Alex tightly. “Thanks for being here with me, Alex. I
couldn’t do this without you.”
“I’ll always be here for you, Bren. After all I love you more than I’ve
ever loved anyone else in this world.” Bren was silent for a few moments,
but Alex could feel the front of her own shirt becoming wet. “Sweetie,
what’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Everything is perfect. I’ve just waited forever to hear
you say that. I’ve always wished for someone like you, and I’m glad you’re
in my life. I love you too, Alex.”
Alex kissed the top of Bren’s head. “Sweet dreams, Bren.”
The following morning Alex took Bren to breakfast before the took a cab to
Bren’s childhood home. As the stood on the street staring up at the old
rowhouse, Bren stated, “I don’t know if I can do this, Alex. What if he’s
there?”
“Your mother said he wouldn’t be.”
“But what if he is?”
“Then you let me handle him. We’re here to see your mother, and we’re going
to do it if you’re ready. I’ll take care of the asshole should he be here.
Are you ready?”
Bren paused for another moment before giving a hesitant nod. Together they
walked up the stoop to the door. Bren rang the buzzer and then stepped back
next to Alex. A few moments passed before a burly man came to the door. “Who
the hell are you, and what do you want?” he growled.
Alex looked over at Bren who was frozen, so she took the initiative. “Yes,
my name is Alex Schreiber, and I’m Ms. Worthington’s attorney. We’re here to
see Ms. Garner.”
He sneered at Bren. “Well, well, look who the cat drug in? I hardly
recognized you. Your mother isn’t here.”
“I beg to differ with you, sir. She is here, and she’s expecting us. Now if
you would be so kind as to let us in.” Alex stated calmly.
“Fuck you. I’m not letting you in. You best go back to wherever you came
from.” he said before starting to slam the door in their faces.
However Alex shot her arms out and caught it before it closed all the way.
“You let us in now, or you let us in when I come back with the police. It’s
your choice. We’re going to see Ms. Garner, and you can’t stop us. You might
as well make it easy on yourself.”
He seemed to consider it for a moment as he let up on the pressure on the
door. Finally he opened it again. “All right but make it quick. She’s in the
back.” he said.
Alex entered first and kept her eyes on him as Bren walked in. She led the
way toward the back of the house as Alex followed, warily casting glances
over her shoulder to make sure he wasn’t going to try anything. When they
came to a bedroom, Bren knocked first and announced her presence. As soon as
she opened the door, a figure popped up from the bed, looking frail.
“Bren, is it really you?” the woman asked. She appeared to have been badly
beaten and had a broken arm.
“Mom!” Bren exclaimed, forgetting all her nerves and rushing to the hurt
woman.
Alex just looked back to see Bren’s step-father hovering close behind her.
“I think they could use some alone time.” she mentioned.
“Sure you do, but they ain’t getting it!” he yelled trying to push by her.
Alex kept him at bay with a strong hand to his chest. “You don’t want to
try to move me. That’s highly unwise.” she said standing her full six feet
and glaring at him. He sized her up with his eyes, but before he could
respond, Alex said, “You don’t actually think you could take me down, do
you? Now leave them alone.”
He sneered at her again but turned to leave. Alex looked back at Bren and
her mother. Bren met her eyes. “Alex, we need to take her to the hospital or
call the police. We can’t just leave her here like this.”
Alex came to them and squatted down so that she was on their eye level.
“Ms. Garner, my name is Alex Schreiber. I’m a friend of your daughter’s. Do
you want us to take you to the hospital?”
“No. I’ll be okay.”
“Ma’am, with all due respect, I think it would be wise to seek medical
attention.”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
Bren looked at her mother in concern. “Mom, please. At least let us call
the police.”
“Why? All they’re going to do is arrest him, but he’ll be back here before
the night is even through, and he’ll be madder than hell.”
Alex looked at Bren and saw the concern the blonde had in her eyes. “Bren,
could I talk to for a moment in private? Excuse us one moment.” Bren
followed Alex into the hall. “What do you want to do, Bren?” she asked.
“I can’t leave her here like this, Alex. Regardless of what happened
between us, she doesn’t deserve to be beaten by that monster.”
“I happen to agree. How about this? We call the police, and once they come
to get him, we take your mother back to the hotel. We’ll work on a plan from
there. Maybe I can file a restraining order on her behalf.”
“Okay. That sounds good.”
Going back into the bedroom, Alex looked down at Bren’s mother. “All right,
Ms. Garner. Bren and I would like to take you back to the hotel where we’re
staying. I think it would easiest if you let us call the police on your
husband, and once he’s gone, we can pack up some of your things. I’m not
completely confident that I could take him if we got into a fight.”
Ms. Garner looked at Bren. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.
“Because you don’t deserve this abuse. It doesn’t matter what you did to me
right now. We’ll talk about that. For now just let us help you get out of
this situation. Let Alex call the police.”
She contemplated it for a moment before whispering in tears, “Okay.”
The three of them stayed in the bedroom until the police knocked on the
door. When the situation was explained to them, they promptly took a mad Mr.
Garner off in handcuffs. Once he was gone, Alex stated, “Get some things
together. You’re going to stay at the hotel the rest of the weekend with
us.” The cab ride back to the hotel was silent, and when they arrived, Alex
got a room for Bren’s mother. Escorting her to it, the three of them
entered. Alex put her bags on top of the dresser and then turned to her. “I
hope this is suitable to you.” she mentioned.
She nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
“Well, maybe I should leave you two alone, so you can talk.” she suggested,
looking at Bren for confirmation.
Bren smiled at her. “That would be nice. Thank you, Alex.”
Alex moved toward the door. “All right. Well, why don’t we plan on going to
dinner around six? I’ll call you if I don’t hear from you two by then.”
Bren stepped over to her. “That would be great. Thanks for all your help.”
she said wrapping her arms around Alex’s waist.
“My pleasure as usual, sweetheart. I’ll check in with you in a few hours.
Call if you need something.” Alex replied kissing Bren on top of the head
before leaving.
At dinner time Alex took them out to a restaurant in Times Square. She was
quiet most of the meal, letting mother and daughter get reacquainted.
However when Bren got up to go to the restroom at the end of the meal, the
two older women were alone. “So, Alex, may I call you that?”
“Sure.”
“Alex, Bren tells me that you were the one to take her in after I kicked
her out.”
“That’s true.”
“Well, I want to thank you for doing that. Not a day went by that I didn’t
think about her. I made a terrible mistake, and I felt so guilty, because
there was nothing I could do to correct it once it had been made. I
should’ve believed her when she told me about what my husband had done to
her. I failed her as a mother, and I’ll never be able to forgive myself. I’m
just so glad that someone took her and gave her the things I couldn’t. My
greatest wish is that someday she could come to forgive me.”
Alex shrugged. “Bren is a caring woman. She has a great capacity for love
and forgiveness. It might take some time, but I think that may happen.”
“I’m so glad Bren has a woman like you in her life. Tell me. You’re more
than just friends, aren’t you? Have you two been dating this whole time?”
Alex looked at her quizzically. “Bren told you about us?”
“No. I just guessed. So, it’s true?”
“Yes, it’s true that we are dating now, but that hasn’t always been the
case. This is a recent development, just within the past few weeks. I didn’t
take your daughter in to turn her into a prostitute. I took her in to get
her away from that life, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with
her. I’m fortunate that she returns those feelings.”
“She does love you. I can tell. The little looks and smiles. You’re so
affectionate with each other. I knew there had to be something more.”
“That doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“Not at all. I’m just glad that she’s happy. I have no right to tell her
how to live her life after what I did, but I do approve of this if it’s what
makes her happy. She deserves it.”
“What about you? Don’t you think you deserve that too?”
She dropped her head. “I don’t think so. Not after what I did to my own
daughter. I don’t deserve happiness. In fact I think I deserve to be
mistreated for what I did to her.”
“I don’t think anyone should be beaten regardless. Why do you stay with
him?”
“Because of Bren. I’ve thought of leaving before, but I didn’t want to move
out of my house, because it was the last place Bren knew of. I had always
hoped that one day she might find it in her heart to contact me. I’ve stayed
so that she would know where to find me if she wanted to. I never expected
her to, but I always hoped.”
“Well, she has. Do you think maybe you could move on now? She would want
you to.”
“We’ll see.”
“Would you have a place to go?”
“The house is in my name, so I don’t want to just abandon it.”
“You could sell and buy another, but I think your bigger problem is your
husband.”
“He wasn’t always this way. When we first met, he was kind to Bren and me,
but somewhere along the way, he changed for the worse. I’ve thought about
divorcing him, but as I said I didn’t want to lose the house in the divorce.
All this time I’ve just been waiting for Bren.”
“Well, now I guess you have a lot to think about.”
“I guess I do.” she mumbled as Bren returned to the table.
They both smiled at her as she took her seat. “So, what have you two been
talking about?” she inquired.
Alex looked at Bren’s mother and then back at Bren. “Just how much I love
you and that you make my life complete.” Alex commented gazing at her
girlfriend lovingly.
“Oh.” Bren blushed as she looked at her plate. “I hadn’t told my mom about
us yet, Alex.”
“You didn’t have to, Bren. I see it on both your faces.” her mother said.
Bren looked at her mother uneasily, awaiting further comment. Her mother
smiled, hesitantly reaching for her daughter’s hand. With her other she
reached for Alex’s, and then brought all their hands together on top of the
table. “Even if my opinion doesn’t matter, I still want you to know that I’m
happy for you, because you found that special person. You don’t need to hide
this from me. In fact I’d like to be able to witness your joy if you’ll let
me. Please. I know you’ve been wanting to do this all night.” she mentioned
putting her daughter’s hand into Alex’s and then pulling her own away.
Alex just smiled at Bren and decided to play along as long as Bren was
comfortable. Bren’s eyes began to water as she smiled back at Alex. Alex
brought the back of Bren’s hand to her lips, brushing it lightly with kisses
before whispering, “I love you, Bren.”
“I love you too, Alex.” she replied trying to keep her composure.
“Well, I think that’s my cue to leave.” her mother mentioned standing.
“We’ll see each other in the morning?”
“Oh, no. I don’t want you walking back to the hotel alone.” Alex said.
She patted Alex on the shoulder. “You’re needed elsewhere, Alex. I’ll be
fine. You two call me in my room in the morning. Okay?”
Alex gave her a grin, as she was beginning to actually like Bren’s mother,
something she thought would never occur after what she had done to Bren.
“Okay. That sounds good. Around 9:00 all right?”
“Perfect. Good night you two.”
Once Alex paid the bill, they walked out to the street. “So, what do you
want to do now?” Alex inquired consulting her watch.
Bren leaned in close to her, encircling her waist. Leaning up to Alex’s
ear, she kissed it alluringly, seductively whispering, “Take me back to the
hotel, Alex. There is something we need to do.”
Alex moaned lightly as she felt her body temperature rise drastically with
her girlfriend’s coy behavior. Alex had no doubt what that something was.
“Oh God, Bren.” she groaned as Bren kissed the crook of her neck. Alex cast
her eyes around them, noting that they were receiving a few curious glances
from by passers, that Bren had seemed to totally forget. Alex maneuvered
Bren’s lips away from her neck and looked down at her. She opened her mouth
to speak only to find her lips locked in a lustful kiss that she was
helpless to resist.
When air became a necessity, they broke away. “We need to get out of here
before we’re arrested for indecent exposure.” Alex joked.
“Then come on.” Bren persisted taking Alex by the hand to pull her in the
direction they needed to walk.
“Wait, honey. As much as I want to do this with you, I think we need to
wait.”
“Wait? Wait for what? I know you want to.” Bren sexily whispered, rubbing
her body into Alex’s temptingly. Alex would’ve sworn her girlfriend was
drunk by the way she was acting except for the fact that she hadn’t had any
alcohol at dinner.
“There’s something I need to do first.
“More important than making love to me?” Bren softly asked invitingly.
Alex knew Bren had taken out all the stops on a trying to seduce her, and
Alex also knew she was falling for it. She felt sure that this would be the
night that forever changed their relationship, but she held firm. “Yes,
actually it is more important than that.” Bren frowned. “Play along with me.
Okay? You won’t be disappointed, at least I hope not.” Alex assured her.
Bren smiled at her. “All right.”
“Good. Come on.” Alex said hailing a cab. When they got into it, Alex
stated to the driver, “The Empire State Building.”
Bren gave her a quizzical look but didn’t ask as they made their way to the
building. Once they arrived, Alex took Bren up to the observation deck.
There were a few people about, but Alex escorted them over to a remote area.
Together they looked out over New York City in silence. “It’s kind of chilly
tonight.” Bren mentioned after a few minutes.
“Here.” Alex said taking off her suit jacket. “Put this on.” Several more
minutes passed before Alex asked, “Have you ever seen the movie ‘An Affair
to Remember?’ It’s an old black and white with Carey Grant and Deborah
Kerr.” Bren shook her head. “Well, it’s a classic romance. The characters
meet and fall in love, but she’s engaged to someone else. They agree to meet
at the top of the Empire State Building in six months to be together, but
‘Sleepless in Seattle’ was a spin off of that.”
“Except they did actually meet at the top of the Empire State Building at
the end.”
“Yeah, they did.” Alex paused. “You know, this has been a most enlightening
day for me. I’ve always held a secret dislike for your mother for what she
did to you. I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t want to influence
how you might feel about her, but I hated her for what she did. However
after meeting her and getting a chance to see you two together and talk to
her, I think I might actually come to like her. I think underneath it all,
she’s a good woman, Bren, a woman who made a horrible mistake, and she feels
guilty about it. I think I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I can
tell that she’s sincerely sorry for what she did to you. I’ve never been in
your position, so I don’t truly know how you feel, but I don’t think she’s
being fake with us. I think she honestly wants to make amends.”
“I think so too.” Bren answered looking out over the horizon like Alex.
“I also learned something new about you today, Bren.” Alex stated keeping
her eyes off her girlfriend for a moment.
“What’s that?”
Alex turned to her and took hold of her hands. Looking deeply into Bren’s
eyes, she answered, “That you’re the one.”
Bren gasped in surprise. “The one? As in...” she tried to ask but her voice
failed her.
“Yes, as in the one I’ve been waiting for my entire life, Bren.”
“How did you come to that conclusion?” Bren croaked, still shocked by
Alex’s revelation.
“I knew it the moment I saw you lay eyes on your mother for the first time.
I knew it by the way you went to her bedside and knelt there next to her,
eyes full of compassion and concern. The moment you saw her it wasn’t about
what she had done to you. It was about helping her. You put her needs above
your own. It takes a special woman to do that. You could’ve handled things
so differently, but you were the perfect example of kindness, understanding,
and mercy. I was honored to be witness to it. I knew at that very moment
that you were the one I wanted to be with forever.”
“Oh, Alex. I don’t know what to say.” she confessed in awe.
“Don’t say anything yet. I have more to tell you. Do you know what I did
this afternoon after I left you and your mother alone at the hotel? I went
shopping.”
“Shopping? You hate shopping.”
“I know. That’s usually true, but today I was inspired. I bought you
something.” Alex reached for the jacket Bren was wearing and opened it
slightly to reach into the inside breast pocket. “Close your eyes. I want
this to be a surprise.” she instructed. Bren did what she was told. “I
hadn’t planned on doing this today, but I can’t wait any longer. I need you
to know how I feel about us being together before our relationship goes any
further.” Alex looked around to see that they were alone, so she knelt down
on her knee in front of Bren and took the younger woman’s left hand. “Okay,
Bren. You can open your eyes now.”
Bren’s eyes immediately locked onto Alex kneeling in front of her, their
left hands interlocked, and in Alex’s right hand was an open ring box. The
ring was glittering in the light. Meeting Alex’s dark eyes, Bren whispered,
“Oh, Alex.”
“Bren, for the last four years you have held my heart. At first I wanted to
deny it, but you have completely swept me away by your charms. I am so
deeply in love with you, and I had always secretly hoped you would come to
love me as well. I know we haven’t been dating long, but I know in my heart
that you are the one I’m meant to be with for the rest of my life if you’ll
have me. I will do everything in my power to make you happy, Bren. It would
be the greatest honor to have you as my friend, my lover, and my wife. Bren
Worthington, will you marry me?”
Bren began to cry as she stared down at Alex. Cupping Alex’s cheek, she
whispered, “Alexandra Schreiber, you have no idea how many dreams I’ve had
about this exact moment. I want to be your wife more than I want anything
else in the world. I will marry you, and I’ll make you proud of me.”
Alex let a tear escape her own eyes as she slipped the ring onto Bren’s
finger before standing. “I already am, my darling. It is I who shall strive
to make you proud of me.” Leaning in Alex kissed Bren tenderly. “I love you
so much, Bren.”
“I love you too, Alex. This is what I’ve always wanted. Come on. Let’s go
back to the hotel and celebrate.”
“May I make a request?” Alex inquired. Bren nodded.
“I know you’re anxious to take this relationship to the most intimate
level, and don’t get me wrong, I am too, but I would like to wait. I don’t
want our first time to be in the same hotel that we tried this all those
years ago. I’d like to do this for the first time in our home. I want it to
be perfect, candles, music, champagne, flowers, everything. I want us to be
able to take our time and really enjoy the moment of finally knowing each
other that way.”
Bren growled playfully. “You’re going to be the death of me, Alex. There
are times when I just get so turned on by you that I can’t control myself.”
Alex laughed softly. “Me neither. If you only knew how many times I had to
relieve my own tension after being with you.” she teased.
Bren blushed. “I know the feeling, but I can’t wait until you touch me for
the first time. I just know that it’s going to be perfect.” she said
snuggling closer to Alex as she kissed her.
Alex groaned. “Oh, Bren, you are just such a temptress. I can hardly wait
either, but we must, at least until we get back to our house.”
“Our house. I like the sound of that.”
“Me too. I was kind of hoping that you would want to move in after
graduation, so that we could start planning our wedding. It doesn’t seem
practical to make you get an apartment when you’ll just end up moving in
with me within a few months anyway.”
Bren nodded in agreement. “Oh, Alex. You’ve made me so happy. I can’t even
begin to describe it.”
“I understand it, because I feel the same way. We should get back to the
hotel unless you want to go out somewhere.”
“The hotel sounds good. If nothing else we can at least cuddle in bed for
awhile.”
“Nothing I like to do more than that. Let’s go.”
The next morning Bren and Alex met Bren’s mother down in the hotel
restaurant for brunch. As soon as they had all gotten food off the buffet
and sat down to eat, Bren’s mother remarked, “That’s a lovely ring you have
on, Bren. Where did you get it?”
Bren grinned at Alex before turning to her mother. “Alex gave it to me last
night. She proposed to me after you left. We went to the Empire State
Building.”
“Like in ‘A Affair to Remember.’” she commented.
“See, your mother knows the movie.” Alex joked.
“How sweet and romantic. I’m glad I took off when I did then. Alex, I
thought you said you two hadn’t been dating long.”
“We haven’t, but this is right. Bren’s had my heart from almost the
beginning.”
“And I take it you agree, Bren?” Bren nodded vigorously. “Well,
congratulations then. I hope that you have a wonderful marriage. Here’s to
the two of you.” she said raising her glass in toast. Once that was
complete, she turned to Alex. “Alex, after our conversation last night, I
spent most of the rest of the evening thinking about what was said. I don’t
suppose you know of any attorneys in this area that I could talk to.”
“On the contrary, I know lots of attorneys here. I will contact some to see
if any of them know of a suitable one. What about your husband?”
“He’s going to be upset, and he’s probably going to try to get into the
house, but I’ve made arrangements to have the locks changed on Monday after
he goes to work.”
“As an attorney, I would advise that you put a restraining order out
against him.”
“I will.”
“What are you two talking about?” Bren inquired.
Alex looked at Bren’s mother. “Bren, I’ve decided to divorce your
step-father. I’ve been waiting in hopes that you would contact me again
before I did so just in case I had to move. Now that we’ve established
contact again, I feel comfortable proceeding. This has gone on long enough.
First it was verbal assault, then sexual assault on you, then physical
violence with me. I never should’ve married him in the first place, Bren. I
should’ve seen it coming, but I was too blind. I want us to be a family
again, Bren. I know that’s going to take awhile, but I hope that given some
time, you could find it in your heart to think of me as your mother again in
more than name only.”
“I want that too, Mom.” Bren stated reaching her hand out to her.
Turning to Alex, her mother said, “Alex, I look forward to having you as a
daughter-in-law. You make my little girl so happy.”
The weekend passed quickly as the three woman got to know each other. When
Alex and Bren left, they were sure that Bren and her mother were on their
way to reconciliation. Once back at home though, Bren had to focus on
school. She had a few weeks left before graduation, so she had to study for
her finals. Meanwhile Alex headed back to her office to get back to her
clients, but she also made some time to assist Bren’s mother in finding an
attorney.
On the day of Bren’s graduation, Alex and Bren’s mother came to see her
walk the stage. As they sat together in the audience, Bren’s mother said to
Alex, “Thank you for making this all possible for Bren. She’s always been
the smartest person in the family, and she deserved the chance that her
father and I didn’t have.”
“It was my pleasure to do it. Bren’s brightened my life since the moment we
met. I’d do this all again and give her even more. She really is the most
important thing in my life, and when she’s happy so am I.”
“Do you think that maybe in time you and Bren might have children?”
“Children? Well, we haven’t ever talked about it. You know, I’m
thirty-four, so I’m getting a little old to be having kids, but Bren is
another story. I wouldn’t be opposed if Bren wanted to have a baby.”
“You’re thirty-four? I didn’t think you were over thirty.”
“That doesn’t change anything, does it?” Alex asked skeptically.
“No. Of course not. I’m just surprised, but it would explain a lot about
your financial situation. Would you like for Bren to have kids?”
“I think kids would be fun. I like them a lot, but I’m going to leave it up
to her. Do you think she wants children?”
“Probably at some point. It might be a few years though. It might take her
awhile to really find herself. She’s still young, and with getting married
so young, she might struggle with finding her own identity outside of the
joint one you’ll share.”
“Well, she’ll have my support all the way with whatever she needs.”
“I know that. Short of Bren’s father you are probably the best influence
she’s ever had in her life. I know I haven’t been a good influence on her.
If anything I’ve shown her exactly what not to do.”
“Well, it was a learning experience anyway. Tell me. How is your
relationship with some other members of your family? I know that Bren would
like to reunite with some other relatives if she could.”
“I think that would be good for her. I’ll see what I can do about that. She
has several cousins that she used to be close to when they were younger. I
was kind of disowned by Bren’s father’s family for what I did to Bren, but
I’ll try to contact them.”
“What about your family?”
She shrugged. “Don’t talk to them much either, but my relationship is
better with them. I will definitely call them if that’s what Bren wants.”
“How’s the situation with your husband?”
“Well, as expected he’s tried to get back into the house, broke in once,
but I had him thrown in jail again. He hasn’t been around in about a week
though. Friends are staying with me for the time being just in case. I think
that once I get a divorce I might sell the house. It’s time to move on, and
it’ll be harder for him to find me.”
“Probably a wise move.”
After graduation and a reception for the graduates, Alex, Bren, and Bren’s
mother began packing up Bren’s belongings to move them to Alex’s house.
Between the three of them, they had all of Bren’s things moved by the end of
the day and then headed out for a casual dinner before taking Bren’s mother
back to her hotel. When they got back to the house, an exhausted Alex and
Bren collapsed into bed and promptly fell asleep.
The next day the three women met for breakfast and discussed the upcoming
wedding ideas over their meal before putting Bren’s mother back on the train
for New York. Once back at home, Alex looked at her fiancee and smiled
nervously. “Well, here we are, just the two of us.”
“Yeah. Here we are. Do you have any work to do today?”
“Actually yes. I have a case going to court tomorrow. I need to do some
preparation.”
“Okay. I guess I’ll let you do that. I’m going to settle in.”
“Good idea. You just move any of my things around as you want them. I’m not
partial to anything being in one place. I’ll let you have the run of it if
that’s all right with you.”
A couple of weeks passed as Alex returned to her normal routine, and Bren
began looking for work. The two of them only saw each other at night and a
little on the weekends, much to both of their disappointment. Their were
several nights that Bren went to bed before Alex would, because Alex would
be working on a case.
One night Alex got home after midnight from the office. She had called Bren
to let her know that she would be out late in preparation for a case that
the firm was working on. Going into the kitchen, Alex found a note from Bren
regarding the leftovers from dinner in the fridge. Alex heated them in the
microwave and then sat down to a meal alone in the semi-darkness. Then she
dragged herself upstairs to the master bedroom. Opening the door quietly,
she saw Bren lying in bed asleep, the light on the bedside table still
aglow. She was in unusual attire for her normal sleep wear, seeming to only
be dressed in a black silk robe. Alex could see the edge of Bren’s bare
breast peeking out of the material. The blonde had obviously fallen asleep
reading by the way a book rested face down on her stomach. Alex regarded her
fondly as she began to undress herself. Discarding her clothes into a nearby
chair, Alex walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.
She opted not to wear anything to bed and slid in beside Bren. Bren stirred
slightly with the movement of the bed, rearranging herself into a more
comfortable position. Her robe fell open with her movement as her book slid
off onto the mattress. Alex took the book and placed it on Bren’s side
table, but she didn’t turn out the light as she studied Bren’s naked body in
the low light. Since they had moved in together as a couple, Bren had been
shy about being completely naked in front of Alex, saying she wanted it to
be a surprise when they finally made love for the first time, so Alex was
seeing her for the first time. Immediately Alex’s eyes were drawn to the one
place she had never seen on Bren’s body before, her illusive sexual treasure
between her slightly staggered thighs. Alex’s heart pounded wildly as she
felt herself becoming aroused at the sight of the one thing she had never
had the pleasure of exploring. Alex looked up to the face of her fiancee to
see that she was still asleep before tentatively reaching for the blonde’s
thigh. Her hand just barely touched Bren’s skin as she slid it between her
legs. Alex could feel the heat radiating from Bren’s core as her fingers
skimmed across sticky residue on her inner thigh, signaling to Alex that her
fiancee had recently been as aroused as she was now feeling. Alex leaned in
closer with her whole body as if drawn by another power. Her breath was
becoming labored as she neared her destination, but within a few feet of
success she felt a hand to the back of her head, making her yelp in surprise
as she pulled away quickly. Her eyes shot up to Bren’s face to see the
younger woman now awake.
“What are you doing?” Bren asked casting a firm glance at Alex.
“I... I was just...I was just looking.” she stammered nervously. “I
wouldn’t have... done anything while you were asleep.”
Bren stretched her back and proceeded to cover herself. “You weren’t
supposed to see me like this.” she mentioned. “Are you just getting home?”
“Yeah. I’m going to get about four hours sleep before I have to be back at
the office with Kelly.”
“Kelly.” Bren mumbled. “Were you with Kelly tonight too?”
“Yeah, I was with Kelly and several other associates. Why do you ask? This
is a very important case.”
“They always are.” whispered Bren under her breath as she got up from the
bed, but Alex heard her.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alex asked as Bren disappeared into the
bathroom with pajamas.
When Bren returned a few moments later, she replied, “It’s just that every
case is important to you, and it seems that work truly is the most important
thing in your life.”
Alex rolled her eyes. “Oh, Bren. Of all people I thought you would
understand. You’ve lived with me before, so you know what my schedule is
like.”
Bren nodded. “You know, when I lived with you the first time, I kind of
liked having you out of the house, because I had freedom to do whatever I
wanted, but it’s different now. What I want most is to be with you, but
that’s a rare event. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t found a job, so
I’m around the house a lot, but I’m lonely here without you, Alex. I wish we
had more time together. I mean we have so much to discuss concerning the
wedding, but you’re always off trying to save the world.”
“Bren, you know how much my work means to me.”
“I know, but I want to mean more. I want to feel like you care about the
wedding. I honestly don’t know what to do here, Alex. I love you more than
anything else in this world, and I want to be your wife, but I don’t know if
I can take being second best to a job. I mean do you know why I haven’t even
tried to get you to make love to me since we moved in together? It’s because
you’re never here, and when you are, you’re too tired to do anything but
sleep. There have been so many times that I’ve wanted you to touch me, but I
knew you getting rest was more important for you, so I’ve just given up for
the time being. I know you love what you do, Alex, and I’m grateful that you
are happy in your career, because being happy means being successful. Yet at
the same time I want to feel equally important.”
Alex took a moment to take in what Bren said. “Well, at the risk of
starting a fight, could I ask that we talk about this at a more appropriate
time?”
“When is it appropriate, Alex? Do I need to make an appointment to see you
at the office?”
“Bren, please? I only have four hours to sleep. Can’t we discuss this
tomorrow?”
Bren shook her head in defeat. “Fine. Tomorrow.” she stated turning over
away from Alex and closing her eyes.
Alex turned opposite of her and tried to sleep, but her mind was too active
to rest. Alex considered Bren’s words carefully, wondering how she could
make her fiancee happy without compromising her career. Most of her four
hours of sleep were spent in contemplation.
The next morning she was up and out of the house before Bren even stirred.
When she arrived at the office, Kelly was already in the conference room
giving instructions to other attorneys on the day’s projects. Alex went
straight to the coffee to make herself a strong cup before joining the
group. Once assignments had been made, Kelly made her way over to her.
“Well now, Alex. It’s not like you to be late or look like death warmed
over. You all right?”
“I’ll be fine. Bren and I just ended up talking when I got home last
night.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
“More like paradise lost and Bren finally realizing exactly what she’s
getting into. She’s just feeling neglected is all.”
“Well, why don’t you take some time off to be with her?”
“When? This is an important case.”
“If you think that about every case, you’ll never see her. Sometimes life
is more important.”
“I know, and it’s just been worse I guess, because we supposed to be
planning our wedding, and I just haven’t had any time.”
“You’re getting married?” Kelly loudly asked, gaining the attention of
their associates.
“Yeah. We’re getting married.” Alex replied quietly.
“Why haven’t you said anything? When did you get engaged?
“Mid-May.”
“And you waited six weeks to say something? What’s wrong with you, Alex? No
wonder she doesn’t feel important.”
“Kelly, I don’t need this from you too.”
“I’m sorry. Look. I don’t mean to be meddling in your personal life, but
you need to make some serious decisions. You have always thought it has to
be your career or your relationship. Why can’t you do both?” Alex shrugged.
“Alex, you know that I care about you as a friend. As a friend let me give
you some advice. Don’t let anything stand in the way of the best woman that
ever came into your life. You can still be an attorney and Bren’s wife at
the same time if you truly want.”
“That is what I want, Kelly, but I don’t know how. I don’t know how to do
anything other than be an attorney.”
“Then learn. She’s worth the effort. Learn when to stop, Alex. You can’t
always be the life saver, and that’s okay. Sometimes it’s better to be Alex,
the woman who is madly in love with Bren Worthington.”
Alex grinned at her co-worker. “Thanks for the tidbit of advice. Now we
better both get down to business.”
“Try not to drool on the briefs when you fall asleep.” Kelly teased shoving
a handful at Alex before turning to leave.
Alex tried to concentrate on work, but her thoughts were with her little
blonde. She wondered what Bren was doing. Checking her watch she saw that it
was nine, so she called the house. A sleepy Bren answered the phone. “Good
morning, beautiful.” Alex greeted in her most suave voice.
“Um...” Bren moaned. “It is now.”
“Sleeping late?”
“I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“Me neither.” Alex mumbled.
“Did you need something?”
“Only you.” Alex stated. “Bren, I’m really sorry for the past few weeks. I
want you to know that nothing means more to me than you. You are the woman
that makes my life complete, and I was hoping that you’d accept my apology
for being inattentive the past month and a half. I want to make it up to
you. What are you doing for lunch today?”
“I’m free.”
“Well, would you like to meet me here at the office? I’d like to take you
to lunch, so we can talk about the wedding. Does that sound good?”
“Yes, that sounds great. What time?”
“Around one. Is that okay?”
“Sounds good. I’ll be there.”
“Great. I look forward to it.” Alex said.
“Is there anything else?”
“I just wanted you to know that I love and miss you. I have to go now, but
I’ll see you at one.”
“Okay. I love you too, Alex.”
Around eleven that day, Alex went to the her supervisor, Arthur’s office
for a requested meeting. When she arrived he looked up from his computer.
“Alex, come on in. Sit down. You wanted to see me.”
“Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about something important.”
“Well, shoot. What’s on your mind?”
Alex leaning back in the chair and regarded him for a moment. “Arthur, I’ve
been with this firm since I graduated law school. I worked hard and became
the first female partner. This position has been my life for the past eight
years. However something else has come along that needs my priority now.”
Arthur frowned at her as he quickly asked, “You’re not leaving us, are
you?”
“No. I’m not leaving. I’m talking about getting married.”
“You’re getting married?” he inquired in obvious relief. Alex nodded.
“Well, that’s wonderful. Congratulations. Who is the lucky lady?”
“Her name is Bren Worthington. Perhaps you remember her. She’s been my date
to the holiday party for the last four years.”
“Oh, yes, of course. She’s that lovely, young blonde. I do remember her.
I’m so happy for you, Alex.”
“Thank you. The reason I bring this up is that now that I’ve made a
commitment to Bren, and I need to make sure that I keep it. She means the
world to me, and I don’t want anything to stand in the way of us being
happy. Right now my excessive work load is hindering us from being together
as much as she would like. In the past eight years I have never used all my
vacation time. In fact I have almost three months of vacation time accrued.
I was wondering if it would be possible to start using some of that or
lightening my load a little. I really want to stay with this firm, Arthur.
After all I am a partner, but I need a little time to devote to Bren and
hopefully in the future my fammily.”
Arthur smiled. “I understand completely, Alex. Maybe you haven’t noticed,
but of all the partners in the firm you are the most senior one that is
unmarried. You have been working like a dog since you came here, even after
you became a partner. The senior partners have been giving you so much work,
because they know you can handle it. You’re our most trusted junior partner.
You have that edge, that instinct about you, Alex. It’s funny that you are
getting married, because it’s been a topic of conversation amongst the
senior partners for some time now. Some of them think you’ll lose your edge
by marrying, and some of us think you’ll still be as sharp as ever. We’ve
been discussing for awhile now when to make you a senior partner, and we’ve
decided that there were a couple of factors involved. To be a senior partner
is more of a PR position. We still work on cases but pick and choose them as
we see fit. We oversee the office and each have attorneys to supervise. As a
junior partner you’ve been in training for the position, and the general
opinion was that within a year or two you’d be ready to be promoted to
senior partner. At that time you will have more free time on you hands. I
kind of made the suggestion though that you be promoted earlier if you met
some criteria.”
“What criteria is that?”
“Oddly enough one of them was that you were to get married. You see those
people who are married know that marriage and children, if you have any,
take a great deal of time as well. You have been an exemplary employee,
Alex, and I think you should be rewarded for that. I feel fortunate that you
came to us, and I look forward to having you as an equal partner when the
time comes. I understand your desire to spend time with your bride-to-be,
and I encourage that. Life is too short not to enjoy. I would suggest to you
that you take the time to be with her. You deserve that. Cut back on your
hours. I know that you’ve been working at least sixty or seventy a week
easily. Try working forty to fifty for a few months, or take some vacation
time.”
“But, Arthur, there’s never a good time to take vacation.”
“You have to make time, Alex. There’s one critical skill you lack that you
must learn before you can become a senior partner, and that one skill is
delegation. Pass off some of your work to your junior associates. That’s
what they are there for, Alex, to help you prepare for cases. The attorneys
under your supervision are working on average fifty hours a week to your
sixty to seventy. It should be the other way around. You need to delegate
your work more evenly. You learn that skill you’ll be better off
professionally and personally.”
“Arthur, I understand what you’re saying, but when I do it, I know it’s
done the way I want it done.”
“Alex, you have to teach them to do it the way you want it done. Everyone
on staff is a competent person, or they wouldn’t be here. You tell them how
you want them to do it, and they’ll learn. When they become partners, that’s
when they’ll be able to do it their own way. You can’t always have your
hands in everything. You have to pick and choose, and you’re doing it right
now by coming in here and saying you have to spend more time with Bren.
That’s a choice, and I feel it’s the right one. Now you have to make some
choices regarding your caseload. You personally do all the prep work and
court time for almost all your cases. Let some of the others help you. If
you don’t, you will lose your edge, and more than that, you’ll burn out. If
that happens you’re no good to anyone.”
Alex sat in silent contemplation for a moment, taking in her supervisor’s
advice. She had often considered Arthur more than her boss but her friends
as well. They had always had a special working relationship, and she knew he
was a man she could trust. Nodding at him she said, “All right, I hear
everything you’re saying. It’s just hard for me to give up the control.”
“I know. You want to be the superhero, but it’s time to pass the cape for
now. You can always reclaim it later if you want, but give someone else a
chance, and give yourself a break. You have someone under your supervision
that can fill your shoes well enough until you’re ready to step back into
them, if you ever want to.”
“Kelly.” Alex said definitively.
Arthur nodded. “She has been your project since she has arrived, and she is
ready for the challenge. Give it to her. She wants it, and I want you to let
her have it. Take the backseat on this case, Alex, and let her handle the
majority of it. If you think she’s performing poorly take the reigns again,
but I have faith that she’s ready.”
Alex nodded. “I’ll do that, Arthur. I think you’re right, and that will
give me some much needed time with Bren. Thanks for the talk.”
“You’re welcome, and congratulations again. I’ll tell Ethel the good news,
and maybe the four of us can get together for dinner sometime soon to
celebrate.”
“Sounds good. I’ve got work to do now, so I better get out of here.” Alex
mentioned standing and heading for the door.
At one o’clock Alex was busy at her desk going over some paperwork that
Kelly had given her when her assistant knocked on the door. “Hey, Alex.” she
began cracking the door slightly. “There’s a woman in the waiting area
claiming that she’s your wife.”
Alex checked her watch. “Oh, my, it’s already one. Okay. You can bring her
back.”
“All right.” her assistant replied but then paused. “Alex, is she your
wife?”
“No, she’s not my wife, but she is my fiancee. Her name is Bren
Worthington, and if you could please escort her back to my office, I’d
appreciate it.”
“I didn’t know you were getting married. Congratulations. Why didn’t you
say anything before?”
“Because I was busy with work, and that’s personal anyway. Now go on.”
A few moments passed before Bren entered the office. Alex stood and came to
her, embracing her in a tight hug as she leaned down to kiss her
passionately. “Oh, my.” Bren mumbled breathlessly when they broke apart.
“Bren, I’m so sorry about last night. I was so insensitive to you, and I
want to apologize. You mean the world to me.”
“Apology accepted.” Bern answered still trying to recover from the
smoldering kiss Alex had planted on her.
“Come on. We have lots to do over lunch. I hope you brought your notebook
with you.”
“Of course I did.”
“Good. What are you in the mood to eat?”
“Whatever you are. I don’t have a preference.”
“Chinese?”
“Fine.”
“All right. Come on. I know just the place.” Taking Bren by the hand, Alex
led her through the office. She knew that her co-workers were curiously
watching them, but no one stopped them as they made their way to the
elevators. Stopping briefly at the receptionist’s desk, Alex said, “I’m
going out for an important lunch meeting. Should be gone two hours or so.”
With that she smiled at Bren and pushed the button for the elevator.
Once they were alone in the compartment, Bren stated, “You’re in a chipper
mood today.”
“Well, I’ve made some important decisions today that affect my career, and
I feel pretty good about them. I’ll tell you all about it over lunch. First
we order though, because I’m starving.”
Alex took Bren to a small Chinese place she often frequented when she
remembered to eat lunch. Neither spoke about their business until they had
ordered, but once they were alone, Bren inquired, “So, what’s this news that
has you so happy?”
“Well, after last night’s discussion, I stayed awake contemplating the way
my life was going. I felt really terrible for the way I brushed you off, and
I realized that I’m not going to be able to do that if we’re going to have a
successful marriage. Your thoughts and opinions matter to me, Bren, and I
want to know everything that goes on in your head. This morning I had a talk
with Arthur about the direction my career was taking, and he reaffirmed my
thoughts that I would become a senior partner within the next couple of
years. I explained to him that now that you were in my life, and we were
planning to get married, I needed more personal time. I told him that I
didn’t think it would be possible for me to work seventy hours a week and
have a marriage. He agreed with me and suggested some ways to alter my
current work habits without changing my goals for the future. I’ve decided
to cut back on my hours and work something a lot more reasonable.”
“Really?” Bren asked in excitement. “You’re really going to do that for
me?”
“Yeah. You mean so much to me, Bren, and I want to be with you more than
anything else. Arthur and I agreed that for now I should try to work forty
to fifty hours a week instead of sixty to seventy. As he said I should pass
my superhero cape on to someone else for now. So, now you’re stuck me a lot
more whether you like it or not.” Alex joked.
“Oh, Alex. Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me. I
love you.” she exclaimed leaning over to kiss Alex with gusto.
Alex indulged in it for a few moments before whispering, “We’re going to
get thrown out of here if we’re not careful.” Bren giggled. “All right. Ease
up. I can’t think clearly when you do that. Let’s talk wedding plans now.
Where are we?”
“Well, we still haven’t decided how many people we’re going to invite. That
kind of dictates everything else. I can only think of a handful of people
I’d like to invite. I’m not sure if any of my family will want to come other
than my mother.”
“Supposing that they do want to come, what kind of number are we talking
about, total between family and friends?”
“Forty to fifty, but if they don’t want to come, it’ll be more like
twenty.”
“Okay. Well, that gives me an idea of how many people I can invite. If I
invited everyone at the office that I knew, it would be around hundred, and
that doesn’t count family and friends. My total would be probably around one
hundred fifty. I guess that means I’ll only invite family, friends, and my
closest associates to bring it down to about sixty. That way we’re looking
at around one hundred to one ten. Then we have to pick a location. What is
your favorite so far?”
“Well, I figured it would be local instead of in New York. I want it to be
sort of lavish but on a small scale.”
“Well, I have a suggestion. It might sound crazy at first but just listen.
What about at the country club? We always have our company parties there, so
they know me really well. Although money isn’t an issue, they’ll probably
give us a reduced rate, but more importantly we have to make sure that we’re
in a place that will be accepting of the type of affair we’re having. If we
go there, it won’t be an issue.”
“I hadn’t considered that. The country club is a very lovely facility, but
that’s the reception. What about the actual service?”
“Do you have an opposition to being married in my synagogue? I’ve been
going there since I was in law school. I’m on their board. The rabbi knows
me well, and you’ve been there on several occasions.”
“I know, and I assumed that your rabbi would perform the service, but I
kind of wanted to be married outside.”
“In mid-September? Weather can be sketchy then, but if that’s what you
want, we could do it in the garden. I think it could accommodate that many
people. Why don’t I just call and ask?”
“Okay. That sounds good. Now assuming that we go with the garden wedding
and reception at the country club, we have to talk about food and music, the
cake, all that stuff.”
“I know, but let’s make sure these places are available before we continue.
We’ve agreed on a number of people today and location choices. Let’s make
sure that all comes together first before moving on. Why don’t we work on
the guest list now? I’ll call the locations when I get back to work.”
When lunch came to a close, Alex walked Bren to her car in the parking
garage. They lingered in an embrace as Bren inquired, “What time do you
think you’ll be home tonight?”
“I’m going to try to get out of here around five or six. What do you want
to do tonight? You want me to take you out to dinner, or do you want to stay
in?”
“Let’s stay in and have dinner out by the pool. What do you think?”
“Sounds wonderful. I’ll call you as I’m leaving, but it should be no later
than six.”
“I’ll be waiting with my bikini on.” Bren whispered giving Alex one last
kiss.
“I look forward to it.” Alex grinned as she watched her fiancee get into
her car. Alex stood there as the car pulled out of sight thinking about
Bren. She wondered if she could get Bren to be interested in more than their
usual cuddling that evening and began to formulate a plan in which to win
her soon-to-be bride’s sexual favor.
Continued Part 4: