I'd still like to know what you think, just drop me a note - cb.zeer@worldnet.att.net
This is dedicated to AJ, who holds my heart and inspires my thoughts. I love you!
Part 4
Chapter 7
"Good morning, Amanda." Wanda Skimmerly's cheerful voice warbled as the young woman stepped into the office at Sunflower Realty. "We certainly weren't expecting you in this week." The older woman stood up and embraced Amanda in a heartfelt hug. "How's Lexington? Mrs. Cauble told us she had an accident."
Amanda returned the hug and stepped back. "She's doing just fine, Wanda. Thank you for asking." She linked her arm with the curly-haired woman and led her into the office. "I just wanted to check in since I was already in town," she explained. Amanda sat down behind the desk and waited until Wanda sat as well. "We'll be leaving for the ranch in the morning; so, if anything comes up, you can reach me at my grandparents until then."
The older blonde smiled. "Don't you worry, honey. I'm sure we'll be just fine. You just take care of Lexington." She stood back up and straightened her maroon wool dress. "Do you think she'd be up for visitors this afternoon? I baked some brownies last night for her and want to drop them by sometime today."
"I'm sure she'd love that, Wanda. Oh! That reminds me." Amanda stood and walked around the desk to sit on the edge. "Did anyone talk to Mark Garrett yesterday?"
"Is he that nice young man who came in last week?" Wanda asked. She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "I don't remember seeing him in here since last week. It was pretty quiet, and I suppose he could have come in when I went to the bank at lunchtime. But I didn't talk to him." She saw the confused look on the younger woman's face. "Is there something wrong?"
Amanda smiled and shook her head. "No, not really. Mark said that he had stopped by yesterday and was told of Lex's accident." She stood and walked the other woman to the door. "He even brought flowers over to the house for Lex."
The older woman stopped and turned around. "How did he know where to find you?"
"That's what I would like to know." When Wanda opened her mouth to speak, Amanda raised her hand. "Not that it's a problem, I'm just curious. I guess with everything that's happened, I've become a little paranoid."
"Why don't I ask around? I really don't think anyone here would give out that kind of information, but it never hurts to be sure." Wanda patted Amanda on the arm. "If it's okay with you, I'll bring those brownies by for Lexington when I get off work this afternoon." The rancher had quickly become a favorite of the women in the office, especially since she would drop by unexpectedly with flowers or candy for Amanda. Her dark good looks and charming smile made many of them threaten to dump their husbands for her, much to Lex's embarrassment.
"That would be sweet, Wanda. I know she'd really appreciate the company." Amanda had left her lover propped up on the living room sofa armed with a television remote control and a scowl. Lex had argued that she was ready to go back to the ranch today, but Anna Leigh had vetoed that notion immediately. The older woman had told Lex that she was going to lie there and relax, or she would call Dr. Anderson and have him give her another shot. Amanda left after the rancher made her promise to return before lunch.
The older woman chuckled as she walked away. "I imagine she's probably driving Mrs. Cauble half crazy by now. She doesn't seem like the type who likes to sit around and do nothing."
Amanda crossed her arms across her chest and leaned against the doorway. I probably should call Gramma and see if she's killed Lex yet…
"Amanda? You have a call on line two." Lisa Pratt called from her desk nearby. The young woman had just graduated from high school last year and was working part-time in the office while she went to the local commercial college. She idolized Amanda and harbored a secret crush on Lex.
"Thanks, Lisa. I'll grab it in my office." She told the young redhead as she made her way back to her desk. "This is Amanda Cauble."
"And the latest conquest of my sister's?" The man's nasal voice questioned through the phone.
The blonde rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Hubert? Why are you calling my office? Lex isn't here."
He released a heavy sigh as if talking to a child. "No shit. And she's not at the ranch, either. She was supposed to drop by my office yesterday to sign some damn papers but never showed up." He softened his tone a little. "You wouldn't happen to know where she's hiding, would you?"
Amanda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb. I can't believe this man is related to Lex. "She's not hiding, Hubert. Lex had an accident Saturday and is recuperating." Well, he is her brother. I'm sure he would want to know if she had been hurt.
"That's her excuse for standing me up yesterday? I'm a busy man, you know." He paused for a moment. "She sounded fine Sunday. I think that the bitch is just playing games with me." Papers shuffled loudly in the background. "These papers are important and they have to have her damn signature on them since she's the owner of that stinking ranch. You tell her to get her ass over to my office immediately, or she could lose her part of the inheritance." His voice continued to rise until he was almost yelling.
"Inheritance? Does Lex know what these papers are for?" Amanda questioned him with concern. "Has someone passed away?"
Hubert laughed humorlessly. "It figures that the thought of money would catch your attention. Yeah…somebody died, and we get something out of it. The problem is, there are some papers that require both our signatures." He took a deep breath and spoke a little more calmly. "So if you'll just get my high and mighty sister to take time out of her busy schedule, we can get this matter cleared up. Think you can handle that, honey?" he ended sarcastically.
The young woman bit her tongue to keep her comment to herself. Jerk. "What if I drop by and pick up the papers, have her sign them, and then drop them back off to you today? Will that satisfy you?"
"I'm not letting these damn papers out of my sight, sweetheart. Especially to a little floozy like you." Hubert snapped. "Now either get her over here, or tell me where to find her. Your choice."
Amanda winced. No good options here. Well, better on our terms than his, I suppose. And he'll have to behave if my grandparents are there. "She's at my grandparent's house, Hubert. Why don't you meet me there at…" the sound of the phone slamming down caused her to pull the receiver away from her ear. Crap. Now I've got to race him home. She grabbed her purse and briefcase and stood up. "Wanda!" she shouted as she left the office, "Call my grandmother and tell her I'm on the way home, and not to answer the door from anyone until I get there."
"Will do, dear. Is there anything I can do?" the older woman asked.
"Nope. That's it. Thanks!" Amanda jogged out of the office in a hurry, leaving behind several questioning glances.
The small gray-haired woman was curled up in the overstuffed chair, deeply engrossed in the murder-mystery novel. The only sounds in the room were the crackling of the fire and the deep, even breathing of the sleeping woman stretched out on the nearby sofa. Poor Lexington. She tried so hard to stay awake until Mandy came home.
As they spent part of the morning talking, the older woman learned more about this person that her granddaughter had decided to share her life with. Anna Leigh had known the rancher for years, but had found, to her chagrin, that she didn't really know her at all. I had no idea that she played the piano. Lex had offered quite a bit of personal information about herself, including her thoughts on the future. The rancher had confided to Anna Leigh that she had considered selling the ranch and buying a house in town so that Amanda would not have the long commute to work.
"It scares me, Anna Leigh," the younger woman admitted, "I'm afraid that she'll get tired of being so isolated from her family and friends and decide to leave." Lex wiped a stray tear from her cheek. The medication that the doctor had prescribed brought her emotions closer to the surface, and she could also feel sleep pulling at her.
"Have you talked to Mandy about all of this, honey?" Anna Leigh sat down next to the injured woman and clasped her left hand. After Lex shook her head she continued, "I didn't think so. Because if you had, you would have found out that she loves that ranch. Probably more than you do." The older woman ruffled Lex's dark hair gently. "She was so thrilled when you asked her to handle the book work. She called me up the next day and said it made her feel like she was actually contributing to the running of the ranch."
Lex looked at her in surprise. "I had no idea," she whispered.
Anna Leigh smiled softly. "She loves the life she's living, Lexington. I've never seen my granddaughter happier than she is now." She watched as the rancher fought to keep her eyes open. "Why don't you take a little nap? Mandy probably won't be home until after lunchtime." She pulled the quilt up over Lex and patted the younger woman on her uninjured arm. "Go on… I've got some reading to catch up on."
"Okay…that sounds like a pretty good idea." Lex yawned and closed her eyes.
Anna Leigh shut the book she was holding and sighed. Rawson Walters should be shot for deserting such a sweet girl. She studied the still form fondly. Although I can't fault the way that Martha raised her. She turned out better than anyone ever expected. The shrill ringing of the telephone halted her musing.
"Sweetheart? Wanda from the office is asking for you." Jacob announced quietly from the doorway. He looked at the sleeping woman on the sofa and smiled.
"Thank you, love." Anna Leigh stood up and walked towards her husband. She kissed Jacob on the cheek and took his hand. "Why don't you come with me? Let's use the phone in the kitchen so Lexington won't be disturbed."
Jacob allowed his wife to lead him into the kitchen and settle him on the chair closest to the phone. Anna Leigh picked up the handset and then climbed onto his lap. "This is Anna Leigh. What's the matter, dear?" She knew that the realtor would only call her if there was a problem and Amanda could not be found.
"I'm really sorry to bother you, Mrs. Cauble," the younger woman apologized, "but Amanda asked me to call you." Wanda had worked at Sunflower Realty for over eight years, but could never bring herself to call the older woman by her first name. "She said for you not to answer the door for anyone until she got home."
Good lord. What kind of trouble has that girl gotten into now? Anna Leigh tensed, and then felt her husband wrap his arms around her and squeeze comfortingly. "Did she say why?"
"No, ma'am. She sure didn't. But she had gotten a phone call from a rather rude man before she left. Or at least that's what Lisa told me." Wanda sounded slightly breathless, excited by the bit of intrigue.
"Okay. Well, thank you, dear. I appreciate you giving us a call." Anna Leigh sighed and leaned back into her husband's strong embrace.
"No problem, Mrs. Cauble. I'm glad I was able to help." Wanda hung up the phone, anxious to call her own husband and tell him the latest news.
Jacob nuzzled his wife's ear. "What was that all about, love? Is everything all right?"
The older woman hung up the phone and turned in his arms, linking her hands behind his head. "Mandy asked her to call us. We're not supposed to answer the door until she gets home."
"What has that child done this time?" he wondered aloud. "I swear, it's always something with her."
"I'm not sure, but she should be home pretty soon and then we'll find out." Anna Leigh leaned in and kissed Jacob tenderly. "But we have a few minutes to kill until she gets here."
He returned the kiss happily. "No sense in wasting a perfectly good opportunity, I always say." Jacob murmured.
The back door suddenly opened and Amanda burst into the kitchen, breathing heavily. "Did I beat him?" she was about to close the door when Charlie Bristol jogged in behind her.
"What in the hell is going on? Is Lexington okay?" he panted, then stopped. "Oh. Sorry folks." He took off his hat and nodded at the couple in the chair. "Nice to see you Jacob…Anna Leigh."
Anna Leigh slowly climbed off of Jacob's lap and stood to shake the sheriff's hand. "Hello, Charlie. What are you doing here?"
The lawman glared at the young blonde woman, who had the decency to blush. "Actually, I was trying to catch up to little Miss Indy 500 over there…she broke nearly every traffic law on the way over here."
"Amanda Lorraine Cauble! What do you mean by driving like that?" Anna Leigh put her hands on her hips and scolded.
"I'm sorry, Gramma…Charlie. But I had to get here before he did." Amanda rushed out of the kitchen without any further explanation.
Charlie looked after the retreating figure. "Where on earth is she off to now?" He followed Amanda, curious.
"Shall we, my dear?" Jacob gestured with his arm after the sheriff. "I'm getting a little interested myself." He allowed his wife to go ahead of him out of the room.
Amanda stood in the living room quietly peeking through the front curtains. She would momentarily turn and glance at the still form on the sofa then return to her vigil.
"Would you please tell me…" Charlie stepped into the room but silenced when he saw Lex sleeping.
"Sssh!" Amanda spun around and warned. She waved the lawman over to the window. "Come over here and we can talk," she whispered.
He joined her at the window and looked outside. "What are we looking for?" he rumbled quietly. Charlie couldn't see anything out of the ordinary in the front yard, especially something that would cause the normally cautious Amanda to drive like a maniac all the way across town.
Anna Leigh and Jacob walked over and stood close to their granddaughter. "What's the matter, Peanut?" Jacob asked in a low voice.
Amanda spared another glance at her sleeping lover, then turned her attention back to her grandfather. "Hubert is on his way over here."
"You've got to be kidding. What could he possibly want?" Charlie shook his head. He knew that there was no love lost between the siblings. The six-year difference in the ages didn't help, but the sheriff felt that the animosity that Hubert had towards his younger sister would never change. That boy has hated her since she was born. When their daddy signed over the ranch to her instead of him, I thought for sure Hubert was gonna kill her. The thought brought a chill down the lawman's spine. Oh, lord…he wouldn't, would he? Not even Hubert could be that cold-blooded, right?
Anna Leigh reached over and touched the sheriff's arm with concern. "Charlie? Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He blinked and then shook his head to clear it. "Uh, yeah. I'm just fine. Thanks, Anna Leigh." Charlie gave her what he hoped was a convincing smile.
"Hubert called me at the office to say he had some papers that required Lex's signature." Amanda explained quietly. "He said that it had to do with an inheritance, and he had to get the papers back right away." She looked over at Lex's peaceful profile. "If you'll just give me a couple of minutes, I'll wake her up and fill her in."
Jacob gave his granddaughter a hug. "No problem, Peanut. We'll go make a fresh pot of coffee." He released her and put his arm around his wife and began to lead her away from the window. He turned to the sheriff and smiled. "C'mon, Charlie. Let's go into the kitchen. I think we still have some coffee cake left."
"Sounds good to me." The lawman nodded and followed the couple from the room.
Amanda barely noticed when they left as her attention went to the still woman on the sofa. She walked slowly over to where Lex was lying and sat down near the sleeping woman's hip. Still loath to wake her lover, she knew that she didn't have much time. "Lex?"
"Mmm?" The rancher turned her head and rubbed her cheek against the soft hand that was stroking it. "Amanda…" she murmured, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"Honey, c'mon. You need to wake up." Amanda leaned down and kissed the sleeping woman's forehead. She continued to gently rub Lex's face with her hand.
The dark-haired woman leaned into the kiss and slowly opened her eyes. "Amanda? What time is it? Did I sleep the whole day away?" She looked around the room and tried to get her bearings.
The younger woman smiled down into Lex's face. "No, love. It's just a little after noon. I came home early." Amanda helped the rancher raise up into a sitting position. "We're about to have an unwanted guest, I'm afraid."
"Yeah?" Lex rubbed her eyes with her right hand. "Damn, I gotta quit taking those pills. They really knock my on my butt." She blinked a few times and smiled at Amanda. "So, who's this mystery guest, and how long do we have?"
Amanda found herself pulled up against the older woman's chest as she looked into Lex's sparkling blue eyes at close range. "Umm…well…" she stopped as insistent lips caught hers. A loud pounding intruded on Amanda's thoughts as she began to melt into Lex's arms. God, I can hear my heart beating…no…pounding…Wait! She pulled away regretfully. "I think he's here."
Lex gazed at her lover with a confused look. "Who's here?" Then she heard the loud thumping that was coming from the front door. "What the…?"
"Sshh. It's Hubert," the blonde informed her regretfully. "He has some papers that he insists that you have to sign immediately. I thought it would be better to just meet him here and get it over with."
"Good thinking, sweetheart." Lex struggled with the quilt that covered her. "Help me look a little more presentable, would you?"
Amanda stood and removed the padding covering. "You always look presentable to me, honey." She brushed Lex's hair out of her eyes. "Although right now you still look a little out of it."
The pounding continued and Lex smiled ruefully at Amanda. "You might as well let him in before he beats down your grandparents door." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Or, better yet, maybe I should answer the door." Lex started to stand but was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder.
"No, Lex. Please, just sit there and I'll go get him." Amanda removed her hand and backed away from the sofa. "If you really want to get to Hubert, make him come to you." She stepped into the hallway and almost ran into Jacob.
The older man caught her and chuckled. "Whoa, there. You want me to answer the door, sweetheart?"
Amanda took the opportunity to wrap her arms around her grandfather and give him a hug. "No, that's okay. But I wouldn't mind if you decided to keep Lex company in the living room." She smiled at Charlie and Anna Leigh. They both slipped quietly into the room.
"All right, Peanut. But I'm standing right there in the doorway, just in case." Jacob stepped back and leaned against the doorframe to the living room, crossing his arms nonchalantly.
"Thanks, Grandpa." Amanda gave him a sweet smile then turned to open the door.
Hubert Walters was standing on the porch with his hand poised to pound on the door again. "It's about damn time you opened the door! I almost froze my ass off out here!" He pushed by Amanda and stormed into the house.
"Gee, wouldn't have been much left of you then, huh? Won't you come in?" Amanda mumbled sarcastically.
"Where the hell is she?" Hubert stood in the hallway looking around impatiently.
Jacob moved forward and raised a warning hand. "Son, if you don't calm down and watch your language, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Hubert stood and glared at the older man who was several inches taller than he was. "Okay, fine. I just came to see my sister and then I'll get out of your hair."
"All right. She's in here." Jacob led Hubert into the living room where Charlie and Anna Leigh were already seated in opposite corners of the room. Jacob walked over to the loveseat and sat down next to his wife. "Have a seat, young man." He pointed to a chair across from the sofa.
"No thanks. This won't take but a minute." Hubert stood in front of the sofa and looked down at his sister. She was unusually pale, with a bruise covering her right cheekbone and several nasty looking scratches on her face. He glanced at her arm that was immobilized by the sling and smirked. "Damn, Lex…you look like hell. One of your stupid horses finally throw you?"
Lex refused to be baited. "Thanks for your concern, Hube." She leaned back and indicated the briefcase in his hand. "You got something that you want me to sign?"
He laid the leather case on the desk behind him and pulled out several papers. "Yeah… just sign on the dotted line on pages four, eight, and the last page." He handed her the papers and a pen.
The rancher took the papers and began reading the top page slowly. God, I hate all this legal mumbo-jumbo. Why can't they just print this stuff in plain English?
"Just sign the damn things! You don't have to read them, I've already checked over everything," Hubert blustered.
"Either sit down and shut up or leave and come back later. I AM going to read every word before I sign anything," Lex informed her brother coldly.
Hubert slammed his briefcase closed. "For god's sake, woman! I told you I already read it! Haven't you listened to a word I said?"
Blue eyes blazed at him. "Just how much could you have read? I don't see any pictures here." Lex's headache was back full force, and she was beginning to tire of her brother's antics.
"You bitch!" Hubert stepped towards the sofa angrily. When he reached his sister, he leaned down and grasped her shirt with both hands and yanked her to her feet. "Just sign the goddamned papers!"
Charlie jumped up and grabbed the larger man by the shoulder. "Let her go, Hubert." He pulled Hubert away from Lex while Amanda wrapped her arm around the injured woman. "I think you should leave, son."
"Get your damn hands off of me, old man!" Hubert jerked out of the sheriff's grasp. "And I'm not your son!" He grabbed his briefcase and stomped towards the door. "I want those papers at my office before five o'clock today, Lex." Hubert left the room and then the front door slammed shut. Jacob followed silently behind him.
Anna Leigh hurried over to where Amanda was helping Lex sit back down. "Goodness, dear…are you all right?" She knelt at the younger woman's feet and placed her hand on Lex's leg.
Lex smiled tiredly. "Yes, ma'am. I'm just fine." She looked around the room at the others. "I'm really sorry for that, folks," she apologized quietly.
Jacob returned from locking the front door. "Why should you apologize for him? He's a grown man, although I'm afraid he doesn't much act like one." He stepped behind the sofa and patted Lex gently on the shoulder.
"Are you sure you're okay, Lex?" Charlie studied the rancher carefully. He wanted to chase after her brother and knock some sense into the man's head. I need to find out where Hubert was on Saturday…although the thought of him tossing his own sister off that ledge makes my blood run cold.
"Relax, Charlie. He just caught me off guard, that's all. And I really didn't want to start a brawl in the Cauble's living room." Lex turned her head and winked at Amanda, who was looking at her with concern. "I'm fine, Amanda. Don't look at me like that."
Amanda smiled weakly and stared down at her lap. "Sorry." She didn't notice when everyone else left the room, leaving her alone with Lex. Her hand was gently grasped and then kissed. She looked up and saw the rancher smile at her tenderly. "What?"
The older woman studied Amanda's face for a moment. "You are so beautiful," Lex murmured as she gazed into the blonde's eyes. She released her grip and raised her hand to caress the younger woman's cheek. "Thanks for looking out for me, sweetheart. I didn't mean to sound unappreciative." Lex watched as Amanda leaned into the touch and closed her eyes. "I just hate to see you worry for no reason."
"Everything I do about you has a reason, Lex." Amanda opened her eyes and looked at her lover seriously. "Don't ask me to try and change that, because I can't. I told my grandmother that you are my entire world…but that doesn't even come close to what you mean to me."
Lex used her thumb to wipe away the single tear that dropped from her partner's green eyes. "Oh, sweetheart…I feel the same way about you." She leaned forward and kissed Amanda tenderly, then pulled back slightly so that she could make eye contact again. "I know I don't talk about my feelings very often, but you are the most precious gift that I have ever been given." Lex kissed her lover again. "I swear by everything that I am to love and cherish you for the rest of my life." The rancher searched the younger woman's face. "I love you, Amanda Lorraine Cauble… and I always will."
Amanda sat for a moment in silence. The older woman's words echoed in her mind as she wrapped her arms around Lex's neck. "I love you too, Lex," she murmured into the rancher's chest.
Chapter 8
They sat tangled together for several minutes as Lex rubbed the blonde's back with one hand comfortingly. "Why don't we go see what your grandparents and Charlie are up to?" She whispered into the smaller woman's ear. "They're probably wondering what's taking us so long." Lex kissed her head and leaned back slightly.
"That's a good idea. But, aren't you curious about those papers? Hubert said it was an inheritance." Amanda gestured to the stack of papers that Lex had dropped. She bent down and picked them up off the floor.
"Nah. He was probably just saying that so I would hurry up and sign them. For all I know, it could be another one of his get-rich-quick schemes." Lex barely spared the items in question a look.
Amanda stood and offered the rancher her hand. "I don't know; he seemed pretty adamant about getting them back in a hurry. I figured that it must involve money, knowing Hubert." She pulled Lex to her feet and wrapped an arm around her.
Lex chuckled. "I think I can make it to the kitchen under my own power, sweetheart. It's really not necessary for you to be my crutch."
"I know," Amanda smiled, "But I enjoy it." She tightened her grip on the taller woman's waist. "So just relax and let me have my fun."
"Seems like I've heard that line before," Lex teased. She enjoyed watching the blush creep across the younger woman's face.
"Ooh! I can't believe you said that!" Amanda laughed as they stepped into the kitchen. She fanned her face with her free hand.
Anna Leigh looked up at the smiling women when they entered the room. "Goodness, Mandy. You look flushed. Is everything okay?" She could tell by the smirk on the taller woman's face that everything was just fine. I'd love to know what Lexington said or did that caused that one! My, she's red! She winked at the sheriff who was sitting across from her at the table.
"Looks like someone could use a little cooling off," Charlie quipped. He raised his coffee mug at the rancher in salute. "You're looking a lot better today, Lex."
Lex allowed Amanda to seat her at the remaining chair at the table. "Thanks, Charlie. I'm feeling pretty good." Which was true, she supposed. Although this damn headache is beginning to get on my nerves, and my arm is still killing me. But, it could have been a lot worse, Lex thought tiredly. And damned if I'm not sleepy again.
"Why don't you stay for lunch, Charlie? I just cooked up a big batch of stew, and there's more than enough." Jacob could see the indecision playing on the sheriff's face. "It's the least we could do since you haven't arrested our granddaughter for her traffic indiscretions today." He got up and walked over to the stove to stir the simmering pot with a wooden spoon.
"Traffic indiscretions?" Lex glanced over at Amanda who had taken Jacob's place at the table. "Exactly what kind of indiscretions are we talking about here?" she questioned her friend.
Charlie ignored the pleading look that the blonde woman gave him. "Seems like Amanda wanted to see how many laws she could break between her office and here."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "You're exaggerating, Sheriff," she stressed his title, "I may have speeded a bit, but I don't think…"
"Sixty-four in a thirty is more thank a little bit, honey. When I saw that little Mustang fly by me, I thought I was seeing things." Charlie shook his head. "You scared me to death, young lady." I thought something serious had happened to Lex…god, the thoughts that went through my mind at that.
"I'm really sorry." Amanda looked properly chastised. "I didn't even see you behind me until I pulled up into the driveway."
Lex sighed heavily and braced her head with the hand she had propped on the table. "What am I going to do with you?" She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"We've been wondering that same question for years," Jacob chuckled. "Hope you have better luck figuring it out." He winked at his wife and returned his attention to the simmering pot on the stovetop.
"Grandpa!" The blonde woman huffed, although she couldn't hide the smile that was sneaking onto her face. "You talk as if I was a lot of trouble growing up." She shook a warning finger at Lex, who had a silly grin on her face.
Anna Leigh laughed at her granddaughter's antics. "Oh, honey…its not that you were trouble, it just seemed to find you." She saw the glint in Lex's eyes.
"I knew it!" Lex chortled, raising her head and slapping her hand down on the table. "My life has certainly gotten more exciting since you dropped into it, sweetheart."
Amanda gave the rancher an incredulous look. "That's not what Martha told me. Seems like you were always coming back to the house with something either scraped or broken."
Lex tried to look innocent. "I don't know what you're talking about." She gave Charlie an intimidating glare. Not one word, Charlie…
"Well, let's see…" Amanda closed her eyes and began to count off on her fingers. "You rolled your truck and broke your leg."
"Not my fault - the weather was bad," Lex defended.
"Uh-huh. Okay," Amanda refused to let up, especially when she saw the daring glint in her partner's eyes. "Broken ribs, which you unsuccessfully tried to hide from Martha?"
Charlie exchanged amused glances with the Caubles. These two are something else, that's for sure. I'm sure glad that Lex found someone who won't take any bull from her.
Lex bit her lip in deep thought. "Umm…" Her face brightened. "Oh, yeah! The cinch strap ripped while I was breaking a new horse. Again, not my fault." She gave the group around the table a triumphant smile.
Amanda shook her head. "How about the broken arm you had when you met my grandmother?"
The rancher was quiet for a long moment. "I honestly don't remember how that happened," she admitted ruefully. "But I'm sure it wasn't my fault either." Lex grinned when Amanda struck her tongue out at her.
"That's enough, girls." Anna Leigh admonished, then decided to change the subject. "Lexington, dear…if you don't mind me asking, what exactly were those papers about that was so important?"
"To tell you the truth, I kinda forgot all about them." Lex looked at Amanda. "Did you bring them with you, sweetheart?"
The blonde smiled and handed the stack of papers to Lex. "Of course. I'm beginning to get a little curious about them, myself."
Lex took the papers and gave the younger woman a gentle grin. "Thanks, love." She began to study the papers carefully. "Hmm…"
Amanda stood up and went to the cabinet that held the dinnerware. "I'll just get the table set for lunch." She grabbed a handful of bowls and spoons and brought them over to the table. When she placed a setting in front of Lex, she noticed that the dark-haired woman had placed the papers on the table and closed her eyes. "Lex? What's the matter? Does it tell you what this is all about?"
The rancher felt a soft touch on her shoulder and opened her eyes. "Yeah. Says that someone died last week and left Hubert and me a rather large inheritance." She looked down at her hands and released a heavy sigh.
Anna Leigh reached across the table and patted the tall woman's hand. "Honey, who passed away? Someone close to you?"
Lex looked up at the older woman with a slightly puzzled expression. "My grandmother."
"Victoria's mother? But I thought you told me that she passed away when you were a child." Anna Leigh could read the hurt and confusion on the rancher's face. She knew that both of Rawson's parents were long dead, since they had left the ranch to their only son before Lexington was even born. When Anna Leigh first met the young woman, she felt sorry for her lack of grandparents, since the rancher had told her that they were all dead.
"That's what my father had told me." Lex struggled to her feet. "If you'll excuse me, I'm really not very hungry right now." She stepped away from the table and departed the kitchen, leaving the papers behind.
Amanda looked at the shocked faces around the kitchen. "Umm…I'm going to go see…" she hurried out of the room behind her apparently distraught friend. After a quick search of the downstairs, she found Lex on the front porch, staring off into the distance. "Mind some company?"
The dark-haired woman glanced back over her shoulder. "I'm afraid I'm not very good company right now." She turned her attention back to the passing traffic.
"Okay. Then I'll just stand here with you for a bit, if you don't mind." Amanda stepped over and rubbed Lex's back. "And I always think you're good company." She felt the tense shoulders relax slightly.
Lex turned around with a small smile on her face. "Thanks, sweetheart." She reached over and brushed the hair out of the smaller woman's eyes. "Sorry I left like that. It just felt like the room was closing in on me." She leaned up tiredly against one of the support beams.
Amanda stepped closer and ran her hand up Lex's unencumbered arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's really not much to say." When Lex saw the determined look on her partner's face, she relented. "When I was about eight or nine, I asked my dad about my grandparents. Seemed like all the other kids at school were always talking about theirs, and I was curious. He told me that they were all dead, and not to bother him about it anymore." She remembered the conversation like it was yesterday…
Young Lexington came home from school excited about something she had heard in class. Her science teacher had explained that everyone received different characteristics from the people in their family, and that if they looked closely at their parent's parents, they'd see their own features on their grandparent's faces. She was curious about which family members she most looked like, and searched for her father to find the answers. "Daddy!" she went from building to building, yelling for the rancher.
Rawson Walters was in the hay barn, repairing several rotted planks in the loft. He heard his young daughter cry his name and peeked over the edge. "Up here, Lex. You want to bring me that can of nails?"
"Sure, Dad." She dropped her backpack full of schoolwork and rushed to do his bidding. Lex would follow her father all over the ranch faithfully to help out as much as a nine-year-old possibly could. She hurried up the ladder to the loft, almost dropping the nails in the process.
"Careful, there! We'd never get those all picked up." The tired man admonished, taking the can from his daughter. "What are you running around hollerin' about, Lex?"
Lex impatiently brushed her dark hair out of her eyes. "We learned some really neat stuff in school today, and I wanted to tell you about it." She held one end of the board that he was working on. "Well, I mean…I wanted to ask you something about it."
The ex-rodeo rider looked up from where he was nailing the board. "Okay, so ask." God, he hated having these kinds of talks with the youngster. She was too bright for her own good, and was always asking him questions he was uncomfortable answering.
"Well, we were talking about heredity today in science, and how we're all made up of different parts of folks in our family." Lex's eyes were bright with excitement. "Then Mr. Ramsey said that if we looked at our grandparents, we could figure out where our different features came from."
Rawson felt a cold chill start in his gut. Don't ask me about them, please…he silently begged his daughter. "Yeah? So what's your question, hon?"
The young girl didn't notice the sudden loss of color in her father's face. "Where are my grandparents, Daddy? All the other kids talked about theirs, and I didn't know what to say." She saw an unusual look cross the rancher's face, but continued, "I don't remember ever hearing anything about them, and I was wondering why."
"Your grandparents are all dead, Lex. Not much to talk about." Rawson grabbed another board and started to hammer. "And I don't talk about them because there's nothing to say, so just drop the subject." He picked up a few more nails and looked his daughter in the eye. "Why don't you get back to the house and do your homework, and we'll go ride the south section of fence before it gets dark?" The rancher knew the best way to distract the young girl was by doing work on the ranch itself.
"Okay, Daddy. I'll be back in no time!" Lex impulsively hugged her father before she took off back down the ladder, anxious to finish her homework. It wasn't until much later that Lex realized what her father had told her.
God, that hurt. Lex took and released a deep breath. "Why would he lie to me about that? What purpose could it possibly serve?"
"I don't know, honey." Amanda looked up into anguished blue eyes. "I'm sure he thought he was doing the right thing." A cold blast of air caused her to shiver violently. "Why don't we go back into the house before you add pneumonia to your list of ills?"
The rancher nodded and allowed Amanda to lead her back inside and into the living room. "You're probably right, as usual." Lex grinned at the young woman as she was guided to the loveseat near the fire. "Umm…sweetheart?" She watched as Amanda covered her legs with the quilt. "Amanda?"
Amanda looked up from where she was tucking the edges of the quilt around her lover's legs. "Yes?" She was kneeling on the floor next to Lex's feet. "Maybe I should stir up the fire." She stood up and started to walk away, when the back of her belt was grabbed from behind. "Urk!" Amanda suddenly found herself sitting in the rancher's lap.
"Stop fussing, love. You're gonna wear yourself completely out." Lex pulled the younger woman closer. "Besides, I have a better way to warm up." She leaned forward and covered Amanda's lips with her own for a long moment. Lex felt her partner's hands tangle themselves into her thick hair as she continued her loving ministrations. She pulled back regretfully to catch her breath. "God, Amanda…" she murmured, leaning her forehead against the blonde's.
"Yeah…" Amanda gasped huskily, "Me too." She heard voices coming closer, as her grandparent's tried to join them without embarrassment. "I think we're about to have company, sweetheart." She slowly slipped from Lex's lap to sit beside her. In a louder voice, Amanda asked, "What are you going to do about the forms, Lex? Do you want to sign them so I can take them back to Hubert?"
Jacob and Anna Leigh stepped into the room with large smiles on their faces. "Hello, girls." The older man chuckled, "Are you okay, Lex?" He and his wife sat down together on the nearby sofa. "Charlie sends his regrets, but he wanted to go and check into something. He said he would call you later."
Lex smiled at Amanda's grandfather. "I'm fine, Jacob. Just needed to get a little air." She felt Amanda take her hand and squeeze it reassuringly. "Sorry about running out like that."
Anna Leigh waved her hand and scoffed. "Don't you dare apologize, Lexington. We were just concerned about you." She saw her granddaughter nod slightly and smiled. "You just let us know if there's anything we can do."
"Thank you, Anna Leigh." Lex acknowledged quietly. "I may just take you up on that." She looked sideways at her partner. "I need to find out more about my grandmother. Would you…?"
Amanda pulled their linked hands up to her lips and kissed Lex's knuckles gently. "Why don't I do a little investigating, and see what I can come up with?" She looked over at her grandparents. "Would you mind if I borrowed your computer?"
"Not a bit, Peanut. Why don't I see if I can give you a hand?" Jacob stood up and followed the young woman out of the room.
Lex watched as they left the room. She took a deep breath and looked down at her lap. My grandmother. I wonder why she never tried to get in touch with me? She felt tears burn her eyes as she thought about what she had missed. She had to know that I existed, didn't she? Maybe she was ashamed of me…I'm no great prize.
"Lexington?" Anna Leigh's gentle voice broke into the rancher's musings. "Would it help to talk about it, dear?" She crossed the room to perch on the arm of the loveseat. "I've been told I'm a very good listener." Anna Leigh placed a comforting hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"I don't…maybe…" Lex shook her head and blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. "I guess I'm just trying to understand why." She closed her eyes when she felt the older woman's hand make soothing motions on her head. "Why would my father lie to me about my family? And why did they never make an effort to get in touch with me when I got older?"
Anna Leigh sighed. "I'm not certain, of course…but your mother's father tried to disown her when she married Rawson. I didn't know either of them terribly well, since both Victoria and Rawson were a bit older than Michael." She got up and sat down next to Lex on the loveseat. "I do remember the write up in the newspaper, though. They said it was quite…interesting."
Lex looked at the older woman quizzically. "Interesting? It was just a wedding."
"Well, it seems that there was a slight altercation at the reception." More like a brawl…the paper had mentioned it took hours to clean up, and several people, including the groom ended up in jail. Anna Leigh smiled gently at the younger woman. "I don't think your father got along very well with Victoria's parents."
"Just exactly what kind of altercation are we talking about?" Lex shifted slightly so that she could look directly at Anna Leigh. "And why was there a newspaper article on a simple wedding?"
The older woman shook her head. "It was so many years ago, and I may not remember the details very well."
"Please, Anna Leigh. I would really appreciate anything that you could tell me. I'm at such a loss here," Lex pleaded quietly. "Until today, I thought my grandparents had died before I was born. Maybe you can help me figure out why my father never told me about them."
Anna Leigh took a deep breath. "Okay…" She reached over to grasp Lex's hand. "But bear with me, dear…it was quite some time ago, and I didn't pay that close of attention to the gossip at the time." After the younger woman nodded, she began. "I know for a fact that the Edwards' were not too fond of their daughter's choice for a husband. Victoria was such a sweet and quiet girl, and I think that Rawson brought her out of her shell, so to speak. Travis, her father and your grandfather, was going to cut her off from the family completely, or so the gossips said." The older woman shook her head sadly. "Melanie, your grandmother, talked him into allowing the wedding to take place. At least that was the buzz around town at the time. Since they were not from around here, it was pretty big news for a girl of her social standing to marry a working man." When she read the pain in Lex's eyes, Anna Leigh apologized, "Honey…like I said before, all of this is just hearsay. We don't know what really happened."
Lex took a deep breath and tried to smile. "It's okay. I guess it just sounded a little too familiar, that's all." She saw the look of realization cross the older woman's face. "I went through something similar with Amanda's father just a month ago - hit a little too close to home."
"Oh, dear…I never thought of that." Anna Leigh gazed at the young woman sadly. "You know that Jacob and I love you as if you were I own granddaughter, don't you?"
"Yes…and believe me, you two are the best grandparents I could have ever asked for." Lex answered with a watery smile. "But I really would like to know about my family…maybe I have a great aunt or uncle out there…or even cousins." She suddenly smiled. "Or maybe my grandfather is still alive! Think he'd mind meeting me?"
Green eyes twinkled. "Mind? Good lord, child! If he is alive, he'll probably be ecstatic…you are the spitting image of your dear mother." She reached up and wiped an errant tear from the rancher's face. "Let me finish my little story, and then we'll check on Amanda and Jacob's progress in the office, okay?" She waited until Lex composed herself, then continued. "Where was I? Oh, yes. The wedding went off beautifully, they said…but things got a little…uncomfortable, at the reception. Travis had a little too much to drink, and accused Rawson of marrying his daughter for her money. Your father took that as an insult to Victoria and punched his father-in-law, which caused a large brawl to break out."
"Oh, boy. No wonder I never saw any pictures of my grandparents." Lex shook her head. "But I swear that I can remember a tall, dark-haired man at our house before my mother died."
"You probably did. I think they used to visit when your father would go out of town to the rodeos - although after Victoria's funeral, I don't believe we ever saw either one of them again. But we really didn't travel in the same social circles as the Edwards'." Anna Leigh could see the exhaustion on the rancher's face. "Why don't you let me help you upstairs, Lexington? You look completely worn out."
Lex fought off a yawn. "That bad, huh?" She blinked several times and frowned. "I swear I'm gonna quit taking those dam…uh, sorry…darn pills that old quack prescribed. They knock me on my rear."
"Let's go." Anna Leigh pulled Lex to her feet. "He prescribed those because he knew that there wasn't any other way to get you to rest and get better. I'll explain to Amanda where you are when I check on them, okay?" She wrapped a steadying arm around the trim waist. "Honey, you need to eat more…you're nothing but skin and bones."
The rancher sighed as they made their way up the stairs. "You sound like Martha." She chuckled at the answering pat on her side. "Or Amanda, for that matter. She's always on me about not eating right."
Anna Leigh tickled the taller woman's ribs. "Hush. Or I'll sic Jacob on you to fatten you up." Her husband took great delight in cooking, and was forever treating her to rich meals. "Thank goodness I still do my walking every day, or I'd be the size of a house by now."
"Now that's a threat." Lex murmured as she sat heavily on the bed. "You'd never get rid of me then." She yawned again as the older woman covered her with a blanket. "Thanks, Gramma." Lex didn't even realize what she had said as she closed her eyes tiredly.
"Any time, honey," Anna Leigh whispered, kissing the already sleeping woman's forehead. "Pleasant dreams."
Amanda was sitting at the computer searching though county records as Jacob continued to peruse the legal papers left behind by Hubert. "Can you find anything that tells where Lex's grandmother was buried?" she asked him, surfing from site to site.
"I'm afraid not, Peanut." Jacob was sitting in the chair he had pulled around next to his granddaughter. "Although I do remember hearing that they came from Dallas at one time. Maybe you could try there."
"Good idea, Grandpa. Do you know what her maiden name was?" Amanda found yet another dead end and leaned back in her chair with an exasperated breath. "Is there anyone in this town we could call that might have known them? I really want to find something for Lex."
Jacob rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't…let me think…"
"How about Reverend Nelson? Isn't he the one who performed the ceremony?" Anna Leigh answered from the doorway. "Perhaps he would know a little bit more about the Edwards' than we do." She stepped into the room and leaned up against her husband, who promptly pulled her into his lap. "Jacob! Behave yourself!"
"Not a chance, my love." The chuckling man pulled his wife close and nibbled gently on her neck. "Now what were you saying about Reverend Nelson?" Jacob tickled her ribs.
Anna Leigh slapped ineffectually at his hands. "Stop that!" she giggled. "Mandy, tell your grandfather if he doesn't stop this instant, that he'll be sleeping in the guest room." She squirmed a bit more until her husband stopped his teasing.
Amanda laughed at her grandparent's antics. That's what Lex and I am going to look like in forty years or so, I bet. They're so darn cute! "Oh, I dunno… I think I'm on his side this time."
"Traitor!" Her grandmother huffed with a smile. "Anyway, I was saying that Reverend Nelson usually keeps really good records, and if anyone knows anything about Travis or Melanie Edwards, it would probably be him."
"Great! I'll just get Lex and we'll…" Amanda had jumped up and was halfway to the doorway when she realized something. "Where is Lex, Gramma? Is she in the living room?"
The older woman escaped her husband's loving grip and stood up. "I took her upstairs to bed, sweetheart. Her medication had about gotten the best of her." Anna Leigh crossed the room to stand next to her granddaughter. "She was in shock, I think. Finding out she had a grandmother that had been alive all these years really shook her up."
Amanda looked stricken. "Oh, no…poor Lex. I should have been there for her." She started to leave the room when her grandmother stopped her.
"She's already asleep, Mandy. Lexington was fine, really." Seeing the look on the younger woman's face, she continued, "She was just the sweetest thing before she fell asleep, calling me Gramma just like you."
Jacob sauntered up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her, propping his chin on the top of her head. "That's great, sweetheart. Hopefully we can keep her in the habit when she's conscious." He winked at his granddaughter. "Why don't you go upstairs to check on her, and we'll see if we can't hunt down Reverend Nelson."
Anna Leigh nodded. "You look like you could use a little nap yourself, honey. Get some rest, and we'll call you down for an early dinner, alright?"
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm beat, even though it's only," she looked at her watch in amazement, "two o'clock? Good grief!" Amanda embraced both of her grandparents and planted kisses on their cheeks. "I'll see you both in a little bit, okay?" she turned and practically raced out of the room.
"She reminds me so much of you at that age, my love." Jacob chuckled in his wife's ear. "Never walking anywhere, always in a hurry." He ran his hands along her side in a teasing manner. "It has been a busy day…maybe we should take our own advice and get a little nap in ourselves?"
"Hmm…" Anna Leigh took her husband's hand and led him from the office. "That's the best offer I've had all day, handsome." She pulled him up the stairs and into their bedroom, closing the door behind them quietly.
Amanda shut the bedroom door and tiptoed across the room silently. She studied the still form on the bed. Lex had rolled over on her left side, draping her injured arm across Amanda's pillow. Quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping woman, Amanda slipped under the covers and gently raised Lex's arm, slowly rolling her over to her back.
"Amanda…" Lex sighed. "Love you…" she murmured in her sleep.
"I love you too, sweetheart." Amanda snuggled up next to the rancher and kissed her softly on the jaw. "Sleep well, my love. We'll get all of this mess figured out soon, I promise." She closed her eyes and joined her lover in slumber.