Violence: There may be violence in this story, but not for a while, and not real graphic…I'm the squeamish type. So if you are into that sort of thing, go get your jollies elsewhere (sorry!).
Subtext: Yep. Nothing really graphic, probably PG-13 at the most, 'cause I ain't that talented. Two women meet and fall in love…if you can't handle it, get over it. If it's illegal where you live, I sympathize. If you're too young, grow up!
Quality Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at fanfic. If you don't like it, tell me why. If you do happen to like it, I'm glad I could amuse you for a while. Feedback is greatly appreciated. You can reach me at cb.zeer@worldnet.att.net
Chapter 15
"So…" Amanda asked, trying to keep up with Lex's long legs, "Just how big is your ranch, anyway?" She adjusted the hood on the raincoat she was wearing, another 'hand-me down', this time from Lex.
The rancher adjusted the black hat on her head. "It's a little over a thousand acres. I've been slowly building it up over the past few years." She turned to talk to the other woman, then stopped when she realized Amanda was quite a few steps behind, puffing to catch up. "Why didn't you ask me to slow down?" She asked, as the younger woman finally caught up to her.
The little blonde smiled sheepishly. "I didn't want to bother you. I just kinda forced myself on you this morning." She tried to look down at her shoes, but a strong hand gently tilted her chin up.
"You are not a bother, and with my ribs like this, will most definitely be a big help to me." She wrapped a companionable arm around Amanda. "C'mon. I'll introduce you to my friends." She led them into a large barn with stalls on each side, and a clean concrete walkway running down the middle. There were ten stalls on each side, but only about half of them were occupied.
Lex noticed the unspoken question in Amanda's eyes. "I've been slowly trying to phase out the cattle, and I'm working on making this a horse-only ranch." She opened another door, where the feed was kept.
Amanda followed her in, fascinated by all the sights and sounds around her. "Are these all the horses you have?" she asked, as the other woman opened a large barrel and pulled out a full bucket.
"Well, these are the working horses." She handed the bucket to Amanda and grabbed an empty one and dipped it into the barrel. "The rest of the horses are in one of the far pastures. We bring in a few at a time, break them, then take them to the auction to sell." She led the small blonde back into the main part of the barn, and dumped her bucket into a trough in front of one of the stalls. Amanda pointed to the next occupied one, received a nod, and followed suit. They repeated this procedure until all ten horses were fed.
"Okay, boss…" Amanda brushed her hands off, "What's next on the agenda?"
Lex laughed, and pulled her gloves out of the pocket of the duster. She began walking to the back of the barn, then opened a door, which led outside. "Next," she held the door open for her companion, "We go to the hay barn and take the cattle and the other horses their breakfast." She pointed to another building about twenty yards away.
The rain had slowed down to a slight drizzle by the time they reached the large structure. Lex opened the large double doors and waited for Amanda to proceed her.
"Wow! This place is huge!" There were stacks of hay bales that almost reached the ceiling in some places, and a large battered blue pickup truck sat alone in the middle of the room. Amanda flipped the hood off of her head and looked towards the tall woman. "Now what?" she followed the rancher to the side of the truck.
Lex got in on the driver's side. "Just let me back this up to the hay, and we'll get started loading." The truck rumbled to life, and she quickly put it in reverse and slowly rolled it back towards the hay. Once the old vehicle was in position, she grabbed another pair of gloves, slipped out from behind the wheel and moved towards the rear. Dropping the tailgate down, Lex climbed into the back and grinned. "Well? You gonna stand there all morning, or are you gonna help?" she tossed the extra gloves to the smiling blonde.
Amanda slipped on the gloves and jumped up into the rear of the truck beside her. "I'm here…what do you want me to do?"
Lex pulled off the duster and laid it over the side of the truck, leaving her in a dark blue tee shirt. Amanda couldn't help but notice the play of muscles along her back before she straightened up and turned around. "We need to load up the truck with bales of hay, then take it over to the next pasture."
She was about to grab one of the bales when a gentle hand grasped her arm. "Do you think it's wise for you to be hefting these things around?"
Lex shrugged. "Not much choice, Amanda. With all this rain, we gotta make sure that the cattle have enough to eat. Otherwise, they have a tendency to knock down the fence looking for something to munch on." She quirked an eyebrow at the young woman. "And I've already had my quota of fence building this week."
Amanda smiled and removed her hand. "At least let me help you." She grabbed the other side of the bale Lex had her hands on, and together they pulled it into the truck. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Lex shook her head and grinned. She hated to admit it, but the young woman really was a big help. I don't think my ribs would appreciate me tossing these around like I usually do, anyway. "No, but you may be singing a different song by the time we get finished today."
Amanda gave a slight frown. "I'm a lot stronger than I look, you know." She reached for another bundle of hay.
Lex stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean anything by it…I just don't want you to hurt yourself." She looked a little lost. "I really do appreciate all the help…don't think I could do it by myself today."
Amanda reached up and wrapped her hand around Lex's arm. "I'm sorry, too. I guess I've spent so long trying to prove myself, that getting defensive about my size is second nature now. You're the only person besides my grandparents who has actually believed in me." She reached for the bale. "So…are we going to stand here chatting all day, or are we going to get those animals fed?"
Lex smiled and helped her drag the bale down to the bed of the truck.
The rain started up again in earnest after they unloaded the last of the hay. Both hurried back into the truck, heaving a great sigh of relief to finally be out of the weather. Lex leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. "How much longer is this damn rain gonna last?" she sighed, taking a moment to catch her breath. She wasn't going to tell Amanda, but her ribs were really beginning to bother her again.
Amanda pushed the hood off her head. "I know what you mean. I keep expecting to see the animals begin pairing up."
The dark woman stifled a small laugh. ""Yeah…and at this rate, we may want to book passage for ourselves, as well." She turned her head and opened her eyes. "Thanks again for all the help. I'd probably still be piling hay in the truck if you weren't here."
The blonde blushed. "Well, I thought I'd better begin to earn my keep somehow." She smiled. "What's next on the program?" Hopefully lunch figures in pretty soon…I'm starving Her stomach must have agreed, because it took the opportunity to announce itself.
Lex raised an eyebrow at her. "Well…" she drawled, enjoying the blush on her companion, "I was going to suggest lunch, but I didn't know if you were hungry or not." She smirked, as Amanda's blush deepened. "Besides, Martha gets kinda upset if I'm late - and I don't want her to break any more spoons." She sat up and started the truck.
Lex and Amanda came in through the mudroom again, hanging up their soggy coats and the taller woman hanging her drenched black hat up as well. They had rinsed their feet off outside, trying to keep on Martha's good side. As they stepped into the kitchen, the housekeeper turned around and sighed, hands on her hips. "I'm so glad you're back, Lexie…your brother called, and he's in some sort of tizzy…wants you to give him a call as soon as possible." She shook her head. "Didn't even ask how you were, just demanded that you call."
Lex's jaw clenched. "Was he rude to you again, Martha?" she remembered the last time she saw Hubert here at the house.
He had come out to the ranch about some minor thing - sat down in Lex's office, and demanded that the housekeeper 'fetch' him some coffee. When she brought it, he took a sip and yelled, "Where's the cream and sugar? Can't you do anything right, old woman?" Unfortunately for him, Lex happened to walk in at just that moment. She stalked to the desk and pulled him over it by his neck. "You sonofabitch! Apologize before I snap your worthless head off!!" Martha had to forcibly pull her away, or she would have surely done just that.
Martha shook her graying head. "No honey, he wasn't. I think you scared him out of all good sense the last time." She looked over at Amanda, who seemed a little confused. "C'mon, dear. Help me set the table for lunch."
Amanda gave her a grateful smile. "Sure. Just let me go upstairs and clean up a little." She looked back at Lex, who smiled and nodded.
"Go on. I'll go into the office and get that phone call out of the way." She watched the small blonde leave, and shook her head. "Did Hubert give you any clue as to why he called?"
The older woman sat down on a nearby stool. "Yes. I just didn't want to get into it while Amanda was here…she's such a sweet thing." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "He said his old friend Rick called him," here she wrinkled her brow in distaste, "and told him Amanda would be staying out here for a while." She paused, seeing the rancher suddenly go pale. "Apparently, Mrs. Cauble had called him to let him know she wouldn't be at work for a week or so." She could see Lex visibly trembling now, fighting her anger.
"Amanda works for Rick?" barely spoken.
Martha nodded. "Yes. Didn't she…" here she paused. "Oh, that's right. You were asleep when we talked about that last night. Seems like Ricky thought it would be fun to send Amanda out here on a wild goose chase."
That explains a lot of things. "Okay, that makes sense. I'll deal with him later." She could have been killed because of his pettiness --- Bastard! "So, what's Hubert's problem?" She took a deep breath to calm down.
Martha was almost afraid to say what Hubert had 'related' to her. But she had never lied to Lex, and wasn't about to begin now. "He said he didn't want a repeat of the 'Linda fiasco.' " She held her breath, waiting for the eruption. But it didn't happen. When Martha looked into Lex's eyes, she saw quiet defeat there. Oh, no…please don't give up, Lexie…that's what he wants.
Lex sighed. "Okay. Thanks Martha. I'll just go give him a call and get it over with." She left the room without another word.
Amanda met her in the hallway. "Hey, 'bout ready for some lunch?"
The older woman stopped and turned. She looked pale and drawn. "I'm really not all that hungry right now. You and Martha go ahead, I've got to call my brother back." She turned and continued down the hall.
The small blonde looked after her quizzically. "Okay." She continued into the kitchen, where Martha was busy at the stove. "Martha? Is Lex all right?" she walked over to the counter and picked up three plates and some silverware. "I just met her in the hall, and she wasn't looking very good."
Martha shook her head. "No dear, she's not. That older brother of hers has always been a thorn in her side…he's always resented the fact that Rawson put her in charge of the ranch instead of him - after all, he's seven years older than she is. And he always guilts her into whatever he wants."
Lex closed the office door behind her and let out a deep breath. Might as well get this over with. She sat behind the heavy oak desk and dialed the number for the house in town.
She had signed the house in town over to Hubert several years ago making him move out of the ranch completely. He really didn't mind, since all he really liked about the ranch was the money it gave him. He was much happier in town, with all his 'friends - guys that usually spent the majority of their time harassing women and jumping into one 'get-rich' scheme after another. And using her trust fund money that had been left to her by her mother, she began remodeling, almost gutting the second floor entirely, turning her old bedroom and Hubert's into a large guestroom, and combining the spare upstairs room with the master bedroom. She had also built a nice cottage just off from the main house for Martha, since the older woman had absolutely refused to move into the guest room (she felt it wasn't her place), and deeded it along with twenty acres to the surprised woman (the housekeeper adamantly refused any more than that). Hubert had been furious - he had never liked the woman, since in his mind she was a replacement for his mother - whom he remembered fondly.
Hubert had been eleven when Martha came to work for them, taking over the household duties for Victoria, who had become bedridden five months into her pregnancy. He resented the heavyset woman, mainly because young Lex adored her so. And after his mother's death, she stayed on - and Lex attached herself onto her apron strings like glue. She treated the older woman like a mother, which aggravated him and his father to no end. Little Louis had worshipped the woman - calling her 'Mada' and she treated both the younger children as if they were her own.
Lex sighed as she waited for Hubert to pick up the phone. On the fourth ring, he finally answered.
"Hubert Walters…" a somewhat nasal voice intoned.
"Yeah, Hubert…this is Lex. You wanted to talk to me?" She picked up the letter opener on the desk and began to casually clean her fingernails.
"'Bout damn time you called…" he complained. "Or did your 'maid' forget to give you my message?" he asked, trying to anger her.
"Yeah, Martha gave me the message some time ago," she lied, "but I was busy." Two can play this game, Hube ol' boy.
"Busy? Doing what? Playing with your new little 'friend'?" he sneered. "That's what I was calling about…I don't want you dragging our family name through the mud again…"
Lex clutched the phone with an iron grip - she swore she could almost hear it moan under the pressure. "You bastard…" she growled.
Hubert laughed humorlessly. "What was the little trollop's name? Lulu?…no…Loretta?… nah… oh, yeah, Linda! That was her name, wasn't it?"
"You know what her name was, Hubert…she dumped you, didn't she?" Lex couldn't help it.
"Oh, yeah…but that's okay, 'cause she played for the other team. Was she good in the sack, Lex?"
Creak. Lex looked at the stainless steel letter opener she had just bent in half with one hand. "I never heard her complain, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you Hube?"
The older man realized that he had pushed his sister just about as far as he dared. "Okay, okay. Look… I just don't want your libido to get you into trouble again."
"What the hell are you talking about, Hubert?" Lex stood up, looking for something to throw.
"Aw, c'mon, Lex. Rick told me she's a cutie. She must be 'one' like you, 'cause she wouldn't even go out with him."
Lex laughed. "All that proves is she has good taste! Why is it if a woman isn't interested, men automatically think she has to be gay?"
Her brother wasn't so easily dissuaded. "C'mon, Lex - the little tart won't socialize with anyone from the office…just spends all her time with those two old farts."
Lex saw red. "Now you listen to me, Hubert - you will not speak of her or the Cauble's that way…they're good folks. A lot better than that riff-raff you run around with." She paused, to let her words sink in. "And," in a very low voice, "If I hear of you even thinking badly of any of them, I will make you regret the day you were born…Ya got that? ", she slammed down the phone before he could reply. The walls began to close in on her. Gotta get out of here for a while… she silently strode down the hallway and out the door.
They sat together at the table in silence and ate their lunch. Lex was conspicuously
absent, although they could hear her raised voice boom through the house from time to time. They heard bootsteps down the hallway, and then a door slam. Both jumped up from the table and hurried over to the window, just in time to see a tall figure walking quickly through the yard. Lex went into the barn, and a few moments later left again - this time astride a beautiful bay stallion. Horse and rider quickly disappeared into the falling rain.
"Oh dear. He must have really upset her. She never rides Thunder unless she's going to ride really hard." Martha shook her head and stepped away from the window. "C'mon honey. Let's get these dishes cleaned up, and then we'll sit and visit for a spell. She's probably gone to check the fence by the creek again."
Amanda allowed the older woman to lead her away from the window. Please be careful…
Chapter 16
Lex and Thunder rode hard for about thirty minutes, until she could feel the great beast begin to tire. Old boy, I'm gonna have to get you out more often. She also felt the need to slow down due to the complaints she was getting from her own body as well. Not the smartest thing you could have done, Lexington. They had ridden through the winter rye fields, and then through the stand of trees she and Amanda had walked through last night. She pulled the horse to a stop before they got to the road, not wanting to risk injuring either one of them in the mud.
Looking at the felled tree and halfway flipped jeep, Lex was surprised that they weren't both seriously injured. The jeep itself was leaning precariously on three wheels, the top of the tree sitting almost on top of it. Whoa…that was a close one! She reined the horse back towards the creek - Might as well see that in the daylight, too.
The old bridge was not in as bad of shape as Lex as previously feared. Only the middle section was gone, so it probably would not take that long to repair. She looked downstream, and saw the tail of the little Mustang sticking up out of the water. Hmm… an idea began to form in her mind… She turned Thunder around and headed back towards the house. Got some planning to do…
"….and then she hands me this piece of paper and says, 'Happy Birthday, Martha.' I tell you, I was never so surprised in my life. She even had me pick out everything to decorate it with. It sure was a big change from that little room in the back." The older woman wiped her eyes. She had just told Amanda how Lex had surprised her with the deed to her little cottage, where they were now sitting drinking coffee. Martha thought it was the best place to wait for the rancher, since they could sit in her living room and look out the huge picture window and see the main house and barn.
Amanda and Martha had spent the afternoon getting to know each other better. She had told the older woman about her grandparents, and some of her more favorite stories from her childhood, including the summer they found her car. Which sparked a small burst of tears when she realized that it was probably miles downstream by now. Martha had related several humorous stories about Lex, and how hard it was to raise a girl on a ranch full of men. She also told of the sad young girl who never fit in at home or at school, and how she slowly closed herself off from the pain of being different, and the loneliness of running a ranch.
"My grandmother said that Lex was about the sweetest person she had ever met. How did she get involved in the historical society?" Amanda had been wondering about this since her talk with Anna Leigh last night.
Martha laughed. "Actually, Lex did it mostly out of spite, at least at first." At Amanda's confused look, she continued. "Hubert had been really nasty towards all of us here at the ranch, and he decided he was going to become a big real estate developer. So, he had picked out the old Taylor house, and he was going to buy it and level it to the ground…wanted to turn it into a shopping center or some such nonsense. Anyway, Lex had gone into town to get the cast taken off her arm,"
"What??" Amanda gasped.
" Oh, she broke it instead of one of the horses…" she pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Where was I? Yes. She was coming out of the doctor's office and nearly tripped over your grandmother, who was hanging up a sign in the window. She was chairing a meeting of the historical society that evening to discuss the historical significance of Loren Taylor's old house. Lex read the sign, and asked Mrs. Cauble about the meeting. Then after she had gone to the meeting, she decided that it was important from a historical standpoint, not just an excuse to get back at her brother. And now she tries to help out whenever they need her. I think Mrs. Cauble uses her as 'muscle' to keep some of the more vindictive dissenters from harassing the ladies of the society, but I think Lex actually enjoys it." She smiled. "You should see her in her boots and jeans at one of their little tea parties. I don't know who has more fun, Lexie or the ladies. It's really a sight to behold. She's even hosted a couple out here, trying to get me interested."
Amanda giggled at the mental picture of Lex's dark good looks in a dainty tea party setting. She could just see the ladies with their fancy dresses and pearls, and Lex with her denim jeans and flannel shirt. "Oh, I bet that's a riot!" she laughed. "My grandmother has invited me to their meetings before, but I was afraid I'd be the only one there under sixty!" she laughed again. "Wish I would have taken her up on the invite… maybe I would have met you and Lex sooner."
The older woman smiled. "I don't know. Sometimes things are just meant to happen a certain way." She looked through the window. "And I think we should get back to the main house. Lexie just took Thunder back into the barn…she'll be a while brushing him down." She stood and took her coffee cup into the kitchen, Amanda hot on her heels.
Lex walked out of the barn and looked at the house. I've got a load of explaining to do when I walk through that door… It had been over two hours since she stormed out of the house, and now the tall rancher was…nervous. What do I say to her? She continued walking, berating herself for her childish actions. Running out of the house like my tail was on fire… real adult, Lexington. Martha would probably swat her with a spoon, and Amanda….Oh, boy… I can't believe I just took off like that…She slowly opened the back door and stepped inside. Hearing voices coming from the kitchen, Lex took a deep breath and slunk in.
Martha and Amanda were sitting at the table drinking coffee, and looked up when they heard bootsteps in the hall. "Did you have a good ride, dear?" Martha asked, standing up and going over to the stove. "I kept your plate warm, just in case." She turned and looked at Lex, who had the most confused look on her face. I do so love keeping her off balance. "Now you go upstairs and get some dry clothes on, and I'll have your lunch ready." When the younger woman opened her mouth to argue, Martha put her foot down. "Don't argue with me, Lexington Marie…you've spent way too much time out in the elements the past couple of days, and I don't want you adding pneumonia to your other ills." She shook a chubby finger in her direction. "Now git!"
Lex looked over at Amanda, who had her hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle. She quirked a sardonic brow the young woman's way, then turned and left the kitchen.
"Oh, Martha…you are absolutely vicious!" the small blonde laughed, unable to hold back her mirth. "The look on her face…"
Martha smiled and resumed her seat at the table. "She really is like an overgrown child, sometimes. I know she was expecting to get yelled at, so…" she shook her head. "She's already whipped herself about storming off, and I know her brother can be such an ass…" she picked the carafe from the center of the table and refills their mugs. " She was always tougher on herself than I ever had to be."
Minutes later they heard Lex's footsteps on the stairs. Martha stood up, walked over to the stove, and pulled out a plate piled high with food. She sat it at the empty space at the table just as the tall woman walked in. "Sit down and eat…don't let your lunch get cold." As the rancher silently took her place, Martha stopped and placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Now I expect you to eat every bite of that, young lady!" she patted her shoulder and moved towards the doorway. "I've got some chores to do, so I'll see the two of you later." She walked out the doorway, humming to herself.
Lex pushed the food around on her plate. "I'm sorry for running out like that earlier." She glanced up at the young woman beside her. "I just needed to get out for a while, and I wanted to check the fence down by the creek to see if my patch job held up."
Amanda smiled. Martha was right. She is like an overgrown kid - cute. "That's okay. Martha and I really had a good chat…she really is a wonderful person." She looked at Lex's plate. "But she might come back and throw a fit if you don't eat your lunch…" she smiled. "So how's the fence?"
Lex took a bite of food and nodded. "The fence is fine. And the bridge looks like only the middle is gone, so it shouldn't be too hard to fix. 'Course I'll have to check the supports and make sure they weren't knocked loose." She continued to eat. I hope she doesn't ask about her car. I've got to get Martha to help keep her occupied while…
"How are your ribs? All that riding couldn't have made them feel any better." Amanda questioned, knowing that the rancher had probably pushed herself to the limit today.
"Hmm?" Lex was knocked out of her musings when the young blonde laid a gentle hand on her arm. "Ribs?" she swallowed another bite. "Oh. Ribs. Right." She smiled. "A little sore, but not too bad."
A light squeeze on her arm. "So, what do you have planned for the rest of the afternoon?" Amanda took a sip of her coffee. "Is there something I can help with?"
Lex finished her lunch, not even realizing she had been hungry until she had begun to eat. "Well," she leaned back in her chair, "I thought we'd take it easy for the rest of the day." She interlocked her hands and laid them on her stomach. "It's too muddy to do anything outside, and there's not much else to do. Besides, we've got a large collection of movies in the den…and I just recently finished wiring the surround sound system. Been wanting to try it out." She stood up and carried her dishes to the sink.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Amanda took her cup and sat it in the sink as well.
Lex looked around, then ran hot water in the sink. She looked to the younger woman and grinned. "Shhh…" she placed a finger to her lips, "I just gotta tweak Martha somehow." She stuck her hands in the now soapy water.
Amanda bumped her with a hip. "Scoot over…I'll rinse and dry. No sense in you having all the fun!"
They made quick work of the dishes, and had just put them away when Martha came into the room. "What are you two up to?" she asked, as both younger women spun around and looked extremely guilty.
Amanda hid the dishtowel on the counter behind her back. "Who? Us?"
Lex smirked. "Nothing, Martha. We were going to go into the den and watch movies…you interested?" She walked towards the housekeeper, trying to keep her away from the sink.
Martha reached up and checked her forehead. "What's the matter? Are you not feeling well?" She never takes the day off. I wonder why?
The tall woman grabbed her hand and held it in her own. "I'm fine. It's just too nasty to do any work outside, and I thought Amanda would enjoy the break." She pulled the older woman into a surprise hug. "You care to join us?"
Martha returned the hug. She sure is touchy-feely lately… Not that I'm complaining. "No thank you, honey. If you're going to relax today, I think I'll go over to my place and get some things done, if it's alright with you?"
Lex stepped back. "Martha, you don't have to ask me if you want to do something - you know that."
The heavier woman smiled. "I know you say that, dear…but you run this ranch, and I respect that."
Lex thought about that. "Not exactly."
The graying head snapped up. "What do you mean by that?"
Lex motioned for Amanda to follow her out of the kitchen. "You're the one that runs this house, Martha…I just work the ranch." She stepped out behind the small blonde before Martha could say another word. Just as they reached the entry to the den they heard, "Lexington Marie Walters!!! I'm gonna take my spoon to your backside!!!"
They looked at each other and smiled. Lex led Amanda into the den. One corner had a massive fireplace. What is it with these folks and fireplaces? A huge entertainment center with a big screen TV took up an entire wall. There was a large comfortable looking leather sofa, with a heavy oak coffee table in front of it, and leather plush chairs on either side of the sofa. Lex pointed Amanda to another wall, where a bookcase full of videotapes and CD's awaited her perusal. "Go on…pick us out something to watch. I'll go beg Martha's forgiveness, and nab some sodas and popcorn."
Amanda wandered to the bookcase, in awe at the selection of videos. Comedy or drama? She smiled when she saw that the movies were grouped alphabetically, except some that were grouped by series. Mel Brooks? She has the entire collection of Mel Brooks?? She laughed. Indiana Jones, Die Hard, Star Trek…someone's an action junkie… She continued to browse through the titles, looking for something lighthearted. Sleepless in Seattle? While You Were Sleeping? Hmmm….. Ah! A Fish Called Wanda… I love that movie!! She pulled the tape from it's allocated spot, and sat it on the coffee table.
Lex walked into the room with a tray loaded with goodies. "Hope you like butter on your popcorn." She sat the tray on the coffee table. "Did you find something to your liking?" She noticed the tape on the table and picked it up. "Ah…that's one of my favorites." She took the tape and crossed the room to the entertainment center, placing the tape in the VCR. She grabbed the remote control from atop the TV and sat down on the sofa next to Amanda. "I figure we could just set the bowl between us and share," she looked at the younger woman uncertainly. "I brought some extra bowls if you'd rather…"
Amanda scooted closer to her and grinned. "Nah…why dirty up more dishes? Unless you think we can get away with washing these too?"
Lex shook her head. "Uh-uh…I'm lucky to have escaped the kitchen with my rear intact as it is!" she mock shivered.
Amanda barely bit back a giggle. "Was she really angry?"
The older woman leaned back and propped her sock feet on the coffee table. "Nah…but she did threaten." Using the remote, she turned on the TV and surround speakers. She looked over at Amanda. "Might as well take your shoes off and get comfortable."
The smaller woman grinned and complied. She put her feet up next to Lex's, and then settled back to enjoy the movie.
A couple of hours later, Martha went in search of the two. There was no sound coming from the den, and the only light was that of the fireplace. Peeking inside the door, she saw Lex slumped back against the sofa sound asleep, her feet propped on the coffee table. Well, at least she wasn't wearing boots this time. But the biggest surprise was her companion. Amanda was curled up against the rancher asleep, her head pillowed on a broad shoulder, and her arm wrapped tightly around the dark woman's waist. Lex had her arm gently over Amanda's shoulders, her head leaning up against the blonde's. Martha smiled, and tiptoed back to the kitchen to begin dinner.
Amanda woke a little time later, somewhat disoriented. She was warm and quite comfortable, at least until she realized where she was. Amanda thought about getting up, but when she glanced at the still sleeping woman next to her, she didn't have the heart to disturb her. She looks so tired. The young woman was still studying her companion when she felt the arm around her tighten.
Blue eyes blinked open, looking for the moment as confused as she herself had been upon wakening. Lex quickly removed her arm. "Ummm…I'm sorry about that…" she struggled to sit up. "I didn't mean…" she looked a little panicky.
Amanda smiled, and gently patted her stomach. "Don't worry about it - I kinda climbed all over you like you were my own personal mattress." She sat up and stretched. "That was a good nap, though."
Lex cautiously stretched as well. "Yeah, it was. Guess I was still pretty tired from last night."
Amanda looked at the clock on the wall. "Me too. It's early evening, don'tcha think?"
Lex looked at her, puzzled. "Yeah, I guess so. Why?"
"Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to call my grandparents and see how they're doing."
The older woman stood up and smiled. "You don't have to ask permission to use the phone." She held out a hand. "C'mon. I'll let you use the phone in the office so you'll have some privacy."
Amanda accepted the hand and allowed herself to be pulled up. "Thanks."
Lex escorted the younger woman into the office and around the desk. "Siddown. Just push a button for an outgoing line. We have three lines coming in, but the computer is hooked up to the third." She turned to leave. "Take all the time you need. I'll be in the kitchen harassing Martha." She winked and walked out the door.
Amanda's eyes followed the dark woman out the door as she picked up the phone to call out.
The phone rang twice, and her grandfather answered. "Hello?"
"Grandpa Jake? How are you feeling?"
A deep chuckle. "Just great, Peanut. We just got back from the movies about twenty minutes ago." He noticed the happy lilt in her voice. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"
Amanda let out a happy breath. "I'm doing much better today, Grandpa. I helped Lex feed the horses, and then we took hay to the cattle." She paused, thinking about earlier today. "After lunch we sat down and watched a movie."
He laughed. "Sounds like you've had a busy day."
"Well, not really. I'm trying to keep Lex from overdoing it because of her broken ribs." Oops! Now how do I explain that?
Jacob cursed. "Broken ribs?" Anna Leigh came into the room. "What's the matter, sweetheart? Is that Mandy?" she grabbed another phone. "Mandy? Is everything okay?"
Amanda hid her face in her hand. Time to bite the bullet, I guess. "I'm fine. Lex broke a couple of ribs yesterday."
Anna Leigh sighed. "Is she all right?"
"She's sore today, but I think she'll be okay."
"Peanut, how did her ribs get broken? Was she in an accident?" her grandfather asked.
Amanda rubbed her eyes. "Okay, I'll tell you, but you've got to promise to stay calm, okay?"
Both Jacob and Anna Leigh complied. "Okay, sweetheart, go ahead and tell us." Anna Leigh said, taking the cordless phone and perching on the arm of the chair Jacob was sitting in, grasping his hand.
"You remember when I told you I was on my way to Lex's yesterday, because of an appointment sheet Rick gave me?" she asked them.
"Yes… And I'm still pretty hacked off at the little turd." Anna Leigh grumbled.
"Okay… well, anyway, I followed his directions, and finally found the road to Lex's place. I was crossing the old wooden bridge, when a tree came out of nowhere and crashed right into the bridge!" she paused here, unsure if she wanted to go on.
"Go ahead, Peanut… I know it's hard.." her grandfather encouraged.
"Umm… the bridge broke in half, and my car fell into the creek." Silence. "I must have hit my head, because the next thing I remember is being tied on Lex's back, and she's pulling us across the creek." She only heard breathing from the other end of the phone, so she continued on. " From what I understand, once we were about halfway across the creek, Lex was hit by some debris, which slammed into her chest, and gave her a nasty gash."
Jacob finally spoke up. "Are you okay? Why didn't you tell us this last night, Peanut?"
"I'm fine…I didn't want you to worry….and I have to admit, I was kinda woozy last night."
Anna Leigh sighed. "Mandy, please don't feel that you have to cushion us from things…I'm just very glad you're alright." She paused. "And Lexington really means a lot to me as well…I'm glad she'll be alright."
"Thanks, Gramma…she means a lot to me too…" Amanda feels tears tickling her eyes. "She's very special to me…" She had to tell someone how she was feeling…her grandparents knew she was gay, and had always been very supportive of her. "I only met her yesterday, yet I feel like we've been together forever…Is something wrong with me?"
Jacob chuckled. "Honey, I felt the same way the first time I saw your grandmother. She became my whole world the first time our eyes met…" he kissed the hand he was holding.
Anna Leigh joined in. "That's true, sweetheart. I felt as if we were destined to meet. My mother once said, 'Two old souls meeting again for the first time…' Is this what you felt when you met Lexington?"
Amanda had to tell the truth. "I feel more complete around her, Gramma."
Anna Leigh laughed. "I understand completely, dear. Does she know how you feel?"
"Oh, good Lord, no! I'd probably scare her out of ten years!" Amanda gasped.
"I don't think so, sweetheart." Anna Leigh answered.
Amanda was at a loss. "What do you mean by that?"
Jacob, who had been silent so far, chuckled. "Oh, Peanut… I keep forgetting you haven't lived here…Lexington certainly shook up the town gossips a couple of years ago… But I think you should ask her about it." He gave her a minute to think about that. "Let me put it this way…I don't think anything you could say would shock her."
Anna Leigh took over. "True…the poor girl has been through a lot in the past couple of years…Do you care for her, honey?"
Amanda choked back a sob. "More than I thought possible, Gramma. She's become such a deep part of me in such a short amount of time…"
Her grandmother clucked. "Now you listen to me…I think she's a wonderful person, but she has a tendency not to think that way…"
Jacob spoke up. "Is there anything we can bring to you, Peanut? I'm sure we could find a way to get it across that damn creek."
Amanda laughed out loud. "No, Grandpa Jake…Lex and Martha have made sure I have everything I need. But thanks for asking. I guess I'll let you go now…"
Both grandparents laughed. "Okay, sweetheart, but let us know if you need anything, okay?" Anna Leigh asked. "Give us a call again tomorrow. We'll just be goofing off around the house."
Amanda smiled. "Okay… I love you both… I'll talk to you tomorrow…Goodnight." She hung up the phone, somewhat relieved that she had told them the truth about her accident. They took that well. Guess since I'm still alive and kicking it doesn't sound so bad.
Chapter 17
Lex wandered back into the kitchen, a smile still gracing her dark features.
Martha turned from the pantry, her eyes twinkling. "Did you enjoy your movie dear?" She began to carry an armful of items across the kitchen, only to have the tall woman cross the room and take them out of your hands.
"What do you mean by that?" Lex followed the housekeeper like a lost puppy. "Where do you want this stuff?" She was continually amazed at how Martha could take such an array of foodstuffs and turn them into wonderful meals. I would have starved to death a long time ago, if it wasn't for her.
"Just sit it on the counter there." She patted Lex on the back. "And I didn't mean anything by what I said - just asked a simple question. Why are you getting so defensive, honey?" She turned and studied the young woman.
"I'm not defensive!" Lex snapped, then sighed. "Yeah, I guess I am. Sorry Martha. You didn't deserve that." She leaned on the sink and stared out the window, vaguely noticing the rain had finally stopped. "This can't be happening…"
Martha walked up and wrapped an arm around her. "What's that, sweetheart?"
Lex turned and looked down at the slightly wrinkled features. "I'm not sure…but this feels so…so different."
The housekeeper nodded knowingly. "And you're scared?"
The rancher blinked, then swallowed hard. "Terrified," she whispered, "I don't think I could go through that again." She paused, "I don't know if I want to go though that again." Lex shook her head. "Mute point, anyway." She took a deep breath and audibly blew it out. "Anyway, I came to ask a favor of you. I need you to keep Amanda occupied for a couple of hours tomorrow - I'm working on a little surprise for her."
Martha accepted the change in topics, for now. "Okay, I'm sure I can come up with something, but you have to tell me what you're up to first." She stood back and placed her hands on her ample hips, trying to assume a threatening manner.
Lex almost laughed at the older woman's attempt at toughness. She cleared her throat. "Did she tell you about the car she was driving yesterday?"
Martha nodded. "My heart nearly broke in two when she realized that it was probably gone forever." She noticed the gleam in the rancher's eyes. "What?"
Lex smiled. "I don't know how, but her car is still in the same place it was when I pulled her out of it last night. By tomorrow the creek should be down enough for me to tie it to the jeep and pull it back to the house."
Martha smiled. "You're not…"
The dark-headed woman nodded. "Yep. Figure I can hide it in the maintenance shed until I get it cleaned up enough to run - then we can take it into town and have the seats and carpets cleaned."
The housekeeper smiled. "You are devious, aren't you? She'll be thrilled. But how long do you think you can keep this a secret? That little girl is pretty darn sharp."
"I know. That's why I'm going to need your help - she really wants to help you out around the house, maybe…"
Martha waved her arm. "Okay, I'll try to keep her busy. But are you sure it's a good idea to try and pull that car out alone? Broken ribs do not heal overnight, even for you." She had always been amazed at the girl's recuperative powers. Must be a high metabolism. "And that reminds me, you are going to go upstairs right now and let me re-bandage those ribs and put some more salve on that scrape, aren't you?"
She knew when she'd been beaten. Lex sighed. "Yes ma'am. Right behind you, ma'am. Whatever you say, ma'am."
Martha lightly backhanded her in the stomach. "Enough of your lip, young lady! You're not too big for me to use my spoon on, you know." They both laughed as they went upstairs.
Amanda hung the phone and stared at it. Both her grandparents seemed quite fond of the young rancher, and it appeared that they had known her for some time. She turned her attention to the desk - uncluttered, the only object that looked out of place was a u-shaped piece of metal. Amanda picked up the item and studied it. Looks like…a letter opener? She tried to straighten it out, but even with both hands the steel would not budge. I have a pretty good idea when this happened. The thought of that kind of strength mixed with anger should have frightened her, but for some reason Amanda felt strangely comforted. She heard footsteps above her and smiled. I wonder what those two are up to now. Then she heard a scream. What the… The small blonde was out of the office and running up the stairs in a flash. She skidded to a halt at the master bathroom door.
Lex was standing in the bathroom shirtless, her back against the wall. "Damnit, Martha! Have you been storing that mess in the freezer or something? That stuff is ice cold!" she whined, trying to fend off the determined housekeeper, who continued to spread the salve on her injured chest.
"Stop your complaining Lexie…I'm almost finished."
They both turned to see a breathless Amanda standing at the door. "I heard a scream," she puffed, "Is everything all right?" she leaned against the doorframe, trying to catch her breath.
Martha laughed. "Lexie was just being a big baby."
"Hey, you'd scream too if she was trying to turn you into a human popsicle!" the tall woman complained.
Amanda laughed and shook her head. "I thought something horrible had happened." She couldn't help but notice the strong body still leaning against the wall. Down, Mandy…you'd just give her another reason to scream. But then something her grandparents had hinted about drifted into her mind. Hmmm…Maybe…? She realized belatedly that someone was speaking to her. "Sorry, what?" Amanda turned her attention back to Martha, who had directed a question to her.
"I was just wondering if you were still interested in helping me around the house. I've been wanting to re-arrange the cabinets and pantry, and I was going to draft Lexie into helping me, but I don't want her putting any strain on those ribs."
The person in question snorted, then gasped as Martha pulled the bandage tightly against her chest. "Ouch! You trying to kill me?" she grumbled.
The housekeeper gently slapped her on her good side. "Hush! I'd be finished a lot faster if you didn't squirm so darn much." She pulled the material tight again, getting a groan. "There. Amanda, could you hand me the safety pins on the counter, please?" she held out a hand.
The young blonde stepped further into the room to pick up the requested items. She handed them to the heavyset woman, and then picked up the flannel shirt that had been lying next to them.
"Stay still, or I'll end up poking you, Lexie." Martha admonished her patient. "I swear, you're worse now than when you were a child!" she finally completed pinning the bandage and stepped back.
Amanda moved forward and held out the shirt to Lex. She was trying very hard not to smile, but by the look on the tall woman's face, she had failed miserably. "Here, put this back on, it'll help warm you up." Although it feels pretty warm in here right now, to me anyway.
"Thanks." Lex took the shirt with trembling hands. I gotta grip a grip, here… She slowly pulled the shirt on, but her hands were shaking so bad she couldn't seem to get it buttoned. What's going on with me? This is ridiculous!
Amanda noticed the difficulty Lex was having, but assumed it was due to pain or the aftereffects of the cold salve. "Here," she stepped closer, "Let me give you a hand." She took over the buttoning duties, finishing the job quickly.
Martha smiled to herself and left. Mute point, eh Lexie? I don't think so. Neither woman noticed as she slipped quietly out the door.
Lex looked down into Amanda's face. Being this close, she could see golden flecks sparkling in those bright green eyes. She almost stopped breathing when the young woman edged closer.
Ring!
Both women jumped. Amanda stepped back, startled by what she had almost done. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Where's your head, Mandy?
The tall woman was berating herself as well. Great! Probably scared her to death, just look at her face! She moved past the little blonde, heading towards the bedside table. "Excuse me…I'd better see who that is." The phone had only rung once, and she was reasonably certain that Martha had picked it up. Saved by the bell - if I'd stayed in there much longer, I would have scooped her up and tossed her on the bed. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she picked up the phone.
Martha was speaking calmly to…Hubert…figures. He's always had impeccable timing. "Hello, Hubert. What do you want now?" Lex could hear the housekeeper release a soft sigh. "It's okay Martha, I've got it." The other phone clicked quietly. "Well? Did you call for a reason, or are you just trying to piss me off?" She growled, her nerves on edge.
"Nice to talk to you too, sis. Do I have to have a reason to call?" his nasal tones oozed insincerity.
"You always have. Now what have you called to complain about today?" She could feel her body clench up, causing her newly wrapped ribs to ache.
Her brother laughed. "You are such a hardass, dear little sister. Okay, as a matter of fact, I do have a reason for calling."
"Are you going to tell me sometime tonight?" her teeth ground together.
"Chill, sweetie…I just came across some property on the county books, and I think we could pick it up for a song. I just need a little extra capital to get the ball rolling."
Lex was about to let him have it, when she felt a gentle hand on her arm. She took a steadying breath. "Why would I give you money for another one of your real estate schemes? I told you months ago I wasn't going to lend you any more - what makes you think I'd change my mind now?"
Amanda led her gently to the bed and sat her down. She slide her hand down the tense arm gently prying Lex's fisted hand open placing her own hand in it.
"I just thought you would help me out, since I was willing to help you out." He wheedled.
Lex's voice trembled with suppressed rage. "And just how are you supposedly helping me out?"
"Well, since you've got a 'houseguest' out there, I'm offering to try to keep it quiet for you. No sense in your little 'friend's' reputation getting damaged, right?"
Lex shot off the bed. "You sonofabitch!!!" she exploded, "If you cause any trouble for Amanda or her family, I will personally take care of any aspirations you may have about fatherhood, brother or not!" she paced back and forth across the room, her face flushed with anger. "So don't you dare try to blackmail me for your idiotic little schemes, you little shit!" She turned off the phone and slammed it onto its base, then turned and looked over at Amanda. "Sorry about that."
The small woman was sitting on the bed, eyes wide. "What was that all about?" She was about halfway afraid of the answer.
Lex walked over and sat down in one of the chairs by the fireplace, defeat in her posture. "Why don't you come over here and sit down - it's kind of a long story."