Joint Venture

by Tey Holden

  Karen chuckled and Addy kissed her on the cheek. “Do you need anything?”

  “No. I’m fine.” Karen placed her elbow on the kitchen counter and rested her face on her hand and stared at Addy with a smile on her face. Addy continued with her chores.

  “Are you going to be looking at me all day?” Addy asked.

  “Yes, that is all I want to do today. I want to savor every moment of my beautiful life.”

  Addy came close and brushed her hair back. “I’m flattered that you are savoring me, green eyes, but the problem is that you are turning me on and that presents a serious problem since you are out of commission. So, go sit in the family room and rest.”

  “Who said I was out of commission?”

  Addy gave her a questioning look, cocking her right eyebrow in her usual way.

  “I said mine are not ready for action, but that doesn’t mean yours aren’t.” Karen wiggled her eyebrows, knowing that the gesture would get to Addy.

  Addy smiled and stepped forward pretending to straighten her shirt collar. “Very funny Larsen. I would take you on, and I might have to if this convalescence lasts too long, but for now, I think we should play it safe for the sake of the tiny ones. I’m going to give you a rain check.” Her tone became serious. “I don’t want you getting hurt. We can wait. Won’t be the first time I’ve waited for you.” Her look was very naughty.

  Karen smiled. “Okay, but if there’s imminent need, let me know and we’ll figure out a way. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve circumvented physical impossibilities.” They smiled remembering the times during the pregnancy when Karen was huge and still they found ways to please each other.

  “I have to go now, Ms. Larsen. Before our minds begin to get creative. I have a meeting in town with the Health Department Commissioner. Remember?”

  Karen smiled and gasped. “I almost forgot! Go get ready. I’ll finish cleaning the kitchen. Go!”

  When Addy came back downstairs, she looked stunning wearing her tan suit and orange silk blouse. Her gold loop earrings and her bracelet and, of course, her gold and diamond band on her left finger completed the picture of a highly sophisticated, vibrant woman with an air of youth.

  “Maybe I should go with you and make clear to all those people that this turf has a ‘taken’ sign on it. You look stunning, baby.”

  “Thanks, sweetie,” she kissed Karen, “but I don’t think you need to reclaim your turf. It’s well claimed already. Ta ta!” Karen smiled still looking at the door that closed behind her lovely brunette.

  Part 14

  The meeting on establishing a hospital, with the Health Commissioner, was successful. It was not just the Commissioner who came to meet with Addy, but an entire committee. She presented the problem, and her plan as a solution. The number of people, and certainly the number of the aging population in the town’s vicinity justified more medical services. Three weeks later she got word that the committee had approved an urgent care clinic for Altee, and although it was an achievement, she was not happy. “That is not what I proposed, or what I want!”

  “M’Addy, but at least we are getting something.” Alex commented trying to look at the positive side of the matter.

  “Yes, but it’s not good enough. I will not accept it.”

  “So, what are you going to do?” Karen asked.

  “If we accept this mini nothing they are giving us now, they will never improve upon it. They will say that we already have basic services, and that they need to fund other areas that don’t even have the basic services.”

  “You may have a point there. So, what do you propose doing?” Karen again asked.

  “Go bigger.”

  Karen raised her eyebrows. “How?”

  Alex listened attentively, unbelieving the extent of her mom’s audacity.

  “I thought this could happen, and I have a plan B.” She gestured to Karen, with her index finger as a reminder that her business visions were not just based on impulse. Karen smiled knowing that, however her mind worked, Addy always had a well-thought-out plan. Although, Addy’s ideas often appeared to be impulsive, it was not for lack of planning, but for the enthusiasm and energy with which she conveyed them.

  “I’ll talk to the Chairs of the nearby councils. If we can’t have our own hospital in Altee, maybe we can have a regional one in a central location accessible to all. I wouldn’t mind driving twenty minutes, if it saved me a trip to Edinburgh. Maybe that will be more appealing to all.”

  When Addy proposed the new plan, everyone jumped on the bandwagon and a strategy was developed. By the end of the year the new hospital was breaking ground. The new regional hospital would provide all the services necessary, including labs and an imaging center. There would be specialists assigned to the hospital who would have regular days, or who could be called on an as needed basis. There would be an outpatient center and a surgical wing with a first-responder trauma center. It would also have a heliport. The approval and building of the facility was the greatest achievement of Addy’s administration, which was indeed a remarkable accomplishment.

  Ms. Simmons also got her wish and the ambulatory library became real, providing books and reading programs for citizens who could not come to the library in town. The farm subsidies were also upheld, roads were improved, and a direct bus line, and a commuter park-and-ride were established between Altee and Edinburgh.

  There were also regulations developed for sheep road crossings, which was a matter of the most importance in Addy’s agenda. She still remembered how avoiding sheep on the road made her drive straight into that ravine which culminated on the death of a cow. The one story for which, intimately, Addy became known as ‘the butcher.’

  Also, during Addy’s administration, all public buildings were painted. She raised the taxes of the higher-income citizens, which was primarily them, only because she thought it was a way for them to give back to a community which had given them so much. They had always been happy in Altee from day one, and they were always grateful for that happiness. They had also never forgotten how the town came to their help in the custody battle for Alex against Karen’s vicious family. When the hospital opened, two years later, Addy felt that her main job was accomplished.

  “M’Addy, you are the best Chair this town has ever had and you are leaving your mark with this building.” Alex pointed to the hospital. “I’m sure that you will be reelected in a jiffy.”

  “Thanks, Alex. Your compliment means more to me than anything else.”

  ***

  While Addy was busy administering Altee, and Karen working in her law firm, Alex made her debut into high school. At fourteen, she continued to excel. During her freshman year, she made the varsity soccer and basketball teams and was very good at both sports. She also joined the drama club, the debate club and was her class representative to the student council. She was already a black belt in karate and continued to practice to master her art.

  In addition to her sports skills, she continued to travel with her mothers every summer. Between her travels, language classes, and her practice at home with Addy and Karen, she became fluent in Spanish and French. Her academics were also outstanding, always scoring at the highest level. The summer after her freshman year she went for a four-week enrichment program at the University of Edinburgh and on the summer of her sophomore year she took a six-week internship at St. Andrews University.

  By the time Alex was in her sophomore year, on account of all her attributes and skills, she was very popular in school. The teachers loved her, all the girls wanted to be her friend, and the boys wanted to date her and have her as a girlfriend. She was constantly asked on dates, but she rejected them all simply stating that she was not allowed to date. The latter was true, but it also made for a good excuse, to not make the guys feel officially rejected. She always preferred to go out in groups, because that way she wouldn’t have to deal with any teenager slobbering all over her. She really did not like any of the boys and found them all to be imm
ature, or conceited.

  Although, Alex was very mature, every time she spent time away from home, even in the safest environments, Addy was a pack of nerves. Karen was always glad that Addy had taken the role of the over-protective parent because that way she came across as the ‘cool’ parent. Addy, however, knew there was nothing cool about Karen and that the woman wished she could have packed the two of them in a suit case and hidden them somewhere in the house.

  “The one thing I will not do, Addy, and I’m telling you now, is spy on her.” But she did, only a couple of times, though, and only to find out that Alex had stuck to what she had said, and from that day on, they trusted her.

  They also were at ease most of the time because Alex was not a ‘crazy head.” She was responsible and always hung out with a good crowd of kids. The women really had no complaints about her. Another important thing in her relationship with the moms was that they had great communication. Alex never hesitated to come to them with problems or questions, probably because the moms were always helpful and although sometimes they got on her case, they were never overly harsh and tried to understand Alex’s point of view. For her part, Alex knew that the moms loved her and that she owed great deference and respect to that love. Alex simply adored them and that made for the best mother-daughter relationship.

  However, as with any teenager there were those moments when things were said that resolved nothing and were hurtful to all. Things that a mother would always forgive, of course, but that nevertheless hurt at the time. These were the kinds of things that, having happened, made the child grow and appreciate their parents more, and so this happened with Alex at age fifteen.

  On this particular occasion, Alex wanted to go fox hunting at a friend’s summerhouse in Ireland, where the sport was still legal. Fox hunting had been illegal in Scotland for several years. The friend was the daughter of a prominent Irish family. The family lived in Scotland because the father had businesses in Glasgow, but the friend’s grandparents lived in Ireland. Neither woman wanted her to go because they thought that fox hunting was risky and dangerous.

  Alex was mad and argued that she was already fifteen, and that she was a good rider because she had been riding since she was five years old. There was no question about her riding skills, the problem was that she had never been on a foxhunt and had no idea what it was like, for that matter, neither did Karen, or Addy. What they had heard in regards to the event, they had not liked. All in all, they thought it was dangerous, and unnecessary for her to go.

  “Why would you want to do such a thing?” Addy asked.

  “For the fun, and because it’s different. I don’t want to hang around here all day doing nothing while my friends are having all the fun in the world!”

  “Killing animals is not fun. And be careful Peanut Crunchy is listening.” Karen smirked.

  Alex went on and on and on, and the women just listened to her and after a while said nothing more because there seemed no way to explain, or convince Alex of their reasons. After Alex made the last statement about her friends having fun while she remained bored at home, Karen could not take it anymore and turned her back to her and stopped paying attention. The gesture made Alex furious and it was then when she started to raise her voice to Karen.

  “It’s not fair! You are being ridiculous and unfair and it doesn’t become you, mother!” As she made her statement, she raised her voice to the point that she was almost yelling at Karen.

  “Alex! Don’t yell at your mother. That is enough, young lady. You are not going period!” Addy had never spoken so tough to her in all her years, but she was not going to tolerate Alex disrespecting Karen.

  “You can’t tell me what to do! You are not even my real mother!” The minute she said it, she was sorry. The horror of her statement shattered her and the immediate regret was written all over her face. Addy remained quiet, looked away, turned around and walked out to the patio.

  Simultaneously to the statement, Karen got up from the sofa as if she had fire under her seat. She was livid. Alex had done something she would never allow anyone to do, not even her own daughter. No one had ever offended Addy in her presence. Karen’s fury was such that Alex panicked when she saw her mom’s face, and alongside watched Addy leave.

  “I’m sorry, mom. I’m so sorry!”

  “What have you done, Alexandra? What have you done?” Karen’s voice cracked. Karen was so angry she almost couldn’t speak. She was seething. “How dare you? How dare you?” She thought it better to take a few minutes before taking any action because she was afraid of what she might say. Karen looked at her while trying to calm down, but at the same time with an air of indignation that was self-explanatory. “Go to your room. Get out of my sight! Now!” Karen almost never raised her voice, and today she screamed at her daughter at the top of her lungs with anger unknown to her.

  Alex panicked and ran upstairs. From the patio, Addy heard Karen’s ear-piercing command. Karen immediately came outside looking for Addy. “Addy!” She wrapped her arms from behind around the woman she adored and buried her face into her hair. Karen was trembling, and so was Addy.

  Still Addy patted her hand trying to calm her. She knew Karen was as hurt as she was, or more. “She didn’t mean it, Ker. She’s mad and she is being a typical teenager. She’ll come around.”

  “I’ll talk to her. I couldn’t now. I need time to calm down for her sake. I don’t want to risk strangling her.” Addy chuckled, and Karen turned her around and held her. They were both still trembling.

  In her room, Alex was hysterical. She realized the pain she’d caused. She hurt also not knowing what to do, how to fix this awful thing she’d done. She’d never be forgiven. She knew the bond between her mothers. She knew what she stood to lose, what if she’d lost them both. How could she have been so cruel to the woman that was everything to her? There was no forgiveness for her. She cried and cried and then she just sat on her desk chair numb.

  An hour later, Karen walked into her room.

  “Mom, is she alright? Is she very mad at me? I’m so sorry mom. I didn’t realize what I was saying. I was mad. I shouldn’t have said what I said. M’Addy is like a mom to me. I was mad.”

  “Stop right there. There are two things I need to say to you regarding what you’ve just said. First, you may be surprised to know, as I was, that she is not mad at you. She thinks you didn’t mean it, and that you only said it because you were mad at us.”

  “Good because that’s just what happened.”

  “That is not all. I said there are two things I need to say. The second thing is that I need to correct your statement that Addy is ‘like a mom to you.’ You see, you are already fifteen and it’s about time you know something very special about that woman that you think is ‘like a mom’ to you.”

  “But I know she is. She showed me the adoption papers a long time ago. I know she adopted me, and that legally I am her daughter also.”

  “Yes, that is true. Legally you are her daughter. But that’s just a piece of paper to comply with conventionalism. But that is not the only real reason for which you are her daughter.” Karen took a chair and sat in front of her. “What I’m about to tell you may be a shock to you, but I need to tell you. It’s imperative that you know how you came about.” She paused and took a deep breath.

  “I will preempt your possible shock by telling you that I love you, and that you and Addy are all that matter in my life. I need to tell you this so that you can begin to comprehend the love between your mother and me, our love for you, and your place in this house.” She took another deep breath, the seriousness of her tone made Alex anxious.

  “You are my biological daughter, and I have a scar on my belly to prove it, but when Addy and I agreed to have you, it was not I who initially dreamed you.”

  Alex listened in awe. “Never, do you hear me? Never, ever in my wildest dream did I think I would ever have a child, it was Addy who wanted you.” She emphasized the last statement. “She created you in
her mind and convinced me to have you.” She paused noticing that Alex was surprised. Karen smirked. “It gets better.” Alex continued to listen. “She wanted me to have a baby because I had no blood family, and because she thought that if anything ever happened to her I wouldn’t be left in this world without anyone to love. The baby she wanted, she wanted for me, not for her.” Karen’s jaw clenched, and Alex could see the muscles in her mother’s face tighten. Alex was numb, watching and listening.

  “So, the only reason in the world for which I had you was because that woman downstairs wanted you, and because she asked me to have you. I had you because I love her, and because I would never deny her anything. In other words, she wanted you for me, and I had you for her. Do you understand that? Do you see what happened? We planned you and we wanted you, but we each wanted you for the other. Such is our love for each other and for you.” Alex was in tears.

  “And she was with me every single second of those terrible nine months. Through morning sickness, vomiting, and the living hell that it was. She was there all the time. She was also there when the doctor delivered you, and it was she who took you in her arms straight from my belly when the doctor handed you over to her. She later took care of both of us. And I’m certain that you wouldn’t have survived childhood had it not been for her because I couldn’t even figure out how to feed you!” Karen paused while Alex continued to sniffle.

  “There’s more. If you take a look at the adoption papers, you will notice that they are dated the very same day you were born. All the papers had been drafted months in advance because I wanted it that way. I wanted you to be as much hers as mine. In fact, the day you were born, I told her that you were my gift of love to her. I would have never had you, had it not been for her.” Karen was now in tears also. “You are hers as much as mine. I only carried you in my body, and later facilitated in whatever way I could, in my very clumsy way, for the past fifteen years.”

  Alex was sobbing when Karen got up to leave. From the door, she said her final words. “She may not be your biological mother, but if you are here today it is only because of her. The woman you think is ‘like a mother to you,’ is more than your mother, she’s your god!” Karen’s voice cracked. “She created you, she loves you, and she has also already forgiven you. And no one raises her voice, or offends her in my presence. Not even you.” Karen left the room emotionally shaken and with tears in her eyes. Alex remained in her room again sobbing.