Taylorwood (Alexandria Whitney Mystery)

by McCarthy, G. L.

  Taylorwood

  By G. L. McCarthy

  Editors

  Julie Smith

  Stephanie Oswald

  Copyright © 2007 G. L. McCarthy All Rights Reserved

  To Mumzy Love Always

  Chapter 1

  What started out as just another normal school year, was about to be the topic of conversation for many years to come. As students and faculty headed for their first class of the new school year, no one could have ever imagined the sequence of events that were about to rock the halls of Taylorwood School for Girls.

  Alex Whitney was heading for class when she ran into the school secretary, Miss Constance North, who made it a point to make everything that happened at the school her personal business. Miss North, as she preferred to be called, instead of Ms. North, stopped Alex in the hall to tell her that some flowers had come for her, and that she had put them in her classroom. Alex thanked her and continued walking to class, wondering who could have been so sweet as to send her flowers on the first day of school. There was her lover, Dezirae, but this sort of thing was out of character for her. Dez was never much into giving flowers for any reason. Alex had several other friends, but no one she could think of that would have been so frivolous as to do something such as this. She figured she would have to wait until she read the card. Just before she reached her door, Cynthia Montgomery, the History teacher, approached her. She had become a good friend since starting last year at Taylorwood. Ms. Montgomery, who was all of 5’4” with shaggy blonde hair, looked more like a student than a teacher.

  “Hey, Alex, any chance of the two of us hooking up for lunch today?” Cynthia asked with a sly smile on her face.

  “Sure. I don’t know of another teacher I would rather eat my cold grilled cheese sandwich with than you. It’s a date,” Alex replied, just before entering the classroom where she was met with the sight of a large bouquet of red roses. As she approached her desk, her eyes searched for the card. There didn’t appear to be one. That’s odd, she thought. She wondered who would spend so much money on roses and then leave no card to get the credit. She would have to think on it some more and try to figure out who could have sent them. Just then, the first bell sounded and another school year had begun.

  By the time the lunch bell rang and the girls rushed out of class, Alex was ready for a break. The first day was always trying, as the girls were not quite ready to settle into academic mode, and were still mourning the end of summer vacation. At least the lack of distraction of boys in the classroom was one plus, but it didn’t keep the girls from daydreaming about them instead of paying attention in class.

  A few minutes later, Cynthia, who preferred to be called Cyn, blew in with all the enthusiasm of someone who really loved every minute of her job.

  “Hey girlfriend, you ready to go outside to eat or do we brown bag it in here?” Just as she was finishing her question her eyes caught sight of the flowers, “Wow! Who’s trying to impress the teacher with roses on the first day of school?” she asked with a smirk on her face as she started looking for the card.

  Alex looked up from the papers she was reading with a grin. “I have no clue as to the identity of my wealthy admirer. Do you happen to know anything about their purchase?”

  “Not me,” said Cyn. “I don’t make enough money to be spending it on an old married woman like you just for the heck of it.”

  “Who are you calling old?” Alex snapped back with a smile and a wink. Just about to turn forty-three in November, the “old” part of that remark was starting to hit home. It was also hard to think of herself as “married.” She and Dez had been living together for five years and it seemed like it was just yesterday that they had had their first date. Time sure flies when you’re in love and yes, most people that knew them did consider them a married couple.

  Alex thought back to her first encounter with Dez, a.k.a. Dr. Dezirae Anderson, Equine Veterinarian, who she had called out to take a look at her horse, Beau. Beau had broken out in a sweat from the tip of his ears to half way down his back. The veterinarian had informed her that she was tied up with another emergency, but that it sounded like an allergic reaction and if the initial reaction from the bite hadn’t killed him then he was going to be okay. She would be happy to come by and check on him as soon as she was finished with the current equine crisis.

  Alex felt quite relieved and anxious at the same time, as thinking that her beloved gelding could have died so quickly from just a bug bite was unnerving. She didn’t even want to think about the possibility of losing him.

  Dr. Anderson arrived several hours later to find Beau eating away with a large swelling on his neck and a minor case of hives. She was looking at him through the pipe corral when Alex approached, having been sitting in the shade of a big oak tree reading a lesbian romance. If you believe in love at first sight, then you will believe that Alex took one look at “Old Doc Anderson,” as the locals referred to her (who was all of thirty-two years of age), and fell madly in love hook, line and sinker.

  Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she was going to have a heart attack. She was trying to calm down when Dez saw her approaching and stated, “He seems okay, except for the hives and the swelling on his neck. My guess is that it might have been a spider that bit him.”

  Alex hardly heard anything she was saying as her heart was pounding so loudly.

  “I’m sorry. What did you say?” She felt her face flush with embarrassment at having to ask the doctor to repeat herself.

  Dez repeated her statement and then asked, “Do you want me to examine him or do you think he’s okay? It’s your call. I don’t know if you want a vet bill or not.”

  Alex’s mind raced. She wanted to keep her around for as long as it took to get up enough courage to ask her a few more questions, like “Are you seeing anyone?” and “Will you marry me?” But just then she noticed the wedding ring on her left hand and her heart fell. Damn it, just my luck, she thought. “No, I think he’s going to be okay, don’t you?” Alex’s heart had stopped pounding and all systems were returning to normal.

  Dez agreed. “Yes, I think he’ll be fine, but if you want me to I’ll stay around awhile, just to be on the safe side. I mean, I don’t have anymore appointments today and would be happy to wait a few more minutes, unless you have a date or need to be someplace?”

  “Oh no, I have no plans,” Alex blurted out, and then thought how sad it sounded. But it was the truth. She had just moved to the quaint little town and knew no one. She hadn’t been in a relationship for several years and was wondering if she would ever meet a woman who could make her heart skip a beat by just walking into the room. “I mean, I’m new to the area and really haven’t made that many friends yet,” she stated, trying to sound like it didn’t matter.

  “Oh really. Why did you move here of all places? This is not exactly a happening place.” Dez said with a quizzical smile.

  “I moved here because I took a job at Taylorwood. I’m an English teacher,” Alex replied with a questioning in her voice. Doesn’t she want to go home early to whomever she is married to?

  “Really, an English teacher at Taylorwood. I guess I never thought of an English teacher as the type who would have a horse, having to clean out the stall and all that goes with owning a horse. That sounds more like something a PE teacher would be into,” Dez remarked with a straight face.

  “I’m not sure I understand what you mean by that remark. What does being an English teacher have to do with having a horse and cleaning stalls?” She was starting to get annoyed at Dez’s questioning and felt what she did for a hobby was really no one else’s business.

  “I just
meant that you don’t seem to be the type to be an English teacher, that’s all.” Dez started to feel uncomfortable.

  “And what type would that be?” Alex asked with a look that said, you are really starting to piss me off.

  “I meant you don’t look like a prude. You look like someone who knows how to have a good time.” Dez started to realize she was getting in deeper. “I mean, I don’t remember any of my English teachers ever being as good looking as you, that’s all.” She was wondering how to end this conversation and change the subject so she could get out with her hide still intact.

  “Oh I see. I’m sorry. I get a little defensive about my lifestyle. Sometimes when people refer to my “type”, I think they’re referring to me being a lesbian. I’m sorry I misunderstood your comments.” Alex started to relax again and realized that maybe the good doctor was just kidding around with her to relieve the stress she might have been dealing with because of her beloved Beau’s emergency. “I guess I’m a little stressed out with Beau’s allergic reaction and all. I really do appreciate you coming out and offering to stay with me, but I’m sure you want to get home to your family if you have no other appointments,” Alex stated with indifference. Secretly she was envious of whoever was waiting for the good doctor to come home.

  “Family? Who said anything about a family?” Dez looked puzzled.

  “Well, I saw your wedding ring and assumed you were married, right?” Now Alex was hoping for an explanation about her possibly being in the process of getting a divorce, and that both parties were in agreement and that they would still be friends something quick and easy with a happy ending for Alex’s sake.

  “Oh the ring, it was my father’s. I wear it so people don’t assume I’m a lesbian just because I’m a vet. I mean I am a lesbian, but I hate it when people assume it. The ring keeps them guessing. I see it worked with you, and no I’m not married.”

  “Yes!” was the first thing that came out of Alex’s mouth. She said it like she had just hit a grand slam in the final game of the World Series. “I mean, I thought you were a lesbian, but with the ring and all it threw me and I thought my gaydar was way off. But now I know it wasn’t. I don’t want you to think you are obvious, not at all. I guess I’m one of those people who you were referring to as assuming and all. But I felt something.” Oh no, that was way too much information to tell someone you just met five minutes ago. Stop talking and just be quiet, before you put your foot further in your mouth. Alex just smiled and turned to pet Beau, so Dez wouldn’t see her blushing.

  Dez had mentioned to her later that she had smiled to herself also and thought that she was right about the fact that something had passed between them, and that Alex was definitely a woman worth pursuing. It didn’t hurt that Alex had deep brown eyes and soft wavy brown hair. Plus the fact that they were both the same height at 5’ 6”, and kissing would be even easier. That was five years ago, yet it seemed like just last week. Beau was living in pasture, as Alex had less time for him with school and helping Dez with her practice. She never thought that holding a horse in the hot sun with flies everywhere was romantic. But with Dez around they could be knee high in horse dung and she was happy, as long as they were together. Okay, so maybe things weren’t quite as great as they were in the beginning, but isn’t that the norm for most relationships? For the most part Alex was quite content in both her personal and professional life and felt she was a pretty lucky girl.

  Chapter 2

  “Earth to Alex.” Cyn was wondering where Alex’s mind had gone off to as she had been silent for several minutes.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just thinking back to the first time I met Dez.” She was blushing now as she felt that she may have had an odd look on her face during her journey back in time. “Let’s head for the big oak near the library to have lunch. I’m starving and the clock is ticking.”

  “Lead the way, Ms. Montgomery, and I shall get the lights on the way out.” Alex took another look at her roses as she closed the door to her classroom. She was beginning to have an odd feeling about them and their sender.

  The two friends sat under the big oak tree eating their sandwiches. Alex had her usual cold grilled cheese and Cyn had her all time favorite peanut butter, tomato and mayonnaise. Alex was thinking about her anonymous admirer and startled Cyn with her question from out of left field.

  “Why would someone send me red roses and not send a card?” Cyn was watching several girls arguing near the library. She jumped when Alex asked the question. “Red roses mean “Love” right, like from your spouse or significant other? Who else but Dez would have a reason to give me red roses?”

  “Well, maybe whoever sent them doesn’t know that they mean love. Maybe they just like red roses and the florist was having a sale.” Cyn really didn’t want to talk about who sent the flowers. She wanted to discuss her summer vacation but was looking for a convenient way to bring it up without appearing to monopolize the conversation. “I’m sure the person or persons will come forward soon enough when they think you’ve racked your brain long enough. So what did you and Dez do over the summer? Anything you would like to share or is it mushy couples stuff that we single girls really don’t want to hear about, but will endure for our friends?” This was Cyn’s opening to tell her story, as she knew Alex and Dez had never gone anywhere. There wasn’t anyone to cover Dez’s practice so they couldn’t go away on a long vacation.

  “Oh nothing special. You know, the same old stuff we do every year during my summer break work on the house and just hang out at home. And you, what exciting tales do you have to tell me about your fun filled summer?” Alex knew where Cyn’s question was headed. Being the considerate person she was though, she was prepared to hear thirty minutes of stories about the women Cyn had met and parties she had gone to on her Olivia Cruise to Turkey. Oh joy. Alex felt a little envious of her single friend’s trip and wondered if she and Dez would ever be able to get away for at least a weekend to be completely free to do whatever they wanted without the beloved “beeper” going off at the wrong time. Whoever said being a doctor’s wife was glamorous, was definitely not a doctor’s wife, or had probably never even talked to a doctor’s wife. Who are these people that come up with these sayings anyway, and where do they get their information?

  Alex felt like she was going to nod off when the five minute bell sounded the end of lunch. She was now required to return to her classroom for another three hours of trying to teach young ladies sentence structure, not to mention always having to remind them to proof read their papers before turning their assignment in. Spelling errors were one of Alex’s pet peeves and those who didn’t know that “a lot” was two words usually heard about it after class. The two friends walked back to their respective classrooms making a date for the next day’s lunch break and the continuation of Cyn’s vacation saga. Oh boy, thought Alex, I hope I can do a better job of trying to look interested.

  The rest of the afternoon classes were about the same as the morning’s, girls not really wanting to be in class and making it difficult to get rolling on any topic other than what everyone did over the summer. When the final bell sounded Alex was as happy as her students about the end of a very long first day. As she approached her truck in the faculty parking lot she noticed a note on her windshield and wondered if someone had accidentally hit it while leaving the lot. As she read the note is was quickly apparent that it wasn’t from another driver. It was from her anonymous flower sender.

  “ Dear Miss Whitney, I hope you enjoyed the flowers. I know that red roses mean love in the language of flowers, but I hope you will accept them as a gift as I wasn’t sure you would understand the meaning if I had given you cowslip. Your faithful admirer.”

  Cowslip? What is it  a flower? The note not being signed again was a little unnerving. She wanted to get home and check out what cowslip meant in the language of flowers.

  As she drove home Alex started to get angry at someone’s idea of a joke, at least that’s what
she hoped it was. She knew students got crushes on teachers all the time, but it was the beginning of the year and none of the girls she had last year seemed that interested in an old married lady. She thought of the possibility of it being one of the faculty, but they all knew she was gay and living with Dez. So who was it? If she found out she was going to have a few words with them on proper etiquette regarding leaving flowers and notes on cars.

  When Alex arrived home, Dez was parked in the garage restocking her vet truck.

  “Hey Dez, do you know what cowslip is and what it looks like?” Alex didn’t even say hello as this little mystery was totally occupying her thoughts.

  “I’m fine and how are you? Cowslip is also known as primrose. Why do you ask?” Dez could see by the expression on Alex’s face that something was troubling her.

  “Okay, so do you also know what it means in the language of flowers, Dr. Anderson?” Alex was surprised at Dez knowing what it was and was starting to think that this could be her mystery person.

  “What it means in the language of flowers, I haven’t a clue. Is there such a thing as a language of flowers? Is this a test question? Am I going to be in some kind of hot water if I don’t get the answer right? All I know about cowslip is it’s supposed to help headaches and too much can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Why?” Dez had done some research back when she was having severe headaches and looked into all kinds of alternative methods to get rid of them. Turns out all she really needed was prescription eyeglasses. She finally broke down and bought a pair and hadn’t had any trouble since. Dez always thought glasses were a sign of old age and had thought that thirty was way too young to need glasses. It was those damn medication labels that were getting harder and harder to read. It was just the drug companies saving on paper and making the type smaller. If they would just use a larger type all would have been fine and she wouldn’t have needed glasses.