Aspen's Blaise

by Sarah Markel

  “Thank you all,” Josh’s voice was thick with emotion as he spoke to the rest of the room’s occupants, “You don’t know what it means to me that my sister has so many people who care for her.” Before anyone could say anything else, Josh offered the room a salute and left.

  “Wow,” came a voice from the hallway, “Lorelei never said her brother looked so much like her.”

  Lorelei’s eyes lit up again and she turned in her chair to see the doorway. “Sherryl!” she called out, “Quit hiding and get in here!”

  Laughter rang out from the room as the author and her wife stepped inside. Hugs and greetings were exchanged between everyone, before the newcomers finally managed to reach the redhead with Amy and Lita’s baby in tow.

  “You’re looking much better than the last time we saw you,” Tirzah said, bouncing baby Anystee in her arms.

  “The last time you saw me was before I almost died,” Lorelei replied with a chuckle, “I can’t possibly look better now.”

  Sherryl shook her head solemnly. “We saw you the morning after your rescue. We saw on the news that you’d been recovered, so we called Sky to find out where you’d been taken. Lorelei, I’ve never seen her so worried before. Except when it comes to Devin, of course.”

  A sheepish look crossed Lorelei’s face. “I didn’t even know she was there,” she said apologetically, “I’ll give her a call later and let her know I’m all right.”

  “Of course, she was there,” Tirzah replied, “Who do you think was piloting the chopper?”

  “Wait a minute,” Cordy cut in. She and the others had been respectfully silent throughout the conversation, but something Sherryl had said was bothering her. “You said Sky and Devin. Are you talking about Skyler and Devin from your books?”

  Sherryl offered the surprised group a sly smile. “You didn’t think they were made up people, did you?”

  The women shared a look before Cordy nodded. “Uh, yeah… that’s exactly what we thought. You knew they were real people?” she asked, directing her attention to Lorelei.

  Lorelei squirmed under the attention of the room, all of which was currently focused on her. “Uh… well, yeah. I mean, their names are different in real life, but all of Sherryl’s characters are real, living people.”

  “And how did you come to possess this information?” Oakley asked suspiciously, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “I, uh… I may have worked with Sky in the past?” she suggested, hoping the others would drop the subject, “How I know them is not important, though. What’s important is that now you all know and you can guard that secret with your lives, right?”

  Everyone in the room eyed Lorelei for a moment, her pleading look not missed by anyone. The group of friends huddled together for a moment, eliciting a snort of laughter from Aspen, Tirzah, and Sherryl.

  “On one condition,” Oakley said, once their discussion was over, “We want to meet them.”

  “All of them?” Sherryl’s eyes widened in disbelief, “How are you expecting to meet all of them?”

  “Pride,” Max suggested, “Sacramento and San Diego will be holding their pride events soon. We can all meet up there.”

  Sherryl looked helplessly at Tirzah, who simply shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention to the baby that was currently trying to eat her fingers.

  “Okay,” Sherryl blew out a breath and frowned at the women, “but I can’t guarantee anything. I’ll get ahold of them and see what I can do. But only if you all swear not to tell another living soul. They allow me to use their likenesses with the provision that I keep their real identities close to the vest.”

  “We understand,” Jenica said, clapping excitedly, “They don’t even have to talk to us; I just want to put a face to Quinn’s name.”

  The room laughed at the dreamy expression on Jenica’s face. Everyone, except Cordy, that is. “Seriously?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and glowering at her wife.

  “Relax, Aroha,” Jenica smiled as she leaned over to kiss Cordy sweetly, “I’ve my own redheaded butch right here. I’m just curious how accurate Sherryl’s description was.”

  Lorelei laughed and rolled her right shoulder to work out a kink. Her shoulder always seemed to ache for a few hours after physical therapy. “Remember how I was Quinn for the fundraiser?” she asked.

  Jenica and the others nodded. “Well,” Lorelei went on, “except for the tattoos and the thick Irish brogue, Quinn looks a lot like me. She could probably pass as my sister.”

  Jenica’s eyes glazed over and she fanned herself. “Ihu Karaiti,” she muttered.

  Sherryl and Tirzah laughed at the woman’s antics, and at the wide-eyed look of disbelief on her wife’s face. “On that note,” Tirzah said, handing Anystee back to her mothers, “we should really be going.”

  Lorelei thanked the couple for their visit and hugged them goodbye, promising to stay in touch about her progress. Once the Hancock’s were gone, the others said their goodbyes and left Aspen and Lorelei to get ready for their nightly dinner date in the hospital’s cafeteria.

  Epilogue

  “Our last rose presentation this evening will be given by Aspen Rain Blaise.”

  Applause echoed through the auditorium as Aspen stood from her seat. She moved off the stage and entered the auditorium floor from a door off to the left, leaning in to hug her student advisor as she accepted the four yellow rose stems.

  “Aspen’s first rose,” Principal Raymond Glick read from the cue cards on the podium as Aspen made her way into the audience, “goes to her father; Ambrose Aldrich. Aspen says that her father has been both her strongest supporter and her harshest critic throughout her academic career, and without him, she wouldn’t be graduating at the level she has been able to achieve.”

  Aspen handed Ambrose the rose stem and embraced him tightly when the man stood and pulled her into his arms. “I am so proud of you, Aspen,” the man said, tears blurring his vision as he cupped his daughter’s cheeks and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” Aspen replied, carefully brushing a tear from her eye. She was grateful that she’d remembered to use waterproof mascara.

  “Aspen’s next rose goes to her friends; FBI Agents Max and Dani Prescott, Agent Oakley Carter-Frost and her wife, Stormie, FCPD Lieutenant Cordelia Weston and her wife, Jenica, and Dr. Lita Vasquez and her wife, Amy. Without the love and support of these incredible women, Aspen says she never would have felt as comfortable and accepted in the beginning of her journey into adulthood. Their friendship has given her the confidence to approach the next step of her life without reservation or doubt.”

  Aspen moved further down the row and stopped in front of Jenica, who stood to offer her young friend a tearful embrace.

  “We love you, Aspen,” she said, “and we will always be here to guide you when you need it.” The rest of her friends agreed, clapping wildly when Jenica accepted the flower.

  “Next, Aspen would like to present a rose to members of the NorCal Hotshots wildland fire crew. Aspen says that without these two women, she would have buried the love of her life.”

  Aspen moved down one row and stopped in front of Wendy. Tears sprang to her eyes as the older woman stood to embrace her.

  “I can’t even begin to articulate how grateful I am to you, Wendy. If it weren’t for you, Lorelei wouldn’t be here today.”

  Wendy sniffed as the hug ended and reclaimed her seat, clasping the thorn-less stem between her and Steph’s hands.

  “We love her as much as you do, Aspen. The three musketeers just wouldn’t be the same without Aramis.”

  “I thought I was Aramis,” Steph said with a frown.

  Wendy shook her head and brought their hands to her lips. “Aramis was a womanizer, sweetheart. You’re Athos; the oldest one, and I’m Porthos; the honest one.”

  Aspen smiled affectionately at her new friends and moved toward the front row; the row of seats that was typically reserved for parents. In Aspen’
s case, she’d only reserved one seat; for her wife.

  “Aspen’s last rose this evening goes to her wife, Captain Lorelei Blaise of the Falls City Fire Department. Aspen says that her wife is the reason she wakes up every morning, her motivation behind every decision, and the only person who pushes her harder to succeed than her father.”

  Aspen stepped in front of Lorelei and handed over the rose as she leaned down and pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. “I love you,” Aspen said when the kiss broke, running her thumb gently over the scar on Lorelei’s chin as the audience cheered and applauded.

  A blush worked its way over Aspen’s cheeks as she met Lorelei’s amused eyes. She quickly kissed Lorelei again and turned to return to the stage, the whoops and hollers of the crowd chasing her through the small door. As she reclaimed her seat and Principal Glick continued with the graduation ceremony, Aspen met Lorelei’s eyes.

  A lump formed in her throat as the images of a battered and broken Lorelei assaulted her mind. She remembered the way her heart pounded in her chest and anxiety threatened to cripple her when the doctor explained the extent of her wife’s injuries.

  I can’t believe I almost lost her.

  Lorelei seemed to read the distressing thought and sought to ease her wife’s discomfort. She called up every ounce of love and affection and reverence she held for the beautiful woman onstage that had taken her last name, just over a year ago. Holding Aspen’s gaze, Lorelei mouthed the words that had been her sole sense of purpose for the last year.

  I love you, Aspen.

  Aspen’s lips curled in a soft, affectionate smile and the emotional turmoil within her was smothered like an errant flame under the weight of Lorelei’s declaration.

  Sitting up straighter, Aspen tucked a blonde curl behind her ear and folded her hands in her lap as the principal recalled his favorite experiences with each of the thirteen graduates.

  ***

  “Oh, my goodness, you were so adorable!”

  Aspen rolled her eyes and laughed as Amy, Stormie, and Dani joined Jenica in her perusal of Aspen’s senior board. “I know, my dad tells me all the time,” she said.

  The photo the women were gushing over was of two-year-old Aspen, dressed in a frilly pink two-piece bathing suit as she sat on her daddy’s shoulders in the family’s swimming pool. Aspen’s little hands held tight to Ambrose’s chin for balance and soggy blonde curls framed her cherubic cheeks as she smiled toothily at the camera.

  “They’re right,” Lorelei said, threading her arm around Aspen’s waist and pressing a kiss to her temple, “you were an adorable baby, sweetheart. I’m just glad you outgrew the adorable stage.”

  “What!” Aspen squeaked, her jaw dropping as confusion played across her face.

  Cordy, Max, Oakley, and Lita all snorted and quickly turned away to join their wives in their investigation of Aspen’s childhood photos. Several of Aspen’s classmates trickled through, scrawling their names and well-wishes across every available blank space on her board.

  Lorelei turned Aspen until they were facing each other and brought her left hand carefully up to caress and cup her wife’s face. Stroking her thumb over Aspen’s lower lip, Lorelei brushed her lips lightly over Aspen’s.

  “I’m so happy that you’ve outgrown adorable, and grown into gorgeous. All those pictures of you as a kid are great to look at, but I much prefer the photos of the captivating woman that kid grew up to be.”

  “Aww…”

  Lorelei tossed a glare at their group of friends before resting her forehead on Aspen’s and locking their fingers together with a soft, sweet smile on her face. She brought their hands between them and placed a kiss on Aspen’s wedding band.

  “The kid you were; all the experiences you had, both good and bad, shaped the woman you are now, Sweetheart. They did the same for me. I am who I am because of everything I went through with my mom. Every obstacle on my path taught me a lesson that has allowed me to be here today; watching my wife with pride as she graduates high school.”

  Aspen’s chin began to tremble as she looked up into Lorelei’s bright blue eyes. “You almost weren’t, though,” she whispered.

  “But I am,” Lorelei replied as she pulled away and motioned to the women surrounding them. Aspen’s father and brother were present as well, both staying silent as Lorelei spoke so sweetly to the young woman they adored.

  “I’m here because of all of you. My deepest, darkest fear is failing any of you… especially you, baby. When I was on that ledge, the only thing I could think about was getting out of there so that you didn’t have to go through the pain and heartache of burying me. I wasn’t worried about myself; what kind of shape I would be in or how much pain I would endure, I just needed to fulfill the promise I made to bring your wife home to you.”

  Aspen swallowed thickly and leaned in to rest her head on Lorelei’s mostly-healed shoulder. “You could never fail me, Lorelei. You do so much for the community and for the people you love; you’re selfless, you’re honest, you’re passionate, and most of all you are devoted to what’s most important to you. I could never feel anything but pride in you.”

  “I hate to interrupt this incredibly sweet conversation,” Ambrose cut in, stepping forward with Brett and offering Aspen an envelope, “but your brother and I need to be going. I just wanted to give this to you and tell you how proud I am that you proved your mother wrong.”

  Aspen frowned as she accepted the envelope. “What’s this?” she asked, knowing that she wouldn’t be receiving anything from her grandfather’s trust until the official end of the school year, which was still a week away.

  “Just open it,” Brett said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks, “Dad’s been jabbering on about it for days.”

  Aspen chuckled and playfully shoved her not-so-little brother’s arm. She pulled open the envelope to reveal a stack of tickets and a confirmation page for The Citizen Hotel in Sacramento. Aspen’s hand flew to her throat and her eyes widened.

  “Are you serious?” she gasped, her gaze whipping to meet her father’s, “Dad, this… this is amazing! Thank you so much!”

  Aspen’s squeal of delight startled the others as she lunged forward to wrap her arms around the man in a bruising hug. Ambrose laughed and hugged his daughter, careful not to crease her purple and gold graduation gown too much.

  “It’s my own little thank you for putting your mother in her place,” he whispered as he placed a loving kiss on Aspen’s cheek.

  “You’re the best, Daddy,” Aspen beamed as she stepped back and pulled Brett to her. Ambrose and Brett took their leave and Aspen tucked the contents back into the envelope.

  “What did he give you that got you so excited?” Cordy asked suspiciously. She’d seen the heading on the confirmation page and wondered why the younger woman would be so excited about an overnight stay in California, so soon after the ordeal of her last visit.

  “Let’s go outside and get the graduation pictures out of the way,” Aspen suggested, careful not to pull too hard on Lorelei’s hand as she led the way. Lorelei’s knee and hip were mostly healed, but the redhead would be using a cane to get around for a while.

  Cordy rolled her eyes and grumbled good-naturedly as the rest of the group followed Aspen and Lorelei out of the auditorium. Once out on the campus lawn, Aspen directed everyone to a spot in front of the school’s front doors.

  Aspen tucked the envelope into her gown and took her place beneath the sign above the door. Jenica handed Aspen her diploma and stepped back as the blonde proudly displayed the document. Everyone dutifully snapped a photo with their cell phones, before the group converged on their youngest member. Most of them attempted to catch a group selfie, but their group was too large to get everyone in the frame.

  “Aspen, dear, would you like me to get a photo of you with your family?” Gracie Snapps asked, holding up an expensive looking camera.

  Aspen smiled gratefully at the woman. “Yes, please,” she replied,
“and I’d like one of me and Ginger, if you don’t mind.”

  Ginger beamed wildly. She’d become good friends with Aspen throughout the school year, and Ginger was going to miss her. Aspen had taught her so much about self-confidence and Ginger had been entirely overwhelmed when Aspen named her as her successor.

  Gracie snapped a few shots of the group, before motioning Ginger to join Aspen. The others stepped back, giving the teens the frame. Aspen slung her arm over the brunette’s shoulder and smiled proudly for the photo. After several playful pictures had been taken, Aspen thanked Gracie and Ginger.

  “I’m really glad I met you, Ginger,” Aspen said, hugging the girl tightly, “and if you need any advice, captain to captain, you have my number. Don’t let anything the others say bother you. You earned your captaincy.”

  Ginger returned the hug and waved goodbye as she and her mother headed off.

  “So,” Cordy asked, slinging her arm over Aspen’s shoulder, “How does it feel to be a big girl, now?”

  Aspen rolled her eyes and pushed the Lieutenant’s arm off her shoulders. “Never going to let up with the age jokes, are you?”

  Cordy’s grin split her cheeks and the rest of their group snickered. “Nope. But if you tell us what’s in the envelope, I might lay off for a while.”

  “Fine,” Aspen sighed and reached into her robe to retrieve the envelope. “Hey, where did Burns and Breezy go?” she asked as she looked around, suddenly noticing their absence.

  “They had to get to Portland to catch their flight,” Lorelei answered. Steph had pulled her aside at the end of the ceremony and apologized for their rushed visit.

  “There’s a rager burning outside of Calabasas,” she explained, “Our team is on-call in case of encroachment, and if it spreads as fast as projected, we’re bound to get called up anytime.”

  “Oh, well shit,” Aspen grumbled, “I was hoping they’d join us for the barbecue tonight.”

  Lorelei snorted and shook her head. “I’d rather wait until fire season is over before we let Wendy near a barbecue. She fancies herself a great grill master, but I’d rather not have to call my team over to work. That woman could set fire to water, even without heat.”