Mended Fences: Will love and kindness be able to mend the fences broken by intolerance? (Mended Hearts Book 2)

by Sarah Markel

  “Do not speak to my fiancée that way, Ms. Klein. I invited her into this meeting, as it pertains to our daughter, so you will treat her like any other parent.” Alex spat, her voice shaking. Principal Klein raised her eyebrow and raised her hands as if in surrender, “I apologize, Ms. Taylor. I tend to forget that many of the students here come from same-sex families.” Kelly nodded, accepting the woman’s feeble apology. “Ms. Klein, I obviously don’t expect you to read every student file, but as a concerned parent, it bothers me that you didn’t bother to read any of them. It surprises me that you didn’t even bother to look at the files of children with special needs.” Kelly said calmly, resting her laced fingers on her knee. Shaking her head, Susan Klein replied “Ms. Taylor, my role at this school is to make sure the students are safe and receiving a proper education. Their disabilities are not pertinent to my ability to do my job.” It was Alex’s turn to scoff. Sharing a disgusted look with Kelly, she turned to Susan Klein and struggled to keep her cool as she spoke. “Are you serious? How in the hell do you expect to keep these kids safe and educated, if you don’t know anything about them?” she asked with incredulity.

  The principal shook her head, speaking to Alex as if she were just another hysterical parent. “Ms. Walker, unless you are an educator, you wouldn’t understand the pressures of being responsible for so many young minds…” Alex had had enough. She surged to her feet and interrupted the woman. “Do not talk down to me,” she began, her voice growing loud. “I am not here to bitch and moan at you because my kid was treated differently. You think this could have been avoided if Dej had just gotten another tray of food? Well Ms. Klein, in that case, I think I will call Superintendent Qualls and inform him that his new principal is putting her students in physical danger.” Kelly watched quietly, a feeling of satisfaction washing over her as Susan Klein visibly blanched. “Now wait just a minute! How exactly is providing your daughter with a replacement meal putting her in danger?” the woman asked, pushing herself out of her chair. Alex smiled harshly and leaned forward into the woman’s face. “If you had bothered to get to know anything about your students, you would know how.” she said, her voice dripping with venom. At the principal’s skeptical look, Alex took a deep breath to calm herself. If she didn’t reign in her temper, Alex knew that she would end up throttling the woman. Hoping to diffuse the situation, Kelly spoke up.

  “Ms. Klein, do you know what PKU is?” she asked as she stood and attempted to urge Alex back into her seat. Giving her a blank look, Susan shook her head. “That’s what I thought,” Kelly began, glaring at the woman. “Marissa had a condition that prevents her from eating protein. She cannot eat the food provided by the school because it will make her sick. That is why this is a concern to us. If our daughter is not allowed to eat her lunch because another student is bullying her, then you are failing at your job.” she finished coolly. Kelly smiled as the woman’s face fell and she appeared to realize that there was a valid reason for the meeting. After a few moments of silence, while the principal thought about her response, Alex cleared her throat. She despised people who thought they were better or smarter than others, and she decided to turn the tables and knock the woman down a peg.

  “I’m sure you know that Willowbrook Academy is a privately funded school within the school district.” she said, forcing her posture to relax. When Susan Klein nodded, Alex continued, her tone now calm and confident. “I’m sure you also know that your position, and salary, at this school was secured by the vote of the Board of Trustees.” Again the principal nodded, her posture stiffening. “Well then, I think this may be a matter for the Board. Are you familiar with any of the members?” The color drained from Susan’s face as she once again nodded. Alex allowed a satisfied smile to spread across her face. “I wonder what Andrea Davis will think about the fact that her granddaughter is not safe here. I’ll bet she pulls her funding.” Alex finished, looking to Kelly with a wink. Susan let out a small squeak as her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Alex’s family had founded Willowbrook Academy, along with some help from anonymous investors, a few years before she reached school-age. Her parents had not liked the public school in Marilynn, and after some debate, had decided to build a private school to provide the education they wanted for their children. For over thirty years, her family had provided nearly seventy percent of the money that made up the yearly budget for the school. Alex crossed her arms over her chest and waited, letting her words sink in.

  “I don’t think that will be necessary, Ms. Walker.” the principal began, the resignation evident in her posture and voice. “I will speak to young Mr. Bettis and his parents, and I assure you that Marissa will not be bothered by him again.” Confident that the woman would stick to her word, Alex stood and held her hand out to Kelly. Before the pair left the office, Alex turned and once again addressed the principal. “I’m going to hold you to that, Ms. Klein. Marissa is not the only grandchild that my mother has at this school. I would suggest that you get to know your students, and worry a little more about their actual safety. Claiming to be concerned with their safety and education, and actually making that effort, are two different things. If you ask around, I am sure you will find that ‘Doctrina salutis foventur aequalitatem hic futurae melioris viam sternunt’ is not just the school pledge… it’s a promise to our children. You should practice what you promised to teach.”

  *****

  “What does the school pledge mean, honey?” Kelly asked as Alex pulled out of the school parking lot. Alex smiled and rested her hand on Kelly’s knee. “It means ‘Education, safety, and equality are fostered here, paving the way for a better future’. My dad felt that in order for a child to receive a proper education, he needed to feel safe. The world is full of people who are smart, but there aren’t many people who are intelligent enough to make a positive difference in the education of a child. ” Kelly smiled. “Your dad was a smart man, sweetheart.” Alex just smiled as she pulled out onto the freeway towards Serenity Home.

  CHAPTER 26

  “Honey, I have a fitting this afternoon with Marsha. Do you want to go with me?” Kelly asked on Thursday. It was lunch time, and the couple was sitting in Alex’s office. Clearing the remains of their meal into the trash, Alex shook her head. “I would love to, baby, but I can’t. I have a meeting this afternoon that I can’t get out of.” Looking across her desk into Kelly’s disappointed pout, Alex groaned. “Not fair.” she said, the sight of Kelly’s bottom lip making her center throb. Good God that is so fucking sexy! Smiling, Kelly stood and went around the desk to Alex. Without hesitation, Alex placed her hands on Kelly’s hips and tugged her down to straddle her lap. Leaning in slowly, she took Kelly’s protruding lip between her teeth and pulled gently. “I love it when you pout.” she whispered, running her hands up and down Kelly’s sides. Leaning down, Kelly whispered seductively into Alex’s ear, “I know. That’s why I do it.” Standing abruptly, Kelly kissed Alex quickly and turned to leave. Watching her go, Alex whimpered. God I love her.

  *****

  Kelly stood in front of the floor length mirror in Marsha Jenkins’ consultation room. She watched in the mirror as Marsha went about cinching and pinning the partially finished gown around her waist and hips. “Hmmm.” Marsha said, as she re-measured Kelly’s hips. Frowning, she consulted her notes and looked up. “You’ve lost about an inch and a half off your hip size since I first measured you. Do you want me to stay with the original size, or do you want to go with the current one?” she asked. “I, um… I don’t know. What do you suggest?” Kelly replied. Shrugging, Marsha set down her notepad and went back to her adjustments. “It all depends on how you want the dress to fit. If I go with the first measurement, the dress will be looser around your middle, but will give you a little leeway if you gain any weight. If we bring it in more, it will be more form fitting.” Completely unsure of what she should do, Kelly reached for the cell phone that sat on the shelf behind her. Punching in Andrea’s number, she hoped the older wom
an would be able to help.

  “Hi Mama, it’s Kelly. I was wondering if you could help me with a decision.” Kelly said when Andrea answered. “Sure, sweetheart. What can I help with?” Kelly explained her concerns about the dress size and hoped like hell that Andrea didn’t find her concerns to be stupid. “Well, the wedding is still six months away so I would go with the bigger size for now. That way if you gain back the difference between now and then, the dress won’t have to be altered too much. And if you don’t gain it back, the dress maker should be able to do a simple tuck to make it fit the way you want it to.” the older woman explained. Thanking her, Kelly clicked off and turned to Marsha. “Let’s stick with the original measurement for now.” she said. Smiling, Marsha nodded and went back to her task.

  *****

  “Good afternoon, Ms. Walker. I’m Max Winston.” the short, stocky man said when he entered her office. Shaking the man’s extended hand, Alex invited him to take a seat. “Hank speaks highly of you, Mr. Winston.” she said, settling back into her chair. Alex had asked her step-father for advice on how to locate Kelly’s niece, and to her surprise he had handed her Mr. Winston’s business card. Smiling and giving Alex an appreciative once-over, Max nodded. “Hank’s a good man. He said you were needing help finding someone.” Crossing her arms over her chest when the man’s eyes settled on her breasts, Alex cleared her throat. “Yes. My fiancée lost touch with her niece’s adoptive family, and I would like you to locate them so I can invite them to the wedding.” she said flatly. Raising an eyebrow, Max gave Alex a slightly creepy smile. “Her? Well now, that’s a crying shame.” he said. Glaring at the man, Alex’s tone turned cold. “What would that be?” she asked.

  “A good looking woman like you marrying another woman.” the man replied unabashedly. Alex scoffed at him as her posture stiffened. “I assure you, Mr. Winston. My marrying a woman is in no way a ‘crying shame’.” Raising his hands, Max Winston apologized. “I didn’t mean it like that, Ms. Walker. I’m sorry if I upset you.” Shaking her head, Alex pulled out a pen and a slip of paper. “If you don’t mind, Mr. Winston, I would like to get started. My fiancée will be returning soon and I would like this to be a surprise.” Nodding, Max reached for the paper Alex handed him. “All the information I have is on that paper. It’s not much to go on, but seeing as Grace is legally an adult, it might be enough.” she said. Tucking the paper into his pocket, Max considered the woman in front of him. “I will start digging on Monday. Depending on how concerned her parents are with privacy, it could take anywhere from a few days to a couple of months before I manage to get you any contact info.” he warned gently. Nodding, Alex thanked him and stood to shake his hand. When he left her office, she breathed a little easier. What a creep! She thought to herself as she picked up the phone to make a call.

  *****

  After dinner that night, Alex and Kelly relaxed together on the couch while Zane and Dej sprawled on their bellies on the floor. The kids had been ecstatic when Kelly showed them that she had gotten them a copy of the new Hunger Games movie that they had been begging for. Alex had looked everywhere trying to get hold of a copy, and Kelly had happened to find one that afternoon after her dress fitting. Now the group sat in contented silence as the opening sequence began. “Thank you for buying the movie, baby.” Alex whispered, resting her hands on Kelly’s abdomen. With a smile, Kelly tipped her head back and caught Alex’s lips in an easy kiss. “No need to thank me. We all wanted to see it, and there was only one copy left.” she said, turning slightly between Alex’s legs so that she was lying on her side. Alex smiled to herself and went back to watching the movie with her family.

  Once the movie was over, Alex lifted a sleeping Dej from the floor and carried her upstairs to bed. While she was away, Kelly asked Zane “So do you and Willow have any plans for Valentine’s Day tomorrow?” Blushing brightly, Zane avoided her eyes. Fidgeting with his hands, he stammered “Well… um… Colton and I are taking Willow and Shantel to dinner and the movies in the afternoon, then we are going to the dance at school.” Nodding, Kelly patted the boy on the shoulder. “I hope you four have lots of fun. Double dates are great, and you guys will be much more comfortable in the group setting than you would be separately.” Agreeing, Zane kissed her on the cheek before heading up the stairs to his room. While she waited for Alex to return, Kelly stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes, fatigue making her eyelids heavy. She had spent all week meeting with the people who were doing their best to make her upcoming nuptials happen. Closing her eyes for a moment, Kelly let out a long sigh and let herself drift on the outer edges of sleep.

  When Alex came back downstairs, she stopped short when she noticed Kelly sleeping peacefully on the couch. She quietly sucked in a breath as she studied the woman. Kelly had one arm dangling off the couch, while the other was draped loosely over her stomach. Her legs were crossed at the ankle, and her hip-length black curls splayed loosely over the arm of the couch. Alex couldn’t help herself. Watching Kelly’s breasts rise and fall with her even breathing, Alex walked slowly over to where the woman she loved rested and dropped down on her knees. Careful to avoid any firm contact, Alex brushed her fingers, ever so softly, over the abundant curve of Kelly’s breast. Smiling to herself when Kelly’s nipple stood quickly to attention, Alex dropped her hand to the top of Kelly’s thigh. Dancing her fingers gently between Kelly’s knee and hip, she watched as Kelly shivered. “Don’t tease, baby.” Kelly said quietly, startling Alex. Looking into Kelly’s deep blue eyes, Alex muttered an apology. Sitting up, Kelly pulled Alex to claim her mouth. “You started it.” Alex said, running her fingers lightly over the swell of Kelly’s breast. Chuckling, Alex kissed her way along Kelly’s jaw to her ear. “That wasn’t teasing. That was a preview.” she whispered, her voice full of desire. Shivering as a wave of pleasure washed through her, Kelly moaned softly when Alex’s tongue darted over her ear lobe. “When do I get to see the whole show?” she asked, rubbing her thumb over the taught nipple beneath her roaming hand. Taking Alex by the hand, Kelly stood and led the woman to the stairs. “Show starts in five minutes.” she said, before letting go and hurrying up to their room. Chuckling, Alex followed.

  When she reached the top of the stairs, Alex frowned when she heard the water running in the bathroom. Peeking into the children’s rooms to make sure they were both still in bed, Alex knocked lightly on the bathroom door. “Babe?” she said, turning the knob and opening the door just a crack. “Come join me.” Kelly said quietly. Alex closed the door behind her and quickly stripped off her clothes. She had never been more grateful for her obsession with claw-foot bathtubs. Smiling down at Kelly as she slipped into the tub, Alex realized that in all the time they had been a couple, this was the first time they had taken a bath together. Settling herself behind Kelly, she leaned back against the back of the tub and pulled her lover against her chest. Looking down as she wrapped her arms around Kelly’s middle, Alex frowned. “You put bubbles in the water.” she whined. “I love bubble baths.” Kelly stated, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “But I can’t see you with bubbles in the way.” Alex whispered, drawing her hands up to cover Kelly’s wet breasts. Kelly purred deep in her throat as she arched into Alex’s touch. “With as often as you touch me, you should have my entire body committed to memory by now.” she said. Alex squeezed the flesh under her fingers and nipped at Kelly’s neck with a soft growl. The sound went straight to Kelly’s center, making the tender bud between her legs throb.

  Kelly moaned softly as she stretched and draped her arms over the back of Alex’s neck, lazily dragging her nails over the expanse of shoulders under her fingertips. Alex kissed softly along the curve of Kelly’s throat, pausing to nip and suck the tender points that made Kelly shiver. As goosebumps popped up along the exposed skin over Kelly’s upper body, Alex slid one hand down Kelly’s smooth stomach to rest motionless on the mound between her legs. “Tell me what you want, baby.” she whispered in Kelly’s ear as the woman jerke
d her hips into Alex’s hand. As Alex slid her fingers gingerly between the wet folds of Kelly’s center, Kelly gasped softly and murmured against her ear “Inside… please.” With a low, throaty growl, Alex slid her fingers home. Kelly moaned and arched her hips to allow Alex deeper access. While she thrust her fingers slow and gentle, Alex felt her own center pulse with arousal at the sounds of pleasure escaping from her lover’s lips. She kept up her lazy strokes, allowing Kelly’s hips to set the pace. When her orgasm approached, Kelly leaned up and nipped at Alex’s jaw. “Baby, I’m so close.” she whimpered, her hips rolling in time with Alex’s thrusts. “Come for me.” Alex groaned. She loved watching Kelly’s body respond to her touch. Alex brought her free hand up to massage Kelly’s breast, and when the woman’s breathing became erratic and Alex could feel the muscles tighten around her fingers, she squeezed the flesh under her hand. “Oh, Alex!” Kelly gasped. Releasing Kelly’s breast, Alex braced her free arm over the woman’s chest and held her close while she stroked Kelly through her climax. When the shudders of pleasure subsided, she eased her hand from between Kelly’s legs and leaned back.