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

by Sarah Markel

  *****

  Alex waited blindly for what seemed like hours. The black eye mask that had been placed on her face prevented her from seeing anything that was going on. She heard the crowd start to cheer and her heart began to pound in anticipation. What is that woman up to? She thought to herself. Kelly wasn’t usually good at hiding things from her for very long. But Alex had to admit that she had no idea what her new bride had in store for her. The crowd quieted again and Alex’s excitement grew. Several minutes passed and Alex began to worry that this whole thing might have been a prank. She was just about to call out for Jon or Lee to come to her, but the sound of the song that had just started stopped her. What the…? She asked herself when the familiar tune made her smile. Just then, the blindfold was removed from her eyes and Alex’s gaze was drawn to the middle of the dance floor. Presented before her was a brand new black and chrome Harley Davidson motorcycle. Arousal flooded through her when she saw the woman straddling the bike. Kelly had changed out of her wedding gown and was now clad in a pair of form fitting black jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black leather riding jacket. The woman’s feet were covered by a pair of studded, black leather boots with six inch stiletto heels. Alex’s breath hitched as her wife left the seat of the bike and began an impeccably accurate recreation of the Cool Rider scene from her favorite movie. Alex noticed that the music that surrounded her was instrumental only and that there weren’t any lyrics. Just then, Alex was surprised again when Kelly’s voice sounded through the speakers. She watched in awe as Kelly perfectly imitated the steps of the dance, although she was a bit concerned that the petite, top heavy woman might fall in those heels.

  Kelly watched for Alex’s reaction as she danced. She had practiced so hard for this, and she was confident she could complete it without a mistake. As the song drew to a close, Kelly danced her way over and straddled Alex’s lap. The crowd surged to their feet and cheered loudly. Alex smiled at her wife and pressed their lips together. When they separated, Kelly asked with a smile, “I know I am no Michelle Pfeiffer, but did you like it?” Alex tipped her head back and laughed. “Michelle who? Baby, the only woman dancing through my dreams is you.” she said, kissing her wife again. Kelly chuckled and stood, pulling Alex up with her. Together, the two women walked over to join their guests in admiring the motorcycle on the dance floor. “Damn Kelly, where did you get a hold of this beauty?” Lee asked as he ran his hand over the chrome fender. “Actually the bike is a gift from Del.” she replied, leaning against Alex’s shoulder. Several months earlier, Del Boone had called Serenity Home and taken Alex up on her offer to admit his wife. Martha’s Alzheimer’s disease had progressed to the point that she required 24 hour, one on one care, and the facility she had been in wasn’t doing a great job of providing what she needed. Alex had expedited the paperwork, and within 48 hours, Martha was at Serenity Home. Over the summer, Del had sold the restaurant and moved to Marilynn to be near his wife. Now he was only a month away from the grand opening of his new burger place. Alex looked over to the man and offered him a wide smile. Del nodded and wiped a tear from his eye.

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  “You should go put your dress back on, baby. I want to be the one to take it off of you tonight.” Alex whispered as the party was drawing to a close. Kelly slapped playfully at Alex’s arm, but excused herself to do as the woman requested. As Alex watched her walk away, Kelly wiggled her hips suggestively and chuckled at the look of lust in the woman’s eyes. My wife. Alex thought with a sigh as Kelly disappeared inside. She had no idea what fate would bring their way in the future, but Alex knew one thing for sure… she couldn’t wait to face whatever may come, with this woman by her side.

  Epilogue

  Alex yawned and stretched, slowly coming out of the deep sleep that comes from prolonged exposure to sea air. Opening her eyes and blinking a few times against the strong sunlight that flooded in through the sliding glass doors, she groaned. Looking past the alarm clock, a smile spread across her face as memories of the last few days washed over her. She wondered idly where Kelly had gotten to, and turned her gaze toward the balcony overlooking the ocean. Spotting her wife sitting in a deck chair, Alex smiled to herself. My wife. She thought to herself happily. Alex rolled out of bed and wrapped herself in the plush bathrobe that laid over the bedpost. She grinned when she saw the steaming cup of coffee sitting on the nightstand for her. Tying the robe securely around her middle, she picked up the cup and headed out onto the balcony.

  “Well good morning sleepy head.” Kelly grinned, shielding her eyes against the sun as she looked up at Alex. She chuckled when all her wife did was grunt. Alex sipped her coffee, settling into the lounge chair behind Kelly and leaning back. Kelly chuckled and turned to wrap her arms around Alex, nuzzling her wife’s neck. “So what’s the grand plan for today, Maestro?” Alex shivered as Kelly’s breath tickled her skin. “You’ll just have to wait and see now won’t you? I made dinner reservations for us, after we do a little sightseeing.” Alex grinned and nipped Kelly’s shoulder playfully. “Mmmm, and what’s the dress code?” she muttered. Alex’s wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “Dress code? Baby, anything you wear will be perfect.” she said softly. Kelly smirked and stood, letting her robe drop to the deck as she walked towards the door, “In that case, enjoy your coffee and the view. I’m going to grab a shower.”

  Alex growled appreciatively at the sight of Kelly’s naked form, but stayed put. She knew that Kelly was likely sore from the hours they had spent making love the previous night and, if she was honest with herself, so was she. Alex settled back against the Adirondack chair and sighed with contentment, smiling as she closed her eyes against the bright sun. Over the last few days, they had been in near constant motion. They’d taken a tour of the resort, been snorkeling and shopping, and had taken in a few of the shows that the resort had to offer. Not to mention all of the time they had spent together in the wonderfully soft bed, eagerly consummating their marriage. As a matter of fact, they had been outside enough that even Alex, with her fair complexion and hourly applications of sunscreen, had managed to acquire a bit of a golden hue to her skin. She chewed her lip absently and thought again about the dream she’d had. She couldn’t get the image of a very pregnant Kelly out of her head. Her mind provided her with numerous images of her wife, proud and glowing, in various stages of pregnancy, as well as images of Zane and Dej with their new baby sibling. Alex’s smile faltered against the unease she felt in her stomach. She wasn’t sure how Kelly would feel about the idea. While she had accepted their two children with open arms, the couple had never discussed any specifics regarding having another baby. Alex sipped her coffee and resolved to talk to Kelly about it sometime that day. As she rose from the chair and stretched, Alex did her best to tuck the nervous feeling away. Worrying was never productive, and she wanted to make the last day of their honeymoon as special as possible for the woman who stole her heart and agreed to take her name.

  *****

  Kelly stepped from the shower and stopped for a moment to rub her hands over her towel covered belly. She stared at herself in the mirror, turning sideways and trying to imagine herself swollen with new life. Noticing the box on the long bathroom counter, she smiled and opened it to reveal the beautiful, pale yellow sundress that she had admired in the gift shop the day before. That woman continues to surprise and amaze me. She thought to herself as she reached for the blow dryer and dried her long ebony locks. After her hair was dry, she slipped into the sundress, and set about applying her makeup. When she exited the bathroom to let Alex in, she kissed her wife soundly. “Thank you for the dress, sweetheart, I love it.” Alex took a moment to admire how well the dress fit, before letting out a low groan. “We better get going so I can rip that off of you.” she said, her voice thick with desire. Kelly chuckled as Alex hurried into the bathroom to take her turn in the shower. When Alex emerged, fifteen minutes later, Kelly took the woman’s hand and let Alex guide her from the room.

  They began with a gu
ided tour of the immaculate and ornate flower gardens that surrounded the resort. When they reached the center of the largest garden, a band of local musicians were waiting to serenade the couple with beautiful reggae music. The newlyweds danced among the potted bird of paradise for nearly an hour before Kelly’s desire to feel her wife’s touch had taken them back to their room. After another hour spent exploring the depths of their passion, Alex promised Kelly that the rest of the day was going to be the most memorable of the whole trip. Kelly chuckled as she slipped back into her sundress. “Alex, every moment with you is memorable.” she said, buzzing with excitement, even though there was a knot of uncertainty in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t wait until after dinner. Kelly had come to a decision over the past few days, and she wanted to ask Alex for something very important on their last night in paradise. God, please let her say yes. She thought to herself as Alex finished dressing.

  *****

  As the two women walked hand in hand down the dock onto the main island, they noticed that, thankfully, there were only two carriages waiting. Usually there was a veritable fleet of horse drawn carriages and the driver of each one thought his was the best, had the nicest horses, the smoothest ride, the best “insider’s view” of the hotspots on Nassau. Luckily Alex had already made a reservation with a more reserved driver a few days prior, and she was relieved to see that he was standing next to his open topped carriage with an eager smile on his face. Alex fell her heart swell with love and pride as she watched Kelly’s reaction to the scene before her. The carriage had been decorated like a honeymoon car, and on the side it simply said Mrs. & Mrs. Walker. She stopped next to the carriage and smiled gently, turning Kelly to her and kissing her soundly. “You’re a devious one my love, how did you manage to set this up without me knowing?” Kelly asked with a wide grin. Alex simply shrugged and grinned back.

  “A girl must have some secrets, baby. You might as well not ask because I’m not telling you anything. Today is all surprises.” Kelly raised her eyebrow when Alex reached for her hand to help her into the carriage. As Alex climbed in beside her, Kelly snuggled up to her side. Alex smiled happily and wrapped her arm around her wife, kissing the top of her head gently. “Are you ladies all settled in? If we don’t get going we’re going to be late to our first destination.” the driver said from his seat. “Yes, thank you Duncan. We’re all settled back here.” Alex replied nearly giddy with excitement. Kelly groaned good-naturedly, just loud enough for Alex to hear, “That stop better be for food. I’m about to starve.” Alex chuckled and rubbed Kelly’s tummy playfully. “I guess we probably should feed you. I wouldn’t want the gremlin that resides in your gut to come to life.” Alex teased. Kelly snorted her laughter and leaned back against her wife. The two entertained themselves by taking pictures of the pretty landscape as they rode around the beautiful island.

  When the carriage stopped, Duncan came around to open the door and lower the steps for them. Alex got out first and held out her hand to steady Kelly, receiving a loving smile for her efforts. “Close your eyes, baby.” Alex whispered, her lips brushing Kelly’s ear. Kelly shivered with the wave of arousal that Alex’s lips caressing her skin always prompted. Closing her eyes, she waited impatiently as she leaned against the carriage for balance. Alex walked around to the storage compartment in the back and smiled at Duncan. He opened the hatch with his key and handed her a large picnic basket.

  “It’s heavy ma’am, are you sure you’ve got it?” Duncan asked with a worried look. Alex nodded and offered the man a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “I’m a lot stronger than I look, Dunc.” she said with a chuckle. The man nodded and secured the hatch, following Alex back to where Kelly waited. They both chuckled at the sight that greeted them, and Alex shook her head. “Isn’t she beautiful?” she asked Duncan quietly. Duncan offered the woman a genuine smile of approval. “You are a very lucky woman, Mrs. Walker.” he said softly as he climbed back into his seat. Alex made her way to where her wife was standing and chuckled to herself at the sight of the pout that graced Kelly’s lusciously full lips. Alex gently poked Kelly’s bottom lip before leaning down to capture them in a gentle kiss. “Keep your eyes closed and I will guide you.” she whispered, taking Kelly’s hand. Kelly nodded and clung to Alex’s arms to keep her balance as the pair made their way through the tall hedges before them.

  When they reached their intended destination, Alex stopped and moved to stand behind her wife. Leaning forward slightly, she placed a feather-soft kiss on Kelly’s cheek and whispered, “Alright, Mrs. Walker, open your eyes.” Kelly opened her eyes slowly, and felt her jaw drop. She had just walked into one of the most beautiful gardens she’d ever seen. Beautiful tropical flowers were in bloom and the air smelled succulent and sweet. She saw the table waiting for them and felt as though her heart might burst as she took in the spotless white table cloth and candles. It looked like a 5-star restaurant was set up in this little patch of paradise. Three sides of the garden were enclosed by hedges that were taller than Alex, but fourth side opened into a cove with a spectacular view of the sunset as the calm surf broke on the sandy beach. Alex sat the basket on a small table that had been set up, and gazed around appreciatively at the area that Angie had secretly suggested before the trip. A beautiful dark wicker patio set, consisting of a bench, chaise lounge, and two chairs, had been placed carefully around an in-ground fire pit. Alex watched as Kelly turned slowly, a look of awe on her face. “How did you find this place?” she asked softly.

  “Angie recommended it before we left. She helped me arrange the details. I wanted to surprise you on our last day here. Do you like it?” Alex asked, her nerves leaking into her voice as she reached for Kelly’s hand. Kelly smiled and looked deeply into Alex’s eyes before responding, “It’s the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Alex blushed scarlet and turned playfully as if looking for someone. “What’s the first?” she asked, receiving a playful smack on her arm as Kelly kissed her gently. “My wife.” Kelly whispered. Alex chuckled and turned toward the picnic basket, carefully releasing the straps and zippers that held the basket together. “Dinner will be brought to us a little later, but I thought you might enjoy watching the sunset with a snack first.” Alex explained, her heartbeat quickening as she looked at her wife and caught sight of the woman’s lower lip caught between her teeth. “You are the most incredible woman I’ve ever known.” Kelly said softly. Alex smiled and pulled Kelly down onto her lap in the chaise lounge. “I’ll have to introduce you to my wife sometime then.” Alex replied, placing a grape against Kelly’s lips. Kelly took the offered fruit and repositioned herself to straddle Alex’s lap. “You know… this place is pretty secluded…” Kelly whispered seductively as she leaned down to place a lingering kiss on Alex’s neck. Alex growled playfully and nipped Kelly’s shoulder before reaching for one of the cheese knives and spreading some on a cracker. The bottom of the sun was just starting to touch the waves and the two women fixed their gaze on the breathtaking sight. The sun was a giant orange ball, and the sky was painted with shades of gold, orange, and pink. The further the sun sank, the more purples replaced the shades of orange and yellow. It seemed like only moments had passed when the sun finally sank fully beneath the waves and the sky was awash with billions of tiny twinkling lights.

  “You could almost believe we’re back at home looking at the stars from the banks in the Gorge.” Alex whispered overtaken by a sudden wave of homesickness. Kelly heard the touch of sadness in her wife’s voice and kissed her gently. “We’ll be home tomorrow, honey.” she murmured quietly. “I’ve enjoyed this week with you more than I ever dreamed. It’s been incredible. I do kind of miss the kids though.” Alex replied smiling at Kelly and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Out of nowhere the two heard the light tinkling of a bell. Alex grinned. “Dinner is here.” she said to Kelly, before carefully lifting the woman to her feet. “Come in please!” Alex said with a smile as she watched a small parade of wait staff enter their p
rivate garden. Kelly took Alex’s hand and waited as the white-clad men entered, one pushing a cart loaded with silver domed plates, another carrying a fresh bottle of wine and clean glasses on a polished tray, and finally a large wheeled cart that neither woman could identify. The two women watched in awe as the staff set up the meal for them. From under the domes appeared beautiful cuts of raw steak, crisp fresh vegetables, steaming loaves of bread, and a small mountain of butter. A domed plate was placed before either chair but left covered. The cart that neither of them could identify turned out to be a large flat topped grill. Kelly almost squealed with delight.

  One of the staff, a tall thin man with a friendly smile, stepped forward. “Mrs. and Mrs. Walker? We will begin with dinner if you are ready.” Alex took the man’s offered hand, “Yes of course.” she replied, before taking Kelly’s hand and leading her toward the table. Kelly smiled and followed Alex, blushing slightly as their chairs were pulled out for them. As the women sat, the same man who had spoken before bowed. “Ladies, my name is Carlisle. We sincerely hope that you enjoy your meal. Please if you need anything just alert your grill master, Armand, and he will notify me immediately.” Carlisle stepped forward momentarily to light the candles sitting on the table between the women and then, with another bow, everyone but Alejandro vacated the clearing. Once everyone had left Armand stepped forward and bowed. “Dames,” the man began, his French accent thick and musical, “tonight I have for you two of our finest ribeye steaks and a selection of mixed vegetables. Maintenant, s'il vous plaît, comment aimeriez-vous votre filet?” Kelly beamed at the man and replied in his native tongue. “Mi-saignant, s'il vous plaît. Pour les deux.” Alex just raised her brow and waited for Kelly to translate. “He asked how we wanted the meat. I told him medium rare.” Kelly offered, clearing up the mystery.