Beyond Always (Lex and Amanda Series)

by Carrie Carr

  "That would be lovely, thank you. Now, please. Run along. Michael will be here soon, and I want to have the guest room in order."

  After Lex and Amanda left, Jeannie stood beside her grandmother. "Why are you worried about the guest room?"

  "You know how your father is, dear. I'm certain he'll make a fuss and want to spend the night."

  Jeannie laughed and nudged her. "Want me to short-sheet the bed?"

  She enjoyed Anna Leigh's clear laughter and the arm around her shoulders.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  THE BACK PASSENGER door opened on the truck and Lex turned. "Hey, girls. How was school today?"

  "Hi, Momma." Melanie kissed her cheek before settling in her usual spot. "We painted flower pots to sell at the craft fair. Mine has a sunflower on it."

  "That's great. Be sure and show it to me on Saturday, so I can buy it." Lex waited until Lorrie closed the door and buckled her seatbelt. "How about you, Lorrie? Did you have a good day?"

  "It was okay." Lorrie's glum expression changed into a smile. "Allie dared Trisha to shoot a pea out of her nose at lunch, but it got stuck."

  Lex shook her head. "Is Trisha all right?"

  "Yep. The nurse had to use tweezers to get it out. And now Allie has detention for a week." Lorrie rubbed beneath her nose and sniffled. "She's afraid she's going to be grounded when she gets home today. I hope not, because she was going to meet me at the craft fair so we could hang out."

  Lex checked the traffic before driving away from the school. "What about Jerry?"

  "He's not going. He told Allie it was dumb. Jerry is dumb, "˜cause we always have a lot of fun."

  Melanie had to add her two cents worth. "There's gonna be a petting zoo, with itty bitty horses. That's really cool."

  "We see horses every day," Lorrie scoffed. "It's not that big a deal. Right, Momma?"

  Lex shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. The miniature Shetlands are pretty cute."

  Lorrie wouldn't be dissuaded. "I guess. But what good are they? You can't ride them, and they're too small to use."

  "So what?" Melanie asked. "You can't ride Snow, and she doesn't do anything, either."

  "Um, well." Lorrie frowned as she considered the argument. "She's for a project, Mel. That's different."

  Melanie danced in her seat. "And the little ponies are for petting."

  Lex had to cover her laugh with a cough.

  Lorrie rolled her eyes, but seemed to concede. "Hey, Momma? How come you picked us up today? Not that it's not great," she added quickly.

  "I dropped off the donated beef to the VFW so they could get it ready for the barbecue, and thought y'all might appreciate a day off from the bus."

  "I like the bus. "˜Specially if I get to sit on the back seat and bounce," Melanie said. "But I like riding with you more."

  "Thanks."

  When Lorrie sneezed, Lex grabbed a tissue from the console and handed it to her, never taking her eyes off the road. "Are you feeling okay, kiddo?"

  Lorrie blew her nose. "Uh huh. Hey, Momma?"

  "Yes?"

  "Are we going straight home?"

  "Can we get ice cream?" Melanie asked at the same time.

  Lorrie gave her a dirty look and whispered something to her, which caused Melanie to grumble and reply just as softly.

  Lex let them get it out of their system. She usually only jumped in when Lorrie was on the verge of losing her temper. "Sorry, girls. We need to head home. Maybe next time."

  She'd had every intention of stopping, but Amanda had called and requested that they come directly home. "Ellie and Kyle are coming to the house, and they're bringing enough Chinese food to feed an army."

  "With chopsticks?" Melanie asked.

  "I don't know. Maybe." Lex checked the rear view mirror to see Lorrie's face. "How's that sound to you, Lorrie?"

  "Will they stay long?" Lorrie asked. Seeing her mother's frown in the mirror, she added, "I want to show them Snow."

  Lex nodded. "I'm sure they'd love to see her. Is she still trying to eat your pockets?"

  Just thinking about the kid's playful habits made Lorrie giggle. "Not since you told me to leave her carrot bites in a bag. Now she looks behind me to see if I'm hiding them. Momma?"

  "Hmm?"

  "I just remembered something. I don't think I have enough feed to last until Saturday. Can we stop by the feed store?"

  Lex usually drove into town on Saturday for supplies and Lorrie would get what she needed for Snow then.

  "All right. That's a better idea, anyway. We'll be too busy on Saturday to do it. Good idea, kiddo."

  Lorrie beamed at her. "Thanks, Momma."

  BEFORE THE SECOND knock on the front door, Melanie scrambled through the house. "I'll get it," she yelled as she raced down the hall.

  "Don't run," Lex warned from the living room. She sat on a quilt on the floor, stacking blocks with Eddie.

  "Meemee, no go!" Eddie picked up a block and handed it to Lex. "Bok."

  She stacked it with two others. "That's right, Eddie. Block."

  Eddie giggled and knocked down the short tower. "Ha." He picked up another block and gave it to Lex. "Bok."

  Melanie led Kyle into the room as Ellie was escorted to the kitchen by Amanda. "Look, Momma. Kyle's here."

  "Hey, guys." Kyle walked in with Melanie and sat beside Eddie. "Hey, buddy. What are you doing?"

  He picked out a block and handed it to her. "Bok."

  As Kyle reached for the item, the light glinted on the ring finger of her left hand.

  Lex caught her hand to study it. "Well, what do we have here?" She tsked as she looked at the shiny, platinum band. "I'm guessing this jewelry is one of the reasons y'all decided to bring dinner tonight?"

  "Yeah." Kyle pulled her hand back. "It was one of those spur-ofthe-moment type things, Lex. And we're planning on having a ceremony, but--"

  Lex stood and put her hands on her hips. "Stand up, Kyle." Her expression was impossible to read. "Mel, why don't you take your brother to the kitchen? We'll be right there."

  Kyle got up. "Lex."

  "You know, Ellie's not just my cousin. She's more like a sister to me." Lex stepped closer. "And during the past year, I've seen quite a change in her."

  Standing her ground, Kyle looked up into Lex's face. "I hope so, because she's made a big change in me, too."

  "She has?"

  "I love her, you know. More than I ever thought I could love anyone." Kyle stood as straight as possible and kept her hands at her sides. "So, go ahead. Do what you want."

  As Lex swooped in and wrapped her arms around her, Kyle squeaked.

  "Welcome to the family, Kyle. We've thought of you that way for a while, now. So it's nice to see you finally coming to your senses." Lex moved back and lightly swatted Kyle on the arm. "So, have y'all set a date for the ceremony?"

  Kyle rubbed her upper arm and followed Lex to the kitchen. "Not yet."

  "I'M GLAD YOU called, Ellie." Amanda took one of the bags from Ellie and placed it on the kitchen counter. "But you didn't have to bring dinner."

  Ellie put her bag next to Amanda's and began removing containers. "It was Kyle's idea. She knows how much the kids love it."

  "We all do." Amanda stopped what she was doing. "You look different."

  "I do?" Ellie fought to keep the blush off her face, but from the warmth flooding her cheeks, she hadn't been very successful. She smiled and rubbed at her face, the ring on her finger shining brightly.

  "Ellie? Is that what I think it is?"

  Ellie nodded and held out her hand. "We picked them up last night."

  "Ooh." Amanda took her hand and nodded at the simple platinum band. "Very nice."

  "Yeah, well, we both have jobs that aren't conducive to anything big and flashy, so we thought these would be better."

  Amanda dragged her to the table and pushed her into a chair. "Tell me everything. Who asked? Where were you?"

  "Um, well, Kyle met me after work and asked if I'd like to go with
her to the junkyard."

  "No way." Amanda giggled at the deepening blush. "Seriously?"

  Ellie played with the ring. "She was on her knee, begging. It was really funny, until Rodney came out of the office and saw her. After we explained what wasn't going on he went home, but--"

  "Mommy, Momma said we were supposed to come help you," Melanie announced, as she led Eddie by the hand. "Her and Kyle was talking and sent us here."

  Ellie exchanged worried looks with Amanda. "You don't think?"

  "I don't know. Lex still surprises me sometimes. Mel, would you please run tell your sister it's time to eat?"

  "Okey-doke."

  Eddie toddled to Amanda. "Up." He was ignored until he added, "Pease?"

  She put him on her lap. "That was very good, honey."

  "Mmm." Eddie patted her leg. "Good."

  Amanda turned to Ellie. "So, after Rodney left, what happened?"

  "Oh, ah, I guess it got Kyle thinking along those lines, and she dropped back on her knee and proposed."

  "Right there in the parking lot?"

  Ellie started to laugh. "Crazy, I know. But it's really kind of perfect, for us. I mean, neither one of us are the mooshy, flowery type."

  "Are you saying that I am?" Lex asked from the doorway. She came into the kitchen and kissed Ellie on the cheek. "Congratulations, cousin."

  "Thanks, Lex." Ellie grinned shyly at her lover, who sat in the next chair and took her hand.

  Amanda grabbed Lex's belt and tugged. "You have something against being mooshy?"

  "No, ma'am, not at all."

  "Moo." Eddie tried to add to the conversation. When everyone around him laughed, he said it again. "Moo!"

  LONG AFTER THEIR company left and the children were tucked into their beds for the night, Amanda snuggled against Lex in their bed. "That was really sweet of you to offer the ranch for their ceremony."

  The only light in the room came from a night light in the bathroom which cast a soft glow across them.

  "Well, I don't think that many churches in Somerville are open to a commitment ceremony." When Amanda draped her leg over Lex's, she tightened her hold on her. "I'm not going anywhere, sweetheart."

  "Can't be too sure. You looked ready to bolt when Ellie asked you to give her away." Amanda giggled at her wife's indignant snort. "Don't bother trying to deny it."

  Lex grumbled something unintelligible.

  "Get over it."

  "I think she did it just to see what I would say."

  Amanda kissed her shoulder. "I think she did it because she loves you." The heavy sigh that answered confused her. "What's the matter?"

  "Nothing. Hey!" A second poke to her ribs was all the encouragement Lex needed. "Do you think they're moving too fast?"

  "Are you kidding?"

  Lex shifted enough so she could look at Amanda, although the shadows made it difficult. "No. I think that Kyle is Ellie's first real relationship. Hell, for all we know, she's her first--"

  Amanda covered Lex's mouth with her hand. "Don't even go there." She removed her hand and left a kiss in its place. "Honey, Ellie's a grown woman, and you know Kyle adores her. What more could you ask for?"

  "I want Ellie to have what we have."

  "What makes you think she doesn't?" Amanda propped her head on her hand so that she wouldn't get a crick in her neck. They were still so close that they were breathing the same air, and she found herself struggling not to get lost in Lex's eyes. "She looked pretty happy to me."

  Lex softly traced her finger along Amanda's jawline. "I wish I would have had more time to talk with her before they left."

  "You'll see her again Saturday at the craft fair. And, like they said, they're not as mushy as we are."

  "I'm not mushy, or mooshy."

  Amanda turned her head to kiss Lex's palm. "Of course not." At Lex's sharp intake of breath, she kissed it again. "You were saying?"

  "Huh?" Lex rolled back and pulled Amanda with her. "Mooshy works for me."

  Chapter Twenty-four

  "WE'LL LEAVE IN about an hour," Lex told Lorrie, who was still buried beneath the covers on her bed.

  Lorrie mumbled an acknowledgment, but didn't move.

  "One hour," Lex reiterated before she walked through the bathroom to Melanie's room. She stopped and regarded the round lump under the polka-dotted comforter. "Melanie, it's time to get up."

  "Mmm."

  Lex sat next to the lump and gently shook it. "Sweetheart, if you want to go to the craft fair with me, you'll need to get up and get ready."

  "Don't wanna go to school," Melanie whined. She rolled into a tighter ball away from Lex.

  "I'm leaving in an hour. It's up to you whether you're with me." Lex gave the lump a gentle pat and left the room. She ambled down the hallway, gazing at the photographs that adorned the walls. Pictures of their children accounted for the majority, but there were some of her parents and grandparents, as well as candid shots of Michael, Lois, Anna Leigh and Jacob.

  She touched the glass of one and a sad smile crossed her face. Jacob and her grandfather, Travis, were being chased from the kitchen by Martha after a holiday meal. All three were laughing and Lex remembered fondly how the two men kept getting in Martha's way as she tried to wash dishes.

  "No!" Eddie cried from his room.

  Lex sighed. "Wish me luck," she told the photos, before heading down the hall. Arriving at their son's room, she found Amanda in the rocker, wrestling with Eddie. "Need any help?"

  Amanda stopped what she was doing. "Do you think you could get him to take this?" she asked, waving the medicine dropper.

  "No!" Eddie swatted at the ibuprofen. "Uck!"

  "What's wrong?" Lex took the dropper and squatted beside them.

  "He's got the sniffles and is running a low grade fever."

  Lex held out her hands and Eddie reached for her. "Why are you giving Mommy a hard time?"

  "Uck, Momma." He made a face and shook his head. "Bad."

  Amanda gave her one of her patented see what I mean? looks, but didn't say a word.

  Lex rested Eddie on her knee. "Okay, buddy. Do you feel bad? Ucky?"

  He whined and rubbed his eyes. "Momma."

  "All right, then. This will make you feel better. Momma takes it when she doesn't feel good."

  He looked up at her. "Bad."

  "No, it's not bad. It's good." Lex made a show of tasting the medicine and barely kept a disgusted look off her face. "See?"

  Amanda giggled but quickly covered her mouth when Lex's eyes turned toward hers.

  Lex tried another tactic. "Don't you want to go to the craft fair? Sick little boys can't go."

  Eddie shook his head. "No."

  "All right. Guess you'll just have to feel bad." Lex stood and took Eddie to his bed. "I'm going to town with your sisters. Be a good boy while we're gone."

  "Momma!" Eddie held onto the side rails of his toddler bed. He stomped his feet and looked to Amanda. "Mommy!"

  Amanda stood beside Lex. "Do you want me to stay home with you, honey?"

  "Mommy, good." Eddie fell back onto his rump and stuck out his lower lip. He looked at Amanda, then Lex. "Momma."

  Lex held out her hands. "Come here, little man."

  He reached for her. Once he was in the safety of Lex's arms, Eddie rubbed his face on her shirt and cried. "Momma, Momma."

  "I know, son. It's going to be okay." Lex carried him to the rocker and sat. She rocked and hummed until his crying stopped and he was almost asleep. She quickly squirted the ibuprofen into his mouth as she continued to rock.

  Eddie swallowed the liquid with minimal fuss. He tightened his grip on Lex and after a few minutes, nodded off.

  "Maybe I should stay home," Lex whispered.

  "No, you go ahead. I'll stay home with him this morning. If he's not feeling better by lunch, I'll call his pediatrician's service." Amanda took him from Lex and settled him in his bed. "How about the girls? Did you get them up?"

  Lex followed her from the room.
"I did what I could. You know that Mel could sleep through anything."

  "True."

  Lorrie stumbled from her room. She was dressed but her eyes were half-closed, and her hair stuck out from her head.

  "Are we leaving?" She joined them at the top of the stairs and leaned into Lex.

  "In a little while. I have to see to the horses, first." Lex placed her hand on Lorrie's shoulder. "You'll need to check on Snow before we leave."

  ""˜Kay. I'll go to the barn with you."

  Amanda tried to use her hands to tame Lorrie's hair. "I'll have breakfast ready when you get back, how's that?"

  "Thanks, Mom." Lorrie stepped around Lex and opened the toddler gate. "Do you want me to help with the horses?" "Sure." Lex waved to Amanda and followed Lorrie down the stairs.

  ANNA LEIGH SIPPED her coffee as she took in her living room. The floral sofa, where she had spent so many hours snuggled with Jacob, didn't look right in the room. It fit along an empty wall, but the longer she stared at it, the more she noticed the frayed arms and sunken cushions. "I can't believe I actually brought that old thing with me."

  The doorbell startled her, but she quickly recovered. She set her coffee on an end table before she crossed the room.

  When she opened her door, she was tempted to slam it closed. "Michael. It's rather early, isn't it?"

  He held his hands up. "I've already been reamed by my wife and both daughters. Can we call a truce?"

  "Perhaps." Anna Leigh was still furious with her son. The night she moved, he had showed up after everyone else left, demanding to stay. She'd sent him home and hadn't spoken with him until now. "Do you plan to be civil?"

  "Of course!" he snapped, before taking a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Mom. Really. May I come in?"

  Anna Leigh held the door open wider. "I have fresh coffee in the kitchen."

  "Thanks." Michael stopped in the middle of the living room. "It looks nice, Mom."

  She stood beside him and gestured to the sofa. "I must have been out of my mind to bring that old thing."

  "Why? It's--" he paused and frowned. "Good grief, it looks like a herd of cats attacked it."

  Anna Leigh burst into laughter. "That's certainly one way of looking at it."

  "What happened to it? Did it fall off the moving truck?" Michael moved closer and ran his hand along one of the scruffy arms. "Maybe rolled down the street?"