Hope's Path

by Carrie Carr

  Lester chuckled. "That boy never walks anywhere." He sobered and looked at the housekeeper. "I had no idea the boss didn't know about her grandparents. I just assumed her old man poisoned her mind against them like he did Hubert's."

  "What do you mean? And, forgive me for asking, but how do you know them so well?" Martha refilled both of their coffee mugs from the carafe that sat by her hand.

  "Oh, yeah. I reckon we don't run in the same social circles, do we?" The old cook scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, it's kind of a long story, but if you're interested." At Martha's encouraging nod, he continued. "Me and Travis grew up together. We've been good friends for close to sixty years now. He went on to college and made a name for himself in oil exploration, while I went and worked in the oil fields." Lester winked slyly at the smiling housekeeper. "I wanted to make quick cash to spend on the ladies, and Travis decided to go the safer route and build his money slowly."

  Martha laughed. "That sounds about right. So you two have kept in touch for all these years?"

  The older man nodded. "Yep. When he found out that the ranch needed a cook right after little Victoria got married, he asked me if I would take the job. It made him feel better knowing that there would be someone here to kind of look out for her." Lester tried to unobtrusively wipe a tear from his eye. "When she passed away, he and Melanie tried to get custody of the children-- especially young Lexington and Louis. But their daddy fought back, and used Hubert's nasty temperament against them. He and the boy told them that none of them wanted anything to do with their grandparents and to leave them be."

  "That's horrible," Martha shook her head sadly, "but why didn't they try to reach Lexie once her daddy left? Surely they thought she'd at least see them."

  "Well, they did. Sort of." Lester fiddled with the box that he had laid on the table. "They actually phoned out here not long after Rawson took off, but Hubert was still living here at the time."

  Martha's eyes widened. "Oh, no."

  Lester nodded as he moved his coffee mug back and forth, leaving a small ring of condensation on the table. "Yep. Hubert told Melanie that they had no use for either her or Travis, and to never bother them again. She was really broken up about it." He trailed his fingertip through the water, leaving a small squiggle design behind. "So me and Travis exchange letters about once a month, and I keep him up to date on the things around here and how young Lex is doing. He was really upset after her accident last week. Told me to call him immediately if she got put in the hospital, and he'd be right down." He looked up sadly. "I'm just so damned sorry I didn't tell the boss about them sooner.shoulda known it was all Hubert's doing."

  "That's horrible. Going through life thinking your grandchildren want nothing to do with you. And dear Mrs. Edwards passing away before knowing any different. It's so tragic." The housekeeper brushed a sympathetic tear from her own cheek. "You say Mr. Edwards is still interested in Lexie?" When the old cook nodded, she smiled as a plan formed in her head. "And you know how to get in touch with him?"

  Lester chuckled. "Yep. He's living just north of Dallas right now." He patted the box on the table. "I figured she might be a little uncomfortable calling Travis on the phone, so I thought I'd give her something she could use to get to know him first."

  A COUPLE OF hours later, upstairs in their room, Amanda woke to find Lex wrapped snugly around her. She normally would sleep on her back and pull Amanda close to her, but today she had a death grip on her lover. She was a lot more upset than she wanted anyone to know, Amanda thought as she gently played with the hair splayed across her body. Lex's head was pillowed on Amanda's stomach, and her arms were wrapped tightly around Amanda. A quiet knock at the door made Amanda look up.

  Martha had stood outside the door for several moments, debating as to whether or not she should wake the women inside. She knew Lex needed all the rest she could get, but Amanda's family had just arrived, and she thought they would want to come downstairs to visit. The housekeeper knocked lightly on the door before opening it slowly. "Hi there, honey," she whispered to Amanda, who waved her into the room.

  "Hi, Martha. Guess we were both a little tired." Amanda was thankful they were too tired to have done anything intimate earlier and were both sporting their usual choice of sleepwear. Lex had on a dark gray tee shirt and black Garfield boxer shorts, and Amanda wore a deep blue tee shirt that also belonged to Lex. She looked at the alarm clock and gasped, "Oh, no. I'm so sorry. I was supposed to help you with the dinner preparations. Why didn't you wake me sooner?" She was about to climb out of bed when the housekeeper waved her hand.

  "No need, sweetheart. Lester is pretty handy in the kitchen, and we got everything taken care of. Besides, someone had to take care of Lexie, right?" She almost burst into laughter when Lex squeezed Amanda tighter and mumbled in her sleep. "I wouldn't have disturbed you now, but your family is downstairs. I thought you might want to visit with your sister for a bit."

  Amanda nodded. "I do, thanks. Let me just wake Lex up, and we'll be downstairs in a few minutes, okay?"

  Martha smiled as she walked back to the door. "Sure thing, dear. I'll let everyone know you're on your way." She closed the door behind her.

  Amanda directed her attention back to the sleeping woman who held her tight. I really hate to disturb her when she's sleeping this well. Maybe I can sneak out and let her rest for a little while longer. Amanda tried to scoot sideways slightly, but the rancher maintained her iron grip.

  "Mmm, no," Lex mumbled. Her breath tickled Amanda's exposed stomach where her shirt had ridden up, causing her to giggle slightly.

  "Ooh." Amanda tried to keep from waking her lover. A light kiss near her belly button let her know that she'd been unsuccessful. "Lex?" She giggled again as the Lex raised her shirt higher and nibbled a path up from her stomach.

  Eyes sparkled with love for Amanda. "Hi there." Lex's voice was deep and slightly scratchy with sleep. "Are you planning on going somewhere?"

  Amanda sighed as she ran her fingers through the tangle of hair. "Unfortunately, yes. My family arrived a little while ago, and I thought I'd go downstairs and visit." She looked at the clock on the bedside table. "We've been up here for almost three hours."

  "Wanna go for four?" Lex teased as she rose up slightly to give Amanda a kiss. "Who says we have to be sociable, anyway?" she asked after she drew back.

  "You don't know how tempting that offer is." Amanda bent down and gave Lex another, much longer kiss. "But," she sighed, "Martha has already been up here once, and I really don't want to give her any more ammunition for teasing." The housekeeper's favorite pastime was causing Amanda to blush, and she really didn't want to provide her entire family with hours of sport, either.

  Lex rolled over and chuckled. "Probably a good idea. Although, if Charlie does what I think he's going to do, we're going to have the upper hand today." She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. "Ugh."

  Amanda quickly snuck under Lex's arms and squeezed. "Mmm." She kissed the tan throat under her lips. "What is Charlie going to do?" She smiled as she felt warm hands travel up the inside of her shirt.

  "Well, he--aaah--" Lex squirmed as Amanda's teasing fingers found her most sensitive spots. "Amanda. Damn, woman, that tickles." Lex quickly rolled so that she could pin Amanda to the bed. "Do you really want to play this game right now?" she whispered, as she leaned over Amanda. She held Amanda's arms above the young woman's head with her left hand. "Because I know a few spots that could make you squeal." Lex leaned down further and nibbled on an accessible earlobe.

  "Lex," Amanda pleaded. "Please. My family is downstairs." She remembered the last time they got into a tickle fight. Martha had heard her scream and burst into the room wielding her broom, much to the rancher's delight. "You wouldn't--" Her eyes widened as Lex got a diabolical grin on her face. "Umm, please?" she begged sincerely.

  Lex's eyes softened and she released her hold. "I shouldn't let you get away with this, but I will." She climbed off Amanda and pulled her
into her arms for a hug. "This time. Come on, before your sister comes up here looking for you."

  MARTHA LOOKED AROUND the table at the empty plates. The dinner was certainly a rousing success, even though Amanda's last minute guest never showed or called. She sat between Frank and Charlie, with Ronnie on the other side. She exchanged an amused glance with Anna Leigh who was directly across from her. Lex sat at the head of the table with Amanda and Jeannie on either side of her, arguing good-naturedly back and forth. She was trying to follow the conversation between the two sisters over who destroyed whose doll years ago.

  "Are you denying that you completely hacked off her hair?" Jeannie asked her sister. "She looked like a blasted GI Joe when you got through with her."

  Amanda waved her fork at Jeannie. "It wasn't that bad. Besides, it was the only way I could get the gum out." She took another bite of the pumpkin pie Anna Leigh had brought. "It didn't hurt her any. Not like what you did with my Jane and Johnny West dolls that Uncle Morris bought me at that garage sale." The ten-inch dolls were dressed with molded-on turquoise western clothes. Amanda loved them and played with the already worn dolls for hours, much to her mother's distaste.

  Jeannie grinned at Lex, who was watching them with an amused look. "Oh, I dunno. Seems to me that it was rather prophetic, don't you think?"

  "What do you mean by that? You ripped their heads off and switched them, then glued them so I couldn't change them back. Johnny West was the first cross-dressing action-figure in California." Amanda noticed where her sister's attention was directed. "Why?" She looked at Lex and giggled. She's got a point. I did find my very own action figure.

  Lex looked at Jacob for an explanation. He shrugged his shoulders and watched as both of his granddaughters laughed hysterically. "I have no idea, Lex." Just as the two women would get their mirth under control, one or the other of them would glance back up at Lex and start all over again.

  "How does she look in turquoise, Mandy?" Jeannie gasped out between giggles.

  This made Amanda break out in laughter all over again. "Lex--turquoise--" she began, then chortled hysterically once again.

  "Okay children," Lex sighed and looked at the other people at the table. "Does anyone know what is wrong with these two?" She watched as Amanda reached out with one hand and grasped her arm. "What?"

  "Sorry." Amanda rubbed the rancher's arm gently. "It's just that--" She giggled again.

  Anna Leigh smiled at Lex's raised eyebrow. "Let me see if I can shed some light on the subject, while Amanda and Jeannie clear the table." She gave each woman a look that made them both stand, still giggling, and carry plates into the kitchen. "When Mandy was about, oh, eight, I guess, her mother's brother Morris took the girls for a drive while Elizabeth had some silly tea party or something." The look on her face clearly illustrated what she thought about that. "Anyway, they happened upon an estate sale, and Morris decided to stop and let the girls look around. Jeannie found this beautiful wind up merry-go-round and asked Morris if she could have it. Of course he said yes--that man just adored the girls." She sighed. "Sorry. So he told Mandy to pick out something, too. She found these old dolls, similar to Barbie dolls. They had these blue bodies that were supposed to be denim clothes, and were dressed western style."

  Lex suddenly realized where this was all going. "And Jeannie switched the heads on the boy and girl dolls?"

  "Oh, yes. It was quite funny. But Elizabeth noticed little Mandy playing with a woman doll that had the body of a man, and I believe she threw it away. She was already upset because the toys were used--let alone not in perfect condition."

  "That's a shame. It sounds like Amanda really enjoyed them." Lex felt a pang of regret for not knowing her lover then. I would

  have found her more of those West dolls, if that's what she wanted, she vowed. Hmm. I wonder if I can find her more on the Internet? "I don't mean to upset you, but why do you look so sad when you talk about Morris? He sounds like a great guy."

  Jacob patted his wife's hand and addressed the rancher. "Morris has been disowned by the Kingston family, including the girls' mother, Elizabeth."

  Lex shook her head. "Why? Is he a mass-murderer or something?" She was slightly confused by the sad looks on the older couple's faces.

  Frank, who had been listening to the entire conversation, finally spoke up. "Worse. At least in their eyes. He's gay," he uttered quietly. "He brought his boyfriend to Mandy's graduation. There was a nasty fight, and he was kicked out of the family." He looked up at Lex with a pained expression. "Mandy was devastated. As far as I know, she hasn't heard from him since. No one has, I guess."

  "That's not entirely true, Frank." Anna Leigh spoke up with a proud smile. "We hear from him every now and then. I think he's somewhat adopted Jacob and I. He and," she paused and looked at Jacob.

  "Kevin, isn't it?" her husband offered.

  Anna Leigh nodded. "Right. Thank you, darling. They send us cards on all the major holidays. We've been trying for years to get them to come down and visit." She gave Lex a serious look. "Maybe if he realizes he'd be welcome, we could get them both here for Christmas."

  Lex couldn't agree more. "Sounds great." She heard the sisters, still laughing, make their way back from the kitchen. "Let's just keep it a secret though, okay?" Nods from around the table answered her.

  "Hi, Slim." Jeannie walked into the room and wrapped an arm around the rancher's shoulders. "Sorry to be such a ninny." She placed a kiss on the stunned woman's cheek, then grabbed a few more dishes from the table. "But knowing how fond of that damned doll Mandy was--"

  Amanda moved behind her sister and dropped into her startled lover's lap. "She's right. I loved that doll." She placed a quick kiss on Lex's nose. "But I've got the real thing, now."

  Lester, who was at the other end of the table, laughed and slapped Charlie on the arm. "Ain't that a hoot? Little Lex being a doll?"

  The sheriff chuckled and nodded. "You got that right." He reached under the table and clasped Martha's hand. "She really is though, isn't she?"

  "Darn right." Martha squeezed his hand. She started to get up, but was stopped by the rancher's raised hand.

  "Don't even think about it. We'll take care of the cleanup." She raised an eyebrow at Amanda to have her climb off her lap.

  Ronnie jumped up, glad to have something to do. "I'll help," he offered.

  Martha looked across the table to Anna Leigh. "I guess this means the rest of us can go relax in the den." She began to stand, and was startled when Charlie rose and solicitously pulled her chair back for her. "Thank you, honey."

  "Any time, sweetheart." The sheriff nervously reached into the right pocket of his pants.

  "Charlie? Are you okay?" Martha was concerned by the faraway look in his eyes. "You look a little distracted."

  Charlie snapped back to the present. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm great. Why don't we get out of the way so the kids can finish cleaning up?"

  Frank stood and grabbed the nearly empty turkey platter. "That's a great idea. It won't take us any time at all, and then we'll join you."

  Lex gestured with her good hand to the den. "You're outnumbered, Martha. Go relax for a change, and let us take care of everything."

  Amanda rubbed Lex's back with one hand. "You go with them. There are plenty of us to handle the dishes and such. No sense in you overdoing it." When she saw Lex's mouth open to argue, she covered her lips with her hand. "Please, for me?"

  Lex's eyes softened and crinkled into a smile. When the hand pulled away, Lex grinned. "For you." She winked and followed Anna Leigh and Jacob from the room.

  Amanda watched as Lex left. "That was way too easy."

  "You think she's up to something?" Jeannie asked from behind her. "She did give in pretty quickly. Come on. Let's get everything cleaned up so we can find out what Slim has up her sleeve." She swatted her sister on the rear.

  "Hey!" Amanda squealed. She turned around and chased her sister back through the mudroom. "I'll get you for that."

 
; Chapter Twelve

  "SO, LESTER," LEX had to drive slowly in deference to the heavy sleet, "tell me about my grandparents." She glanced in the rear view mirror at Ronnie, who was listening to the handheld cassette player Amanda had given him. He silently nodded his head to the music coming through the headphones, oblivious to the conversation in the front seat of the Jeep.

  "Well." Lester met Lex's serious eyes. "I don't rightly know where to start. And I don't think we have much time. But I'll be more than happy to answer any questions for you." He was still feeling guilty for not mentioning the Edwards' sooner.

  Lex grimaced as the Jeep hit a patch of icy mud, and she fought to keep the old vehicle on the road. "Anna Leigh told me Mr. Edwards, my grandfather, almost disowned my mother when she married Dad. Is that true?" What kind of man would desert his only child just because of who she married? I'm not sure he'd want to have anything to do with me. Or me with him!

  "Not really." Lester had a pretty good idea as to what Lex thought. "Travis adored little Victoria. He wouldn't have done anything to jeopardize their relationship."

  "Then what?"

  Lester sighed. "I reckon someone overheard him when he told her that her husband would never be welcome in their home. Believe me, he regretted almost the instant he said it. But Travis is a proud man and doesn't back down very easily."

  Lex exhaled heavily. "I wonder why? I know Dad is not the classiest guy in the world, but surely they didn't hold his job against him."

  "Hell, no. Travis didn't care what the man did for a living. Truth is, he'd rather she hooked up with someone who did an honest day's work." The old cook scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I think that it was the fact that--" He paused, too embarrassed to continue.

  "What?" Lex turned to look at the suddenly silent man. The Jeep hit another patch of ice, and she wrestled the steering wheel to keep it steady. "Damn! This stuff's getting worse."