Chapter 14

Lex woke up at her usual time. Just once, I wish my internal alarm would go on snooze. It was still dark outside, the thunderstorm of last night had settled down to a more peaceful rain this morning. She cautiously took a deep breath, pleased when she only felt an ache, and not the sharp stabbing pains of last night. Turning her head, Lex saw Amanda still peacefully asleep beside her. Glad she got over the nightmares and was able to get a good night's sleep. She took the opportunity to study this sweet young woman. Amanda's face was even more youthful in sleep - She barely looks old enough to drive. She smiled. Once again the small blonde had reached over during the night and grasped Lex's arm. She gently pried the hand loose, and then got out of bed. Lex padded quietly into the bathroom and shut the door. Might as well let her sleep as long as possible. She washed her face and brushed her teeth, then snuck downstairs.

Martha was already up as well, puttering around the large kitchen.

Lex waited until she was directly behind the older woman. "Morning, Martha."

"Blast it Lexie!" she whirled around, one hand covering her heart. "You're gonna be the death of me one of these days!" But she was smiling, and she raised her hand and cupped the cheek of the tall woman. "How are you feeling this morning, sweetheart?" Truth be known, she had been a little worried last night. The way Lex had looked, she was half-afraid of internal bleeding. But the young rancher looked fine this morning. In fact, she looks better than she has in a long time,she mused.

Lex covered the hand on her face with one of her own. The older woman was so dear to her. I wonder if she realizes that? Maybe I should tell her…

Martha Rollins had been the only maternal figure that Lex could really remember. She did have a brief memory of a beautiful dark haired woman sitting at the piano in the drawing room, singing to her as she sat next to her on the piano bench. But this woman… this woman raised her. Cleaned her scraped knees, spanked her with a wooden spoon when she misbehaved, and listened to her hopes and dreams as a kid growing up.

She remembered when she was about eight or nine, and the housekeeper had just held her as she cried over the cruel teasing that she had gotten in school. Martha had gently wiped the tears away when Lex innocently asked, "Why don't I have a momma like the other kids? Am I too bad?"

The plump woman nearly cried herself. "Oh no, sweet child, you had nothing to do with your dear momma passing on. God just needed her, that's all."

Those big blue eyes looked into hers and asked, "Why can't you be my momma?"

Martha hugged the child tight. "Baby, I wish I was." She kissed the child on her dark head. "I love you as if you were my own, and I always will…that's a promise!"

This seemed to make the girl happy, and she leaned up and kissed an ample cheek. "I love you too, Martha." Then she climbed off the teary housekeeper's lap and scampered back outside to play.

Lex snaked her long arms around the shocked housekeeper. "You know, Martha, I don't think I've told you lately that I love you…" she felt the older woman take a deep breath, and then return the hug. "Thanks for being here for me. I do love you, you know." She leaned down and kissed the graying head. Lex pulled back, seeing tears springing up in Martha's deep brown eyes. "So… is that fresh coffee I smell?"

The older woman patted her gently on the stomach. "Of course, help yourself sweetie." And then bustled over to the stove to begin breakfast.

Amanda woke a short time later, feeling completely rested. Oh wow…I can't believe I fell asleep in here last night. I hope Lex didn't mind. She looked around the room, and the older woman was conspicuously absent. Now where has she wandered off to? Then the aroma of coffee and sausage assailed her senses. Ah-ha! I think I know where she might be! She climbed out of bed and wandered across the hall, going straight to the bathroom to wash her face, brush her teeth, and comb her hair.

Feeling more human now, Amanda jogged down the staircase, following the enticing smells of breakfast. In the kitchen, Lex was sitting at a small round table, talking with Martha who was busy at the stove. "Good morning!" Amanda warbled, walking over to the counter where the coffeepot sat.

Martha turned around and smiled. "Good morning to you, dear. Cups are in the cabinet above the coffeepot." Correctly guessing the young blonde's quest. "Are you ready for breakfast? Hope you like scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy." She smiled at the girl's surprised look. "I was just about to send Lexie up to fetch you." She turned around and resumed her cooking.

Amanda filled her cup and leaned over it with a sigh. "Mmmm… that smells great. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Lex raised an eyebrow, waiting for the older woman to attack. Uh-oh…should have warned her about how territorial Martha is in her kitchen.

But to her complete amazement, the housekeeper smiled. "Well, you can get the plates and silverware that are on the counter and take them to the table for me, if you want." She turned back towards the stove, purposely ignoring the sputtering noises coming from the table.

"Whaaat??? You never let me help you!" Lex cried, her tone indignant.

Amanda carried the requested items to the table, casually setting three places. "Maybe you just never asked the right way, " she teased, an innocent look on her face.

Martha laughed, and started placing containers of food on the table. "Now calm down, Lexie…you've got enough to do around here without helping me out in the kitchen." A mischievous grin split her face. "Besides, don't you remember what happened the last time you tried to cook?" Lex blushed, and looked down silently at the plate in front of her.

Amanda looked on, charmed by this new facet to a woman she was quickly becoming attached to. "Oh?"

Lex mumbled something, but didn't look up.

Martha patted her shoulder, then sat down in the chair next to her. "Oh my… that had to be what? Twelve or thirteen years ago?" she looked at the rancher for confirmation.

Lex nodded, wanting to be anywhere except in this kitchen, at this time.

Amanda looked at Martha with a curious gaze. "Oh please…share." She smiled at Lex, who rolled her eyes in disbelief.

They all began filling their plates as Martha began her story. "I guess little Lexie was fifteen or sixteen, then." Lex nodded in resigned agreement. "She wanted to do something special for me…I believe it was Mother's Day, wasn't it honey?"

Lex took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah…"

Martha smiled, and continued. "Why she decided on cooking, when she hated working in the kitchen, was beyond me…"

The object of the story quietly interrupted. "I just thought since you had to cook for everyone else all the time, someone should cook for you for a change."

The housekeeper nodded. "Ah, so that's it… anyway, she must have spent half the night in here, trying to make pancakes." Here, she chuckled. "The little imp couldn't find a recipe, so she used a cake recipe instead."

Amanda covered her mouth to keep from laughing, her eyes twinkling. "Oh, no…"

Martha nodded, smiling. "Oh yes… she must have used ten different pans, and flour was everywhere."

Here Lex tried to help. "They never said how hard it was to mix all those different things together…" she shrugged. "I thought you had to use an egg per pancake."

Martha laughed out loud. "By the time I got up to fix breakfast, Hurricane Lexie had completely demolished the kitchen. I opened the door and sitting on the countertop trying to wipe dough off of the cabinets, was this powdered apparition… she looked so sad…"

"I was trying to get the mess cleaned up before you got up…" Lex smiled, remembering. "But it took me most of the morning - I just knew Dad was gonna whip me for sure over that mess." She looked to Martha for confirmation. "You talked him out of it, didn't you?"

Martha smiled fondly, her eyes misty. "Yes, I did. Rawson never did understand why you did it…It was just about the nicest thing anyone ever did for me."

A pained look crossed the rancher's face. Oh yeah, he did. She remembered the conversation with her father the week before Mother's Day.

"I want to do something special for Martha for Mother's Day, Dad." An eager Lex told her father as they were cleaning out stalls.

"What?" he dropped the shovel he was using and walked over to her. "Why?"

"Because I want to." She answered, confused. "What's wrong with that?"

He grabbed her shoulders. "She's not your mother!" he yelled, getting right up in her face.

"She is as far as I'm concerned." The defiant teenager growled back.

Rawson looked at his daughter closely. He himself was not a tall man, about five foot nine, and his girl was already taller than he was. 'Must have gotten that from Victoria's side of the family.' The tall, dark good looks and magnetic blue eyes all came from Victoria. 'Pity she got my temperament.' "She's the damn housekeeper!" he shook her.

Lex angrily brushed off his hands. "Don't talk about her that way!"

He pulled his arm back and slapped her face, hard. "Don't take that tone with me, girl."

They both froze. Rawson had never raised a hand to his daughter. Sure, when she was younger, a spanking once in a blue moon, but he never struck any of his children in anger.

She held her hand on her cheek, a bruise already forming. "Don't you ever do that again." She whispered, her cobalt eyes flashing. "And," she stood in his face, "Never speak about Martha that way again, or so help me…" she paused, her entire body trembling, "I will make you regret it!" she spun around and walked out of the barn.

After that, Rawson avoided his daughter, although she never knew if it was out of shame for his actions, or out of fear of what he headstrong daughter may do. All she knew was a little over a year later; Rawson Walters left the Rocking W, and never looked back.

Lex felt a warm hand on her wrist. "Hey…what's wrong?" Amanda could see a flash of pain in those azure eyes, which blinked, and it was gone.

"Huh?" Snap out of it…that's old history… "Sorry…guess I'm just not completely awake yet." She gave the young woman a small smile.

Amanda didn't believe her, but let it go. "Hmmm…maybe you should go back to bed, then."

Lex shook her head and stood up. "Can't. Gotta go down to the barn and feed the horses, take some hay to the cattle in the far field, then do a quick fence check." She carried her plate over to the sink, daring Martha to say something.

Martha let her carry her plate to the sink, knowing the woman was trying to get a rise out of her. Brat! I should take my spoon to her… Then she noticed Amanda's face. Hmmm… or maybe I'll just let this little one take care of her. Heh.

"Whaat?" The small blonde leapt out of her chair. "You should be resting, not out gallivanting around in the rain!" She picked up her plate and deposited it in the sink.

Lex looked at her with a fond smile. "I'm fine this morning. Besides, I'm the only person here that can do all that. You don't want the stock to go hungry, do you?"

Amanda chewed on her lower lip. "Well…" then she shook her head. "Of course not. But I'll go with you to help…no arguments, okay?"

The tall woman laughed. "Okay…but I think we'd both better get dressed first. It's kinda cool out this morning." She looked Amanda over critically. "I think I can find some clothes to fit you, if you don't mind wearing boys clothes."

"Hey, if they're warm, I don't care." The younger woman put her hands on her hips. "Just as long as you don't laugh at me anymore…I don't think your ribs could handle it!"

Lex shook her head. "Nah, I won't laugh…think I was just overtired last night." She headed towards the doorway and stopped. "You coming?"

Amanda looked over at Martha, who was still seated at the table. "Thanks for breakfast. Are you sure I can't help with the dishes, or something?"

The older woman made a shooing motion with her hands. "No, get out of here. Try to make Lexie behave herself this morning. I've got this all under control."

Once upstairs, Lex steered Amanda to a door down at the end of the hall. She paused, took a deep breath, and then opened the door. Flipping on the lightswitch, she moved into the room, Amanda right behind her.

It looked like a young boy's room. There was a twin bed against one wall, a bookcase with model cars and airplanes decorating it and a small desk with a reading lamp sitting on top. The walls were adorned with posters of airplanes and horses, and a ragged baseball cap sat silently on a hook by the bed. Amanda looked at Lex. She was staring at the cap, a far away look in her eyes. Then she shook her head slightly, and walked over to the closet door. Pulling out some faded jeans and a flannel shirt, she turned to Amanda and smiled slightly.

"These should fit you just fine. You're about the same size." She took a deep breath. "Don't think I can find you any shoes, though…You'll probably have to make due with yours."

Amanda ached at the pain lurking in those blue eyes. "These will be fine. Are you sure it's okay? My wearing these?" she had to stop herself from reaching out and giving the tall woman a hug. She looks so sad…I wonder why? "Whose clothes are these?"

Lex grabbed a couple more pairs of jeans out of the closet, along with several shirts. She walked over to a small dresser and opened the top drawer. Pulling out several pairs of socks, she closed the drawer and walked over to the bed and sat down heavily. "This was my younger brother Louis' room." She took in a shaky breath. "He…he died nine years ago."

Amanda rushed over to the bed and sat down next to Lex, gently grasping her hand. "I'm sorry…"

The older woman shook her head. "Martha still cleans his room…I know I should pack this stuff up, but…" she closed her eyes. "I've completely remodeled the entire second floor of this house, but I can't bring myself to destroy…" her voice faded to a whisper, "the only thing I have left of Lou…" silent tears tracked down her face.

They both sat quietly for a few minutes, Amanda just lending her silent support to Lex, who wiped at her face with her hand. "Sorry…must still be tired from yesterday. I don't normally…"

Amanda squeezed her hand, placing her other arm around Lex and giving her a small hug. "Don't apologize…are you sure you want me to wear these clothes? Martha has cleaned my shirt and jeans…"

Lex shook her head. "No. You'd be more comfortable in these…Besides, I think he would have loved to have shared with you." She stood up, pulling Amanda up with their still-linked hands. "C'mon… I'm gonna show you how to run a ranch."