Mended Hearts Read online

  MENDED HEARTS

  Sarah Markel

  This book is dedicated to every person who has lost their partner and was able to once again find love and happiness in their lives.

  Prologue

  Kelly Taylor sat in the hammock in her front yard, a glass of wine in one hand, the other holding her cell phone to her ear. “Angie, are you sure this is going to be ok? I mean, I haven't exactly done the whole apply-then-interview process. Won't someone have something to say about it?” she asked the woman on the other end. Kelly heard Angie laugh, “Of course it's ok!” Angie said, “Our family owns the facility. Alex is fine with it, as long as you don't turn out to be an abuser or a thief.” Angie said with a chuckle. “Seriously, Angie! You have known me for twenty years. Do you really think I am like that?” Angie answered in her best "serious" voice, “Doctor Taylor, it is my firm belief that your addition to the facility will result in nothing more than an effective and long needed change. We are happy and grateful to have you.” It was Kelly's turn to laugh, “Alright, Alright. You win. I will see you in a few weeks, Angie. It has been too long! I can't wait to get together so you can fill me in on this twin sister of yours."

  After saying her goodbyes, Kelly laid back to soak up the last of the day's sunlight. She was going to miss the sandy beaches, warm ocean water, and eternal sunshine of Florida. She had never been to Oregon before, but if everything Angie said was true, she was sure she would love it. Sipping her wine, she let her thoughts wander over everything this new start had to offer. She would get to see her best friend again, after 15 long years, and that in itself was reason enough to go. They had spoken on the phone regularly over the years, but meeting face to face had been hard with them living in separate corners of the country. She and Angie had been inseparable during college. The one thing niggling at her was the prospect of meeting Alex, Angie's twin sister. Alex had attended a different college than Angie and Kelly. Though she spoke of her fondly, Angie never really discussed Alex in any great detail. All Kelly could say she knew was that Alex used to be called Lexie and she was a lesbian. Shaking off the second thoughts slowly creeping into her mind, Kelly reminded herself that she needed this. She finished her wine and let herself relax and drift off in her hammock, the last days of her self-imposed unemployment were coming to an end.

  Chapter 1

  Kelly Taylor sat on the cozy tan sofa in the lobby of Serenity Home. She looked around the spacious area full of potted trees, vases of colorful flowers, and comfy chairs. Such a pleasant place to be, she thought. People were milling about in an easy dance, aides in blue scrubs walking with the elderly, aides in red scrubs passing out little snacks and drinks to the seated residents, aides in white scrubs handing out medications to those who needed them. The rhythm of the dance was laid back, gentle, and competent. This is a well-run facility. I think I'll like it here. She thought quietly with a smile.

  “Ms. Walker will see you now, Doctor Taylor,” the short, plump brunette touched Kelly's shoulder gently, startling her out of her observations. “Thank you, um, I'm sorry I don't remember your name.” The woman smiled “It's Tina. Tina Miller. I am Ms. Walker's secretary.” Smiling, Kelly followed Tina's lead. “Thank you, I tend to be terrible at names.” Tina led her through a pretty, white door decorated with images of butterflies atop colorful flower petals. The woman behind the desk was hunched over a stack of papers, systematically sorting them into separate piles. “Thank you, Tina. Have a seat Doctor Taylor, I will be right with you.” the woman said without looking up. Kelly sat in the visitor chair, upholstered in a soft yellow fabric, and tried not to stare.

  Without even seeing her face, Kelly knew Alex Walker was beautiful. Bright red hair cut to a stylish yet professional shag, broad shoulders currently hunched in concentration, and hands, busy with their task, that looked soft yet strong. Finding herself uncharacteristically self-conscious, Kelly averted her gaze to look around the office. She noted the size for the first time, small enough to be comfortable, but efficiently furnished. Beside her was another chair in the same yellow fabric and a matching sofa lined the wall to her left. A pair of plain oak end tables flanked the sofa, each holding a vase of pink and white Stargazer Lilies. Beside each vase sat a silver picture frame. In the left frame was a picture of a strikingly beautiful little girl. Flame red hair framed a small cherubic face with eyes as blue as the sky. The child sat in a white wicker chair, wearing a dress the color of sapphires, with a small white bunny in her arms. Smiling at something just to the right of the camera, the little girl couldn't have been more than two. The frame to the right held the picture of another child, this one a boy of about six. The bright brown eyes and perfectly cut Mohawk the shade of chestnuts suited the boy’s face. The boy was standing with his back against a brick wall, arms crossed over his chest in a laid back lean. The black and gray pinstriped dress shirt and black dress slacks suited the boy well.

  Kelly let her gaze wander over the rest of the office. A few filing cabinets sat next to each other to the left of the wide picture window. On the wall to her right, Kelly noticed a large photo collage. The large image in the middle showed four young boys standing beside each other while two little girls sat next to each other in front of the boys. On closer inspection, Kelly noticed, each boy was clad only in a pair of blue jeans, bare feet, and a big smile. The two little girls, both redheads, wore white dresses and sat with their ankles crossed and their hands in their laps. Each boy held a small white poster with a single word printed in bold, black letters. Together the words spelled a warning. Don't Ever Hurt Them. The children appeared to be older than the two on the end tables, but they all appeared to be close in age. The boys all looked as if they were brothers, and the girls appeared to be their sisters. Such sweet faces! Kelly thought to herself. The other pictures in the collage depicted each of those children by themselves, black and white candid shots showing children who obviously felt at ease with a camera around.

  The snap of a drawer closing brought Kelly's attention back to the desk. Alex was unsuccessfully trying to get the papers she had been sorting into a laptop bag. Kelly sat quietly, patiently waiting for Alex to get a moment to speak to her, after all Alex had agreed to meet with her last minute. Kelly's eyes wandered the desk and fell upon another photo frame. The picture inside took her breath away. A slender woman in a white turtleneck, black sweater, matching slacks, and bare feet, sat on the grass leaning to the right with her weight supported on her palm, and her long legs half bent to the side. Her long red hair fell in waves over her left shoulder and came to rest on the grass beside a little girl. Her sparkling green eyes and bright smile showed a woman who was happy and content with her life. Sitting in front of her was the little red haired girl, and the little boy with the Mohawk kneeled behind the woman. Something in the way the woman smiled caused a tug in Kelly's abdomen. The woman was breath taking. Kelly stole a glance at Alex, who was trying to shove the laptop bag under her desk, and thought the resemblance to the woman in the pictures was such that the women were definitely sisters. That's funny, Angie never mentioned another sister, She thought to herself. Finally, Alex let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled something under her breath, before turning her attention to Kelly for the first time.

  Kelly saw Alex looking her over, taking stock of her, before meeting her eyes. When Alex's eyes met hers, Kelly felt the tug in her abdomen once again. The same mesmerizing emerald green eyes from the photo on the desk looked over at her. Alex was the woman in the picture! The Alex in the picture, and the Alex in front of her were vastly different. The photo showed a slender, feminine woman, while the woman in front of her was more muscular than the photo, and didn't have the same happy glint in her eyes. It must be a really old picture, I wonder if that was when she went
by Lexie, Kelly thought to herself. After a moment of silent eye contact, Kelly felt herself flush and looked down. “Sorry about that,” she said, “I didn't realize just how much you and Angie look alike.”

  Alex smiled and shrugged, “That happens with twins.” she said nonchalantly, “What can I do for you today?”

  Kelly took a moment to remember why she had asked to meet with her. “I was wondering if it would be possible to do the tour of the facility today instead of on Monday. I like to have at least a slight knowledge of where I am working before I start. Plus it will be one less thing to cram into my first day.” Still a bit flushed, Kelly smiled brightly.

  Alex glanced at the clock. It was a quarter past one on a Friday afternoon, so Kelly would understand if she said no. After a moment of what seemed like internal debate, Alex smiled. “Sure, but we will be doing shift change in about an hour and a half. Is that alright?” she asked.

  “Oh, that's not a problem. Are you sure it's okay though? I don't mind waiting.”

  Alex smiled, “It's not a problem. Shift change is a hectic time, especially during the Day to Swing change on weekdays.”

  Kelly stood and walked to the door, “Thank you, Alex. I will wait out here until you are ready.” she said with a smile. Stepping out, she closed the door behind her. Yeah, I think I will REALLY like it here, she thought.

  Chapter 2

  When the elevator doors opened, Kelly was delighted to see the staff busily working instead of lounging about on their cell phones. In all of her years working as a facility Physician, she had only ever seen Resident Assistants do their best to avoid fulfilling their duties. She had never seen so many of them at one time, doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing. Kelly watched as Aides checked on the residents lying in their beds. The floor was set up to provide up to 20 or so patients with peaceful and calm surroundings. The beds that were occupied were separated by curtains, giving the patient privacy and comfort, while at the same time giving the staff the ability to see them from anywhere on the floor. “This is our Comfort Care Floor,” Alex said, startling Kelly. “We have twenty two beds up here with two aides and one RN, twenty four hours a day. I will introduce you to our Day shift Nurse, then walk you around to meet the families that are here, before we move down to the next floor.” Kelly nodded and smiled, following Alex's lead.

  Kelly watched as Alex walked up to a short, plump woman with salt and pepper hair. Giving the two women a moment to confer with each other, Kelly took the chance to admire Alex's form. Kelly let her eyes start from the bottom and work up. She sighed internally as she followed Alex's long legs all the way up to where they ended, in an amazing ass. Even through the dress slacks, Kelly could tell that Alex's legs were muscular and well-toned. Her ass was a testament to that. Following the length of her body, Kelly admired Alex's long torso and broad shoulders. The silk blouse she wore, while accentuating her lovely breasts, also highlighted her lean physique. When their eyes met, Kelly flushed crimson. Oh my God! She saw me checking her out! Great job Kelly, She is taking the time to show you around before you actually start your job, and you repay her kindness by ogling her. Real Smooth. She chastised herself. Taking a deep breath, Kelly walked toward Alex. “I'm sorry.” she said. “I was just admiring your blouse.” Alex smiled and raised her eyebrow, about to make a comment, then motioned toward the nurse. “Sherry Hughes this is Doctor Kelly Taylor, our new Facility Physician. Sherry has been with us for over twenty five years as the Head Nurse on this floor, and is the resident’s favorite. You will be working with her all next week, here on CC. She will make sure you know everything about the residents on this floor, their families, and the staff working under you. She is very thorough and we love her for it.” Alex took a moment to smile at the woman and affectionately pat her arm before moving on.

  After stopping to meet several staff members and getting acquainted with the layout of the floor, the pair headed towards the elevator. Once inside, they stood in awkward silence for a moment. Kelly, still pink from being caught checking out her boss, kept her eyes on the floor number above the door. Just as the doors opened, Alex leaned in close to Kelly's ear and whispered, “Admiring my blouse? Not used to getting caught are you?” as she strode out onto the next floor. Kelly stared after her, mouth open, with the tug in her abdomen getting stronger, for a moment before flushing crimson again. Willing herself to calm down, she followed Alex.

  Chapter 3

  Oh Thank God! Kelly thought to herself as the elevator opened on the main floor. The last forty five minutes had been blissful torture. After Alex had whispered to her in the elevator, Kelly had tried her damnedest to keep her gaze off of Alex's body. Alex appeared to be amused by Kelly's embarrassment, and during the few moments they had had between introductions and explanations, as well as the few minutes in the elevator between floors, she would look at Kelly with a mischievous smirk then simply look away and get back to business. While Alex smiled easily and freely, Kelly noticed that not once did that smile mirror the one in the photograph on her desk. She had a hard time believing that something had not happened to cause the woman to change from the feminine beauty in the photo to the hard, more masculine woman she met today.

  “Mommy!” the shrill, excited cry jolted her out of her thoughts as she looked over toward the front entrance. A small, red haired girl who looked similar to the girl from Alex's photos came sprinting across the lobby just as fast as her little legs could carry her. When she reached Alex, the little girl flung herself at her, clamping her arms around Alex's neck like a vise. Chuckling, Alex picked the girl up and nuzzled her neck, making the child giggle. A boy, a bit older than the boy in the photos walked up, much calmer than his sister, and offered a closed fist to Alex. Smiling just as she had in the photo, Alex gave him a fist bump before rustling his hair. “Hi guys! How was school?” Alex asked happily as the two children immediately began trying to talk over each other to tell their mom all about their day. Carrying her daughter to the door of her office, Alex looked back and motioned Kelly inside with her head. Curiosity peaked, Kelly complied.

  Once inside the office, the children sat on the sofa against the wall with Alex. Kelly watched them happily as she sat in the chair closest to the sofa. She watched quietly as the little girl curled into her mother's lap, clearly content. The little boy sat next to his mom, his ankles crossed, his hands folded behind his head, staring at Kelly intently. Just as he was about to speak, Alex noticed his look and spoke up. “Kelly, these are my children. This is my son Zane and my daughter Dej. Kids, this is Doctor Kelly. She is going to be working here with me.” Kelly smiled at the children. “It's very nice to meet you both,” she said. “How old are you, Zane?” Looking at her with the same smirk as his mother, he replied. “I'm ten and a half.” "And I'm this many!” Dej piped in, gleefully holding up 6 fingers. Chuckling, Kelly asked her "That many already? How many is that?” Dej looked at her hands, then at Kelly as if the woman had just asked her the square root of a bowl of oatmeal. “You don't know how to count yet? It's six!” Slightly taken aback by the child's biting sarcasm, Kelly pinked a bit. “You're six? Wow, that's a good age!” She managed.

  She was saved any more embarrassment by the door to Alex's office opening. Turning to see who was coming in, Kelly smiled and stood. Angie, looking almost the same as she had last time they were face to face, stopped in her tracks before letting out a screech in lieu of a greeting. “Oh my God! You're here! I thought you weren't coming in until tomorrow! When did you get here?” Crossing the space between them, Angie grabbed Kelly in a vice like bear hug. Laughing, Kelly returned the hug with equal enthusiasm. It had been nearly 15 years since the last time they stood in the same room. “I got here yesterday. I wanted to get a feel for this place before I start Monday. I met with Alex a little while ago and she agreed to show me around. I was going to call you after I got done here and invite you to dinner!” Breaking the embrace, Kelly stepped back to give Angie a once over. Other than gaining about 1
0 pounds, Angie looked just about the same. “You look great!” Kelly said, “So how about dinner tonight? We can catch up!” Angie's smile dulled for a moment. “I can't tonight, but how about you come over to my place and have dinner with us? Alex and the kids are going to join us. My husband and I have a Barbeque every Friday night when the weather is nice, and we all get together to celebrate the coming weekend.” Angie's smile flared back to life. “Sure, if I wouldn't be imposing.” Kelly replied.

  Chapter 4

  I hope this isn't awkward. I hope this isn't awkward. Kelly repeated to herself as she pulled her dark blue Dodge Charger next to the curb in front of Angie's house. The directions Angie gave were easy enough to follow, but Kelly had driven by the house twice before realizing it was her destination. “Get ahold of yourself! You are here to see Angie and catch up!” she told herself out loud. Plus, you will get to see Alex in something other than her professional clothes, she thought to herself with a smile. Grabbing the bottle of wine, as well as the package of bottled juice, she got out of the car and headed up the walk. The sounds of children laughing and a man egging them on drifted around from the back of the house.

  Knocking on the door, she couldn't help but smile. She had always wanted children, but her ex had been specific. No kids and No pets. The door opened, saving her from her own thoughts, and presented her with a small boy. The boy looked like Zane, except that he was maybe 7 years old. “Hi!” the boy said with a big toothy grin, “are you here to see Mommy?” Before she could answer, Zane came up behind the boy. “Tommy, that's Doctor Kelly,” he said before turning to Kelly. “Everyone's out back, I'm supposed to bring you to them.” he said, opening the door wider for her to enter. Smiling at the boys, she followed their lead.