4
The flight to Kentucky took less than ninety minutes. There were advantages to owning and flying your own plane. Ophelia had flown them in a Cessna Citation M2. The Citation M2 was a dual engine medium range jet that could carry up to seven, though this one was configured with just six seats. The jet came complete with every upgrade that Cessna offered plus a few they didn't. The inclusion of Karen as a perfect autopilot was only available as an option for jets owned by their corporation. Though Ophelia knew that once this new type of AI came to the market every airplane in the world would be outfitted. They were met by a Ford F-150 that had been driven from the closest corporate facility by one of Karen's subroutines. They got into the vehicle and Ophelia drove them to her parent's horse farm.
The couple was met by James Wilson a college friend who now worked for her father. The two had dated in college. Alex was not thrilled with Jim's enthusiastic greeting. She would not have wanted to be picked up and swung around by the man even if Ophelia wasn't there watching. She made it clear to him that he needed to put her down. He did so but then leaned in to kiss her lips. A quick head turn allowed his lips to contact her cheek instead. "It so good to see you, Allie," Jim said. Alex tried her best not to roll her eyes at the use of her childhood nickname. Alex was well aware that Jim still had feelings for her but she had made it quite clear that she had more than moved on.
Before she could speak Ophelia was there next to her introducing herself.
"Hi I'm Ophelia, and you are."
"Ma'am, I'm James Wilson, Alex's boyfriend."
Alex's simply said "ex" to clarify Jim's last remark.
"It's nice to meet you, James," Ophelia said with fake sincerity in her voice. Jim just continued to be oblivious to all things. Alex redirected Jim by asking him where her parents were.
"Oh, your dad is in the office and Your mom is down at the stables."
"She's got a Mare who's in labor."
The couple agreed on the plane that Alex would speak with her parents before introducing Ophelia. So Alex went towards her father's office with Jim in tow. Instead of being pissed at the young man's possessive behavior towards Alex, Ophelia actually felt bad for Jim because he was never going to touch Alex again.
Ophelia decided to explore the sprawling horse farm. She walked past a couple of fenced-in areas that looked like they were for exercising horses. Ophelia knew little about horses but she'd done some research in anticipation of this visit.
She continued her strolling when she heard a woman call out "Is someone there?" Ophelia followed the voice until she came across a woman who was an older but no less beautiful version of Alex. She appeared to have her arm inside a horse up to her elbow. The woman pointed to a nearby table and said can you hand me the fold puller. She had no idea which one was a fold puller but given the available information, she chose the item that looked like a clamp on the end of a rod. She also spotted a pair of long gloves. She put the gloves on deciding that it couldn't hurt before she picked up the instrument. She handed over the device to the woman who had to be Alex's mother.
The woman looked her up and down before she spoke. "I'm sorry but I don't recognize you and since those boots you are wearing cost a grand a pair I'm guessing you aren't a new hand we've just brought on." "No," Ophelia began but was cut off by an inhuman grunt coming from the soon to be mother. "Sorry, but this fold is coming soon," Alice Wright said. Ophelia stood back and watched the veterinarian work. It quickly became clear that things were not going well. Alice attached the instrument and began turning the handle at the end of the rod. After the third turn, she began to struggle with the handle. Ophelia walked over and grabbed one side before saying, "You push and I'll pull." The two women quickly found a rhythm and soon they began seeing the amniotic sac followed by a pair of hoofs. It did not take long after that for the entire fold to come completely out of the mother. Alice used a sharp tool to pierce the sac freeing the fold. Moments later the colt was on its feet and nursing from his mother.
Both women grinned at each other happy in their efforts to shepherd a new life into the world. They both removed their gloves before the older woman offered a hand.
"Hi, I'm Alice Wright."
"Thank you for your help."
"Anytime, I'm Ophelia."
"Ophelia Dean."
The two women shook hands.
"Oh, you're Alex's "
Before she could finish her sentence Ophelia responded with a simple "I am."
Alice considered her words for a moment. She, of course, knew of her daughters crush on her boss. She reconsidered the term crush her daughter was an adult now and she knew her own mind. Her daughter was in love with this woman and now she was here on their farm indicating that she was Alex's something. She took a long appraising look at the woman who was at least ten years older than her Alex. Alex could certainly do a hell of a lot worse she thought to herself.
"So you and Alex are," Alice started leaving the woman before her to complete the sentence.
Ophelia let out a musical laugh at her mother-in-law's obvious ploy. Despite their original plan, Ophelia saw no point in not being honest.
"Married," Ophelia said finishing Alice's previous statement.
Alice appeared thoughtful for a moment before she broke into a smile that rivaled her daughter's.
"I knew she was in love with you, you know," Alice said.
"A mother knows, you'll learn that one day."
Ophelia laughed again at the woman's obvious reference to grandchildren.
Instead of answering she simply offered the woman her arm for the walk back to the main house.
Alex walked into her father's office to see him talking on the phone. His face lit up as she walked in before he said: "Hey, Don I need to let you go." He finished his conversation before he walked over and enfolded his youngest daughter in his arms. "Hey, daddy," she said, happy to be in her father's presence. They sat in a pair of comfortable chairs in front of his desk before her dad spoke: "Allie it's great to see you, but why aren't you at work."
"Well that is part of the reason why I'm here," Alex said
"I got a new job."
"What are you like a senior Assistant now?" Jim asked from his position standing in the doorway to the office.
Alex rolled her eyes at Jim's poor attempt at a joke. Statements like that were exactly why they had not made it as a couple. Jim thought he was better than her because he was a "vice president" for a mid-sized horse farm in Kentucky and she was just an assistant. Mind you she was a key advisor to the CEO of one of the largest corporations in the world but to him, an assistant was just someone who got coffee. One of the reasons that Alex had been comfortable in taking on this new role was because of all she'd learned working for Ophelia. Far from being a glorified barista, she read every report sent to her boss before it ever touched Ophelia's desk. She knew as much about everything the company did as anyone including her former boss. Ophelia had shown her very early in their working relationship that she trusted Alex's opinion. She had taken Alex's recommendations on everything from hiring decisions to production schedules, to business acquisitions. She learned more in her two years working for Ophelia than she had in the previous five working for a large brokerage firm. She had taken a downgrade in title to work for the tech giant but not in pay. Her base salary had been less but with the performance bonus, she had cleared a quarter of a million her first year and nearly half a million in her second. None of that, of course, mattered now. Now she had a bank account with more zeros than she could ever spend.
"Actually I am Co-CEO and part owner of a new company."
Her dad had a confused look on his face so she tried to clear things up for him.
"It's a closely owned corporation with just four owners."
"And what does this little company of yours do?" Jim asked.
Jim was starting to really get on Alex's nerves. "It's a media company."
"What did you and your friends get together to start a website?" Jim asked.
Alex could hear the condescension in the man's voice and she wondered if her father could hear it too, Her father always had a soft spot for Jim.
"No, the company is actually now the largest shareholder in the Elias Clark Company."
That shut Jim up. The media conglomerate that was Elias Clark owned just about every magazine that was still profitable.
"And you are a minority owner," her dad asked trying to figure out how his daughter could afford any part of ownership in such an endeavor.
"Actually all of us own a quarter of the company."
"I'm sorry sweetheart but I just don't understand how you can afford to own a quarter of a billion dollar company"
"It's actually a four billion dollar company," Alex responded a little sheepishly.
Her dad and Jim were both so taken aback that no one spoke for more than a minute as they digested her words. Her dad tried again, "Alex how did you come up with the money to invest in this company."
Alex thought for a second before responding, "Family money."
Her dad laughed at that before saying, "sweetheart Pegasus Farms is doing well, but we don't have a spare billion we can loan you."
Alex knew the family business was just getting off the ground. The company had been formed by her parents with the express purposes of breeding and training racehorses. The name was a tribute to their distant cousins Wil and Orville.
"Daddy I'm not asking you for a billion dollar loan," Alex said with a laugh.
Her dad joined in her laughter but Jim stayed silent.
"Well that's good Allie, but seriously how are you doing this," he said.
"That's the other reason why I'm here."
"I came to tell you and mom that I got married."
"What!" her dad said.
Jim let out a bark of laughter that surprised them both. "So that's why she came here with you," he said.
"Jim, what are you talking about?" Dan said.
Alex spoke up before Jim could make the announcement, "I came here with Ophelia."
The look of confusion on her dad's face was almost comical. Before she could clarify things her mother and Ophelia walked into the office like old friends. Her mother approached her and gave her a big hug trying not to squeal in her excitement. They both finally gave up and both women made happy noises.
"Will someone tell me what is going on," Dan said.
'Would it help if I called you Dad," Ophelia said with a smirk.
Alex and Ophelia were comfortably installed in a guest room. Alex did not really have a room here having not grown up in this house. Her parents had gotten into horse racing later in life. Her father had been a successful builder and her mother a veterinarian that specialized in horses. Her mother had done years of research into equine genetics. She used that knowledge to start a breeding program that had already spawned two winning horses. Thier goal was to eventually enter a winning horse in the Kentucky Derby.
They had come up here to give her parents some time to digest the big news. They were getting together again for dinner in a few hours. The couple had decided to catch up on sleep. Alex was about to climb into bed when she looked up to see Ophelia striping off her clothes.
"Ophelia, what are you doing," Alex asked
"I guess now would be a good time to tell you that I prefer to sleep in the nude," she said.
Alex began to object but one look at the nude woman in front of her changed her mind. She stood stripped off her clothes and joined Ophelia under the covers of the comfortable bed. The two slipped into each other's arms and were soon asleep.
Alex was awoken sometime later by a brief knock at the door followed by someone entering the room. Alex quickly pulled the blanket up to her neck before recognizing her mother's silhouette. Alice approached the bed apologizing for interrupting her nap. Alex looked to the other side of the bed finding it empty.
"Honey do you mind if I sit," her mother said.
"Sure," Alex replied.
Her mother sat on the edge of the bed then she spoke, "I am just so happy for you and Ophelia," her mother said.
"What about Dad?" Alex asked.
"Oh, he's just in shock"
"I warned him that this was a possibility but for some reason, he thought you and Jim would get back together."
Alex rolled her eyes at her father's cluelessness
"I know, I know but you know how your father is."
"When he gets a thought in his head, he has a hard time letting go."
"But he's already coming around,"
"To be honest when comparing Ophelia to Jim, well there is really just no comparison,"
They both laughed at that.
Dinner went better than Alex had hoped. Ophelia was her normal charming self and both her parents enjoyed hearing the stories of her upbringing in New York along with spending significant time in half a dozen European cities. Her parents had been quite touched when Ophelia discussed her parent's death in a plane crash when she was just sixteen and then the loss of her sister years later. Alex could tell her dad was really impressed when she described how she founded her company. Alex was very impressed with how her wife had turned tragedy into purpose. Seeing this side of Ophelia made her fall in love with the woman all over again. Based on her mother's expression she suspected that she was falling for Ophelia a little herself.
After dinner, they split up with Alex and her mother doing the dishes while Ophelia and her father went out onto the porch for a drink.
"What would you like to drink," Dan asked his new daughter-in-law. He had not expected to have one of those since he and Alice only had girls. He now realized that assumptions could be dangerous. He had not liked the way Jim had been so condescending when Alex was describing her new business venture. He kicked himself mentally for not seeing it sooner. Jim thought he was better than Alex and that could not be further from the truth. Alex was brilliant. She would have made something of herself whether she married a billionaire or not. The idea that his daughter was now one of the richest people on earth would take some getting used to.
"This is Kentucky is it not," Ophelia responded.
"Bourbon it is," Dan said with a laugh. He realized that he liked her a lot. She was nothing like he would have expected. Down to earth, smart, confident without being arrogant and most importantly it was clear that she loved his daughter and treated her well. Sure he'd been raised to think that homosexuality was a sin but tell the truth a lot of the things he liked doing were a sin. Hell if two people in love didn't commit a few sins than they were probably doing it wrong.
They took their drinks outside and sat in the comfortable chair there.
"Do you think Allie, is ready to run a four billion dollar business," he asked.
"Well I consider it a bit of a downgrade," she responded.
Dan gave her a quizzical look before she continued, "Alex has helped me run my company for the past two years and it is worth far more than four billion."
Dan respected that answer more than he could say. The fact that Ophelia had recognized Allie's smarts and not just her beauty spoke volumes about the woman's character.
"Our Allie is a smart girl, you were smart to take advantage of that,"
"Tell me a little about what this new company is going to do,"
When Ophelia finished her brief overview of the Rose Corporations mission, Dan said, "So it sounds like you want to take the entertainment value of traditional media like magazines and move them onto social and other digital platforms in order to stay relevant."
He chucked at the gobsmacked expression that briefly appeared on Ophelia's face. "They have some pretty good business schools down south too," he said teasing her a little. "I must really like her if I'm already pulling her chain," he thought.
They were soon joined by his girls. Alice came to him and sat on his lap and took a good sized pull off of his Bourbon.
"What are you two talking about?" Alice asked.
"Your husband was just schooling me on the excellence of southern business schools," Ophelia answered.
Alice laughed heartily before informing Ophelia, "he wouldn't know he went to Stanford just like Allie and me"
"You must really like our newest daughter if you are already teasing her like that," Alice added.
"You know me well," he responded as he placed a hand on his wife's ass. He was pleased when she turned and gave him a deep kiss. They would renew their love for each other later tonight. He looked over to see his daughter and Ophelia share a kiss. He tried not to blush as he realized that they probably had the same thing on their minds as well.
The next morning the group had breakfast together and they gave Ophelia a tour of the farm and the lab that Alice used to do her research. When Alice described a particularly vexing issue she was working on, Ophelia offered her Karen's considerable skills to help solve the problem. Soon after lunch, it was, unfortunately, time to go. They promised to visit again over the summer and her parents made it clear that they wanted to come to New York and bring her sisters along as well. Ophelia used the flight back to begin Alex's training on how to fly the M2.
AN: Thanks everyone for your continued interest. As always I really appreciate everyone who had taken the time to read. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.