Frontier Medicine - Part 27 - Plans are Afoot!

"It's nice being away from the city, isn't it?" Eve said softly as she stroked her fingertips down Shirley's back. "In the fresh air."

"Being away from prying eyes, you mean," the dark-haired woman replied with a chuckle. "Being able to do what we want and sleep together without anyone thinking a thing of it."

"That too," Eve admitted as she snuggled closer and buried her face in Shirley's neck. The fire in their bedroom was lit and its golden hue danced light and shadows across their naked bodies.

"I love you," Shirley said softly. "More than I've ever loved anyone and I'd be happy for us to move here and just live a simple life. To bring Rachel up here and be close to Kara and Alex."

The blonde nodded as she thought about that. "Don't you want Rachel to go to college?"

"Of course, if she wants to," the older woman replied. "But when that time comes, she'll be old enough to make a choice about where she would want to stay. She could live with my Father or one of my brothers. Or get rooms for herself in a reputable boarding house. She'll have a lot of money to take care of herself."

"She told me that she wants to be a doctor like her Aunt Kara," Eve said with a broad smile. "And I can't think of a better role model. Alex too. That woman is a force of puppy-dog nature. She's fiercely loyal to those she cares about."

"I love them both," the older Zorel nodded. "And I think raising Rachel here would be a perfect combination of education and toughening." She brushed her lips over Eve's and gazed into her eyes. "What do you think? Do you think you could be happy with me in a place like this? With no shopping or finery?"

Eve nodded as she cupped Shirley's face and returned the brief kiss. "I think I could. We've only been here a week but I feel so relaxed and calm. I've loved riding out with Alex to check the fences and I even helped her with one of the pieces of furniture she has squirreled away in the barn. I've also been thoroughly enjoying wearing pants."

Shirley laughed. "I think that makes you a tomboy. Darling, if... IF we decide to do this, I know Alex and her friends would help us to get set up. We could sell the house in New York and spend some of the money to build a small house here."

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, but I think we should talk to Rachel. I don't think either one of us could be happy here if she was miserable," the blonde replied. "Let's hold on a decision until then."

"Agreed," Shirley replied. "Now time for sleep. We're up early for milking tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma'am," Eve grinned.

Xx

"So you finally made your move?" Alex exclaimed as she slapped her friend on the shoulder. "Took ya long enough!"

"Janie's special," the big man replied seriously. "I didn't want t'rush nothin'. I wanted to save some money too so's I could take her for a nice dinner."

"Y'ol romantic," the rancher teased but she grinned widely and held up her beer bottle in a toast. "To gettin' the girl."

"Who's got the girl?" Kara asked as she stepped into the firelight and took a seat squarely in Alex's lap. She snitched her lover's beer and took a gulp. "Everyone knows you already got me."

"George asked Janie out... FINALLY..." Alex replied with a wink.

George nodded sagely. "Had t'be the right time."

"Well that's wonderful news," Kara replied with a big smile. "I take it she said yes?"

"She surely did," George's serious face lightened into a broad smile. "We're having dinner at the café tomorrow night."

"Meatloaf's excellent," Alex advised.

"Congratulations, George!" Kara slid out of Alex's lap and offered her a hand. "It's getting late. Bed?"

The rancher accepted the hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "Yeah, I'm tired. Night, George. Seeya tomorr'a."

"Night, Alex, Doctor Zee. Sweet dreams," the man replied, toasting them again with his bottle.

"Good night, George," Kara replied with a smile. She tugged on Alex's hand and led her toward the homestead. "I'm so looking forward to moving into the house this weekend."

"Me too... but..." Alex paused as she gazed up at the twinkling stars.

"But...?" the doctor prompted with a smile. When her partner stayed quiet, Kara stopped them and turned to wrap her arms around the rancher's neck and press close to her. "Something bothering you, Love?"

"Not really botherin'," Alex replied slowly as wrapped her arms around Kara's waist in return. "But..." She chuckled quietly. "You know me. I'm an old-fashioned type gal."

The blonde nodded quietly.

"i just..."

"Spit it out, Cowgirl!" Kara laughed, shaking her head.

"I'd like us to be married before we move in." Alex almost winced as she waited for the issue to sink into her lover's mind.

"Ahhhh... I see..." Kara smirked as she kissed her rancher on the forehead. "Good thing I'm a mind reader then."

Alex blinked. "Huh?"

"And it's amazing that everyone around here can keep a secret."

Alex blinked again. "A secr... Honey, what are you talkin' about?!"

"Weeeeeelllllll..." The doctor grinned unrepentantly. "It just so happens that I anticipated your wishes, My Love. My father will be arriving on Friday evening with Rachel so we can get married on Saturday afternoon and move right into the house." She paused at Alex's shocked look. "That's ok, right? You're not mad that I planned it as a surprise?"

Alex's mouth opened and then closed again. Then opened again. "A surprise weddin'? HELL NO I'M NOT MAD!" She lifted Kara by the waist and spun them around. "That's AMAZIN', Kara!"

The doctor giggled wildly as she got slightly dizzy. "Oh boy! Babe, stop before I throw up!" she laughed and Alex set her on her feet to kiss her deeply.

"I love you and I can't wait to marry you," the rancher said softly as they eased apart. "Tell me the plans."

"Well," Kara took Alex's hand and swung it happily as they started walking again. "Myriah will close the café and will provide the catering in the big field by the river. It'll be a picnic style occasion. A guy Winn knows has a band who will play music for dancing. Reverend Coville will NOT be officiating the ceremony but Jonn applied for a civil permit so he's going to do it for us. Shirley will be my maid of honor with Janie as bridesmaid and Rachel as our flower girl. All you need to do is pick whomever you want to stand with you."

"George," Alex replied immediately. "And Matty should be our Matron of Honor."

Kara grinned knowingly. "I thought you'd like to ask her yourself. Myriah, Shirley and Eve have been helping with the plans. We started about a week ago."

"Sounds wonderful!" Alex grinned. "It'll be a tight fit at Matty's... unless you want to have Shirley, Eve, Rachel and your Pa stay at the new house on Friday onwards?"

"You know," Kara replied thoughtfully. "I think that'd work out just great. Is there anything that I'll need to do before hand?"

"Furniture's all in, window treatments are going in tomorrow, plumbing is working so all they'll need is food, a fire, some candles, bed sheets and blankets."

The doctor nodded her agreement as they reached the homestead and ducked into the kitchen. Matty had already gone to bed so they headed straight upstairs and tucked themselves away behind their closed bedroom door.

"Alex?"

"Mmmm?"

"On Friday night, we should sleep apart." At her lover's raised eyebrow, she chuckled. "It's tradition, right?"

The rancher nodded and sighed heavily. "It is. But I don't want to sleep in the new house without you."

"Shirley and Eve will have vacated their room. I can sleep in there. I'll just be next door."

"I won't sleep a wink without you," Alex replied, moving across the room to hug her taller partner.

"Me neither," Kara replied with a smile as she laid her head on the rancher's shoulder. "But it's only one night. We'll survive."

Xx

"Mornin' Matty," Alex said cheerfully as she hopped down the last two steps of the stairs and plopped her hat on the table. She took a seat and grinned at her aunt.

Matty chuckled as she set a pot of coffee and some scrambled eggs with fresh bread down in front of her. "What's got into? You're like a jack rabbit with an itch."

"I'm gettin' married on Saturday, of course," the rancher replied, grabbing a fork and shoveling the food into her mouth.

"Ah... Kara told you the surprise," the older woman replied. "Congratulations, Honey."

Alex got up and went to the stove to hug her aunt. "You'll be our matron of honor, right?" she asked hopefully.

Matty's lip quivered as she hugged her niece back. "Aww hell, I'd be honored!" she exclaimed, wiping at her eyes and giving her niece a little shove. "Get them eggs down ya. Chores to do!"

Alex grinned and returned to the table to finish her breakfast. Then she went to find George, who was out in the pasture with the bull, carefully looking him over. "George! Hey! George!" she yelled. The man lifted a hand in acknowledgement and remounted his horse to canter to her.

"Mornin', Boss," he said as he slid down and approached her.

Alex put on her sternest face. "You know I hate havin' shit kept from me," she stated. "What the hell did you think you were doin'?"

"Wh...what?" George stuttered, taking his hat off and squeezing it in his hands.

"I just found out that I'm gettin' married on Saturday and you didn't even give me a heads up?"

"Oh... oh... Alex, I'm sorry. Doctor Zee told me it was a surprise." He backed away slowly as she glared at him for a long moment. Then her face creased into a grin and she slapped his shoulder. "I'm just fuckin' with ya. I'm thrilled about everything! And I've picked you to be my bridesmaid."

George's eyes widened. "Br... bridesmaid?"

Alex nodded. "Woman's gotta have a bridesmaid on her weddin' day, right?"

The big man just stared at her and she laughed heartily. "Still fuckin' with ya! Wear your best suit if you're gonna be my best man." She slapped him on the shoulder again and swaggered off toward the barn.

George slowly placed his hat back on his head and chuckled, still a little shell-shocked as he led his horse away.

Xx

Kara had been busy all-day Thursday. Between patients, she'd caught up with Shirley and Eve, who had been planning the wedding feast with Myriah at the restaurant. The flowers, food, beverages and band had been organized and the women had agreed on what they were going to wear. The notice had gone up in the town inviting everyone and asking them to each bring a dish to share, pot luck style. While the doctor knew that some of the more traditional folks who didn't understand hers and Alex's relationship might not come, she knew they had a lot of friends who would and that it'd be a fun afternoon.

Up at the house, Alex was putting the finishing touches on the place and it was ready for Kara, Matty, Eve and Shirley to finish decorating. She knew Kara had some items that were sentimental to her that she'd like to display and the rancher had also organized, through Cat Grant, for a photographer to take a wedding photo for them as a surprise for her wife-to-be. It would have a place of pride on the living room sideboard. She'd made sure that Cat and Megan had been invited and she'd wired Lena in New York, who'd replied with apologies that she couldn't make it due to her father being ill.

The plans were all made and both Alex and Kara couldn't be happier. When they finally all met up that evening for dinner, it was a happy and relaxed meal.

"You miss your Pa and Rachel?" Alex asked as Shirley took a seat next to her.

"I do," the older woman replied. "I can't tell you how excited I am to be seeing them tomorrow." She took a sip from a glass of cold, sweetened tea. It was a new beverage that had become popular recently and she quite enjoyed the taste. "Alex, can I ask your advice about something?"

"Sure," the rancher replied. "How can I help?"

"Eve and I have talked about moving to Rocky Road City and bringing Rachel with us." Alex grinned and nodded. "But I'm concerned. What would Eve and I do here to earn money? We're not ranchers or farmers."

Alex thought about that for a moment. "Well, what CAN you do?" she asked simply.

"I can write," the older Zorel replied. "I've had couple of pieces published in the newspaper at home."

Alex smiled widely. "You know," she said. "I know someone who owns a newspaper. I can put you in contact with her. In fact, I'm pretty sure she'll be here for the weddin'." She glanced over at Eve then, who was deep in conversation with Kara about medical instrument design. "What about Eve?"

"It seems like my lovely partner is already quite smitten with my sister's ideas for new medical instruments. Perhaps something will come of that. I do know that Eve is extremely talented with clothing design."

"You know," Alex said after a few moments. "If you and Eve do come to live here, we'll make it work. We're a family and we'll look out for each other. We'll be ok."

Shirley raised her glass in a toast. "Agreed!"

xx