Natasha's Legacy (10 page)

Alex opened his eyes when they parted. Sarah
was looking at him.

“Alexander Venderkemp. I did not expect a
kiss of such passion or intensity. I find myself burning with
desire in your company.”

Pulling her body against his, the kiss
continued. His entire being craved her touch. He pulled back from
the embrace and looked into her sparkling eyes. “I must
depart.”

“I am tempted to ask you to stay.” She
glanced toward her bedroom. “But I don’t want two errors in
judgment this evening.”

Alex turned and walked toward the lobby. “Do
I have your forgiveness for my error in judgment?”

“No, but it is my hope you will contact me
tomorrow.”

He smiled and nodded. He gave her a gentle
kiss and walked out of her building and toward his automobile. His
smile lit his face the entire journey home.

* * *

Momma was sitting in the dining room, holding
her shawl over her dressing gown when he entered the room. She
placed her cup of warm milk on the table. “You’re home. Did you
enjoy the concert?”

After the kiss at Sarah’s apartment, he had
almost forgotten the evening began with the concert.

“Yes. Sarah is talented. I have never heard
anything as beautiful.”

“It’s pleasing to see your smiling face. You
are … you are glowing.”

Poppa walked out of the kitchen with his cup
of warm milk in his hand.

“You
are
glowing,”
he confirmed.

Heat rose in Alex’s face. He rested his hands
against the chair across the table from them and looked at the
floor. “Elaine attended the concert.” He looked back up at his
parents.

Poppa adjusted his sleeping gown and sat
beside Momma.

“I hope you simply noticed Elaine among the
crowd,” his momma responded.

“Elaine spoke with Sarah and me.” He took a
deep breath, puffed out his cheeks and exhaled slowly. “She
approached and I had to introduce them.”

His parents glanced at each other. Poppa
remained silent, but Momma, being a true Donovan, did not.

“You have been courting Sarah for over six
months. Have you kissed her?”

“Hope!” Poppa’s eyes bulged. “That’s
personal.”

“Yes, but I like Sarah. I must know.”

Alex’s attention shifted from his momma back
to the floor. The events of the evening would have been avoided if
he and Sarah had shared their first kiss at an earlier date. His
confidence level would have been higher and Sarah less intimidated
by Elaine’s presence. Unable to reverse time and erase the kiss, he
kept still.

“My heart aches for Sarah,” his poppa
responded. “Have you spoken of your emotions?”

Alex glared at his father. “How could I
possibly vocalize something I’m still confused about? I was
emotionally naive and became engaged to a woman who humiliated me.
Now you’re asking me to trust myself. I have not spoken of my
emotions.” He placed his hands over his face.
If
they hear about the evening, it's best if they hear it from
me.
He spread his fingers and peeked through the spaces. “I
kissed Sarah this evening. In Elaine’s presence.”

“Ugh!” Momma gasped. She buried her face in
her palms. “Please say you kissed her hand.”

Lowering his hands from his face, his
attention moved between his parents. “I cannot … it’s my judgment
that requires improvement, not my aim. A large number of Sarah’s
admirers were present and able to see the kiss.”

“Oh my!” His poppa chuckled. “I assume this
will be a night you won’t forget.”

Momma raised her index finger and motioned
for Alex to come closer. Alex leaned over the table.

“It’s acceptable to show affection by a kiss
on the hand, Alex.” She pointed to the top of her own hand; above
her knuckles. “Our family is more affectionate than others, but
your poppa and I are mindful of the children and volunteers, as are
your papa and Izabella. Adam doesn’t recall seeing his parents
share a kiss on the cheek or lips.”

“Never in my presence. Their affection was
only visible through their eyes. How did Sarah respond?”

Alex took the seat across from his momma,
able to picture Sarah’s expression. “She appeared shocked,” he
remarked.

“Shocked? Sarah isn’t shy, but I’m certain
she was embarrassed, not expecting a public display of affection
from you,” his poppa replied.

Alex tilted his head down into his cupped
hands.

“We sympathize,” his momma admitted. “Nana
Venderkemp witnessed our first kiss. Papa Stewart and Izabella were
aware it occurred. You didn’t enter this building overcome with
grief. Quite the opposite in fact. Your eyes were sparkling. Were
you able to redeem yourself?”

He bit his bottom lip as he smiled and
nodded. “Possessing both Venderkemp and Donovan blood in my veins,
we talked and then I was given permission to kiss her. Nana Natasha
described her kiss with Papa Stewart as
wow
. The kiss I shared with Sarah was a
wow
.”

“She returned your kiss?” his momma
questioned.

“Uh huh. She did. It was unbelievable,
incredible. It was passionate. I do not possess the appropriate
adjectives. When Sarah is in my presence, I find it difficult to
breathe.”

“Open your heart and allow Sarah to enter. I
would be pleased to welcome her as a daughter-in-law.”

Marriage?
The elated
euphoria within his being disappeared.
No-o-o.
Momma was rushing things. Alex looked toward
the ceiling and then back at his momma, glaring at her. With no
intention of commenting, Alex turned his attention to his
father.

“Poppa, is little Mary resting?” he
asked.

“She was sleeping when I checked the children
before coming down for milk.”

“That’s good to know. Goodnight, Momma,
Poppa.”

Alex walked out of the room.

“You must remain patient,” Adam lectured.
“Alex possesses Venderkemp and Donovan characteristics. When
dealing with pain in his heart, he is similar to Stewart. I hope he
is able to fall in love, but we cannot rush him. Both you and Sarah
must give him space to breathe. He’ll rebel if you push him.”

Having his father's support, Alex smiled and
walked up the steps.

* * *

The following morning, Stewart walked down
the steps and into the dining room. Adam was sitting at the table.
Inhaling deeply, the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee reached his
nostrils. Adam rose and walked into the kitchen returning in a few
minutes with a steaming cup and placed it in front of Stewart. His
son-in-law proceeded to tell him about the previous evening’s
discussion with Alex. Stewart was still chuckling when Alex entered
the room.

“Your poppa was sharing your conversation
from last night. I believe you’ve forgotten something. I do not
approve of hiding one’s emotions, but have never encouraged a
public display of affection. Your exhibition is quite
shocking.”

Alex’s face turned a few shades of pink and
red. Then his grandson chuckled.

“I disagree with you. I recall reading about
a kiss. If my memory serves me correctly, you and Nana Natasha were
dancing in celebration of an outstanding grade on an assignment.
Your classmates were present and watching.”

“It appears my son has a good memory. History
has repeated itself. It would have been advisable to remove that
entry before allowing your family the opportunity to read the
notes,” Adam remarked.

“Yes, that kiss occurred in public, but it
did not occur in a room full of strangers. Are you capable of
admitting the same?”

Alex shook his head slightly. “I am not.”

“Then I suggest you restrict your remarks to
your relationship with Sarah,” Stewart ordered.

Adam looked at his son and chuckled again.
Stewart turned his attention back to his grandson.

“As I recall, your sister wasn’t pleased with
the kiss she witnessed with a woman in your past. Is there an
improvement while kissing Sarah?”

Adam’s laughter filled the room. “To this day
I admire your ability to be blunt and straightforward. Izabella is
correct. You’re becoming worse.”

“I agree, Poppa. Papa is getting worse.”

“You haven’t answered,” Stewart reminded his
grandson.

Alex simply winked at him.

“Correct me if I’m mistaken, but I recall the
adjectives ‘unbelievable, incredible, passionate, and the family
favourite,
wow
’ used to describe Sarah,”
Adam remarked.

Alex’s face took on the Donovan glow.

“Izabella, Rose, and Vicki will be pleased,”
Stewart added.

Alex did not respond, but his eyes sparkled.
He walked into the kitchen.

* * *

“How humiliating,” Keeghan admitted. “I would
have died.”

“You wouldn’t even let me really kiss you
when we danced at our wedding reception.”

“Not with everyone watching, no. Besides, I
didn’t want you to get too excited. I didn’t want to leave
yet.”

Alex raised his eyebrows and then pointed
back at the screen.

* * *

Adam walked a three year old girl into the
lobby, squatted down, and embraced her. After whispering in her
ear, he stood and shook hands with her new parents while Hope
embraced her. When Adam opened the door, Hope noticed a woman in a
light-coloured bonnet, long floral skirt, and off white blouse
fastening her horse’s reins to the post. The couple walked to their
horse and buggy.

“Elaine?” Hope questioned.

“I’m not certain. Alex is reading to the
children. I will interrupt and send our son upstairs if it is.”

Standing on the porch, they watched as the
woman turned.

“Sarah.”

“Hello Hope. Adam.”

Hope led Sarah into the study room.

* * *

Alex was finishing a story when he saw Sarah
standing at the doorway with his momma. He finished the last page,
handed the book to a volunteer, and went to the door. Taking
Sarah’s hand in his, he walked outside. Alex guided her mare into
the fenced area before taking Sarah to the back of the building.
Reaching the private location, he remembered an entry in his
momma's journal. His parents shared their first kiss in the
location where they were standing.
How
ironic.
He giggled.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Momma requested her first kiss from Poppa at
this location.”

“Requested?”

“Yes. Poppa was too timid to approach
Momma.”

“Apparently, you didn’t inherit your poppa’s
shy demeanour. You possessed nerves of stone when initiating our
first kiss.”

“The devil made me blind to the location and
spectators. Without assistance, our kiss wouldn’t have occurred for
a few more months.”

“Months?” Her eyebrows raised as she opened
her eyes wider. “Perhaps I should be thankful to the devil.”

Alex’s beamed. “I didn’t expect to see you
today. You were scheduled to work, were you not?”

“No. I’m working tomorrow. I was scheduled to
practice at the conservatory, but they overbooked the time.
Questioning my ability to concentrate, I rebooked for tomorrow
after work. I was captivated by last night’s kiss.”

That is pleasing
indeed.
“May I kiss you right now?”

“Please.”

Alex placed his fingers on her cheeks, closed
his eyes, and gave her a gentle kiss that quickly developed into a
long, deep, sensual kiss. When their lips parted, Sarah’s eyes
remained closed. She never uttered a sound.

“Wow,” he whispered.

“A word does not exist to describe that.”

“I should return and get some work done. I
hope you plan to remain for a while. The entire day, perhaps.” Alex
reached for Sarah’s outstretched hand and together they walked
toward the entrance of the building.

“I’m assuming I have been forgiven for my
inappropriate timing?”

“You have not.”

He stopped abruptly and stared at her.
“Truly?”

“You kissed me in a room full of
strangers.”

Heat prickled the back of his neck. He bit
his bottom lip to lessen the sensation. “How will I earn your
forgiveness?”

“With the minor in psychology you received
from a prestigious university, you will find your way into my
mind.”

Glancing at Sarah, Alex gave her hand a
gentle squeeze. He would simply enjoy the process of strengthening
their relationship. “Desperate for your forgiveness, I will enjoy
this challenge.”

Sarah spent the remainder of the morning
reading stories to the young children and playing with the older
children. After the mid-day meal, Papa invited her into the parlour
to visit and Izabella joined them when she returned from the
city.

She dined with them that evening.

“Sarah has been asked to preform at another
concert,” Alex informed them.

“If you'd like, I’ll get you guest
passes.”

“That would be wonderful,” Momma
responded.

Once the children were settled in their beds
for the evening, Sarah followed Alex down to the second floor.

“It is a perfect evening to swim. Would you
care to join me at the pond?”

“I’ll watch you swim. I’ll get refreshed
dangling my feet in the water.”

“Join me,” he pleaded.

“I can’t. My skirt and blouse will not dry at
this hour and I will catch a chill travelling in damp
clothing.”

Alex raised his eyebrows and then shrugged
his shoulders. “I won’t complain if you decide to swim as you
entered this world.”

“Alexander Venderkemp! I’m appalled.”

“I’m thankful you are not aware of my full
name.” Alex chuckled when she smiled. “Speak with Momma. She has
additional swimwear.” He unlocked the door to the addition and then
knocked on the door to his parents’ quarters. “Momma, Sarah needs a
swimsuit.”