Rachel took a close look at the spread of vegetables on the grill and asked, "Are you a vegetarian?"
Alex looked up from the deep fryer. "No, but the bulk of my diet is plant based. I’ve found I feel better that way, and as I told Madison earlier, they help keep me strong." She winked at the little girl who giggled. She pulled the last of the fries from the hot oil and seasoned them. "I think that’s it."
Everyone filled their plates with grilled vegetable sandwiches and French fries, and headed out to the picnic table in the courtyard. Alex smiled at everyone’s surprise when Madison happily ate her vegetables.
As Nikki, Dani, and Madison headed into the kitchen with the dirty dishes, Rachel turned to Alex and said, "You have a beautiful home." She looked around the courtyard and smiled. "This space is amazing. Care to give me a little tour?" As she stood, Dani returned to gather more dishes. She looked pointedly at Rachel and raised her eyebrows.
The look didn’t go unnoticed. Alex slowly stood and reached for her crutches. "I can do that. I’ve got to tell you though, I think your wife may be trying to get rid of you, Rachel." At her look of confusion Alex said, "She keeps throwing you at me." She looked over at Dani in time to see her scowl and reach for her. She blanched, took a step back, and saw the instant look of regret on Dani’s face as she dropped her hands. Deep down she knew that Dani wasn't going to hurt her, and was disgusted at her reaction to her playful grab. She turned and walked away, mumbling to herself. Soon her mumbling became louder and it was clear she was speaking Italian.
Rachel stretched out and grabbed her wife's hand, stopping her from going to Alex. "Give her a little time."
The commotion brought Maria, and an older gentleman they hadn’t met yet, running. They led her over to one of the benches and sat down. There were several minutes of discussion, where the only words Rachel and Dani recognized were their names, Alex, Jo, and Tesoro, though they didn’t know what the last one meant. Soon the couple stood, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left. Alex remained on the bench, watching the lake and listening to the sounds of the water lapping against the rocks below.
"Rachel?"
"Yes, Alex?"
"Care to join me?"
Rachel squeezed Dani’s hand and stood, shooing her towards the house. "Sure." She walked over and sat beside her on the bench. "You’ve got an incredible view from here." She looked over and saw that Alex's eyes were closed. "Don’t you enjoy the view?"
"Yes, I do. It doesn’t matter the season, it's always beautiful here. There is something very peaceful about the water, and the sound of the wind through the trees."
"Are you listening to the water?"
"Yes. Sometimes, like now, it is very faint and you have to really try. That’s when I close my eyes and focus." She opened them and looked over at Rachel. "Does it bother you that my eyes are closed?"
"No, just trying to understand."
Alex sighed and looked out over the lake. "I’m stalling."
"I know."
"I’m not ready for this, but I know it must be done." She looked at Rachel, who sat beside her, quietly waiting for her to continue. "I need help."
Rachel slowly reached for her hand. "You’ve just done the hardest part." She smiled at the look of bewilderment on Alex’s face. "You asked for help. Other things will be difficult, but admitting you need help can be the hardest." She squeezed her hand then let it go. "Now, do you want my help, or do you want me to recommend someone?"
Alex looked down at her hands as she thought about the question. "Would it be too difficult for you?" Rachel tilted her head to one side and regarded her thoughtfully. "To be both a friend and a doctor? To be the doctor of one of your wife’s friends?"
Rachel turned and faced her, drawing one knee up on the bench and placing her arm across the back. "I see. It will be a first for me, but I don’t believe it will be too difficult." She smiled. "Being a friend may make it easier for you, and don’t worry about Dani. Anything you tell me will stay strictly between us, I promise. I may consult with my peers if necessary, but never my wife. Besides, she knows better than to ask."
Alex nodded. "Good." She looked out over the water and took several deep breaths. "The first thing you need to know about me is that my legal name is Alexis Raychel Mohr, but the name given to me at birth was Roberta Alexis Rossi."
"When did you change it?" Rachel asked.
"When I was eight." She looked over at Rachel. "The court records are sealed."
Rachel nodded her understanding. "Then I’ll just have to wait for you to explain it when you’re ready." Alex's shoulders drooped slightly as some of her tension drained. "People who change their names don’t typically choose a middle name. Why did you?"
Alex hesitated briefly before saying, "Raychel was my sister."
"I’m sorry." Alex looked at her quizzically. "You said was. I’m sorry you lost her."
"Choosing her name was an attempt to keep her close to me, since I have so few memories of her." She slowly stood and turned toward the house. "Ray?"
"Yes?"
"I need to show you something. Will you come with me?" In response, Rachel immediately stood and followed her into the house. Alex led her into her office, picked up her tablet, and pulled up the Internet. She typed in her parent’s names and hit enter. As the screen began to fill with the search results, she handed the tablet to her and said, "Have a seat. This could take a while." Rachel took the
