Book Series: Keane Family Saga
Publishing Date: 2005
Author: Anita Stansfield
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Category: LDS Contemporary Romance
Point of View: Third Person Limited- Alex and Jane
Chapter Count: 14
Page Count: 250
In gratitude, for
those gone before me.
Chapter 1
Alexander "Alex" Keane is a busy young man. Tall and lean with thick, dark hair, he works part-time as a server at a nice restaurant in a small college town, thousands of miles from Salt Lake City, where he hails. His non-member friend and fellow worker, Brent, teases him about his Jack-Mormon status before requesting a big favor. Brent is on the college ballroom dance team. One of the male dancers broke his leg and since Alex used to be on the team years ago as a student, coach wants to know if he could help them out. It would only be for a few weeks, until the big competition. His female partner is a student who just started on the team this year. She's really good so Alex should have no problem calling up the old "mambo magic" talent. Just like riding a bike! Alex groans but agrees to help out because he's a nice guy.
Before he can start worrying if his partner will be equally nice, Alex's break is over. He returns to his section just in time to serve the newly seated young, college-age couple; obviously on their first date.
Alex is struck by how incredibly lovely the girl is: shoulder-length, curly blonde hair and poised countenance-this girl is SOMETHING! Her date, unfortunately, is anything but. Alex can't help overhearing their argument about egalitarianism in a relationship-he says women belong in the kitchen with the babies because they lack the intelligence to work outside the home. Men have careers, women don't. End of story. She respectfully disagrees.
Wow. What a (stereotypical) chauvinist! Alex interrupts to take their drink orders. Margarita for him, lemon and water for her. As he continues to serve them, Alex becomes more and more aware this date is not going well. Two margaritas later and this guy can't hold his liquor. He pays the bill, albeit grudgingly (no tip either!). She demands the car keys, since he can hardly walk a straight line. He refuses.
Unable to resist, Alex intervenes. The lady asked you for the keys. The guy snarls and takes off. Alex can have her!
Because smartphones are ALMOST HERE, Alex offers her the restaurant's landline and while she calls a friend to come pick her up, Alex boxes up one of their specialty chocolate desserts (he WAS a cheap date) wishing he could find a way to get her number. She insists he take a ten-dollar bill for going above and beyond his waiter duties and leaves before Alex can refuse.
Jane Layton is the girl's name. She can't stop thinking about that cute waiter from last night. He even included a nice note with the complimentary dessert. Will she ever see him again? No time to think about that now. Ballroom dance rehearsal is about to begin and Jane's new fill-in partner should be arriving any minute now. Not wanting to make a bad first impression, Jane pops a breath mint into her mouth just as her friend points out the incredibly handsome guy who just walked in as Jane's new partner.
Chapter 2
Jane swallows the mint and starts choking. She recovers enough to be introduced to Alex Keane who can hardly believe he's face-to-face with the same woman from last night. What a small Anita Stansfield world this is! The music starts and they rumba like they've been dancing together their whole lives. Their female coach can't stop gushing over their charisma. Now for the waltz number. Alex finds it incredibly easy to dance with Jane just as Coach taught him-as if she were the love of his life. When the music ends, he kisses her. Jane is surprised to discover she doesn't mind this at all. The kiss is brief but full of sincerity, almost sacred.
Exiting the studio, Alex gives her a weak apology for what happened. Jane tells him he has nothing to be sorry for. She felt it too, yet, she's curious as to WHY he kissed her? Alex can't really explain except to assure Jane he's not a player. He offers to drive her home. She accepts.
They share stories about how they both found a hobby in ballroom dancing. Alex's single mom used to do it in her college days, signed him up as a young boy and he ended up loving it. Now he's working as an intern at the local hospital, on his way to realizing his dream of becoming a doctor, waiting tables on the side to earn a little extra money. In two months he's moving to Detroit for his three year residency. Jane finds herself feeling depressed about this. But Alex does want to see her again. Conflicting schedules force them to get creative and they make a breakfast date for next Saturday morning.Chapter 3
Oh, by the way, Jane is probably the only single member of the church in this small town. Filled with nerves over this "first date" her aunt and uncle (also LDS) remind her of the risk of dating outside the church. But this guy is so AMAZING!
Alex and Jane spend several pages deconstructing what it really means to be in a relationship. It takes them a very long time to be honest with each other. While Jane admits to Alex she's gone out with several guys (including that jerk from last night) she's never been the romantic, flaky type and if Alex ever dated anyone seriously, we'll never know. He's always been so busy with school and work, he never had time to look at all the cute single girls
After breakfast (which Alex insists on paying for) they visit an art museum, then take a walk holding hands. Unable to stand the suspense any longer, Jane sits Alex down on a bench and comes clean. She is a devout member of a Christian church and (premarital sex aside) has very high standards about dating someone not of her faith. Alex tries to guess which church and lists several denominations before landing on the church he was born and raised in-did he mention he's from Salt Lake City? The irony is so incredible, Jane bursts into tears. The man she fell in love with is already a baptized member and everything! That's when Alex reveals the deal breaker-while his name is still listed on church records, he hasn't taken the sacrament since he was fifteen.
Chapter 4
Divorce is the reason Alex went inactive. When he was thirteen, his temple-married father came home one day to announce he'd been sleeping with a married woman in their ward. After many nights of heated arguments between his father and Ruth Keane, they divorced. The scandal and ward gossip was so destructive, Alex quit going. His two sisters kept it up but eventually one also went inactive and married outside the church while the other managed to achieve the ideals they'd been taught since Primary of eternal families. Ruth continued to stay active and set a good example for her children by overcoming her bitterness to come to terms with her single state, forgiving her cheating husband who left his family for another woman and another life. Meanwhile, his father's career took off and he started making lots of money, which they never saw as he didn't see any reason to pay child support to a woman who didn't accept his justifications for adultery. Ruth Keane went back to school, earned a degree to support her family and was part of Alex's inspiration to become a doctor. He assures Jane while he never slept around, he did experiment with smoking and alcohol, giving it up before he could become addicted and while he's always considered himself a spiritual man who still believes in God, he is not religious. Thus, he could never bring himself to go back to church.
Jane weeps at this heartbreaking story. Alex wipes her tears before showing her the ring he carries with him always; being too small to fit any of his large masculine fingers. It belonged to his maternal great-great grandfather, Ruth's hero and Alex's namesake, a man who sacrificed much to join the church, cross the plains and build a beautiful home somewhere in the Avenues. Jane is impressed.
Jane's turn. She's from California, born and raised in the church by happily married-in-the-temple parents who both served in prominent church positions throughout Jane's life. The middle child of seven siblings, Jane has an older sister, Lana, who married in the temple while the youngest still lives at home. Since Jane's mother was an elementary school teacher, that's what Jane is majoring in. (Why Jane! WHY?!)
The date over, Jane goes home and tells her aunt everything. Then she calls her mother. Both aunt and mom agree, Jane is wise to take this relationship one step at a time. While Alex is *gasp* a LESS ACTIVE MEMBER! all women know a good catch when they see one.
To prove Alex is the perfect man in every way (except his church activity) he is invited over for dinner. Aunt and uncle accept him instantly. They call Jane's parents, Walter and Louisa Layton, so he can officially meet them over the phone. Jane's parents also concur: any man this good, kind and crazy about their daughter, deserves not only their consideration but their full love and support until he decides to come back into the fold.
But weeks pass and while Alex and Jane continue to see each other as often as they can, he hasn't kissed her since Chapter 2. Celebrating their one month anniversary at a nice restaurant, the happy couple wander outside where Alex pulls Jane into a silent dance to music only they can hear. He kisses her. Jane has to force herself to breathe.
Chapter 5
Alex lives alone in a studio apartment. Jane starts coming over in the evenings (Alex gave her a key) to have dinner all ready for him so they can spend more time together. One day, Alex goes to the bank to make his next student loan payment (he jokingly hopes he can pay it off before he retires!) only to learn an anonymous donor paid the entire bill in full. Alex almost passes out from the shock. Following the teller's advice not to look a gift horse in the mouth, he chalks it up to this incredible, life-changing, blessing of meeting Jane. Maybe God really DOES care about him.
Next, Jane's oldest sister, Lana, hearing about Jane's new relationship, calls to remind Jane she is dating a *gasp* a LESS ACTIVE MEMBER! and is this really a good idea? Jane tells Lana, tactfully, to butt out and mind her own business. While she tries very hard not to let this conversation bother her, it does.
Time for the big dance competition. Lana and Jane's parents all fly out especially both to cheer Jane on and meet her new boyfriend. Alex and Jane dance like Baby and Johnny-winning many awards and helping the team take the championship. When they all go out afterwards, Jane's parents are delighted to welcome Alex into the family while Lana gives him the evil eye. Jane tries very hard not to let this bother her, it does.
One week later. Ruth phones her son to announce she's flying out to visit him. Being a poor, single mom she's never had this opportunity before. She especially wants to meet Jane. Both women take to each other instantly. There's really no reason for them not to get married but Alex wants to give Jane a temple marriage and is grateful to have the support of such good women in his life.
Chapter 6
Tears trickle down Jane's face at the conclusion of her and Alex's "last date." Tomorrow he's leaving for Detroit and his internship at a renowned hospital where he'll continue to learn all the skills he needs to become the best ER doctor ever.
But *sob* Jane still has no engagement ring.
Alex promises to write Jane every week (you know, a REAL letter mailed in a REAL envelope) as well as daily email but weeks pass and his communication grows thin while Jane continues to faithfully keep up her end. To add to her stress, Lana continues to call Jane and rub her face in the fact she's been ghosted. To prove she's right, and only wants the best for her favorite little sister, Lana offers to fly her to Detroit to surprise Alex (then if Jane finds him cohabiting with another woman surrounded by empty beer cans, Lana can say, "Told you!") But Jane is very pleased to discover Alex has been true and faithful to her. His celibate apartment is clean and tidy; mostly because his twelve hour shifts leave him little time for goofing off. He's missed her. They go out to dinner where Alex unloads the stress of his new career on Jane-gang related injures, women suffering domestic abuse from their live-in boyfriends, children much too young dealing in drugs and suffering drug overdoses. But there are good things about his job, too; it's very rewarding. Jane is very proud of him.
Two months later, it's Alex's turn to surprise Jane for a weekend visit. She begs him to come to church with her, just this once, but Alex is so uncomfortable he has to get up and leave before sacrament meeting is over (he did not take the sacrament either). Jane tries very hard not to let this bother her, it does.
Jane graduates with her teaching degree and moves home to California to start applying for positions. She ends up landing a job in...wait for it...Salt Lake City, UT (one of the lowest paid in the country? She'll starve!) only twenty minutes away from Ruth Keane and the neighborhood where Alex grew up. After doing some research, Jane phones Alex with an inspired idea-he should apply to the U of U hospital and finish his residency there. Then they can be together.
For Alex, this all just seems to good to be true as all of these plans fall into place.
Chapter 7
Three Years Later
Three years later and Alex and Jane STILL aren't married yet! Dr. Alex Keane drives his dream Ferrari over to Ruth's house, the house he grew up in, to find his mother finishing her work on the computer (she's a medical transcriber). While they chat, Ruth gently chides her son for being a menace to society. Jane has been patiently waiting for him to come to terms with his testimony and has been wearing the engagement ring he gave her all this time, not to mention SHE'S not getting any younger and wouldn't mind some more grandchildren. Isn't it time to put his bitterness and anger against his father aside and come back to church? Her only wish is to see all her children enjoying the blessings of the temple. All these years, Ruth has never spoken so frankly to her son; Alex feels it.
Knowing she's right, Alex heads over to Jane's house (That's right, folks, Alex co-signed with his fiancée on a house while he continues to live in a one bedroom apartment.) where Jane is the stereotypical kindergarten teacher, ABC jumper and everything. (Not sure how Jane managed to get a job teaching kindergarten as my own Professional Educator License for the state of Utah [2003] only allowed me to teach grades 1-8. Kindergarten requires an extra endorsement in early childhood development not to mention very few elementary schools in the Salt Lake Valley hire newly graduated applicants from out of state. If you don't have the right connections, this is is a tough field to break into.) Unfazed by her large classroom size or all the paperwork awaiting her this evening, Jane is happily preparing dinner, full of news about her day enlightening young minds-they learned the letter K and flew paper kites they made themselves. Ah, the good old days when elementary school teaching was just glorified babysitting and children were free of the rigorous government tests that require every child to succeed whether they want to or not, lest the teacher suffer the consequences.
Trying to shake off the awful feeling of foreboding from what might very well be the last conversation he'll ever have with Ruth, (foreshadowing?) Alex sits down to the meal Jane has prepared and thanks Jane for being so patient with him. One of these days, he'll get around to marrying her. Oh, and he's seriously thinking about coming to church with her this Sunday, but don't push it.
In the meantime, let's enjoy the free milk, shall we?
Chapter 8
In true Anita Stansfield fashion, Alex can't believe his eyes when a female in her fifties who suffered a heart attack is rushed into the ER the very next day during his shift. She is DOA.
Of course the woman is Ruth.
Alex has to excuse himself so he can have his emotional breakdown in private.
Jane is there for Alex every single minute (she got a substitute for her class) including supporting Alex through the process of getting Ruth's affairs in order. When Neil Keane himself has the audacity of showing up at Ruth's funeral, Alex tries very hard not to let this bother him, it does.
Weeks pass and life goes on, yet Alex continues to suffer depression from the loss of his mother. A nurse (not LDS) from the hospital is throwing an informal party and invites Alex to bring his fiancée and try to enjoy himself. Alex is grateful. He calls Jane to let her know she doesn't need to cook dinner for him tonight, they've got a date.
But contention arises in the Ferrari. Jane wants to get married, she's tired of waiting for Mr. "I'm Not Ready." They can't keep living this way. Alex sighs, wondering out loud why she continues to put up with him. He is SO not worthy of her. They walk up to the front door of the party still angry with each other.
When it's time to leave, Jane is annoyed when she finds Alex with an alcoholic beverage in his hand. Outside, she demands the keys and gets in, understandably upset. She's seriously tempted to break up with him and is chewing him out about it while driving through an intersection with four-way stop signs.
For the record, she did make the legal stop. Unfortunately, Jane never saw the large truck on her left, barreling toward the Ferrari.
For Alex, everything goes black.
Chapter 9
Alex only suffers some minor cuts and bruises, including some trauma to the head but he'll recover. Jane, on the other hand, is in a coma.
Alex makes the necessary phone calls and tries to relax in his hospital room.
Then his father walks in.
The nerve!
Before Alex can tell him where to go, Neil Keane monologues about mistakes and forgiveness (he's been enjoying a good relationship with his sisters all this time, can you believe it?). He thought, maybe, now that Ruth is gone, Alex might be needing a father in his life right now.
Alex pretty much tells him where he can go.
That's when Neil admits HE was the anonymous donor who paid off all of Alex's student loans that day. Alex is stunned speechless while Neil simply turns and exits the room.
Alex calls his oldest sister, the one who left the church yet still managed to get married and live a good life. Charlotte tells him everything Neil said was true. While Alex was too busy wallowing in his own self-pity and bitterness, his two sisters accepted Neil's reconciliation. Remember all those times Alex thought his two sisters were out with their girlfriends-shopping or having sleepovers? Well, they were actually getting together with Neil for some daddy-daughter time. He really DID change and everyone was able to forgive him and take him back.
Everyone except Alex.
Chapter 10
Jane's parents surprise Alex while he's sitting by Jane's hospital bedside, holding her hand. They are full of sympathy and, of course, hold no hard feelings over what happened. Walter suggests he give his unconscious daughter a priesthood blessing and for the first time, Alex realizes what he's been missing out on all these years; not to mention the awkwardness of not being able to participate. Alex and his future father-in-law have a nice chat about choices and God's righteous consequences that come from exercising our free agency. Alex starts to feel a little better.
Until Lana walks into the hospital room.
After a brief, tense, discussion about Alex's shortcomings, realizing she's outnumbered, Lana backs off while Alex decides this might be a good time to excuse himself to attend that wedding reception Ruth got an invitation to and shared with Alex the last time he saw her alive.
The backyard reception is being held at the old historic home Alex's great-great grandfather built. Seeing the handsome stranger walk in, the middle-age hostess walks up and introduces herself as Susan Barrett Clark. She is very happy to learn Alex is the son of Ruth Barrett and invites him inside for a tour of the house after Alex expresses his interest. Susan tells him all about the restoration of the home. Alexander Barrett built this house for his father before marrying Katherine, his fiancée. But, just before they could tie the knot, Alexander was unexpectedly called to Europe to take care of some family business, leaving his aging father alone for the entire duration of the trip. When he returned, his father's dead corpse was found upstairs in one of the bedrooms.
This is a story Alex never heard.
Susan is summoned away, leaving Alex alone in the study next to the large, heavy desk where this great man once sat to conduct his affairs. He takes out the heirloom ring, drops it and hits his head on the heavy structure. Hard enough to make him pass out.
Chapter 11
Alex spends way too many pages, puttering around in this "dream" he's apparently trapped in, humming the Twilgiht Zone theme to himself for fun, just to have something to do (I'm not kidding). The study is now filled with 19th century furniture and other odd devices from that era-kerosene lamps, (Alex lights one) ink stands, dusty books. Alex notices his clothing is also appropriate for this time. It grows dark. Alex uncovers the sofa and falls asleep but when he wakes up, it's morning and he's still trapped in this time and dream. Finding himself completely alone in the house with no other company except the horse in the barn out back, he explores the upstairs rooms and finds the dead corpse of Alexander's father, which Alex takes the liberty of removing and burying. He even burns the mattress for good measure.
Next, Alex decides to take a bath (drawing and hauling the water). He hears a noise, someone knocking on the front door, and hurries to dry himself.
Katherine does a double take when she sees her beloved "Alexander," for Alex looks just like him. She is delighted to see him...but...why is he here? If he just got back from his six-month trip to Europe, why did he not come to see her first? And what about all that smoke they saw coming from the backyard? Alex explains he bumped his head and...he has amnesia...yeah, that's it! Oh, and he had to take care of his
Katherine has no problem with any of this (you poor thing!) and invites him back to her house for supper. Alex somehow manages the horse and buggy. They pass temple square. Katherine sighs dreamily as she can't wait to be sealed there with him. Such a great blessing to finally have a temple, isn't it, Alexander? Where they can worship in peace, free of mobs and persecution. Alex fidgets in his seat, clears his throat, and agrees.
Mother-in-law turns out to be named Ruth, who was confined to a wheelchair thanks to her ordeal of frostbite while crossing the plains as a young child. She watches while Alex partakes heartily of the meal she prepared then teases him about Europe remedying his poor dance skills. Alex decides to give it a try, Katherine compliments his effort, but the adoring look she gives him while they dance reminds him too much of his other life. Suddenly unable to bear the wholesomeness of this entire ordeal, Alex rushes outside, mumbling he needs some air. Katherine follows him, witnessing his "I'm not worthy" breakdown, giving him a long speech about gospel principles-we all fall short of perfection; just trust in God and everything will work out.
That's when everything gets hazy and Alex hears someone calling his name...
Chapter 12
Susan found him and was trying to revive him. He was only out ten minutes and paramedics are on their way. Alex is too bewildered to argue.
After spending the night at Jane's bedside, Alex wakes up a new man. Today is Sunday and he will attend church today-the whole worship service this time. He finds a random LDS meetinghouse and is surprised when the bishop stops him afterwards to chat. Learning his situation, he gives him a card insisting Alex call him if there's anything they can do to help. Alex is touched.
Returning to the hospital to relieve Louisa and Walter so they can attend church, both Alex's sisters are also here to offer their support and Alex is grateful. Another week passes and Jane's coma continues. More weeks pass. A long-term sub is found to cover Jane's classes until the end of the school year while Jane turns into Sleeping Beauty-all of her bruises heal, she's taken off the ventilator and from all appearances she is not in a coma, but merely sleepeth. Meanwhile, Alex has been working hard to come back into full church activity. By week nine, plans are being made for Jane's parents to take her back to California where she'll live the rest of her life under home health care as a vegetable.
Wake up, Jane! Nobody can afford these medical bills!
Chapter 13
After being informed by his bishop that he is now worthy to be ordained an Elder, Alex phones his sister asking for Neil's address. He's ready to make peace with the man who single handedly tore their family apart. He knocks on the door which is answered by a woman Alex has never met. She is Roxanne (cue The Police song) and has been happily married to Neil Keane for years. Roxanne excuses herself so Neil can monologue to Alex about how he wasn't worthy of Ruth, so he found another woman. When she left him to go back to her husband, he wallowed in his own self-pity before getting help and counseling. He reconnected with Ruth and a strong bond of friendship was kindled. Roxanne was also a strong supporter of his long, hard road the repentance process requires. (she was divorced with four children when he met her but he accepted her just as she did him and, somehow, they managed to make it all work). The important thing is-Neil Keane found peace through forgiveness and the Atonement and feels he's earned it.
With that out of the way, Alex declares he's come to ask for his father's forgiveness regarding his negative attitude toward him all these years. Neil is more than happy to give it. Both weep and embrace. The prodigal son has returned!
But the real reason for this visit is so Alex can ask his father if he would be the one to ordain him an elder. Neil wipes away more tears and agrees.
Shortly after the ordinance is performed, Alex gives Jane a blessing of healing. She is blessed that she will not only recover completely from her ordeal but go on to marry and have children (with him, of course!)
At last, narration switches to Jane's POV as she slowly emerges from her coma and says, "Please tell me nobody kissed me!"
Chapter 14
The following Sunday, Alex is sitting alone in sacrament meeting when his pager goes off. Fearing the worst, he hurries to the hospital to learn the glad tidings. Jane is awake! She smiles at him from her wheelchair. Alex falls to his knees and sobs in her lap.
Jane's recovery won't be quick. Atrophy has set in, muscles long unused need to be exercised. Perhaps after a few weeks of rehab and physical therapy, they can get married. Jane looks in disbelief at Alex when she learns he was the one who gave her that final priesthood blessing of recovery. Alex proposes again and Jane accepts.
But what Alex can't WAIT to show Jane is his reconciliation with his father. Cue Neil Keane and Roxanne who enter the room. Jane is pleased to meet them but more anxious than ever to know-just how long was I out?! Alex is happy to recount everything. As if the reader didn't already know.
A wedding date is set. Alex's two sisters fly out, both to help plan the big event and go through Ruth's home and personal belongings. Charlotte is so impressed by the new Alex, she resolves to go home and start taking the steps to get active and temple worthy. Jane attends church with Alex and can hardly believe his new attitude.
Just one more miracle to add to the ever growing list!
The wedding is held in the Salt Lake Temple. A very long day for Alex as he received his own endowments first before being sealed to Jane in a room packed with family and friends. Jane has enough energy for a bridal waltz. Alex reflects on how they first met and it's a fitting
THE END
