End of the Rainbow : There Lies the Portrait of My Love

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by Henry H. Williamson Jr




  End of the Rainbow

  There Lies the Portrait of My Love

  Henry H Williamson, Jr.

  Eloquent Books

  Copyright © 2010

  All rights reserved – Henry H Williamson, Jr.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

  any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

  recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without

  the permission, in writing, from the publisher.

  Eloquent Books

  An imprint of Strategic Book Group

  P.O. Box 333

  Durham CT 06422

  www.StrategicBookGroup.com

  ISBN:978-1-61204-320-3

  Printed in the United States of America

  Book Design: Stacie Tingen

  Dedication

  Everyone of us have at least one soul-mate; when you meet her/him, it will not take long to realize, “This is the one!” One word of caution: don’t try to make it happen! Physical attraction, sense of humor, concurrent likes and dislikes are important; however, your soul-mate has all those things and more. It may take a week or a month of interaction, but when she/ he appears you will realize, ”she/he completes my oneness!” This tome is dedicated to my soul-mate!

  Acknowledgement

  First, I want to acknowledge the fact that I met my soul mate and I am, and will be, eternally grateful for the experience that that encounter provided.

  The year 1954, the night before the last game of the baseball World Series between the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants, my mom and I moved to a different town. The following day I met Kenneth Francis Nelson; he became and remains my closest friend ever. Within the covers of this tome, our character Frank is the image of Kenneth: I must say he is an unusual and highly talented man

  I also want to acknowledge the unusual effort by my friend Toni Rose, she was kind enough to edit this work prior to completion and offer her insight from a female perspective.

  Finally, I want to thank and acknowledge the patience and caring of my wife Bonnie; I’ve provided her with challenges that lesser individuals would have crumbled, she has remained steadfast and supportive. She is an amazing woman!

  Prologue

  Hank’s aunt lived in Detroit and his father lived in Chicago. Their friendship was as close as any brother and sister. The apparent reason was that they possessed similar tastes and they enjoyed being with each other immensely: an added plus was that they were family.

  During a visit to Chicago, Hank’s aunt asked his dad about Hank’s welfare. His father said, “Hank is going through a trying time in his marriage right now. He hasn’t said very much to me, but I know he is separated from my daughter-in-law and he is not very happy about it.”

  Her response surprised Hank’s dad as she said, “Well, that’s strange: Bonnie (her foster daughter) is in a similar situation, and she is also separated from her husband. The poor thing has been abused pitifully; in fact, she has filed for divorce. Apparently, the man she married is not the man she eventually came to know.

  “Now,” she continued, “I certainly would never think of interfering in the lives of young folk, but Hank is such a fine young man, and you know I think the world of Bonnie… I wonder if…”

  Are you thinking what I hear you thinking?” said Hank’s father.

  “Well, what’s wrong with that?” said his aunt with a smile.

  “Nothing, nothing,” Hank’s father said, as he tossed her one of his childlike mischievous grins. “In fact, I was kind of thinking the same thing, and this would be a perfect time for it.”

  “As usual,” Hank’s father continued, “this Independence Day, I will have my usual: the finest ribs, chicken, pork chops, and steak in Chicago, sizzling on the grill right here on the South side of my town.” He owned a huge garage on the south side of Chicago, capable of storing in excess of 175 cars. How about you and Jack bring Bonnie for a day of relaxation and fun: You know the food will be good and plentiful, it should make for a fun and relaxing day, and you know how much I really would love to see all three of you.”

  His sister said, “You’ve got yourself a date. Just the other day, Jack mentioned the possibility of us coming here to see you on the fourth. When he finds out you have invited us, I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”

  Bonnie was a college student, and though the pressure of a broken marriage was severe, she was doing very well in school. When she was asked if she would like to accompany her foster parents on their trip to Chicago, she first said she had to study. But then, with a little prodding, she reconsidered and agreed that she really did need a little time away from the city and away from the books. She agreed it could be a refreshing break from her regular routine.

  Meanwhile, Hank had agreed to drop by the garage and share some of that tangy barbeque sauce of which his father was very proud -- his sauce was his own special blend of herbs and spices mixed with the Open Pit brand of BBQ sauce, plus he was a master at marinating and preparing the meat.

  When Hank arrived at the garage, the sun was barely visible above the horizon; it was approaching twilight in the Windy City. Bonnie and her foster parents had already been there for a few hours; nevertheless, they appeared to be as fresh as could be. Hank’s father was particularly adept at putting people at ease and keeping everyone in tune with the festivities; that day was no exception.

  His father was roasting a steak over the fire as Hank walked through the big overhead door to the area his father had set aside for the barbeque. They saw each other at about the same time, and each smiled a greeting to the other. Hank also immediately saw his aunt; he walked over and hugged her. At the same time, his aunt introduced Bonnie to him and he smiled and shook her hand.

  When Hank was introduced to her, he said he looked into her eyes and was immediately seized with the impression that she was “clean.” Somehow the word “clean” clung to his mind. They began talking immediately. From that beginning they appeared to enjoy each other’s company immensely.

  Hank was in sales and he was extremely competent in what he did. Everyone knew he was an up and coming executive. However, he had never learned to be a romantic person; on a personal level, he had always found it difficult to talk with persons of the female persuasion. It always seemed that he never knew what to say to them, but this time talking with Bonnie seemed to come naturally.

  He asked her if she would like to walk around the block while they talked, she agreed. They seemed to be so natural and so beautiful together. They obviously were within themselves because neither of them pretended to be anything other than relaxed and at ease; at the same time, their emotions were a matched set.

  As they walked, it didn’t take long before they were holding hands; that too, happened naturally. Hank said he did not remember experiencing a sexual urge during their meeting that day; on the other hand, he did remember being totally turned on mentally and physically. The presence of Bonnie permeated his every sense of being. He added that he didn’t remember exactly what they talked about, but they talked for nearly three hours: neither of them wanted it to end; nevertheless, reality demanded that Bonnie had to get back to Detroit.

  He asked Bonnie if it was alright for him to visit her in Detroit the following weekend. Without hesitation she gave him her phone number and added, when he was ready to visit she would give him directions of how to get to where she lived. They didn’t kiss that night, but they sure shared an emotional experience that was worth highs to rival a bunch of kisses.

  The
following weekend, after several errant turns, Hank finally arrived at the place to which Bonnie had directed him. It turned out to be an apartment that Bonnie shared with a very close friend -- a graduate student -- who was going to be out of town all weekend. Hank met her friend and they talked briefly before she left for parts unknown.

  Before the weekend was over, he knew he had met someone special, very special.

  The following three weekends, he met Bonnie again. First, they met at a fabulous hotel in Detroit and shared the delight of unbridled sex throughout the night. The weekend after that, Bonnie planned a picnic to Windsor, Canada: Hank was not a picnic guy, but just being with Bonnie under any condition was just his cup of tea. The weekend after that, she re-visited him in Chicago: her hugs and kisses were like no other.

  That was many years ago, and Hank remembered the scenes as though they were yesterday. He had seen Bonnie for about a four-week period that July, during that time he realized he had met his soul mate. He did not know it then; however, had he known what he knows now, he would have given anything in the world to maintain an unbroken relationship with her.

  Before we re-join Hank, let’s take a look at the table of contents: it is presented here as a convenient reference point, then we’ll get started.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  PART ONE: Hallmark of Love

  Chapter One: The Party

  Chapter Two: The Love Theme

  Chapter Three: Heat of the Moment

  Chapter Four: How Do I Love Thee

  Chapter Five: First Time I Saw Your Face

  Chapter Six: Getting To Know You

  Chapter Seven: Getting To Know Them

  Chapter Eight: The Big Dinner

  Chapter Nine: The Anchor

  PART TWO: Destiny

  Chapter One: A Revolting Development

  Chapter Two: Change the Linen, It’s Time to Cuddle

  Chapter Three: Hidden Identity

  Epilogue

  Erica

  Delia

  Virginia

  PART ONE

  Hallmark of Love

  Chapter One

  The Party

  Hank continued thinking back to the beginning of his current relationship with his soul mate. He and his cousin were talking on the phone about the coming event: she said, “Thursday, March sixth, one hundred years of age was her goal and she has attained it with remarkable aplomb. I’ll bet this will be the biggest ‘Seasoned Citizen’s’ bash ever experienced in the motor city.”

  “Shhhhh, here she comes.” Hank’s cousin cautioned him.

  Hank could hear his aunt talk in the background, “I know we have planned this birthday dinner for quite some time dear,” said her mother, “…but I still cannot fully decide which outfit to wear for the occasion. It has come down to three outfits, can you help me decide?”

  Hank’s cousin said, “Sure, Mother, let’s take a look at them,” as she hung up the phone and attended to her mother.

  The Centenarian thought she was going to enjoy a quiet supper with a few intimate friends for her centennial birthday gathering, the coming Friday. Little did she know the entire top two floors of the hotel had been reserved for her centennial feast: and friends, neighbors, and dignitaries from all over the world would be on hand for the festivities; in fact, from six o’clock Friday evening, until noon the following Monday, that portion of the hotel had been reserved, plus the primary ballroom had been reserved for the celebration for Saturday and Sunday evening. The plan called for guests to arrive on Friday evening, settle in, meet old friends and relatives, and acquire new friends.

  The theme of the event was, “In God We Trust Our Love.” Maybe because of the ground rules, it made people become closer: maybe it was the times: maybe it was the place, or maybe it was just time for it to be. Whatever the reason, the celebration turned out to be not just a celebration, but the most awe-inspiring, most memorable, and the most life-changing event ever for many of the friends and guests of the “birthday girl.”

  Incidentally, the primary ground rule was that a guest had to be over 50 years of age or a first-degree relative of a guest who was over 50 years of age.

  Call it a celebration, call it a party, a bash, or a festival: call it what you will, the fact is, it was an awesome gathering.

  Because of a prior business commitment Hank was unable to arrive prior to noon Saturday; however, upon arrival he quickly put away his luggage and changed into something a little more comfortable. Then he ordered a light snack to be sent to the room, and took a short nap. That way, he reasoned, he would be totally alert the remainder of the evening.

  It seemed that he had barely dozed off when he was awakened by a rapping on his door. When he opened it, there stood Frank. As their eyes met, they both broke into the broadest grin and animated greeting that one could imagine. They had talked via telephone a few times during the past few years; however, they had not seen each other face to face for more than twenty years.

  Hank first met Frank when he moved to his town during his sophomore year in high school: they soon became inseparable friends. Frank was quite an athlete and even though he is now past sixty-five years of age, he is still a hunk of a man.

  After a short stint in college, Frank joined the Marine Corps and one of his duty stations was Hawaii. Upon discharge, he remained there where he currently lives. Over the years, whenever he would come to the mainland, he would call Hank on the phone and they would talk for hours on end. They would always talk, but for various reasons it was rare for them to get together face to face. On this occasion they talked for four and a half hours, and then agreed to get dressed and meet again so they could attend the festivities together.

  As soon as Hank had dressed and was ready to go, he went to Frank’s room -- actually it was a suite -- and tapped on the door. Frank emerged immediately and they headed for the hotel ballroom.

  When they arrived, the room was jammed with all kinds of people. Frank recognized some of the people, and Hank recognized some, but for the most part neither of them knew the vast majority of the people; however, they were all very friendly, and each of them appeared to be as classy as his century-old aunt.

  It didn’t take long before the gathering was called to order, and from the dais many speakers paid homage to his aunt. When it came time for her to speak, she was delightful. She didn’t say a great deal; however, practically everyone agreed, what she did say was inspiring.

  One of the things she said was, “A person doesn’t live to be one hundred years of age without a personal commitment to God and an intense Love of life.”

  Hank’s cousin had commented, during her brief time at the dais, that her mother really did have a genuine commitment to God. She said that was the reason the planners of the gathering had attached a theme to the events of the evening.

  They had positioned little mini bars all around the perimeter of the room with adult beverages and snacks, and all the guests were invited to establish “meaningful mingles” with friends and friends-to-be, and exchange phone numbers and addresses so each guest could keep in touch. They were also urged to never forget the theme of the evening, “In God We Trust Our Love,” and the guest of honor suggested everyone talk about the two key ingredients she thinks is responsible for her longevity -- the Love of God and the practice of Love for each other.

  Frank and Hank agreed that they would participate in those “meaningful mingles” and really become part of the festivities. There were various groups of people that had as their commonality the acquaintance of the “birthday girl.” Many were sitting at tables, there were other groups just standing and talking, there were still others dancing to the music of requested tunes. Frank and Hank simply gravitated from one group to another.

  Chapter Two

  The Love Theme

  She said, “I would give anything in the world for someone to Love me.” She was not a bad looking woman either; in fact, she was gorgeous. She was about five foo
t eight inches tall at about 130 pounds. Her hair was jet black and it gave one the impression that she was a carefree soul, well within herself and at peace with her world. Her eyes were dark brown, and full of warmth -- that’s probably what caused Frank and Hank to stop at that group. Her nose was so well shaped that one would long to be an artist so as to capture it on paper or canvas, or in clay for others to see for all eternity.

  Her lips were turned up at the corners and when she talked, her mouth appeared soft and very appealing; it seemed as if she was always smiling, or “inviting” is probably closer to the proper word. And when she laughed, it was as if the clearest flute had played the most pleasant tune. Her teeth appeared to be perfectly formed, evenly shaped, and white as snow.

  Her cheeks were rosy and full of color and consistent with the rest of her facial complexion. Her color was sort of a brownish orange and both men agreed they could not find a blemish on any visible part of her body. From every vantage point they could muster, she seemed flawless in every way.

  Someone in the group commented that she had the prettiest complexion and asked if she had acquired her tan in one of those tanning booths, or from some of those special tanning oils. She replied that what they were seeing was her natural color, adding that she was of Bulgarian ancestry and maybe that was the reason for her coloring and complexion.

  As Hank continued to be mesmerized by the beauty of the woman, he heard Frank say, “Excuse me, but did I hear you correctly? Did you say you want someone to Love you?”

  “What I said was,” she replied, “’…I would give anything in the world for someone to Love me.’”

 

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