Gwen was sitting near Uncle Hazel and she said, “Doesn’t that make sense Uncle Hazel? That’s the reason a lot of people go from partner to partner seeking satisfaction. And what they say, bless their little hearts, is that sex with their former partner just got stale. The truth is that sex, just like every other activity, begins in the mind.”
“In other words,” said Bettye Jean, “for one to enjoy sex wholly and consistently, it must be in response to value, because one’s physical capacity and desire does not function independently of one’s mind, choice or code of values.”
Hank turned to Bonnie and said quietly, “What do you think? Is sex a response to values or is it merely a physical thing that is turned on by one’s personal appearance?”
Bonnie said, “I’ll answer that when we’re alone. And right now I’d like to be alone with you… Can we go someplace?”
As long as you are at my side,” Hank replied, “I’ll go any place you’d like. We promised we would return and we did. Now I’d just like to say goodnight to the group. Is that Ok?”
After they bid goodnight to the group, Hank turned to Bonnie and asked if she would like to retire to his room, or if she would prefer to enjoy a nightcap in the lounge before retiring.
She said she had not considered a nightcap, and added, “I’m not still cold inside, but I think a brandy would be delightful right about now. Let’s do it.”
Except for the pianist, the lounge was practically empty when they arrived. They found a little booth out of the way, and eased into the dimly lit little area. The waiter brought ice water and they immediately ordered a nightcap for the both of them.
The booth didn’t appear to be plush, but it was extremely comfortable and when Bonnie nuzzled up to him he could hear his heart go thump, thump, thump. She laid her head on his shoulder briefly and the fragrance of her hair was so feminine and so inviting that he could barely stand the excitement, plus her soft body pressed against his was so warm and alive that he felt, he had already died and gone to heaven.
They didn’t speak for about ten minutes, and when the waiter brought their nightcap they looked at each other, smiled, and shared a light kiss.
Bonnie was the first to speak. “Hank, do you remember what I asked you that first night in Detroit? I mean after we had kissed and loved and lay there in bed.”
“You mean about kissing your love tunnel?” Hank replied.
“That’s exactly what I mean.” said Bonnie, “How did you know that was what I was referring to?”
“Because, my sweet,” Hank said, “that was the only question you asked the entire night.”
She looked directly into his eyes and smiled, and then she said, “Yes, I guess you’re right, smarty. I don’t want to make a big deal of it, it’s just that when you answered the way you did you echoed the very depths of my longing.”
She paused and caressed his cheek and lips with her hands and fingers and she said, “Whatever electricity I may have had in my body and in my soul was totally occupied with sharing the total me with the total you. As you were kissing my stomach and breasts, I was totally wrapped up in ‘want-to’s.’ I wanted to reciprocate in kind; I wanted to insure that you felt the total joy I was feeling. I wanted to be everything you ever desired in a woman.”
Hank said, “I don’t understand it, and I won’t pretend to have answers, but you already were everything I ever desired in a woman. Somehow, when I thought about a lifelong companion, every word we spoke that first night in Chicago, and during the following weeks on the phone, was in total harmony with my feelings and desires for exactly that. And everything I found out about you since then simply reinforced those feelings and desires.”
Bonnie changed the tone and talked about a tune, she said, “Do you remember the song I played for you following that first night in Detroit?”
“I said it before,” Hank said, “and I’ll say it again: I remember each time I saw you… with total clarity. That morning after our initial love-in, you fixed breakfast for me, and after we finished eating and cleaning the kitchen you said you wanted me to hear something.
“I hadn’t heard the tune before and neither had I heard of the artist who performed it. But even before she began singing, I was captivated by it, and then she began: Roberta Flack sang it and as far as I know, few, if any have attempted to duplicate it in all the years that have followed. I still remember the words… word for word:
“’The first time… ever I saw your face…’ I remember how I thought back to that Independence Day in Chicago. I know I was convinced the sun rose in your eyes, and the moon and the stars… were the gifts you gave to the dark… and endless skies. And when I first kissed your mouth, I felt like the earth moved in my hands. And like the song said, it was as if I felt the trembling heart of a captive bird was at my command. I felt so powerful, so humble and so cherished all at the same time.
“When we first consummated our love, and I felt your heart so close to mine, I knew our joy would fill the earth and last forever. The strange thing about that night was that it was so natural and so… so… I guess it was just so clean and open that I will never, ever forget even one moment of the magic in that shared existence. The words in that song painted my thoughts perfectly and you played it at absolutely the perfect time, we were so relaxed together… It is difficult to really say the words; I just know how that song tore a hole right through me.
“I was captivated then just as I am captivated now. I loved you then and I love you now. And, you know something? I feel like I’m on top of the world right this minute!! But then you are here and that’s all that counts.”
“My dearest,” said Bonnie, “you don’t know how much that means to me, but there is something you should know about my past. Would you like to hear it?”
Hank said, “It doesn’t really matter. Whatever it is doesn’t matter in the least. If you want to tell me, that’s fine: if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine too.”
She said, “I want to tell you, because I want to share all of me with all of you.”
Bonnie explained that shortly after she graduated from college, she got married again; however, prior to her encounter with Hank, she had never been with, touched, or even seen another nude man other than her first husband. Memories of that first marriage, she added, were more painful than joyful.
The point was that prior to the unforgettable encounter with Hank in Detroit, she had been curious about allegations from other college coeds about multiple orgasms and love-making for hours on end, and if they were true: that weekend supported the probability that they were.
Though she had enjoyed a wonderful marriage with her second husband, nothing had ever matched the total emotional cascade she had experienced with Hank. She still fantasized on occasion about enjoying sex with him (Hank) again.
Her inclination was to share memories with him that she had suppressed for quite some time. The fact is, they became the object of sexual fantasies that supported explosive emotional projects. On a number of occasions, during the past three years, she would engage in the fantasies, especially when she was alone and not otherwise disposed.
During the week between their first and second encounter in Detroit, she was beside herself with anxiety. She admitted that generally she thinks it is inappropriate to talk about intense sexual matters in detail; however, their second weekend in Detroit had been compared to an albatross around her neck.
She had never shared the memories of that weekend with anyone else over the years, and she now wonders if what she remembers about it is true, or just pure fantasy. Over the years, the more she thought of the situation, the more excited she would become. The problem is that she does not think it healthy to continue thinking about it.
She was convinced that one of the things that made that second weekend in Detroit so special was that Hank’s business and personal life was intertwined with her as part of it. She recalled that Hank arrived early that Friday, and they went to visit one of
his business associates at his office: he was the manager of the Central Ohio district of their company.
Hank said, “I had nearly forgotten about that. That was a relaxing visit with Jim, and you were magnificent as you sat there during our brief meeting. In spite of your youth, you seemed to be such a classy lady, because of you I felt more masculine and important. I was extremely pleased to have shared that visit with you.”
“I felt the same way, I felt more feminine. You seemed so sure of yourself and so… I guess you seemed so, in-control. I think I felt very secure and cherished, as well as flattered, that you would include me in your other world.”
“Later, you dropped me off in town,” Bonnie continued, “and I took papers to my attorney. The papers were documents my attorney needed to finalize my divorce… I don’t know if I ever told you that. Did I?”
Hank said, “I don’t know if you told me, or if I assumed it, or what happened. I do know that I knew it.”
Bonnie seemed to be leading him somewhere and he was certainly a willing follower. She continued, “All that week I was planning our weekend together. At the beginning of the week I reserved our room at the hotel Pontchartrain, and I was so excited I could barely hold the phone without trembling.”
“The memory is so vivid in my mind even now. Before I knew it, I was rubbing myself between my legs and massaging my breasts through my sweater.”
“I seldom wore a bra around the house, and that day was no exception. I had on my jeans and I remember how I was tempted to drop them in order to make better contact between my hands and my private parts. When I realized that I was becoming almost paranoid about our meeting, I tried to start doing other things to take my mind off the coming weekend.”
As she talked about that memorable weekend nearly four decades ago, Hank became more and more uncomfortable. His sexual instrument was straining to the limit of his endurance. The fragrances of her hair, the softness of her skin, the touch of her hands, were driving him up the walls.
He said, “Bonnie, I think we had better get to someplace that is more private than this lounge.”
She obviously was embarrassed as she snatched her hand away from him and said, “Hank, I’m sorry, I guess I got carried away. I certainly didn’t intend to embarrass either of us, and certainly I didn’t intend to be an exhibitionist. By all means, let’s get out of here. Can we go to your room?”
“I was about to suggest either your room or mine, but I guess you are staying with Aunt Anita aren’t you. My room it is, I think I put everything away, so let’s do it… I mean, let’s go to my room and continue where we left off.” it!”
She smiled and said, “I know what you meant, my dearest… let’s do it!”
As they got up to leave, Hank motioned for the waiter to come over, and told him to bill the nightcap to the room.
Chapter Six
Getting To Know You
As soon as they entered the room, they turned to each other and smiled a smile of certainty. Both of them knew they had no need to rush the inevitable union that was theirs to enjoy and theirs to behold. Hank closed the door, pushed the “do not disturb” button, and attached the inside night latch. They both walked over and sat on the sofa; he was so nervous, he thought he would explode. He knew if she as much as touched him again, or he her, it would be all over. He could barely contain himself.
Bonnie stood up and began taking off the jacket to her suit; simultaneously Hank stood up and began unbuttoning her blouse. She dropped her jacket to the floor, kicked off her shoes and stood on the sofa. They came together and embraced, they didn’t say anything, they didn’t do anything, they simply embraced for what seemed like a long, long, time. They just swayed to the music in their hearts.
Finally, they uncoiled and Hank began taking off his suit jacket, Bonnie simultaneously began undoing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.
He tossed his jacket to the side of the sofa and looked at her with her blouse still hanging around her shoulders, he said, “Ya know what word came to mind when I first saw you in Chicago that Fourth of July?”
She said, “Sex!”
He said, “No, seriously.”
She looked him directly in the eyes and said, “Well, what’s wrong with that. We can be serious anytime. Right now I feel sexy, real sexy!”
She was still standing on the sofa, and her blouse hung off her shoulders, she removed her blouse and after having unbuttoned his shirt, she reached in and ripped his undershirt from his body. Then she smiled and began to caress his hairy chest and stomach with her electric hands.
She didn’t have on a bra, but she did have on a slip. He gently removed the straps of the slip from her shoulders and slid it down her body, fully exposing her breasts. He began kissing her neck and her shoulders.
She moaned and instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. They were both still wearing their pants and undergarments as he proceeded to carry her over to the bed. As he lowered her to the bed he quickly undid his pants and pushed them to the floor; simultaneously she was struggling to take her panties off.
Part of the problem was that they could not stop touching each other, plus they tried to keep their lips meshed together. Her excitement was obvious as she nearly ripped her panties from her body; she couldn’t seem to do it fast enough. When she stood up, she was so dizzy she nearly fell over, but she took a deep breath and gathered her senses; meanwhile, Hank continued caressing, squeezing, and kissing her. She said it felt so good she couldn’t help but slide her hand to her wetness in an effort to relieve herself somewhat.
Her mind was in disarray; she said this was the dream she had continued to have about their second meeting in Detroit, nearly forty years ago. She added, she could not believe that the reenactment was actually happening, but it all seemed so natural and it was so intoxicating.
They changed positions and he continued kissing her all over her body. Then he used his hands, his tongue, and his lips; Bonnie said it seemed like every pore in her body was drinking in shocking wave after wave of electric current. She moaned and gasped and clawed, and squealed; it seemed as though she could not catch her breath.
They copulated several times and in varying positions all throughout the night. They would doze off wrapped in each other’s arms, and when one of them would awaken they just could not bring themselves to stop touching each other.
Hank said he would never have believed that at his age he could have performed in the manner that he did sexually. He was amazed and pleasantly surprised, especially after not having been particularly virile or potent in the recent past. Both of them finally were satiated and they entered that deep kind of sleep that is so refreshing.
When Hank opened his eyes, Bonnie was just lying there next to him with one arm draped over his chest and her other arm bent with her head resting on her other hand. She was staring at him and smiling her smile of LOVE. She reached over, kissed him gently, and said, “Hi.”
He smiled and said, “Ya know what word came to mind when I first saw you in Chicago that Fourth of July?”
She grinned and said, “You never give up do you? Alright, tell me. What was the word?”
He said, “Clean.”
She continued to smile and she kissed him gently and said, “Clean? I don’t understand.”
“It’s hard to explain,” he admitted as he stroked her cheek and kissed her gently, then he tried to explain, “…it’s just that you seemed so unencumbered by falsity, you seemed to be so relaxed and so open, and so…and so… clean!”
She laid her head on his shoulder briefly and they were silent for a moment, then she raised her head, looked him directly in the eyes and said, “I think I understand. Thank you. Now I have a word for you.”
He kind of chuckled and said, “Alright lay it on me.”
She kind of gave him a come-hither smile and said, “Don’t tempt me. Seriously, the word is, HAPPY. Right this minute I am so happy I can’t stop laughing inside and
maybe outside too, but I can’t see myself so I can’t vouch for the outside part.”
He felt the same and he wanted her to know it. He said, “I am happy too, my dearest, happier than I have ever been in my life. Nothing else even comes close unless you want to count the last times we were together.”
Bonnie climbed on top of him while rewarding him with that childlike grin as she said, “If happiness is the goal and reward of life, does that mean we have reached our goal?”
He found himself getting sexually aroused again and as he turned Bonnie over so that he was again on top of her, he said, “I’m not sure what the goal of life is, but I sure do know what some of the rewards are…”
As he turned over, he caught sight of the clock and remembered that they had promised to attend church with his aunt Bernice.
When he reminded Bonnie of their promise, she jumped up and asked him to take her to the house so she could change clothes and see Aunt Bernice. They decided they would shower at the hotel first and then drive to the house.
Time had gotten the best of them. It was much later than they had intended to leave, so they were really hustling to get it together and get on the road.
Bonnie had stayed with Hank’s cousin in Inkster and they high-tailed it there so she could change and get over to his aunt’s home. They believed they could be there in time to relax a bit and attend church with her.
When they arrived at Aunt Bernice’s home they were greeted by a mass of friends, relatives, and dignitaries along with cameras and recording equipment. They both agreed that they could have stayed where they were and they probably would never have been missed; nevertheless, they were pleased that they had made it in time to share the moments with their “birthday girl”.
The trip to the church was more like a funeral procession than anything else, except that there was a great deal of gayety and shenanigans. The sign outside the church welcomed the “birthday girl” and offered the theme of the morning’s sermon, “In God We Trust Our Love,” in honor of Hank’s Aunt Bernice.
End of the Rainbow : There Lies the Portrait of My Love Page 4