Hank wanted to understand; nevertheless, he was totally disappointed. He said, “Are you sure we can’t spend a little more time together after the dinner?”
“I’m positive,” she said with finality. Then she explained that she lives in a little town outside of New Haven, Connecticut, and that she is on the board of directors of two major charitable organizations and is the chairperson for a third. She said that for the next two weeks she has commitments that cannot be broken except for dire emergency. She added, “Our relationship doesn’t qualify as a dire emergency.
“Look, we have about forty-five minutes before the dinner is scheduled to start; can we just talk and relax together until then. I won’t change clothes, I’ll just go as I am, and afterwards we’ve got to get to Inkster and I’ll throw my clothes in my luggage. We can go directly to the airport from there. That sound Ok to you?”
“I’m disappointed, but if that’s the best you have to offer, then that’s Ok with me.”
“That’s the best I have to offer. Now, if you don’t hold me right now, I’ll die!” Her arms flung open wide and he was quick to respond.
There has been no person ever, whose embrace so captured his inner need to feel as one with a loved one. It was as though they fit together perfectly like a piece to a jigsaw puzzle.
They embraced for a full two, three or maybe even five minutes: they just stood in place and swayed to the music from the beat of their hearts. Then he began to kiss her neck and shoulders, and his hands began to caress her hips and her waist. She began to moan, and he began to kiss her mouth. Her kiss was like no other: she knew how to kiss in such a way that it appeared that their mouths were molded together. She didn’t just allow herself to be kissed; she kissed back. The entire scene smoldered with passion.
Meanwhile, his hands were busily caressing her body and her hands were equally as passionately aggressive. She pulled his hips in to her, at the same time his hands had gravitated to her breasts. As one, she began unbuttoning his shirt and he her blouse so they could make greater contact with bare skin and get physically closer. This time she was minus her slip.
What seemed like out of the blue, Bonnie suddenly grabbed his hands and said, “Hank, last evening was incredible. It was as pleasurable as I had fantasized… no, no, it was more pleasurable than I had fantasized. There is nothing I would like to do more than finish out this weekend with an encore performance, over and over and over again. But…”
Hank attempted to protest, however, she put her fingers to his lips so as to hush him, and she continued… “But, we will have many days in the future together if we are as we appear to be, and I hope to God we are. In the meantime, we have very little time to be together, just the two of us, so let us not waste it.”
“The dinner is scheduled to begin in just a few minutes, and afterwards I must get my luggage together so we can get to the airport for my flight home. Let me get myself together right now, put on a scant bit of makeup, and let’s get out of here.”
“Alright, obviously you are determined to get going, and of course you are right, it’s just that… Actually, after all these years, to get this close to having you all to myself is invigorating and soothing to my psyche, not to mention the rest of me. I have every confidence that our time will come, and I guess for that reason I’ve got no problem with us cutting this short.
“I guess, all I can say is, let’s make it happen.”
Chapter Eight
The Big Dinner
They met Frank and DiJana at the ballroom and they sat at the same table. The dinner was incredible. If you can imagine a supper buffet with caterers at the beck and call of each guest, and meats, fruits, and vegetables from all over the world that were so sumptuous that each of the guests were salivating at the mouth just writhing among the smells. If you can imagine that, then you can picture that buffet feast. What a dining experience.
The “birthday girl” was amazingly active and agile. And she was delightful in the way she handled all the activities surrounding the event: Hank called it class-personified. Her surprise gift was a cruise around the world for her and three guests of her choosing, plus, upon her return, a new car with an attendant chauffeur.
When she spoke, she repeated many of the things she had said Saturday evening during her speech. She said the key to her longevity was a Love of God and an active demonstrated Love of people. She said many people proclaim their love of mankind and people in their community, yet when it comes to actively demonstrating their love, many of them fall short of the mark.
She added that she was extremely pleased and surprised at the outpouring of Love and affection for her from so many people. Then she corrected herself and said she was pleased but not surprised at the outpouring of Love because Love is a manifestation of the Godlike nature in each of us.
She ended her brief speech by saying that she hoped they all would continue to “mingle” with each other during the remainder of the evening. She added that many of the guests had told her that they thought last evening was one of the most enlightening and pleasurable evenings they have ever spent. They said the food was outstanding, the atmosphere was incredible, and the talk was mesmerizing. She mused, “Maybe it was because of the theme of this gathering.”
Finally, she urged all the guests to keep it going, and she reminded them of the theme.
Gwen, Bettye Jean, Aunt Charlotte, and Uncle Hazel were seated at Hank’s table and they all commented about how impressed they were at the depth the hotel had gone, to make the event extra-ordinarily memorable. It was really something.
Aunt Charlotte changed the subject and each of the participants at the table chimed in with their comments. She said, “What do you think of the theme of this weekend, ‘In God We Trust Our Love?’”
Uncle Hazel was the first to comment. He said, “I think it is great to have a theme for a bash like this. I think that’s one reason last night was so successful. In fact, I heard a whole bunch of people saying they walked away from their discussion group feeling they had learned something, or at least been more enlightened. As for me, I was most intrigued with the talk about sex, and I was thinking about that lesbian question you asked me all night.”
Frank laughed and said, “I don’t want to butt in, and I probably shouldn’t laugh, but what is a ‘lesbian question,’ if I may be so bold to ask?”
“Actually, it was not a ‘lesbian question,’” responded Aunt Charlotte, “we were discussing sex and I posed a question to Hazel in which the object of the question was a lesbian.”
“That’s interesting,” Frank said, as he gestured toward Bonnie, DiJana, and Hank, “we were also discussing sex last evening… the four of us.”
Aunt Charlotte said, “Oh? And what was the gist of your discussion, may I ask?”
Frank looked somewhat uncomfortable, so Hank interceded and said to his aunt Charlotte, “We were just attempting to identify the nature of sex and some of its properties. I guess the bottom line is that we agreed that sexual intercourse, in and of itself, has no value. However, we also agreed that sex is an emotion and it can be a virtue, but only when it is used intelligently and with discrimination.”
Frank appeared to be relieved that Hank interceded for him, and Hank continued, “We also agreed that the emotion of sex may be misused, and often is, to such an extent that instead of enriching a person’s core value, as it should, it can very easily debase both body and soul.”
Frank interrupted with a comment that was sure to cause more discussion among the eight of them, “We also agreed that men feel differently about inter-sexual relationships than do women.”
Aunt Charlotte appeared to direct her comments to the four of them when she said, “Sounds like you folks know that couples who are truly in Love with each other do not have to engage in sexual intercourse to express each other’s value. You might also know that total enjoyment of sexual intercourse in response to value, is the culmination, not the beginning, of a progression of communica
tion between two people. At least I hope you know that.”
Uncle Hazel said, “That’s not necessarily true, Charlotte. I think a major problem existing in the world today is that the entire subject of sex is one about which the majority of people appear to be ignorant. The urge of sex has been grossly misunderstood, submerged, and slandered by the ignorant and evil-minded. When we were children, widespread ignorance on the subject was due to the fact that it was surrounded by mystery and silence.”
“Obviously, some of what you are saying is true, Hazel,” said Aunt Charlotte, “however, the fact is, sexual intercourse in and of itself has no value; it is meaningful only if it is the end result of interpersonal communication.”
Frank said, “I disagree with that.”
Uncle Hazel said, “Yeh, me too. I’ll have you know when a man wants a woman, it is the most powerful of human desires, and when a person’s sex drive is actively driven, creative ability unknown at other times is usually the result.”
Frank was beside himself and he didn’t hesitate to jump into the fray, “I agree with you. When people come to realize that the emotion of sex is not only the profound creative force by which all living things are perpetuated; it also, when controlled and used as an inspiration for action, can lead a person to great heights of achievement.”
Obviously, DiJana was itching to make her opinion known, and when Frank said, “the emotion of sex is the profound creative force by which all living things are perpetuated,” she could not contain herself, and she added her voice to the mix. She said, “God is the only profound creative force by which all things, living and otherwise, are perpetuated. Sex is simply an emotion. It is usually triggered by something linked with the sense of smell, touch, sight, taste, or hearing. It is grounded and branded by the basic emotions of pain and pleasure.”
Frank said, “I agree that sex is an emotion, but the emotion of sex induces a person to want to make love, that’s why whoever ‘they’ is, came up with the term (to make love), and I think you will agree that Love is without question, life’s greatest experience. It is the result of an emotion with many sides, shades, and colors; however, when mixed with the emotions of romance and sex, it leads men and women up the ladder of creative effort. The result is calmness of purpose, poise, accuracy of judgment, and balance.”
Uncle Hazel was beside himself, he said, “Go head on, young fella, lay it on ‘em. I think even you, Charlotte; will find it hard to argue with that one!”
“I don’t think we are here to argue, Hazel,” Said Aunt Charlotte calmly, “but I think the point this young lady and I are attempting to make is… I’m sorry, what’s your name, young lady?”
DiJana responded, and Aunt Charlotte continued, “The point DiJana and I are attempting to make is that the emotions of sex are dictated by a person’s fundamental convictions; that is, that which is of primary value to one’s self; however, they are usually triggered by the pleasure seekers -- the senses. There would be no disappointment about Love if people understood the difference between the emotions of Love and the emotion of sex.”
“I’m not so sure there is a difference,” said Frank.
“I’m with you my man,” said Uncle Hazel. “Look at it this way: say you see a member of the opposite sex and he or she has a great personality but she is ugly, or she is drunk most of the time. No way are you going to love her, or want to have sex with her. Right?”
Frank said, “You got that right.”
“On the other hand,” continued Uncle Hazel, “say you meet someone that looks like DiJana here. Immediately, your libido gets aroused. Right?”
“Right on,” Frank was quick to agree. Then Frank took up the charge and said, “We were listening to a conversation in one of the groups last evening and they talked about appearance, and how important it is. In fact, that’s the group DiJana was part of when we met.”
DiJana was quick to respond. She looked directly at Frank and addressed her comments more to him than to any of the rest of the group, “That’s true, and remember what I said last evening and earlier tonight? That’s one of the reasons you and I will not share sexual intercourse this weekend and maybe never.”
Then DiJana looked at Aunt Charlotte and said, “May I call you Charlotte?” Aunt Charlotte nodded affirmatively and DiJana continued, “Frank and I first met last evening at the party, and I admit I am very much attracted to him, and apparently he to me; however, there is conflict in our needs. He has been trying to get me to agree to sharing sex with him from the moment we met. I have a problem with that. I think Bonnie put it best when she said the two of us have two different objectives. He is seeking sex and I am seeking Love.”
“Didn’t you hear him say,” interceded Uncle Hazel, “that Love and sex are the same thing. They are, they really are!”
DiJana said, “Why don’t both of you grow up! Sex and Love are both emotions, that is about the only thing they have in common. Well, maybe not the only thing, but sex is a feeling, Love is a knowing. Sex emanates from the body and changes as the body changes, as the weather changes. Love emanates from the mind and is based on value that simply improves with age… like a vintage wine.”
DiJana shook her head and addressed her comments to both Frank and Uncle Hazel, “You two can’t be serious. If Love and sex was the same thing, every prostitute in the world would fall in love with every one of her customers every day.”
“Hey, that’s unfair,” said Uncle Hazel, “prostitutes don’t count.”
Aunt Charlotte said, “Oh, I get it, sex and Love is the same thing except for prostitutes. Is that what you two are saying?”
“Well…” Frank paused to gather his thoughts.
“Well what, Frank?” He was obviously squirming as Aunt Charlotte and DiJana kept the pressure on.
“Well, sakes alive,” Frank finally said, “you two are coming on like Miss Goody Two-shoes: you know doggone well that sex is an integral part of love.”
Aunt Charlotte said, “We never said it wasn’t, Frank, what we said is that Love and sex are different things, and people can have one without the other.”
Frank seemed to be rejuvenated.. He said, “Now, that is where I disagree with you. There is no doubt that a person can have sex without Love, and admittedly you made an excellent point with your prostitute analogy. However, I think it is an impossibility to have Love without sex.”
“How about parent and child,” said DiJana, “brother and sister, best friend and best friend of the same gender; in fact, there are many instances where even best friends of the opposite gender still do not have sex. So how about it big boy, how do you account for that, if, as you say, it is an impossibility?”
Frank smiled and said, “Damn, you two are tough. Ok, I give up. But I’ll tell you this: sex energy stands behind a person’s enthusiasm, creative imagination, intense desire, persistence, and all other qualities needed to produce success. And why? Because sex is a value that does not need to be pursued; I admit, it does need to be controlled, but if harnessed and properly directed, sex can be the driving force behind anybody’s success and achievements.”
Neither Bonnie nor Hank participated in the discussion, though Hank was tempted to jump in on several occasions; on the other hand, Bonnie seemed pre-occupied and quite reticent the entire evening. It was not long before he realized the reason for her reticence.
Bonnie took him aside and whispered that they had about three hours maximum before they had to be at the airport to check her in. She added that she would like to spend those last precious minutes of that weekend alone with him.
Suddenly, he felt the same sense of urgency that she apparently felt. He explained to the others that Bonnie had a meeting early Monday morning and that they found it necessary to leave the party pronto so that they could get to the airport to board her flight. They all wished Hank and Bonnie farewell.
They immediately went to his room and as soon as they closed the door Bonnie said, “I want you! I don’t know if it�
�s because I know we won’t see each other for at least two weeks, or because I haven’t had sex for so long prior to last evening, or just that I’m so vulnerable right about now.” She was undressing herself as she talked, then she began to help him undress.
She continued, “The point is, I want you! I want to feel my bare body against your bare body, I want to kiss your lips and your chest and your body. I want to hold you and be held by you, and I want to make Love to you and with you over and over and over!”
Hank was so excited that he could barely stand up, his knees were quivering as he embraced her; nevertheless, he managed to pick her up and take her over to the bed. They kissed and hugged and the heat of their passion was beyond the boiling point. There was no need to speak words; their actions communicated their needs louder than any words could ever impart.
He moved both his hands to her head and caressed her head and her hair, he pulled her hair and moved away so that he could see her passion-filled face, then he kissed her neck and her breasts. They both moaned as they moved to share the passion bottled up in their minds, and the inevitable physical union that was close at hand.
After many minutes of the sweetest yet unbridled passion, Hank turned her over so that she was on top of him. They just lay there, enjoying their embrace, and enjoying the incomparable feel of one human being totally meshed with another. The two of them totally enjoyed the complete union of mind, soul, and body. Hank said he had never felt so complete and so loved as he did during those moments.
They must have dozed off briefly, they couldn’t be sure. They were so relaxed and so unified that time seemed to be of little consequence. Hank looked up at Bonnie and her eyes were barely open, her lids moved as though she found it very difficult to open them and focus, then she smiled and said, “I Love you,” and she kissed his lips very softly. She then laid her head back down on his chest.
End of the Rainbow : There Lies the Portrait of My Love Page 7