“That serious?” he said.
“That serious,” she said. “Remember, I told you I was involved with three charities, remember that?” Before Hank could answer she continued, “Well, some time Monday, a team from Washington representing the Attorney General is going to present evidence to a grand jury for an indictment. They claim each of the charities with which I’m involved is bogus, and we have defrauded our contributors to the tune of millions of dollars in the past five years.”
“Is it true?” He didn’t know why he asked that, it just popped out.
She said, “I don’t know. I can tell you for sure that I had nothing to do with any criminal activity; in fact, I have never had anything to do with the financial end of it at all, I was simply on the board of directors. With each of the three charities, my job is practically the same: wine and dine the wives and or significant others of the major contributors, and coordinate the charitable gift-giving programs and activities.”
“Well, what are you going to do?” he asked.
She said, “I don’t know! Hire an attorney, I guess.”
He said with astonishment, “You don’t have an attorney?!”
Bonnie stammered and said, “I…I… no. Yes! I mean, we have an attorney, but he’s not that kind of attorney. I mean, he is sort of a general attorney that we have on-retainer for incidental legal matters. He is a friend of the family, and he practices here in Connecticut, but honestly, I don’t have a great deal of confidence in him in matters as serious as this appears to be.
“The positive thing though,” she continued, “is that he has valuable personal legal contacts; in fact, were it not for him, this situation with the government would have come as a complete surprise when Monday rolls around. I am certainly grateful for that.”
It was obvious, she was going to need help and support, so Hank said, “Look, you sound exhausted. How about you get in a hot tub or whatever you do to unwind, and relax. If it’s Ok with you, I’d like to come there and be with you during this ordeal. I don’t know if I can get there tomorrow, but I’m sure I can be there some time Sunday for sure. That OK with you?”
She said, “You don’t have to do that Hank, I’m sure things will work out for the best. I probably sound incompetent at this moment, it’s just that this thing was so sudden and it came as such a shock to me. But really, you don’t have to come all the way out here for that.”
“Remember when we talked earlier this week and I said I would like to spend the rest of my life with you -- remember that?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer, he simply said, “I’d like to begin that time right now. I’ll see you within the next forty-eight hours. Ok?”
She replied simply, “Thank you.”
It was a little after eleven O’clock p.m. in Cincinnati; that would make it about five-something p.m. in Hawaii. When Frank answered the telephone, Hank said, “Frank, I’ve got a problem. It looks like we’ll have to postpone our dinner and ballgame date in Chicago for the near future.”
“What’s up? Is there anything I can do to help?” said Frank.
“I don’t think so. It appears that Bonnie is in a jumbo of a pickle with the Feds. They claim she has been part of some kind of illegal scheme to defraud people. It looks like it’s going to get hot and heavy within the next week or so. Bonnie said they are going to present evidence to the Grand Jury Monday to try to indict her.” As Hank heard himself state that fact, his heart began to pound and he began to sweat.
Frank said, “Hey that sounds serious. How can I help? Are you going to be with her, or what’s the plan? How about I join you in this thing?”
“I know your intentions are sincere, but you don’t have to do that.” Actually, Hank wasn’t sure he wanted Frank to get personally involved.
“Hank, this is me: remember me? What’s this sincerity bit, and ‘you don’t have to do it’ crap. Now, how are we going to handle this thing?” Obviously, Frank was in rare form, and ready to take action.
Hank immediately rethought his stance and said, “Sorry, Frank, I really haven’t been able to think clearly about this blasted thing, it came on so suddenly. But let’s do this: when can you leave Oahu?”
“This coming week is a bummer,” Frank sounded as though he was fumbling with something, probably a planning calendar, he added, “I’ve got a series of meetings that are essential and they can’t be cancelled or postponed. However, I shouldn’t have a problem putting things together here before next weekend. I should be able to join you the following Sunday or Monday. That sound Ok to you?”
“That sounds good; in fact, I should have a lot more information to share with you by then.” Frank and Hank had always been forthright with each other, so Hank decided to let it all hang out, he said, “Tell you what, let’s do this: I think it important that I get with Bonnie as soon as possible, so I’ll be leaving here on the first plane out, either late Saturday or early Sunday. But how about you, what plans do you anticipate being able to complete?”
“Well, if I know ‘D,’ and I think I do,” Frank was really into this thing already. He continued, “She will want to get involved as well. With that in mind, I think I’ll shoot over to Chicago, grab her and hit it to… Where is it Bonnie lives?”
“Near New Haven, Connecticut.” Hank responded.
“Ok, so ‘D’ and I will head for New Haven as soon as we can,” he added, “maybe Bonnie can take us to a Whaler game: I’ve never been to a hockey game before. How about you?”
“Neither have I,” Hank said.
“I don’t know what Bonnie will say, but I say, yes!” Hank finished the call by saying, “You call me with the details of your flight and I’ll meet you and DiJana at the airport.”
“Sounds like a winner,” said Frank, “I know you’ve got things to do and so do I, so I’ll talk to you in New Haven.” He added, “Hey, how about a phone number where I should call you, huh buddy?”
“I guess that might help, huh.” Hank was already moving toward the walk-in closet where he stored his luggage.
Saturday, he closed a number of loose ends that could cause him problems if not taken care of personally by him.
The following day, he communicated with his office manager and key members of his staff at their homes. Then early that evening he caught a flight out of Cincinnati and headed toward Connecticut. The flight was uneventful.
Upon arrival at the airport Bonnie was the first person he saw and his heart swelled as soon as his eyes invaded her person. Seeing her again caused his pulse to run amuck. She ran toward him and they embraced. She was breathless, and her casual attire was stunning, she said, “You look wonderful, and…”
Hank added, “…and I love you.” He was full of anticipation, concern, and a host of other feelings. He looked her in the eyes and said, “You are as beautiful as the rising sun on a warm spring morning, I really do love you and I always have. How about we go someplace where we can relax and talk about… nothing. Let’s see if we can just enjoy each other for this evening, and later we can attack the reality of the moment. That Ok with you?”
“Whatever you say is Ok with me, my dearest.” She added, “I think that is a marvelous idea. Actually, there is a quaint little place here at the airport that just might fit the bill. I haven’t been there for years, but if it hasn’t changed, it would be perfect for us.”
“Then, let’s give it a shot.” Actually, Hank just wanted to be close to this woman and touch her, and hear her voice, and smell her fragrance.
After picking up his luggage, Hank was led to Bonnie’s car and they drove for only about three or four minutes before Bonnie said, “This is it”.
As they approached the little eatery, even though it was dusk, he noticed the exquisite landscaping, and the cleanliness and togetherness of the grounds. As they entered the foyer, his breath was nearly taken away as the murals and smells, and the sculptures and plants made this a little more than just “a quaint little place.”
They were there fo
r barely a minute when an employee (apparently, one would call her a maitre ‘de type person) asked if they would like to request any special arrangements or foods. Without hesitation, and without fanfare, Bonnie took control and asked if a certain area was available. Affirmative. As they were led to their seating, he noticed that the “quaint little place” was also an intimate little place.
Hank said, “Man! This place is incredible!”
Bonnie smiled and simply said, “It is nice isn’t it?” Her eyes were aglow with charm and passion, and a knowingness that said she was in control.
She said, “Hank, if you don’t mind, I’d like to just sit here with you and feel your presence. I want to just hold you in my mind while you are close to me. I want to physically touch you and look at you, hear your voice, and smell your fragrance. But you know what? I don’t want to say anything. I want us to not touch with our hands. I just want us to be close and do all these things in our minds even as we remain inches apart physically. I guess you might call it foreplay -- a different kind of foreplay. Do you mind if we do that?”
What could he say? He was so full of love and passion that all he could do was gulp and nod his approval.
He admitted that he wanted the same thing; on the other hand, he wanted so much to touch her with his hands, to hold her with his arms, to enjoy the touch of her body on his. The mental foreplay of which she talked was fine, but as far as he was concerned he wanted the real honest to goodness physical foreplay -- not to mention the aftermath.
About fifteen minutes passed and Hank said, “Bonnie, I’ve got to be totally honest with you. There is nothing wrong with this ‘mental foreplay’, but I want so much to touch you with my hands, my mouth, and my entire body, that right this minute my stomach hurts -- not to mention other parts of my anatomy.
“This place is incredible,” he added, “and the atmosphere and everything is as intimate as could be, but I need… I guess you’d say I need total intimacy. I don’t know if I’m saying this right… do you understand where I’m coming from?”
“I’m sorry Hank; I guess I was somewhat selfish.” Bonnie looked at him with her gorgeous eyes and it was as if she were fishing for the right thing to say, she continued, “I was looking forward to seeing you so much, but I didn’t want to… I think things have been going at what seems like a rapid pace, I… I… I guess I just wanted to hone in on the security and love that I feel when I’m with you, and maybe unwind from the stress of this past weekend. I’m sorry for not thinking of your desires.”
The waitress came over and asked if they needed anything, and Bonnie told her to mark her tab, then she said, “Let’s get out of here my dear.”
Hank looked kind of bewildered, he said, “How did she know to come to our table when she did, she was no place to be found earlier -- I was looking for her?”
Bonnie said, “Oh, that’s an easy one, they have a little button at each end of our seating area that the patrons simply push when they need service. That way, the intimacy and privacy, once established, can be maintained, yet, so can the high standards of service.
“You ready to go?” continued Bonnie.
“Actually, at this point,” Hank smiled a tone of relief and added, “my senses have settled down to a dull roar. Anything you want to do is fine with me, including sharing your mental foreplay.”
Bonnie smiled, touched his chest, and said, “I am going to wear you out young man. I want to make love to you, right here and right now, but I wouldn’t want to embarrass us, so let’s just leave… Now!”
As they headed toward the little town near Hartford, Hank thought it wise to share the fact that he had allowed Frank to enter into the picture, he said, “Bonnie, when I found out about the situation here, I called Frank and told him we couldn’t make our date in Chicago. Of course, when he asked why, I told him, and he wanted to come here and pitch in with any expertise he possesses. I told him he could come. Is that Ok with you?”
She didn’t say anything at first, then after a short pause she said, “Actually, I would prefer not. I shared my feelings about Frank with you, and from what I know, and have seen of him, I like him. However, actually I don’t know him, and this promises to be truly a stressful situation.
“I certainly won’t be at my best,” she continued, “and I would prefer he not… Look, Hank, I know you and he are very close, but I just don’t see what he could add to the situation, it would seem to me he would just be in the way.”
“You’re probably right,” Hank admitted. “I guess I just… when he… when I told him the situation and he responded with such enthusiasm I guess I just couldn’t…” Hank couldn’t quite put his thoughts together. Even though he could see her point, and he agreed with her, he leaned toward having another head in on the problem, and there was no one better than Frank. Nevertheless, he said, “For the most part I agree with you; on the other hand, it’s too late to stop him from coming -- I think.”
Bonnie looked at him with sort of a quizzical smile and said, “What do you mean, you think?”
“Well, there’s another part to this thing,” Hank was feeling very uncomfortable, but he blurted it out anyway. “You see,” he continued, “Frank intends to stop by Chicago and pick up DiJana and the both of them are planning to be here together.”
“Hank!” Bonnie almost screamed.
“I know, I know,” said Hank, “I guess I blew it, huh? Sorry.”
Bonnie said, “Can you stop them?”
“I guess I could call DiJana’s place and intercept them,” said Hank, “but then…” Hank stopped briefly and added, “On second thought, his plans call for him to be leaving Oahu next weekend. We are as close as… I’m sure I can convince him to alter his plans… Ya know, I hadn’t thought of it, but I wonder if he might be… I’m sorry; my mind was wandering. Ok, I’ll complete my thought… I wonder if part of Frank’s thinking included getting DiJana on neutral turf. They still haven’t enjoyed sex with each other.”
Bonnie looked at him intently and said, “You want them to come here don’t you?”
Hank lowered his head and hesitated briefly and said, “Actually, yes I do. I’ve thought about it and I think, whatever happens here, it will be good for you. And I think it will be good for me, and the relationship of all of us. So, yes, I do want them to come here. On the other hand, if you object, it will not happen.”
Bonnie said, “If that’s the way you feel about it, don’t change a thing. Let’s see what happens,” and she added, “Actually, what could it hurt, I guess I felt this situation was very personal and I’m not accustomed to sharing my personal life with others. Probably the main thing is it caught me off guard.”
“Are you sure,” Hank was genuinely concerned that she did not say it just to please him, he added, “Because it doesn’t have to happen.”
“I don’t see a problem with it,” said Bonnie, as she flashed a genuine smile and almost simultaneously turned the corner. She said, “We are the third house on the right.”
House, she said. It was more like an estate. In fact, it was an estate. It was fabulous. Hank said, “Is this your home?”
“If you can call it that, actually, it’s much to much for me.” Bonnie was talking as she pulled the car around the circular driveway. “We have much of the place closed off and we don’t even use the majority of it anymore.” A special kind of lighting bathed the entire area in a unique light sequence, and a man came out of the front door and headed toward the car.
Bonnie said, “There’s Samuel, he’s our gardener and chauffeur. We used to have a separate chauffeur, but I have been driving a great deal since Jon passed away and I didn’t feel a need for two separate people.”
Hank said, “This place is fabulous. How big is it?”
“Big enough,” said Bonnie, nonchalantly. She greeted Samuel and as they got out of the car she continued to talk. “We used to entertain and have guests several times a month plus Jon would have periodic meetings, but once he passed away
, I never kept the pace or the routine. I really wanted to sell it, but there’s a great deal of sentiment attached to the place. I just never could decide what to do with it.
“Now that our situation is as it is, it’s easy to put the place on the market and get away from it all.” As they entered the home, Bonnie introduced Amanda, the maid and cook, to Hank and said, “I will miss this place, it has been home for five years.” The gardener/chauffeur came in with Hank’s one-piece luggage and asked where he should place it, Bonnie directed him to take it to the upstairs guest room. Hank was impressed.
Hank was thinking to himself, “Five years she’s lived here… hmmm. Her husband must have been quite wealthy. She said she loved him, but she didn’t say anything else about their relationship. Oh well, what the heck, he’s gone now, but he must have been really successful -- a woman like Bonnie, a child that obviously was normal and successful, and wealthy too.
“But if Bonnie’s charities,” Hank continued with his inner thoughts, “were somewhat less than above-board, I wonder if he had anything to do with the illegal activity himself. Hmmm, interesting.”
Hank told Bonnie he hadn’t brought a great deal of clothing, but he had brought his toiletries, and he wanted to freshen up. She suggested he follow his luggage to the guest room and take it from there. She said she would be up to assist him shortly, but she wanted to check her messages first; she added, “that way we can spend the rest of the evening together undisturbed.”
That last comment was enough to cause his mind to recess from his thinking about the coming legal mess in which they were about to engage. He had intended to brush his teeth, comb his hair, and change shirts; he decided he would do those things after he showered and shaved and put on a little after-shave lotion with his favorite scent.
The guest room was not one of those little dinky den-type rooms, it was similar to a master suite in a grand hotel: it had its own shower, a whirl pool, a sauna, and a steam room; and the dressing area was enough to satisfy the most critical being -- man or woman. This was indeed some kind of place. Bonnie said the place had several rooms similar to that one, all with the same amenities but with different floor plans and design. They also had three conference rooms, two viewing rooms, and two computer or strategy rooms. Hank was more than just a little bit impressed, he was awe struck.
End of the Rainbow : There Lies the Portrait of My Love Page 11