Heaven Only Knows Ch. 01

The beautiful white sands of the north coast of Jamaica known as Montego Bay, displays a stunning combination of Old World warmth, Caribbean hospitality and an unmistakable inviting beachfront hideaway, offering privacy and seclusion, to the many tourist that ventured there. Not a single cloud dared to darken the brilliant azure skyline, allowing the unbridled solar rays of the yellow sunshine to send the balmy temperatures soaring in the high nineties. But tropical heat, radiant sunshine set on a seemingly endless horizon of turquoise water and blue sky, is exactly what one seeks when vacationing at this enchanting island in the Atlantic.

The Ritz Carlton Rose Hall is easily one of the most beautiful resorts on the island. Thousands of tourist flock there all year around to relax, behold the majestic mountain range along with the many natural wonders, indulge in the rejuvenating spa, play 18 holes of golf, or just kick back and soak up the sunshine. Located only minutes away from Donald Sangster International Airport and nearby shopping center known as the Half Moon Bay, the Rose Hall Plantation area of Montego Bay is a greatly sought after resort for holding conventions, business travelers, beauty contest and just plain old relaxation. Boasting 427 guest rooms along with 51 executive suites, an amazing 36 clubrooms, and of course the gloriously world famous Ritz-Carlton Club. All the rooms and suites designed for complete privacy, and intimacy featuring a stunning array of covered balconies with pastel-colored walls and stone columns.

Mrs. Emma Jean Callaway covered her mouth in shock upon the sight of the huge suite she just entered. The lavishly laid out unit, was larger than many homes she'd been in back in Mississippi. The mustered gold colored carpet made her feel as though she were walking on air. She lightly held her breath as she gazed about the crimson red walls adorned with well-placed artwork depicting many of the island's landmarks and natural wonders.

"Oh my God, look at this place." She exclaimed breathlessly, as she dropped her bags and darted into the bedroom. The king sized bed which was covered in a luxurious burgundy colored comforter dwarfed by the colossal size of the room surrounding it. In a child-like fashion she gently ran her fingers across the bed and reasoned that comforter was probably used to warm up from the frosty air-conditioning system. Gingerly she pealed back the blanket to reveal the black satin sheets and couldn't help but imagine herself snuggling beneath them. Overall the room had a majestic Renaissance appeal to it, a sight she was quite familiar with. In fact her home of Jackson, Mississippi was once a trading post built by French Canadian Louis Le Fleur1792. At that time was called Le Fleur's Bluff, until 1817, when the capital city was renamed Jackson.

Ignoring the sound of her husband's voice speaking to the bellhop, she rushed into the bathroom and was stunned by the rose red marble wall, floor, whirl-pool tub, commode, sink and walk in shower, along with the many exotically hand crafted brass fixtures. Even the small rugs where made of what appeared to be polar bear fur. She slowly reentered the main room, wiping tears of joy from her eyes. She thought once or twice about interrupting her husband who loquaciously engaged the wiry built bellhop, who seemed to have a permanent smile on his face, when the sight of the early afternoon sunlight rippling off the ocean caught her eye. Kicking off her shoes, she strolled over to the enormous picture framed window and looked outside. The sight of the endless ocean on the horizon filled her heart with such happiness, that she gently placed her forefinger into her mouth muffle the gasping sound escaping from her throat.

"Why this has to be the most beautiful view of the ocean I've ever seen."

She stood there it seemed like hours marveling in the magnificent picture perfect scene outside her window. Once again she was about to comment what she felt to her distracted husband, however, he seemed to be enjoying the zealous attention he was receiving from his listener. She glanced about the room again and noticed the large three-seat sofa, the red ribbon mahogany center and end tables, a huge desk that sat at the back of the room and was probably used as a study area. A black laptop computer sat on the desk and was surrounded by and connected to several small telephones. She sighed deeply and slid opened the balcony doors and ventured outside. The warm but breezy air greeted her and she tossed her head back and took a long but slow deep breath. Undoing her blazer she discarded the jacket, dropping it to the floor and climbed into a long comfortable chaise lounge chair. Placing her hands behind her head she closed her eyes and imagined what her friends and family back home would say if they could only see her now.

She allowed her mind to drift back just twenty-years ago, when fresh out of high school she met her future husband William Joseph Callaway, a down and out store-front preacher, who had a measly 15 members and held his Sunday sermons in an old broken down trailer, which also served as his home. Back then everyone including her parents, warned her to not to marry him and if she did she be condemned to a life of trailer trash for the rest of her days, but there was something about the red haired, freckled faced youthful looking Evangelist that told her that if she was patient and supportive, that one day he'd make her proud.

Being a young Southern Bell, most of her friends naturally sought after the captain of the football team, or some other business professional. For a while she actually began to believe they might be right in their original assessment, but in the mid-to-late nineteen eighties, the advent of TV Evangelism caught on and with the help of the Ronald Regan republicans backed by the religious moral majority, the Reverend William Joseph Callaway and his wife jumped on the train early and rode their way to television stardom. In ten years they went from trailer trash, to trailers of cash and in the end it was she and her fire and brimstone preaching husband who had the last laugh. But their success came at a costly price, constantly traveling to church revivals, speaking out on social, economical, moral and political issues, not to mention recording several TV broadcasts every week kept them more than busy.

In fact family matters, maintaining a home and raising their two children all became secondary to them both as they sky rocketed to wealth, fame and fortune. They bought a luxurious mansion over looking the Pearl River, less than two hundred miles from New Orleans, but rarely spent time there. The last five years slowly began to wear on the gorgeous green-eyed blonde. With the children grown and out on their own, the lost of both her parents and the early signs of menopause setting in, the 48 year old former blue grass debutant, had grown tired of the constant cameras, lights, stages and podiums, especially all the lonely nights she spent at different hotel and motel rooms across the country, waiting for her much sought after husband to return from his late night missionary calls.

Suddenly she longed for the normal life and a normal family. She decided to give up the tours and remain home, in the hopes of luring her overworked husband to share her newfound endeavor, however, the Reverend William Joseph Callaway III, always seemed to find some excuse to break free and get back out on the road. Finally she put her foot down, threatening to divorce him, which was considered a blasphemous act where they came from, if he did not at least attempt to restore the passion to their marriage. At first he bulked but eventually gave in allowing her to handle all the details of their most anticipated twentieth wedding anniversary and as she laid there on the lounge chair, bathing her already golden butterscotch complexion in the hot sunlight, she couldn't help but feel confident that this was the perfect place to start over again.

"Well, well, well Emma, don't you look comfortable." William remarked.

"Oh Will, you're finally finished, for a moment I thought you were gonna spend your entire vacation with that bellhop." She answered.

"Honey you know me, always willing to enlighten the ignorant." He smiled taking a seat in a chair beside hers. "So, how do you like the place?"

"Oh Will, it's...it's wonderful, do you see the view of the ocean?"

"How could I miss it, it truly is fabulous. I must give you a lot of credit dear, you really came through on this one."

"Thanks babe, I really appreciate hearing you say that. You know I've got so many plans for us. Let's start with lunch at Mango's Poolside Restaurant."

"No, sweetheart, I'm afraid I'm gonna be a little busy this afternoon. You see that colored boy recognized me, and said the members of his church are actually have prerecorded videotapes of our show. He was asking if I could stop by this afternoon and sign a few copies of my book Heaven Only Knows. So how could I turn them down? Anyway I have an even better surprise in store for you at dinner.

Ignoring his compensatory offer she fired back. "You could have turned him down by telling him that you were celebrating your twentieth wedding anniversary with your wife."

"Oh honey, don't be angry, we're going to have a great time here. This is just one afternoon. After all you did say that you were looking for to a nice cozy bed when we arrived, so I figured you probably spend it napping."

"Yes I was looking forward to resting in bed...with my husband."

"Don't worry, you just relax and I'll be back in a few hours."

"A few hours," she snaps, "William how dare you come here with business aspirations on your mind?"

"You should know it well by now my dear. I am on a higher calling. I'm not just doing this for me or even for you, for that matter, what I do is in the name of Jesus Christ our savior. It is with his blessing that we went from dirt poor, to filthy rich, spreading the word of Christ is what I do best. Now we've come all this way, so let's not ruin it by bickering. I'm just going to visit these ignorant darkies and enlighten them to the will of Christ for the little good it'll do, you know these people are even more ignorant than the darkies where we're from."

With that said he stood up leaned over and kissed his wife on the forehead. "Now you go on and take a nap, when I return we'll have a wonderful dinner together."

"Well if you don't mind, I'll go down to the poolside restaurant and have lunch, since I'll be spending the rest of the afternoon by myself." She snapped, knowing he was already out the front door. She slowly stood up and took one last glance at the beautiful scenery before her. Snatching her blazer off the floor, she made her way down to the restaurant.

**

Two hours later and after a delicious meal, Emma sat underneath a bamboo balcony at Mango's Restaurant sipping on a Cherry rum drink as she curiously watched the scantly clad bodies at poolside. The air filled with the sounds of excitement and merriment allowed her to relax and take her mind off her distracted significant other. Unfortunately the joyous atmosphere aroused the bitterness feelings towards her life's situation. The alcoholic beverage combined with the romantic companionship of the couples she saw, made her long for romance in her life. Sure she had plenty of money, many people had seen and heard her sermons on TV, and for years this is what she craved but money and success is a poor substitute for love and romance. Fighting back her tears she took off her shoes and blazer and trotted on to the beach.

The hot sand stimulated her toes and feet as the sound of the ocean filled her ears. She curiously watched a group of young children at play building sand castles and took a seat under a large bamboo umbrella, which shielded her from the sun but also allowed the cool ocean breeze to help her relax once more.

"Excuse me ma'am, would you like something to drink?" A voice called to her.

Startled by the sound of someone addressing her, Emma quickly turned to see a young golden brown skinned man wearing a uniform bearing the name of the poolside restaurant.

"Oh you startled me, I didn't know you guys served the beach area as well."

"Yes ma'am, would you like some refreshments?"

"Sur...sure, bring me one of those cherry rum drinks."

"Very good, I'll be right back." The young man answered as he went on his way."

The tears in her eyes began to slightly cloud her vision and as she gingerly wiped her eyes to regain focus, she discovered before her a sight ascending from the ocean.

His skin was the deepest darkest brown, every muscle on his body seemed glisten as the brilliant sun highlighted his massive figure. Emma wiped her eyes more rapidly to ensure what she was witnessing was real. The closer he came towards her, his powerful muscles rippled with each large stride he took. She wanted to turn away, but she found herself memorized by the huge man approaching her. Only a few feet away, his eyes met hers. At first his stare was fierce and intense, but after a moment or so, it vanished and replaced with a warm, gentle full smile, not only displaying his evenly white teeth, but also his richly handsome face as well. He stopped within two feet of her and gazed down. He had to be at least six-foot-five. His massive chest seemed to expanded a foot larger with every breath he took.

"Hello malady, is everything okay?" He asked in a powerfully seductive voice.

"Yes, yes I'm okay thank you."

"You must be a new arrival to the island."

"Really, how'd you guest?" She answered with sarcasm, staring at her shoes and blazer"

"Your outfit looks a bit out of place on the beach, are you here for business?"

"I may as well be." She countered more to herself than anyone else.

"I sincerely hope that you take sometime to enjoy the fruits of my beautiful island. You both have so much in common."

"How so"

"You are both exquisitely and exotically beautiful."

He slowly brushed away a patch of sand that clung to his evenly tight six-pack mid-section. A sight that did not go unnoticed by his curious on looker.

Emma was totally swayed by the seductive attention she recieved, and her eyes instinctively drifted below his waistline. The long heavy outline of his trunks told her all she needed to know and more.

"Excuse me malady, I'm late for work, however, I once again sincerely hope that you indulge yourself on all of the fruitful delights of my island."

Emma's heart nearly stopped as the charming dark brown man began to walk away.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute."

His below shoulder length dreadlocks flung in the air, as he slowly turned back in her direction. Her greedy eyes devoured his flesh, as if she were capturing a photographic image in her mind.

"Yes malady?"

"I...uh...I uh...what's your name?"

"My name is Randle Hightower, you can call me Randy."

There were so many things that she wanted to say but reasoning kicked in and she replied.

"My name's Emma."

"Nice meeting you Emma."

"Nice meeting you too...Randy."

He turned and began walking away. Emma eyes were locked on his strong hamstrings and his thick but hard protruding buttocks as it danced before her eyes, exhibiting strength and balance. Even as his large figure shrunk in the distance, she continued to stare, fighting the burning desire that was building up inside her.

Hours later William and Emma sat at a table in a restaurant known as Horizon. One quick look out the window and one would fully concur that the name was totally apropos, as miles and miles of moonlit ocean stretched across the backdrop of the eatery. The couple ate silently and quickly as well. Emma could hardly wait to get back to her room, where she had something pleasant in store for her husband.

"Waiter" William called out. "More wine please"

"Yes sir." The young man replied dashing off.

"So dear how did you like your meal?"

"It was delicious, the jerk lobster rice and beans combo was hot and spicy, but not half as spicy as what I have in mind for you once we get back to our room."

"Emma your fingers look a little cold, try warming them up with this." He smiled pushing a small, black, velvet-covered box in her direction

"Why William Joseph Callaway, what have you gone and done...Oh my god, will you look at this?" She shouted as she opened the box and discovered a 21 karat platinum nugget bracelet with her name on it.

"Oh sweet baby, thank you so much." She reached out pulling him across the table and deeply kissing him."

"Emma, Emma please, a peck will do."

"Willy come on, loosen up and let's really have some fun for a change."

"We are having fun Emma, and please don't call me Willy, you know how I feel about public lewd and lavish behavior." He chided.

Titling her head in a "what's wrong with you like fashion," she asked.

"What's so wrong about two people married and in love sharing their affection in public?"

"That's what's wrong with society today Emma, that kind of brazen attitude. What a man and women do in private, is their business, what a made and a woman do in public is everybody's business. I can see you've been spending far too much time at home, maybe it's time for you to come back on the road with me."

"Nonsense sugar, remember that night behind the campus bleachers, you sure rang my bell..."

"Emma Jean...control yourself." He scolded. "Not only was that a long, long time ago, but it was also at a time we were both young ignorant and sinful. I hope we're both mature enough to understand that."

"There's nothing sinful about two married people sharing their love together."

"Of course there's nothing wrong with sharing our love, but everything is wrong if it is done in the improper and or immoral fashion. Ah yes, the wine is finally here."

Emma watched the waiter carefully fill both their glasses, but in reality, she was really trying to avoid the curious stares of her husband."

"Did I tell you that you look absolutely marvelous tonight, in spite of the fact that you're showing way too much cleavage and the slit of your dress is way too high."

"Was that supposed to be a complement," she snapped feeling the effects of the alcoholic beverage, "cause it was you need to tell the waiter to take it back to the kitchen, it's not ready yet.

Trying to stay upbeat, she refocuses the conversation. "By the way I found a nice spot on the beach right outside the poolside restaurant; I hope you brought your swimming trunks."

"We'll see my dear, to tell you the truth, I don't know if I feel comfortable walking about here practically naked especially around these people."

"What people?"

"The darkies, they're very sinful people."

"That never stopped you from taking their money."

"That's because they're in great need of the Word Emma, after all these years, you should know that by now. These people are heathens and they could use all the help they can get."

"At any rate, why don't we go back to our room and get a little sinful ourselves?"

"My God woman, what's gotten into you, they'll be plenty of time for that, unless that was the only reason you wanted to come here for."

"And would that be a bad thing William. I'm not ashamed to say I love you and I love feeling you inside me."

"Say what! Emma Jean, that is enough. Now I am a man of God, and I enjoy...uh..."

"Are you trying to say sex, or maybe fucking." She laughed cutting him off.

"My God woman, has the Devil possessed your mind to speak to me like this? That's enough wine for you tonight. Now we'll remain here until after the show and then we'll go back to our room and I'll have no more of your foul language. Throwing his hands in the air he moans, "Oh Jesus please take kindly on this woman's sinful ways, for I can see that she has spent far too much time away from your mighty word."