String of Beads

Rex and I got drunk a few times and the damn guy got me to buy. I was losing my touch and Rex was all smiles. I finished a couple of stories over the next couple of months so it wasn't my most productive period but the quality was up in my opinion. My favorite love story to date that I had submitted I titled "Heaven on Earth" and featured my tall lady with long auburn-red hair that I'd dreamed of for so many years. My lady had a hint of freckles on her upper arms and fair complexion, but she was all American in attitude and disposition. I fell for her in my writings and whenever I could get shoulder deep in my characters they became so much more alive. It was a great catharsis for me and I was able to keep Leanne close to me without her dominating my every thought and dream. It was almost like I had been fighting against separating us instead of trying too.

About a week after "Heaven on Earth" went to press I was in to see Rex hoping for a rematch on who would pick up the tab when Eve, Rex's secretary said, "Lon there's an author here in the building somewhere that has mentioned how much they enjoy reading Andre's love stories and wants to meet you some day. Could you find time to do that before you and Rex go get smashed again?"

"Oh I don't know, you know how I feel about all that crap."

"I know but what can it hurt. Five minutes of your life, big damn deal."

"Oh okay if you can find them I'll hang around. I'll be in Rex's office for a little bit if you locate this...fan or whatever."

"God you are such a grouch how can you write sweet words and be such a complete shit."

"It's a talent, what can I say." I resumed my negotiations with Rex in his office and pretty well forgot about my fan. God did I say I hate that word? Why should he care what I write? It should be important what he writes.

Eve called in and said the author Andy O'Hanlon was in the conference room and was waiting for him. Smart ass Rex said, "Go forth my man your adoring public awaits you."

"Fuck you, I'll be back in a minute." Rex cracked up. Hell he loved that reaction and he couldn't wait till he could hit me again. I stopped at the coffee pot and poured a cup before heading to the conference room. At the last second I asked Eve for a copy of "Heaven on Earth" and went to meet this Andy. At this point I have to tell you that what I describe next happened just as I say. No exaggeration no euphemisms. I opened the door and stepped in to find a woman with her back to me. It was Leanne! No, no it wasn't. God that rattled me for a second. From the back it was her form but this woman had long hair. She was standing in front of the window so she was in half silhouette and I said, "Sorry I was looking for Andy." She turned around and I dropped my coffee and my book. Literally. Before me stood my auburn-red longhaired, long legged creature from my book. Some people win the lottery. Some people get large inheritances. I got to see the personification of my Gabrielle in "Heaven on Earth." I didn't care if she was the biggest bitch in the world right then, but until Andy appeared I was staring at her. This all happened in an instant but in my mind it was an hour.

"Hi, I'm Andrea O'Hanlon." I stood there like a complete and utter idiot. I wasn't even sure if I'd pissed my pants. First it was Leanne and then it was Gabrielle. I finally reset the breaker in my brain and stepped forward to shake her hand without taking my eyes from her smiling face. "I know you were expecting a guy. I hope you're not disappointed." I cleared my voice and said without a lot of stuttering I'm proud to say, "Hi Andrea I'm Lonnie, Lonnie Quinlan."

She took my hand and smiling asked, "Is that your real name?"

"One hundred percent the real me."

"So was the shock of seeing me so great that you dropped everything?"

"What? Oh no it's...do you have time for some lunch. I have a story to tell you."

"Of course Lonnie I'd love it."

As we walked out I winked at Eve and said, "Thanks Eve, tell Rex I'm buying but he's not invited." With that I laughed and the two of us walked out. I didn't care what happened beyond today. I had met and would have lunch with the woman I had seen in my fantasies for these many years. No not quite. Her similarity with Leanne was beyond my dreams, my wildest fantasies. I think it was about then that I realized that when I created Gabrielle it was Leanne with long auburn hair but it took a long time to sink in.

Sitting at the most private table in the restaurant by my request we ordered drinks and I said, "Andrea I'm going to tell you a story. It's a short story and without a doubt will not contain all the detail and significance involved. Perhaps it will help explain my reaction when I first saw you."

She laughed and said, "Oh, then it wasn't my beauty."

With just a little smile I said, "Quite the contrary that's exactly what it was. At least part of it." First some more distant background. Some time ago I was with a woman that so stole my heart and so turned my life on end that I was a mess for months after we parted as very close friends. Of course like you said, I was expecting some guy to be standing there. When I first entered the conference room and saw your silhouette at the window you were my friend from behind, the same size and the same wonderful figure. That was the first hit for me. Then before I could recover you turned around and I saw you in detail. That was the final and even more potent hit for me."

"Lonnie thank you for your compliments and I'm flattered that my looks would hit you so hard but I find it hard to believe that you are that vulnerable." I picked up my book and turned to chapter seven.

As I handed it to her I said, "Would you please take a moment and read that chapter. It's a short one but it will explain a lot. Not all of it but a lot. Oh and by the way your beauty certainly is enough to cause me to make a fool of myself."

Chapter Twelve

"Before you start I would suggest you take a big sip of your drink. Also I will tell you before hand, the character in that chapter has been in my mind for more than fifteen years and I've saved her until I had what I considered the right story, the right...essence that was deserving of her, this, my nearly perfect woman." The chapter I was having her read was where Gabrielle enters the story and I describe her in great detail and it told of how and why she would be the protagonist in the story. "Take your time Andrea it's important that you read that whole chapter."

I sipped my drink and watched her as she read. It was a few paragraphs before Gabrielle appeared and a few more before the revelation began. Her face had only a slight smile as she started reading and it slowly faded as she continued. When Gabrielle appeared I could see her concentration increase and when I started to describe her in detail nothing on earth would have pulled her away from that book. I watched her finish but not raise her eyes to meet mine for several seconds. She finally looked up and looking at me with questions in her eyes said, "Lonnie I...I don't understand."

"Andrea I don't either but what I say is true and my book is proof I'm not just some nut trying to get in your pants or something. What do you see when you read about Gabrielle?"

"I see me of course but how...?"

"Hell I don't know but as I sit here admiring you I guess I don't care. Keep the book and read the whole thing why don't you? Wait let me see it a second." "I took it and wrote my phone number and my cell number with a brief comment and handed it back to her. "Don't let anybody else see that. I'd hate to have my numbers out and about. If you would be willing I'd like to hear from you after you've read it all the way through."

"God Lonnie I can't wait to read it. I like what you do anyway but now...now it takes on a whole new meaning."

As we had lunch Andrea said, "You said you thought I was somebody else at first, somebody special. Is it something you can talk about? She obviously was very important in your life."

"She was and is but we don't see each other. Maybe one day if we get to know each other a lot better I'll give you a brief explanation. It's rather complicated as some relationships can get sometimes. We are dear friends that don't see each other anymore."

"That sounds rather mysterious and also sad."

"It was beyond sad but as they say, it is better to have loved and lost etc."

"I'm finding it interesting that when you talk I see you're writing style. Am I imagining that?"

"No probably not. Not when I write as Andre anyway. When I write other things it's more of a stretch to find much of me in them. When I write as Andre Larkin there's a lot of me in it." "That makes reading your stories all the more intriguing now and even makes me want to reread some of them."

"Well at least I haven't scared you off."

"Oh quite the contrary Andre, I mean Lonnie." She was smiling when she said that and I could feel her look at me as we ate.

We took our time and had after dinner drinks in the bar as we continued to talk. I learned about how she became an author and about all the disappointments she had along the way. Our conversation continued but stayed on a more mundane level. She could have been reading a physics text and I would have still been charmed. Her mannerisms were as I had always seen them. Her inflections were burned into my brain. Her likes and dislikes were familiar to me.

When we finally left I was sad and fearful I'd never see her again. I took her back to her car and as we got out she stepped up to me put a hand on my arm and kissed me on the cheek. "Lonnie it has been one of the more amazing points in my young life and you are something else. Words are my stock in trade but I'm at a loss. I'll find the right words one day to describe you." I stood there feeling like she was slipping away from me and I had no idea what to do for a second. Thankfully she came to my rescue. "Oh God I forgot. Here's my card. I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks doing research. I'll call you soon though I promise." She blew me a kiss and was gone. I stood there still trying to accept what had happened.

I went home feeling very light headed, smiling like the village idiot and of all things singing. I knew I wouldn't be worth a damn trying to work so I didn't even try. I was home and having iced tea when the phone rang. "Hey it's Rex. You sober?"

"As a judge."

"I'm coming over."

"Yeah I know have the beer ready."

"Beer my ass I want the good stuff, we have things to talk about. See you in an hour or so." While I waited for him I went for the mail and found a box full. I dumped it on the table and when I saw the package I knew without even reading the address. It was Leanne's letter she had promised me so long ago. My world shrank and became that room as I stared at the package. I opened it and found a rather full envelope and a package so I sat down before my legs failed and opened the letter.

"My dearest Lonnie. I miss you so much. Neither of us ever said we loved the other and I won't say so now but.... Our time together was like so much magic to me. You can't imagine how hard it was for me to control myself as much as I did. Dear sweet Jerry did what he could to make it easier for us but in the end I always worried about his feelings. Lonnie darling you are a king among kings to me. I knew I wouldn't be able to find the words that convey my feelings and I can't begin too. You will always be on my mind and I mean always and forever. I love the way you treated me, the way you talked to me the way you were there for me. It goes on and on. Needless to say I loved the way you made love. God how I loved that. If you are ever on the houseboats again please think of me but then put me aside and enjoy that wonderful place. Oh yes and would you blow me a kiss. The winds will bring it to me." She signed it, "Forever yours in a very special way." It was several minutes before I moved. Then I saw the package and opened it to find the camera. Our camera that no doubt was not something Jerry ever knew about.

I had to save that until after Rex was gone and I was sober again.

Rex and I got drunk in my living room on my expensive booze and that made him happy beyond words. At one point he got half serious and said, "What the hell happened on that houseboat vacation?" Now I wasn't that drunk and never would be.

"What do you mean?"

"Jerry came back more calm and in control than I've ever seen him. He's been focused and tying up loose ends like there's no tomorrow. He's giving me a promotion and more responsibility. I mean shit he's a changed man."

"It was a great week."

"Hell I guess, is that all?"

"What else could it be? Those houseboats can be magic under the right circumstances."

"No shit." Thankfully he changed the subject at that point, but I wasn't lying, those houseboats can be more than magical. Those houseboats can transform a person's life overnight. Rex had such a good time I left him on the couch and I went to bed and we spent until about noon the next day trying to get to a point where he could drive home and I could slowly get on with my day.

Chapter Thirteen

Late that evening as I was feeling mostly human again I hooked the camera to the computer and looked at our few but powerful pictures. That brought it all back again and I spent the next two days thinking of her and missing her more than ever. I cropped one of them so it only showed her face and her upper shoulders and put it in a frame and on my desk. She deserved so much more but it went without saying I had to preserve her image and keep our week a secret from the world. I copied the pictures to disc, hid that and erased the camera.

Thankfully I recovered over the next few days and went back to writing a little. I had her note in my file and since it was a secret between her and me, would end up in the story almost verbatim. The story was coming along nicely but I expected it to be another six months before it would be ready for Rex and the public. I planned to send Leanne a copy with a note in it and could only hope she would read it carefully.

When my phone rang I almost disconnected it for whatever reason but looked at the caller ID instead. It was Andie. I knew somebody named Andrea and that got in the way of me visualizing her as she really was. "Hi Andie how's the research?"

"Fine, almost done I think. How are you doing?"

"Pretty good all things considered."

"Lonnie I have to say that book freaked me out. It's not possible for you to fake that but forgive me, I was suspicious. It's just too weird, to coincidental too..."

"Yeah I know. Now you know why I dropped the coffee."

"Well yeah I guess so. I really liked the story though. I think you went through a bad spot awhile back but now you're better than ever."

"Yeah well that bad spot tied in with my divorce."

"Oh shit you too huh."

"Yeah me too. When you coming home?"

"I am home love I just have some notes and other work to do before I get distracted."

"Oh."

"Speaking of getting distracted maybe we could get together and distract each other from work for a few hours."

"You said the magic words. When and where?"

"I need say another day, what works for you?"

"What works for me is seeing you. How about here and then maybe dinner someplace?"

"Lonnie you have a smooth tongue, I'll have to watch you. Tell me how to get to your place and when."

"I can come get you." "Not necessary love." I told her where I lived and our date or whatever you want to call it was set for six on Thursday evening.

Andie was a little late but not bad, just long enough for me to think she'd changed her mind. When she breezed in I was kissed on the lips, not on the cheek, and once beverages were chosen went to the living room. We talked for a while in that get acquainted, get this trivial shit over with, sort of way. We warmed to each other quickly enough that before long she said, "So do I get to see where the famous Lonnie AKA Andre Larkin weaves his magic spells?"

"If that's what turns you on sure." I don't know what made me say that. I must have thought I was still talking to Rex. "Sorry that phrase was in poor taste."

At least she laughed and said, "Lonnie you are complex. Smooth one minute and in your face earthy the next. No apology necessary. As to what turns me on only time will tell love."

As I got up I held out my hand and said, "Andie sweetie I like you a lot already in spite of your being beautiful, alluring and tempting." She was quick to smile and I got yet another one from her. We made our way to my office and we stood there. I mean what can you say about an office. Standard furniture, standard electronics, files and bookshelves full of books, mostly mine. Oh shit the books. The porn books. The décor was spartan but not nonexistent at least by a guys standards.

She stood there and said, "Man the words that have come out of here."

"Well not so much here, a lot of them came from the office that my ex now owns."

"Oh yeah I forgot about that." Her eyes fell on Leanne's photo and she said, "I take it that is a significant other."

"No that's the significant non other that I told you about."

"Oh right the mysterious situation."

"Yes that one."

"She's beautiful but of course you already know that."

"Indeed I do." Thankfully Andie let that drop and we returned to the living room. We chose a place for dinner and headed there where we proceeded to eat and then drink too much. Sweet Andie could hold her liquor but not quite well enough. She wasn't drunk by any means but her tongue was just loose enough for her to be funny and she managed to embarrass herself a few times.

Her loosened tongue led her into dangerous territory when she said, "I couldn't help but see some titles that are decidedly not books about romance."

"Well in a way they are. Those people fell in love for a few hours at a time after all." Once again she laughed.

"Come on Lon confess to me. What's the story there are you a collector of certain porn?"

"If you ever tell anybody I'll hunt you down and do great bodily harm to you. I wrote those too."

"You're kidding me. All of those?"

"All of those and more."

"My God you're a prolific writer."

"Well those don't take all that long. They are short stories and I don't have to spend a lot of time with the characters or the plot. The soft porn gets less effort than the love stories and the hard porn gets less effort than the soft porn. It works for me and it's fun believe it or not."

"Loan me some of your favorites."

"You're kidding me."

"Not at all. I want to see your different styles."

"You'll get an education most likely."

"Sweetie I'm not a virgin. I've read porn and I've seen porn. I'll admit it's been more than a few years though."

"Just remember it was your idea and I didn't even hint at it."

"You're off the hook." When we got home I chose a half a dozen and said, "This will give you an idea without giving you an overdose. I don't want you running and screaming from here and taking my name in vain."

"I'm tougher than I look."

By the time Andie left about one we were good friends. We had the common bond of both being writers and we seemed to have the same sense of humor. My description of her in the book was not quite accurate according to her though. She said she was more laid back and passive than Gabrielle. I said I wasn't sure I could agree with that. Actually I said she was nuts. The evening had been a lot of fun and it went entirely too fast for me. We kissed lightly as she was leaving and we were already talking about getting together on Saturday if she could get her shopping done.