Chapter 1: The Widow Bayless

Chapter I: The Widow Bayless

Elizabeth Bayless was a young widow.  As opposed to most widows, her husband was, at that moment, six feet above the traditional six feet under.  Her widowship, if such a word existed, was caused by Rick Bayless' attachment to a word processor rather than the Grim Reaper's attachment to him.

Rick was an author whose works had been steadily climbing up the Bestseller List over the past five years.  His novels centered around a medieval knight and his adventures.  He wasn't exactly J.K. Rowling, but he had picked up a loyal following that seemed to be growing by the day.  Most importantly, while some authors birthed a novel yearly, Bayless brought forth almost three times that rate, which meant that the flow of money from his works was constant.  Although still nowhere near Rowling in terms of sales, the Bayless family's financial worries were far in their rearview mirror.  Their Florida home was on the beach, near Clearwater, and was more than she had ever imagined.  Their children, should they decide to have any, would probably never understand what "ends" were and why they would need to meet. 

When Rick's novels had first begun taking off, Elizabeth's waking subconscious began entertaining the fantasy of quitting her job and leading the utopian life.  The life where she would arise from their bed when she felt rested, eat when she was hungry, and make herself presentable when she was ready to present herself.  Most importantly, she would be able to enjoy her husband's company when he came to a stopping place, hopefully when the sun was still high in the sky.  Her wide-awake conscious would, however, quickly put the kibosh on these fantasies as she got ready to go to work.  Things like that didn't happen to people like them, did they?  They were just regular people working for a living.  He just happened to work at home.  You couldn't count on his novels to continue their upward trend, she thought.  To think so was not logical and, at the very least, would anger the Gods of Success, so she refused to indulge in those crazy thoughts during her work day.  Like so many people who knocked on wood, she refused to tempt Fate.

However illogical it may have been, there came a time when neither she nor her husband could hide from their bank account.  That time was just after Rick's agent worked out a contract with Rick's publisher giving them exclusive rights to the remainder of the series, with a minimum of three more books.  The advance for the books was just under a million dollars.  Shortly after the check arrived, the couple met with their accountant, Charles Deitz, to talk about their finances.

"Well, guys, I think you've crossed over the line where you have to ever worry about where your next meal is coming from," he said, after they had made what seemed like monumental decisions to her about where their money should be invested.  Then, he added a few words that would change her life, at least for a while.

"One more thing, guys.  I'm sure you've discussed this quite a bit, but you obviously realize that Elizabeth no longer has to toil at the ad agency, anymore.  I'm not telling you what to do with your time, but there is no pressing need for your income."
"No, we really haven't talked about it," Elizabeth replied.  "I haven't really allowed myself to even think about it.  This money is like hitting the lottery for me.  It's totally out of the blue.  I have no idea what I want to do."

"Well, I'm not telling you what to do," Dietz said.  "I'm just telling you that you can do pretty much whatever makes you happy at this point."

Elizabeth decided to wait a few weeks to make her decision, giving herself a deadline.  After the two weeks was over, she had a long talk, mainly with herself, and decided she no longer wanted to be an assistant account manager.  She wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she had had enough of the politics and problems of working at the agency.  It took her another week, though, to finally make it official.

No one was surprised when she gave her two-weeks notice.  In fact, people were surprised that it took her as long as it did.  They attributed the delay to Elizabeth's cautious nature and were, at least partially, correct in their assumptions.

The other part of the equation, however, was the fact that Elizabeth was not sure she was ready, willing, or able to begin living her dream.  Perhaps it was her Puritan blood that told her that idle hands were the Devil's workshop.  Perhaps it was her Catholic guilt that made her feel unworthy of cashing in her winning lottery ticket at the ripe old age of twenty-seven.  Whatever it was, it finally loosed its grip long enough for her to write the letter and hand it over to her supervisor before she lost her nerve.  There was not going back to that part of her life and, when she walked out of the front door of the office, she did so for good, or bad, as the case may be.

The world is littered with women who bear children in the misguided hope that fatherhood will somehow change their mate.  Although nowhere near that point, Elizabeth honestly believed her early retirement would give Rick the impetus to slow down production and enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Much to her disappointment, the exact opposite occurred.  If anything, Rick put in more hours in front of his computer screen.  The only concession he made to her requests for him to spend less time in his den was his purchase of a laptop.  So, instead of a lump in the den who came out for feedings and sleep, she had a lump next to her as she watched her favorite shows or read a book every night. 

On one particular early fall day, Elizabeth walked in front of the long panes of glass that served as the back wall to their house.  She was silhouetted by the sun as it melted into the ocean behind her.  She wore four-inch heels, a come-hither smile, and nothing else. 

Rick looked up from his laptop, smiled, and said, "Just a little longer, Honey.  I need to finish this thought and I will be up."

She kissed him and walked up the stairs to their bedroom.  As she laid her naked body on their four-poster bed, she thought she may have finally found a way to break the hold her husband's craft held over him, at least for the evening.

She woke up two hours later, still naked, and still without her husband.  As a tear made its trail down her face, she took off her shoes, put on her nightshirt, and pulled back the covers on her cold, lonely bed.  As she drifted into sleep, her mind recalled the life and love she knew such a short while ago.

*    *    *

The Vanderbilt University campus was like living and learning inside a 500-acre park.  As Elizabeth Michaels made her way across campus to the first class of her college career, she could hear the birds singing in the trees.  Squirrels darted across the pathways and up into trees she thought must be hundreds of years old. 

Elizabeth stopped and took a seat on one of the many benches strewn across campus.  She ran her hand through her long, blond hair and closed her eyes, letting the late summer sun warm her face.  She had a slightly red complexion and any prolonged exposure to the sun was sure to bring out the freckles on her face.  She hated them because they made her look like she was fifteen again, which was simply not acceptable for a college-age woman.  She was not vain about her looks, but she didn't want to be mistaken for a professor's adolescent daughter. 

Elizabeth pulled her schedule out of her book bag to check once more to make sure she knew where she was going.  Satisfied that she was not going to show up at the right place at the wrong time or vice versa, she put the paper away and stood up to make her way to her destination.  She smoothed out her summer dress over her thighs, conscious of how the light fabric felt against her legs.  Although there was fifteen minutes left before her class started, she walked briskly so she would not have to worry about finding a decent seat.  She wasn't interested in getting up close and personal with her professor, but she didn't want to have to stumble across legs and books as she made her way to a seat.  She may be making the transition to college, but her high school insecurities remained.             

As she walked into Room 134 in Stuart Hall, the room was empty except for a young man who was finishing packing up his books from the class before hers. He looked up as she walked in.  He had a ruffled look about him.  His dark brown hair looked like he had combed it with his bare hands.  She noted his soft, hazel eyes and the dimple on his left cheek that showed up when he smiled, as he was doing right now.

"I'm always the last one to leave," he said to her.

"That's okay, I'm always the first to arrive," she replied, returning his smile.

"Well, you shouldn't have too much trouble today, since most of the professors here follow the twenty-minute rule the first day of classes,"  he said, slinging his book bag over one of his shoulders.

"Twenty-minute rule?" she asked, a quizzical look in her eyes.

"Yeah, you know.  They keep you here long enough to introduce themselves, take roll, hand out the syllabus, and then send you on your way.  They figure most people don't even have their books yet, so there's no use talking to you.  Dr. Hamm is one of the exceptions.  He thinks all of his words are golden, I guess."

"Well, I guess that will give me some extra time to learn more of the campus," Elizabeth said.  She didn't have any more classes this morning and had two in the afternoon, a balance she would learn to reverse in the semesters to come.

He headed to the door and she noted his cute butt in the tan shorts he was wearing.  As he turned back, she quickly looked up, blushing.  She wasn't sure if he realized she was checking him out, but he probably could have figured it out based on the scarlet that rose in her cheeks.  If he did, he didn't let on.

"I guess I'll see you around," he said, with a small wave and a smile.

She smiled back and said, "See ya."

The next twenty minutes were a blur to her.  She barely paid attention to what Dr. Jacobs said or the papers she passed out.  Her mind was on the hazel eyes, dimpled smile, and, yes, the tush of the guy she had just met.  This was no way to start her college career, but her hormones weren't particularly interested in American Literature.

She practically ran out of the classroom ahead of the people in her class.  As she stepped into the hallway, she quickly realized that she hadn't needed to risk her safety and the others in the room as she made her exit.  Sitting in a not-so-comfortable looking chair in an alcove across the hall from her class was the distraction that had just cost her twenty minutes of higher learning.  He looked up from the book he was at least pretending to read as she slowly walked over to him. 

"Looks like a comfortable place to take in the works of Chaucer," she said to him, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"Frost, actually, and I find a rigid back to be quite conducive to enjoying his works," he said in a mock-haughty voice.

"You do, do you?" she said.  "Well, then, I guess you wouldn't be interested in giving me a tour of the campus, since you seem to know so much for someone who doesn't look any older than me."

"Well, you know, too much knowledge all at once can lead to burnout and I wouldn't want to do that," he said, the dimple returning to his cheek.  "I guess I could let Bob have the rest of the morning off to help out a distressed damsel."

"Well, I am flattered," she said to him and turned to walk out the front door.  It was now his turn to enjoy the view provided by the summer dress that clung to her in all of the right places.  Luckily for him, the hallway had cleared out ahead of them and his view was not obstructed.  He picked up his bag and followed her out the door.

Four buildings, including the lecture hall from which they emerged, formed a square whose middle was a courtyard full of flowers and vines.  The centerpiece was a fountain surrounded by every blooming flower the mind could conceive.  Elizabeth did not know it yet, but this fountain would become the centerpiece of her life for the next four years and would be the vision she most associated with the Vanderbilt campus.

They walked around the fountain and she took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the fountain.  Abruptly, her guide stopped and gave her a sheepish grin. 

Sticking out his hand to her, he said simply, "Hi, I'm Rick Bayless."

At that point, she realized that she had become infatuated with someone whose name she had not known up to that point.  Was this any way to start college life, where you were expected to become more mature in your relationships?  She didn't know, but really did not care at that point.

"Elizabeth.  I'm Elizabeth Michaels," she said, and shook his hand.

They toured the campus together.  He showed her the student center, the classroom buildings where she would attend classes that semester, the book store, and several other buildings, all the while talking as if he had been a tour guide there in another life.

"How do you know so much about the campus?" she finally asked him.

"Well, I have always wanted to come to Vandy," he said.  "I've been coming to campus since I was a sophomore in high school.  They have a great creative writing program here and I have always wanted to be a writer.  Not to mention the fact that I took summer classes and have had plenty of time to get acquainted with the campus."

"Well, that makes me feel quite a bit better," she said.  "I didn't want to think I was two steps behind everyone else here."

"Nope," he said.  "You're no more confused than ninety-nine percent of the people here."

"Well, good thing I found someone in the top one percent," she said.

"Good thing," he repeated.
Out of one professor's noncompliance with the "20-minute rule" began Elizabeth and Rick's relationship. 

*    *    *

Elizabeth awoke the morning after her unsuccessful attempt to seduce her husband to the sounds of cooking - pans hitting burners, refrigerator door slamming shut, toast springing forth from the toaster.  She put on her robe and walked out of the master bedroom to the balcony that overlooked the downstairs, including the kitchen.  From there, she could smell the aroma of a country breakfast being prepared.  Biscuits, eggs, bacon, pancakes - she could smell all of them.  She could also see Rick.  He was in a pair of khaki shorts and bright yellow shirt.  He seemed to be concentrating hard on the task at hand with an intensity he normally reserved for writing.   

Her stomach growled, directing her down the stairs to the feast being prepared below.  She followed instructions and descended the stairs.  As she entered the kitchen, her husband looked up from the task of peeling potatoes and flashed her the dimple she first noticed nine years before in northern Tennessee. 

"What's this all about?" she asked, looking over the rapidly-developing feast.

"Well, Honey, I felt really bad about last night," he replied.  "I laid back on the couch and closed my eyes to rest them for a minute.  The next thing I knew, it was three o'clock in the morning.  I am so sorry."

"That's okay, Rick....."

"No, it's not.  I know I haven't been attentive to you, lately.  And, I know this won't make up for everything, but I wanted to let you know how much I love you.  Go sit down and I'll serve this up in a minute."

Despite his protests, Elizabeth helped with the breakfast feast.  Soon, they were sitting down at their long dinner table (the breakfast table would not hold all the food).  She ate more than her fill of biscuits and gravy, pancakes, eggs, fruit, and toast.  She pushed her chair back from the table and slouched down in her chair. 

"I....am....stuffed," she said.  She undid the sash on her robe, letting the pressure off her full stomach.  She looked over at her husband, who was staring at her with a serious look on his face.  Finally, he spoke.
 
"Elizabeth, I'm almost finished with this book.  When I'm done, we can go on a cruise or a trip out west.  It can be like a second honeymoon...."

"That would be great, Rick," she said.  Although excited by the possibility of spending a vacation with her husband, a small voice deep inside her told her not to get too excited because it could be snatched away from her at the last minute.  She knew too well that an author, like a rock band, had to always be willing to go anywhere to promote his craft.

Rick seemed to read her mind: "Honey, I promise it will just be us.  No promotions, no signings, no nothing.  I've already let Jamie know my plans.  She knows not to book me for anything for the next month."

Jamie Reynolds was Rick's agent.  She was a frizzy-haired red head with a bad cigarette habit and an even worse habit of booking Rick to any and every bookstore promotion she could, especially at the last minute.  More than once, their plans had been disrupted by Jamie's ability to scour every burg and hamlet for one more place for Rick to talk or sign his books.  Elizabeth liked to say that Jamie would book Rick to an eye opening.

"Okay, Rick, I believe you," she said.  She smiled at him and stroked the side of his face.

They cleaned up breakfast together.  Afterwards, Rick went to his den and Elizabeth went upstairs to shower and dress.  She went window-shopping that day, determined to allow him the quiet he would need to finish up his latest creation.

*    *    *

Two weeks after Rick's feast, Elizabeth sat on their back porch, looking out across the ocean.  Over the last fourteen days, she had done all she could to stay out of Rick's way.  She had noted that he was taking more and more breaks for naps, walks, short trips into town.  This was always a sign that he was finishing up.  Apparently, tying up the loose ends of his books took more energy and more concentration than the body.  It was as if he was an abstract painter and couldn't quite figure out where the last stroke of his brush should go.

Elizabeth's anticipation of the trip had grown more and more with each passing day.  The amenities offered by a cruise were secondary in her mind to the possibilities of having her husband to herself for the first time in many months.  A voice inside her head asked her why it was taking a special occasion for her to have some private time with Rick.  After all, the voice said, it's not like you have children taking away from the time you have available.  Elizabeth swatted the voice away like a buzzing fly.  She was not going to let anything get in the way of her dream of a second honeymoon and the possibility of a new beginning for her marriage.

As she stretched out on the lounge chair, she drifted into the land between wakefulness and sleep, where you have some control of the movie you see, but no ability to stop it once it starts.

*  *  *

The movie Elizabeth's mind selected showed the progression of two young lovers.  Their first meeting in a classroom in Nashville.  Their walk throughout the campus with the young man chattering away and the young woman giving him an audience.  The dinner they spent together with him barely taking the time to swallow before going on to the next subject flowing through his mind.  Finally, the last stop of their tour - the door to her wing of the dormitories that he was not allowed to enter that late at night.

"I had a great time with you today," Elizabeth said.

"I guess if listening to me babble on all day long is enjoyable to you, you definitely struck the mother lode," he replied, smiling sheepishly.

"That's okay, you are pretty entertaining," she smiled back.

"I just haven't had someone to talk to here for a few months and you are such a good listener.  I could just go on and on...."
                                                                                                                           
His next soliloquy was stopped short as Elizabeth quickly placed her lips on his.  It was a deep kiss and it left him speechless for the first time that day. 

"Good night, Rick," Elizabeth said, smiling up at him, her hand lingering on his chest.

"Good night, Elizabeth," he finally pushed the words out of his mouth.

She let her hand slide down his chest and turned to go through the wing door.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said over her shoulder.  It was meant and taken as an order, rather than a request.  He may have dominated the conversation the entire day, but that did not mean she was giving up control on any other level.

"Absolutely," he said, not worried about asserting his dominance over the relationship.   

Their bodies parted, but their minds stayed together.  Neither slept well that night.

*    *    *

The movie projector in Elizabeth's mind's eye changed films.  This one was set about a month or two after the first.  The setting itself was a dorm room.  An obviously female dorm room.  Candles flickered with the draft coming from under the door.  Soft music emanated from a small CD radio in the corner.  It was a Friday night and the dorm wing was quiet.  Most everyone was either out partying or gone home for the weekend.

A female voice outside of the door whispers, "Close your eyes.  I'll lead you in."

"Elizabeth...." the male voice replies, obviously uncertain of what was going to happen.

"Will you please just do it, Rick," Elizabeth says, slight annoyance showing in her voice.  "Don't ruin the surprise."
The door opens and two silhouettes appear in the doorway.  The figures, one male and one female, slowly moved into the room, facing front to front.  Elizabeth is guiding Rick into the room.  She then shuts the door behind them, engulfing them in candle light.

"Can I open them now?"

"Not yet.  Just stand there for a minute."  She moves away from him briefly to a dark corner of the room.  A rustling sound can momentarily be heard from that corner. 

"Elizabeth?" he asks, putting his hands out toward the noise.  He starts to take a step.

"Don't move and don't open your eyes!"

"Okay, okay," he takes a step back, ever obedient to her.  Elizabeth walks back to center of the room where Rick has been standing.  Her head nestles into his shoulder and neck.  The sound of wet lips touching flesh can be heard over the soft music.

"You can open them now."

"I'm not sure if I want to.  It feels pretty good right now."

Elizabeth steps back, holding his hands.  She places them on her chest and moves them downward.  Realizing he is touching bare flesh, Rick opens his eyes wide in surprise.  It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.  When they do, he finds himself gazing on Elizabeth's naked figure. 

"Wow....."

"Right answer," she says, stepping back into him.  She kisses him full on the lips, then traces a trail down his neck.  She unbuttons his shirt and continues working her way down his chest. 

"Jackie.....?"

"Gone home for the weekend."

"Oh...."

She pulled his shirt out of his pants and pulled it backwards from his shoulders.  He let his arms go limp and it fell to the floor.  She eased herself to her knees, using his rear end as a hand hold on the way down.  She removed his slip on shoes and tossed them behind her.  She straightened up and kissed his stomach as she unbuckled his belt and then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants.  They puddled at his feet.  He was under her control and she easily moved his legs out of them.  Looking into his eyes, she put her fingers inside the front of his boxers and pulled them down far enough for his cock to spring out of them.  Never taking her eyes off his, she parted her lips with his flesh.  Slowly, she eased her mouth to the base and then back.  She licked the underside from stem to stern then took him all the way down.  She alternated between licking and sucking him for a few moments.  At some point in time, she was able to pull his underwear the rest of the way off.  She grabbed a cheek in each hand and moved him forward and back as she sucked him in.  He was now as hard as she thought he could be.  She put her hands on his hips and pulled herself up. 

She led him to the bed and laid him on his back.  She continued her ministrations between his legs for a few more minutes and watched as he closed his eyes in obvious pleasure.  She then moved up his torso and mounted him.  He slid inside her easily as she was primed from the moment she led him to her door.  As hard as he was in her mouth, he felt even harder inside her.  She put her hands on his chest and he put his hands on her hips.  Moving slowly up and down him, she savored every inch as he penetrated her.  Her pace never quickened, but soon they were both climaxing.  She milked him with her muscles and he shook from the aftershocks, which she took as a compliment.  She lay down on his chest with him still inside her. 

They kissed and he finally spoke for the first time since she started her journey down his body.

"That...was...incredible," he stammered.

"Yeah, it was."

"When did you start planning this?"

"About two months ago," she said, snuggling into him.

They slept until around midnight, at which time Elizabeth felt wet kisses tracing their way down her spine, sending chills throughout her body.

*    *    *

The final film in Elizabeth's triple feature opened on the fountain and surrounding courtyard where the fall walk had begun.  Only now it was spring.  The flowers were all in bloom.  It was truly an explosion of color and aroma that rivaled any flower garden known to man.  All of this came through the eyes of a young woman looking over someone's shoulder. 

It was Elizabeth's eyes that were providing the view and Rick's shoulder that was providing the vantage point. 

"I can't believe we are doing this," Elizabeth said.  Her voice was the only human sound audible in the courtyard and it could barely be heard at that.  A warm Tennessee rain was falling hard.  For most people, there would be no reason to be out in this weather, which was exactly why they were out in it.

She looked down to see Rick undoing the clasps on her raincoat.  Underneath, she was naked save the sandals on her feet.  He pulled down his shorts and had no underwear on.  He was already hard from the excitement of what they were about to do.  He put the shorts on a nearby bench, sat down, and pulled her to him.  She straddled him and he savored her breasts.  Her hands reached between her legs and grabbed him, easing his cock inside of her.  She came almost immediately.  Soon afterwards, the raincoat she originally had been trying to keep around them fell to the ground.  The sight of Elizabeth's beautiful body soaked by the rain quickly brought him to a climax.  It was nowhere near the longest lovemaking session of their relationship, but was, by far, the most memorable.  She would not be able to go through that courtyard ever again without a smile coming to her face.

*    *    *

Elizabeth woke to what she thought was the sound of a film reel flapping at its conclusion.  As she looked up from her lounge chair, she realized it was the flapping of the cloth awning in the ocean breeze.  She stood up and walked into the house, leaving behind her college memories - at least for the time being.