When Lance didn't come back downstairs, his Dad slipped up to see if everything was okay. The sight of Lance and Elaine asleep in each others arms was a confirming factor that this was the right woman for his son.
Elaine slowly opened her eyes. The room was dark, but her eyes soon adjusted and she saw that she was staring into the face of the most wonderful man she knew. The lines of worry were gone from his face that had been there for several days.
She carefully pulled her hand from under the cover to touch his face. There was a slight stubble there since he had not shaved since late yesterday when he had come home to change. There was still the faint hint of his after shave on his body and she slowly inhaled his masculine scent. His skin was so soft to the touch and she loved when his hands touched her. Her trembling fingers outlined his jaw and then his lips.
"Oh Lord, thank you for my life. Thank you for your countless blessings in my life and especially this wonderful man here beside me. Lord help me to be the best helpmate I can be for him. I love him so much Lord, thank you for the love of my life." Elaine leaned over and gave Lance a gentle kiss and then snuggled back into his arms.
As she did this, Lance stirred and slowly came awake to his surroundings. He felt a hand stroking his chest and looked down to see Elaine's hand gently rubbing back and forth as she snuggled closer to him. A smile came to his face as he thanked God for the beautiful woman in his arms. "Thank you Father for opening my eyes to what was right in front of me. Thank you for a woman with the patience of Job. Help me to be the best husband I can be. Oh God, I love her so."
His arms tightened around her and he pulled her even closer to him. Her hand still stroked his chest and he kept kissing the top of her head. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with such longing.
"Well, hello there handsome. It's about time you woke up. But I do love lying in your arms like this. Thank you for staying with me. I love you, Lance."
"I love you, too, Sugar. You feel so good in my arms. I never want to let you go baby. I can't wait until we are married and I can hold you in my arms and make love to you. It's like I want everything right NOW."
Elaine touched his face and spoke softly. "Sweet Lance, I wish I could give you what you want NOW, but, I want our marriage to be right, I want our honeymoon to be special. I want you, too, Lance and it is taking everything in me to keep from ripping your clothes off and ravaging your body right now. I surprise even myself saying that. But, I know it's the right thing to do. Wait."
Just then, there was a light tap on the bedroom door. Lance scrambled off the bed and went to answer it. It was his Dad. He gave him a knowing smile and told Lance dinner was ready if Elaine was up to coming down. Lance assured him they would be right down.
He went back to the night stand and turned on the small touch lamp on low so as not to hurt her eyes and encouraged Elaine to get up and come down for dinner.
Elaine reached out her hand to him. He took it and helped her up on the bed. She was kneeling on the edge of the bed with him in front of her. She looked into his eyes pleadingly. "Please Lance, tell me you understand." She looked almost frightened.
Lance looked into her beautiful face and cupped it in his hands. He looked deep into her eyes and searched for her very being. "Of course I understand. I love you so much for taking that stand. And yes, it is very hard to hold back, but we're here for each other to keep ourselves in check."
She put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her for a kiss. "I'm the luckiest woman alive."
Lance's Mom and the girls cleaned up after dinner and he took Elaine into the family room to sit and relax and watch some television. As she walked into the family room, she stopped dead in her tracks. At the far end of the room, stacked to the ceiling were packages, boxes and bags of presents. "Oh my goodness, what happened in here, did the present cannon go off?"
"These are all the gifts people have sent to you since you've been in the hospital. And, somewhere buried beneath those are your birthday presents from the party. We just put everything in here so you could open them at your leisure. You want to open some now? We even have a note pad and pen so you can keep track of what is from whom," said Lance.
"Well, looks like you've thought of everything, Lancelot. Yeah, I think I would like to open some gifts."
Lance let her sit on the end of the couch and brought gifts to her to open. He got a trash bag to put the wrapping paper and trash in and they had a ball opening presents. It was like having Christmas in July.
About 8:30, the phone rang and it was Susie calling Elaine. "Hey Susie Q. What's up?" Elaine spoke excitedly into the phone.
"Sounds like you're doing okay. Everything going well?"
"Couldn't be better. Lance even made me take a nap this afternoon."
"Well, good for him. He gets a gold star. I was calling you with the information you asked about today. I've even spoke to her and told her essentially what we are looking for, complete physical, marriage orientation, the works. She said she can see you day after tomorrow at 10 in the morning. Can you make it then?"
Elaine had Lance to get her calendar and she confirmed the appointment date and time. "Thank you Susie for everything and thank you for talking to Dr. Cobb for me. Will I be able to drive by day after tomorrow? I feel great."
"You should be able to with no problem, Elaine. And please come by to see me while you're here just so I can check your shoulder."
When Elaine hung up from talking to Susie, Lance was concerned. "What do you need to see another doctor for? Baby, is there something else wrong that you haven't told me about?" He looked at her with such fear in his eyes.
Elaine took his hand and tried to calm him down. "Sweetie, everything is all right, I'm fine, please stop freaking out on me." Lance finally settled down to where she could talk to him.
"If you are fine, then why are you seeing another doctor other than Susie?"
"Lance, will you hush? Dr. Cobb is a Gynecologist."
Lance blinked hard and then started up again, "Is there something wrong did they find something?"
"JAMES LANCE BASS, what part of 'I am fine' don't you understand?" She asked. "Honey, please settle down before you have a stroke. It is perfectly normal for a woman to see a Gynecologist. I'm just going for a pre-marriage physical."
"A pre-marriage physical? Why?"
"To make sure everything is okay and that there is nothing that would interfere with us having children and having a wonderful honeymoon," she said shyly as she blushed.
"Oh. Is that where the 'Instruction Book' Susie mentioned comes in? Just what are they going to instruct?" he looked at her questioningly and with an evil grin.
"Honey, I have no idea. Just have to wait until the day after tomorrow when I go in. I'll let you know when I get back."
"When you get back? I don't think so...I'm going with you."
"You're what?"
"I'm going with you, I said," Lance spoke firmly.
"You mean you are going to sit in a room full of women by yourself while I see the doctor?" she laughed out loud.
"No, because I'm going in with you."
"You cannot go in with me."
"Why?"
"Because it is my exam and you cannot be there with me undressed, Lance, DUH! Get the picture? Or do you want your picture taken?" she laughed.
Lance turned about ten different shades of red. "But didn't I hear you say you were going to see Susie, too? Is everything okay?"
Elaine was really getting concerned about Lance's reaction to things. She took his hands in hers and looked deep into his eyes. "Sweetheart, you know that I love you more than life itself. I would NOT keep something from you and you would NOT keep anything from me either, right?"
Lance nodded yes.
"Okay, what I am doing is perfectly normal. It's normal for a woman to get a physical before she gets married and as for seeing Susie, it's a follow up while I'm already there so I don't have to make another trip in, okay?"
Lance's eyes took in every inch of her face as if to memorize it. "Baby, I'm sorry if it seems like I am over reacting, but I almost lost you and the thought that something could be wrong with you or take you from me terrifies me. I love you so much and I don't ever want to lose you." He pulled her into his arms and held her tight.
How could she be angry with this wonderful man for loving her so much? She rubbed his back and felt him relax a bit. "Why don't we clean up this mess and we'll open more stuff tomorrow. I want to sit and watch a movie with the man I love. How about you?"
"I definitely want to do whatever we can do together, as long as I can hold you. Want some popcorn?"
"Sure honey, extra butter, and a Dr. Pepper."
Lance went out to get the popcorn and while he was doing that JC and Justin came to see Rickii and Lynne. They decided to make a fun evening of it with friends. Justin went out to help Lance with the goodies. "Hey man, how's it going? Bet it's great to have Sissy home, huh?"
"It feels great Justin. It feels right to have her here with me. We've been opening some of the packages she's received and laughing and talking and then Susie called about some appointments and I lost it. I know I'm being paranoid, but I am so afraid of losing her."
"What did you do Scoop?" Justin asked with concern in his voice.
Lance conveyed to Justin what had happened and how he freaked about something being wrong with Elaine and how he felt she was a little upset with him for being so worried.
Justin told him that he needed to relax and enjoy having her home and quit jumping to conclusions all the time. But by the same token, he understood how he felt.
Everyone had a good time that evening watching movies and talking and laughing. It was almost like nothing had happened. When JC and Justin got ready to leave, Elaine invited them over for the next day to go swimming in the pool. They made plans to spend a day just relaxing by the pool and the girls were going to help Elaine with some of the packages.
After everyone left or went upstairs, it was just Lance and Elaine. She walked outside with him as they made the rounds to close up the house for the night. They walked hand in hand around the yard and as they headed back into the house, they stopped on the patio and looked at the stars.
Lance slipped his arm around Elaine's waist and pulled her close to him. Her fragrance drifted up to him and he buried his face in her hair and inhaled her essence. He wanted to stay like this all night long. Then he spoke softly to her, "I miss our view from the balcony at Justin's retreat. I miss waking up in the lounge chair with you in my arms. Oh, how I love you Sugar Bear."
Elaine turned in his arms to face him. "in just a few months, we will be together always, for the rest of our lives as husband and wife. Oh, I love the sound of that, husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. James Lance Bass. It has a nice musical quality to it, don't you think? Lance and Elaine Bass. Very nice."
Lance smiled at her and hugged her close. "You are my angel, baby. How 'bout some sugar?" He leaned down and kissed her upturned lips and pulled her even closer to his body. He felt her tremble at his touch and as the kiss deepened, her moans increased. Finally, they pulled apart and looked at each other with such longing. In the moonlight, Lance's eyes looked like diamonds and his smile lit up the night.
Elaine's right hand touched Lance's face and caressed his cheek. Then her fingers trailed down the side of his neck and across his Adam's apple and down to the hollow spot just below it. His skin was so soft to the touch and she could feel him tremble as she touched his skin. Then her hand moved to his chest and stopped just over his heart. She could feel it pounding in his chest as if it would jump right into her hand.
They must have stood there for some time just looking into each other's eyes. There was such a contentment and an unspoken message being conveyed between the two love birds. They said volumes to each other without uttering a word.
Then they turned to go inside the house. Lance locked up while Elaine checked to make sure everything was put away in the kitchen.
She looked over by the garage door and saw the keys to her car. She went to the door and flipped on the light to the garage. She opened the door slowly and looked at her car sitting there next to Lance's 4Runner. Just like them, side by side.
Her mind was overwhelmed at the fact that her dream was coming true. She had loved Lance for so long and wanted to be the one that made him happy. Now, they were engaged and they were going to be married in five months. This house would be their home, along with the one in Mississippi. This home is where they would raise their children and would be where, one day, their children would bring their children to visit Nanna and Papa. This home is where, hopefully and by the grace of God, they would grow old together.
Tears suddenly flowed from her eyes at the thought of such joy and happiness.
She spoke to the One she knew was responsible. "Father, thank you, again, for this wonderful man in my life. I don't know what I did to warrant your favor that you would give me the desire of my heart, but Lord, I hope and pray that I continue to find favor with you."
"And Father," came Lance's voice from behind her as his arms circled her and pulled her to him, "Thank You for blessing my life with this wonderful woman. I pray we both continue to put You first in our lives and at the center of our home. God, thank You, thank You so much for our love. We ask all these things through Your Son, Jesus. Amen."
Elaine was so consumed with her love for Lance that she wanted to shout to the rooftops how much she loved this man. She kissed Lance and held him so close she could feel his heart pounding against her chest. When the kiss finally ended, they looked into each other's eyes and smiled.
They turned all the lights out and went upstairs. Lance needed to get some things from his room and wanted to get a shower so Elaine told him to go ahead and she would get ready for bed in the bedroom while he used the bathroom. When he came out from his shower, Elaine was out on the balcony looking through the telescope.
She wore some boxers and an oversized T-shirt and Lance wore this gray sweat pants that he wore how on his hips with a white wifebeater and no shoes. He stood in silence watching her. Her movements were almost fluid like. She had an appreciation of God's beautiful world and was always in awe of it all.
He remembered a time a few years back when they were doing some star gazing one night on the hotel balcony. Vivica had not been able to come to Atlanta like originally planned and they were able to have some time together. He thought about how appreciative Elaine had been that he spent some time with her talking to her about space and his doused plans for a future in the space exploration industry.
Then, they made plans for the next night to do some cataloging and they were going to order McDonald's and veg out on the balcony. But, Vivica showed up unexpectedly and he never gave thought to Elaine again. How cruel he had been to Elaine not even calling and apologizing for breaking their date, of sorts. He just completely forgot about her and spent the evening drinking and dancing and ended up in Vivica's bed, again, making love, NO, having sex all night long. There WAS a difference. What a jerk he was. How could she have continued to love him after all the broken promises he had made during that time? But she had. She had more faith in him than he had in himself at that time. "Thank You Lord, for not letting her give up on me. If she had, I might not be here right now," he prayed silently.
Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming need to hold her and beg for her forgiveness for all the hurt he had caused her. She was standing there so beautiful in the moonlight. He had never felt such awesome love for anyone in his life outside his family. Elaine was as good as his family, she was going to be his wife. He slipped out onto the balcony and put his arms around Elaine and turned her to him. She gave a little squeal and then when she realized it was Lance, she relaxed and gave him a big hug. He could not believe his good fortune and squeezed her so tight she almost could not breathe.
After he finally loosened his hold on her, she pulled back and looked at him. "What's wrong Lance?"
There was a pained look in his eyes. "I am so sorry Elaine for all the hurt I have caused you."
Elaine was at a loss and looked at him and said, "What are you talking about?"
He started telling her all the times he ignored their plans when Vivica had shown up and how much of a jerk he had been to treat her that way. "Can you ever forgive me for being so horrible to you?" She could not believe the difference in the Lance back then and the Lance that stood before her now. It wasn't a matter of forgiveness, she had done that a long time ago. He realized what he had done and did NOT run from it or try to hide it, he faced it head on now and was dealing with it. That would help his healing from the turmoil his life had been in. He had to know that what he had done was forgiven.
Elaine placed her hands on his face and looked long into his eyes. "Lance, sweetheart, I forgave you a long time ago. If I had not forgiven you, I sure wouldn't have been waiting all this time for you. Baby, we all make mistakes and I hope we learn from them. We're human, we all screw up from time to time. I have my demons I deal with every single day. Remember what I told you that night you had the nightmare? People we care about, we love them, warts and all. And Baby, I love you more than anything in this world. I'm realistic enough to know that no one is perfect, not even my beloved Lancelot." She leaned and kissed him tenderly on the lips and then pulled back because the smell of his freshly showered body was almost more than she could handle. The dreamy look in his eyes was enough to melt her there on the spot. His hair was going every which away on his head and he looked just like a little boy standing there who had been caught doing something wrong.
Lance pulled her back to him and held her tight. It was almost as if she were his lifeline and she was keeping him from drowning. "Oh my Sugar Bear, I love you...I love you...I love you...I need you so much. I need your love, I need your forgiveness for all the stupid stuff I did. I feel so unworthy of you sometimes. I don't deserve your goodness. You deserve so much better than me."
Elaine was really upset, she knew it was all the crap from Vivica. She was even fighting her own demons in that area. She pulled him back to her and she searched his eyes and then leaned in and pulled his face to hers and kissed him with everything she had in her. Her mouth searched his and she felt him press her to him and felt the heat from his body next to hers. Oh how she wanted to make all his pain go away.
His hands roamed up and down her back and pulled her closer and closer to him. They had not stopped their kiss since it began. His desperation scared Elaine a little, that he felt he did not deserve her. He hugged her so tight, she almost couldn't breathe and between that and the smell of him, she almost lost her senses.
"Oh God, I love him so much...I want him so much. He is still in so much pain. I want to make it all disappear. I want to love his hurt away. Lord, help me be strong for the both of us," Elaine silently prayed.
Lance finally pulled back and they looked at one another. She spoke to him. "Sweetie, you deserve every good thing in your life. You deserve every bit of love that comes to you. I told you once not to give Vivica that power over you. Don't let her continue to hurt you. She is a sad person, but she does not have the right to hurt you anymore. You are MINE now, and I am going to love you so good that you will never think of her again."
Lance looked at her, "Elaine, it's just I stood there watching you and I thought of all the rotten stuff I did to you back then. But you still stood by me. Baby, thank you. I better say good night before we have a more serious problem here. I love you, good night, Sugar," Lance kissed her goodnight and left the room.
