The weeks until Thanksgiving were filled with TV appearances and interviews for the guys and get togethers and parties for Elaine and the girls. Lance and Elaine received several requests for interviews from newspapers and the media. Elaine was ready to share herself with Lance's fans. "Maybe if they know me better, they will grow to love me more. It's hard to like or love something you don't understand," she said to Lance one day.
Once the decision was made, then they had to decide who they would give the interviews to. Lance suggested the lady from the Orlando Sentinel who had been so very nice at all the press conferences for the newspaper interview and then Shanna Douglass for MTV News for the live interview.
They agreed that Vivica would be mentioned as little as possible, but hopefully, not at all. If possible, they would have the questions centered solely on their relationship. Elaine made a uggestion that they request a list of questions for approval. Lance felt that was an excellent idea. When the decision was made, they contacted Johnny about arranging the interviews. They also asked for them to see if MTV News and the Orlando Sentinel would be willing to work together on this so they would only have one interview to worry about.
MTV News and the Orlando Sentinel agreed to the combined interview and submitted their list of potential questions for approval. The interview was scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving and would be held at the compound.
A few days before Thanksgiving, Lance, Elaine, Gwen and Wes flew to Mississippi to spend the holiday with his folks. It was so laid back there and his home there was incredible. The minute they arrived, Lance's friends were aware. He had not been back home since before he left on the Anniversary Tour. When the limo drove through town, everyone knew who was home.
As Lance was unlocking the door to the house, the phone was ringing. He knew that either his Mom or Stacy had been there because the heat was on. It was nice not to have to walk into a cold house. This was the first time Elaine had ever seen this house and it took her breath away. It was so homey and the view out the back was breath taking as well.
The driver and Wes helped Lance put all the luggage inside in the entryway. After this was done, Lance gave Elaine and Gwen the "Cook's Tour" of the house. As they were getting ready to head upstairs, the doorbell rang. It was Stacy and Ford checking to make sure they had arrived okay. Lance asked Ford to help carry the luggage upstairs. He put Elaine in the room across the hall from his and Gwen in the room next to hers. When the tour of the upstairs was over, they all went back downstairs.
Stacy and Gwen headed to the kitchen to see what was needed for dinner so they could go to the store and shop. Lance and Elaine came into the kitchen and asked what was up.
"We're seeing what we need to get for Thanksgiving Dinner and for other meals," said Stacy.
"I wanted to take Elaine into town and show her around. We could pick everything up then. Gwen needs to lay down and rest for a while. She has been going nonstop the last few days and this is going to be her vacation," said Lance, forcefully, but politely.
"Well, if we're going shopping, I need to change out of these traveling clothes," said Elaine.
"Me too, blue jeans here I come," Lance laughed as he took off for the bedroom with Elaine right behind him. As he stopped off at his room, Elaine grabbed him and gave him a big kiss. "What was that for?"
"Can't I kiss the man I love whenever I want to?"
"Oh Baby, a kiss like that, you can give me anytime," he said as he pulled her back into another long kiss.
Lance and Elaine grabbed the shopping list on their way to the garage. They jumped into the 4Runner he kept in Mississippi. As they drove along, people noticed the Candy Apple Red 4Runner and knew that Lance was home. People were waving and welcoming him home.
First, they headed to the hardware store to pick up some things for minor repairs around the house. He picked up light bulbs to replace the burned out ones around the yard used for security purposes. Lance took Elaine to various places in town to introduce her to everyone. He was so proud to introduce her as his future wife and he even got some thumbs up from some of his friends when Elaine was not looking. They approved wholeheartedly.
Everyone was so relieved to see for themselves that Lance was okay. When the news of the shooting had reached them, they immediately started prayer chains all over town and into outlying areas. Elaine was impressed with the love and devotion that these people had for the man she loved and it was spilling over to her. Little old ladies would run up to him and give him big hugs and he would hug them right back and they would hug Elaine and tell her to keep that smile on his face, whatever it took, and they wiggled their eyebrows at Elaine. Lance and Elaine cracked up laughing at their implication.
They finally made it to the grocery store. Two carts were going to be needed, so they each grabbed one. As they shopped, they laughed and talked and picked at one another. People were coming up to them and congratulating them and wanting to be introduced to the lovely girl who had finally captured Lance's heart.
As they made a turn onto another aisle at the store, there was an elderly lady standing there looking at a magazine. Lance spotted her and tried to back up before she saw him, but it was too late. He was cornered.
Granny Dorn, as everyone called her, was in her mid 90's and as full of piss and vinegar as the day she was born. The minute she spotted Lance, her eyes lit up like Roman candles in the sky. She came running as fast as her little short legs would carry her. "James. James, honey, how are you? How is my Baby Boy?" All the young people were Baby Boy and Baby Girl to her, but Lance was her favorite. She put her arms around him and nearly squeezed him in two.
Lance was amazed at how strong she still was at her age. "I'm just fine Granny Dorn. How have you been?"
"Friskier than a new pup, Baby Boy. Now who is this cute young thing you got here? You ain't out robbin' the cradle are you?"
"No Granny Dorn, she's just out of the cradle," he smiled at Elaine as Granny kept her arms locked around his waist. "This is the girl I'm gonna marry Granny. Her name is Elaine Wodrich."
Granny looked her up and down and motioned for her to turn around. "You finally got you one with some meat on her bones instead of a skeleton with skin stretched across it. You're a mighty fine looking young lady and you better be good to my Baby Boy here. He's special and he deserves the best and I got a feelin', you're somethin' special to him." Granny kept one arm around Lance and reached to hug Elaine.
Elaine was surprised by her strength and she hugged Granny Dorn back. "You're right Mrs. Dorn, he is something special and I plan on spending the rest of my life making him happy."
"Baby Boy, she's a keeper, she's got good solid hugs and she's respectful. I like that. Baby Girl, you can call me Granny Dorn, okay?"
"Yes ma'am, thank you Granny Dorn."
"You two always love one another. Don't ever go to bed mad at each other. When you're able to be together, go to sleep in each others arms. Always make time for each other, especially after the kids come along. Have yerselves a date every month just the two of you. Don't lose touch with each other. Kids are gonna grow up and move away and then you're gonna look at each other and be strangers if you don't stay in touch and in love with each other. And the most important thing is to put God at the center of your home. Lance, I know your Mama and Daddy brought you up in church and all of you sang in the choir and were very active and still are. If you ever lose site of God, your focus will be on the wrong things in this here world."
Granny Dorn turned to Elaine, "Honey, are you a Christian?"
"Yes, Ma'am," replied Elaine with a smile of pride in her faith.
"Yeah, Baby Boy, you done yourself proud to find you a sweet thing like this one here. She's definitely a keeper. You gonna have some kids so I can spoil'em rotten?" asked Granny with an evil grin on her face.
Lance knew she was getting worked up and when she did, she could have you rolling on the floor laughing or embarrass you to death. "Yeah, Granny, we're gonna have kids when the good Lord decides to bless us with them," replied Lance as he winked at Elaine.
Granny Dorn turned and looked hard at Lance. "James, you do know where babies come from doncha? You do know that YOU gotta help the Lord out there some? So when you two say 'I Do,' then you start workin' on them babies I want to spoil."
Lance was lighting up the store from the way he was turning red from embarrassment. "Granny Dorn, I assure you, we know exactly what to do. And as soon as we know that we are pregnant, you'll be one of the first to know. Okay?"
They all hugged good-bye and Lance grabbed the cart and Elaine and they moved on. As soon as they moved down some and Granny Dorn had gone around the corner, Lance and Elaine cracked up laughing. "She is priceless," grinned Elaine.
"I was beginning to think we were going to get a sex education class here in the middle of the grocery store. She is so sweet and so lonely, but sometimes she just cracks me up. Let's get this shopping done and get home."
Elaine thoroughly enjoyed meeting people from Lance's hometown. Some of the girls Lance went to school with stopped and spoke. A few gave her the once over and when he saw them doing this, Lance put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. They immediately pulled in their claws and eased up.
After they were through shopping, they headed to the house to unload and take a breather. When they got to the house, Stacy, Gwen and Diane were in the kitchen talking and drinking coffee. Lance and Elaine came through the garage door to the kitchen laughing about their encounter with Granny Dorn. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, so they shared their little experience with everyone while they helped unload the 4Runner.
"I have to admit, it would be nice to have babies in the house again," Diane said as she looked at Stacy and Lance.
"Yeah, Grandchildren are our reward for getting older, and I'm long overdue for some rewards," said Gwen as she smiled at Elaine and Lance.
Lance and Elaine left everyone to talk and plan and he took her for a walk outside. They walked around the lake out back and ended up under the big Cottonwood trees on the side of the house with swings in them. Elaine sat in the swing and Lance pushed her. As she would swing back, he would sneak a kiss on her cheek or her neck. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore and he grabbed her on the back swing and pulled her around so he could kiss her like he had wanted to do all afternoon.
Her arms circled his neck and pulled him closer in to her. It was a long, slow kiss and they just lost themselves in each other. Being here with Lance in his 'real' home of Mississippi, she was seeing him in a totally different light, and, if it were possible, she was falling in love with him all over again.
Here, Lance was relaxed and carefree and didn't worry about schedules and contracts. He even looked younger without those worries on his mind. Elaine made a mental note to visit Mississippi as often as possible. It was needed for Lance's sanity.
By the time they came in from outside, dinner was ready. They ate and then Gwen went upstairs to bed and Lance and Elaine crashed in front of the TV. They channel surfed a while and then settled on a SNL marathon. But soon, even that was lost. Soon they were fast asleep in each others arms on the couch. Gwen came down to get some water to take her medication and heard the TV. She went to check on them and didn't have the heart to wake them, so she put the throw blanket from the back of the couch over them and turned off the TV and turned on the radio to some soft country music.
As she turned back to leave the room, she looked at Lance and Elaine snuggled close together, her head on his chest and his arm around her in a protective embrace.
"Oh thank You Lord for making my baby's dreams come true. Thank You for the fine man that Lance has become. Lord, please bless them with a long and happy life together and bless them with children that are as much a delight to them as she has been to me.
Thank You Lord for the privilege of raising this beautiful daughter You have given me. I have tried to do my best to bring her up in Your Word and direct her in the way she should go. Forgive me my short comings in doing this job, but I could not have done what I've done without Your Grace and strength. Give me the strength to get through this wedding and let me be fortunate enough to see my grandchildren from this marriage. Help us all over these next few weeks. Give us strength and endurance and wisdom and understanding. I ask all these things in the precious name of Jesus, Amen."
Morning in Mississippi. There was nothing like it. Quiet. Peaceful. Serene. Relaxing. Euphoric. Calming. Fresh and new each day. This was how the mornings were in small towns. Untouched by the hustle and bustle of the big cities, except for the early risers who braved the long drive to commute to a nearby city for work.
The radio was playing softly. He didn't remember putting the radio on. They had been watching TV, hadn't they? Warmth. A blanket. They must have gotten cold in the night or someone covered them. Pressure on his chest. He looked down at Elaine asleep on his chest, lulled to sleep by the beating of his heart. Her arms encircled his body and she was snuggled close for warmth.
Lance gazed out the windows of the family room toward the lake and there was thick, dense fog. It had been unusually warm the day before, now the temperature must have dropped outside. He could see the steam rise from the quiet surface of the lake and add to the already heavy gray clouds that hung so close to the ground.
Elaine stirred again and pushed up his body until she was nestled in his neck and shoulder. She moaned a deep throaty moan and he pulled her closer to him so that they were both more comfortable. As he looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, he smiled as he thought of what Granny Dorn had said to them that afternoon, "When you're able to be together, go to sleep in each others' arms." As he looked at Elaine, he thought that wasn't a bad idea at all.
As he sat there watching it get lighter outside from the rising, hidden sun, he thought about their future together. He thought about going to bed together, completely satisfied from love making or waking in the morning and starting their day off making love. He wondered if he would be able to make her happy. Would he be able to satisfy her needs? For sure, he knew he was going to work hard at it. He had been doing his homework and he had even talked to Chris. Now how desperate was that? Asking advise from Chris about sex had to be the most pitiful thing going. But he knew that Elaine had been talking to Dani so he figured at least they would get similar advise.
Actually, Chris had been helpful in helping Lance to deal with the whole Vivica mess, by just writing that whole relationship off as a TOTAL LOSS. Now he had a woman who knew how to love him, the man, not the body. And he wanted so much to love her with everything in him.
He started kissing the top of her head and then moved to where he could pull her up more and he kissed all over her face and neck and ears. As he did this, she snuggled even closer to him and little moans came from her throat again. "Oh God, help me! I want to make love to her so bad. Help me to be strong and wait," he whispered.
Suddenly, he heard someone in the kitchen. He eased up and gently laid Elaine on the couch. As he entered the door to the kitchen, he saw Gwen taking some pills and slipping the bottle into her robe pocket before she saw him.
"Gwen, are you okay?" asked Lance very concerned for the woman who was like a mother to him.
She looked at Lance with some apprehension. "Oh, good morning Lance. I'm fine. My allergies are just killing me this morning. I woke up sneezing this morning. Guess pure air will do that to you," Gwen laughed.
"It was unusually warm yesterday. I guess that got some things dried out quick. I never realized that you had allergies."
"Well, sweetie, as we get older, we tend to fall apart and I'm no spring chicken anymore," Gwen laughed.
Lance put on a pot of coffee and went back to the family room and Gwen went up to get dressed for the day. He knelt by the couch and leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. No reaction. He leaned in again and kissed her on the lips, this time. She twitched her nose. Again, he leaned to kiss her and this time, she captured him in her arms and pulled him in for a longer, more passionate kiss. Her tongue timidly darted into his mouth. When she finally came up for air, her first remark was "Oh Baby!"
Lance grinned a toothy grin and told her to stop stealing his line. Elaine sat up and Lance sat beside her on the couch. "Well, Granny Dorn would be proud of us. She said to fall asleep in each other's arms, when we could, well, we did. How did you sleep, Sugar Bear?" he asked as he rubbed her back as she sat forward trying to wake up.
"The best I've slept in a long time," said Elaine as she yawned big and stretched. "How did you sleep?"
"I can't remember the last time I have actually slept through the night like that. Usually, I wake up several times during the night and I don't feel like I have slept in the morning. You're good for me. In more ways than one," he smiled at her and kissed her again. "I love you, Elaine."
Elaine looked at him and put her arms around his neck, "I love you, too, Lance. More than you could ever know," she rubbed noses with him and then she asked, "is there any coffee ready? I NEED coffee big time."
The fog soon wore off and Stacy and Ford came over to help with things. Lance and ford went out to do some repairs and replace bulbs in the security lights. Elaine and Stacy talked about the wedding and they helped Gwen in the kitchen. They were shelling pecans for pecan pie and fudge and they were draining and grating fresh coconut for a cake. Today was going to be baking day. Everything would be done except the turkey which would be put in the night before and cook all night long and then the stuffing that wasn't in the bird and the corn and sweet potato yams and green bean casserole could all be cooked that morning along with the giblets simmering for the gravy.
Stacy was really excited for her brother. "You know somethin' Elaine? I always had a feelin' about you. You were always there for my little bro and you were always constant with him. That means the world to me and the family. You have been there through everything. Thank you."
"For what?" asked Elaine.
"For lovin' my brother the way you do. For bein' the young woman that you are." Stacy turned to Gwen. "Gwen, you have a remarkable daughter here. You've done a great job of raisin' her to be a good person. You should be proud of what you've done. She's just what my brother needs. Thank you for raisin' her to be the woman she is."
Gwen was at a loss for words and just sat there looking at her beautiful daughter. Being proud was an understatement for how she felt about Elaine. Their lives had not been easy and a lot of sacrifices had been made, but, Gwen would not have changed one thing. Her dream for her baby girl was coming true and she couldn't ask for amy more than that except to...
The doorbell rang and Stacy went to answer the door as she was already up. It was Meredith Edwards and Stacy gave her a big hug. "What are you doin' here gal?"
"Jimmy called and asked me to come over, he has a new project for me, I think."
"Come on in. We're back in the kitchen. Lance is outside, I'll go get him."
They walked back to the kitchen and everyone was delighted to see Meredith. She went and gave Elaine a big hug. "So why does the Boss Man want me here?"
Elaine looked puzzled. "I have no idea why you're here. I just thought you stopped by. Come on in and sit down. Stacy will get him in for you."
They sat and talked and had a good time and Stacy came back in with Lance. Meredith frowned at Lance when he asked her to join him in the study which doubled as his office for FLE. "James, I hope you don't expect me to work over the holidays. You need a break too and I've got plans. What is you problem with taking off a few days?"
"Are you quite through with your ravings?" asked Lance with a raised eyebrow. "If you'll hush a minute, you'll find out what this is all about." Lance went to lock the study door and turned on the radio. Meredith looked at him and wondered if he had lost his mind. He noticed the look on Meredith's face and had to laugh. "It's okay Mere, I haven't lost my mind, yet."
Lance turned to his computer and looked for a file and sent it to be printed on his printer. When it was done, he handed one of the copies to Meredith and he looked over his copy. As Meredith read, she looked at Lance and back at the paper. A tear rolled down her cheek and she had to look for a tissue. "Mere, what's wrong?"
"Jimmy, this is beautiful. Did someone send it to you? Who is the songwriter?"
Lance just looked at her and uttered one word, "Me."
Meredith was completely amazed. "You wrote this? My Lord, it's beautiful. What's it for? Is this my next record?"
"Well, it's your next performance, but, not a public one. I've asked Richard Marx to come here to Mississippi and work with you on this song. He already has the words so he is working on the music. When he gets here, you will work on this....for the wedding." Lance looked at her and smiled. "It's one of my gifts to Elaine."
Amazed was not the word Meredith could use at that moment. She stood up and walked around to where Lance sat, and slipped her arms around his neck from behind. "You really have fallen hard for her haven't you, Jimmy?" She always got in the Jimmy mode when they were just being friends.
"Mere, she is my very existence. She's my life, the very air I breathe. I never thought I could love again, but she has just given me every reason to love and to live again. This is special, will you get with Richard after Thanksgiving and have this ready for the wedding? And, please, don't let on to Elaine, please?"
Meredith gave him a big brotherly hug. "Of course I will. She got you out of that self imposed grave you put yourself in and I'll do anything for her. Of course, she is going to cry all over the place you know, don't you?"
"Yeah, but they'll be tears of happiness." They talked a little more and then went back to the kitchen. Stacy had fixed Meredith a glass of iced tea and now she fixed one for Lance to take back out with him and one for Ford.
"He is not making you work over the holidays, is he?" asked Elaine. "You HAVE to be at the wedding."
"Elaine, I wouldn't miss this wedding for nothing. And speaking of work, I've got to get home and get things going for tomorrow. It was so good to see you again. See you in a month."
Meredith left and the ladies of the house started work on finishing up baking and preparing food for Thanksgiving dinner the next day.
