AS GOES THE POPSICLE, SO GOES MY HEART

The temperature was hot, hotter than it'd been in years, and my popsicle attested to that. It was melting, the sugary colored water snaking its way down my hand to run in rivulets along my forearm. And what caused this, you ask? My former English teacher, tall, thin and drop dead gorgeous. She'd changed since my time in high school and now, I was in love. I walked over to her and introduced myself.

"Miss Rooks? Hi! It's me, Jimmy Wallington. Been a long time, hasn't it?" The woman before me was heavier, in a very voluptuous manner, and this caused her curves to be quite pronounced. She smiled at me and then spoke, her words dripping with the honey of her sexy Southern drawl.

"Jimmy! It's so good to see you! Are you living around here?" I stood stock still. My beautiful red headed teacher was now my walking fantasy. I failed to notice the popsicle melting as my heart was melting at the thought of Miss Rooks and myself in a true relationship. "Jimmy?" I shook myself out of my reverie.

"James, please."

"James. Call me Barbara." I was dumbfounded. Where was this going to go? I held her hand and smiled.

"May I call on you tonight?" Barbara smiled, so beautifully it brought tears to my eyes.

"Yes, at 7. I'm staying at 'The Granger House'." As she walked away I shivered. If loving her was wrong it really felt right.

#

At 7 I stood in front of 'The Granger House' and watched as Barbara, looking angelic, came down the steps. I breathed lightly, just in case it was all a dream. As Barbara's hand met mine I knew; this was no dream, this was glorious reality. And so, hand in hand, we headed to 'Andrew's' and a lovely dinner.

#

"Will you be ordering for the young lady?" Andrew, smiling from ear to ear, was taking our order. He could see the love that was truly there, in our eyes and our smiles and our body language, and he loved it. He was a sucker for romance.

"Yes, the best you have and a bottle of champagne." Andrew nodded and headed to the kitchen. I took Barbara's hand and stared longingly into her sensual green eyes. She blushed as I felt her foot run up and down my legs. "Barbara," I began, "are you okay with this?"

"Yes. I've thought a lot of you since then, and what with you being 15 years younger than me, I've been wishing you'd come back in my life. Now, here we are, you at 25 and myself at 40. And now love can begin." As Andrew brought the meal to our table my heart swelled with love for my Barbara. We were so much more than teacher and student; we were becoming partners in life.

#

"Isn't the night lovely?" Barbara asked this question as we walked, barefoot, through the sand of the beach. I smiled warmly.

"It is, and so are you." Barbara's eyes shone in the moonlight. Her lips glistened and, without asking permission, I went in for a kiss. Her lips met mine and, as her tongue slipped into my mouth, making a French connection, every nerve of my body awoke. We held each other and kissed, for what seemed like hours. Once we disengaged from each other we began to walk back to 'The Granger House' "Barbara?"

"Yes?"

"If I asked you to, would you marry me? Would you let me be the greatest gift you've ever had?" Her tears were my answer, and so, reaching into my vest pocket, I retrieved the engagement ring I had picked up at a small jewelers. Dropping to my knee I slipped the ring on her finger and then layered her hand with kisses. She laughed and the sound was like unto angelic laughter. As we raced back to her room for a little pre-marriage canoodling, I cried, sighed and laughed as her laugh meant forever for us both.

#

The mail was the usual bills and junk. However, one envelope caught the eye of Karoline Gaye. It was an invitation from her old friend, me, to my wedding. She smiled and tore it open right then and there. She laughed happily upon reading the words written in flowing golden script.

"To Whom It May Concern: This is to announce the marriage of James Wallington to Miss Barbara Rooks. The marriage has been planned since at least a decade ago. Gifts will be permitted and there will be dancing at the reception. Bring yourself, a guest and BYOB. We want you there. Thank you." Karoline nodded her head. A decade ago? At least. But it was good that Jimmy was going to be happy, healthy and in love with the woman of his dreams.

#

The crowd at the marriage consisted of former classmates, students, lovers and friends of both myself and Barbara. She was dressed in a beautiful gown of sapphire blue and she wore 'nude' makeup, the kind that accentuated her features without color being added. As I held her hand and we exchanged vows in front of Pastor Leigh Crockett our hearts and lives became one and we became partners. I loved her smile, as it was an outward expression of the joy I felt in my heart. As we danced to song after song the crowd thinned until, at 2 AM, only she and I were left. We headed up the stairs, our bellboy following with the cards and the gifts. We headed to her room where the bellboy placed the packages down. I tipped him and he departed. Barbara slipped out of her dress and we sat on the edge of the bed.

"Barbara," I began "thank you for becoming my wife. I've loved you for so long and, until now, the thought of you as my partner was only a fantasy. Now it's real." She smiled and proceeded to kiss me, her lips feeling like silk against mine.

(Writer's Note: It's here we must fade out. I know, it's hard to let these characters be but we must. You didn't think you'd get to share their honeymoon, did you? Silly reader, honeymoons are for characters, not us. Goodnight!)