BANDERA BABE

By Bellinda Myrick-Barnett

Bellinda Myrick-Barnett hits the ground running with her first novel "BANDERA BABE," a kick-ass modern western female lead character in an equally kick ass novel. Bellinda grew up in West Texas and lived for a while in Bandera, Texas 30 minutes west of San Antonio.

A 'Baby Boomer' herself, Bellinda fol

• Language: English
• Publisher: BEYOND PUBLISHING
• Release date: Feb 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781637925058

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Copyright © 2021 by Bellinda Myrick-Barnett

BANDERA BABE

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Bellinda Myrick-Barnett

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ISBN Softcover: 978-1-637920-65-7

ISBN Hardcover: 978-1-637920-64-0

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Chapter One - The Lone Woman

Chapter Two - The Good-Bye

Chapter Three - Hurricane Babe

Chapter Four - Back Home for the First Time

Chapter Five - Round and Round It Goes and where it Stops......

Chapter Six - Tradin’ on a Name

Chapter Seven - Happy Trails To You Until We Meet Again.....

Chapter Eight - Does a New Universe begin when Another One Ends?

Chapter Nine - Together Again for the First Time....

Chapter Ten - Fee, fi, fo, fum...I smell the blood...

Chapter Eleven - Ground to Air Control...

Chapter Twelve - Sins of Omission.......

Chapter Thirteen - I Love You Truly

Chapter Fourteen - California, Here We Come...

Chapter Fifteen - Just Because You’re Paranoid... Doesn’t Mean Someone Isn’t Out To Get You.

Chapter Sixteen - Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Chapter Seventeen - When the chickens come home to roost.....

Chapter Eighteen - The Truth Shall Set You Free

CHAPTER ONE

The Lone Woman

It was straight up midnight on a Saturday night when the lone woman, long black hair blowing in the night air, dressed all in black came riding into Bandera, Texas on her black Harley. Nothing new on the streets of Bandera, a small town 30 minutes ‘West of San Antonio’ that was the self-proclaimed COWBOY CAPITOL OF THE WORLD. Bandera had, for over 60 years, been the Texas Capitol of Honky Tonks and Dude Ranches that came about mostly from the struggle for real ranches to survive the Great Depression and that were turned into successful businesses thriving, especially, on tourists from Europe and Japan and were fully booked in advance for two years, in many cases.

Walking down the main street of Bandera, eating dinner at the O.S.T. aka OLD SPANISH TRAIL Restaurant, replete with ‘saddle’ chaired barstools and terrific homemade pies, you never knew whom you would run into. Bandera is the biggest small town in Texas and maybe in the world as, there on the street or while eating a Duke Burger at the O.S.T. in a room covered with pictures of John Wayne, you are just as likely to run into famed Texas singing legend Willie Nelson or his buddy, Kinky Friedman who lives ‘just up the road’ and who, as the Texas Jewboy, had a country music singing career, is a mystery novelist and ran for Governor and, though he didn’t win, Kinky made people sit up and pay attention to how many votes an ‘Independent’ running for Governor of Texas with a Kinky Friedman Cigar in hand and a can of Lone Star Beer in the other could actually get.

The O.S.T. is, literally, a shrine to one John Duke Wayne who spent time making movies around Bandera as well as just being there for pleasure in this, what many call the ‘prettiest part’ of Texas....the ‘real’ Texas... with rolling ‘Hill Country’ and numerous rivers, creeks and lakes.

Modern day Bandera is a place for cowgirls and cowboys alike…real, reel and really?" The modern-day cowboys and cowgirls riding in on Harley’s and other motorbikes are welcomed into the city of Bandera as much as their counterparts who ride up on real horses are. It’s a town where it’s just as likely to see 1 to 100 cowpokes riding their horses down the street and hitchin’ up to a hitchin’ post as it is to see 1 to 100 bikers pulling into town. It happens every day in Bandera where numerous cowboys, who actually work the rodeo circuit, live as well as many an aging hippie in addition to those ‘white collar’ professionals from the big city that have always just dreamed of ‘livin’ western.

Babe Lott pulled into town on her black Harley just looking for a place to stay. She had been driving for hours...what was it? ....it had been about 6 hours ago when she left Dallas. She was never so glad to get out of a place in her life. She had driven into Dallas from Shreveport on I-30 and decided to stop off in the picturesque bedroom commuter town of Rockwall which was right on the manmade lake where a new Hilton Hotel had been built as the only real hotel in the well to do suburb of Dallas. From the minute Babe pulled off the freeway to get some gas and a hamburger and to look around town for a bit, she saw more cops in the first fifteen minutes than she had seen in the past week driving down from New York to Texas. Babe had been on the road for a week now just driving from one town to the next..... trying to escape everything that pursued her.

Babe had grown up on a reservation in Oklahoma but got out of there as fast as she could when she turned 18 and had never looked back. Babe was 1/2 Cherokee and Choctaw and 1/2 white. High school on the Oklahoma reservation had seen Babe crowned as the school beauty, the Homecoming Queen, and being a cheerleader who made the Honor Roll. On the outside, Babe Lott appeared to be the girl who had it all.... the girl MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED.....but her life at home was anything but successful and nothing that she ever wanted anyone else to know about. Babe knew even when she was a little girl that she had to get out of there as soon as she could but never told anyone why.

Babe Lott pulled into the ‘just turned vacant’ parking at 11th STREET COWBOY BAR right there on the main drag in Bandera. She wanted to get off the bike for a minute and survey the lay of the land and find out if there was a hotel room vacant for the evening. There were horses, bikes, cars, and mostly trucks parked everywhere that there was a space to park up and down and around the main hub of downtown Bandera. People walking up and down a street like they were there was almost unheard of in Texas on a hot July summer night but, Damn if they aren’t out walkin’ here! said Babe to herself as she pulled her black leather chaps over blue jeans leg up and over the bike. It was definitely too hot for leather chaps, she thought, so she took them off and tucked them into the saddle bag along with her black leather jacket revealing her toned, tanned, shapely figure in a midriff baring, turquoise, halter top over her low-rise blue jeans and her 5 inch, high heeled, black leather boots topped off by her turquoise and silver bracelet, rings, and ‘squash blossom’ necklace....the girl looked like she wanted to party....but there was nothing but business on Babe Lott’s mind. The mystery was what? For almost as long as

Babe could remember, she’d been on a mission:

# 1 was to just get away from that house that was supposed to be home

# 2 finding a way to support herself which she did very well

# 3 finding Po Po

# 4 the killing of Black Moon Rising

"Well, now, what do we have here, Bubba? Would you look at that! Damn now, if that ain’t one fine lookin’ woman." said the voice in the black, Dodge Ram pick-up next to Babe.

Ignoring the voice, Babe went ahead with what she was doing...brushing the dust off of her blue jeans then applying some fresh Chanel lipstick and dabbed a bit of it on her cheeks for a little color before she brushed her long, jet black hair forward and then threw it back where it cascaded over her shoulders to perfection. At 5’ 9" tall and in her black, high heeled stiletto boots that made her ‘reality’ height very well over 6 feet. ‘Imposing’ was not the precisely correct word for Babe. No, she was downright ‘Intimidating’ to anyone with good, common sense.

Holy shit, Roy! Will you get a load of that one? Mercy me! Why, HEY, BABE! yelled a voice from the Dodge pick-up that then called, Wanna go home with the BIG BOYS?" Babe did her best to continue to ignore the loud-mouth jerks next to her finishing up storing her gear and hooking her black leather backpack over her shoulder as she began walking away from the bike and the truck.

Immediately, Babe heard not one but two doors on the pick-up truck open and close and she just could sense trouble coming her way.

Okay....might as well end it sooner than later. Babe resignedly said to herself turning quickly and spreading her legs in a solid stance with her right fist firmly on her right hip.

Looking at the two goons in front of her just made Babe want to puke.

Typical...all too typical...two small town Bubba goons that just think that they are God’s gift to the females and not enough sense about how to make a proper ‘come on’ to a woman. Now, boys, do you really think that those stupid-ass cat calls that you were lobbin’ my way are gonna turn my little ol’ head? Huh? Now, you just cain’t be that shit-all stupid, Bubbas! said Babe without a smile and looking first at Bubba #1 who was actually named ‘Bubba’ there with his toothy grin. Missing a tooth up top there ain’t ya, sport, and doin’ your best to copy Toby Keith’s ‘Bama Cowboy’ wanna be look which ain’t all that terrific of a look on Toby Keith, aren’t ya, Bubba? Oooh! and then there’s you, DARLIN! Bubba # 2, what did he call you? Oh, yeah, ROY! said Babe. Bet your Daddy named ya after ROY ROGERS, didn’t he, huh? Whut a surprise, fellas. Now, listen, I’m gonna give you BIG BOYS one chance and one chance only to get back in your truck and get the hell outta here and leave me alone or, hey, go into the bar or somewhere else down the street....just leave me alone! Seriously. don’t talk to me and don’t look at me and definitely do NOT touch me and damn sure don’t even come near me and we be fine, okay? We understood? said Babe.

Who in the HELL do you think you are, bitch? growled Roy whose overhung, HUGE 9 months pregnant looking ‘beer belly’ shook with his voice and who spit out some of his ‘snuff juice’ each time after he spoke.

Babe looked where he had spat on the sidewalk and looked up saying: Oh, now, Prince Charming, THAT was quite special.... I bet the girls love THAT! The boys closed ranks around her with Roy having swung around to block her going up the steps into 11th STREET COWBOY BAR."

Oh, no....now, that just will not do. Is there any chance that just perhaps you two might just get out of my way and leave me alone starting right now? asked Babe.

The two men didn’t move but, instead, just stood there glaring at her until Bubba, the really stupid one Babe figured, actually was dumb enough to reach out and make a move toward her putting one hand on her arm and the other one reaching toward her breasts to touch them.

Warned ya. quietly said Babe who delivered a crushing blow with the bottom part of her right hand to Bubba’s nose that immediately gushed blood and then, falling back about a foot, Babe delivered a powerful kick with her right foot and its pointed toed, black stiletto boot into Bubba’s groin.

Roy was immediately into the mix lunging toward Babe who delivered a Kung Fu spin-kick to his right cheek with her right foot, once again, and once he was down Babe came down hard with her stiletto heel on his knee and incapacitating both men in less than 10 seconds.

Un-be-LIEV-able! said the drunk cowboy leaning over the railing. Wow! I thank I really have had too much to drank, honey. Take me home.

Wow! did you see that? said the blonde, 20-something to her equally as blonde ‘20-something’ friend both in their shortest Paris Hilton skirts and stiletto sandals.

Candace, I’m not sure if I saw what I thank I saw or not! I have never, EVER in my whole life seen a woman do something like that to ONE man....let alone TWO men at the same time!!" said the dumbfounded blonde.

The two men started moving around trying to get up. Babe looked at them both saying, Am I having any more trouble outta you two?

NO! moaned Roy. I just wanna git in my truck and git outta here. Is that alright with you?

Yeah, me, too, Roy. cried Bubba.

Absolutely, fellas. Do you need any help gittin up from down there?" asked Babe in a syrupy sweet baby voice.

Stay away from me! You hear? Do NOT come near me. said Roy as he struggled to get up and stumbled to his truck getting into the driver’s seat and yelling out the window, Git your ass in here, Bubba, or I’m leavin you! Ya hear?"

I’m comin, Roy! I’m comin’....don’t you DARE leave me here! called Bubba who threw himself up against the truck struggling to reach the door and then got into the Dodge.

Roy threw the truck into reverse and peeled out into the street.

Babe fluffed her hair, hooked her backpack over her left shoulder again and walked up the stairs into 11TH STREET and headed straight for the bar.

Yes, ma’am, what are you drankin’? said the thin, red-haired woman tendin’ bar.

Well, let me see, I’ve been drivin’ a lotta miles since my last drink so I think I’m gonna have a Maker’s Mark Bourbon....straight up.....make it a double....with a branch chaser.....ah, hell, make it a Miller Light on tap chaser not water. said Babe.

You got it, hon. Back in a flash. said the woman who, Babe noticed, had that look that said ‘something between being a recovered alcoholic or former meth addict’..... she couldn’t always tell which...but she was friendly.

Babe turned to look around at the club which was in ‘full roar’ at, what was it now? 15 after midnight. Babe thought to herself, If you’ve seen one honky-tonk crowd, you’ve seen ‘em all. Babe used to be a heavy partier, mostly in her high school days. She drank to forget and it did, of course, lead to more trouble with too many boys and too many ‘near misses’ of one kind or another. She didn’t get to be the most popular cheerleader at her high school for nothin’. Since then, the 5 years that she had been out on the road away from Oklahoma she had learned a lot. She learned very well that getting boozed up and having memory-less sex with a football player wasn’t worth it for any reason that anyone could think of. Then she learned that abstaining from sex and acting like a celibate nun wasn’t the answer either.

Babe had learned lots of lessons but she was sure that she had many more to learn. Her time in the Marine Corps taught her that probably more than anything else. Six months out of high school and six waitress jobs later, Babe knew that she had to find a better way but she had no clue of what that was. Stupidly, Babe decided that it was the Marine Corps. Now, Babe was smart enough to know all the good things that she learned from the Marine Corps....mostly how to take care of herself just as she had outside the bar....and there were other good things about discipline that she had learned and, oh, yeah....she had learned how to kill. That was her main impetus to join the Marines. She needed to know how to kill and she didn’t mean in war. She had a mission and killing was huge part of it.

Here you go, hon. said the bartender. That’ll be $15.00 or do you want to run a tab?

Nah....I’ll pay you now. I just like to stay fluid. Here you go. said Babe handing the woman a $20 bill. You keep the change.

Well, thank ye kindly. I’m Mona, by the way. said the woman.

Hey, nice to meet you, Mona. I’m Babe. Mona, any idea where I might be able to get a room for tonight or is the town all full up? said Babe.

Well, you never know ‘til you try.... cain’t really tell from how many people are out on the streets, sometimes local, sometimes not but listen, there’s a really nice Bed & Breakfast jist a short ways outta town just up past Vicky’s convenience store. It sits atop a hill and it’s called, Hill Top Hacienda. It’s an old solid stone hacienda like something out of ZORRO and I bet you’d love it. Here’s the number and address on their card...give ‘em a call. They just might have a room available since they’re not right downtown. Then there’s that hotel jist across the street from Bandera Cabaret" in the next block. You can’t miss it...but you’d really like that place

Hill Top Hacienda. It’s really a step back in time and it’s beautiful."

Okay, thanks, Mona. spoke Babe as she tossed back the first shot and then quickly the second shot and then took a big sip of her mug of ice cold beer.

Excuse me, ma’am. said a very official sounding voice.

Babe looked up to see the Bandera Policeman standing next to her barstool.

Yes, officer. How may I help you? said Babe.

Well, I expect you might know what I’m here about. said the policeman.

Well, now, I’m not really sure unless those two good old boys that tried to accost me, laying their hands on me, and insulting me went running to the cops when a woman kicked their asses. said Babe with a smile.

Uh, yep, ma’am, that would be the situation....uh....well, yes, that about sums it up. said the policeman.

Now, you’re not actually going to run me in for something like that, are you now, officer? said Babe.

Uh.....well, you see, ma’am.....uh, normally, I wouldn’t and I’m feeling really, really Bad about this right now.....but, you see, those two....Roy and Bubba....well, they have filed charges. Now, I’m sure when the judge has a chance to look at this and see you and then Roy and Bubba....well, I have no doubt that it will be dismissed..... but they have filed ‘Assault and Battery’ charges against you and they have two witnesses that are, I believe, their girlfriends or something like that but I am gonna have to take you in. said the policeman.

What’s your name? asked Babe.

Uh....it’s Larry, ma’am....I’m sorry....I mean Officer Smith, ma am. said the officer sheepishly.

Well, Larry....Officer Smith....I’m gonna ask a really dumb question now.....am I going to have to spend the night in jail? said Babe.

Oh, darn, uh.....well, yes, ma’am, it would appear that you would need to, I’m afraid. said Officer Smith.

Okay, okay.... that’s alright, Larry, don’t let it bother you. Not the first time. Besides, I was needing a room for the evening anyway and I might have had to start a fight when I got to the hotel and found out they didn’t have a room for me… just to have a bed to sleep in for the night. laughed Babe. Okay, let’s go. Can I leave my bike here? It’s parked out front....a black Harley with saddlebags. asked Babe.

Hey, Mona... he said looking at the bartender and then turning to Babe, the cop said, What’s your name?

Babe.....Babe Lott. responded Babe.

Mona! This woman’s name is Babe Lott. Seems she kicked the CRAP outta Roy and Bubba and, unfortunately, I’ve got to take her in to the jail for the night. Is it alright if her bike stays outside? It’s the black Harley with saddlebags. said Larry.

Sure! Hey, Babe! Way to go, GIRL! Those two are always just beggin’ somebody to beat the crap out of their sorry asses! laughed Mona. Those two little pricks think that just because their sorry little, small businesses belong to the Chamber of Commerce and they, somehow, got themselves elected to the Board of Directors that they are somebody! Can you believe it? Mercy! I mean, Bubba owns a lawn mowing service and Roy owns a fruit stand business and they think that they are all THAT. Oh, well. Larry, you take care of our girl here. She’s a nice lady....and if I had known she was kickin’ those pricks asses, why I would have been out there helpin’ her!

I’m sure you would have, Mona....but then I’d have to be arrestin’ you, too, and then that would piss your old man, Charlie, off and I’d probably have to wind up arrestin’ him, too.....so, we’ll just be happy that there’s only one person gittin’ arrested over this tonight! But tomorrow’s another day, Mona! laughed Larry.

My car’s out front or, if you want, we can just walk over to the Police Department. It’s just down the street and I’ve gotta come back over here anyway and probably arrest some more people in just a short while. It looks like too many people gittin’ too drunk and usually there’s more than one fight on a Saturday evenin’ but usually not anyone as pretty as you unless it’s a ‘cat fight’....oh, sorry, that’s not exactly politically correct to say these days. said Smith.

That’s alright. I’ve heard lots worse. Sure, let’s walk over. said Babe and she and Officer Smith headed out the door to the jail where she was booked. As Babe settled into her cell, she patted the mattress saying, Well, better than some, worse than others.

Of course, jails were always noisy in the morning so it was never a problem waking up in time for your arraignment. Breakfast was, Babe figured, probably ‘yuk.’ Babe was dressed, sitting, waiting, ready to go when the jailer came to get her.

As might have been predicted by just about anyone in town, the judge failed to find anything humorous about the situation...not the fact that Babe had kicked the butts of the two men but that the two men actually reported the incident and feeling that the two men had gotten everything that they deserved after their own two witnesses, the two blonde ‘20-something women’ that Babe saw going into the bar, had actually testified on Babe’s behalf saying that the man named Bubba had been aggressive toward Babe putting his hands on her and attempting to touch her breasts and that the man named Roy then attempted to assault Babe after she had taken his friend down. Hearing everything, the judge dismissed the case.

Babe left the police station and immediately went to O.S.T. for breakfast where she had the works of bacon, sausage, biscuits & gravy, eggs, and grits and pancakes.

Babe found out that there was a room available at the Hill Top Hacienda and headed there taking what appeared to be the last room in town at least for that day. It seems that when whatever special weekend activities are over in Bandera and the bikes, horses, and pick-up trucks and horse trailers clear out of town that the hotels open up quickly until the next special event weekend rolls around. She loved Hill Top Hacienda. It sat on top of a hill with a 360 degree view of the surrounding Hill Country and was a beautiful place to retreat to. What began as a simple stopover for Babe Lott in Bandera turned into a whole week. By that time, Babe began to think about her options. She still had her LIST and there were other things that she wanted to get done but she liked Bandera, at least for now, and she had been on the road straight for almost a week since leaving New York and a little ‘down time’ in one place could be good. At least, Bandera itself was semi-remote in the Hill Country but it was only 30 minutes from San Antonio and just a little over an hour from there to Austin and then there was Houston at only 3 1/2 hours away.....so, it just seemed right for right now. Where to stay though? That was the dilemma. To buy or not to buy? That was the question. She could always rent. So, Babe started checking but trying to find something worthwhile to rent in the country was next to impossible around Bandera. She could get a house in town but....uh....nah.....or an apartment, definitely not.....so that left her with the one thing that she really wasn’t sure she wanted to do....and that was to buy a place. There were a lot of places for sale...some really pretty crappy places all the way up to Taj Mahal ranches. Money wasn’t an object. Well, not completely. That sounded strange to Babe. Just to even think those words, Money Isn’t An Object. Money had ALWAYS been an object in her life. Certainly, when she was growing up. Then there was the 6 months working as a waitress followed by the Marines, neither of which brought her any ‘real’ money at all.

Babe’s stint in the Marines didn’t surprise her when it included a tour of duty in Iraq. She quite anticipated that. The scariest thing in the world was the very thing that was happening to the majority of people getting killed in Iraq, civilians as well as military, who were killed by I.E.D.’s, roadside bombs. Only 6 months into her tour of duty, Babe was wounded in a firefight and airlifted out. She had been on patrol in Fallujah and taken a round to her right hip and had been flown out to Germany where she underwent surgery at Ramstein Air Base. After surgery, Babe began therapy beginning with just the basics and advancing to incorporate yoga and the various martial arts working to give dexterity as well as continuing the ‘killing machine’ expertise she had begun in the Marines.

Babe was not one of those types of women that it takes seeing 100 houses before she can make up her mind which one she wants nor even with shoes was that the case. Babe studied the houses that were available on her laptop and found one that sounded interesting:

5 acres - 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, ‘Santa Fe’ style Stucco with ‘Santa Fe’ style fireplace. Needs some work but it is really special and can be a real ‘stunner’ of an entertainment home. Swimming pool and poolside Fire-pit and Bar-B-Q area, Barn, loafing shed, dog kennel, 3 miles from Bandera. $247,000

Perfect! Babe picked up the phone calling the realtor and telling her that she’d take it.

But you haven’t seen it! gasped the realtor.

Oh, I saw the pictures online and if everything is as it says in the information then there shouldn’t be any problems and I’m a go. I would like to take a look at it but, if no one is currently living in it, as it appears they are not....I would like to make arrangements to immediately move into it.....paying rent, of course, until the deal closes. Would that be alright? asked Babe.

Oh, I’m quite sure that it will but I will call the owners, they live in San Antonio, and I’ll get right back with you. Will that be alright? asked the realtor.

Absolutely. Just call me back. said Babe.

Babe met the realtor, Jane, 2 hours later after Jane had called and told her that everything was a ‘go.’

The house was as it had looked online and the ‘fixer-upper’ aspects of what needed to be done was partially in finishing the bricking of the Bar-B-Q pit and laying of some tile in the 2nd bathroom as well as some painting still to be finished in the 2nd bedroom. Everything else was in pretty good condition, all things considered. Babe loved the Master Bedroom. It was quite large, especially for one person, and, again, very ‘Santa Fe.’

Babe didn’t know how they had accomplished what she knew as the ‘Diamond Finish’ on the stucco. She had always been told, perhaps wrongly, that it was something which could only be accomplished actually in Santa Fe because it took special dirt from the Santa Fe area to work it. Babe figured that must be a ‘tall tale’ but wasn’t sure but here in her new house was that ‘Diamond Finish’ and it was in Bandera....so, it must not have been true or maybe someone imported Santa Fe dirt. Oh, well, it didn’t matter. She loved it.

From the moment she moved in, Babe was delighted. There was a truly ‘special’ feeling in the house and around the grounds. It made Babe feel wonderful to be there. The house had a great ‘vibe’ and while it might not be a place where she would stay forever but, for now, it was where she needed to be.

Babe had moved in that evening with only what she carried on her Harley and the Harley parked all by itself in the 2 car garage. Her realtor, Jane, was kind enough to bring over an air mattress for her and left it along with a basket of wine and food welcoming her to her new home and her new town.

Babe hadn’t had a real bath...just showers...since....when and where was it?... Shreveport... when she went to one of the big gambling hotels. Her new bathtub was all that and then something.....it was a deep, luxurious Jacuzzi tub and lying back in it was sheer Heaven to Babe. Getting out of the tub, Babe looked in the mirror at the scars still visible on her hip and began to remember.

The hospital and the surgery weren’t the worst of it. Her therapy was excruciating at first. At times, Babe wondered if she would ever walk right again but she was determined that it wasn’t going to get the best of her so she tried and she tried and she tried some more. Therapy and every kind of vitamin and mineral treatment that might have any possibility of helping she did it. Eventually, after a year, things

began to work better. Certainly, the martial arts had seemed to help more than anything. With the training, Babe began to thrive and really, for the first time since being wounded, began to get her old spark back and began to think again about her LIST.

When the recovery and therapy year were out of the way, Babe found herself wandering around the world trying to decide where her life should go from there.

Spending time in Venice, the unexpected had happened. At the young age of 22,Babe fell in love in that magical city. Meeting another young American there in Venice while strolling thro ugh a square just as she was about to get into a gondola, Babe found herself almost falling into the dirty canal. Quickly and, seemingly, from out of nowhere, two hands reached out and grabbed her and pulled her back from the very near immersion into the murky water.

Oh, good grief! Thank you! I can’t believe I almost fell into...that! Yuk! laughed Babe. You were great! Thanks so much. spoke Babe to the handsome, young man there before her.

Well, certainly, you are very welcome. Boy, I’m just glad I turned around when I did or it would have been too late. No one else was near enough to you. I hope I didn’t grab you too hard. spoke the young man.

No, are you kidding? No, not at all. Thank you, again. I notice the American accent. Where are you from? asked Babe.

Oh, I’m from New York....Long Island, actually but I have an apartment in Manhattan. he said. Oh, I’m sorry. My name’s Jeff. Jeff Pearlman.

I’m Babe.....Babe Lott. she said. I’m actually from Oklahoma.

Well, what brings you to Venice? said Jeff.

Just here on a lark, actually. I was in Iraq and then in Germany and Switzerland and France and decided it was time for Italy. smiled Babe.

Now, wait just a minute..... you just slid that first part right by me. Iraq? You were in Iraq? Are you a reporter? asked Jeff.

Uh...no, not a reporter. smiled Babe.

Okay, are you going to make me do 40 questions to find out why? laughed Jeff.

No! laughed Babe. Actually, I’m a Marine....well, I was a Marine....well, actually, you’re ALWAYS a Marine. I was wounded in a firefight in Fallujah and surgery in Germany followed by recovery and therapy and, now, I’m just spending my teensy weensy bit of insurance money that I received while being wounded in combat on a Eur-Rail pass throughout Europe and I’m having a great time. My first time ever here. smiled Babe.

Your first time ever in Venice? asked Jeff.

My first time ever in Europe. said Babe.

Really, you’ve never been to Europe ever before? queried Jeff.

Nope....took taking a round in the hip to finally get me here..... so, maybe it was worth it. It’s wonderful. I’m having THE best time. laughed Babe.

Well, so am I...now that I’ve met you. smiled Jeff.

Babe was surprised how comfortable she already felt with this young man. He was barely 5’ 10 and must have weighed about 160 lbs. With Babe standing 5’ 9 tall and weighing 130 lbs., they fit well together, Babe thought, though she might want to rethink the 4 and 5 inch heels with this one. Babe smiled at the thought thinking how she already had them going out together in her mind. Jeff had slightly curly black hair that was longer in that sexy, looser, flowing hair cut that was slightly layered and between his chin and shoulders with slight waves framing his face, his very handsome David-esque face with the most incredible chocolate brown eyes rimmed with the blackest of eyelashes and eyebrows set against his olive skin.

Babe couldn’t help but notice the passers-by looking at the two of them there together. She thought what a handsome couple they must make. Jeff was wearing a rust colored ribbed turtleneck and chocolate brown pants and shoes. Babe was wearing a burnt orange ribbed turtleneck and tan slacks and shoes. Looking as if they had just been dressed by a wardrobe department for a print ad, the two people drifted in conversation as they boarded the gondola with Jeff waving his Venetian friends good-bye going off with Babe to tour the city.

Babe and Jeff lost track of time as they cruised through the Venice canals in their gondola.....paying the gondolier to just keep rowing and singing as they drifted along.......they, truly, made the gondolier’s evening....actually not even just his week but almost an entire month’s worth of money from what Jeff tipped him.

Finally, it was time to eat......they didn’t care where....they just strolled and stopped along the way in one of many tiny, little family owned restaurants where they ate ridiculously incredible food and with great joy as the owner’s family sat at the same long table with them and there was much singing and eating and eating and singing.

Walking back toward Babe’s hotel after dinner, they were both startled to find that it was already 3:00 AM. How could the day and evening have gone by so fast? It was obvious to both of them that this wasn’t just any encounter and they had a hard hard time walking away from each other as Jeff left Babe at her youth hostel door.

I’ll go... only if you promise me tomorrow. said Jeff.

I’m sorry? puzzled Babe.

Tomorrow. I want all of your tomorrow starting early.....and ending very late. I don’t know where we will go or what we will do but let’s just let tomorrow take care of tomorrow. smiled Jeff starting to walk away then turning and coming back to Babe, Jeff looked her in the eyes and kissed her....softly....lovingly.....just a simple, sweet, uncomplicated kiss....not the rough, pushing, tongue thrusting kiss so many boys or men his age of 25 felt they had to engage in but just a simple, beautiful kiss.

Good night. Tomorrow. said Jeff.

Good night. Tomorrow. said Babe.

Another day of laughter and food and delightful conversation took Babe and Jeff again to the ‘witching hour’ of 3 AM as they headed back to her hotel. Before they got there, passing a small ‘boutique’ hotel, Jeff said:

Babe, I’ve got to tell you...right here.....right now. I want you. I want to make love to you. Right here...right now....in this hotel...but that’s not all I want...and I’m not just saying this to trick you into making love to me. I want to ask you now, Babe, Jeff lowered himself to one knee. Babe Lott, will you marry me? Anywhere and anytime tomorrow...the next day...here...back in America...in New York...in Oklahoma...I don’t care where...will you marry me? said Jeff looking up at Babe as the street light glimmered, shining an almost ethereal light on the couple.

You don’t have to answer me now, if you don’t want to.

Jeff.....uh.....I....uh...can I have a little bit of time to think on it.?....I’m just in shock right now......let’s get a room. said Babe.

Funny, said Babe, as they walked through the door. Did you see the name of the hotel?

No, didn’t even notice. said Jeff.

LA ROMANTICA. said Babe.

Well, it’s off to a good start. said Jeff.

The hotel was romantic, small and simple but something rather like in THE ROSE TATTOO in that simpler, rougher Italian kind of romantic way.

The passion overtook both Jeff and Babe as he lifted her on top of the bed where and he began to disrobe her and then himself. They fell down onto the feather bed and made mad, crazy, passionate love all night long. Jeff took Babe’s breath away with every move. She had never known that making love could be that beautiful and extreme to such a degree of longing and passion and insatiability. Jeff was so taken with every inch of Babe’s beauty, of course, but she touched his heart in a way that no woman had ever touched him and Babe felt as if she had always been a part of him and he with her.

As the sun began to creep in through the window, Babe rolled over and sat back on her heels just looking at this beautiful man that made every part of her body tingle, this man that asked her to marry him, this man that had wrapped both of his hands around her heart, this man named Jeff Pearlman.

Babe looked at every inch of Jeff’s body as he slept. He was beautiful....he was just plain beautiful....the way his hair fell back as he slept.....his olive skin tanned so magnificently and the curves of his body.....every part of him was spectacularly breathtaking.

Leaning over Jeff, Babe whispered into Jeff’s ear saying, I do.

Jeff just lay there so Babe whispered again saying, I do.

Jeff opened his beautiful brown eyes and pulled Babe in closer to his chest saying, You better because I’m not prepared to live another day of my life without you in it. Jeff kissed Babe and, again, their passion consumed them and they made love for hours falling in and out of slumber.

Wake up! said a very excited Jeff. WAKE UP!

What? What? said Babe, stretching her magnificent body as Jeff found himself staring at her beauty and then shaking his head saying:

Well, you’re not going to believe this but....I’ve managed to pull some strings and while it’s never....I mean NEVER done this quickly!....well, the earth has moved in more ways than one this day and we are being married.....TODAY! The Mayor of Venice, himself, is marrying us! He expedited EVERYTHING.....what do you say? Is that okay with you? asked a worried looking Jeff.

Oh, what on EARTH are you talking about? barked Babe. OF COURSE, that’s alright with me, silly! That’s the best news I’ve had since 3 AM this morning!

Jeff kissed his bride-to-be and said, I’ve got the shower first!

Oh, no, you don’t! You’re sharing it with ME! laughed Babe as they both grabbed their robes, towels, and soap heading for the communal shower in the hallway passing an elderly Italian man and woman on the way to shower. The elderly man turned and stared longingly at Babe with his wife quickly turning to whack him up against the back of the head.

Good evening. Please come in. spoke the Mayor’s secretary. The Mayor will be right with you.

Jeff turned toward Babe and took her hand and kissed it and said, It’s almost time. Very shortly now we will be husband and wife. Thank you for agreeing to be my wife. I love you.

My darling, Jeff. Thank you. Thank you for giving me the honor of asking me to be your bride. said Babe. I love you, too. I am honored to be your wife.

This way, please. spoke the secretary leading them into the inner chamber of the Mayor of Venice’s office. It was truly ‘Old World’ elegant and luxuriant.

Welcome, Miss Lott and Mr. Pearlman. I am so delighted to be able to assist you today with your marriage. Please let us begin. I do not want to rush you but my wife has tickets to the opera tonight and if I am late you will be attending my funeral. If I am late, she will think I have been with a mistress and then I might as well be dead. Okay? Let us begin. said the Mayor.

Jeff took Babe to the Cipriani Hotel for the most magnificent dinner of her life.

There were 8 courses of which she could eat only two or three bites of each item. It was all such delicious food. The most incredible for her was the Lasagna Bolognese. It was lasagna like Babe had never had before made with a cream sauce and it was breathtakingly delicious. Dinner ended with a magnum of Cristal Champagne and then, quite startling to Babe, was when Jeff asked that everyone in the restaurant have a bottle of Cristal sent to their tables with the compliments of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey David Pearlman, IV.

Babe was aghast. Jeff, you can’t do that! Oh, my heavens! I know how expensive Cristal is, sweetheart! Please call the waiter back!

Well, that would be the sommelier not the waiter, darling and it is quite alright and not a problem. said Jeff.

Oh, my God. What do I have to say to get through to you? We cannot afford this! said Babe certain that her new groom would send them to the poor house before they even had a house.

Well, my darling, maybe you couldn’t afford it yesterday but....today you can more than afford it. smiled Jeff.

Babe started to speak and then stopped looking at Jeff and saying....What are you talking about?.....and, wait a minute, you just said something that I thought that the Mayor had said but I thought I just misunderstood because of his Italian accent. Your full name is Jeffrey David Pearlman, IV? said Babe.

Yes, that’s right. said Jeff.

And what do you mean when you say I CAN afford it today? said Babe.

Well, sweetheart, uh, how do I delicately say this? Hmmmm, well, I, uh, well, how DO you say this.....I’m....uh....filthy, stinking rich! said Jeff very matter of fact.

You’re what? asked Babe.

Filthy....STINKING....RICH! said Jeff with a smile.

How rich do you have to be to be FILTHY.....and stinking rich? asked Babe.

Oh......well, somewhere about the neighborhood of $4 Billion that my family is worth. I’ve already gotten about $1 Billion. I’m an only child and....well, I guess that about sums it up. said Jeff.

Babe actually choked on her swig of champagne and spit it out right in Jeff’s face sputtering, What the hell you say? Was that BILLION with a B?

Whoa! said Jeff, wiping his face off with his napkin. Well, a different reaction than I expected. laughed Jeff.

Oh....my heavens......I think I’m going to faint, really....Jeff.....Jeff.... said Babe.

Babe woke up a few seconds later as Jeff was patting her face with a napkin he had dipped in his glass of water.

Oh, sweetheart, wake up! I’m sorry....I just thought you’d be happy....I didn’t know that it would shock you so much you’d pass out! said Jeff.

Oh....whoa.....what happened?.....oh, yeah.....OH, JEFF! I really am just in shock. I just thought you were, well, just maybe a tiny bit well off....you told me that you graduated from Harvard and that you live in Manhattan....but what do I know?.... I don’t know anyone that went to Harvard or lives in Manhattan so I have no frame of reference. Uh....where’s the waiter? Oh, hey! Babe called out to the waiter.

Yes, over here. I’m so sorry, uh, I’d like a Martini…actually, bring me a shaker with about 4 Martinis! STOLI! Dirty…shaken not stirred. Thanks! smiled Babe.

Okay....the girl likes her Martinis! laughed Jeff.

Well, when you see me asking for a SHAKER of Martinis that’s a clue for you that something very dramatic has gone down. Now, usually, that means....something bad.....but, in cases like this, it just means something really DRAMATIC! said a panicked looking Babe. It was only seconds later that the very incredibly efficient waiter returned with a two full Martini glasses and a full shaker of Martinis along with a silver tray of tiny onions and olives.

Grazie, senor. said Jeff.

Yep, that goes for me, too. Bottoms up! Here’s to you, kid! said Babe throwing back the martini in the glass.

Okay, just go slow. said Jeff.

Oh, sure....uh huh….NOPE! I don’t THINK so! laughed Babe.

Well, if I can’t slow you down, I’ll just join you. laughed Jeff.

Jeff had the other half of the magnum of Cristal sent up to their room as he coaxed his beautiful new bride that it was time to have ‘honeymoon sex’ with her as the now married husband and wife.

Fortunately, Babe thought, after champagne and a few martinis, she was finally beginning to relax with the thoughts about the kind of money that Jeff had.

You know what? I’m just standing here in the elevator thinking.....that’s a HELL of a lot of money, Jeff! I can really have some fun spending some of that money. You know? Ummm......I’m just getting HOT starting to think about it.......oooh, think of all that very, sexy lingerie that I can buy with some of that money. cooed Babe in Jeff’s ear......as she started taking off her clothes.

What are you doing, Babe? Uh, Babe, we’re in the elevator, honey. You can’t do that, sweetheart....uh, what if someone gets on the elevator......uh.......uh-oh! said Jeff as Babe was now down to her totally sexy VICTORIA’S SECRET matching half-cup white lace bra and lacy thong and she was dancing her way around her handsome husband and causing him to fidget uncomfortably afraid that someone was going to walk into the elevator and see her. Wow! Jeff thought.

Wouldn’t that be a HELL of a surprise for someone.

So far, so good....they were nearing their floor.....almost there.....almost there....when the door opened and, Oh, my God! said Jeff before he could stop himself.

There in front of the elevator door were two very proper middle-aged Italian couples. Jeff took Babe’s wedding suit and wrapped it around her as he nervously laughed hurrying her out of the elevator. The two women clucked like hens as they got on to the elevator being shocked by that kind of display while the two husbands looked after Babe longingly and envying Jeff his good fortune.

Arriving at the door of his suite there in the Cipriani Hotel, while Babe had stayed at the youth hostel, Jeff now opened the door to the delight and surprise of his bride whom he carried over the threshold.

"Oh, Jeff! Honey, oh, my Heavens! What a beautiful suite!!! BEAUTIFUL! Okay, I’m over half the way there.....I want you and I want you now! LOVER.....come here. Babe pushed the door to the suite closed and opened it again to put out the DO NOT DISTURB sign.

Now....here....now....and more later! said Babe disrobing Jeff and ‘having her way’ with him.

Life back in Manhattan with Jeff began on such a glorious note that it never occurred to Babe that there would ever be anything else not until she met Jeff’s parents, Selma and Jeffrey David David Pearlman, III.

Selma had grown up Orthodox Jew and, while husband David had not, they still held pretty strict, conservative Jewish beliefs including that which held that their one and only son, Jeffrey, should and would marry a Jewish girl. They had always hoped that Jeff would marry Annie Klein, daughter of their best friends, Morty and Rhoda Klein, and while Annie was certainly willing enough, Jeff had never been.

Jeff was not someone to be controlled by his parents no matter how much he loved them. He respected them greatly and would honor them in